After accidentally cursing his ex-boyfriend, a reluctant hero must complete a dangerous quest to undo his spell . . . all while falling for a brooding new crewmate with dark secrets. Kieran has never had much luck in love or magic. Other than being freed from a family curse that would have killed him and doomed his twin sister, life isn’t going his way. So, after getting put on notice by his boyfriend and accidentally writing a poem so bad (and magically hazardous) that it makes him invisible to the guy, of course Kieran returns home to find the Witches Council sitting in his living room, demanding he complete his magical training. Panicked, he blurts out that his Calling—a kind of magical thesis—will be to find a magical cure-all that can break any curse . . . an enormous task that he absolutely doesn’t have the power to pull off. Nevertheless, Kieran sets off on this dangerous journey, accompanied by his sister Briar, her girlfriend Delilah, and a swoony new crewmate, Sebastian. If he survives, he may just learn how to turn his luck around and figure out what kind of witch, person, and boyfriend he wants to be. " An absolutely enchanting quest full of endearing characters you can't help but take into your heart! Prepare to be charmed!"—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop ★ "This feel-good magical fetch-quest-style adventure will do well in libraries with diverse young fantasy readers who love a cozy tale ." — School Library Journal , starred review " A trope-packed queer romance with a satisfyingly happy ending." —Kirkus Reviews Praise for Practical Rules for Cursed Witches "Part cozy romance, part coming-of-age adventure (with airships!), Practical Rules for Cursed Witches is a whimsical delight . Highly recommended!"—Heather Fawcett, New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series " A big-hearted road trip bursting with charm, humor, and whimsical magic."—Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment "The perfect recipe of complex yet charming characters, generational curses, monsters, and a dash of magic that blend together for an enchantingly good time ."—F. T. Lukens, New York Times bestselling author of So This Is Ever After Kayla Cottingham (they/she) is a former teen librarian and New York Times bestselling author of sapphic horror and fantasy novels, including Practical Rules for Cursed Witches . Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Kayla lives in Boston, where they love to go hiking in the woods, play RPGs, and snuggle on the couch with their ridiculously large black cat, Squid. Chapter One As the first snow of the year began falling on the golden city of Gellingham, Kieran Pelumbra was hours away from unintentionally upending the entire course of his life. He, of course, wouldn’t have guessed that at the time. For him, it was like any other Friday since his move to Celdwyn’s capital city. He’d woken to the piercing ring of his alarm clock just before the sun rose, thrown on his wrinkled uniform, and shuffled off through the frigid air on his way to the Witch’s Brew Café. The morning rush had seemed endless; due to the café’s proximity to the Library of Curses, most of their clients were, predictably, witches. None of them, however, was the witch Kieran was not-so-patiently waiting for. As each new customer walked through the door, a silver bell rang overhead. Kieran couldn’t help but tear his attention away from the customer ordering to see if maybe, just maybe, a familiar face would appear. As the minutes ticked by, though, only the regulars and a few tourists stopped in. He examined the clock on the wall as the hands moved far too quickly toward nine a.m. That was the start time of said familiar face’s shift at the library, which meant that after nine hit, it was pretty much a guarantee he wasn’t stopping in. When the clock’s arms landed on twelve and nine, Kieran let out a long, strained sigh. “Is making a mocha really that much of a hassle?” the customer in front of him asked, incredulous. Kieran jumped at the sound of the voice. “What? Oh—no, I’m sorry. Just distracted. I’ll have that for you at the bar in just a moment.” As Kieran turned to the espresso machine, his coworker, a blond woman in her early twenties named Sylvia, shot him a sideways look. “Hoping Ash will come in?” she guessed. Blood rushed to Kieran’s cheeks. It had been six months since Kieran started dating Ash Bartelle, an apprentice librarian at Gellingham’s famed Library of Curses. Their relationship hadn’t started in earnest until just after Kieran’s deadly family curse broke last spring, thanks to his best friend, Delilah Bea. After a brief period of travel around the country, Kieran, along with his twin sister, Briar, and Delilah, her girlfriend, had decided to move to Gellingham. For Delilah, it had meant the opportunity to become a professional cursebreaker. For Kieran, it had mea