What do you think?
Rate this book
Everyday Magic #1
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous
What happens to all the mind-controlled minions when the evil villain is finally vanquished?
When Oaklin Nettlewood (accidentally) joined an evil cult, they and the rest of their small community were promptly whammied by mind control magic and forced to do unspeakable things. Now, years later, the realm's heroes have saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. Because the minions who were nothing more than obstacles were Oaklin's last remaining family and friends, and now as the entire realm celebrates, Oaklin is left alone to pick up the pieces.
And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, they buy a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swear an After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever. But the gentle ghost who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. And as she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, Oaklin begins to find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good boy dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and even romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart flutter.)
Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?
When Oaklin Nettlewood (accidentally) joined an evil cult, they and the rest of their small community were promptly whammied by mind control magic and forced to do unspeakable things. Now, years later, the realm's heroes have saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. Because the minions who were nothing more than obstacles were Oaklin's last remaining family and friends, and now as the entire realm celebrates, Oaklin is left alone to pick up the pieces.
And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, they buy a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swear an After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever. But the gentle ghost who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. And as she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, Oaklin begins to find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good boy dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and even romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart flutter.)
Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?
Paperback
First published June 2, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 648 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 26, 2026dnf @ 34%.
you know when a book looks perfect on paper, but then you start reading and realize you’d literally rather be doing anything else? yeah…
i’ll admit i’m not always in the mood for cozy fantasy, but the slow pace here was not even the issue (ok, maybe a little bit). to be honest, i just didn’t care.
the characters were uninteresting, and the dialogue felt immature and started to annoy me. and the use of the exclamation marks was so irritating. it was everywhere!!! for a while, i thought the ghost lady would be grumpy and fun, but she turned out to be just as boring.
compared to other cozy books I’ve read recently, the writing here just fell flat.
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc!
you know when a book looks perfect on paper, but then you start reading and realize you’d literally rather be doing anything else? yeah…
i’ll admit i’m not always in the mood for cozy fantasy, but the slow pace here was not even the issue (ok, maybe a little bit). to be honest, i just didn’t care.
the characters were uninteresting, and the dialogue felt immature and started to annoy me. and the use of the exclamation marks was so irritating. it was everywhere!!! for a while, i thought the ghost lady would be grumpy and fun, but she turned out to be just as boring.
compared to other cozy books I’ve read recently, the writing here just fell flat.
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC
The entire premise is chef’s kiss: former villain attempting to exist peacefully without committing crimes, and discovering the power of ✨️community✨️
There's no lone-wolf brooding nonsense. Instead, we have this gentle exploration of healing through other people that's executed so well. Watching the protagonist stumble through normal social interactions after a lifetime of villainy is peak entertainment. They’re awkward and every conversation's like, “hello fellow humans, I definitely know how friendships work and have never orchestrated mass destruction.”
And the COMMUNITY. Oh my god.
Love the found-family vibes! Everyone's just collectively like “yes, you were terrifying, but have you considered soup and emotional support?” It’s cosy in a warm, slice-of-life way where the stakes are emotional instead of apocalyptic.
It’s so heartwarming to see how much the story leans into forgiveness and belonging. The overarching theme is people aren't meant to heal on their own.
BUT (because there is always a but) sometimes the pacing goes a bit too quick. I’d be settling into a lovely emotional moment and the narrative would be like ANYWAY MOVING ON.
I wanted a few scenes to linger longer. Let me bask in the cosiness and the heartwarming community goodness.
The entire premise is chef’s kiss: former villain attempting to exist peacefully without committing crimes, and discovering the power of ✨️community✨️
There's no lone-wolf brooding nonsense. Instead, we have this gentle exploration of healing through other people that's executed so well. Watching the protagonist stumble through normal social interactions after a lifetime of villainy is peak entertainment. They’re awkward and every conversation's like, “hello fellow humans, I definitely know how friendships work and have never orchestrated mass destruction.”
And the COMMUNITY. Oh my god.
Love the found-family vibes! Everyone's just collectively like “yes, you were terrifying, but have you considered soup and emotional support?” It’s cosy in a warm, slice-of-life way where the stakes are emotional instead of apocalyptic.
It’s so heartwarming to see how much the story leans into forgiveness and belonging. The overarching theme is people aren't meant to heal on their own.
BUT (because there is always a but) sometimes the pacing goes a bit too quick. I’d be settling into a lovely emotional moment and the narrative would be like ANYWAY MOVING ON.
I wanted a few scenes to linger longer. Let me bask in the cosiness and the heartwarming community goodness.
June 2, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
____________
If this wasn't at least in part inspired by Stardew Valley or other cozy, farming sim games, I will eat my hat. I can imagine this book so so so clearly as a cozy farming sim game, with an amazing art style and cast of characters. That's really what this felt like to me: a really immersive, beautiful world with great writing and descriptions that made you almost able to taste or smell what was being written on the page.
ADORED how supportive and inclusive this world feels, we have a nonbinary MC which was amazing, and a plethora of diverse side characters. It was absolutely the right amount of cozy to plot ratio that kept me interested and reading on, rather than there being no plot developments at all.
My least favourite part was the romance, which I was just generally uninterested in, but it was by no means egregious or off-putting from the rest of the story. There were some characters that were introduced fairly late in the game that had plot significance, so their characters did not feel as well developed or thought through as some of the earlier ones-and I wish there had been more focus on the main friend group rather than just the blossoming romance between our MC and their love interest.
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 02 2026
____________
If this wasn't at least in part inspired by Stardew Valley or other cozy, farming sim games, I will eat my hat. I can imagine this book so so so clearly as a cozy farming sim game, with an amazing art style and cast of characters. That's really what this felt like to me: a really immersive, beautiful world with great writing and descriptions that made you almost able to taste or smell what was being written on the page.
ADORED how supportive and inclusive this world feels, we have a nonbinary MC which was amazing, and a plethora of diverse side characters. It was absolutely the right amount of cozy to plot ratio that kept me interested and reading on, rather than there being no plot developments at all.
My least favourite part was the romance, which I was just generally uninterested in, but it was by no means egregious or off-putting from the rest of the story. There were some characters that were introduced fairly late in the game that had plot significance, so their characters did not feel as well developed or thought through as some of the earlier ones-and I wish there had been more focus on the main friend group rather than just the blossoming romance between our MC and their love interest.
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 02 2026
May 18, 2026
4.5 stars
Review of arc for NetGalley
A cozy and relaxing read with well-written characters, interesting worldbuilding, and vivid descriptions. I loved reading this book and I savored it for as long as I could reading a chapter here and there whenever I was having a bad day. My favorite parts were the gardening scenes and how Oaklin used their magic to connect with the plants and earth.
I was delighted to get nonbinary representation in Oaklin, who was a very enjoyable main character, plus there was a sweet sapphic romance with the love interest who was a well-developed character, and good supporting characters which, of course, includes the ghost haunting Oaklin’s farm.
Oaklin’s trauma and path to healing after escaping the mind-controlling cult were well written and the heavy memories and emotions were evenly dispersed with peaceful, comforting scenes of nature, friendship, and slightly awkward flirting.
This book definitely reminded me a little of Stardew Valley which was great because around the time I got approved for an arc, I’d been thinking I wanted to read a book that reminded me of Stardew. I’m definitely going to read more of this author’s books.
Review of arc for NetGalley
A cozy and relaxing read with well-written characters, interesting worldbuilding, and vivid descriptions. I loved reading this book and I savored it for as long as I could reading a chapter here and there whenever I was having a bad day. My favorite parts were the gardening scenes and how Oaklin used their magic to connect with the plants and earth.
I was delighted to get nonbinary representation in Oaklin, who was a very enjoyable main character, plus there was a sweet sapphic romance with the love interest who was a well-developed character, and good supporting characters which, of course, includes the ghost haunting Oaklin’s farm.
Oaklin’s trauma and path to healing after escaping the mind-controlling cult were well written and the heavy memories and emotions were evenly dispersed with peaceful, comforting scenes of nature, friendship, and slightly awkward flirting.
This book definitely reminded me a little of Stardew Valley which was great because around the time I got approved for an arc, I’d been thinking I wanted to read a book that reminded me of Stardew. I’m definitely going to read more of this author’s books.
June 17, 2026
Nope, nope AND NOPE! This book is boring & just not for me! I had no connection to the characters or the story & it makes me sad because this book gets 5⭐️ for its adorable sprayed edges & cute cover. I wish the story held up its end of the bargain!
July 2, 2026
Recommend-O-Meter: It’s like I got tricked into going to therapy but like, Bad
I feel like maybe I should’ve known what I was getting into when I picked up a cozy fantasy involving wizard PTSD. But the author REALLY doubled down on the theme, more so than I felt was actually necessary. Honestly, it just felt like a heavy dose of grief porn, if you’ll excuse the term.
Our protagonist Oaklin (who uses they/them pronouns! Yay for representation!) is an ex-mind-controlled-minion whose first order of business upon being set free is to buy an entire farm in some random countryside. As one does. We watch as they slowly learn to live with the trauma they endured under an evil villain lord, and along the way get to know the town and its inhabitants too. So basically, it’s a whole personal healing thing through the power of self-love and friendship, yadda yadda yadda. And also there’s a granny ghost haunting the farm, which. Okay. Sure.
I don’t know, I just didn’t connect with this book the way I wanted to. The wizard PTSD thing is the entirety of the story, even though it would’ve been so interesting to know more about the world these characters lived in, especially right after the defeat of some great evil. Like, I get that the author probably wanted to focus on the healing aspect, but man. It was too much of Oaklin’s introspection and not enough tangible story for me. Especially because I absolutely could tell what Oaklin’s friends were gonna think about their secret past, making that entire main conflict moot in my eyes.
Audio Assessment: Something about the audio quality on this one was off to me. I’ve read lots of audiobooks before, but this is the only time one has sounded so… not clear. It’s not really a HUGE problem, and maybe to others it wouldn’t be so noticeable, but I found myself having to adjust my phone’s audio settings because the lack of crispness irked me so much.
[I received an ALC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley. This does not in any way affect the contents of my review.]
I feel like maybe I should’ve known what I was getting into when I picked up a cozy fantasy involving wizard PTSD. But the author REALLY doubled down on the theme, more so than I felt was actually necessary. Honestly, it just felt like a heavy dose of grief porn, if you’ll excuse the term.
Our protagonist Oaklin (who uses they/them pronouns! Yay for representation!) is an ex-mind-controlled-minion whose first order of business upon being set free is to buy an entire farm in some random countryside. As one does. We watch as they slowly learn to live with the trauma they endured under an evil villain lord, and along the way get to know the town and its inhabitants too. So basically, it’s a whole personal healing thing through the power of self-love and friendship, yadda yadda yadda. And also there’s a granny ghost haunting the farm, which. Okay. Sure.
I don’t know, I just didn’t connect with this book the way I wanted to. The wizard PTSD thing is the entirety of the story, even though it would’ve been so interesting to know more about the world these characters lived in, especially right after the defeat of some great evil. Like, I get that the author probably wanted to focus on the healing aspect, but man. It was too much of Oaklin’s introspection and not enough tangible story for me. Especially because I absolutely could tell what Oaklin’s friends were gonna think about their secret past, making that entire main conflict moot in my eyes.
Audio Assessment: Something about the audio quality on this one was off to me. I’ve read lots of audiobooks before, but this is the only time one has sounded so… not clear. It’s not really a HUGE problem, and maybe to others it wouldn’t be so noticeable, but I found myself having to adjust my phone’s audio settings because the lack of crispness irked me so much.
[I received an ALC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley. This does not in any way affect the contents of my review.]
June 2, 2026
Delighted to announce that Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous -- released today, yes I got an ARC, no that wasn't enough of a big deal to sway my feelings -- does comfortably merit the 'Stardew meets Ghibli' comparison. (Yes, I have a bee in my bonnet about comps which oversell the poor overshadowed book.)
Especially on the Stardew side, as there are little quests for our new-to-town farm owner to 'go to the bakery', 'learn about farming' etc. On the Ghibli side, there's a fairly full-on backstory (Formerly Villainous) which I did like and thought the character development was done well. Bonus points for a nonbinary MC, fully queernorm world, and charming side characters.
Not necessarily life-changing, but for me definitely up there in the 'cosy fantasies I really rate' list. Recommended in particular to anyone who's wanted a Stardew Valley book but doesn't want to fanfic it. Note: I would class this as a Serious Cosy, since the former villainy is not light content, nor is it handled frivolously. There's some thoughtful trauma recovery here, and that takes time.
Rating: 15/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
Especially on the Stardew side, as there are little quests for our new-to-town farm owner to 'go to the bakery', 'learn about farming' etc. On the Ghibli side, there's a fairly full-on backstory (Formerly Villainous) which I did like and thought the character development was done well. Bonus points for a nonbinary MC, fully queernorm world, and charming side characters.
Not necessarily life-changing, but for me definitely up there in the 'cosy fantasies I really rate' list. Recommended in particular to anyone who's wanted a Stardew Valley book but doesn't want to fanfic it. Note: I would class this as a Serious Cosy, since the former villainy is not light content, nor is it handled frivolously. There's some thoughtful trauma recovery here, and that takes time.
Rating: 15/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
June 8, 2026
So this is cozy fantasy!
May 30, 2026
Today is #review day!🥰
From me, #fieldguidefortheformerlyvillainous by Autumn K England gets 4⭐! 🥳
First of all, I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a honest review!
General info: a cozy adult fantasy focused on healing, redemption and the beauty of simple living, with a romantic subplot; a story set in a queer-normative world with a non-binary MC, perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and Stardew Valley ( or any other farming game you play for comfort and relaxation) 🥰; a story about forgiving yourself, and accepting the kindness offered to you.☺️
CW: panic attacks, PTSD, grief, death, mentions of war
BOOK THOUGHTS
This was such a breath of fresh air!😄
I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this #book, but the author surprised me in such a good way!🥹
As I said in the general info section, this is heavily focused on a well-constructed redemption arc accompanied by a touching healing journey for our MC, Oaklin Nettlewood.
You could say the author used them to impart a beautiful message : everyone deserves kindness, a second chance and a place to heal. 😌🤌
This story follows Oaklin as they just bought a suspiciously cheap farm on the outskirts of Mossley's Rest, a quiet and very charming village. They are there to start a new life, and maybe, find peace from their horrible past.🥲
I highly enjoyed my time reading this, and despite a couple of flaws I'll talk about in a second, this title is perfect for fans of cozy fantasies meant for a relaxing, somewhat nostalgic time. Those of you liking you stories with a very defined plot, should know that this isn't one. We have a plot, but it's not some urgent threat to the world, but something more akin to taking a walk in the forest and seeing where that leads you!☺️ No rush, just quiet contemplation and permission to breath.😌
Why 4 stars? I had 2 issues : one - I'm not someone that really enjoys simple plots with quick and very neat solutions. I definitely need a full-on confrontation with whatever plagues our characters so I can be satisfied that they journey is complete.🤷♀️; two - right at the beginning, we have 2 minor instances of MC knowing information that they shouldn't.😅 ( I believe this can be easily overlooked by the majority of readers. I'm just extra attentive for gaps in logic and the actions of characters🫣)
Back to the positives! ☺️
The character development and journey for our protagonist was really well executed! 🥹 Oaklin was presented from the 1st moment as extremely anxious, suffering from PTSD, extremely shy and an over-thinker.🫣
They're naïve in many aspects ( see here their past choices), but they're kind and compassionate; They tend to second-guess themselves and are always ending up to the conclusion that they were in the wrong, that they deserve less or that they shouldn't take up space in the world.🥲
You quickly feel sympathetic to them and start cheering as soon as they make a step in the right direction!☺️
A big help with that, and another amazing character, is ghost granny!😆 She's awesome!😤…probably my favourite character from this book!☺️
I loved how beautiful her bond with Oaklin grew! It was natural and layered, slow but meaningful, and when the ending came..🥹…I cried!😭
She's also a veritable source of comfort, knowledge and compassion for the MC. I really, REALLY appreciate the role she played, and even if it was obvious for me who she was, I still felt connected to her and Oaklin 's friendship.
Side note: I want to quickly mention that the farm was almost another character!🤌 The vibe of it, the description, the time there between our characters and all the farming knowledge imparted with us… Beautiful!😇 ( in the farm character I also consider Daffodil and Grumpy Horse😤, just to be clear🤭😉)
Back to business…
The romantic subplots in this story are very charming and have a quiet beauty! ☺️ We have a fretting mess and a constant sunshine 👀… And I'll live it at that🤭.
All the other perspectives are done just right for our story here! From Ryn the bread mage, to Jules the bard, Lior the paladin and Sister Talla…even Grer and the mushroom guy 😂…all of them serve to create the atmosphere of the novel, to nudge our MC in the path to healing with their kindness and respect of boundaries, and to add to a beautiful, magical world you'd want to live in.🥹 🫶
Plot: as I said…the plot is not overly present…this isn't that type of book. But!...we do have a looming fear hanging over Oaklin's head, some mysteries and the whole 'oh no! They'll find out who I am and what I did' thing🤷♀️…so I believe you'll be satisfied.
Themes: this book is charming, and friendly; a warm hug whispering to you the importance of therapy, finding strength in yourself to move on, accepting trauma and processing it safely among people who respect you and your boundaries. It's about the human need for connection of any kind ( friendship, love, community and with nature).
World Building : This book has a solid world building.☺️ We get a perfect amount of information on not only the history and customs of Mossley's Rest, but how that shaped its people!😆 We get some history of the setting and of the recent events in the world, we get descriptions, how the village is configured, we get religion and local government 🥳 ( loved this for needs like me who really want to understand how these people decide to live and what laws, unspoken rules they follow), we get celebrations and economy 🤭. You get the idea🧐…it feels like a real place you can visit!☺️ ( I very much do!🙋♀️ I'd love to plant tomatoes with Oaklin 😆)
Before I forget!😁 The magic is surprisingly complex for this kind of narrative!👀 I really enjoyed all the instances when it's used and loved the creative way in which is inserted into the village's life.☺️
I'd 100% eat a cake I fused with some confidence boost.😁
That's it…in conclusion, I highly recommend you #read this if you enjoy cozy fantasy with romance, stories talking about trauma, grief and how to move on, and don't really care about overly complex stories with twists and turns…if you're here for a feel good ride, a beautiful story between heavy books, I think you'd love this!
P.S. If you love farming, this book is for you!^^
From me, #fieldguidefortheformerlyvillainous by Autumn K England gets 4⭐! 🥳
First of all, I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a honest review!
General info: a cozy adult fantasy focused on healing, redemption and the beauty of simple living, with a romantic subplot; a story set in a queer-normative world with a non-binary MC, perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and Stardew Valley ( or any other farming game you play for comfort and relaxation) 🥰; a story about forgiving yourself, and accepting the kindness offered to you.☺️
CW: panic attacks, PTSD, grief, death, mentions of war
BOOK THOUGHTS
This was such a breath of fresh air!😄
I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this #book, but the author surprised me in such a good way!🥹
As I said in the general info section, this is heavily focused on a well-constructed redemption arc accompanied by a touching healing journey for our MC, Oaklin Nettlewood.
You could say the author used them to impart a beautiful message : everyone deserves kindness, a second chance and a place to heal. 😌🤌
This story follows Oaklin as they just bought a suspiciously cheap farm on the outskirts of Mossley's Rest, a quiet and very charming village. They are there to start a new life, and maybe, find peace from their horrible past.🥲
I highly enjoyed my time reading this, and despite a couple of flaws I'll talk about in a second, this title is perfect for fans of cozy fantasies meant for a relaxing, somewhat nostalgic time. Those of you liking you stories with a very defined plot, should know that this isn't one. We have a plot, but it's not some urgent threat to the world, but something more akin to taking a walk in the forest and seeing where that leads you!☺️ No rush, just quiet contemplation and permission to breath.😌
Why 4 stars? I had 2 issues : one - I'm not someone that really enjoys simple plots with quick and very neat solutions. I definitely need a full-on confrontation with whatever plagues our characters so I can be satisfied that they journey is complete.🤷♀️; two - right at the beginning, we have 2 minor instances of MC knowing information that they shouldn't.😅 ( I believe this can be easily overlooked by the majority of readers. I'm just extra attentive for gaps in logic and the actions of characters🫣)
Back to the positives! ☺️
The character development and journey for our protagonist was really well executed! 🥹 Oaklin was presented from the 1st moment as extremely anxious, suffering from PTSD, extremely shy and an over-thinker.🫣
They're naïve in many aspects ( see here their past choices), but they're kind and compassionate; They tend to second-guess themselves and are always ending up to the conclusion that they were in the wrong, that they deserve less or that they shouldn't take up space in the world.🥲
You quickly feel sympathetic to them and start cheering as soon as they make a step in the right direction!☺️
A big help with that, and another amazing character, is ghost granny!😆 She's awesome!😤…probably my favourite character from this book!☺️
I loved how beautiful her bond with Oaklin grew! It was natural and layered, slow but meaningful, and when the ending came..🥹…I cried!😭
She's also a veritable source of comfort, knowledge and compassion for the MC. I really, REALLY appreciate the role she played, and even if it was obvious for me who she was, I still felt connected to her and Oaklin 's friendship.
Side note: I want to quickly mention that the farm was almost another character!🤌 The vibe of it, the description, the time there between our characters and all the farming knowledge imparted with us… Beautiful!😇 ( in the farm character I also consider Daffodil and Grumpy Horse😤, just to be clear🤭😉)
Back to business…
The romantic subplots in this story are very charming and have a quiet beauty! ☺️ We have a fretting mess and a constant sunshine 👀… And I'll live it at that🤭.
All the other perspectives are done just right for our story here! From Ryn the bread mage, to Jules the bard, Lior the paladin and Sister Talla…even Grer and the mushroom guy 😂…all of them serve to create the atmosphere of the novel, to nudge our MC in the path to healing with their kindness and respect of boundaries, and to add to a beautiful, magical world you'd want to live in.🥹 🫶
Plot: as I said…the plot is not overly present…this isn't that type of book. But!...we do have a looming fear hanging over Oaklin's head, some mysteries and the whole 'oh no! They'll find out who I am and what I did' thing🤷♀️…so I believe you'll be satisfied.
Themes: this book is charming, and friendly; a warm hug whispering to you the importance of therapy, finding strength in yourself to move on, accepting trauma and processing it safely among people who respect you and your boundaries. It's about the human need for connection of any kind ( friendship, love, community and with nature).
World Building : This book has a solid world building.☺️ We get a perfect amount of information on not only the history and customs of Mossley's Rest, but how that shaped its people!😆 We get some history of the setting and of the recent events in the world, we get descriptions, how the village is configured, we get religion and local government 🥳 ( loved this for needs like me who really want to understand how these people decide to live and what laws, unspoken rules they follow), we get celebrations and economy 🤭. You get the idea🧐…it feels like a real place you can visit!☺️ ( I very much do!🙋♀️ I'd love to plant tomatoes with Oaklin 😆)
Before I forget!😁 The magic is surprisingly complex for this kind of narrative!👀 I really enjoyed all the instances when it's used and loved the creative way in which is inserted into the village's life.☺️
I'd 100% eat a cake I fused with some confidence boost.😁
That's it…in conclusion, I highly recommend you #read this if you enjoy cozy fantasy with romance, stories talking about trauma, grief and how to move on, and don't really care about overly complex stories with twists and turns…if you're here for a feel good ride, a beautiful story between heavy books, I think you'd love this!
P.S. If you love farming, this book is for you!^^
June 24, 2026
(3.5 rounded up) the coziest of cozy books. i cried really super extra hard towards the end. my only critique is i wanted to see more of the hot sexy bard and hot sexy magical baker. what are they doing?? a second book about them?? i want it
June 17, 2026
I don't even have the energy to rant about this book and give it one star. It's so surface level, no deep characters just caricature, with nothing supporting it. The magic and the farming are just hand waived explanations so if you wanted an in depth sim your out of luck. You can guess everything that's going to happen in the book save for one detail that at that point I just didn't care. I won't lie I skimmed through this to get it over with, so who knows what I missed, but I doubt much.
March 7, 2026
3.5 rounded down. A couple things were personally a miss for me, for some reason I just couldn’t connect with the antagonist. I also went into this expect a super chill cozy vibe read and while it has cozy elements it also has some really deep themes running thru it (main character is working thru some trauma) so kind cozy adjacent. I absolutely love the representation and the small town FOUND Family, it felt so real warm and welcoming. The writing style was also super enjoyable! Thanks Netgalley the author and the publisher for this arc!
June 19, 2026
I finished the book last night and then spent the next hour or so puzzling it over in my brain as I fell asleep trying to figure out why it didn’t work for me. The more that I thought about it, the more it started to dissolve, and in the end, it left what I think is a rather icky residue. See, the thing about fantasy is that the trappings can be made up, magic can exist, but the heart of the story needs to be real or else there’s no reason for the story to be told, and in this book the emotional core IS the fantasy. And I find that so disturbing, to the point that I’m dropping this down from a rounded up 2.5 (read 3 because I felt bad-it’s so very very ernest) to 1. Let me explain.
Oaklin is a cult survivor, they spent the past few years under the spell of the evil Enchantrix. A spell that put them fully under her control, and the book is ostensibly about the recovery of trauma from that loss of control. I think what the author intended here was the transference of this trauma recovery to real life, many people deal with domineering and abusive partners (or escape from cults) and thus the recovery story could healing for those people. However, Oaklin was under control to the point where their actions were not their own, in other words you have all the trauma of doing awful things, but none of the responsibility. In fact, there are multiple characters who say “It wasn’t your fault” when Oaklin reveals the memory they have OF MURDERING SOMEONE. In non-fantastical settings even when someone is under the influence of a cult, for example Allison Mack and Nexium, the actions they take while under that influence are still their responsibility. Oaklin is not held accountable in any way, they can’t be, because the things they did were quite literally not their fault. And that’s the ickiness I was left with, all the uwu sadness of being a poor victim who did horrible things, but none of the rough parts of actually dealing with the consequences. You get the good feelings of healing, but none of the hard parts of dealing with the bad things you did that caused part of your trauma.
This is the fantasy, that you can have all the sweet feelings of forgiveness and acceptance without actually dealing with the hurt you caused. And that is the ugly bits underlying the book that made me wince through it, and undercut any moment that should have had emotional weight. That emotional weight can't be there when Oaklin declares their love or finds acceptance with their friends or , because the whole thing is just built a fantastical lie.
Once I realized this, I immediately jumped to another popular example of this “I did bad things, but they weren’t my fault” type of blorbo that fandom loves (and oh my god, this book is so very, VERY fandom), which is Bucky Barnes in the MCU. The thing is, I do think Bucky is done a bit better, I think that while he isn’t held accountable by society, he acknowledges that he is still responsible for what he did while mind controlled. That said, I could be wrong, Bucky has never been a favorite character and I don't pay super close attention. Anyway, making the connection there made me realize this book is basically a gender screwy (not flipped because Oaklin is non-binary) Steve/Bucky AU fanfic and now I can’t unsee it.
There are other problems with the book. The dialogue is painful, real people don’t talk like that. The characters, aside from Oaklin, are underdeveloped. I’m not sure the author has ever actually been near a farm, let alone worked on one, and that lack of knowledge shows. This romanticization of rural life/small towns life is a trope of cozy fantasy though so I’m mostly willing to let it slide – still bugs me though.
There is a part of me that feels bad for being so critical, but at the same time I think there’s something very rotten underneath the sweetness of this book and I need to exhume it.
Oaklin is a cult survivor, they spent the past few years under the spell of the evil Enchantrix. A spell that put them fully under her control, and the book is ostensibly about the recovery of trauma from that loss of control. I think what the author intended here was the transference of this trauma recovery to real life, many people deal with domineering and abusive partners (or escape from cults) and thus the recovery story could healing for those people. However, Oaklin was under control to the point where their actions were not their own, in other words you have all the trauma of doing awful things, but none of the responsibility. In fact, there are multiple characters who say “It wasn’t your fault” when Oaklin reveals the memory they have OF MURDERING SOMEONE. In non-fantastical settings even when someone is under the influence of a cult, for example Allison Mack and Nexium, the actions they take while under that influence are still their responsibility. Oaklin is not held accountable in any way, they can’t be, because the things they did were quite literally not their fault. And that’s the ickiness I was left with, all the uwu sadness of being a poor victim who did horrible things, but none of the rough parts of actually dealing with the consequences. You get the good feelings of healing, but none of the hard parts of dealing with the bad things you did that caused part of your trauma.
This is the fantasy, that you can have all the sweet feelings of forgiveness and acceptance without actually dealing with the hurt you caused. And that is the ugly bits underlying the book that made me wince through it, and undercut any moment that should have had emotional weight. That emotional weight can't be there when Oaklin declares their love or finds acceptance with their friends or , because the whole thing is just built a fantastical lie.
Once I realized this, I immediately jumped to another popular example of this “I did bad things, but they weren’t my fault” type of blorbo that fandom loves (and oh my god, this book is so very, VERY fandom), which is Bucky Barnes in the MCU. The thing is, I do think Bucky is done a bit better, I think that while he isn’t held accountable by society, he acknowledges that he is still responsible for what he did while mind controlled. That said, I could be wrong, Bucky has never been a favorite character and I don't pay super close attention. Anyway, making the connection there made me realize this book is basically a gender screwy (not flipped because Oaklin is non-binary) Steve/Bucky AU fanfic and now I can’t unsee it.
There are other problems with the book. The dialogue is painful, real people don’t talk like that. The characters, aside from Oaklin, are underdeveloped. I’m not sure the author has ever actually been near a farm, let alone worked on one, and that lack of knowledge shows. This romanticization of rural life/small towns life is a trope of cozy fantasy though so I’m mostly willing to let it slide – still bugs me though.
There is a part of me that feels bad for being so critical, but at the same time I think there’s something very rotten underneath the sweetness of this book and I need to exhume it.
June 14, 2026
The coziness, vibes, healing arc, farm stuff, animal stuff, food stuff, all impeccable. Oaklin and Granny were great characters. Unfortunately, I thought all the other characters were a bit thin, and the dialogue often suffers from being pretty obvious and too straightforward, which is not how people talk, even in cozy fantasy. I would have given it five stars with more fleshed out side characters, and better dialogue. But overall, a really good cozy fantasy that deals with recovery from trauma.
May 26, 2026
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
As warm as a cup of tea and as sweet as a blueberry scone, Field Guide to the Formerly Villainous is a delight.
Despite not getting an evil necromancer (who mends their ways) but a rather anxious young plant mage, I was not at all disappointed - this book is delightful. As someone who has a love of gardening, this book totally worked for me, as did the small-town factor, the ghost mentor, the love story, the friends, the queer normativity, and the worldbuilding, which was light but adequate for the storyline and premise. The world felt larger than what we saw, which, to me, is successful in this sort of story. You don’t want too much worldbuilding or it loses its coziness, but too little and it feels flat.
There was actually more about farming than I expected too, though it’s not an excessive amount. There are also descriptions of great food and a library. The prose falls on the colloquial at times, but it was never too much that it drew me out of the fantasy setting.
Oaklin is very likable. They are a traumatized, rather frightful person at the start, but they grow into themselves. And while they do things that are sometimes frustrating - out of fear - it never feels belaboured or excessive. They are also young - like early 20s - so that immaturity also makes sense. If they were my age, I’d be like, what the hell are you doing, but Oaklin also always owns up to it and there’s never the annoying miscommunication trope. It felt like a younger person learning how to adult.
The other side characters are such fun. There’s the baker and bard, who may or may not have a thing going on, a bunch of townsfolk who add to the quaint factor, and Lior, of course, a paladin librarian. I loved how Oaklin is first drawn to her because of her muscled arms, something that never gets enough attention on a woman. She also had her own minor arc, which fleshed her out and didn’t leave her feeling like “just the love interest”. The love story takes up a bit of the plot but doesn’t drag it into a romance with a capital R. It’s closed-door too.
The plot itself was well-balanced. While it is definitely not a plot-heavy book, Oaklin does have things they are wrestling with, and there is an overarching external threat to add some tension. Most of the book, though, is Oaklin learning to deal with their trauma and regain self-worth.
It’s cozy but not slow, charming, sweet, and I had a great time reading it. If you love cozy queer books with a bit of magic and small-town quaintness, you’ll really enjoy this. I thought it was delightful.
As warm as a cup of tea and as sweet as a blueberry scone, Field Guide to the Formerly Villainous is a delight.
Despite not getting an evil necromancer (who mends their ways) but a rather anxious young plant mage, I was not at all disappointed - this book is delightful. As someone who has a love of gardening, this book totally worked for me, as did the small-town factor, the ghost mentor, the love story, the friends, the queer normativity, and the worldbuilding, which was light but adequate for the storyline and premise. The world felt larger than what we saw, which, to me, is successful in this sort of story. You don’t want too much worldbuilding or it loses its coziness, but too little and it feels flat.
There was actually more about farming than I expected too, though it’s not an excessive amount. There are also descriptions of great food and a library. The prose falls on the colloquial at times, but it was never too much that it drew me out of the fantasy setting.
Oaklin is very likable. They are a traumatized, rather frightful person at the start, but they grow into themselves. And while they do things that are sometimes frustrating - out of fear - it never feels belaboured or excessive. They are also young - like early 20s - so that immaturity also makes sense. If they were my age, I’d be like, what the hell are you doing, but Oaklin also always owns up to it and there’s never the annoying miscommunication trope. It felt like a younger person learning how to adult.
The other side characters are such fun. There’s the baker and bard, who may or may not have a thing going on, a bunch of townsfolk who add to the quaint factor, and Lior, of course, a paladin librarian. I loved how Oaklin is first drawn to her because of her muscled arms, something that never gets enough attention on a woman. She also had her own minor arc, which fleshed her out and didn’t leave her feeling like “just the love interest”. The love story takes up a bit of the plot but doesn’t drag it into a romance with a capital R. It’s closed-door too.
The plot itself was well-balanced. While it is definitely not a plot-heavy book, Oaklin does have things they are wrestling with, and there is an overarching external threat to add some tension. Most of the book, though, is Oaklin learning to deal with their trauma and regain self-worth.
It’s cozy but not slow, charming, sweet, and I had a great time reading it. If you love cozy queer books with a bit of magic and small-town quaintness, you’ll really enjoy this. I thought it was delightful.
June 15, 2026
An unexpected read for sure. I went in thinking it only a cozy fantasy and while it was just that it was also much more. A book with dealing with past trauma and grief wrapped in how to run a farm and magical baked goods
July 1, 2026
💫🌿Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous🌿💫
This was equal parts cozy queer romance and a heartbreaking journey of healing. It explores redemption, forgiveness, and what it looks like for a community to rebuild after a reign of terror.
I teared up toward the end, but I really loved how it all came together.
🌱 What to Expect
• Former villain
• Cozy farm
• Healing ARC
• Ghost granny
• Found family
• Soft queer romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: June 2, 2026
📝 Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was equal parts cozy queer romance and a heartbreaking journey of healing. It explores redemption, forgiveness, and what it looks like for a community to rebuild after a reign of terror.
I teared up toward the end, but I really loved how it all came together.
🌱 What to Expect
• Former villain
• Cozy farm
• Healing ARC
• Ghost granny
• Found family
• Soft queer romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: June 2, 2026
📝 Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
June 30, 2026
If your favorite game is Stardew Valley, you will defenitely enjoy this book!
The story follows Oaklin, who, after spending years as a mind-controlled pawn in the service of an evil Enchantrix, decides to start a new life away from everyone who knows them and invests in (a slightly run-down) farm. Over the course of the book, we see them learn how to care for their new land, make friends and build connections in the neighboring village, fall in love, and slowly reconnect with their magic, which had been twisted and used by the Enchantrix. They do all this with the help of “Granny,” the nameless ghost of the farm’s previous owner.
I really loved the small-town setting. The descriptions of the farmer’s market, the Midsummer and Harvest festivals, the forest, and Oaklin’s farm were all fantastic. There were also plenty of amazing food descriptions, both of the “picnics with homegrown produce” variety and the “magical baked goods” variety, which added to the cozy feel of the story, though they did make me very hungry.
I also loved the characters, and reading about Oaklin’s journey toward accepting themself, building up their farm, and growing their business felt very satisfying. I was also genuinely surprised by the twist that happens towards the end of the book.
I do, however, have mixed feelings about the way the author handled Oaklin’s backstory. Oaklin joined the cult of the Enchantrix as a teenager after a falling out with their strict religious family, who viewed their magical abilities unfavorably. The cult presented itself as a magical guild that offered free magical education to anyone who wanted it, but in reality, it was a front designed to gather a group of magical people in one place so the Enchantrix could cast a mind-control spell over all of them at once. After being subjected to the spell, Oaklin lost total control of their body and actions, and they did not regain it until after the Enchantrix’s death.
This is a very obvious metaphor for the way real cults use manipulation and indoctrination to control their members. However, real-world cults don't rely on literal mind-control magic to accomplish their aims, and the question of how responsible someone is for acting violently as a result of cult indoctrination is a complex one. It would have been interesting to see it handled with more nuance, while the use of mind-control magic completely exonerates Oaklin for their participation in the Enchantrix’s army in a way that leaves no room for doubt, and I feel that the story would have been much stronger if the mind-control aspect had been either removed entirely or significantly scaled back.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The story follows Oaklin, who, after spending years as a mind-controlled pawn in the service of an evil Enchantrix, decides to start a new life away from everyone who knows them and invests in (a slightly run-down) farm. Over the course of the book, we see them learn how to care for their new land, make friends and build connections in the neighboring village, fall in love, and slowly reconnect with their magic, which had been twisted and used by the Enchantrix. They do all this with the help of “Granny,” the nameless ghost of the farm’s previous owner.
I really loved the small-town setting. The descriptions of the farmer’s market, the Midsummer and Harvest festivals, the forest, and Oaklin’s farm were all fantastic. There were also plenty of amazing food descriptions, both of the “picnics with homegrown produce” variety and the “magical baked goods” variety, which added to the cozy feel of the story, though they did make me very hungry.
I also loved the characters, and reading about Oaklin’s journey toward accepting themself, building up their farm, and growing their business felt very satisfying. I was also genuinely surprised by the twist that happens towards the end of the book.
I do, however, have mixed feelings about the way the author handled Oaklin’s backstory. Oaklin joined the cult of the Enchantrix as a teenager after a falling out with their strict religious family, who viewed their magical abilities unfavorably. The cult presented itself as a magical guild that offered free magical education to anyone who wanted it, but in reality, it was a front designed to gather a group of magical people in one place so the Enchantrix could cast a mind-control spell over all of them at once. After being subjected to the spell, Oaklin lost total control of their body and actions, and they did not regain it until after the Enchantrix’s death.
This is a very obvious metaphor for the way real cults use manipulation and indoctrination to control their members. However, real-world cults don't rely on literal mind-control magic to accomplish their aims, and the question of how responsible someone is for acting violently as a result of cult indoctrination is a complex one. It would have been interesting to see it handled with more nuance, while the use of mind-control magic completely exonerates Oaklin for their participation in the Enchantrix’s army in a way that leaves no room for doubt, and I feel that the story would have been much stronger if the mind-control aspect had been either removed entirely or significantly scaled back.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
May 31, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
3.5 ⭐️
A cute, quick read!
Cozy fantasy isn't a go-to for me, but I really enjoyed this! It's written well and has a nice balance of cozy vibes to plot. I really appreciated how the author shows great care in handling and representing trauma, and I'm always happy to see a book featuring a diverse cast of characters. If you're in the mood for something cozy but with substance, I recommend giving this a go!
3.5 ⭐️
A cute, quick read!
Cozy fantasy isn't a go-to for me, but I really enjoyed this! It's written well and has a nice balance of cozy vibes to plot. I really appreciated how the author shows great care in handling and representing trauma, and I'm always happy to see a book featuring a diverse cast of characters. If you're in the mood for something cozy but with substance, I recommend giving this a go!
July 6, 2026
This has been my favorite book I have read all year. Cozy fantasy, LGTBQI, found family, add in a cultist past?!? Who can ask for more.
June 11, 2026
This was such a cute cozy fantasy! I loved the diverse cast of characters, and the setting gave a bit of a hobbit/shire-esque feel. Granny was by far my favorite character.
This book is a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. Oaklin suffers from pretty debilitating anxiety, which I can absolutely relate to, and their journey of learning to forgive themself and overcome their anxiety was really well done.
It definitely felt inspired by Stardew Valley or some other farming sim game, which I really enjoyed. It felt very immersive and well-written, transporting you into the setting quite seamlessly.
This is a great book to read if you need a palate cleanser between heavy-hitting reads or if you just want something quick and cozy that doesn’t have very high stakes.
The audio narration was also top-notch. Great fluctuation in voices and pace.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.
This book is a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. Oaklin suffers from pretty debilitating anxiety, which I can absolutely relate to, and their journey of learning to forgive themself and overcome their anxiety was really well done.
It definitely felt inspired by Stardew Valley or some other farming sim game, which I really enjoyed. It felt very immersive and well-written, transporting you into the setting quite seamlessly.
This is a great book to read if you need a palate cleanser between heavy-hitting reads or if you just want something quick and cozy that doesn’t have very high stakes.
The audio narration was also top-notch. Great fluctuation in voices and pace.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.
June 15, 2026
Actually so adorable
June 10, 2026
Realistically 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4. Cute stardew valley vibes but definitely felt like this one could’ve ended sooner than it did but considering I’m usually not a fan of cozy this was good
June 18, 2026
this was surprisingly emotional for a cosy fantasy
June 6, 2026
4.5/5 stars
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a cozy fantasy about second chances. Oaklin Nettlewood (they/them) was once a member of a villainous cult whose magic was forcibly used for evil. After the cult leader’s defeat frees them from that control, Oaklin retreats to a farm in the quiet town of Mossley’s Rest in hopes of starting over. Between a pushy granny ghost determined to teach them magic to help the farm flourish, villagers intent on pulling them into their circle, and a librarian paladin who may be interested in them romantically, Oaklin begins to wonder if they’ve finally found a place to belong. But with the guilt of their past, an Inquisitor hunting former cultists, and secrets they can’t bring themselves to share, true peace may still be out of reach.
This was such a cozy, heartwarming read, though it comes with a surprisingly heavy undercurrent of trauma. It’s still largely sweet and charming as Oaklin slowly rebuilds their life, gains a new perspective on themself, and opens themself to friendship and love. The novel captures that quintessential small-town cozy fantasy atmosphere, complete with a strong sense of community and an endearing found family made up of baker mage Ryn, bard Jules, and librarian/paladin Lior. Oaklin’s growing relationship with Lior was especially compelling because of the vulnerability tied to it; as a former cultist, opening up to a paladin feels both hopeful and terrifying.
What really elevated the story for me, though, was how thoughtfully it handled trauma and healing. Oaklin must confront not only the things they were forced to do while under the cult’s control, but also the question of whether they deserve forgiveness at all. The emotional payoff hit much harder than I expected, especially with a reveal near the end that had me in tears through much of the final stretch. It was genuinely devastating, and you could feel the full emotional weight of it even as the story moved toward healing and release.
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a heartfelt cozy fantasy about grief, forgiveness, and learning how to reclaim your life after surviving the worst of it.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a cozy fantasy about second chances. Oaklin Nettlewood (they/them) was once a member of a villainous cult whose magic was forcibly used for evil. After the cult leader’s defeat frees them from that control, Oaklin retreats to a farm in the quiet town of Mossley’s Rest in hopes of starting over. Between a pushy granny ghost determined to teach them magic to help the farm flourish, villagers intent on pulling them into their circle, and a librarian paladin who may be interested in them romantically, Oaklin begins to wonder if they’ve finally found a place to belong. But with the guilt of their past, an Inquisitor hunting former cultists, and secrets they can’t bring themselves to share, true peace may still be out of reach.
This was such a cozy, heartwarming read, though it comes with a surprisingly heavy undercurrent of trauma. It’s still largely sweet and charming as Oaklin slowly rebuilds their life, gains a new perspective on themself, and opens themself to friendship and love. The novel captures that quintessential small-town cozy fantasy atmosphere, complete with a strong sense of community and an endearing found family made up of baker mage Ryn, bard Jules, and librarian/paladin Lior. Oaklin’s growing relationship with Lior was especially compelling because of the vulnerability tied to it; as a former cultist, opening up to a paladin feels both hopeful and terrifying.
What really elevated the story for me, though, was how thoughtfully it handled trauma and healing. Oaklin must confront not only the things they were forced to do while under the cult’s control, but also the question of whether they deserve forgiveness at all. The emotional payoff hit much harder than I expected, especially with a reveal near the end that had me in tears through much of the final stretch. It was genuinely devastating, and you could feel the full emotional weight of it even as the story moved toward healing and release.
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a heartfelt cozy fantasy about grief, forgiveness, and learning how to reclaim your life after surviving the worst of it.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
June 2, 2026
FIELD GUIDE FOR THE FORMERLY VILLAINOUS is a cozy fantasy that expertly mixes humor with deep emotion.
What to expect:
➛Fantastic LGBTQ+ representation. This aspect isn’t pointed at or highlighted as anything unusual. It’s never an issue for the characters or the community. It simply is who these characters are, which I loved.
➛Beautifully crafted found family.
➛Healing from trauma
➛Forgivenness
➛A slow-burn love story
➛Fun magic
This is the first book in the Everyday Magic series. The ending is solid. No huge cliffhanger to leave you dangling.
*Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
What to expect:
➛Fantastic LGBTQ+ representation. This aspect isn’t pointed at or highlighted as anything unusual. It’s never an issue for the characters or the community. It simply is who these characters are, which I loved.
➛Beautifully crafted found family.
➛Healing from trauma
➛Forgivenness
➛A slow-burn love story
➛Fun magic
This is the first book in the Everyday Magic series. The ending is solid. No huge cliffhanger to leave you dangling.
*Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
June 21, 2026
This book was genuinely painful to read, despite being not too long. This is the last time I ever trust what the B&N employees recommend.
The writing is extremely annoying and amateurish. It’s the exact vernacular and cadence of a chronically online millennial. Or of ChatGPT. Every character was one-note and exactly the same, and I did not care about any of them. The entire tone of the book was super sickening, saccharine sweet. I kept having to look away from the pages just from sheer embarrassment. I could not believe what I was reading. It did not feel real. And there were so many arbitrary italicizations! Too much! Stop! And the pacing was not good either.
Maybe it’s just a matter of taste, but wow this was not good. The entire time I was reading, I was finding more and more offensively bad phrases. At most it’s okay for a bit of mindless fun, but even then I really wouldn’t pick this one up.
I really can’t stress enough how little I thought of this. Maybe I just wasn’t the intended audience. Eh.
The writing is extremely annoying and amateurish. It’s the exact vernacular and cadence of a chronically online millennial. Or of ChatGPT. Every character was one-note and exactly the same, and I did not care about any of them. The entire tone of the book was super sickening, saccharine sweet. I kept having to look away from the pages just from sheer embarrassment. I could not believe what I was reading. It did not feel real. And there were so many arbitrary italicizations! Too much! Stop! And the pacing was not good either.
Maybe it’s just a matter of taste, but wow this was not good. The entire time I was reading, I was finding more and more offensively bad phrases. At most it’s okay for a bit of mindless fun, but even then I really wouldn’t pick this one up.
I really can’t stress enough how little I thought of this. Maybe I just wasn’t the intended audience. Eh.
June 18, 2026
It was cute and relaxing, but I guess I was expecting more villainy.
Want to Read
May 26, 2026My coworker just showed me the copy we got in, my gods, it's so cute!!!!
May 10, 2026
This was certainly a very cozy fantasy read and it's been awhile since I've finished one like it. It still touched on some heavier emotional themes as well. It gave me strong Stardew Valley meets Studio Ghibli vibes, gentle, whimsical, and comforting and honestly felt like a little side quest between normal fantasy books.
I really liked the premise however I did expect the MC to have been legitimately villianous which wasn't really the case. A lot of the book felt like therapy disguised as farming, which I can definitely see appealing to a lot of readers. For me though, the healing often came a little too easily, and because of that some of the emotional moments didn’t feel as impactful as they could have.
There was so muchintrospection and internal monologue about processing feelings and situations that the pacing started to drag a bit. Parts felt really repetitive and a lot of the plot felt pretty obvious and predictable.
I also had a hard time connecting with most of the side characters because they blurred together. Nearly every character felt sickly sweet, understanding, and kind to the point where they started sounding the same and didn’t really feel like fully distinct people with depth and nuance. Even the character who was supposed to be more antagonistic never really brought much tension. There’s a big reveal later on that should’ve affected her quite a lot considering how mean she’d been over much smaller things before, but her reaction was non existent. I know a cost fantasy doesn't really need stakes but damn.
Overall, this is a comforting, easy and cozy read with a lovely atmosphere, even if it didn’t completely live up to my expectations.
I really liked the premise however I did expect the MC to have been legitimately villianous which wasn't really the case. A lot of the book felt like therapy disguised as farming, which I can definitely see appealing to a lot of readers. For me though, the healing often came a little too easily, and because of that some of the emotional moments didn’t feel as impactful as they could have.
There was so muchintrospection and internal monologue about processing feelings and situations that the pacing started to drag a bit. Parts felt really repetitive and a lot of the plot felt pretty obvious and predictable.
I also had a hard time connecting with most of the side characters because they blurred together. Nearly every character felt sickly sweet, understanding, and kind to the point where they started sounding the same and didn’t really feel like fully distinct people with depth and nuance. Even the character who was supposed to be more antagonistic never really brought much tension. There’s a big reveal later on that should’ve affected her quite a lot considering how mean she’d been over much smaller things before, but her reaction was non existent. I know a cost fantasy doesn't really need stakes but damn.
Overall, this is a comforting, easy and cozy read with a lovely atmosphere, even if it didn’t completely live up to my expectations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 648 reviews