The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic

Natural Magic #1

by Ciara Blume

A murder, a mystery, and a not-so-overactive imagination...

Eccentric heiress Maida Westbrook treasures her peaceful, "ordinary" life in California—morning strolls along the beach, warm evenings by the fire, and losing herself in her beloved library of myths and legends. Yet, despite knowing the difference between fact and fiction, Maida can’t shake the nagging sense that there’s more to her story than she’s been led to believe. Strange and inexplicable occurrences have always surrounded her, dismissed as nothing more than an overactive imagination.

When a distant relative mysteriously vanishes, a body is discovered, and Maida’s lifelong dream of owning a charming bookshop suddenly comes true she realizes her imagination might not have been so far-fetched after all.

There’s just one the sentient bookshop has gone into hiding and it’s up to Maida to coax it back. To claim her inheritance, she must step out of her safe, predictable world and embrace a reality where magic is not only real—it’s woven into the very fabric of everyday life. That handsome neighbor? He might be a shapeshifter. And the barista who runs the local café? She’s likely brewing more than coffee.

As Maida unravels the secrets of her past, she’s forced to rethink everything she once held true. Saving the bookshop—and protecting her newfound magical family—will require more courage than she ever thought possible, including risking her heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Novels, Speculative Fiction

486 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 22, 2026

About the author

Ciara Blume writes fiction about characters who aren't willing to wait around for their happy endings. An award-winning author working from the edge of the California coast, she crafts stories that explore the magic of transformation, the art of reclaiming yourself, the complications of family and the chaos of starting over when the world expects you to stay put. The daily sight of the ocean makes her wonder: what lies beneath the surface, and what happens when you dive in?

For more information and news about Ciara’s upcoming releases, follow her on Amazon, visit her website at www.ciarablume.com or follow @ciarablumeauthor on instagram, tiktok and facebook.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved every one of Ciara Blume’s books to date, but I feel like we’re moving into new territory with her most recent release, The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic.

It’s a wonderfully-spun cozy fantasy/mystery about magic, a bookstore, and love—in all forms.

Ciara has catapulted to the top of my favorite authors list and I look forward to reading other books in this wonderful, magical universe she has created.

It’s clever and charming and oh so magical.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that slowly captivated me and by the end I just couldn’t stop reading, I love magical books. Fantastic characters, a great mystery and a story that you won’t be able to put down. What a delightful read. A great October read!

[Brandy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book! Fairies, witches and shifters come together to show us that the ordinary is not always what it seems and there is strength in being our true selves, no matter how small we think ourselves to be.

This story made me laugh, gasp, hope and cheer as I went on this journey with truly loveable characters. A cozy magical mystery that is a perfect fall read. One of my favorite books I've read this year!

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic: A Delightful Cozy Fantasy Story with Hints of Romance
SERIES: Natural Magic Book 1
AUTHOR: Ciara Blume
PUB DATE: 10.01.2024

Eccentric heiress Maida Westabrook treasures her peaceful, "ordinary" life in California—morning strolls along the beach, warm evenings by the fire, and losing herself in her beloved library of myths and legends. Yet Maida can’t shake the nagging feeling that there’s more to her story than she’s been led to believe. Strange and inexplicable occurrences have always surrounded her, dismissed as nothing more than her overactive imagination.

When a distant relative mysteriously vanishes, a body is discovered, and Maida’s lifelong dream of owning an enchanted bookshop suddenly comes true she realizes her "wild" imagination might not have been so far-fetched after all.
There’s just one hitch: the sentient bookshop has gone into hiding and it’s up to Maida to coax it back. To claim her inheritance, she must step out of her safe, predictable world and embrace a reality where magic is not only real—it’s woven into the very fabric of everyday life.

That handsome neighbor? He might be a shapeshifter.

And the barista who runs the local café? She’s likely brewing more than coffee.

THOUGHTS:

Magical
Charming
Delightful read

I love a good cozy read that is engaging and full
of my favorite tropes - found family, second chances, a bookshop owner, sprinkled in a murder mystery and romance, this was absolutely enchanting and so fun to read.

I enjoyed getting lost in this world, and cannot wait for more in this series. I thought the writing was so fun and creative, and it was so hard for me to put down.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read. A unique world. Really kept my interest after a bit of a slow start. I felt like it could have been fleshed out more emotionally but I will definitely read book 2 when released May 2025

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first cozy mystery fantasy book and it’s like a warm mug of tea that I never want to stop drinking.

I loved the way each chapter began with a blurb from a series of magical manuals. It was also great that each point of view had its own symbol to represent the character.

This book has witches, fae, porters, and shapeshifters who all find common ground at the Mudpuddle Bookstore. When the store disappears along with its caregiver, Minerva, the Society of Protection of Natural Magic sends attorney and shapeshifter, Arthur, to find the heir of the shop, Maida Westbrook, who is an Ordinary.

There are telepathic watches, synthetic magic, a cat familiar, and a room full of magical artifacts.

The mystery and characters are both wildly entertaining. There is an underlying lesson of tolerance which is definitely applicable to today’s real world.

[Sie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did nothing for two days whilst I was glued to this beautiful, small town, cozy, supernatural, murder mystery, magical fantasy story.

💜 Witches 💜
💜 Shape shifters 💜
💜 Fairies 💜
💜 Teleporters 💜
😈 Evil Mage 😈
❤️‍🩹 Family repairs ❤️‍🩹

[Anne Britch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Very cozy, original, great characters. Loved it 🥰

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an enchanting and delightful story! I listened to the audiobook, and cannot recommend that format enough. The music set the mood from the very beginning, and took me straight into this magical world in such a fun way! This story included such an array of characters. The ending was so sweet and wonderful! I can't wait for the next story in this series!

[Mande · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, cozy read. It read like YA and needs some editing but I enjoyed it and will read another by this author!

[Barbara Carver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the story and characters, not a fan of reading the chapter then the same chapter from a different character, then the next chapter the SAME scene again from a third character.. this happened more times than I'm a fan of in this book. The chapters could have just been longer and all the perspectives in one go.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. This author doesn’t know the proper grammar for writing dialogue and while I can understand one mistake this isn’t acceptable. Shame because the story is decent.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters are painfully predictable and one-dimensional. The romance was forced, awkward, and downright cringe inducing. Honestly, how many times can a guy “gently lift her chin” so she’ll meet his gaze before it stops being romantic and starts being patronizing? The dialogue throughout is stiff and unnatural, both in the “romantic” scenes and the rest of the interactions. Nothing feels genuine, and the main characters fit one of two molds. Either they are entirely forgettable, or they are insufferable turds who cycle through unnecessary outbursts followed by half-hearted apologies. Is being an emotionally stunted man who talks down to every woman in his life when he’s upset really what we’re calling swoon-worthy these days?

Then comes the final few chapters. The author retells the exact same scene, right down to the dialogue, from three different perspectives, while adding minor additional details to each chapter. I kept reading, hoping it would redeem itself, because I wanted to love this story. But in the end, it’s just a mess of clichés, filler words ripped straight from a thesaurus, and a misplaced confidence in its own “originality.”

[Kathy Colette Andersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

mildly pleasant

The first third: somewhat intriguing. The middle was sadly a bit tiresome, and the last third I skimmed as the repetition from different POV without much difference otherwise became dull.
Some likable characters, but although the main character grew through the action, her personality became increasingly vague and poorly defined by the unsatisfactory ending. She felt superfluous to the story.
The whole book seemed to slide unpleasantly from regular fiction through YA fiction to an elementary level and out again.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

a little too….

Hey Read, the book. At one point I debate it on DNF. Frustration almost gotten in the way of my enjoyment. Re-reading the same words from two different people‘s perspectives really messed with my train of thought. You expect a story to move forward, and instead, it move sideways. Overall, it didn’t diminish the story in as much as it just frustrated the reader

[Kelly Niehaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much GoodReads for the giveaway book! I truly appreciated it!

The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic is a delightful, warm read — very comforting and imaginative. It’s the kind of book you read when you want to drift into a cozy, slightly magical world, not when you want edge-of-your-seat tension. The mystery and inheritance plot gives it enough structure so it’s not just slice-of-life, but the heart of the book is in its characters and the magical community.

[Masyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read!

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars: Enjoyable cozy fantasy story that may have felt just a smidge too long at times.

[Erika Gaarz-Mosher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needed something happy and light hearted after some really dark books recently. This was perfect, pretty low stakes, cute and funny. Also it was Soundbooth studio which is phenomenal narration, almost like a graphic audio. All around very good and just what I was needing.

[David Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and engaging fantasy filled with wonderful treats and lots of heart.
I absolutely adore this one! It's beautifully written, has lovable characters, relatable themes and it left me wanting more. It's just what the Dr ordered and quite frankly, it's just MAGICAL! I can't recommend this one highly enough. One of my top five books this year.

Thank you to the author, Dolce Villa Press and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!

[Spinneretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

This book introduces us to the Mudpuddle, a magical, sentient bookshop and house, that has been in the Lathrop family since it was built.
It belongs to Maida Westerbrook, but she didn’t know about it, or even than magic was real, until the shop mysteriously disappears along with her great aunt Minerva.
Now it’s up to Maida to find the house, and the reason for its disappearance, before it’s too late…

This is a lovely genre blending book, with fantasy, mystery, and a little hint of romance. It’s fairly low intensity, although some unfinished business takes its time to be resolved, but most of the loose ends are neatly wrapped up by the end of the book.
There are two storylines throughout the book, with several different points of view and the characters are quirky and a lot of fun. Since we were left with an open ending where the characters may have more story to tell, I’m hopeful that the next book in the series will pick up from where this one left off, and let us stay with Maida, Arthur, and Rose in the Mudpuddle.

A thoroughly enjoyable, and cosy fantasy that fans of sentient houses will love.

[Charity Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

cozy fantasy that misses the mark

Took me a while to get into. The story and characters were almost great, but just missed the mark of strong and likeable. Hoping the second book is better.

[Aydni · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ it started off with interesting enough characters and vivid descriptions but gradually lost steam and left lots of plot holes. It felt like a story churned out by ChatGPT that starts recognizable to the descriptions put into it but then ends the story mid sentence. There were so many characters added and so little was learned about any of them. As others have said, reading the same quotes in back to back chapters is not different points of view it is just redundant. I really wanted to like this book perhaps the next in the series will be better.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally avoid what I refer to as "this damn thing again" when I see it. By that I mean a book in which a young-to-middle-aged woman with nothing much positive going on in her life (either no relationship or one that recently ended, and a job and living situation she can leave without regret), who inherits a property and/or business from an elderly relative, goes back to her hometown, discovers she has a magical heritage, meets a love interest and participates in solving a mystery. There's generally also a best friend and a cute animal. There seem to be thousands of books now with this exact setup, and I grew sick of them years ago, particularly since they're usually badly executed.

This one, though, inserted a couple of twists on the tired formula and slipped it past me before I twigged. For a start, the heroine, Maida, already technically owned the house/business, a bookshop and cafe; she just didn't know it. Also, the elderly relative (a great-aunt) who's been running the place isn't dead, though Maida doesn't know this either (for sure) for quite a while - the reader does, though. The cute animal belongs to the romantic interest's daughter (he's a widower), not to the heroine. The best friend plays very little role and is offstage for the entire book, spoken to only on the phone.

This is a version of our world without cellphones and, I think, without the internet, so around a 1980s or even 1970s tech level. The main impact this has is that people aren't always able to contact each other or call for help if there isn't a landline nearby, though some of the magical people have telepathic watches that are early-internet-adjacent. There are shifters, witches, fae, and (offscreen, with the best friend) vampires. It's possible that this started life as a Harry Potter fanfic, or at least used elements of the HP universe; the phrase "wizarding world" comes up at one point, and male magic users are sometimes called "wizards," though there do seem to be Ordinary (= muggle) people who have found a way to use magic, and are called "mages". There's a whole pureblood thing going on, too. The chapters are headed with extracts from several different books, and one is about how important it is to preserve pure witch/wizard bloodlines (it's about as awful as you'd expect). Marriages between witches and shifters are severely looked down upon and often don't produce viable offspring, but sometimes they do, and not all "pureblood" families are actually as pure as they pretend.

Departing from HP, there is "synthetic magic," which is addictive for magicals and gives Ordinaries some degree of ability. It's a major plot driver, and the antagonist is a startup douche who founded the company that makes and distributes it. He's utterly unconcerned about negative effects, and practically argues that they're a feature (see above under "startup douche"). 

Maida makes a mostly pleasant main character, with a distressing backstory which she gets over without much difficulty. There are several sympathetic male characters besides the love interest (Maida's father, his executive assistant who's like a brother to her, an elderly wizard we meet near the beginning). Everyone's nice except the startup douche and Maida's aunt, who's determined to take offence at and criticize absolutely everything about her, though they all have their flaws and foibles as well. Her great-aunt is the secondary protagonist, and has a satisfying arc.

I had a pre-publication copy from Netgalley, and there are some commas where they shouldn't be, a few apostrophe errors and a shortage of hyphens in compound adjectives (which aren't compulsory, at least not for American English, but do make reading easier). Hopefully it will get another edit before publication, but even if it doesn't, it's quite readable.

Overall, I found it a pleasant read, with likeable characters and a well-constructed plot, albeit built on a version of what's become the standard chassis for this type of book. If you like this kind of thing, this is certainly one, and a better-than-average one, though for me it fell short of being amazing.

[Dotti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic is a fun cozy fantasy novel about an enchanted bookshop that goes missing and the people that surround it. Maida is an Ordinary, a human without magic, but has always sensed something is magical in the world; Arthur is a single father and a stag shifter who works as a lawyer; Matilda is the bookshop’s elderly caretaker. When Matilda and the Mudpuddle Bookshop go missing, Maida finds a locket with a picture of it inside, ushering her into a new magical world.

This book was fun, with an interesting premise. I had a hard time engaging with the book at first, but it really picked up around the halfway point. The mystery of what happened developed well, and the villain reveal was a good twist.

I think this book would have been much better if Arthur’s perspective was not present. I think his perspective gave too much detail, which prevented us from discovering the world of magic alongside Maida. The first chapter from Matilda’s perspective set the scene enough to establish magic’s existence, and her subsequent chapters are all pretty obscure because she’s been transformed into a mouse. I think our experience of the worldbuilding would have been more engaging if Arthur’s perspective was absent and instead we experienced the world of magic as Maida did. I also didn’t find his chapters particularly engaging, as they seemed to mostly be present to dump information rather than move the story along.

The romance in this book didn’t feel well developed and engaging; the two characters don’t seem to spend a lot of time talking to each other. Rather, it felt like all our time was spent with them thinking about each other, but without any good banter or connection. I can’t quite tell why they like each other other than simple attraction.

Overall, this book was fun with an interesting premise. I do think the story would have been better served by allowing us to experience the world as Maida did, and that giving us so much information early on was a mistake. If you’re looking for a cozy multi-species shifter/witch/etc world with a delightful magical bookshop, this book would be a good choice!!

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

[Kaley Tran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charmingly uneven debut—magical in parts, but not without its flaws
The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic had me hooked in some moments and frustrated in others.
Let's start with what works: the vibes. This is exactly the kind of book you want to curl up with on a crisp October evening. An eccentric heiress inheriting a sentient bookshop that's gone into hiding? A shapeshifting neighbor? A barista who brews more than coffee? Sign me up. Ciara Blume has created a world that feels genuinely enchanting, and when the magic works, it works. I loved the whimsy, the found family dynamics, and the slow-burn sense of wonder.
But here's where I struggled—and I'm not alone in this.
The repetitive multi-POV structure nearly broke me. You'll read a chapter from one character's perspective, then the same scene from another character, then sometimes a third time. What could have been a rich, layered narrative instead feels like watching instant replay from every camera angle. Tighter editing could have condensed these into longer, more satisfying chapters without the whiplash.
Also, Maida is 35 years old. I wanted to root for her—I really did—but her constant reliance on a comfort plushie she talks to each morning pulled me out of the story more than it endeared me to her. Combined with the one-dimensional characterizations and scenes that seem to materialize out of nowhere without proper buildup, I found myself having to suspend my disbelief far more than I'm personally capable of.
Sadly, this became a DNF for me at 47%. And that's disappointing, because the idea of this book is so lovely. The older characters (Minerva and Zenyr) absolutely sparkled, and I kept wishing the focus had stayed on them.
Who is this for? Readers who prioritize cozy atmosphere over tight plotting, who don't mind repetitive scene structures, and who enjoy quirky, almost whimsically naive protagonists. This book will absolutely find its audience—I'm just not sure I'm in it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacy Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just want to make a note to say that this book wasn't really Maida's story, rather I felt like it was more Minerva's (her aunt) story then anyone else's. But I loved that we got to see from Maida, Minerva AND Arthur's point of views.

Everything in this book was so sweet. I absolutely fell in love with Arthur and the way he remembers and sees Maida. I'm f*ucking vomitting rainbows. I was mad rooting for them, their sweet buildup and the eventual realization of love. Albeit I did wish we got to see more of their childhood memory from Maida's point of view (since she's supposed to be the main character) to make their current feelings more solid and give it more depth. We only get to see it briefly from Arthur's side, and only get a quick resolution where we were told that he was shipped off to Ireland never to see Maida again. I wanted to know if he was grieving about what happned, did it change him as a person and how he saw the rules of the magical world? Etc, etc. There was so much missed potential! Also, there was never discussion about Rosie, I feel like usually going into a relationship with a person with a child, there's usually a discussion to be had, but none was ever mentioned.

We also never get to see the next steps of Arthuer and Maida's relationship after the fact (after the boss villain is defeated), only Minerva's and while I'm ecstatic for her, I really wanted the book to end with some cute scene between Maida and Arther acknowledging their feelings, sharing a kiss at the back of the house with sweet words like they're going to take care of the the Mudpuddle house together or something... 🥲 But there was nothingggg, another missed opportunity. I was devastated.

But, buuut, I still loved this book though. The type that I'd read with a cup of hot choclate and blanket while my heart is warm and fuzzy. 🥰

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this book! My first impression was how the world was so vivid and descriptive. We get very cozy and whimsical vibes. The idea of having Mudpuddle Bookshop in the magical community of Primrose Court was such a fun concept, especially being a Bostonian myself!

The characters were all so unique and lovable. They each stood out on their own, none of them felt like filler. I was very invested in Minerva’s story from the start and so glad she got her HEA.
Rosie was standout character for me! She was strong and brave, while also showing so much kindness and understanding toward her friend. I’d genuinely love to see character art of her in both forms. Also, Granny Luna was such a doll!

The mystery itself was really engaging. I appreciated that the story gave us bits and pieces of truth throughout instead of saving every reveal for the very end. It kept me interested in what would happen next. Some things felt a little obvious, but I honestly didn’t mind because the multiple POVs let me see the bigger picture before the characters could. It added to the suspense.

The romance was very cute, and I liked that our main love interests were over 30. No spice, and the relationship was very wholesome. Though I did pick up on a few innuendos that made me giggle.

There were a few odd transitions between chapters and some moments where I felt confused about how much time had passed. At one point, I thought I missed a chapter. I also found myself somewhat confused during the main conflict scene, mostly about how the magic was working. But this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story.

This was such an immersive and magical read, exactly what I was looking for. 4.5 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
ARC received from NetGalley.

[Emily Pankhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley Review

The writing was engaging and had my attention right from the beginning. I loved picking it back up at each reading session, desperate to know what was going to happen next.

The chapters were fairly long so you got to fully immerse yourself in each one before moving on.

The chapters were from different characters' points of view, so to make it clear who you were reading from, each had an illustration to represent the character whose point of view we were about to read. There was then a title and an extract from a magical book to give a hint as to what we were about to read. Together this all made the story feel well rounded and made you feel a part of the characters' world.

There was a good flow between chapters despite the fact that you were reading from different points of view. It all came together smoothly. In the later chapters there was a bit of overlapping so that the story was complete.

There was a good pace to the book. Despite the long chapters and the different characters that we heard from, we were constantly moving forward well. Lots of little things were added in to create suspense and tension, but they didn't deter us from carrying on.

The characters were excellent. I enjoyed getting to know them all and following them on this journey. There was a good mix of personalities, each with their own secrets that kept my attention and made the story more interesting.

Lastly the settings. I loved the world that was created for these characters, particularly being in The Mudpuddle and Primrose Court. There were some lovely descriptions that grounded the story well and brought the story to life.

Overall a wonderful read that captured my imagination. I highly recommend.

[Elizabeth Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight! The first in a series, this novel is filled with charming and quirky characters, a fun premise, and the best house/bookstore a girl could dream of owning. Amusingly, the book hinges on inheritance law: an Ordinary (non-magical person) cannot know about the magical world, yet “Ordinary” Maida’s inherited a very magical house.

While I enjoyed all the characters in this book, my favorite one is the Mudpuddle (house) itself. It’s not fully sentient, but it is wonderfully reactive – and when it senses danger, it disappears! And a disappearing Mudpuddle has consequences for the whole magical community. In the ensuing chaos, trigged by an usual murder, villains lurk, secret histories abound, lies are told but truths are revealed, relationships are strained and healed, and long-thwarted romance beckons.

Things I particularly loved: the characters, plot, pacing, descriptions, and various viewpoints. I was dreading finishing the book, not wanting this tale to end, until I learned it was going to be a trilogy! WHAT A RELIEF. The only thing I did not enjoy were excerpts from a very stuffy manual that began several chapters, but… you weren’t supposed to like them, as they were included to illustrate the divide in the magical community, which I imagine will continue to be a major plot-point in the future books. This was a wonderfully cozy & fanciful five-star read and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.