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The Hocus Pocus Handbook
A fantastical story of found family, love, and acceptance from author Ann Aguirre.
Thea Winter has been stolen. She's the other side of the changeling story, and she's been raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge, who taught her wildcraft, how to know when the coin-sith would attack and how to get one to show its belly. Unfortunately, Mudge didn't teach Thea how to stay out of trouble. Which is why she's facing an unwanted marriage of convenience.
Or would be, but her spouse bolted. Now she has to hunt down Devan J. Fenelon, but she's been saddled with a taciturn, humorless hunter known as Winter's Hound. He answers only to his cousin, and she's not looking forward to this quest at all.
Kerboros has never known freedom. His life is an endless series of ceaseless commands from his reprehensible cousin, Lord Liskaal. Since his father's failed rebellion, Kerboros has been permitted to survive only as an example to others, an object lesson as to how far one may fall. Certainly, he has his own hidden dreams and secret schemes, but they're not what anyone would expect. What he wants most, he will most likely never attain.
But then, he receives his next assignment. Escort Thea Winter, protect her during the search. And it's a glorious torment to travel with her.
She is sunshine. He is shadow.
Their love is forbidden, but when irresistible force sweeps up an immovable object, the resulting reaction might be magical…
Thea Winter has been stolen. She's the other side of the changeling story, and she's been raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge, who taught her wildcraft, how to know when the coin-sith would attack and how to get one to show its belly. Unfortunately, Mudge didn't teach Thea how to stay out of trouble. Which is why she's facing an unwanted marriage of convenience.
Or would be, but her spouse bolted. Now she has to hunt down Devan J. Fenelon, but she's been saddled with a taciturn, humorless hunter known as Winter's Hound. He answers only to his cousin, and she's not looking forward to this quest at all.
Kerboros has never known freedom. His life is an endless series of ceaseless commands from his reprehensible cousin, Lord Liskaal. Since his father's failed rebellion, Kerboros has been permitted to survive only as an example to others, an object lesson as to how far one may fall. Certainly, he has his own hidden dreams and secret schemes, but they're not what anyone would expect. What he wants most, he will most likely never attain.
But then, he receives his next assignment. Escort Thea Winter, protect her during the search. And it's a glorious torment to travel with her.
She is sunshine. He is shadow.
Their love is forbidden, but when irresistible force sweeps up an immovable object, the resulting reaction might be magical…
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Ann Aguirre
83 books7,123 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre has been a clown, a clerk, a savior of stray kittens, and a voice actress, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in Mexico with her family. She writes all kinds of genre fiction, but she has an eternal soft spot for a happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
Did Not Finish
September 6, 2026DNF @23%. I can't get into the story. The beginning feels like it's too boring for me. I can't really get a connection with Thea and Kerboros. The storyline feels a little too flat for me. It's too slow for me.
Did Not Finish
June 29, 2026*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
DNF @ 28%.
I just couldn't get into this. I really made myself stick it out for longer than I should have. I didn't care at all about either of the main characters. It took so long to get into the main plotline. Also each chapter starts with a little thing (a spell and explanation for Thea and a description of a carving for Kerboros) and after the first couple I just skipped them. They were boring, and some of the ones for Thea's chapters were more than a page long.
DNF @ 28%.
I just couldn't get into this. I really made myself stick it out for longer than I should have. I didn't care at all about either of the main characters. It took so long to get into the main plotline. Also each chapter starts with a little thing (a spell and explanation for Thea and a description of a carving for Kerboros) and after the first couple I just skipped them. They were boring, and some of the ones for Thea's chapters were more than a page long.
September 21, 2026
I really liked the magical elements of this book. Thea is a changeling who is constantly finding herself in trouble. When she releases the Pookas before a Winter Court event, she is punished by being forced to marry a man from the Summer Court. The only problem is that the entire Summer Court has run off, including her new betrothed. She teams up with Kerboros to track down the Summer Court, find her man, and bring them back.
I really enjoyed the adventures in this story. The world building is very detailed and fun. Thea has a heart of gold, so she’s very easy to like. I also really enjoyed that the book had dual POVs, so you could see what both Thea and Kerboros were thinking. Their chemistry felt slow and steady, which I enjoyed.
I really enjoyed the first 10 chapters. The story had a great flow and kept my interest. Around the time Thea and Kerboros started their journey, though, I began to get confused at times. The transitions from scene to scene were sometimes difficult for me to follow, and I found myself rereading portions of the book to better understand what was happening. During the middle of the book, they experienced some amazing adventures, but I got a little lost in the scene transitions and overall flow.
The ending was good, and I enjoyed how they handled their issues. It was a very cute fantasy world, and the unique characters they met throughout their journey were really cool!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed the adventures in this story. The world building is very detailed and fun. Thea has a heart of gold, so she’s very easy to like. I also really enjoyed that the book had dual POVs, so you could see what both Thea and Kerboros were thinking. Their chemistry felt slow and steady, which I enjoyed.
I really enjoyed the first 10 chapters. The story had a great flow and kept my interest. Around the time Thea and Kerboros started their journey, though, I began to get confused at times. The transitions from scene to scene were sometimes difficult for me to follow, and I found myself rereading portions of the book to better understand what was happening. During the middle of the book, they experienced some amazing adventures, but I got a little lost in the scene transitions and overall flow.
The ending was good, and I enjoyed how they handled their issues. It was a very cute fantasy world, and the unique characters they met throughout their journey were really cool!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 21, 2026
⭐ 3.5
Este libro es el perfecto para aquellas personas que, como yo, no leen fantasía o romantasy pesados, este fue un cozy fantasy hermoso y muy fácil de seguir, lleno de un mundo y personajes que a mí, me gusto.
La historia sigue a Thea, un ser híbrido ¿humano o hada? Ni ella sabe porque fue cambiada cuando era pequeña y llevada al mundo de las hadas y seres mágicos donde, al pasar mucho tiempo, no puede volver al mundo humano porque tiene consecuencias letales. Ella es la problemática del reino según a quién le preguntes (solo los reyes la llaman así) y tiene que casarse con un enviado del reino enemigo para hacer tratados, pero Oh, el prometido escapa y eso al rey no le gusta así que ella y Kerboros (mayor rastreador del rey) se embarcan en una aventura para saber que paso con ellos.
Ahora bien, hasta alli todo bien, pero déjenme decirles que lo resumi un poco para no darles spoilers porque pasan MUCHAS COSAS, a mí me gusto eso porque EXPLICAN mucho y eso siempre lo agradezco con libros como estos, pero a la vez, eso también le jugó en contra porque al ser muchas explicaciones de todo lo que pasa, uno pierde el hilo un poco. El viaje del cual nuestros protagonistas se embarcan es extenso y una guerra contra el reloj, consiguen amigos en el camino y el grupo de dos termina siendo un grupo de seis al final.
La ambientación me gustó mucho, tenemos las estaciones como reinos: Verano, Invierno, Otoño y Primavera, siendo Thea y Kerboros del reino del Invierno. Las diferentes especies que vemos a lo largo del camino fueron interesantes y si, hay un poquito de romance a lo largo del libro pero que no es el foco principal.
Fue un buen cozy fantasy que al parecer es parte de una serie ¿un spin off tal vez? pero que para mí, se lee completamente como autoconclusivo.
*******
This book is perfect for people like me who don’t read heavy fantasy or romantasy; this was a beautiful, cozy fantasy that was very easy to follow, full of a world and characters that I really liked.
The story follows Thea, a hybrid—is she human or a fairy? Not even she knows, because she was taken as a child to the world of fairies and magical beings, and after spending so much time there, she can’t return to the human world without facing deadly consequences. She’s the kingdom’s problem—depending on who you ask (only the kings call her that) and she has to marry an envoy from the enemy kingdom to seal treaties. But oh, the fiancé runs away, and the king isn’t happy about that, so she and Kerboros (the king’s chief tracker) set off on an adventure to find out what happened to them.
Now, so far so good, but let me tell you that I summarized it a bit to avoid spoilers because a LOT HAPPENS. I liked that because they EXPLAIN a lot, and I always appreciate that in books like these, but at the same time, that also worked against it because with so many explanations for everything that happens, you lose track of the story a little. The journey our protagonists embark on is long and a race against time; they make friends along the way, and the pair eventually becomes a group of six by the end.
I really liked the setting, the seasons are represented as kingdoms: Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring, with Thea and Kerboros coming from the Kingdom of Winter. The different species we encounter along the way were interesting, and yes, there’s a bit of romance throughout the book, but it isn’t the main focus.
It was a good cozy fantasy novel that appears to be part of a series, a spin-off, perhaps? but to me, it reads completely as a standalone story.
📌 I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
Este libro es el perfecto para aquellas personas que, como yo, no leen fantasía o romantasy pesados, este fue un cozy fantasy hermoso y muy fácil de seguir, lleno de un mundo y personajes que a mí, me gusto.
La historia sigue a Thea, un ser híbrido ¿humano o hada? Ni ella sabe porque fue cambiada cuando era pequeña y llevada al mundo de las hadas y seres mágicos donde, al pasar mucho tiempo, no puede volver al mundo humano porque tiene consecuencias letales. Ella es la problemática del reino según a quién le preguntes (solo los reyes la llaman así) y tiene que casarse con un enviado del reino enemigo para hacer tratados, pero Oh, el prometido escapa y eso al rey no le gusta así que ella y Kerboros (mayor rastreador del rey) se embarcan en una aventura para saber que paso con ellos.
Ahora bien, hasta alli todo bien, pero déjenme decirles que lo resumi un poco para no darles spoilers porque pasan MUCHAS COSAS, a mí me gusto eso porque EXPLICAN mucho y eso siempre lo agradezco con libros como estos, pero a la vez, eso también le jugó en contra porque al ser muchas explicaciones de todo lo que pasa, uno pierde el hilo un poco. El viaje del cual nuestros protagonistas se embarcan es extenso y una guerra contra el reloj, consiguen amigos en el camino y el grupo de dos termina siendo un grupo de seis al final.
La ambientación me gustó mucho, tenemos las estaciones como reinos: Verano, Invierno, Otoño y Primavera, siendo Thea y Kerboros del reino del Invierno. Las diferentes especies que vemos a lo largo del camino fueron interesantes y si, hay un poquito de romance a lo largo del libro pero que no es el foco principal.
Fue un buen cozy fantasy que al parecer es parte de una serie ¿un spin off tal vez? pero que para mí, se lee completamente como autoconclusivo.
*******
This book is perfect for people like me who don’t read heavy fantasy or romantasy; this was a beautiful, cozy fantasy that was very easy to follow, full of a world and characters that I really liked.
The story follows Thea, a hybrid—is she human or a fairy? Not even she knows, because she was taken as a child to the world of fairies and magical beings, and after spending so much time there, she can’t return to the human world without facing deadly consequences. She’s the kingdom’s problem—depending on who you ask (only the kings call her that) and she has to marry an envoy from the enemy kingdom to seal treaties. But oh, the fiancé runs away, and the king isn’t happy about that, so she and Kerboros (the king’s chief tracker) set off on an adventure to find out what happened to them.
Now, so far so good, but let me tell you that I summarized it a bit to avoid spoilers because a LOT HAPPENS. I liked that because they EXPLAIN a lot, and I always appreciate that in books like these, but at the same time, that also worked against it because with so many explanations for everything that happens, you lose track of the story a little. The journey our protagonists embark on is long and a race against time; they make friends along the way, and the pair eventually becomes a group of six by the end.
I really liked the setting, the seasons are represented as kingdoms: Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring, with Thea and Kerboros coming from the Kingdom of Winter. The different species we encounter along the way were interesting, and yes, there’s a bit of romance throughout the book, but it isn’t the main focus.
It was a good cozy fantasy novel that appears to be part of a series, a spin-off, perhaps? but to me, it reads completely as a standalone story.
📌 I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
September 9, 2026
The Hocus Pocus Handbook is a whimsical fantasy romance from Ann Aguirre featuring fae magic and a grumpy/sunshine relationship.
Thea Winter is a changeling who was stolen from the mortal world as a baby. Rejected by her fae parents, she was largely raised by Mudge, a kind-hearted hobgoblin she calls ‘Da’. Her mortal blood marks her as an outsider, but Thea’s innate ability to siphon anger and tension makes her a valuable asset to the Winter Court. Given her talent for creating chaos, it’s also a useful skill to have when she inevitably gets herself into trouble.
Unfortunately, Thea’s latest stunt threatens the fragile peace between the Winter and Summer Courts, and she is offered up in a marriage alliance with a member of the rival court as a gesture of goodwill. But before the wedding can take place, her prospective husband disappears along with the rest of the Summer delegation. The Winter King gives Thea just ten days to find them or face exile.
Ordered to accompany her is Kerboros, also known as the King’s Hound, the Winter Court’s most formidable tracker and assassin. Bound to serve the Winter King because of his father’s transgressions, Kerboros longs to be free of the King’s control. He’s also a man of many secrets, including his feelings for the wild and kind woman whose fate is now in his hands.
The narrative alternates between Thea and Kerboros’s perspectives, with each shift heralded by either an excerpt from the spellbook Mudge wrote for Thea or, in Kerboros’s chapters, a description of one of the carvings he has made. I liked the additional character insight these provide, though I did find them a little too long at times, slowing the pace of the story.
The quest sees Thea and Kerboros bargain with a witch, travel through a field of carnivorous flowers, face danger in the world of the In-Between, and become embroiled in a stunning coup. I enjoyed the fae world Aguirre has created, and appreciated that the stakes never become so overwhelming that the cosy atmosphere is lost. I did, however, find myself wishing for a little more momentum during their journey.
There’s also a lovely found-family element in The Hocus Pocus Handbook as Thea and Kerboros are joined by the devious Zeph, short-tempered pixie Rosalina, Thea’s childhood best friend Taragon, a lost gnome named Govannon, and eventually Thea’s sister, Olive.
The romance is a slow burn, although Kerboros has been harbouring a secret crush on Thea for quite some time. Kerboros is serious and self-disciplined where Thea is impulsive and free-spirited, and I enjoyed their contrasting personalities, but I wasn’t wholly convinced by their chemistry until quite late in the story. I would have liked a little more yearning between them as they travelled together.
While The Hocus Pocus Handbook didn’t quite cast the spell on me that I was hoping for, it’s still an engaging cozy fantasy romance.
NB: Though there is a loose connection to Aguirre’s Fix-It Witches series, The Hocus Pocus Handbook is intended to be a standalone.
Thea Winter is a changeling who was stolen from the mortal world as a baby. Rejected by her fae parents, she was largely raised by Mudge, a kind-hearted hobgoblin she calls ‘Da’. Her mortal blood marks her as an outsider, but Thea’s innate ability to siphon anger and tension makes her a valuable asset to the Winter Court. Given her talent for creating chaos, it’s also a useful skill to have when she inevitably gets herself into trouble.
Unfortunately, Thea’s latest stunt threatens the fragile peace between the Winter and Summer Courts, and she is offered up in a marriage alliance with a member of the rival court as a gesture of goodwill. But before the wedding can take place, her prospective husband disappears along with the rest of the Summer delegation. The Winter King gives Thea just ten days to find them or face exile.
Ordered to accompany her is Kerboros, also known as the King’s Hound, the Winter Court’s most formidable tracker and assassin. Bound to serve the Winter King because of his father’s transgressions, Kerboros longs to be free of the King’s control. He’s also a man of many secrets, including his feelings for the wild and kind woman whose fate is now in his hands.
The narrative alternates between Thea and Kerboros’s perspectives, with each shift heralded by either an excerpt from the spellbook Mudge wrote for Thea or, in Kerboros’s chapters, a description of one of the carvings he has made. I liked the additional character insight these provide, though I did find them a little too long at times, slowing the pace of the story.
The quest sees Thea and Kerboros bargain with a witch, travel through a field of carnivorous flowers, face danger in the world of the In-Between, and become embroiled in a stunning coup. I enjoyed the fae world Aguirre has created, and appreciated that the stakes never become so overwhelming that the cosy atmosphere is lost. I did, however, find myself wishing for a little more momentum during their journey.
There’s also a lovely found-family element in The Hocus Pocus Handbook as Thea and Kerboros are joined by the devious Zeph, short-tempered pixie Rosalina, Thea’s childhood best friend Taragon, a lost gnome named Govannon, and eventually Thea’s sister, Olive.
The romance is a slow burn, although Kerboros has been harbouring a secret crush on Thea for quite some time. Kerboros is serious and self-disciplined where Thea is impulsive and free-spirited, and I enjoyed their contrasting personalities, but I wasn’t wholly convinced by their chemistry until quite late in the story. I would have liked a little more yearning between them as they travelled together.
While The Hocus Pocus Handbook didn’t quite cast the spell on me that I was hoping for, it’s still an engaging cozy fantasy romance.
NB: Though there is a loose connection to Aguirre’s Fix-It Witches series, The Hocus Pocus Handbook is intended to be a standalone.
September 4, 2026
Well this is a great choice for the upcoming spooky season if you want a fun almost cosy romance . Thea is chaos , a bit of a prankster if you will but she’s been very useful to the Court where she lives . Well that is until she stages a rescue that leaves her reluctantly betrothed and the groom is missing ! Ok step forward Kerboros , a reluctant assassin but he’s a man full of secrets and oh yes he just might have a plan !
If the idea of grumpy and sunshine appeals to you then you will enjoy the dynamics in this story . He falls first is also a big tick . I could add slow burn and found family but most of all I found this to be an entertaining fun read . I loved the way everything just got wrapped up and as usual this author did not disappoint .
My thanks to NetGalley
If the idea of grumpy and sunshine appeals to you then you will enjoy the dynamics in this story . He falls first is also a big tick . I could add slow burn and found family but most of all I found this to be an entertaining fun read . I loved the way everything just got wrapped up and as usual this author did not disappoint .
My thanks to NetGalley
Did Not Finish
September 29, 2026Thank you Netgalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC. This in no way effects my opinion.
DNF@ 47%
I hate DNFing books but I just can't do it anymore. I tried to push through to see if it got better but it did not. I got the audio from the library and the audio made it worse. I struggled a lot with the writing. At times it felt too descriptive. I also felt no connection to the characters. They felt flat to me and the chemistry just didnt seem to be there.
It felt whimsical so that was fun but overall this sadly was not a book me for me :(
DNF@ 47%
I hate DNFing books but I just can't do it anymore. I tried to push through to see if it got better but it did not. I got the audio from the library and the audio made it worse. I struggled a lot with the writing. At times it felt too descriptive. I also felt no connection to the characters. They felt flat to me and the chemistry just didnt seem to be there.
It felt whimsical so that was fun but overall this sadly was not a book me for me :(
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
dnf at 78%
boredom is a kingdom that i sometimes reside in. however, parts of this book managed to lower my rent and get me to live there full time for a while
this felt like a sequel
The worldbuilding confused me half to death. We're immediately put within a world full of mythical creatures with names that don't respect their nature at all. Instead, we're expected to just... realize it, and learn by immersion.
It's a tactic that often works. Explanations are sometimes not necessary, though, in a book where that applies, usually the world is really very simple. Here, however, so much information is dumped on you that you have no chance of getting into this book whatsoever.
In this book, we are immediately exposed to the following things within the first 5%, all with little to no explanation as to what they are: pookas, spells, changelings, the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter courts, the concept of a hound, and a different kind of fae.
I hope you can see why it might be kind of hard to become really interested in this book, especially to become immersed enough to appreciate the later twists and turns.
nothing really... happens
Well, obviously, things happen, but they're not shown very well. The grand scheme of things made no sense whatsoever.
The premise of this book itself doesn't work. Thea breaks a rule. How does this immediately translate into a marriage proposal, especially when Kerboros says over and over again about how the court is used to Thea's rule breaking?
Then, they encounter something that is supposed to be groundbreaking, but from the way it's described, it is absolutely no different from picking a flower from a garden. I honestly didn't even realize what had happened until they referenced it later on.
Both of these trends continue on throughout the entirety of this book, with the only bright spot being a supposedly big plot twist that had me nodding my head in appreciation.
the characters
Where's the evidence behind the hype?????
Kerboros is boring as hell, and his only personality trait is being in love with Thea and occasionally being all growly. His reputation must've only come through a hypnotized unfortunate victims because there is no proof of it whatsoever in this book.
Thea is also incredibly boring. She's supposed to be a troublemaker, yet she's also super kind? And she has some sort of special thing about her that is just kind of dumped upon us with no explanation. I understand that might be the point, but it felt like the norm at that point and so it did not have the effect they were looking for.
Thea was incredibly uninteresting and her entire personality was explained only through Kerboros's incredibly repetitive thoughts about her spectacular-ness.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
boredom is a kingdom that i sometimes reside in. however, parts of this book managed to lower my rent and get me to live there full time for a while
this felt like a sequel
The worldbuilding confused me half to death. We're immediately put within a world full of mythical creatures with names that don't respect their nature at all. Instead, we're expected to just... realize it, and learn by immersion.
It's a tactic that often works. Explanations are sometimes not necessary, though, in a book where that applies, usually the world is really very simple. Here, however, so much information is dumped on you that you have no chance of getting into this book whatsoever.
In this book, we are immediately exposed to the following things within the first 5%, all with little to no explanation as to what they are: pookas, spells, changelings, the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter courts, the concept of a hound, and a different kind of fae.
I hope you can see why it might be kind of hard to become really interested in this book, especially to become immersed enough to appreciate the later twists and turns.
nothing really... happens
Well, obviously, things happen, but they're not shown very well. The grand scheme of things made no sense whatsoever.
The premise of this book itself doesn't work. Thea breaks a rule. How does this immediately translate into a marriage proposal, especially when Kerboros says over and over again about how the court is used to Thea's rule breaking?
Then, they encounter something that is supposed to be groundbreaking, but from the way it's described, it is absolutely no different from picking a flower from a garden. I honestly didn't even realize what had happened until they referenced it later on.
Both of these trends continue on throughout the entirety of this book, with the only bright spot being a supposedly big plot twist that had me nodding my head in appreciation.
the characters
Where's the evidence behind the hype?????
Kerboros is boring as hell, and his only personality trait is being in love with Thea and occasionally being all growly. His reputation must've only come through a hypnotized unfortunate victims because there is no proof of it whatsoever in this book.
Thea is also incredibly boring. She's supposed to be a troublemaker, yet she's also super kind? And she has some sort of special thing about her that is just kind of dumped upon us with no explanation. I understand that might be the point, but it felt like the norm at that point and so it did not have the effect they were looking for.
Thea was incredibly uninteresting and her entire personality was explained only through Kerboros's incredibly repetitive thoughts about her spectacular-ness.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
September 20, 2026
Whimsy and cozy fantasy, conflicting, standalone read. I always love fantasy books that create such beautiful but dangerous worlds and this had that in spades. I wish I could rate this higher because I really did like the plot, magic, and world but I had such a hard time settling in because of the way the author structured this read. It’s dual every other chapter POV that alternates between the FMC and MMC and before every chapter starts we have an epigraph-type thing. I don’t even want to call them epigraphs because most of the time they were pages and pages long. It was like three books in one. The ones before the FMCs chapters were pages from a book that the hs father had written to her and the ones before the Hs chapters were about an artist. The thing is they were beautiful. I enjoyed reading them. They provided so much insight and information and created so much atmosphere but they were also freaking distracting and I struggled to connect to the main story and characters especially once we got all the side characters too. I kept feeling like I just wanted much more time with our characters. Had I been able to cozy up and read this one in one big sesh I think I would have been fine but I didn’t and couldn’t soooo here it is.
Overall: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
September 1, 2026
Another great addition to the Fix-It witches series. This dual POV, forced proximity, marriage of convenience romance was a little more paranormal based than some of the earlier ones but I dug it. There was some fun twists, a slow burn love story, long lost siblings and more. It was also great on audio and perfect for fans of cozy fantasy romance. A great choice for the upcoming spooky season. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 5, 2026
This book captures the pure essence of ✨whimsy✨! It took me back to middle school, obsessing over Winx Club! Pixies, Fae, Goblins, Changelings, and all those fun magical creatures!
Our FMC is so lovable! Full of chaos and endless charm. But her small acts of resistance against the ruling class have landed her in some trouble. This sends her on a quest with the dark, moody “blood hound” of the court. 👀
A story full of found family, fun antics, and adventures! Perfect fall read!
Our FMC is so lovable! Full of chaos and endless charm. But her small acts of resistance against the ruling class have landed her in some trouble. This sends her on a quest with the dark, moody “blood hound” of the court. 👀
A story full of found family, fun antics, and adventures! Perfect fall read!
October 6, 2026
Fay quest with happy ending
October 14, 2026
I binged this book so hard. If you're looking for a cute cozy magical romantasy, I highly recommend this one.
Did Not Finish
August 28, 2026*Received an ARC from Kaye Publicity in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!*
September 24, 2026
This is a difficult review for me to make because I don't like not finishing books, but after trying my darndest for weeks, I had to let this one go.
THE HOCUS POCUS HANDBOOK follows Thea Winter, a half-ling taken from the human world and raised by a gremlin. She has a propensity for trouble and she ends up having to marry out of convenience...well, she wood if her fiancé hadn't run away. Now, she has to join her the royal bodyguard to not only find his royal highness but to avoid their growing feelings along the way.
This is my introduction to Aguirre, so I went into this book completely blind and greatly appreciating the cover. My book club also selected this novel for the month, so I figured it would be a great read. In short, it wasn't. Despite this being an adult fantasy novel, Thea reads as a teenager. The entire story should be considered YA, but truly I'm confused on what the story is supposed to be. Kerboros' only trait is that he's in love with Thea, which is disappointing to see because he has promise in his initial chapters. Their relationship, in my opinion, is undeserved, and this dynamic would have been more interesting if the romantic inclusion wasn't involved.
Also, there are excerpts from Thea's father's handbook, hence the title, in the beginning of chapters which is immediately jarring for obvious seasons; I have no idea what's going on in the beginning and no context as to why these pages are important yet I'm thrown into being expected to know.
Overall, not my favorite read of the year, and the book was released this September. I'm hoping Aguirre's other books are more intriguing and better fleshed out. This was not it.
THE HOCUS POCUS HANDBOOK follows Thea Winter, a half-ling taken from the human world and raised by a gremlin. She has a propensity for trouble and she ends up having to marry out of convenience...well, she wood if her fiancé hadn't run away. Now, she has to join her the royal bodyguard to not only find his royal highness but to avoid their growing feelings along the way.
This is my introduction to Aguirre, so I went into this book completely blind and greatly appreciating the cover. My book club also selected this novel for the month, so I figured it would be a great read. In short, it wasn't. Despite this being an adult fantasy novel, Thea reads as a teenager. The entire story should be considered YA, but truly I'm confused on what the story is supposed to be. Kerboros' only trait is that he's in love with Thea, which is disappointing to see because he has promise in his initial chapters. Their relationship, in my opinion, is undeserved, and this dynamic would have been more interesting if the romantic inclusion wasn't involved.
Also, there are excerpts from Thea's father's handbook, hence the title, in the beginning of chapters which is immediately jarring for obvious seasons; I have no idea what's going on in the beginning and no context as to why these pages are important yet I'm thrown into being expected to know.
Overall, not my favorite read of the year, and the book was released this September. I'm hoping Aguirre's other books are more intriguing and better fleshed out. This was not it.
September 11, 2026
I love the Fix-it Witches series and was so excited to see it was following Iris's human counter part... I unfortunately feel so very upset to say I really really didn't like this book.
For context: Fix-it witches are 100% Paranormal Contemporary Romance through and through. In the fourth book with Iris you get a glimpse that the world isn't just the world, there are other worlds. Or at least one. The Far Realm. However all of the books deal with real world problems with these witches running along side with their magic. This new book when it was marketed was confusing. Some places made it sound like a new series or at least independent to the Fix-it witches. I remember checking Goodreads and Storygraph trying to find out if it was a new series or if it was completely independent and at the time it was a little... Unclear. Well this is book five in the series. Tadah! However this in know way tonally makes sense with the rest of the series. Why? It's fully seated in the fea realm and if you didn't read the rest of the books, I think you'd be maybe a smidge confused at first, you'd be perfectly fine story wise. This is not my main complaint though. Because this book essentially stands as book 5 in this series anyone who reads Fix-it Witches for the silly goofy fun time paranormal romance will be let down because this is a Romantasy.
You are thrown into the world of Fae immediately experiencing Thea breaking out some Pookahs from the Winter Court. In the first 30% you are introduced to court politics of Winter and Summer, several different kinds of fae, a whole new set of magic system from the other books, a chase? across the lands for a lost marriage partner, and let's not leave out the coup that honest to God I could not have cared less about. The pacing goes from nothing happen to break neck speed of things happening but like in a blink? As in you blink and it's gone.
What is my biggest complaint? There was this one moment with a character being introduced and I kept waiting for a good depiction of what they looked like and it took forever in context of the scene to get a description of the character. This tends to be a pattern in this book and I was so sad. Cozy Fantasy and Romantasy should rely on this rich descriptions not of just people but places and environments around you. I think where there are moments of certain places being well fleshed out it's like your looking through this film or sheet. You can kind of see it, if you look hard enough.
I am bummed.
For context: Fix-it witches are 100% Paranormal Contemporary Romance through and through. In the fourth book with Iris you get a glimpse that the world isn't just the world, there are other worlds. Or at least one. The Far Realm. However all of the books deal with real world problems with these witches running along side with their magic. This new book when it was marketed was confusing. Some places made it sound like a new series or at least independent to the Fix-it witches. I remember checking Goodreads and Storygraph trying to find out if it was a new series or if it was completely independent and at the time it was a little... Unclear. Well this is book five in the series. Tadah! However this in know way tonally makes sense with the rest of the series. Why? It's fully seated in the fea realm and if you didn't read the rest of the books, I think you'd be maybe a smidge confused at first, you'd be perfectly fine story wise. This is not my main complaint though. Because this book essentially stands as book 5 in this series anyone who reads Fix-it Witches for the silly goofy fun time paranormal romance will be let down because this is a Romantasy.
You are thrown into the world of Fae immediately experiencing Thea breaking out some Pookahs from the Winter Court. In the first 30% you are introduced to court politics of Winter and Summer, several different kinds of fae, a whole new set of magic system from the other books, a chase? across the lands for a lost marriage partner, and let's not leave out the coup that honest to God I could not have cared less about. The pacing goes from nothing happen to break neck speed of things happening but like in a blink? As in you blink and it's gone.
What is my biggest complaint? There was this one moment with a character being introduced and I kept waiting for a good depiction of what they looked like and it took forever in context of the scene to get a description of the character. This tends to be a pattern in this book and I was so sad. Cozy Fantasy and Romantasy should rely on this rich descriptions not of just people but places and environments around you. I think where there are moments of certain places being well fleshed out it's like your looking through this film or sheet. You can kind of see it, if you look hard enough.
I am bummed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Hocus Pocus Handbook is a cute cozy fantasy by Ann McGuire. This is my second book by the author and a departure from the other books, as it is set in the land of Faery rather than our modern world. Our story follows Thea, a changeling living in the faerie lands, and Kerboros, a fae conscripted to work under the king of the winter court as a hunter. Thea is forced into marriage to achieve an alliance, except that the groom has gone missing. Thea and Kerboros must go through the wilds to find the groom, making friends and falling in love along the way.
I love a cozy fantasy, and this book had a lot of things that worked in that regard. The story fits more into the faerie fantasy of an old fairy tale, like the popular Emily Wilde series, with cold, deceiving fae and higher stakes. There are instances when our characters are in real danger, which works in a fairy tale, and the interpersonal stakes are interesting.
The setting in this story is imaginative and detailed, with excellent world building given to both the environment and the politics of Faery. However, the world building never feels overpowering, and does not distract from the plot of the story. The world felt whimsical and dangerous and engaging.
The romance in the story was cute, but I think it needed to be fleshed out a little more. The story has Kerboros start the story romantically interested in Thea, but I felt that he was in love with the idea of her, rather than her reality, given that they had spent no time together before the start of our story. Thea, on the other hand, moves from a casual passing interest into a deep connection very quickly, which felt a little rushed. Our characters needed more time to deepen their relationship and build their attraction, showing us the interest they have in one another long-term. There also wasn’t a clear third act relationship conflict, which makes me question their ability to withstand tension.
Each chapter opens up with a detailed forward, either a description of a wood carving (for Kerboros) or a magical spell (for Thea). I would have preferred both be significantly shorter. They took away from the plot, prioritized relationships other than our couple, and often had no influence on the plot itself. The story could have used those pages to build the couple’s relationship and deepen their connection. I understand what the author was trying to do, but I don’t think the book would be any different if you removed every one of those sections.
A small note: there’s a prophesy that our main character is given early in the story which she promptly forgets. She needs to go to her father’s abode to find someone. The story never addresses this again, which felt like a plot hole. She does find someone as the story goes on, which is well done, but she does not find them at her father’s house. I wasn’t sure if it was just mislabeled or if the story forgot about it.
I enjoyed myself when reading this book, and I thought there were a lot of fun moments in our story. I think the setting was imaginative and detailed and interesting, and I hope the author continues stories in this world.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, Ann Aguirre and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
I love a cozy fantasy, and this book had a lot of things that worked in that regard. The story fits more into the faerie fantasy of an old fairy tale, like the popular Emily Wilde series, with cold, deceiving fae and higher stakes. There are instances when our characters are in real danger, which works in a fairy tale, and the interpersonal stakes are interesting.
The setting in this story is imaginative and detailed, with excellent world building given to both the environment and the politics of Faery. However, the world building never feels overpowering, and does not distract from the plot of the story. The world felt whimsical and dangerous and engaging.
The romance in the story was cute, but I think it needed to be fleshed out a little more. The story has Kerboros start the story romantically interested in Thea, but I felt that he was in love with the idea of her, rather than her reality, given that they had spent no time together before the start of our story. Thea, on the other hand, moves from a casual passing interest into a deep connection very quickly, which felt a little rushed. Our characters needed more time to deepen their relationship and build their attraction, showing us the interest they have in one another long-term. There also wasn’t a clear third act relationship conflict, which makes me question their ability to withstand tension.
Each chapter opens up with a detailed forward, either a description of a wood carving (for Kerboros) or a magical spell (for Thea). I would have preferred both be significantly shorter. They took away from the plot, prioritized relationships other than our couple, and often had no influence on the plot itself. The story could have used those pages to build the couple’s relationship and deepen their connection. I understand what the author was trying to do, but I don’t think the book would be any different if you removed every one of those sections.
A small note: there’s a prophesy that our main character is given early in the story which she promptly forgets. She needs to go to her father’s abode to find someone. The story never addresses this again, which felt like a plot hole. She does find someone as the story goes on, which is well done, but she does not find them at her father’s house. I wasn’t sure if it was just mislabeled or if the story forgot about it.
I enjoyed myself when reading this book, and I thought there were a lot of fun moments in our story. I think the setting was imaginative and detailed and interesting, and I hope the author continues stories in this world.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, Ann Aguirre and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🚨 SPOILER ALERT: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
I am giving The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre a honest 3-star review! ⭐⭐⭐
I didn't really get into it, as I found it rather slow-paced and couldn't quite connect to the fae and this supernatural kingdom—still, it makes for a fun, magical Halloween read! 🔮✨🍄
ARC Disclosure: A big thank you to NetGalley, publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca, and author Ann Aguirre for providing an early digital review copy (eARC) of this book! All thoughts, fanatical reactions, and honest reflections shared in this review are entirely my own.
The Review
The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre brings a whimsical, magical world packed with fae lore, glowing fairies, and supernatural kingdom intrigue. While the overall premise holds a lot of enchantment, I’ll be totally transparent: I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. I found the narrative quite slow-paced, and I couldn't really connect with the fae characters or the intricacies of their supernatural kingdom as deeply as I wanted to.
That being said, Ann Aguirre's writing still brings plenty of cozy, fantastical world-building to the table. The magical atmosphere, glowing whimsical details, and spooky-adjacent undertones make it a solid choice if you're looking for a lighthearted fantasy escape during the Halloween season!
The Good
The vibrant, magical world-building, glowing fairy atmosphere, cozy mushroom-house aesthetic, and whimsical supernatural elements!
The Not So Good
The slow pacing throughout the plot and a disconnect with the fae leads and supernatural kingdom dynamics.
I am giving The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre a honest 3-star review! ⭐⭐⭐
I didn't really get into it, as I found it rather slow-paced and couldn't quite connect to the fae and this supernatural kingdom—still, it makes for a fun, magical Halloween read! 🔮✨🍄
ARC Disclosure: A big thank you to NetGalley, publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca, and author Ann Aguirre for providing an early digital review copy (eARC) of this book! All thoughts, fanatical reactions, and honest reflections shared in this review are entirely my own.
The Review
The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre brings a whimsical, magical world packed with fae lore, glowing fairies, and supernatural kingdom intrigue. While the overall premise holds a lot of enchantment, I’ll be totally transparent: I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. I found the narrative quite slow-paced, and I couldn't really connect with the fae characters or the intricacies of their supernatural kingdom as deeply as I wanted to.
That being said, Ann Aguirre's writing still brings plenty of cozy, fantastical world-building to the table. The magical atmosphere, glowing whimsical details, and spooky-adjacent undertones make it a solid choice if you're looking for a lighthearted fantasy escape during the Halloween season!
The Good
The vibrant, magical world-building, glowing fairy atmosphere, cozy mushroom-house aesthetic, and whimsical supernatural elements!
The Not So Good
The slow pacing throughout the plot and a disconnect with the fae leads and supernatural kingdom dynamics.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐️ Rounded up
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!
The Hocus Pocus Handbook introduces us to Thea, a human who was stolen and switched with a fae child at birth (known as a changeling) and has grown up in the magical fae realm. She was raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge (affectionately known as Da) in the wildlands of the Winter Court. Thea has always been a free spirit who cares deeply for everyone and everything around her and is generally loved by most she comes into contact with. She is also known to be chaotic and has pulled many a prank in her life. After one too many pranks, the very heavily disliked rulers of the Winter Court force Thea into marrying a fae from the Summer Court in a bid to broker peace/political advantage. They force her to sign the marriage contract but before a wedding can take place, her would-be spouse and the rest of the Summer Court guests vanish from their visitors quarters at the Winter Court castle. Thea is tasked with finding them within 10days so her marriage can be completed, or be exiled to the mortal world and thus certain death. The best hunter in the Winter Court, Kerboros, is forced to accompany her. Kerboros is the cousin of the leaders of Winter Court and witnessed his entire family murdered as a child as a result of his father's failed rebellion. He is cold, relentless and has shut himself off from the world around him in order to survive the forced servitude he has experienced since his family's executions. What follows is an adventure filled with new friends and old, unexpected twists, magic and surprising feelings.
I enjoyed reading The Hocus Pocus Handbook, it was a good book filled with a lot of elements I typically find interesting and fun to read about. It was a tad predictable at times but this didn't take away from the enjoyment of reading it. There was also unexpected plot twists though, some occurrences I didn't see coming and found surprising. I would've loved to see more of the other courts but do understand that there was of course limited time for this. What we did get to see I found interesting and I liked the differences between the courts, both in visual appearance as well as their general feeling, or "vibe". The magic system at times could be a little confusing, as it wasn't always clear why different characters had the powers they did or the full extent of how certain powers worked. I did also struggle with the spells at the start of each Thea chapter and the art description at each of Kerboros's. These felt a bit tedious at times and I wasn't a huge fan.
Thea was such a sweet character and I found myself instantly rooting for her. I love that she was kind, warm, caring etc while also being so chaotic and adventurous. She wasn't just a one or two dimensional character though; she had real depth and layers to who she was. She had very real insecurities and anxieties, trauma, feelings of inadequacy and constantly felt she didn't belong anywhere. She felt like a very well fleshed out character I found both relatable and seemingly very real. Kerboros was also very much a three dimensional character despite clearly seen otherwise by those around him. He could be cold, violent, aggressive and had a huge amount of trauma, yet was capable of some beautiful thoughts and feelings. Thea's Da seemed absolutely gorgeous and like someone you just wanted a hug from, and it was clear how much he absolutely adored her and loved her for exactly who she was. There was a range of other characters we met throughout the story; many different magical creatures with different personalities, stories and magical abilities.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook was a fun book about a magical adventure, self-discovery, love and found family. I enjoyed reading it, thankyou again for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!
The Hocus Pocus Handbook introduces us to Thea, a human who was stolen and switched with a fae child at birth (known as a changeling) and has grown up in the magical fae realm. She was raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge (affectionately known as Da) in the wildlands of the Winter Court. Thea has always been a free spirit who cares deeply for everyone and everything around her and is generally loved by most she comes into contact with. She is also known to be chaotic and has pulled many a prank in her life. After one too many pranks, the very heavily disliked rulers of the Winter Court force Thea into marrying a fae from the Summer Court in a bid to broker peace/political advantage. They force her to sign the marriage contract but before a wedding can take place, her would-be spouse and the rest of the Summer Court guests vanish from their visitors quarters at the Winter Court castle. Thea is tasked with finding them within 10days so her marriage can be completed, or be exiled to the mortal world and thus certain death. The best hunter in the Winter Court, Kerboros, is forced to accompany her. Kerboros is the cousin of the leaders of Winter Court and witnessed his entire family murdered as a child as a result of his father's failed rebellion. He is cold, relentless and has shut himself off from the world around him in order to survive the forced servitude he has experienced since his family's executions. What follows is an adventure filled with new friends and old, unexpected twists, magic and surprising feelings.
I enjoyed reading The Hocus Pocus Handbook, it was a good book filled with a lot of elements I typically find interesting and fun to read about. It was a tad predictable at times but this didn't take away from the enjoyment of reading it. There was also unexpected plot twists though, some occurrences I didn't see coming and found surprising. I would've loved to see more of the other courts but do understand that there was of course limited time for this. What we did get to see I found interesting and I liked the differences between the courts, both in visual appearance as well as their general feeling, or "vibe". The magic system at times could be a little confusing, as it wasn't always clear why different characters had the powers they did or the full extent of how certain powers worked. I did also struggle with the spells at the start of each Thea chapter and the art description at each of Kerboros's. These felt a bit tedious at times and I wasn't a huge fan.
Thea was such a sweet character and I found myself instantly rooting for her. I love that she was kind, warm, caring etc while also being so chaotic and adventurous. She wasn't just a one or two dimensional character though; she had real depth and layers to who she was. She had very real insecurities and anxieties, trauma, feelings of inadequacy and constantly felt she didn't belong anywhere. She felt like a very well fleshed out character I found both relatable and seemingly very real. Kerboros was also very much a three dimensional character despite clearly seen otherwise by those around him. He could be cold, violent, aggressive and had a huge amount of trauma, yet was capable of some beautiful thoughts and feelings. Thea's Da seemed absolutely gorgeous and like someone you just wanted a hug from, and it was clear how much he absolutely adored her and loved her for exactly who she was. There was a range of other characters we met throughout the story; many different magical creatures with different personalities, stories and magical abilities.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook was a fun book about a magical adventure, self-discovery, love and found family. I enjoyed reading it, thankyou again for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars- This was such a great story. There were so many great aspects to the novel. There was romance, magic, mystery, action, adventure, twists, and wonderful characters.
Thea is a changeling. She is a mortal who is living in the fae realm although she does posses magic and can take away people's anger. She was unwanted by her fae parents because they just wanted their original daughter back. However, Thea has lived too long in the Fae realm and would die if she went back to the mortal realm. Luckily, she has been raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge who has become her adopted father. Thea is known as an outcast and has caused lots of chaos in the realm. She is tolerated because of her abilities and connections. However she does something the winter lords does not like and now as punishment she is being forced to marry someone from the summer realm. If she doesn't her father will be hurt and she will be banished to the mortal realm for a slow death. The only problem is she must find her husband first as he has gone missing. To help her she must work with Kerboros. He is also forced to work for the winter lords as punishment for his father trying to become king. Kerboros admires and respects Thea but wants desperately to be free from his bondage to the winter court. Together Thea and Kerboros must work together to complete this quest but along the way they discover so much more about themselves and what they really want out of life.
There was so much I enjoyed about this story. First of all at the beginning of each chapter is advice from Mudge to Thea in the form of a spell that is suppose to help guide her. Hence the name, The Hocus Pocus Handbook. I really enjoyed these sections as they gave great hints as to what each chapter will be about. The story also alternated between Thea and Kerboros's perspectives. I always find when I am reading romance that I love knowing what each main character is thinking. The other thing I loved was just the overall premise. I love reading about the Fae world and the fact that Thea was the mortal in the Fae realm was a great twist. I loved her personality and her spirit. She was definitely a character I could get behind. Kerboros was also a character I was rooting for. I liked the idea of the quest and the fact that they had different trials and tribulations along the way. They met other interesting characters that kept me engaged with the story the entire time.
Even though this book is part of a series you don't have to read the other books to understand this one. It could definitely be ready as a standalone. I had read the first one in the series but this book was not really connected to that one. This was connected more to book 4 which I had not read. I will be going back to read that one because I really enjoyed this book.
If you want a book to brighten your day this is it. It's a cozy fantasy with adventure and romance. What more could you ask for?
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC.
Thea is a changeling. She is a mortal who is living in the fae realm although she does posses magic and can take away people's anger. She was unwanted by her fae parents because they just wanted their original daughter back. However, Thea has lived too long in the Fae realm and would die if she went back to the mortal realm. Luckily, she has been raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge who has become her adopted father. Thea is known as an outcast and has caused lots of chaos in the realm. She is tolerated because of her abilities and connections. However she does something the winter lords does not like and now as punishment she is being forced to marry someone from the summer realm. If she doesn't her father will be hurt and she will be banished to the mortal realm for a slow death. The only problem is she must find her husband first as he has gone missing. To help her she must work with Kerboros. He is also forced to work for the winter lords as punishment for his father trying to become king. Kerboros admires and respects Thea but wants desperately to be free from his bondage to the winter court. Together Thea and Kerboros must work together to complete this quest but along the way they discover so much more about themselves and what they really want out of life.
There was so much I enjoyed about this story. First of all at the beginning of each chapter is advice from Mudge to Thea in the form of a spell that is suppose to help guide her. Hence the name, The Hocus Pocus Handbook. I really enjoyed these sections as they gave great hints as to what each chapter will be about. The story also alternated between Thea and Kerboros's perspectives. I always find when I am reading romance that I love knowing what each main character is thinking. The other thing I loved was just the overall premise. I love reading about the Fae world and the fact that Thea was the mortal in the Fae realm was a great twist. I loved her personality and her spirit. She was definitely a character I could get behind. Kerboros was also a character I was rooting for. I liked the idea of the quest and the fact that they had different trials and tribulations along the way. They met other interesting characters that kept me engaged with the story the entire time.
Even though this book is part of a series you don't have to read the other books to understand this one. It could definitely be ready as a standalone. I had read the first one in the series but this book was not really connected to that one. This was connected more to book 4 which I had not read. I will be going back to read that one because I really enjoyed this book.
If you want a book to brighten your day this is it. It's a cozy fantasy with adventure and romance. What more could you ask for?
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thea is a human changeling who has lived in the Winter Court of the fae for all her life. She has her own unique magic, and since she’s lived so long in fae realm, she can never go back to human world again. She’s passionate about protecting the wild fae, which gets her in trouble with the Winter Court. After the latest escapade, they force her to marry a person from the Summer Court. But at the night of the ceremony, the entire Summer delegation vanishes.
Kerboros is the hound of the Winter Court, with a secret ability that allows him to track anyone. But even he can’t find where the Summer delegation disappeared to. Winter Lord sends him and Thea to find them, or face a great punishment. Out of options, they set into the wilderness to do so. It’s not an easy journey, during which they learn a lot about each other. And, obviously, fall in love. But Thea is already married.
This was a good cozy fantasy romance. It has a good balance of cozy and a bit grim, and never becomes saccharine. Thea is a good and competent heroine, not a simpering fool fumbling around for laughs, and she has some personal issues that add to her character. Kerboros is perfectly grumpy, and has genuine trauma to go through, justifying his grumpiness. The fae are a bit cruel, but not overly so. Stakes are suitably high, but not nail-biting, and the romance has time to build. The story was a pleasant way to spend a couple of evenings.
I had some issues though, mostly personal preferences that aren’t necessarily what other readers would find faults. Firstly, I don’t like when the romance has started before the book begins, which we learn already at the beginning, even if it’s only one-sided, like in this case. I like to be there for the whole ride. Secondly, I don’t like that it’s the grumpy one who has already caught the feelings. It robs the reader of a chance to watch him change because of love—though there’s some of that too.
Worldbuilding, for most part, was a good combination of fae lore and author’s own additions, and it worked well. There were a couple of things that took me off the world though. The name of the hero, Kerboros, was unfortunate, more so because he was apparently named after Kerberos from the Greek myths. Why would the fae care? Especially since they likely outdate the myths. Similarly, Thea compared a garden to that of Bible’s Paradise, which … I don’t even know why the author would do that instead of coming up with something of her own.
And the spells at the beginning of every chapter didn’t really add anything to my reading experience and I started skipping them. They were needlessly long, and unnecessary for the story. Maybe they could’ve been extras at the end of the book or something. These are small things, but they marred my enjoyment a little.
All in all, a good, but not memorable read. It’s book five in the Fix-It Witches series, but can perfectly well be read as a stand-alone.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kerboros is the hound of the Winter Court, with a secret ability that allows him to track anyone. But even he can’t find where the Summer delegation disappeared to. Winter Lord sends him and Thea to find them, or face a great punishment. Out of options, they set into the wilderness to do so. It’s not an easy journey, during which they learn a lot about each other. And, obviously, fall in love. But Thea is already married.
This was a good cozy fantasy romance. It has a good balance of cozy and a bit grim, and never becomes saccharine. Thea is a good and competent heroine, not a simpering fool fumbling around for laughs, and she has some personal issues that add to her character. Kerboros is perfectly grumpy, and has genuine trauma to go through, justifying his grumpiness. The fae are a bit cruel, but not overly so. Stakes are suitably high, but not nail-biting, and the romance has time to build. The story was a pleasant way to spend a couple of evenings.
I had some issues though, mostly personal preferences that aren’t necessarily what other readers would find faults. Firstly, I don’t like when the romance has started before the book begins, which we learn already at the beginning, even if it’s only one-sided, like in this case. I like to be there for the whole ride. Secondly, I don’t like that it’s the grumpy one who has already caught the feelings. It robs the reader of a chance to watch him change because of love—though there’s some of that too.
Worldbuilding, for most part, was a good combination of fae lore and author’s own additions, and it worked well. There were a couple of things that took me off the world though. The name of the hero, Kerboros, was unfortunate, more so because he was apparently named after Kerberos from the Greek myths. Why would the fae care? Especially since they likely outdate the myths. Similarly, Thea compared a garden to that of Bible’s Paradise, which … I don’t even know why the author would do that instead of coming up with something of her own.
And the spells at the beginning of every chapter didn’t really add anything to my reading experience and I started skipping them. They were needlessly long, and unnecessary for the story. Maybe they could’ve been extras at the end of the book or something. These are small things, but they marred my enjoyment a little.
All in all, a good, but not memorable read. It’s book five in the Fix-It Witches series, but can perfectly well be read as a stand-alone.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2026
Thank you to Ann Aguirre, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this free ARC.
❌ Thoughts
The cover art for this book is what drew me in at first—that, and the title. Its look has a wonderful 90s feel to it!
The story follows Thea, a changeling taken from the mortal world. She's known from early on that she isn't fae, and as such, spent much of her early childhood alone while her fae 'parents' spent most of their time looking for their real daughter. It wasn't long before she was taken in by Mudge, who become her 'da'. The two share such a strong bond that when he's taken hostage, Thea agrees to a contract marriage between the Winter and Summer courts and later sets off track down her runaway groom-to-be.
She's joined on her quest by Kerberos, the Lord of Winter's loyal hound (the best tracker), who has an agenda of his own. The two have to work together if they want to be free of their respective problems, navigating new people, unexpected delays, and their growing feelings if they want to succeed.
I liked that Thea was kind, free-spirited and mischievous—especially given her childhood and her status within fae society. She doesn't see being a non-fae a source of shame or ridicule. Following a fae-raised human changeling instead of a human-raised fae was also refreshing. However, her development could have benefitted from showing her struggling with the emotions that she 'consumes' from others. Whether by getting overwhelmed by the influx of outside emotions or taking on those emotions herself, it would have been more interesting to see her learn to control them and how they may affect her thoughts and actions.
The excerpts at the start of each chapter was interesting at first but then got tedious after a while. These passages are taken from the spellbook that Thea's da had given her (which is also the 'handbook' from the title). They didn't feel entirely necessary and it would have worked much better had they been woven directly into the story whenever Thea was actually casting a spell.
While concluding the central conflict with trickery was a good concept, the execution was a little lackluster. It felt rushed, so the impact of the climax didn't quite land. Additionally, some of the word choices and phrasing tended towards melodramatic, trying too hard for a certain tone that didn't fit the narrative.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook had its good and bad parts, but for the most part, it was a good read. If it have been allowed more room to breathe regarding character development and dynamics—like letting the romance between Thea and Kerberos taking a true slow-burn route where they gradually learn about each other rather than leaning into 'insta-love'—and if the language had a more relaxed nuance, it would have been a more well-rounded story for me.
❌ Thoughts
The cover art for this book is what drew me in at first—that, and the title. Its look has a wonderful 90s feel to it!
The story follows Thea, a changeling taken from the mortal world. She's known from early on that she isn't fae, and as such, spent much of her early childhood alone while her fae 'parents' spent most of their time looking for their real daughter. It wasn't long before she was taken in by Mudge, who become her 'da'. The two share such a strong bond that when he's taken hostage, Thea agrees to a contract marriage between the Winter and Summer courts and later sets off track down her runaway groom-to-be.
She's joined on her quest by Kerberos, the Lord of Winter's loyal hound (the best tracker), who has an agenda of his own. The two have to work together if they want to be free of their respective problems, navigating new people, unexpected delays, and their growing feelings if they want to succeed.
I liked that Thea was kind, free-spirited and mischievous—especially given her childhood and her status within fae society. She doesn't see being a non-fae a source of shame or ridicule. Following a fae-raised human changeling instead of a human-raised fae was also refreshing. However, her development could have benefitted from showing her struggling with the emotions that she 'consumes' from others. Whether by getting overwhelmed by the influx of outside emotions or taking on those emotions herself, it would have been more interesting to see her learn to control them and how they may affect her thoughts and actions.
The excerpts at the start of each chapter was interesting at first but then got tedious after a while. These passages are taken from the spellbook that Thea's da had given her (which is also the 'handbook' from the title). They didn't feel entirely necessary and it would have worked much better had they been woven directly into the story whenever Thea was actually casting a spell.
While concluding the central conflict with trickery was a good concept, the execution was a little lackluster. It felt rushed, so the impact of the climax didn't quite land. Additionally, some of the word choices and phrasing tended towards melodramatic, trying too hard for a certain tone that didn't fit the narrative.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook had its good and bad parts, but for the most part, it was a good read. If it have been allowed more room to breathe regarding character development and dynamics—like letting the romance between Thea and Kerberos taking a true slow-burn route where they gradually learn about each other rather than leaning into 'insta-love'—and if the language had a more relaxed nuance, it would have been a more well-rounded story for me.
September 7, 2026
The Hocus Pocus Handbook is exactly the kind of cozy fantasy that makes you want to disappear into the woods, befriend a few questionable magical creatures, and absolutely fall in love with the brooding man you were definitely not supposed to fall for.
Thea Winter was such a fun heroine to follow. Raised in the wildlands by a hobgoblin, she's capable, curious, warm, and just chaotic enough to continually find herself in situations she probably should have avoided. Her knowledge of wildcraft and the fae world gives the story so much personality, and I loved how naturally the magic was woven into her everyday life.
And then there's Kerboros. The Winter's Hound is quiet, intimidating, painfully controlled, and very firmly in the category of grumpy men who are secretly enormous softies. His history with the Winter Court gives his character an underlying sadness that made the moments when Thea started breaking through his defenses even better. Their sunshine-and-shadow dynamic was easily one of my favorite parts of the book.
This is a true slow burn, and the romance benefits from it. Thea and Kerboros have time to travel together, learn each other's rhythms, and gradually become something neither of them expected. Their relationship feels especially meaningful because Kerboros has spent so much of his life believing that wanting things—or people—is dangerous. Watching him begin to imagine something beyond duty and survival gave the romance a surprisingly emotional core.
I also loved the whimsical side of the story. Between the wildcraft magic, strange fae rules, dangerous courts, magical bargains, and wonderful found-family elements, the world feels cozy without ever feeling completely safe. There's always that reminder that these are fae: charming and magical, yes, but also unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
Warm, whimsical, romantic, and just a little wild, The Hocus Pocus Handbook delivers a lovely combination of cozy fantasy and forbidden romance. Come for the magical quest and eccentric fae world; stay for the terrifying Winter Hound slowly discovering that maybe he deserves tenderness, freedom, and someone who feels like sunshine.
Review copy received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thea Winter was such a fun heroine to follow. Raised in the wildlands by a hobgoblin, she's capable, curious, warm, and just chaotic enough to continually find herself in situations she probably should have avoided. Her knowledge of wildcraft and the fae world gives the story so much personality, and I loved how naturally the magic was woven into her everyday life.
And then there's Kerboros. The Winter's Hound is quiet, intimidating, painfully controlled, and very firmly in the category of grumpy men who are secretly enormous softies. His history with the Winter Court gives his character an underlying sadness that made the moments when Thea started breaking through his defenses even better. Their sunshine-and-shadow dynamic was easily one of my favorite parts of the book.
This is a true slow burn, and the romance benefits from it. Thea and Kerboros have time to travel together, learn each other's rhythms, and gradually become something neither of them expected. Their relationship feels especially meaningful because Kerboros has spent so much of his life believing that wanting things—or people—is dangerous. Watching him begin to imagine something beyond duty and survival gave the romance a surprisingly emotional core.
I also loved the whimsical side of the story. Between the wildcraft magic, strange fae rules, dangerous courts, magical bargains, and wonderful found-family elements, the world feels cozy without ever feeling completely safe. There's always that reminder that these are fae: charming and magical, yes, but also unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
Warm, whimsical, romantic, and just a little wild, The Hocus Pocus Handbook delivers a lovely combination of cozy fantasy and forbidden romance. Come for the magical quest and eccentric fae world; stay for the terrifying Winter Hound slowly discovering that maybe he deserves tenderness, freedom, and someone who feels like sunshine.
Review copy received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Hocus Pocus Handbook • Ann Aguirre
Fix-It Witches #5
One phrase: sunshine changeling meets shadow hound ✨🖤
A cozy fantasy with found family, forbidden love, wildcraft, changelings, hobgoblins, and a sunshine x shadow romance?
Say less.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook follows Thea Winter, the other side of the changeling story. She was stolen and raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge, who taught her wildcraft, survival, and how to handle magical creatures.
What he apparently did not teach her?
How to stay out of trouble.
Now Thea is facing an unwanted marriage of convenience, except her would be spouse has bolted. So she has to hunt him down, and unfortunately for her, she is not going alone.
Enter Kerboros, also known as Winter’s Hound.
He is taciturn, humorless, bound by duty, and has never really known freedom. His life has been shaped by commands, punishment, and the cruelty of his cousin. He has hidden dreams and secret schemes, but the thing he wants most feels impossible.
Then he is ordered to escort and protect Thea.
And traveling with her becomes a glorious torment.
She is sunshine. He is shadow.
I love the sound of this one so much. Cozy fantasy with a darker emotional edge, magical quests, reluctant companions, forbidden romance, and two people who seem like total opposites but might be exactly what the other needs.
It sounds soft, whimsical, romantic, and full of that found family warmth Ann Aguirre does so well.
✨ Tropes and vibes:
✨ cozy fantasy
🖤 sunshine x shadow
🧚 changeling story
🌿 wildcraft magic
💍 unwanted marriage of convenience
🐺 protective escort
🗺 magical quest
💞 forbidden love
🏡 found family
😤 grumpy protector
🌙 hidden dreams
🪄 whimsical magic
📚 Read this if you like:
Cozy fantasy romance, found family, magical quests, changelings, grumpy protectors, sunshine heroines, forbidden love, reluctant travel companions, and stories where love and acceptance feel like their own kind of spell.
This sounds magical, tender, whimsical, and like the perfect cozy fantasy escape.
#TheHocusPocusHandbook #AnnAguirre #CozyFantasy #FantasyRomance #BookReview
Fix-It Witches #5
One phrase: sunshine changeling meets shadow hound ✨🖤
A cozy fantasy with found family, forbidden love, wildcraft, changelings, hobgoblins, and a sunshine x shadow romance?
Say less.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook follows Thea Winter, the other side of the changeling story. She was stolen and raised by a hobgoblin named Mudge, who taught her wildcraft, survival, and how to handle magical creatures.
What he apparently did not teach her?
How to stay out of trouble.
Now Thea is facing an unwanted marriage of convenience, except her would be spouse has bolted. So she has to hunt him down, and unfortunately for her, she is not going alone.
Enter Kerboros, also known as Winter’s Hound.
He is taciturn, humorless, bound by duty, and has never really known freedom. His life has been shaped by commands, punishment, and the cruelty of his cousin. He has hidden dreams and secret schemes, but the thing he wants most feels impossible.
Then he is ordered to escort and protect Thea.
And traveling with her becomes a glorious torment.
She is sunshine. He is shadow.
I love the sound of this one so much. Cozy fantasy with a darker emotional edge, magical quests, reluctant companions, forbidden romance, and two people who seem like total opposites but might be exactly what the other needs.
It sounds soft, whimsical, romantic, and full of that found family warmth Ann Aguirre does so well.
✨ Tropes and vibes:
✨ cozy fantasy
🖤 sunshine x shadow
🧚 changeling story
🌿 wildcraft magic
💍 unwanted marriage of convenience
🐺 protective escort
🗺 magical quest
💞 forbidden love
🏡 found family
😤 grumpy protector
🌙 hidden dreams
🪄 whimsical magic
📚 Read this if you like:
Cozy fantasy romance, found family, magical quests, changelings, grumpy protectors, sunshine heroines, forbidden love, reluctant travel companions, and stories where love and acceptance feel like their own kind of spell.
This sounds magical, tender, whimsical, and like the perfect cozy fantasy escape.
#TheHocusPocusHandbook #AnnAguirre #CozyFantasy #FantasyRomance #BookReview
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Anne Aguirre
Anne Aguirre delivers a spellbinding fantasy that balances chaotic magic with emotional heart. Centered on Thea, a mortal changeling raised in the chilling world of the High Fae, the story captures the feeling of being an outsider caught between wild instincts and rigid court expectations. Stolen as an infant and brought up by Mudge, a hobgoblin who serves as her deeply devoted father, Thea is pure chaos embodied. Rather than navigating the cold intrigue of the Winter House castle, she longs for the freedom of the wildlands. One of the absolute highlights of the novel is the tender dynamic between Thea and Mudge; the guide of spells and life lessons he creates for her adds a poignant layer of warmth that anchors the entire narrative.
The story shifts directly into high gear when Thea’s rebellious nature leads her to free a group of captive Pookas, drawing the ire of the court. She is found and brought by Kerboros, to his cousin, the cold, self-serving ruler Lord Liskaal, for punishment. Only then does she realize that she has become but a pawn in the politics between the great houses.
Beyond the core plot, Aguirre excels at crafting a rich ensemble cast. A multitude of secondary characters step into the spotlight, each playing surprising and pivotal roles in unraveling the central mystery and fueling the romantic tension. Chief among them is the unknowable Zeph, whose presence and enigmatic motives keep the reader guessing and influence key turning points throughout the book.
At its core, The Hocus Pocus Handbook is a profound celebration of found family. The relationship between Mudge and Thea is sweet. I haven’t read a book that highlighted the relationship between a father and daughter that was so poignant in awhile, and it was refreshing. It highlights how the bonds of love, trust, and friendship are forged not by bloodline, but by choice and shared loyalty. With vividly textured world-building that blends court politics with raw, untamed magic, Aguirre has crafted a brilliant, heart infused, and delightfully chaotic read that will resonate deeply with fans of immersive Fae fantasy.Five stars.
Anne Aguirre delivers a spellbinding fantasy that balances chaotic magic with emotional heart. Centered on Thea, a mortal changeling raised in the chilling world of the High Fae, the story captures the feeling of being an outsider caught between wild instincts and rigid court expectations. Stolen as an infant and brought up by Mudge, a hobgoblin who serves as her deeply devoted father, Thea is pure chaos embodied. Rather than navigating the cold intrigue of the Winter House castle, she longs for the freedom of the wildlands. One of the absolute highlights of the novel is the tender dynamic between Thea and Mudge; the guide of spells and life lessons he creates for her adds a poignant layer of warmth that anchors the entire narrative.
The story shifts directly into high gear when Thea’s rebellious nature leads her to free a group of captive Pookas, drawing the ire of the court. She is found and brought by Kerboros, to his cousin, the cold, self-serving ruler Lord Liskaal, for punishment. Only then does she realize that she has become but a pawn in the politics between the great houses.
Beyond the core plot, Aguirre excels at crafting a rich ensemble cast. A multitude of secondary characters step into the spotlight, each playing surprising and pivotal roles in unraveling the central mystery and fueling the romantic tension. Chief among them is the unknowable Zeph, whose presence and enigmatic motives keep the reader guessing and influence key turning points throughout the book.
At its core, The Hocus Pocus Handbook is a profound celebration of found family. The relationship between Mudge and Thea is sweet. I haven’t read a book that highlighted the relationship between a father and daughter that was so poignant in awhile, and it was refreshing. It highlights how the bonds of love, trust, and friendship are forged not by bloodline, but by choice and shared loyalty. With vividly textured world-building that blends court politics with raw, untamed magic, Aguirre has crafted a brilliant, heart infused, and delightfully chaotic read that will resonate deeply with fans of immersive Fae fantasy.Five stars.
September 11, 2026
The Hocus Pocus Handbook
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars
A charming, cosy little fae fantasy with found family, magic, a grumpy/sunshine romance and enough whimsy to make me want to move to the Fae realm.
Preferably somewhere with indoor plumbing.
What I liked
The worldbuilding was definitely my favourite part. I loved the idea of Thea, a mortal changeling who has grown up in the Fae realm and is now far too fae to survive back in the mortal world.
Add in a hobgoblin dad, a Winter Lord’s tracker, a missing Summer fae and a forced marriage and you’ve got yourself a fun little adventure.
I also really enjoyed the found family aspect and the theme of learning to love yourself and figuring out where you belong.
And Thea and Kerberos? The chemistry was there.
I just wanted more of it.
What I didn’t love
Every chapter opens with either a spell from Thea’s father’s handbook or a description of one of Kerberos’s wood carvings.
I liked the concept, especially the insight into Thea’s relationship with her father, but some of them were long. Like, I’ve temporarily forgotten what book I’m reading long.
I found myself jumping back to the previous chapter because I’d lost track of what was happening.
And honestly, I’d happily have traded some of those pages for more of the main couple.
Because apparently I am once again asking for more romance in my romance.
Final verdict
Overall, I had a fun time with this. It’s whimsical, cosy and imaginative, with a lovely found-family storyline and a fun grumpy/sunshine romance.
My biggest issue was simply that I wanted more. More time for Thea and Kerberos to fall for each other, more emotional depth and more of those little moments where you realise two characters are in trouble because they’ve accidentally started caring about each other.
The world was probably the standout for me, and I’d happily spend more time here.
Just give me fewer wood carvings and spells and use those pages to make my fictional people kiss.
I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Thank you to the author and publisher and Netgally for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars
A charming, cosy little fae fantasy with found family, magic, a grumpy/sunshine romance and enough whimsy to make me want to move to the Fae realm.
Preferably somewhere with indoor plumbing.
What I liked
The worldbuilding was definitely my favourite part. I loved the idea of Thea, a mortal changeling who has grown up in the Fae realm and is now far too fae to survive back in the mortal world.
Add in a hobgoblin dad, a Winter Lord’s tracker, a missing Summer fae and a forced marriage and you’ve got yourself a fun little adventure.
I also really enjoyed the found family aspect and the theme of learning to love yourself and figuring out where you belong.
And Thea and Kerberos? The chemistry was there.
I just wanted more of it.
What I didn’t love
Every chapter opens with either a spell from Thea’s father’s handbook or a description of one of Kerberos’s wood carvings.
I liked the concept, especially the insight into Thea’s relationship with her father, but some of them were long. Like, I’ve temporarily forgotten what book I’m reading long.
I found myself jumping back to the previous chapter because I’d lost track of what was happening.
And honestly, I’d happily have traded some of those pages for more of the main couple.
Because apparently I am once again asking for more romance in my romance.
Final verdict
Overall, I had a fun time with this. It’s whimsical, cosy and imaginative, with a lovely found-family storyline and a fun grumpy/sunshine romance.
My biggest issue was simply that I wanted more. More time for Thea and Kerberos to fall for each other, more emotional depth and more of those little moments where you realise two characters are in trouble because they’ve accidentally started caring about each other.
The world was probably the standout for me, and I’d happily spend more time here.
Just give me fewer wood carvings and spells and use those pages to make my fictional people kiss.
I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Thank you to the author and publisher and Netgally for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 12, 2026
THIS WAS SOOOOOOO CUTEEEE! It thoroughly warmed my heart the more I read, and it was the perfect start to my cozy season.
Thea Winter was stolen from the human lands and raised unwanted by a fae couple in the fae realm. I won’t lie, this beginning had my heart SO sad. WHAT DO YOU MEAN STOLEN AND UNWANTED?! And then we meet Mudge, the hobgoblin who raised Thea (we call him Dad!!) and the sweetest hobgoblin that ever was. To each other, they were father and daughter. Titles and blood didn’t mean a thing. Your family is who you make them to be.
Throughout the book, we get snippets from a journal filled with magic spells that Mudge put together for Thea. We learn that Thea is a changeling (not quite human anymore and not quite fae) which makes her magic a little unpredictable. Mudge put this journal together to help her through those situations, and I loved seeing how much thought and care he put into making sure she would be okay even if he wasn’t around. Honest truth, this was probably my favorite part of the entire story. You could feel just how much love Mudge had for his little gem, Thea, through every note he left behind in that journal. He tried his best to prepare her for anything the magical world might throw her way, and my heart absolutely melted over it.
My second favorite part of this story was Thea’s love for everyone and everything. She is known throughout the fae world for causing mayhem while also helping others. Her outlook on life when it started out not so great made me think about things a little differently. She found a way to overcome that unloved feeling as child by spreading love everywhere she could. So, I’m going to start trying to do the same even if I am having a bad day. Just because I am having a bad day doesn’t mean I can’t be kind! Sometimes, simply trying to see the good in life and in other people can completely turn your day around.
All in all, this was the perfect story to start my cozy season. Though, I kinda wish I had a magical journal that I could flip through with notes from Mudge.
Thank you so much to Kaye Publicity and Ann for the gifted copy of The Hocus Pocus Handbook.
Thea Winter was stolen from the human lands and raised unwanted by a fae couple in the fae realm. I won’t lie, this beginning had my heart SO sad. WHAT DO YOU MEAN STOLEN AND UNWANTED?! And then we meet Mudge, the hobgoblin who raised Thea (we call him Dad!!) and the sweetest hobgoblin that ever was. To each other, they were father and daughter. Titles and blood didn’t mean a thing. Your family is who you make them to be.
Throughout the book, we get snippets from a journal filled with magic spells that Mudge put together for Thea. We learn that Thea is a changeling (not quite human anymore and not quite fae) which makes her magic a little unpredictable. Mudge put this journal together to help her through those situations, and I loved seeing how much thought and care he put into making sure she would be okay even if he wasn’t around. Honest truth, this was probably my favorite part of the entire story. You could feel just how much love Mudge had for his little gem, Thea, through every note he left behind in that journal. He tried his best to prepare her for anything the magical world might throw her way, and my heart absolutely melted over it.
My second favorite part of this story was Thea’s love for everyone and everything. She is known throughout the fae world for causing mayhem while also helping others. Her outlook on life when it started out not so great made me think about things a little differently. She found a way to overcome that unloved feeling as child by spreading love everywhere she could. So, I’m going to start trying to do the same even if I am having a bad day. Just because I am having a bad day doesn’t mean I can’t be kind! Sometimes, simply trying to see the good in life and in other people can completely turn your day around.
All in all, this was the perfect story to start my cozy season. Though, I kinda wish I had a magical journal that I could flip through with notes from Mudge.
Thank you so much to Kaye Publicity and Ann for the gifted copy of The Hocus Pocus Handbook.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I did enjoy this book, but I finished it wishing there had been just... a little bit more.
The world was so imaginative, and I loved all the folklore-inspired magic, magical creatures, and the overall whimsical atmosphere. It felt like there was so much to explore, and I honestly could have spent another couple of hundred pages in this world.
Thea was such a fun character to follow. She's impulsive, stubborn, and has this chaotic energy that I loved. And then there's Kerboros... excuse me while I add another broody, emotionally repressed fictional man to my ever-growing list. He acts like he doesn't have feelings, but every little thing he does for Thea says otherwise. Watching him slowly open up absolutely melted me. Give me a grumpy man who's secretly the softest person alive, and I'll eat it up every single time.
I think my biggest issue was that I wanted more from their relationship. The chemistry was there, and I loved the moments they shared, but I wanted more conversations, more vulnerability, and more time to really sit with their growing feelings. I was completely invested in them, which is probably why I was left wanting more by the end. And it is also somewhat closed door spice.
The pacing also felt a little quick in places. There were moments that I thought could have been expanded on because they had so much emotional potential. Instead of feeling completely satisfied when I finished, I was left thinking, "That's it?" Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I wasn't quite ready to leave these characters behind.
Overall, this was still such an enjoyable read. It has a charming magical world, lovable characters, and a romance that I genuinely wanted to see succeed. I just wish it had dug a little deeper into both the romance and the world-building. Even so, I'm really glad I picked it up, and I'd happily read more stories set in this world.
I did enjoy this book, but I finished it wishing there had been just... a little bit more.
The world was so imaginative, and I loved all the folklore-inspired magic, magical creatures, and the overall whimsical atmosphere. It felt like there was so much to explore, and I honestly could have spent another couple of hundred pages in this world.
Thea was such a fun character to follow. She's impulsive, stubborn, and has this chaotic energy that I loved. And then there's Kerboros... excuse me while I add another broody, emotionally repressed fictional man to my ever-growing list. He acts like he doesn't have feelings, but every little thing he does for Thea says otherwise. Watching him slowly open up absolutely melted me. Give me a grumpy man who's secretly the softest person alive, and I'll eat it up every single time.
I think my biggest issue was that I wanted more from their relationship. The chemistry was there, and I loved the moments they shared, but I wanted more conversations, more vulnerability, and more time to really sit with their growing feelings. I was completely invested in them, which is probably why I was left wanting more by the end. And it is also somewhat closed door spice.
The pacing also felt a little quick in places. There were moments that I thought could have been expanded on because they had so much emotional potential. Instead of feeling completely satisfied when I finished, I was left thinking, "That's it?" Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I wasn't quite ready to leave these characters behind.
Overall, this was still such an enjoyable read. It has a charming magical world, lovable characters, and a romance that I genuinely wanted to see succeed. I just wish it had dug a little deeper into both the romance and the world-building. Even so, I'm really glad I picked it up, and I'd happily read more stories set in this world.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thea Winter is a human changeling who was stolen from the mortal world at birth raised in the fae wildlands, shaped by both mortal origins and a lifetime among magical beings. She is independent, impulsive, and has a strong desire to protect the wild fae, which often places her at odds with the Winter Court. After Thea is forced into a political marriage meant to serve the interests of the Winter Court, only for the intended spouse and the Summer delegation to disappear. She is sent into the wilderness with Kerboros, the Winter Court’s hunter, to locate the missing party and avoid punishment from those in power.
Kerboros is Thea’s opposite, he thrives on restraint, duty, and is driven by the consequences of his family’s failed rebellion. Together, they fit a grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, with Thea bringing warmth and chaos while Kerboros carries trauma, loyalty, and hidden vulnerability. Their journey moves through fae politics, magical dangers, folklore-inspired settings, and encounters with other creatures, while also building the foundation for a forbidden romance complicated by obligation, court expectations, and Thea’s unresolved marriage.
This was a cozy fantasy romance with an imaginative fae world, a clear magical atmosphere, and a central pairing that had the right ingredients for an appealing opposites-attract story. I appreciated the folklore elements and the way the book tried to balance whimsy with darker court politics, but the romance did not fully work for me. While there were charming pieces throughout, I wanted more depth from the romantic progression and a stronger connection to the characters that the first-person narrative failed to give me. So, while it wasn’t a hit for me, I am sure there are readers who would enjoy this story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Kerboros is Thea’s opposite, he thrives on restraint, duty, and is driven by the consequences of his family’s failed rebellion. Together, they fit a grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, with Thea bringing warmth and chaos while Kerboros carries trauma, loyalty, and hidden vulnerability. Their journey moves through fae politics, magical dangers, folklore-inspired settings, and encounters with other creatures, while also building the foundation for a forbidden romance complicated by obligation, court expectations, and Thea’s unresolved marriage.
This was a cozy fantasy romance with an imaginative fae world, a clear magical atmosphere, and a central pairing that had the right ingredients for an appealing opposites-attract story. I appreciated the folklore elements and the way the book tried to balance whimsy with darker court politics, but the romance did not fully work for me. While there were charming pieces throughout, I wanted more depth from the romantic progression and a stronger connection to the characters that the first-person narrative failed to give me. So, while it wasn’t a hit for me, I am sure there are readers who would enjoy this story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I went into this book expecting something entirely different but instead I was treated to a fantasy romance set in Fae lands with two strong MCs, both of whom have faced significant adversity in their lives and who've chosen very different paths in dealing with it, but who are very similar at their core.
Thea is a human/witch changeling, switched with a Fae infant as a newborn infant and raised in Faerie. Her magic has been irrevocably changed by Faerie and she cannot comfortably exist in the human world. Kerboros is a cousin of the King of the winter Fae whose family was executed for treason when he was a young child. He was raised under a geas to obey the king and because he has tracking magic, he is the king's chief hunter and cannot refuse any of his commands.
When Thea and Kerboros end up paired together to track down Thea's missing groom in a marriage of convenience arranged by the king, they immediately strike sparks off each other. Caring, sunshiny, chaotic Thea may not seem like a likely partner for taciturn, gruff, closed off Kerboros, but opposites always have a way of attracting. Inside their hearts, these two are quite similar, both raised in difficult circumstances, both lonely, and both looking for a way to change their lives.
I found the worldbuilding in this book to be excellent and detailed. I loved all of the wild fae scenes and only wish there had been even more of them. Thea and Kerboros were a well-matched couple, although their relationship was a little bit sudden for me. The openings to each chapter were an interesting and not entirely successful way to bring in their backstories. I think those could have been shortened up but otherwise, I really enjoyed the book. I also went into it not having read any of the other books and didn't feel lost, so I think it works well as a standalone. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
Thea is a human/witch changeling, switched with a Fae infant as a newborn infant and raised in Faerie. Her magic has been irrevocably changed by Faerie and she cannot comfortably exist in the human world. Kerboros is a cousin of the King of the winter Fae whose family was executed for treason when he was a young child. He was raised under a geas to obey the king and because he has tracking magic, he is the king's chief hunter and cannot refuse any of his commands.
When Thea and Kerboros end up paired together to track down Thea's missing groom in a marriage of convenience arranged by the king, they immediately strike sparks off each other. Caring, sunshiny, chaotic Thea may not seem like a likely partner for taciturn, gruff, closed off Kerboros, but opposites always have a way of attracting. Inside their hearts, these two are quite similar, both raised in difficult circumstances, both lonely, and both looking for a way to change their lives.
I found the worldbuilding in this book to be excellent and detailed. I loved all of the wild fae scenes and only wish there had been even more of them. Thea and Kerboros were a well-matched couple, although their relationship was a little bit sudden for me. The openings to each chapter were an interesting and not entirely successful way to bring in their backstories. I think those could have been shortened up but otherwise, I really enjoyed the book. I also went into it not having read any of the other books and didn't feel lost, so I think it works well as a standalone. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
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