80) The Witch and the Dead by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

When Darcy moved to Salem, Massachusetts, she never expected her life to change as drastically as it did. But within a short time, the Enchanted Village has become her home, its mystical residents have become her family, and As You Wish, the personal concierge business formerly run by her Aunt Ve, has become her calling. Still, the time has come for change—and for Darcy to move out of Aunt Ve’s house.

Darcy’s belongings are stashed in Aunt Ve’s garage, alongside a mess of memories, forgotten possessions, and, to both Ve and Darcy’s horror, a pile of old bones. It turns out they belong to Ve’s long missing second husband. Now Darcy must unpack old secrets to solve a cold case—and make sure her aunt isn’t looking at a spell behind bars.

My Thoughts :

The seventh Wishcraft Mystery was a wonderful, compelling and satisfying a read as the previous six books in the series.  Everything I have come to know and love about the Wishcraft books was there and the story continues to make me excited and happy about the next instllaments.  Darcy and the other characters that make this series a joy to read were all out in force and it was spellbinding and magicial.  I enjoyed it all.  I love it all.

Murder and mystery once again finds its way to Salem and once more Darcy is given the task of finding out who the killer is.  This case is a little more close to home when the body is found in her Aunt Ve's garage but as things progress it is clear that the secrets surrounding this mystery are not Ve's.

Once again I was sucked into the lovely little village atmosphere, the unique magical elements and the on-going story.  I enjoyed every moment even if I did, at times, find it hard to keep track of who was who in the case.  With so many characters, a long break between books and trying not to mix this series up with Heather's other amazing Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series, It is easy to have some moments of 'huh...'

I can't wait for more.  I love everything there is about this and I am really happy that things are progressing the way they are.  I am also continuously intrigued by the on-going story and the little cliffhangers and secrets that are unveiled in each installment.  Well worth checking out even if don't like cozies and also worth checking out if you aren't a paranormal fan.  This series is just too magical not to try!

36) Gone With The Witch by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

Darcy and her dog Missy are determined to put their best foot forward at the Enchanted Village’s annual Pawsitively Enchanted pet contest. She’s happy to lend a hand when the show’s organizer hires Darcy to keep an eye on things among growing suspicions that someone is sabotaging the event. But Darcy’s quest for justice is thrown off the scent when her lead suspect is found dead at the competition.

As if a murder weren’t bad enough, someone begins snatching up prize-winning pets right from under their owners’ noses. Darcy is determined to protect the pampered participants at whatever cost. But she’ll have to work fast to sniff out the thief before she becomes the next victim of a killer determined to stop her dead in her tracks...

My Thoughts :

I have been throughly enjoying this series since it started and this sixth installment was just as good as all the previous ones.  With some very interesting twists and turns, all fans of this series will be excited about the surprises this new release in the series holds.  I have known for a while who the Elder is, and maybe you have too, but this book sees the reveal being made and there are some other interesting developments too.

Now I won't go into the plot or spoil any of the surprises.  I will just say that this one is well worth reading if you have been enjoying the series.  The character development continues and the magical aspect widens.  The story flows and the mystery is interesting.  I found that I couldn't put this book down for long and finished it in record time and it was finally one of those books that really enjoyed and couldn't be distracted from.

Anyone who likes cozy mysteries and enjoys a paranormal twist will love this series.  Start from the beginning to follow the on-going story and magic.  If you just like cozies then still give this one a try.  Heather Blake writes intriguing mysteries and the magic isn't too over the top.  Actually this Wishcrafter installment was lacking in wishes but that doesn't mean there was enough spells going on.

Can't wait for the next installment and any other cozies this author releases.  She has a lovely style and great characters.  One of my favourites.

54) Some Like It Witchy by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

The Enchanted Village is abuzz when the old Tavistock house finally goes up for sale. Darcy’s friend Curecrafter Cherise Goodwin is hoping she will have the winning bid on the home, but Darcy can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen—and her magical instincts are usually right.

Sure enough, while Darcy and Cherise are looking at the property, they discover real estate agent Raina Gallagher stone-cold dead on the floor. Clutched in her hand is a gemstone amulet and, on the wall above her, a large red A. While Raina had no shortage of enemies, there’s also a dark legend about the house itself. To track down the killer, Darcy must unlock the secrets of both the deceased and the estate—and she’ll need to act fast, because revenge is a deal that never closes.…

My Thoughts :

The fifth installment in the Wishcraft Mysteries arrived on my Kindle when it was released.  This is a pre-order series and once I had caught up with some other reading I couldn't stop myself from starting this one.  The trip back to the Enchanted Village was an easy one and I quickly found my bearings and was happy to cozy back up with the characters I have come to know and love.  In no time at all there was a murder to be solved and Darcy was on the case.

The mystery this time around was just as good as the previous ones.  It kept me guessing till the end and there was some really nice twists and turns along the way.  Following Darcy as she investigated the people and the history of events involved in this mystery was not only compelling but enjoyable.  It made for great reading and the story was wonderfully weaved from start to finish.

Darcy's on-going story is the one of reasons I knocked off half a star and didn't give this book full points.  I just can't believe that Darcy hasn't put certain things together by now.  There are little bits and pieces that I can see coming and have seen since the first book but Darcy isn't solving those mysteries as quickly or investing enough time into it.  She does get some surprises this time around but I really feel she should know all the answers by now.

The other reason this one didn't get 5 stars was the ending.  Suddenly the mystery was solved and even though we get a couple of chapters explaining everything I still felt the critical moment was all a bit abrupt and over too quickly.  The clues were fast and furious towards the end and it would have been nice to have more time to process them and put things together.  However it was more of a boom and we get to see the aftermath.

Despite those two little items this book was a pleasure and joy to read.  The concept alone makes this series worth reading. If you love cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist then you really need to look to the best and Heather Blake is certainly one of them.  I can't wait to see what happens next and hope Darcy finds more answers to her questions.

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52) The Goodbye Witch by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

As Enchanted Village’s resident Wishcrafter, Darcy Merriweather has the power to make other people’s wishes come true, but what she really wishes is that she had the power to uncloak the invisible man who’s stalking her best friend....

Darcy’s closest friend and fellow witch, Starla Sullivan, hoped she’d never see her ex-husband, Kyle, again. Two years ago he tried to kill her, and he has been a fugitive ever since. Now Starla claims to have seen him back in Enchanted Village, but it seems she’s the only one who can see him. To everyone else, her ex is invisible.

Darcy only wishes his motives were as transparent as the rest of him. Since the police can’t arrest someone they can’t see, it’s up to Darcy to find the secret behind Kyle’s latest disappearing act—before he does something they can’t see coming….

My Thoughts :

This fourth book in the Wishcrafter Mystery series was on pre-order and as soon as it arrived on my Kindle I was ready to read it.  However the week had other things in story for me and I had a severe lack of time to read and even less energy and concentration for such a great read.  So I finally gave up tryinv to read and waited till today and and read it one gulp and it was great.

Anyone who likes cozy mysteries or the paranormal fantasy will love this series.  If you are a lover of both then you are in for an amazing treat.  However be warned!  This is series best read in order.  There are parts of the story that won't make sense or will just seem silly if you haven't read the previous three books.  It is worth starting at the beginning and really getting to know the wonder characters, location and magic that combines to make such an amazing series.

Cozy but full of magical goodness and mystery, this fourth installment, like the previous ones, are special and unforgettable reads.   I have fallen in the love with the town and if wishes could really be granted I would love to go be a part of it.  This time around we find out more about Starla's past and more secrets are revealed.

As this series progresses the more I love it.  The concept is original and interesting while the mysteries keep you guessing till the end.  I can't wait to see how life in Enchanted Village continues and what will happen next.  Yes the mysteries are different in each book but the ongoing plot is very addictive and makes for great reading.

So if you haven't already tried this series then you really need to.  The cover makes it look a little fluffy and cute but it isn't as bad as the cover suggests.  It is serious, witchy and very good.

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56) The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

When magical florist Harriette Harkette decides to throw a lavish eightieth birthday party for herself, she hires Darcy’s Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service, As You Wish, to plan the soiree. But turning eighty isn’t all Harriette is celebrating—the Floracrafter has recently created the midnight black Witching Hour rose, the first all-natural rose of that color.

Darcy works hard on planning an extravagant celebration that will make Harriette feel like the belle of the ball. But when cake delivery boy Michael Healey—a former employee at Harriette’s greenhouse—is found dead, the celebration takes a turn. Now Michael’s ghost has imprinted on Darcy, meaning that they’re bonded until she can untangle the thicket surrounding his murder—and what exactly it has to do with the Witching Hour rose….

My Thoughts :

Well my reading slump was knocked out by this new installment in the Wishcraft Mysteries!  This was exactly what I needed to get my reading addiction going again!  Lots of witchiness and a murder mystery were all wrapped up in this third part in the series.  I already found the concept and characters unique and wonderful but this book just made me feel even better about the series and the author.

Now I know the town and characters well it was easy to slip back into this distinctive and original world that the author has created.  Some of the 'Crafts' are already known to me through the previous two books in the series but there are obviously quite a few more to come.  This book sees some new ones introduced and a very interesting case being solved by Darcy.

I like a nice cozy mystery now and again but this one is very special.  With the paranormal elements and the unusual concept of the story I have really fallen in love with this one.  The style isn't too cute and the characters are worth getting to know.  If I could, despite the murders, move to this town and be a part of it, I would.  It feels lovely and warm to read about and I am sure it would be even better if it was real.

This series will continue to be on my must read and pre-order lists and I can't wait for book #4.  Hopefully the wait won't be too long because there are some seriously cool story arcs going on behind the scenes and the author is letting pieces fall in place here and there.  I know there is a lot more for Darcy to discover about her new life, friends and family and I will be right there with her when she stumbles upon all the answers and secrets.




    


 

120) A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

Darcy Merriweather is Salem, Massachusetts’ newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. While Darcy isn’t able to grant wishes for herself, she does possess a certain knack for solving problems—including the occasional murder…

When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her missing mother’s disorderly home, the Wishcrafter is certainly up for the task. After all, the motto of her Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service As You Wish is “No Job Impossible.” But beneath the piles of old newspapers and knickknacks Darcy discovers something much more disturbing—Patrice Keaton’s body.

Darcy’s determined to give Elodie peace of mind by investigating her mother’s disappearance and death. Patrice was last seen over a year ago after a fight with her Charmcrafter boyfriend. Was her murder a crime of passion? Or were Patrice’s troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet? Now Darcy has to not only find a killer, she has to find the Anicula— before the power of ultimate wish fulfillment falls into the wrong hands.

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the debut in the Wishcrafter Mystery Series and I immediately pre-ordered this second part. It Takes a Witch really surprised me and I loved the cozy paranormal mix and couldn't wait to see where the author would take Darcy and the fun and crazy characters of Salem.

Even though this is only the second book in the series I felt like I had visited this series many times before. The author has managed to make the place feel like home. Starting the book was like going to visit a few friends and some family. It was familiar and welcoming. I like the people, the place and adore the magical concept.

The mystery aspect of the book kept me guessing all the way through. I, like Darcy, was stumped till the last moment. Of course I figured things out as she did but I really didn't have a clue until the author gave Darcy and me enough clues to solve everything. This for me is a perfect mystery. I hate figuring things out and hating the characters for not getting it. Heather Brewer really does have a gift for creating a great mystery.

What the author also has a talent for is setting up a very sweet and special place and filling it with amazing characters. There is the right mix of magic and mystery too. I can't wait to see what comes in book three. So much happened in book one and two but it wasn't overwhelming. It was natural.

A definite must read if you like reading books by Juliet Blackwell, Victoria Laurie or Madelyn Alt. The third book is already on my pre-order wishlist and I am pretty sure that I will be reading as soon as it comes out in Spring. Try this one and let yourself be magically surprised!

79) It Takes A Witch by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...

My Thoughts :

Ok I will admit that the cover was the first thing that got my attention. I am a sucker for a cute cover and the title has the word 'witch' in it so I was instantly sold. This was one of those books I desperately just wanted to buy but my budget and own book buying restrictions were against me. So when I finally got a copy I couldn't wait to try it.

I love a nice cozy mystery and I am always on the look out for ones that mix some more paranormal elements into the story. 'It Takes A Witch' had everything I expected and just that little bit more. Cute but serious when needed this debut in the Wishcrafter Mysteries was just to die for.

A new concept in the theme of witches and a lovely setting. Great characters and a wonderful writing style made this book a fabulous read. Sure there are the little 'first book in a series' bits of having to introduce everyone and everything but the author made the whole idea so interesting that the explanations and world building was a nice stroll in between the exciting plot.

A magical experience awaits the reader of this new series. I was thoroughly impressed and couldn't put it down. Great new twists on the witch aspect and a lovely bunch of fun characters to accompany you. I really can't wait to see what happens next and well...after posting this review I am off to pre-order the sequel that comes out in Summer.