Melissa Erin JacksonBesprekingen

I didn't get to read any Halloweeny books this year, mostly because the little Gremlin J takes priority over reading, but I was able to read one. I really love witchy cozy mysteries! and I am so glad I got to read this one. It has everything I wanted, a witch who actually uses magic and makes potions, a murder mystery, and small town vibes. Amber was great, not overpowered and too confident in her powers where she over uses them, but not some shy kitty cat who has trouble sticking up for herself (some authors try to play this off as being polite but come on).

Of course, it was pretty obvious from the get go who the murderer was, even if they try to misdirect you from it. Although, the way it went about was something I did not guess which caught me a little off guard but that just made me like the book even more. It also left off on a little cliffhanger which does make me excited to read the next book, which I will be doing.

One thing I did notice was that there was a bit of an absence of romance. It looks like they are trying to set something up for Amber, a little sprinkling of romance but nothing that would get in the way. I do like romances in cozy mysteries but of course the mystery should come first, so I like that they set it up but didn't make it take center stage. I guess I should get ready for a slow burn if there is to be one (if there isn't that's completely fine with me!)

Overall, a fun book that I very much enjoyed and a series I will definitely continue.

It wasn't horrible by any means. It mostly just was unoriginal. Most of the building blocks are derived from popular urban fantasy tropes.
The one thing I have to praise is that even though the MC is black, the book doesn't feel the need to go on a crusade against racist rich white men like 99% of books with a black protagonist do.
Nowadays it's almost like you only write a back protagonist specifically to address racism, and black people don't serve any other purpose in fiction anymore. But most authors don't seem to realize that this is fundamentally just as racist as the racism they try to call out. Especically in an alternative world there really is no need for any of that.
Just for that I kind of want to give the book an extra star but giving a star for not doing something stupid feels wrong.

Back to talking smack. The book is full of reminders and flashbacks of events that sometimes happened literally in the paragraph above. It feels like watching one of those Crime TV series that are designed so that you can tune in at any time into any episode and follow along with the plot because every important detail gets reiterated every time it is brought up. It just feels patronizing to me and causes me to be instantly bored. If the book doesn't expect me to pay attention and spoon-feeds me every detail, I don't really feel like paying attention.
And I enjoy and even prefer easy reads where you don't have to follow multiple POVs, multiple time-lines, or a huge mountain of info-dumped world-building details. But this was way too much even for me.

The world-building, while not being particularly unique, was pretty well-done at least within the scope of this book. I got the impression of a complex and alive city without much clumsy info-dumping or useless and ill-fitting tangents. But then, the pacing is really slow anyway so the book has more than enough time to organically introduce the reader to the world.

I very much appreciate that the book took its time and you can really tell how much better and more natural the world-building can be if a book just takes a bit of time to establish the world. Sadly readers nowadays are way too impatient and therefore authors cut down on this kind of deliberate worldbuilding by employing established tropes a lot.

But for a book with over 400 pages prequel, the plot would easily fit in your typical 270-page UF.
It's very straightforward and at no point was I surprised by anything at all. The little plot there is couldn't be more predictable. There is not even an attempt at a twist as far as I can tell.

While this book fits into NA in terms of tone, the characters behave much more like in a YA novel. The kind of naive take of the book on the world in terms of government and society feels very much like YA too.
I want to give a few examples of this but they all require some spoilers.
The first one is very minor and never really becomes relevant.
First off is the whole government tracking thing. If the government has surveillance on every major teleport pad then why the hell would you go through the trouble of using a fake identity? They can just correlate your face with the use of the identity and the entire history of your identity is instantly deanonymized. You would need a new identity every 1-2 teleports for this to work at all.
There are lots of plotholes like this one where there just didn't go enough brain power into reasoning about these things.

The second example is a pretty major spoiler. You have been warned.
At some point the MC is part of the rescue of a bunch of young women (late teens, early twenties). These women have worked as bartenders. They have been trapped, drugged, and abused for many months up to this point. And most of them want to join the organization that freed them to fight evil.
At its core, the vibe here is this naive idea of the oppressed rising up to overthrow the evil overlord led by the MC and fight for a better future together bla bla bla.
This clashes badly with the grittier and darker atmosphere the book tries to instill and pretty much perfectly exemplifies what I mean by a naive YA take on the world and the characters. It's not that it was written for a YA audience, but that it comes across like it was written by a naive young adult. Maybe the first is the reason for the second I guess.

There is quite a bit of plot-driven stupidity too but it's generally only used to add spice to interpersonal drama and not to justify major plot beats so while it annoyed me, it wasn't really a big deal.

Maybe I am just desperately projecting my need for gritter (urban) fantasy and am just disappointed by yet another YA audience UF. It doesn't have to be an Abercrombie but just a bit grittier than the typical YA soup.

Out of character stupidity for the sake of the plot is the main problem in this one.
These stupid decisions usually work out perfectly against all odds because the author made it so tho.
So you can take comfort in that I guess.
Beyond that, this story just feels a bit unoriginal. I have just read too many samey cozy mysteries I guess.
The magic and its parameters are very poorly defined and seems way too powerful which leads to lots of "why couldn't you have used this spell this other way". I am almost certain this will only get worse with the sequels and I expect lots of "why don't you use this spell you used in a previous book in this situation. It fits the task perfectly and could save the day".

I guess if you don't care to continue the series, only want a light cozy mystery read and are not supersaturated by the genre you might enjoy this a lot more than I did.

A town that was build around loving cats? Sign me up! This book was purrfectly murderous. See what I did there? lol

Cat jokes aside, this was a fun read, had an unexpected arc for the conclusion to the case. I loved how Amber handled dealing with magic in the modern world. The nosy small town was great, and the towns folk were eccentric. Exactly what I would expect from a cat town not wanting to be modernized.

The epilogue is the real reason for my drop in star ranking. The final "cliff hanger" was laughably lame, after all the character development between characters, we get slapped with that kind of an ending? I about rolled my eyes. The well developed world, and plot was plenty to keep readers wanting to read book 2.

I received this book via Review Club - Reading Deals.

Meh

Book one, Diabolical Sword, felt like both introduction and teaser of the world where magic exists. Not only does magic itself thrive in a city, but there are supernatural forces - and beings - that have and use it. I fell in love with the series within the first few chapters of the first book, so when I had the opportunity to read this, the second of the Charm Collector series, I jumped on it. And I'm so glad that I did! Wicked Treasure is the continuation of Harlow's story with the added mix of her best friend, Kayda's, point of view. Harlow, her sword, and the illusive Caspian are on the run, attempting to solve the mystery of the origins of the sentient sword...one thing leads to another, and our heroine finds herself in yet another precarious situation.
Meanwhile, Kayda's left in Luma to handle the fallout- and something she never expected to have to deal with. The concept behind the draken is so intriguing to me, so I'm thrilled that the author decided to expand on them just a bit in this book. Kayda struck me as a fierce-warrior in book one, but we get to see a little more complexity from her in the sequel. The characters, even the side characters, in these books feel so alive and well-written that the entire story practically weaves itself into your imagination. Now I'm trying to be patient and wait for the next book, but I have a feeling - just like with this one - that the third book will be worth the wait!

I didn't get to read any Halloweeny books this year, mostly because the little Gremlin J takes priority over reading, but I was able to read one. I really love witchy cozy mysteries! and I am so glad I got to read this one. It has everything I wanted, a witch who actually uses magic and makes potions, a murder mystery, and small town vibes. Amber was great, not overpowered and too confident in her powers where she over uses them, but not some shy kitty cat who has trouble sticking up for herself (some authors try to play this off as being polite but come on).

Of course, it was pretty obvious from the get go who the murderer was, even if they try to misdirect you from it. Although, the way it went about was something I did not guess which caught me a little off guard but that just made me like the book even more. It also left off on a little cliffhanger which does make me excited to read the next book, which I will be doing.

One thing I did notice was that there was a bit of an absence of romance. It looks like they are trying to set something up for Amber, a little sprinkling of romance but nothing that would get in the way. I do like romances in cozy mysteries but of course the mystery should come first, so I like that they set it up but didn't make it take center stage. I guess I should get ready for a slow burn if there is to be one (if there isn't that's completely fine with me!)

Overall, a fun book that I very much enjoyed and a series I will definitely continue.

If you’re looking for a new take on supernatural creatures with plenty of mystery and adventure, you’ve found the right story! Harlow Fletcher may be a human, but her parentage of bounty hunters has made her wise to the world of the fae – magical creatures. Living in the city of Luma, there’s plenty of fae and magical mischief to go around – especially for someone more commonly on the wrong side of law like Harlow. With her specialized know-how of magical artifacts and a certain set of skills, she’s made a life for herself in Luma as a charm collector. Of course…she never expected to find something so incredible as a sentient sword – or for the thing to cause such a mess… One thing leads to another, and now Harlow’s mixed up in more than just thievery. This fast-paced book will have you on the edge of your seat – make sure you’re buckled up for the twists and turns!

Pawsitively Betrayed
(Witch of Edgehill #5)
by Melissa Erin Jackson
Great conclusion! At least I think it was the end! Things ended great and all tidied up nicely! Great series! Loved every book! Well thought out!

Pawsitively Swindled
(Witch of Edgehill #4)
by Melissa Erin Jackson
His continues where book 3 leaves off. More thrills and excitement await! I love this series! This is a must read for those who love paranormal mysteries.

A Witch of Edgehill Mystery Box Set
by Melissa Erin Jackson
This series is so good! It is a supernatural mystery set and I would say above the typical cozy mystery. There is a lot more depth in the characters, world building, and the mysteries themselves.
Each novel is excellent! I was totally wrapped up in the story! I love this odd town and the quirky community. The back story is revealed slowly. The whole thing is so cool! This set has books 1-3! I loved every one!

Shuttered Secrets
(Riley Thomas #2)
by Melissa Erin Jackson

Our psychic is back in another great story! Her friend is getting married and she buys some old cameras. In one of the cameras is old film. Once developed, it leads back to a string of murdered and missing girls. One being the ghost that came with the camera! Great mystery and suspense as the murderer goes to get his camera out of storage and finds it was sold for non payment. He is not above killing another one.

The Forgotten Child
(Riley Thomas #1)
by Melissa Erin Jackson

This is a great ghost book, psychic powers, and a thriller. A reluctant gal goes with friends to a haunted house where a serial killer had been caught years prior. The killer died in prison. The house is now booked A year in advance for ghost hunters. Our gal of the story really can see and hear ghosts but is fearful. She hasn't told anyone since A terrible incident when she was 13.
But things start up again when she gets there. She sees a child not associated with the case. He wants her help. He follows her home. This is only the start. It is spooky and quite the thriller!

Warning, this has sexual assault in it.

The Here and Meow Festival finally arrives in Pawsitively Betrayed, the fifth and final book in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. Along with it also comes the Penhallow family's plan to regain their magic no matter what the cost is to the witch and non-witch communities. It's a lot for one witch alone to manage.

I said it before in my review the previous installment and I'll say it again: the Witch of Edgehill is so much more than your typical cozy mystery series. Emotional, suspenseful, heartwarming, laugh out loud humor - this ending was everything I could ask for and more. Amber is in over her head and I was genuinely worried for the characters being able to both survive and solve the mystery in time. It's a good thing Amber has friends and family she can rely on. I've grown attached to these characters and I'm sad I have to say goodbye for now.

This was an exciting and satisfying ending to the series. It's one I could see myself rereading in the future.½

A lot of story threads are coming together in Pawsitively Swindled, the fourth book in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. Amber's story has become so much more than your typical cozy mystery. Sure there's a mystery to solve - an innocent man has been set up to take the blame for a murder in the neighboring town of Marbleglen - but the bigger story here is around how Amber learns more about using her magic and her family's heritage, the growing friendships and trust with her new inner circle and a full realization of the threat the Penhallows actually represent to the entire magical community. There's a lot going on in such a short book!

I found the witchy side of the story more intriguing than the mystery this time. Especially fun was the game of magical cache and how it was worked in to the overall plot. I wonder if the author enjoys geocaching. It's nice that we get resolution to the bombshell at the end of book 3 and that things seem like they're going in the right direction. Assuming that the fifth book is the final in the series I'm looking forward to seeing how Amber deals with the Penhallows once and for all.

In an attempt to distract herself from stressing over events from two months ago, Amber has immersed herself in planning for the upcoming Here and Meow Festival. Amber's search for inner peace doesn't last long. Chloe Deidrick, daughter of the mayor and fellow committee member, has gone missing. It becomes a race against the clock to find out what happened to Chloe.

Pawsitively Secretive is the third in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. For a cozy mystery I am impressed with the amount of character building in this installment. Many of the side characters are gaining more depth. I wish I had a friend like Kim. It's good that Amber finally has a friend she can trust! The mystery is well plotted and not predictable which made it more enjoyable. The reunion scene at the end was so well done it made me a little misty eyed.

Even with the mystery solved the author managed to end the story on a personal bombshell for Amber. What is it with me choosing books with these kind of endings lately?

Amber Blackwood loves running her shop, Quirky Whisker, in Edgehill, OR. She sells an eclectic mix of things -- healing teas, herbal remedies, even toys -- each with a bit of a magical touch. Nobody in town realizes she's a witch....and Amber wants to keep it that way. One of her friends has been ill for quite awhile and never seems to get better. Melanie drops into the shop for a vial of headache remedy....and is later found dead clutching the empty vial. Amber finds herself drawn into a murder investigation. She knows it wasn't her herbal remedy that killed her friend.....so what did? And why?

Pawsitively Poisonous is the first book in the new Witch of Edgehill series. I loved the quirky characters and the concept of a shop that sells magical toys and remedies. The mystery is cozy (no graphic descriptions of blood, sex, etc...no cursing, etc) with a light supernatural touch. I would love to own one of Amber's magical animated toys! :) The mystery developed at a nice pace, creating suspense with plenty of suspects and twists. The magical/supernatural elements didn't overpower the mystery plot, but just added depth to the characters.

I will definitely read more of this series. It was an enjoyable, light, entertaining read. I liked the mix of humor, magic and mystery.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Ringtail Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Amber has always known there was more to her parents' deaths than a random accident. When her Aunt Gretchen shows up unexpectedly with a story about how a member of a cursed witch clan is heading to Edgehill specifically seeking Amber, Amber begins to suspect that this is no coincidence and Aunt Gretchen knows a lot more than she's claimed in the past.

Pawsitively Poisonous is the second in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. I am quite enjoying these paranormal mysteries! It was great meeting more of Amber's family and seeing the differences in their magic. Even though there is a murder this book is much more about the various witch clans and their flavors of magic than the actual murder itself. The story was a lot of fun though I did feel bad for Amber at the end and the fact that events have reaffirmed she can never have a normal life. Here's hoping we continue to see more of her family in the future so Amber isn't so isolated.

I've recently become a fan of cosy mysteries, and this one adds such a wonderful, magical twist!

Amber is a witch and lives in a small town. Of course, no one is aware of what she is or can do. She uses her magic to create moving toys, which kids adore. And she sells herbal mixtures to help with all sorts of things...some infused with her magic spells. When her best friend is murdered, one of Amber's empty bottles of mixtures is found her the woman's dead fingers. The race is on as Amber tries to clear her name, find the murderer, deal with town gossips, and handle the hotheads all vying for the now open space on the town's comity for organizing a yearly...and well visited...marathon.

I wasn't really sure what I was getting into when I started this book, but enjoyed reading in more than I ever suspected I would. Amber is a young. self-assured woman, who enjoys running her little shop in the small town. Some like her. Some don't. In other words, typical, close-knit, small town life. She doesn't let people push her around, but she also doesn't go over board when asserting herself. Her decisions are level-headed and maybe somewhat on the shy side.

The author does a good job at weaving clues and personalities into a hard-to-guess mystery. It's not clear until the last chapters, who the killer is. Every page offers something new, holding the reader in the pages.

The back and forth with the police chief adds a nice amount of tension and mystery to where that relationship might go, especially in the future. Then, there's the journalist, a couple from the bakery...and Amber's cats. It's a great mixture with the promise of many more fun mysteries to come.

Amber Blackwood, long time resident of the feline obsessed town Edgehill, Oregon and proprietor of the toy and herb shop the Quirky Whisker, has a secret. Her toys enchant the town's children with their movements and her herbal remedies work better than anything you can find at the pharmacy, almost as if by magic. Edgehills' Chief of Police has always seemed suspicious of Amber so when Amber's best friend Melanie turns up dead and a headache tonic from the Quirky Whisker found at the crime scene, Amber is his prime suspect.

Pawsitively Poisonous is the first in Melissa Erin Jackson's Witch of Edgehill cozy mystery series. I wish I could visit Edgehill! Living with four cats and being a tad cat obsessed myself, it would be great fun to visit a town that is cat themed.

The murder mystery is fairly straight forward, though Amber has a lot of work to do to solve the crime. She's not the only one in town with some secrets! It's lucky she has magic to help her out and Amber finds herself taking risks of exposing herself as a witch as she works to solve her friend's murder. Amber is likable and I found her sympathetic with how she's become relatively isolated due to trying to keep her witchy powers a secret. I hope she's able to have more friends in the future. The few side characters we are introduced to are also well done for such a short book.

This was the purrrfect weekend read. Short, fun, with a good mystery and likeable characters. I am looking forward to future installments and solving more mysteries with Amber.

I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway.

During a frightening incident as a young teen, Riley Thomas discovered that she has powers as a medium. Since then, she has been shying away from any situation in which she would, once again, be exposed to spirits. Unfortunately, her enthusiastic friend, who loves ghost stories, has insisted that she and several other friends, visit the Jordanville Ranch, the site where Orin Jacobs murdered many young women. Riley really dreads going, but she feels compelled to. Once she is at the feared ranch, she is confronted by a small boy, whom she does not realize, at first, is a spirit. Riley must help him, no matter the cost to her sanity.

This book is perfect for those who love a ghost story. The plot has a authentic, down-to-earth feel to it, and the characters help to carry the story effectively. Riley, our medium, becomes a real person with real fears and real faults. She does not want this frightening gift that she finds that she has. However, her compassionate heart tells her she must use the gift to help those in distress. I enjoyed this Halloween ride!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Forgotten Child by Melissa Erin Jackson
A Riley Thomas Mystery #1

Excellent debut novel that was a joy to read! This book was a delight from beginning to end with just enough creepiness and horror without being over the top. With a reluctant medium hiding from her talent and ghosts that want to and do contact her she begins to realize that she might have a gift that will help rather than harm. With one small boy ghost to find peace for, a malevolent serial killer ghost on the prowl, good friends to support her, a creepy stalker, a victim of the serial killer – one that got away and a romance that was normal and healthy and fun to watch develop…well…I have to say this is an author and series I am really looking forward to reading more of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ringtail Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars