4.5 stars.

This was a great end to the series! I have read all of the prequels in addition to the original, Practical Magic, and this ranks up there as one of my favorites of the series. (Oddly, my other favorite is not Practical Magic, but The Rules of Magic and I only actually started the series in the first place because of the movie...which I adore.)

Going in, I wasn't sure what I was going to get. I didn't have exorbitantly high hopes since this series has been a mixed bag, but I really wanted the rest of the story and I have such love for the characters (especially Jet...she's my favorite). So, I was pleasantly surprised by the family drama that unfolded. It is a long story, but there is a lot at work and I felt that each character was given their due. The history of the family plays well into the plot and there are a lot of wrapped up feelings in the story. I still prefer movie Sally to book Sally, but there is a good exploration of each character's history that plays a part in how they individually and as a family move forward in the future. I love the characters and the family structure. Also...I love the witchcraft. It's enough to be witchy without being over-the-top and I just find myself so caught up in it.

The plot can be a little slow in places and there is a lot of background setup, but for me it was just an exploration of those things I was fond of in previous books, so I didn't get dragged down by it much. The Book of Magic was a rewarding end to the series for me and left the characters in a place where I can always be comforted in reminiscences of the whole series.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *