Do you believe in magic? Do you believe in the magic of words, of books, of libraries? Jennifer Moorman’s The Charmed Library reminds me of the magic in Sarah Addison Allen’s books. The magic in words reminds me of a juvenile book I read years ago, A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. I recommend the books by Allen and Lloyd if you believe. I do.

Stella Parker may have released an unexpected magic when she burned her journal in the library’s furnace. She could always see words, but she’s never burned a book before. She’s trying to burn the memory of Wade, the man who left her.Stella does have a best friend, Ariel, in her hometown of Blue Sky Valley, North Carolina. And, she loves her job assisting the head librarian, Arnie. Other than that, she’s just going through the steps of her life ever since she moved home four years ago to take care of her father. Now, with Wade gone, her words are broken. She burns the “journal full of love, despair, and loneliness.”

When she returns to the library one night to retrieve her forgotten purse, Stella hears voices from the archives. She’s curious when she opens the door, but when a boy jumps out at her, she falls and hits her head. Arnie convinces her she slipped in his spilled tea, but she is suspicious. After she stays overnight in the library when her air conditioning is out, and two young boys pull a prank on her, she confronts Arnie. He admits he’s able to bring characters from books to life, but they have to stay in the library, and they can only stay for two weeks, the time a book is checked out. She still doesn’t believe until she’s forced to take over the library when Arnie ends up in the hospital. But, she’s reckless with her choices, and Captain Hook isn’t at all what she expects. It’s Jack Mathis who steps up to help; Jack Mathis, the fictional hero that Stella has had a crush on for years.

Now, Stella has her hands full. Hook is loose in the library, threatening women. Stella’s words are overwhelming her, causing pain until she writes them down. With Arnie out of commission, she has to take over the local festival. And, Jack is even more enchanting in person than he was on the pages of his book. But, he only has three more days of his allotted two weeks. Stella’s life i no longer normal. “Normal equated to boring, safe and practical.”

If you can fall into a book, and believe in it while you read it, you’re ready for The Charmed Library. Stella realizes she was chained to the past, still living in her parents’ house, waiting for her runaway mother to return after twenty-some years. But, characters loose in the library? That will change anyone’s life. Especially when one of them is a long-time crush such as Jack Mathis.

The Charmed Library is a charming story of a woman’s growth, changes, and the magic of words and books. Favorite book characters come to life. It’s fun to see them, along with lovable characters such as Stella, Jack, Ariel, and Arnie. Moorman’s characters are so likable. She excels at the words and characters. It’s all magic. I believe.

Jennifer Moorman’s website is https://www.jennifermoorman.com/

The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman. Harper Muse, 2026. 352p.

FTC Full Disclosure –  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.