When the beautiful and precocious sisters Sally and Gillian Owens are orphaned at a young age, they are taken to a small Massachusetts town to be raised by their eccentric aunts, who happen to dwell in the darkest, eeriest house in town. As they become more aware of their aunts’ mysterious and sometimes frightening powers—and as their own powers begin to surface—the sisters grow determined to escape their strange upbringing by blending into “normal” society.
But both find that they cannot elude their magic-filled past. And when trouble strikes—in the form of a menacing backyard ghost—the sisters must not only reunite three generations of Owens women but embrace their magic as a gift—and their key to a future of love and passion.
Funny, haunting, and shamelessly romantic, Practical Magic is bewitching entertainment.
Download and start listening now!
"I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries (murder and mayhem abound), so I asked a friend of mine what I could read that was a different genre and she introduced me to Alice Hoffman's books starting with "Blackbird House" which I really liked. Then I read the "DoveKeepers" which was quite dark but awesome. "Practical Magic" was such a nice easy feel-good book. I will now get the movie to watch. I will keep reading Alice Hoffman, she is such a good writer."
— Grace (4 out of 5 stars)
“Charmingly told, and a good deal of fun.”
— New York Times Book Review“One of her most lyrical works…Hoffman is at her best.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“Written with a light hand and rhythm…Practical Magic has the pace of a fairy tale but the impact of accomplished fiction.”
— People“A beautiful, moving book about the power of love and the desires of the heart.”
— Denver Post“Magic, fantasy, and full-tilt love-at-first-sight have figured in all of Hoffman’s sexy, funny, and endearing novels, but they blossom as they never have before…Hoffman has created a cosmic romance leavened with just the right touch of pragmatism and humor.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Hoffman’s best since Illumination Night…The dialogue is always on target, particularly the squabbling between siblings, and, as usual, weather plays a portentous role. Readers will relish this magical tale.”
— Publishers Weekly“Master storyteller Hoffman spins an unusual yarn about the Owens sisters…Narrator Moore’s forlorn alto, with its slightly sardonic edge, seems the perfect vehicle for this dark comedy.”
— AudioFile" I really enjoyed this book about two very different sisters. "
— Wendy, 2/17/2014" Good storyline, though it seemed to end a little abruptly. Much different than the movie. "
— Mandie, 2/6/2014" This is the first time I've ever said this: I liked the movie better than the book. I just didn't like the characters in the book and I got about half way and got tired of not getting to read more about the aunts and had enough of Sally and Gillian. "
— Annie, 2/1/2014" Enjoyable and fantastic, although the lengthy scenes without dialog did cause me to jump ahead a bit. "
— Evi, 1/20/2014" What a strange story. Nothing like the movie except for the characters names. I was not expecting the kids to grow up and have such an intricate role. "
— Yvette, 1/19/2014" Feh. Those people are silly. "
— Amy, 1/10/2014" I can't decide whether it was an interesting portrait of three generations of women who have some level of magical powers or just a meandering tale where not much happens. "
— Kristine, 12/23/2013" Love me some spooky Alice. "
— Kay, 12/9/2013" Liked it better than the movie! Not that this is a huge surprise with books. Beautiful language, lots of whimsy, and a good amount of suspense. Thumbs up! "
— Kaitlyn, 10/26/2013" Just ok, nothing mind shattering. Surpirsed that they made of movie of it! "
— Nicola, 10/24/2013" This was much better than I had expected and different enough from the movie that I didn't get bored. "
— Kara, 10/13/2013" Great memories of reading this bood in Hawaii! "
— Bridget, 9/15/2013" Not what I was expecting. I couldn't get into the story, mainly because it was told from a point of view that made me feel as though I didn't get to know the characters very well. Not much happened either. I ended up skimming the last 50 pages or so. "
— Kristina, 8/30/2013" Can't choose between the movie or the book. they are both my favorites and are both very different from each other "
— Eloisa, 7/30/2013" Practically magical! "
— Amanda, 6/6/2013" The writing in this book was lyrical and crisp. I thoroughly enjoyed the bits of magical realism (for lack of a better term). However, there was something about the main story line that never seemed to fully develop. "
— Alyssa, 5/28/2013" I was unaware of the book when I went to see the film in '98. I LOVED this film and years later decided to finally pick up the book. On it's own, it was enjoyable. But if was a complete disappointment considering how much I love the film. "
— Michelle, 4/27/2013" So much different from the movie and I absolutely love that because they both work in their own ways. Definitely a re-read! "
— Heidi, 3/10/2013Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the Practical Magic series and the Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, among others. Eight of her novels have made the New York Times bestsellers list.
Christina Moore is an actress and Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. As an actress, she is best known for her roles in the television series That ’70s Show, Hawthorne, and 90210. She is a founding member of Bitches Funny, an all-female sketch group that has performed in New York City and Los Angeles.