Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

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Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa is a beautiful coming of age novel filled with magic. Billed as a contemporary lesbian romance, this young adult novel has a lovely message wrapped up in a heart-wrenching story of love and loss. Set in Salem during the month of October, it’s a perfectly witchy backdrop for a book about tarot and a coven of witches.

Eleanor is a seventeen-year-old who finds love again a year after a tragic relationship that left her scarred. Working in a witchy store in Salem during the month of Halloween has left her cynical, but it’s also her only outlet to the real world. After the previous year’s calamity, Eleanor deleted all social media and dropped out of school to get her GED. She avoids everyone she used to know, and struggles to make it through life one day at a time.

When Pix walks into the store, Eleanor is instantly enchanted. The stranger is in town to prepare her coven for Samhain. An invitation to join the coven pulls her into a group of spirited young ladies, one of whom seems equally drawn to Eleanor. This budding romance with Pix brings back all the memories and emotions from the previous year and threatens Eleanor’s carefully built stability. She has to make peace with her past if she has any hope of enjoying the present.

The arrival of a handmade book about tarot coincides with the introduction of Pix, and the book speaks to Eleanor, acting as a guide throughout the book. The tarot card images and descriptions are wonderful, and serve as delightful chapter openers. They also bring levity to what is otherwise an emotional, thought-provoking novel.

I absolutely loved Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches, so much so that I preordered the audiobook. Stacey Glemboski provided an excellent narration. I recommend both versions.

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Visit the author’s website and follow her on Twitter.

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches cover design credit: Sarah Nichole Kaufman and Jenna Stempel-Lobell.

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches cover art credit: Cynthia Paul.

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches tarot cards credit: Wonderstudio / Shutterstock.

Advance Reading Copy provided by Harper Collins via Netgalley at my request.