Practical Rules for Cursed Witches - by Kayla Cottingham

Book Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of My Dearest Darkest comes a cozy fantasy romance about a teen witch who must complete her magical training by breaking a powerful family's curse. But her own affliction--to never find true love--gets in the way when she falls for the girl she's trying to save.

Magic is in Delilah Bea's blood. Her absentee father is the world's most famous cursebreaker, while all the women in her family are fated to never find true love. So when Delilah sets out to complete her magical Calling and gain her full powers as a witch, she has the perfect task in mind--breaking the Bea family curse.

But Delilah's Calling is hijacked by Kieran Pelumbra, the spoiled son of the most powerful family in the country, and breaking his curse suddenly becomes her official assignment. Every generation, a pair of Pelumbra twins is doomed, with one twin draining the other of their life and magic. Kieran grows weaker while his sister, Briar, becomes...something monstrous.

As Delilah and the twins set out on their quest, they quickly realize that breaking the Pelumbra curse isn't going to be simple. For one thing, the rest of the Pelumbra family doesn't actually want their curse broken--and they've sent hunters after the trio to ensure they fail. For another, something about Briar gets under Delilah's skin, distracting her and making her want to kiss the perpetually grumpy look off her face. But with time running out for the twins and Delilah's own true love curse getting in the way, they may not stand a chance of finding their happily ever after.

Review Quotes

"Part cozy romance, part coming-of-age adventure (with airships!), Practical Rules for Cursed Witches is a whimsical delight. Cottingham skillfully weaves a fresh take on the found family story, anchored by the strong, immensely relatable Delilah and set against the backdrop of a Ghibli-esque fantasy world I longed to escape to. Highly recommended!"--Heather Fawcett, New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series

"A big-hearted road trip bursting with charm, humor, and whimsical magic. I adored this entire queer found family--especially Delilah and Briar, two girls brave enough to break ancestral curses and risk their hearts for love."--Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment

"The perfect recipe of complex yet charming characters, generational curses, monsters, and a dash of magic that blend together for an enchantingly good time."--F. T. Lukens, New York Times bestselling author of So This Is Ever After

"A magical journey sure to delight lovers of love." --Kirkus Reviews

"Cottingham expertly conjures a story of found family and generational trauma with a charming queer romance at the center, while building an immersive, cozy cottagecore atmosphere." --Publishers Weekly

"Part cozy fantasy, part mystery adventure, [Cottingham]....captures what it is like to be a young adult awkwardly setting out in the world, the moments when teens realize their parents aren't perfect, and the fragility of finding love in uncertain times." --School Library Journal

"Sapphic romantasy lovers will fall for this cozy fantasy world." --Booklist

About the Author

Kayla Cottingham (they/she) is a former teen librarian and New York Times bestselling author of sapphic horror and fantasy novels. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Kayla lives in Boston where they love to go hiking in the woods, play RPGs, and snuggle on the couch with their ridiculously large black cat, Squid.