ARC Review: A YA Cozy Fantasy

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Summary from NetGalley:

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father’s shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer’s assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector’s quest for the rarest magical object in the world—a quest that risks almost-certain death—she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

ARC provided by St Martin’s Press via Netgalley for an honest review.

Confession:

I very much enjoyed this cozy fantasy that had a bit of an adventure in it. The characters were delightful and easy to connect with. I loved the found family vibes, the struggles the characters went through and the ending was wonderfully sweet.

Willow was a very interesting character. She is a bit prickly and socially awkward, but given that her father was a bit of a con artist, you can sort of forgive her. I enjoyed watching her character grow throughout this book and become more trusting with her friends. I also enjoyed watching Bri become more confident and willing to engage with Willow and help her out. Bri also had a tough childhood and it was great seeing her opening up more.

There is a light romance in this story as well. I loved Finlay, and really wished he was a bit more involved in the story. He is an absolute sweety and I just wanted Willow to finally get up the courage to admit her feelings to him. I did like that the romance was not the focus of the story, but friendship and trust were at the heart of it.

I very much enjoyed the overall story, although it was bit draggy in the middle. The world building was adequate, but could have used a bit more development. The ending was good and even though this is probably a stand alone, I am really hoping for a sequel, perhaps from one of the other character’s points of view. I would love to see this group of friends go on another adventure together.

This was my first book by this author, but not my last. If you are looking for a quiet and cozy adventure book with a group of charming friends, then this is a book you must have on your TBR.