I think it’s because it feels more plot-driven, and I prefer character-driven books. My thoughts: While I enjoyed this one, it didn’t grab me personally as much as Practical Magic (which I read first) did. Know that the only remedy for love is to love more. The men the Owens women fall in love with are doomed to an untimely death.Īs she invokes the rules of magic, Maria learns that love is the only thing that matters.īest for: fans of Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club and coming-of-age books En route, she falls for the kind Jewish sailor.īut, upon reaching Salem, Maria and her daughter, Faith, cope with more betrayals and mistakes (and of course, witchery), including the curse that will haunt her family for generations to come. When Maria is abandoned by him after he impregnates her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts, where he is a judge in the witch trials. Here, young Maria is seduced by an older American businessman named John Hathorne.

After Maria Owens was abandoned in a snowy field in England as a baby, she came under the care of Hannah Owens, who teaches her the “Nameless Arts.”Īfter Hannah dies, Maria reunites with her birth mother, who practices dark magic, then lands in Curaçao as an indentured servant. Summary: Set in the 1600s, Magic Lessons begins the story of the Owens women. While this series is about love at its core, I found this book to be very much about mothers and daughters too. I had never read about the Salem witch trials before, and I don’t read much from that time period, so it really intrigued and immersed me.

My thoughts: I found Magic Lessons to be both lyrical and stunning. Reviews of the Practical Magic Books (in Story Order) Magic Lessonsīest for: fans of Salem witch trial books Practical Magic Books in Order Publication Order Reviews of the Practical Magic Books (in Story Order).

The rules of magic reese witherspoon