Book Review: Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

  • Source: I received an advance copy of this book on NetGalley

  • My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (see my review on Goodreads)

When the story began with Eleanor receiving a mysterious book about tarot in the mail, I knew I was in for a treat. I am always looking for books that give an accurate portrayal of what reading tarot is really like, and this book delivered in such a beautiful way. In fact, I think Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches was a beautiful example of showing what it’s like to live as a person who is or does [fill in the blank] without the entire book becoming a treatise on that thing. Surprisingly, this is the first book I can recall reading in which the main character smokes weed regularly, and it was really nice to see how that was just a part of her life. I got to learn about why it was a helpful tool for Eleanor, but also the ways it might be problematic (and how to handle that).

I absolutely adored the queerness of this story. Once again, it was just a part of their lives and not a story ABOUT queerness. The romances and relationships felt very real and relatable. And this goes for all the relationships in the book, whether it was parent-child, friendships, siblings, boss-employee, exes, etc.

Swinging back around to the tarot aspect… I really enjoyed the way this whole tale followed the Fool’s journey through the Major Arcana. It was a really nice way to gain understanding about each of the cards/archetypes and how they might show up in one’s life. Beyond just that, I LOVED those moments when Eleanor was actually reading the cards for herself or others. I watched her grow in her skill and become more confident over time, and I think her interpretations of the cards were spot-on. Her moments of pulling a card and just groaning because it was so annoyingly accurate? Perfect. We all have those moments and it was hilariously relatable.

Eleanor’s entire journey through this book was enjoyable to watch and experience with her. I loved seeing how cynical she was in the beginning, but she was still so willing to explore new ideas and open herself to the possibility of magic. She was so accepting of her new friends’ experiences and spiritual beliefs, whether or not she could understand them, and I really liked that. I liked this book a lot, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about tarot, wants to read a sweet queer romance, or just wants a fun magical story.

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