A Curious Kind of Magic - by Mara Rutherford (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"If anyone's looking for me, I live in this book now." - Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer and Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Howl's Moving Castle meets Little Thieves in this cozy fantasy about the teenage owner of a (mostly fake) magical curiosity shop and a girl cursed to turn everything she touches into magic.

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.

Review Quotes

"A Curious Kind of Magic is like a rare find in a curiosity shop--unique, intriguing, and irresistible. With a feisty heroine, a budding friendship, a warmhearted romance, and a risky hunt for a mysterious grimoire that leads to adventures and revelations, this story held me spellbound." --Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest King's Daughter

"A Curious Kind of Magic enchanted me from the first page. Brimming with so many bits and bobs of treasure--just like Willow's almost-magical shop!--this is a book for readers who want to root for their heroines and soak in the coziness of a slow burn fantasy. I adored it." --Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Roots and Ruin

"Heartwarming and whimsical, A Curious Kind of Magic is packed full of scams, schemes, adventure, and love of every kind. At its heart, it is--as all my favorite stories are--about the power of friendship. Don't miss this one!" --Allison Saft, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment

"This is cozy fantasy at its best: a charming concept; an earnest, endearing heroine; and her equally lovable found family. Reading A Curious Kind of Magic feels like sipping rose hot chocolate while nestling under a fuzzy blanket on a rainy day. It made me so happy, and I can't wait for my own copy!"--Shveta Thakrar, author of the Andre Norton Nebula Award finalist Star Daughter

"If anyone's looking for me, I live in this book now. Seriously, I would love to stow away in A Curious Kind of Magic, eat Fin's pies, tidy the shop with Willow and Bri, and get into the best kind of trouble. Mara Rutherford's sixth book is like a warm hug from an ornery friend. It's sweet and bitter, whimsical and poignant, cozy and also laugh-out-loud funny. Look for me lurking around page 230, taming the ravenous cats." - Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer and Daughter of Smoke & Bone

About the Author

MARA RUTHERFORD began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons, and currently resides in Brussels, Belgium. Her favorite days involve books, tea, and Mishka (a small red muppet often mistaken for a dog). She is the author of YA fantasy novels including the Crown of Coral and Pearl duology, The Poison Season, and A Multitude of Dreams.