Author: Auralee Wallace
Published: October 19, 2021 by Berkley
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336 Pages
Genre: Paranormal
Series: Evenfall Witches B&B #1
First Sentence: "I'm going to kill her."
Blurb: For four hundred years, the Warren witches have used their magic to quietly help the citizens of the sleepy New England town of Evenfall thrive. There's never been a problem they couldn't handle. But then Constance Graves--a local known for being argumentative and demanding--dies while staying at the bed and breakfast Brynn Warren maintains with her aunts. At first, it seems like an accident...but it soon becomes clear that there's something more sinister at work, and Aunt Nora is shaping up to be the prime suspect.
There's nothing Brynn wants more than to prove Nora's innocence, and it hurts her to know that even two years ago that might have been easier. Brynn, after all, is a witch of the dead--a witch who can commune with ghosts. Ghosts never remember much about their deaths, but Constance might remember something about her life that would help crack the case. But Brynn hasn't used her powers since her husband died, and isn't even sure she still can. Brynn will just have to hope that her aunts' magic and her own investigative skills will lead her to answers--and maybe back to the gift she once thought herself ready to give up forever.
My Opinion: The reader is introduced to a complex web of characters, relationships, and locations that can be difficult to untangle. The Warren sisters, Nora and Izzy, along with their niece Brynn, run a bed and breakfast in the quaint New England town of Evenfall and use their magic to subtly aid the townsfolk.
The story centers around Brynn, who has lost her ability to communicate with the dead following the sudden death of her husband and her determination to never use magic again; Aunt Izzy, a kitchen witch who equates spells with recipes; Nora, a garden witch; along with Uncle Gideon, who lives in the attic and can see the past and future, add to the eclectic mix of personalities and magical talents.
The plot kicks into gear when Constance, a guest at the B&B, is murdered. Brynn's internal battle to suppress her magic adds depth to her character since it tries to break through her walls. Without the use of her powers, her inability to connect with the dead complicates the investigation. The appearance of toads, a harbinger of trouble, hints at deep-seated family discord possibly linked to the murder. Izzy's denial of her magical abilities forces her to rely on traditional investigation methods to clear her aunt's name. This effort is short-lived, however, as she eventually embraces her magic to heal herself and others.
What began with promise—a mix of mystery and magic—soon devolves into a sluggish midsection with an ending that felt rushed and unsatisfying. The multitudes of characters and complex relationships initially engage but ultimately contribute to the sense of a story that loses steam and direction. Despite these shortcomings, the book's exploration of healing and personal growth offers some redeeming qualities, but not enough to fully deliver its initial promise.
Blurb: For four hundred years, the Warren witches have used their magic to quietly help the citizens of the sleepy New England town of Evenfall thrive. There's never been a problem they couldn't handle. But then Constance Graves--a local known for being argumentative and demanding--dies while staying at the bed and breakfast Brynn Warren maintains with her aunts. At first, it seems like an accident...but it soon becomes clear that there's something more sinister at work, and Aunt Nora is shaping up to be the prime suspect.
There's nothing Brynn wants more than to prove Nora's innocence, and it hurts her to know that even two years ago that might have been easier. Brynn, after all, is a witch of the dead--a witch who can commune with ghosts. Ghosts never remember much about their deaths, but Constance might remember something about her life that would help crack the case. But Brynn hasn't used her powers since her husband died, and isn't even sure she still can. Brynn will just have to hope that her aunts' magic and her own investigative skills will lead her to answers--and maybe back to the gift she once thought herself ready to give up forever.
My Opinion: The reader is introduced to a complex web of characters, relationships, and locations that can be difficult to untangle. The Warren sisters, Nora and Izzy, along with their niece Brynn, run a bed and breakfast in the quaint New England town of Evenfall and use their magic to subtly aid the townsfolk.
The story centers around Brynn, who has lost her ability to communicate with the dead following the sudden death of her husband and her determination to never use magic again; Aunt Izzy, a kitchen witch who equates spells with recipes; Nora, a garden witch; along with Uncle Gideon, who lives in the attic and can see the past and future, add to the eclectic mix of personalities and magical talents.
The plot kicks into gear when Constance, a guest at the B&B, is murdered. Brynn's internal battle to suppress her magic adds depth to her character since it tries to break through her walls. Without the use of her powers, her inability to connect with the dead complicates the investigation. The appearance of toads, a harbinger of trouble, hints at deep-seated family discord possibly linked to the murder. Izzy's denial of her magical abilities forces her to rely on traditional investigation methods to clear her aunt's name. This effort is short-lived, however, as she eventually embraces her magic to heal herself and others.
What began with promise—a mix of mystery and magic—soon devolves into a sluggish midsection with an ending that felt rushed and unsatisfying. The multitudes of characters and complex relationships initially engage but ultimately contribute to the sense of a story that loses steam and direction. Despite these shortcomings, the book's exploration of healing and personal growth offers some redeeming qualities, but not enough to fully deliver its initial promise.
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