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Such Familiar Magic
Not yet published
Expected 12 Jan 27Win a free print copy of this book!
23 days and 22:32:25
25 copies available
U.S. only
A burned-out millennial witch ruins her family’s ancient magical potion and must enlist the help of her next-door nemesis to save it in the enchanting adult debut from the New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire.
Laila Chu comes from one of three magical British Chinese families in the sleepy seaside town of Silverwood Cove. Despite a busy life in London, she dutifully returns home every weekend to uphold her family’s mystical traditions (a.k.a. chores for needy ancestors). When her parents leave for a trip, Laila is entrusted with the ancient potion that has allowed the Chu family to communicate with the spirit realm for over 800 years …
And ruins it on Day One.
In order to reconstruct the potion, the only person who can help Laila is her childhood nemesis, Anthony Lim.
To Laila’s amazement, Anthony agrees. And as they search for the recipe’s elusive ingredients, her greater surprise is how much fun she’s having. Still, she begins to wonder if this disastrous turn of events might be the start of something…if only she can fix the potion before her parents return—or before she falls too hard for a man who’s only here for the magic.
Laila Chu comes from one of three magical British Chinese families in the sleepy seaside town of Silverwood Cove. Despite a busy life in London, she dutifully returns home every weekend to uphold her family’s mystical traditions (a.k.a. chores for needy ancestors). When her parents leave for a trip, Laila is entrusted with the ancient potion that has allowed the Chu family to communicate with the spirit realm for over 800 years …
And ruins it on Day One.
In order to reconstruct the potion, the only person who can help Laila is her childhood nemesis, Anthony Lim.
To Laila’s amazement, Anthony agrees. And as they search for the recipe’s elusive ingredients, her greater surprise is how much fun she’s having. Still, she begins to wonder if this disastrous turn of events might be the start of something…if only she can fix the potion before her parents return—or before she falls too hard for a man who’s only here for the magic.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 12, 2027
About the author
Natasha Ngan
8 books3,554 followersNatasha Ngan is the New York Times bestselling author of the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy. She grew up between Malaysia, where the Chinese side of her family is from, and the UK. This multicultural upbringing influences her writing, and she is passionate about bringing diverse stories to readers.
Ngan studied Geography at the University of Cambridge before working as a social media consultant and fashion blogger, and yoga teacher.
She lives on the west coast of France with her partner and their Staffordshire bull terrier, Nova.
She is represented by Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary.
Follow Natasha at: http://natashangan.com or on Instagram: @_natashangan
Ngan studied Geography at the University of Cambridge before working as a social media consultant and fashion blogger, and yoga teacher.
She lives on the west coast of France with her partner and their Staffordshire bull terrier, Nova.
She is represented by Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary.
Follow Natasha at: http://natashangan.com or on Instagram: @_natashangan
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June 22, 2026Natasha Ngan's back! We've missed you!
July 13, 2026
Rating: 3.75 Stars ⭐⭐⭐✨
I didn’t hate this book. It was well written and cute, and the chemistry between the main characters was definitely there. On paper, it had so many elements I should have loved:
AANHPI Representation: A whole town of witches!
The Tropes: A mix of fantasy (not usually my genre, but I'm trying!) combined with a romance dynamic that felt somewhere between enemies-to-lovers and former-friends-to-lovers. I don't know what people are saying these days
The Plot: Laila is a relatable, exhausted protagonist who is simply doing too much. On top of her stressful day job as a communications manager, she’s also in charge of guarding an 888 yearold magical potion, which she accidentally ruins as it's cooking over the stove, when she falls asleep.
The Stakes: She has to team up with Anthony, a handsome, wealthy fellow witch, to figure out how to recreate the potion before her parents get back from vacation.
The Bonus: A pet turtle who gets lots of cuddles.
However, despite all of that, I was just so bored. I couldn't find a genuine connection to the characters or the plot. There was just something missing. It can be hard to explain, but I felt absolutely no attachment to the story while reading it.
I found the implausible emotions towards the end with the Asian parents completely unbelievable. Sorry, as a fellow Asian, we don't talk about our feelings =/
It could very well just be a "me" issue, or maybe the fantasy genre just isn't for me, and that's totally fine.
Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reading copy!
I didn’t hate this book. It was well written and cute, and the chemistry between the main characters was definitely there. On paper, it had so many elements I should have loved:
AANHPI Representation: A whole town of witches!
The Tropes: A mix of fantasy (not usually my genre, but I'm trying!) combined with a romance dynamic that felt somewhere between enemies-to-lovers and former-friends-to-lovers. I don't know what people are saying these days
The Plot: Laila is a relatable, exhausted protagonist who is simply doing too much. On top of her stressful day job as a communications manager, she’s also in charge of guarding an 888 yearold magical potion, which she accidentally ruins as it's cooking over the stove, when she falls asleep.
The Stakes: She has to team up with Anthony, a handsome, wealthy fellow witch, to figure out how to recreate the potion before her parents get back from vacation.
The Bonus: A pet turtle who gets lots of cuddles.
However, despite all of that, I was just so bored. I couldn't find a genuine connection to the characters or the plot. There was just something missing. It can be hard to explain, but I felt absolutely no attachment to the story while reading it.
I found the implausible emotions towards the end with the Asian parents completely unbelievable. Sorry, as a fellow Asian, we don't talk about our feelings =/
It could very well just be a "me" issue, or maybe the fantasy genre just isn't for me, and that's totally fine.
Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reading copy!
June 29, 2026
A beautiful story of love, grief, and belonging. I don’t really have the words to describe how much I loved this book, but one thing for sure, Natasha Ngan’s adult debut is everything we wanted and more
August 7, 2026
4 stars.
This was an enjoyable read. I went in expecting a cute paranormal romance, but it ended up being much more character-driven than I anticipated. Despite the paranormal twist, the story felt surprisingly grounded. At its core, it’s about family, grief, identity and finding where you belong.
Laila isn’t a perfect heroine, and I loved that. It’s what kept me interested in following her journey. Watching her grow in confidence and discover who she is made her an easy character to easy to root for. The old-friends-with-an-element-of-enemies-to-lovers romance with Anthony was well crafted , but what really stood out to me was his own emotional journey. It was refreshing to see the hero carrying the grief storyline for a change, and the way the author made him so vulnerable made it feel quite unique.
I also loved the emphasis on family. The way ancestors and departed relatives remained such an important part of the story gave me Mulan vibes.
The characters, family relationships and emotional depth kept me turning pages, and I really think readers who enjoy romances with a touch of magic will have a great time with this one.
This was an enjoyable read. I went in expecting a cute paranormal romance, but it ended up being much more character-driven than I anticipated. Despite the paranormal twist, the story felt surprisingly grounded. At its core, it’s about family, grief, identity and finding where you belong.
Laila isn’t a perfect heroine, and I loved that. It’s what kept me interested in following her journey. Watching her grow in confidence and discover who she is made her an easy character to easy to root for. The old-friends-with-an-element-of-enemies-to-lovers romance with Anthony was well crafted , but what really stood out to me was his own emotional journey. It was refreshing to see the hero carrying the grief storyline for a change, and the way the author made him so vulnerable made it feel quite unique.
I also loved the emphasis on family. The way ancestors and departed relatives remained such an important part of the story gave me Mulan vibes.
The characters, family relationships and emotional depth kept me turning pages, and I really think readers who enjoy romances with a touch of magic will have a great time with this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
¯`*•.¸"¤°´✿.｡.:* 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 *.:｡.✿`°¤"¸.•*´¯
THANK YOU so much Netgalley, Natasha Ngan and Berkley Publishing for the e-arc opportunity. I enjoyed this book so much I think I'll be rereading pretty soon.
✨🧡🏵️
Girls of Paper And Fire Series es de mis absolutamente favoritas de la vida. He releído estos libros tantas veces que ya es casi una tradición anual. Porque, para mí, Natasha Ngan tiene un don espectacular escribiendo historias. Pero sobre todo, personajes.
Así que cuando supe que estaba en proceso de escribir una novela de romance, supe que debía leerla, porque echaba demasiado de menos sus palabras.
No sólo leí 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄. Viví en cada página como si el libro fuese infinito y no tuviera que preocuparme por un último capítulo.
Conecté tan profundamente con 𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚, nuestra fmc, como persona. Me sentí reflejada en muchas de sus inseguridades, en sus dudas, en sus emociones y cómo a veces se apoderaban de ella para hacerla sentir aislada, vulnerable, o sacar todo lo mejor que llevaba por dentro para los demás.
Como siempre buscaba dar el 1000% en todo lo que hacía porque de otro modo creía que no había hecho suficiente. Vivir entre dos versiones o más de ti como archivos en diferentes carpetas, cuando en realidad todo junto es valioso y perfecto tal como es.
Son lecciones que poco a poco la vi asumir y asimilar con cada equivocación, con cada cosa no dicha, con cada paso que daba. Y de un modo, no sólo fue leer un libro, sino como verme a mí misma desde otro ángulo.
Amo a Laila porque su viaje me hizo compañía y me enseñó mucho cuando más necesitaba de eso, y no lo estaba esperando. Aunque quizá debí imaginarlo, porque Natasha siempre ha sabido llegar a mi corazón con sus historias.
El romance fue una cosita preciosa de ver evolucionar hasta darse la oportunidad de existir. De madurar, de crecer, de ser más de lo que los propios personajes habrían pensado que podría llegar a ser.
Encontrar esos fragmentos de sí mismos que llevaban ocultando en sus corazones desde tan jóvenes fue lo que les permitió tener el corage para estar juntos, y he adorado cada momento de ello.
Hay tantas cosas que me quedan de este libro, que para describirlas todas necesitaría días, porque DIOOOOOS CÓMO PUEDE SER TAN HERMOSO!
Es una historia con romance, sí. Pero también es de amigos (aquellos inesperados, aquellos que no siempre ves pero siempre están, aquellos que saben todo sin que tengas que decir nada, y que te inspiran a ser mejor persona), de la familia (aquellas imperfectas donde no siempre se expresa el amor en palabras, pero sí en acciones cada día), de abrazar nuestras equivocaciones como abrazamos nuestros triunfos, y de que la verdadera magia está en esos detalles que hacen de cada uno de nosotros la persona que somos.
Toooood esta reseña fue bastante de mí siendo cursi, pero sólo las cosas más valiosas en la vida te emocionan hasta ser cursi, así que es bastante adecuado, diría yo.
Maravilloso, precioso libro. Simplemente espectacular. AMO AMO AMO AMO AMO ESTE LIBRO CON TODA EL ALMA ✨
𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆—𝒘𝒉𝒐—𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆.
★★★★★/5
✨🧡🏵️
THANK YOU so much Netgalley, Natasha Ngan and Berkley Publishing for the e-arc opportunity. I enjoyed this book so much I think I'll be rereading pretty soon.
✨🧡🏵️
Girls of Paper And Fire Series es de mis absolutamente favoritas de la vida. He releído estos libros tantas veces que ya es casi una tradición anual. Porque, para mí, Natasha Ngan tiene un don espectacular escribiendo historias. Pero sobre todo, personajes.
Así que cuando supe que estaba en proceso de escribir una novela de romance, supe que debía leerla, porque echaba demasiado de menos sus palabras.
No sólo leí 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄. Viví en cada página como si el libro fuese infinito y no tuviera que preocuparme por un último capítulo.
Conecté tan profundamente con 𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚, nuestra fmc, como persona. Me sentí reflejada en muchas de sus inseguridades, en sus dudas, en sus emociones y cómo a veces se apoderaban de ella para hacerla sentir aislada, vulnerable, o sacar todo lo mejor que llevaba por dentro para los demás.
Como siempre buscaba dar el 1000% en todo lo que hacía porque de otro modo creía que no había hecho suficiente. Vivir entre dos versiones o más de ti como archivos en diferentes carpetas, cuando en realidad todo junto es valioso y perfecto tal como es.
Son lecciones que poco a poco la vi asumir y asimilar con cada equivocación, con cada cosa no dicha, con cada paso que daba. Y de un modo, no sólo fue leer un libro, sino como verme a mí misma desde otro ángulo.
Amo a Laila porque su viaje me hizo compañía y me enseñó mucho cuando más necesitaba de eso, y no lo estaba esperando. Aunque quizá debí imaginarlo, porque Natasha siempre ha sabido llegar a mi corazón con sus historias.
El romance fue una cosita preciosa de ver evolucionar hasta darse la oportunidad de existir. De madurar, de crecer, de ser más de lo que los propios personajes habrían pensado que podría llegar a ser.
Encontrar esos fragmentos de sí mismos que llevaban ocultando en sus corazones desde tan jóvenes fue lo que les permitió tener el corage para estar juntos, y he adorado cada momento de ello.
Hay tantas cosas que me quedan de este libro, que para describirlas todas necesitaría días, porque DIOOOOOS CÓMO PUEDE SER TAN HERMOSO!
Es una historia con romance, sí. Pero también es de amigos (aquellos inesperados, aquellos que no siempre ves pero siempre están, aquellos que saben todo sin que tengas que decir nada, y que te inspiran a ser mejor persona), de la familia (aquellas imperfectas donde no siempre se expresa el amor en palabras, pero sí en acciones cada día), de abrazar nuestras equivocaciones como abrazamos nuestros triunfos, y de que la verdadera magia está en esos detalles que hacen de cada uno de nosotros la persona que somos.
Toooood esta reseña fue bastante de mí siendo cursi, pero sólo las cosas más valiosas en la vida te emocionan hasta ser cursi, así que es bastante adecuado, diría yo.
Maravilloso, precioso libro. Simplemente espectacular. AMO AMO AMO AMO AMO ESTE LIBRO CON TODA EL ALMA ✨
𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆—𝒘𝒉𝒐—𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆.
★★★★★/5
✨🧡🏵️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Uk/Fig Tree for a review copy of this novel. Cosy romance is the perfect term to describe this novel as well as the term for its location, Silverside Cove, UK. Laila has yet to find her specialty magic, something that has undermined her confidence at home and in the small Chinese community of witches in Silverside. It doesn’t help that her workaholic tendencies in her job away from this community is filled with responsibility and demonstrates how capable she is, her parents find a way to kindly or unkindly show they have little faith in her ability to carry out the simplest task to do with the family’s struggling magic business, including stirring the 888 year old potion that is the foundation of their magic. When her parents finally take their longed for visit to Malaysia to see family they leave Laila behind to keep everything under control, including overseeing the potion. An inevitable mishap later and Laila is madly trying to recreate the potion while the ancestor spirits are yelling at her, and the pressure is on to succeed before her parents return. Her lack of success compels her to turn to the handsome Anthony Lim, the talented member of the hugely successful Lim family and her nemesis to help her create a new formula, only this time, based on earth elements (his family’s specialty) and inspired by her own memories. By traveling around together, reliving Laila’s past Anthony and Laila find revealing and compelling things about each other that lead them to a new understanding.
There is a certain charm (lol) about the novel that carries throughout and the interesting cultural elements too that add an extra appeal to what is a sweet, light read perfect for a beach or wet weekend.
There is a certain charm (lol) about the novel that carries throughout and the interesting cultural elements too that add an extra appeal to what is a sweet, light read perfect for a beach or wet weekend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Such Familiar Magic was such a charming, cozy, and genuinely fun read! ✨🪄
I absolutely loved the way Natasha Ngan weaves magic into Chinese culture, family traditions, and folklore. The magical world felt so unique, but what really made this story special for me was how grounded it felt in themes of family, identity, belonging, and figuring out who you are when you’re being pulled in a million different directions.
Laila was such a relatable character. She’s trying to balance her life in London with the expectations of her family, and then—because apparently she doesn’t have enough on her plate—she manages to ruin an 800-year-old magical potion. 😂 And of course, the one person who can help her fix it is her childhood nemesis, Anthony.
The childhood rivals-to-romance dynamic was SO much fun. Their banter, the tension, and the way their relationship slowly shifted had me smiling more than once. Anthony was definitely a highlight for me, and I loved watching them go from old grudges to actually understanding each other.
I also really enjoyed the cozy seaside-town atmosphere, the ancestral ghosts, the magical quest, and all the little touches that made the world feel connected to Laila’s culture and family history.
There were a few moments where I wanted a little more depth or development, which kept this from being a five-star read for me, but overall, this was such a delightful adult fantasy romance and a wonderful introduction to Natasha Ngan’s adult fiction.
If you love cozy fantasy romance, childhood rivals, forced proximity, witty banter, magical family traditions, and a romance wrapped in themes of identity and belonging, definitely add this one to your TBR! ✨💕
Such Familiar Magic was such a charming, cozy, and genuinely fun read! ✨🪄
I absolutely loved the way Natasha Ngan weaves magic into Chinese culture, family traditions, and folklore. The magical world felt so unique, but what really made this story special for me was how grounded it felt in themes of family, identity, belonging, and figuring out who you are when you’re being pulled in a million different directions.
Laila was such a relatable character. She’s trying to balance her life in London with the expectations of her family, and then—because apparently she doesn’t have enough on her plate—she manages to ruin an 800-year-old magical potion. 😂 And of course, the one person who can help her fix it is her childhood nemesis, Anthony.
The childhood rivals-to-romance dynamic was SO much fun. Their banter, the tension, and the way their relationship slowly shifted had me smiling more than once. Anthony was definitely a highlight for me, and I loved watching them go from old grudges to actually understanding each other.
I also really enjoyed the cozy seaside-town atmosphere, the ancestral ghosts, the magical quest, and all the little touches that made the world feel connected to Laila’s culture and family history.
There were a few moments where I wanted a little more depth or development, which kept this from being a five-star read for me, but overall, this was such a delightful adult fantasy romance and a wonderful introduction to Natasha Ngan’s adult fiction.
If you love cozy fantasy romance, childhood rivals, forced proximity, witty banter, magical family traditions, and a romance wrapped in themes of identity and belonging, definitely add this one to your TBR! ✨💕
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first book by Natasha Ngan, and unfortunately, it was just an okay read for me. I really loved the magic, the Chinese traditions and folklore, and the family dynamics. It gave me Mulan vibes, which I was really excited about because that is my favorite Disney movie.
But y'all... Laila drove me INSANE. 😭 It is entirely from her first person POV, and she makes a huge mistake that could completely ruin her family's reputation and is basically just like, "It's okay, I'll fix it and they'll love me for it." Ma'am... WHAT? It reminded me of Mulan, where Mulan and Mushu accidentally mess everything up and have to earn back the family's and the ancestors' trust by fixing it. The difference is that Mulan is a comedy, so the mistakes and chaos are part of the fun. But here, it just felt like incompetence disguised as being quirky and cute, and I never bought into it. Instead of laughing, I just wanted to shake her because she never seemed to grasp how serious what she did actually was and seemed to think that everyone else would just accept and love her no matter what, despite the major mess up.
Anthony was what completely saved this book for me. He was sweet, charming, and exactly the kind of love interest I wanted, and I think Laila desperately needed. I really enjoyed the romance and loved all of the magical elements and Chinese representation, but I just felt like this story had so much potential and did NOT live up to it which was a massive disappointment for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Ngan, and Berkley for the eARC of this book.
But y'all... Laila drove me INSANE. 😭 It is entirely from her first person POV, and she makes a huge mistake that could completely ruin her family's reputation and is basically just like, "It's okay, I'll fix it and they'll love me for it." Ma'am... WHAT? It reminded me of Mulan, where Mulan and Mushu accidentally mess everything up and have to earn back the family's and the ancestors' trust by fixing it. The difference is that Mulan is a comedy, so the mistakes and chaos are part of the fun. But here, it just felt like incompetence disguised as being quirky and cute, and I never bought into it. Instead of laughing, I just wanted to shake her because she never seemed to grasp how serious what she did actually was and seemed to think that everyone else would just accept and love her no matter what, despite the major mess up.
Anthony was what completely saved this book for me. He was sweet, charming, and exactly the kind of love interest I wanted, and I think Laila desperately needed. I really enjoyed the romance and loved all of the magical elements and Chinese representation, but I just felt like this story had so much potential and did NOT live up to it which was a massive disappointment for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Ngan, and Berkley for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I would like to preface this review by thanking the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this arc copy.
As a fellow millennial, I found the themes of burn out and many selves that the female main character deals with quite relevant. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the banter and exquisite tension between the fmc and mmc. Laila was sassy and messy, and I loved that about her character. While male lead Antony presents as a controlled, orderly foil to her chaos. They both show character growth and learn to understand each other as the story develops. These differences are highlighted to the point that Laila describes her life as blindfolded chimpanzee Jenga whereas Antony’s is a neat stack of dominoes.
I also enjoyed learning more about Chinese culture in this work. The author mentioned a few relevant key Chinese words relevant to character growth and the magic potion ingredients linking to the five elements (acupuncture nerd here) added interest and dimension to the story. The magic system’s connection to family and culture cleverly ties in with the book’s title. The book dissuasion questions at the book’s end are thoughtfully written. I could easily see myself using them to guide book club discussions.
The author balanced Just the right amount of spice for me, slow burn more teasing and build up at first with a couple of more door more explicit scenes.
Mild critiques about a few cultural allusions going over my head and the banter being slightly over the top at times. But overall, a fantastic read. 4.5 stars rounded up on goodreads.
As a fellow millennial, I found the themes of burn out and many selves that the female main character deals with quite relevant. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the banter and exquisite tension between the fmc and mmc. Laila was sassy and messy, and I loved that about her character. While male lead Antony presents as a controlled, orderly foil to her chaos. They both show character growth and learn to understand each other as the story develops. These differences are highlighted to the point that Laila describes her life as blindfolded chimpanzee Jenga whereas Antony’s is a neat stack of dominoes.
I also enjoyed learning more about Chinese culture in this work. The author mentioned a few relevant key Chinese words relevant to character growth and the magic potion ingredients linking to the five elements (acupuncture nerd here) added interest and dimension to the story. The magic system’s connection to family and culture cleverly ties in with the book’s title. The book dissuasion questions at the book’s end are thoughtfully written. I could easily see myself using them to guide book club discussions.
The author balanced Just the right amount of spice for me, slow burn more teasing and build up at first with a couple of more door more explicit scenes.
Mild critiques about a few cultural allusions going over my head and the banter being slightly over the top at times. But overall, a fantastic read. 4.5 stars rounded up on goodreads.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for my ARC of Such Familiar Magic!
This was a cozy, feel-good rom com with witchy vibes, and the kind of book I needed in between heavy fantasy series. It was sprinkled with positive messaging and honestly felt like a warm hug of a book.
The chemistry between the main characters felt natural, and I appreciated the green flag MMC. Their relationship developed in a way that felt authentic, and I was genuinely invested in both of them. I also enjoyed learning about their backgrounds as part of immigrant families, and the culture and traditions that go along with that. Being part of an immigrant family myself, I related to the challenge of feeling like I was living two different lives growing up.
I do wish there had been just a little more emotional tension. The story stayed very cozy throughout, but I think a bit more conflict would have added some extra depth and made the resolution feel even more satisfying. The ending wrapped up a little too quickly and maybe even too neatly. I also wasn't completely sold on the main spicy scene when all of that tension finally broke. It felt a bit forced and maybe a bit too choreographed.
Overall, this was a sweet romance with likeable characters and feel-good messaging. It's a great option for a stand-alone, comfort read.
This was a cozy, feel-good rom com with witchy vibes, and the kind of book I needed in between heavy fantasy series. It was sprinkled with positive messaging and honestly felt like a warm hug of a book.
The chemistry between the main characters felt natural, and I appreciated the green flag MMC. Their relationship developed in a way that felt authentic, and I was genuinely invested in both of them. I also enjoyed learning about their backgrounds as part of immigrant families, and the culture and traditions that go along with that. Being part of an immigrant family myself, I related to the challenge of feeling like I was living two different lives growing up.
I do wish there had been just a little more emotional tension. The story stayed very cozy throughout, but I think a bit more conflict would have added some extra depth and made the resolution feel even more satisfying. The ending wrapped up a little too quickly and maybe even too neatly. I also wasn't completely sold on the main spicy scene when all of that tension finally broke. It felt a bit forced and maybe a bit too choreographed.
Overall, this was a sweet romance with likeable characters and feel-good messaging. It's a great option for a stand-alone, comfort read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such Familiar Magic completely swept me away. If you love cozy fantasy with a touch of romance, this one is such a gem. The blend of Chinese culture, family magic, and Laila's journey of rediscovering herself felt heartfelt and beautifully woven into the story. The rivals-to-lovers romance is all about witty banter, slow-burn chemistry, and two people learning to become each other's safe place. Add in themes of grief, identity, found home, and just the right amount of magic, and you've got a book that's equal parts comforting, funny, and emotionally satisfying. This was an easy 4.5 stars for me, and I highly recommend it if you're craving a magical romance with heart.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the eARC!
#SuchFamiliarMagic #NetGalley
Pub, date: Jan. 12th 2027
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the eARC!
#SuchFamiliarMagic #NetGalley
Pub, date: Jan. 12th 2027
August 2, 2026
I really enjoyed this book! It took me a moment to get into it, but then all the characters really grew on me. I loved the witchy community in Silverwood, but also Laila‘s friends back in London. The magic is interwoven beautifully, and it serves to help Laila find herself. Anthony was such a green flag love interest, and I liked how Laila’s relationship with him developed, but I also really enjoyed the emphasis on friendship, family and community, and how Laila struggled to navigate everything. It‘s one of those books that leaves you with a warm, glowy feeling, and it made me yearn for the English seaside. If you‘re in the mood for a cozy, witchy romance, definitely pick this up!
Thanks go to Penguin for the netgalley ARC!
Thanks go to Penguin for the netgalley ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Early Access to 'Such Familiar Magic' granted via NetGalley ✧🕮⋆˚.
☕︎ Title : Such Familiar Magic
🀦 Author : Natasha Ngan
🀦 Genre : Romance & Fantasy
🀦 Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Full Review to be posted in January 2027 (publish date).
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the opportunity to read this beautifully written book!
☕︎ Title : Such Familiar Magic
🀦 Author : Natasha Ngan
🀦 Genre : Romance & Fantasy
🀦 Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Full Review to be posted in January 2027 (publish date).
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the opportunity to read this beautifully written book!
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July 11, 2026Review to come closer to publication day!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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