Thea Winter is a changeling who has never fully fit into the Winter Court since her nature is warm and sunny. She loves nature and the Wild Fae, playing pranks, and living life to its fullest; however, her latest prank threatens to cause a war between the Winter and Summer courts, so the Winter rulers devise a diabolical scheme: Thea will marry a representative of the Summer Court to form an alliance. Of course, her prior knowledge or consent to the marriage are not required. The Summer groom disappears before the knot can be tied, though, and Thea is sent on a desperate quest to find him to avoid banishment to the human realm. Kerberos, the Winter Court’s main enforcer, tags along to ensure Thea doesn’t just run, but her irrepressible vitality starts chipping through his frozen exterior and makes him want something for the first time in years…

The cover copy for Ann Aguirre’s The Hocus Pocus Handbook focuses on the romance angle, but it’s also a warm, comforting tale about friendship, found family, and finding a place to belong. The chapters alternate between starting with a spell in Thea’s book created by her foster father Mudge to help her use magic and a description of the artwork. Many of Mudge’s spells are infinitely practical, but he shares love and concern for Thea through each spell he puts on a page. While the book never explicitly says anything, the narrative implies that Kerberos is the creator of the various carvings, so each description provides insight into his thoughts or past.

The romance in The Hocus Pocus Handbook left me a little cold, because I never doubted that Thea and Kerberos would find some sort of a happy ending. The adventure through a developed fae landscape with various creatures and beings and the intriguing individuals the group collects along the way were far more interesting. Learning about Thea’s special ability (She may be a changeling, but she’s not entirely human.), discovering the real identity of some of the traveling companions, and meeting old friends created a gentle satisfaction while I read. The story wasn’t precisely a page turner, but I wanted to go back to it to experience its blend of excitement and peace as the layers were pulled back.

The Hocus Pocus Handbook ultimately left me with a cozy feeling like the warmth after a good cup of tea. If you want adventure without dire stakes and romance without horrible misunderstandings (all barriers are external), I strongly recommend this book. It’s sweet, soft, and satisfying…and things turn out exactly as they should. Sometimes, the best book is one that holds you carefully and avoids shattering your emotions to pieces, and The Hocus Pocus Handbook is definitely a good one!

4.5 Surprise Answers to Lost Loves out of 5

Creative Team: Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
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