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Halloween LaVeau #1
Forever Charmed
Halloween Laveau is descended from a long line of witches. Yes, her name is Halloween. The cosmic universe is definitely playing some kind of sick joke on her. She’s the ultimate witch cliché, complete with a black cat and spooky house. Thank heavens she’s missing the warts and flying broom.
When Halloween inherits her great-aunt’s manor, she decides to put the house to good use as a bed-and-breakfast. Her first guest is the sinfully good-looking Nicolas Marco, but he’s not here for the continental breakfast. Halloween discovers a ratty old book in the attic. It’s written in an unfamiliar language, and unknown to her, the tome is cursed.
Halloween soon learns there’s a link between the book and her newfound talent as a necromancer. But her new skills come with a catch: the reanimated dead aren’t as cupcake-sweet as they were when they were alive. When a rival witch comes after the book, Halloween doesn’t know who to trust–the sexy vampire who says he wants to save the day, or the warlock who says he can destroy the book once and for all.
Halloween had better learn fast. Because when the dead start rising, only a powerful witch can put them back under.
When Halloween inherits her great-aunt’s manor, she decides to put the house to good use as a bed-and-breakfast. Her first guest is the sinfully good-looking Nicolas Marco, but he’s not here for the continental breakfast. Halloween discovers a ratty old book in the attic. It’s written in an unfamiliar language, and unknown to her, the tome is cursed.
Halloween soon learns there’s a link between the book and her newfound talent as a necromancer. But her new skills come with a catch: the reanimated dead aren’t as cupcake-sweet as they were when they were alive. When a rival witch comes after the book, Halloween doesn’t know who to trust–the sexy vampire who says he wants to save the day, or the warlock who says he can destroy the book once and for all.
Halloween had better learn fast. Because when the dead start rising, only a powerful witch can put them back under.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2013
1618 people are currently reading
3141 people want to read
About the author
Rose Pressey Betancourt
73 books1,383 followersRose Pressey Betancourt is a USA Today Bestselling author. She enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. The paranormal has always captured her interest. The thought of finding answers to the unexplained fascinates her.
When she's not writing quirky and fun mysteries, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties.
Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky.
When she's not writing quirky and fun mysteries, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties.
Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
July 11, 2013
GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY!!! I absolutely hate giving bad reviews on a book. I just wonder what all this author's other books r like. The fact that this book got an overall rating of 4.5 stars, makes me think somethins wrong w/ me. What is it about Namby-Pamby, female characters that ppl just love?! I've never been a quitter but half way through this book, I wanted to & was like: "MAKE IT STOP"! I'm sure u've read the book review so I'm not gonna retell it. I am gonna tell u that the best part of this book, for me, was 20 pages from the end. Those last 20 pages make me want to get the 2nd book. Maybe our heroine Halloween, (Hallie) actually get's a backbone. That's y I sorta want to get the next book. If Hallie has a backbone, there would b no end to her badassery. The potential for her badassery is HUGE, or she could b Namby-Pamby again & I'd waste my money & my time.
Next thing I didn't like about this book, it was HIGHLY repetitive. U know...it was HIGHLY repetitive. Did u see where I said it was HIGHLY repetitive? Yep, just like that. THE GUYS R HOT, WE GET IT! THEIR TEETH R REALLY WHITE, WE GET IT!! I mean, really? Will u quit tellin me about their thousand watt smile & tell me y they don't like each other! And y does Hallie believe that they don't know each other?! Our bubble headed heroine should've shut that mess down from jump. Havin our main character believe that they didn't know each other, (& WELL for that matter) for as long as she did, was maddening & insulting to the reader. The author should've took the time she spent bein repetitive & instead, have Hallie at least know a lil somethin about magic, even if she wasn't good at it. There was SO MUCH wrong w/ this book, I don't think I have the fortitude to rehash it all. YES, I SAID IT! Fortitude, cuz much of this book was painful. I had no idea I was a masochist, till I got half way thru this book & kept readin.
The storyline DID NOT SUCK! The storyline was really good but terribly executed. U know what? I can't even... I'm done. What lil rehashin I have done & thinkin back on the book, is makin me tired & irritable. That's how much there was wrong w/ this book. I can't spend another moment thinkin about this.
Next thing I didn't like about this book, it was HIGHLY repetitive. U know...it was HIGHLY repetitive. Did u see where I said it was HIGHLY repetitive? Yep, just like that. THE GUYS R HOT, WE GET IT! THEIR TEETH R REALLY WHITE, WE GET IT!! I mean, really? Will u quit tellin me about their thousand watt smile & tell me y they don't like each other! And y does Hallie believe that they don't know each other?! Our bubble headed heroine should've shut that mess down from jump. Havin our main character believe that they didn't know each other, (& WELL for that matter) for as long as she did, was maddening & insulting to the reader. The author should've took the time she spent bein repetitive & instead, have Hallie at least know a lil somethin about magic, even if she wasn't good at it. There was SO MUCH wrong w/ this book, I don't think I have the fortitude to rehash it all. YES, I SAID IT! Fortitude, cuz much of this book was painful. I had no idea I was a masochist, till I got half way thru this book & kept readin.
The storyline DID NOT SUCK! The storyline was really good but terribly executed. U know what? I can't even... I'm done. What lil rehashin I have done & thinkin back on the book, is makin me tired & irritable. That's how much there was wrong w/ this book. I can't spend another moment thinkin about this.
May 6, 2017
3.5 stars
silly, fun, cozy, light, entertaining.
this was perfect halloween themed book.
spooky house, witches, coven. the book was very silly when it came to the guys. slow in pace but managed to kept me interested through out.
silly, fun, cozy, light, entertaining.
this was perfect halloween themed book.
spooky house, witches, coven. the book was very silly when it came to the guys. slow in pace but managed to kept me interested through out.
May 6, 2013
I feel that this author is like a diamond in the rough. I love every premise she comes up with and her characters are great. I just keep getting that "...and this one time, at band camp" feeling as I'm reading. Sometimes I catch myself questioning certain tiny aspects of the story, like in this one, why would Hallie be afraid to open the door of her Bed & Breakfast to someone knocking, no matter what time it is - is it not a business? Is it not similar to a hotel, with guests showing up even without reservations - especially on really rainy/foggy nights? It just seemed silly to me that she even questioned it and her best friend seems to have similar silly issues to deal with. I enjoyed the story itself, I guess I was just looking for a little more polish on this diamond - you know, for just a little bit of sparkle!
May 29, 2013
I bought this book because of the good reviews... But was sorely disappointed. I'm honestly thinking everyone else got a different version than I did. The premise is good... The characters are ok... But I think this book fell quite short in realizing its potential. While there were good aspects, nothing stood out as an "oh this was so worth reading" moment. What this book needs is a good editor and maybe a little but more story development. You could basically read chapters 1 & 2 then skip ahead to 47 because it's the same dialogue over and over.
March 22, 2021
I give it a 1.5. granted I didn't get past page 112 before I threw in the towel. But I did like the whole inheriting the manor and opening a bed n breakfast, but since the lead cant cook breakfast (or anything really) I think she should have just opened an Inn.
A thing the author did that so many do is make the lead character, who is suppose to resemble a strong female have an instant and almost unbearable attraction to the first hot guy she meets. Knees get wobbly. Lets him bail without paying (she thought at time) blushing/stammering (every female blushes when meeting for their first sometimes second time talking to the two guys, right because as everyone knows that women over the age of 13 blush when a hot guy is around. This is a major pet peeve for me If it was once o twice, fine I can deal but not every damn time! It gets very annoying and predictable) left and right. Defending him when she just met the guy. Wont meet his gaze. Talks about the way he smells all the TIME. Every time he is in the same room with her, she comments on his smell, get over it already! Its stating to be creepy. Speaking of smells she comments “A familiar smell circled me as I moved up the steps, but I couldn’t put my finger on it” then tuns around and says “Years of working at my mother’s shop had fine-tuned my sense of smell” yeah sorry when your apparently only semi saving grace in this book is that u can smell good don’t let a clue bypass u when u possessively have a great sense of smell.
why did her mothers eyebrows never grow back? While her ex's did. Just something her mother to be even more disappointed about. Did the author intend something as a constant reminder that the daughter sucks and never once talks about how she really tied? The way it is written makes it come off that she dabbled made mistakes and stopped messing with it but never stopped whining about it. Like a slacker whining they suck at something they have barely tied.
why does she always seem so surprised to have someone knocking on A BED AND BREAKFAST INN. Hello that’s what people do!! she says she never had an unexpected guest but had already stated that a reservation wasn’t need, Contradiction anyone? and worst both times one at night the other in broad daylight she thinks they are killers. Seriously? If your going to gasp and jump and worry when someone comes to your front door, your in the wrong business. And a few pages later wasted talking to he friend about how a guest showed up! Like its the strangest thing. Again seems to be a filler cause she has no problem sleeping on the counter but to uneased to sleep in bed. Righhhtttt.
More idiot moves
she races down stairs when she see she is late (she apparently doesn’t have an alarm clock) in her sleeping wear. Yes because as u have been worrying about being professional, not only will u be late but a mess. Good job on that thinking which doesn’t make sense. Cant say she isn’t awake to think about it cause she was awake enough to run though the huge manor. Another one is she goes into the attic when she hears a noise knowing there isn’t a light source and forgets a flashlight. Then jumps like a little girl while screaming when someone reaches out when she has already convinces herself that a murder (yes she is so damn focused on a murder hiding everywhere) is up there, does she
A) run away without looking back
B) fight like her life depends on it
C) act like the hapless female that everyone is secretly hoping she dies and the real main character is about to be announced since this is obviously the failed attempt one.
“I closed my eyelids and took a few deep breaths. I opened my eyes again and my reflection stared back at me” this seems to be a waste since she doesn’t have a temper that she just need that annoyance to go away or something nor tying to feel her magic just yet. It feels like it was just tossed into the paragraph to take up space.
She chalks EVERYTHING she learns, hears and sees as her imagination. The boys whispering about the underworld and being here to find something? Her imagination. The electricity or tension in the room, her imagination. Noises/ someone calling her name in a house she already semi accepts is haunted? He imagination
Sorry this has been out o order with the story line and that some words are misspelled. A few keys on my keyboard are broken so I have to copy and paste, usually its to much o a hassle to copy and paste a single letter but this book annoyed me any made my temper whisper to me how great this book will look If I burned it and its horribleness.
A thing the author did that so many do is make the lead character, who is suppose to resemble a strong female have an instant and almost unbearable attraction to the first hot guy she meets. Knees get wobbly. Lets him bail without paying (she thought at time) blushing/stammering (every female blushes when meeting for their first sometimes second time talking to the two guys, right because as everyone knows that women over the age of 13 blush when a hot guy is around. This is a major pet peeve for me If it was once o twice, fine I can deal but not every damn time! It gets very annoying and predictable) left and right. Defending him when she just met the guy. Wont meet his gaze. Talks about the way he smells all the TIME. Every time he is in the same room with her, she comments on his smell, get over it already! Its stating to be creepy. Speaking of smells she comments “A familiar smell circled me as I moved up the steps, but I couldn’t put my finger on it” then tuns around and says “Years of working at my mother’s shop had fine-tuned my sense of smell” yeah sorry when your apparently only semi saving grace in this book is that u can smell good don’t let a clue bypass u when u possessively have a great sense of smell.
why did her mothers eyebrows never grow back? While her ex's did. Just something her mother to be even more disappointed about. Did the author intend something as a constant reminder that the daughter sucks and never once talks about how she really tied? The way it is written makes it come off that she dabbled made mistakes and stopped messing with it but never stopped whining about it. Like a slacker whining they suck at something they have barely tied.
why does she always seem so surprised to have someone knocking on A BED AND BREAKFAST INN. Hello that’s what people do!! she says she never had an unexpected guest but had already stated that a reservation wasn’t need, Contradiction anyone? and worst both times one at night the other in broad daylight she thinks they are killers. Seriously? If your going to gasp and jump and worry when someone comes to your front door, your in the wrong business. And a few pages later wasted talking to he friend about how a guest showed up! Like its the strangest thing. Again seems to be a filler cause she has no problem sleeping on the counter but to uneased to sleep in bed. Righhhtttt.
More idiot moves
she races down stairs when she see she is late (she apparently doesn’t have an alarm clock) in her sleeping wear. Yes because as u have been worrying about being professional, not only will u be late but a mess. Good job on that thinking which doesn’t make sense. Cant say she isn’t awake to think about it cause she was awake enough to run though the huge manor. Another one is she goes into the attic when she hears a noise knowing there isn’t a light source and forgets a flashlight. Then jumps like a little girl while screaming when someone reaches out when she has already convinces herself that a murder (yes she is so damn focused on a murder hiding everywhere) is up there, does she
A) run away without looking back
B) fight like her life depends on it
C) act like the hapless female that everyone is secretly hoping she dies and the real main character is about to be announced since this is obviously the failed attempt one.
“I closed my eyelids and took a few deep breaths. I opened my eyes again and my reflection stared back at me” this seems to be a waste since she doesn’t have a temper that she just need that annoyance to go away or something nor tying to feel her magic just yet. It feels like it was just tossed into the paragraph to take up space.
She chalks EVERYTHING she learns, hears and sees as her imagination. The boys whispering about the underworld and being here to find something? Her imagination. The electricity or tension in the room, her imagination. Noises/ someone calling her name in a house she already semi accepts is haunted? He imagination
Sorry this has been out o order with the story line and that some words are misspelled. A few keys on my keyboard are broken so I have to copy and paste, usually its to much o a hassle to copy and paste a single letter but this book annoyed me any made my temper whisper to me how great this book will look If I burned it and its horribleness.
September 22, 2013
I found this book boring and dull.
I guess it is supposed to be a comedy. I found the characters annoying and juvenile making the whole scenario overworked and falling flat. It didn't get far enough to find our what the love interests were in nature.
I ditched the whole thing by about the third or fourth chapter. I couldn't take any more rubbish.
I guess it is supposed to be a comedy. I found the characters annoying and juvenile making the whole scenario overworked and falling flat. It didn't get far enough to find our what the love interests were in nature.
I ditched the whole thing by about the third or fourth chapter. I couldn't take any more rubbish.
October 4, 2018
Halloween Laveau has inherited her great aunts house. Even though Halloween comes from a long line of witches, her skills as a witch are a little wonky. Deciding to convert the house to a bed and breakfast, she goes about fixing it up and gets her first customer Nick and quickly a second, Liam. Halloween doesn't realize that she is about to gain a new talent and that her new borders are there for another reason altogether.
Very fun and completely different. Great read for getting ready for the Halloween season. Had some really funny moments that had me laughing out loud.
Very fun and completely different. Great read for getting ready for the Halloween season. Had some really funny moments that had me laughing out loud.
June 20, 2014
Hmmm where to start...it has an interesting storyline, but terribly executed. It is insanely very wordy with info-dumping galore (well actually more like description-dumping). Show, not tell! The main character is shallow and whiny as hell, and despite the increasingly dangerous predicament she is in all she can think about is how hot the two men are.
It takes the main character 5 pages to get to the point, especially when she is "talking" to her best friend. She ho hums and keeps dragging on the conversation which made me want to pull my hair out in sheer frustration.
Either way I lost interest and I may or may not continue reading it...eventually....
It takes the main character 5 pages to get to the point, especially when she is "talking" to her best friend. She ho hums and keeps dragging on the conversation which made me want to pull my hair out in sheer frustration.
Either way I lost interest and I may or may not continue reading it...eventually....
August 12, 2019
This was a good read. Lots of mystery, who was who, who do you trust. Right up to the end . There are fun moments and questionable moments. Hallie gets a mansion from her dead aunt but instead of being the answers to her prayers it brings nothing but trouble. She then finds a book which she casts a spell from and all hell lets lose.
March 30, 2017
Rating it 3.5 stars
It was a good start to a series. I'll have to see how the next one is to see what is going to happen and also to see if it gets better.
It was a good start to a series. I'll have to see how the next one is to see what is going to happen and also to see if it gets better.
October 17, 2019
A lovely paranormal cozy mystery. All the typical cozy favourites with a delightful set of main characters.
October 29, 2015
Originally posted at http://kimheniadis.com
I wanted to love this book since it’s about a woman who finds out she’s a witch, and of course not just any witch, but a powerful one. Plus she lives in a giant manor and her name is Halloween. How cool is that?!?
But alas, I found it just so-so. My biggest complaint is the character development, or lack thereof. Halloween’s best friend, Annabelle, is scared of everything. Which gets really annoying fast. There is no way to develop her if she keeps needing to leave the scene because she is afraid of something.
The two guys, Nicolas and Liam, keep insisting that they do not know each other, but they obviously do. Halloween, aka Hallie, acts completely oblivious to this fact, until very late in the book. To me, as a reader, this was not only irritating, but insulting. Instead of repeating over and over that the guys were hot, and having them disappear from the house, doing only the goddess knows what, tell us what they are up to or how they know each other. Their back story is essential to the story, and yet we get only a tiny bit towards the very end.
And it wasn’t just the lack of character development, but just weird parts to the story. Hallie owns a bed and breakfast, but when Nicolas shows up in the middle of the night she freaks out. What?!? You want to have people showing up without prior reservations, that’s how you stay in business. This gives Annabelle another opportunity to be scared about strange (but hot, because we have to keep saying how hot they are) men showing up.
Then there’s Hallie’s magic, which has been completely dismal up until she finds the book. Afterwards her magic is perfect, and yet she doesn’t even for a moment wonder why. It’s just like, “Oh, Hey. That’s cool.”
While the premise could have made this book great, the repetition, strange story quirks and non-development of characters left me with no desire to read any more books by Rose Pressey.
I wanted to love this book since it’s about a woman who finds out she’s a witch, and of course not just any witch, but a powerful one. Plus she lives in a giant manor and her name is Halloween. How cool is that?!?
But alas, I found it just so-so. My biggest complaint is the character development, or lack thereof. Halloween’s best friend, Annabelle, is scared of everything. Which gets really annoying fast. There is no way to develop her if she keeps needing to leave the scene because she is afraid of something.
The two guys, Nicolas and Liam, keep insisting that they do not know each other, but they obviously do. Halloween, aka Hallie, acts completely oblivious to this fact, until very late in the book. To me, as a reader, this was not only irritating, but insulting. Instead of repeating over and over that the guys were hot, and having them disappear from the house, doing only the goddess knows what, tell us what they are up to or how they know each other. Their back story is essential to the story, and yet we get only a tiny bit towards the very end.
And it wasn’t just the lack of character development, but just weird parts to the story. Hallie owns a bed and breakfast, but when Nicolas shows up in the middle of the night she freaks out. What?!? You want to have people showing up without prior reservations, that’s how you stay in business. This gives Annabelle another opportunity to be scared about strange (but hot, because we have to keep saying how hot they are) men showing up.
Then there’s Hallie’s magic, which has been completely dismal up until she finds the book. Afterwards her magic is perfect, and yet she doesn’t even for a moment wonder why. It’s just like, “Oh, Hey. That’s cool.”
While the premise could have made this book great, the repetition, strange story quirks and non-development of characters left me with no desire to read any more books by Rose Pressey.
June 6, 2013
I would actually give this book 2.5 stars if it were possible. I started out thinking the plot would be cute and have potential for some good jokes and bantering. Unfortunately the longer it drug on the more it started to feel like a young adult soap opera. Unimportant things like getting pizza and wine were pushed to the fore front while the character is supposed to be agonizing over the mysterious witch set to kill her. The two "men" are there to assist her so they basically tell her nothing...I just wasn't overly impressed.
I pushed to read the last of the book because I wanted it OVER. I didn't care one way or another what happened.
I pushed to read the last of the book because I wanted it OVER. I didn't care one way or another what happened.
January 26, 2015
The abundance of glowing review on amazon, the cheap price, and the charming summary lured me into purchasing and reading this ebook. It had a lot of potential with a not so successful witch inheriting a house with many secrets and opening up a B&B and getting her first guests in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, I didn't find it as charming and fabulous as everything led me to believe it would be. It was sadly tedious to read at times and on several occasions I almost gave up and moved on. My desperate hope that it would suddenly take off and warrant all its praise was about the only thing that kept me reading. But alas, it was not to be.
October 24, 2019
Halloween (Hallie) is a young witch who has basically no magical powers.
Her grandmother died and left Hallie her spooky house. Hallie decides to turn it int a B&B. Then she finds the mysterious spell book in the attic and her whole life changes. She suddenly has powers, not one but two gorgeous men turn up to say she is in danger and should trust one but not the other. And they are both good kissers!
What is a girl to do? One or both of the men are either lying or not telling the whole truth - and why does the third guest have red glowing eyes?
All Hallie needs to do is find the truth and stay alive.
Her grandmother died and left Hallie her spooky house. Hallie decides to turn it int a B&B. Then she finds the mysterious spell book in the attic and her whole life changes. She suddenly has powers, not one but two gorgeous men turn up to say she is in danger and should trust one but not the other. And they are both good kissers!
What is a girl to do? One or both of the men are either lying or not telling the whole truth - and why does the third guest have red glowing eyes?
All Hallie needs to do is find the truth and stay alive.
June 20, 2013
Meh, this book was ok. Nothing was really wrong with it; I just didn't find it that interesting. The story line didn't grab me, and I don't feel anything for any of the characters. I doubt I'll read any more in the series.
August 3, 2014
Annoying
Annoying
Very poorly written, many question left unanswered. Will not continue with this series, or this author.
Found myself skipping and reading only dialog.
Annoying
Very poorly written, many question left unanswered. Will not continue with this series, or this author.
Found myself skipping and reading only dialog.
October 17, 2014
This sounded like it could be a really cute book...but man, the writing is awful. The dialogue is stiff, contrived, and juvenile. The characters lack any depth whatsoever and the writer has serious pacing issues. I'm not sure how this became a published series, much less a best selling one.
April 21, 2020
While this was a total witchy cliche, it was a fun read. A witch named Halloween? Yup, cue the music. This is a light read and one I needed after reading the news. Escape to Halloween's life and enjoy the tricks love employs when dealing with Halloween.
My Rating: 4 stars
My Rating: 4 stars
June 30, 2017
So badly written. The plot didn't progress but rather jumped from scene to scene. The romance was practically non-existent except for the narrator telling us that it was there. I didn't believe her.
November 18, 2017
Not so talented witch.
This is the first book of a new cozy mystery series. Halloween is a Witch but not a very good one. She has inherited a large home from her Great Aunt that she is turning into a bed and breakfast.
Her first guest arrives in the middle of a dark and stormy night. He is gorgeous but brings other mysteries with him.
This book has several mysteries within a bigger mystery.
There are great well developed characters and a strong plot. There is a little romance, two sexy boarders, witches of all types and ghosts. A fun read yet more involved than many of the witch cozies I have read.
This is the first book of a new cozy mystery series. Halloween is a Witch but not a very good one. She has inherited a large home from her Great Aunt that she is turning into a bed and breakfast.
Her first guest arrives in the middle of a dark and stormy night. He is gorgeous but brings other mysteries with him.
This book has several mysteries within a bigger mystery.
There are great well developed characters and a strong plot. There is a little romance, two sexy boarders, witches of all types and ghosts. A fun read yet more involved than many of the witch cozies I have read.
October 29, 2018
This was the first one in this series and I didn't care for it much. I thought Halloween was not very smart. Why would she perform an unknown spell, from a book she couldn't read (except that one page), especially when she was such a poor witch to begin with. Then, the love triangle just annoyed in this one. There was more romance than I expected. The story jumped around a bit, also. And, the ending didn't make sense to me, in that although the evil witch was rumored to have killed her sister, there was no proof and yet she was punished for it. Overall, I just didn't care for this book and probably won't continue this series.
August 9, 2019
Series needs some serious work
I dislike having to give bad reviews but the whole time I was listening to this book I kept thinking “those are hours I’ll never get back.” I felt like this was a book a 14-year old girl would write about how she “thinks” adult stories should be. It was very “tweeny” and not in a good way.
The main character in the book I found to be just plain stupid. She has the inner monologues about doing the right thing but ignores them every time. The two love interests is pointless as there is no romance or chemistry between Hallie and either guy. They never tell her the truth yet she is sure hot for each of them. I didn’t like any of the characters and just felt no connection to the story or the characters.
The ending was so lame and anticlimactic.
The narrator didn’t differentiate the characters enough for me. You could tell male from female but that is about it. Both Nikolas and Liam sounded like grumpy old southern gentlemen not what I thought their voices should be.
I dislike having to give bad reviews but the whole time I was listening to this book I kept thinking “those are hours I’ll never get back.” I felt like this was a book a 14-year old girl would write about how she “thinks” adult stories should be. It was very “tweeny” and not in a good way.
The main character in the book I found to be just plain stupid. She has the inner monologues about doing the right thing but ignores them every time. The two love interests is pointless as there is no romance or chemistry between Hallie and either guy. They never tell her the truth yet she is sure hot for each of them. I didn’t like any of the characters and just felt no connection to the story or the characters.
The ending was so lame and anticlimactic.
The narrator didn’t differentiate the characters enough for me. You could tell male from female but that is about it. Both Nikolas and Liam sounded like grumpy old southern gentlemen not what I thought their voices should be.
July 6, 2015
Halloween Laveau may have been a witch but her magic is severely lacking when it comes to casting spells. She can’t even bring dying flowers back to life and she’s a disappointment to her own mother who had high hopes after her birthday. Her great-aunt has left her with her old home a large manor that Hallie decides to turn into a bed and breakfast. Not like she has anything else to do with the big old house. Within twenty four hours of opening the bed and breakfast two very attractive similar strangers show up out of the blue claiming to have seen the sign. They pretend they don’t know each other but Hallie is sure they are hiding a secret.
Hallie’s boarders Nick and Liam may deny they know each other or be hiding why they are really in town but she’s determined to find out. When Hallie finds her great-aunts spell book things start to change suddenly she can do magic which is shocking considering her whole life she’s struggled even with simple spells. Hallie accidently bringing a ghost back to life which is just the start to unraveling the secrets about the manor and the new book she found in the attic. With the help of her best friend she may just get to the bottom of why Nick and Liam are really in town and what the book really means. That is if a evil witch doesn’t get to her first.
I knew right from the start within the first couple of pages that I was going to like Hallie she has issues but they aren’t your typical issues. After all when a spell went wrong she burned off her mom’s eyebrows permanently which she has to live with that reminder. She’s also not very popular in the dating world so her mother even created a prom date out of a garden gnome. I just really liked her she makes me smile. I wasn’t sure about our two love interests Nick and Liam but as the story progressed I couldn’t decide if I wanted to hate them or not. However it all worked out just right.
I wasn’t sure what to expect since I picked this one up as a kindle freebie ages ago but I was hopeful. Forever Charmed doesn’t disappoint it’s a cute paranormal cozy mystery that kept me giggling through the whole book. I admit even the hubs would look at me funny when I busted out laughing because of something that would happen to Hallie. I’ve read a bunch of witch books over the years so while it’s hard to come up with a truly original concept I think the author did a great job creating her own unique world for Hallie to live in. I found the story fast pasted loaded with humor, suspense, mishaps, angry ghosts and even a little romance. Forever Charmed is a perfect mix of mystery, romance, and paranormal elements that create a captivating story. I found it hard to put down it’s a quick read so easy to finish in a lazy afternoon. I found the book to be well written the authors writing style smoothly transitions with the book never a dull moment. I can’t wait to check out more books by the author because I enjoyed this one so much.
Hallie’s boarders Nick and Liam may deny they know each other or be hiding why they are really in town but she’s determined to find out. When Hallie finds her great-aunts spell book things start to change suddenly she can do magic which is shocking considering her whole life she’s struggled even with simple spells. Hallie accidently bringing a ghost back to life which is just the start to unraveling the secrets about the manor and the new book she found in the attic. With the help of her best friend she may just get to the bottom of why Nick and Liam are really in town and what the book really means. That is if a evil witch doesn’t get to her first.
I knew right from the start within the first couple of pages that I was going to like Hallie she has issues but they aren’t your typical issues. After all when a spell went wrong she burned off her mom’s eyebrows permanently which she has to live with that reminder. She’s also not very popular in the dating world so her mother even created a prom date out of a garden gnome. I just really liked her she makes me smile. I wasn’t sure about our two love interests Nick and Liam but as the story progressed I couldn’t decide if I wanted to hate them or not. However it all worked out just right.
I wasn’t sure what to expect since I picked this one up as a kindle freebie ages ago but I was hopeful. Forever Charmed doesn’t disappoint it’s a cute paranormal cozy mystery that kept me giggling through the whole book. I admit even the hubs would look at me funny when I busted out laughing because of something that would happen to Hallie. I’ve read a bunch of witch books over the years so while it’s hard to come up with a truly original concept I think the author did a great job creating her own unique world for Hallie to live in. I found the story fast pasted loaded with humor, suspense, mishaps, angry ghosts and even a little romance. Forever Charmed is a perfect mix of mystery, romance, and paranormal elements that create a captivating story. I found it hard to put down it’s a quick read so easy to finish in a lazy afternoon. I found the book to be well written the authors writing style smoothly transitions with the book never a dull moment. I can’t wait to check out more books by the author because I enjoyed this one so much.
December 2, 2014
Let me say first that I always enjoy the books written by Rose Pressey, they are light and fun with just the right amount of quirkiness to keep you interested. This time I read along to the audio and while it was good the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did not always make it enjoyable. If you only listen then it is not such a bad thing but when you are reading along and the narrator does not even read the words written but what she feels sounds right it is quite annoying. The story flows well and moves along. The characters are introduced and given enough of a background to make them somewhat interesting knowing that there is time for them to be more fleshed out as the series continues.
Halloween LaVeau, so named because she was born on Halloween and her mother hoped that it would herald great things for her. Halloween's magic is less than great and her mother is very disappointed that it is so bad. Her aunt leaves her LaVeau manor and she decides to start a Bed and Breakfast since she has no other career other than helping her mother at her shop. The manor is spooky and said to be haunted but Halloween is a witch and will not be scared about the possibility. When she finds a mysterious spell book in the attic strange things begin to happen.
I liked Halloween for the most part but considering the fact that she was born a witch she seems really clueless. Her best friend Annabelle was one of the most annoying characters I have ever had the displeasure to read, her best friend is a witch and she is scared of her house and everything else it seems.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a light fun read. Light romance, light romantic rivalry.
Halloween LaVeau, so named because she was born on Halloween and her mother hoped that it would herald great things for her. Halloween's magic is less than great and her mother is very disappointed that it is so bad. Her aunt leaves her LaVeau manor and she decides to start a Bed and Breakfast since she has no other career other than helping her mother at her shop. The manor is spooky and said to be haunted but Halloween is a witch and will not be scared about the possibility. When she finds a mysterious spell book in the attic strange things begin to happen.
I liked Halloween for the most part but considering the fact that she was born a witch she seems really clueless. Her best friend Annabelle was one of the most annoying characters I have ever had the displeasure to read, her best friend is a witch and she is scared of her house and everything else it seems.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a light fun read. Light romance, light romantic rivalry.
August 10, 2016
I tried really hard to finish this book, I can count on one hand the number of books I haven't finished over the last few years and this one. I just couldn't finish it, 80% complete and I still couldn't make myself skim the pages to read the climax. Beyond foolish the dialog is stiff, the action moves at a snails pace... really just not worth reading. The audio if possible was worse. What's missing? Heart, there isn't any.
If anything, I think the author's need to keep the girl undecided between two heroes that at 80% really didn't show their colors actually was a deterient to the enjoyment. At the end you really didn't care (At 80% you still had no idea what the mens true mission was). Keeping everything to the end, just drags the story down... a few interesting reveals, a bit more flirting, etc would have helped. Fixing that would probably have improved my enjoyment and the rating, basically a wobbly love triangle. A few kisses do not make passion and I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking a need to be together even if it's just chemistry.... heck the Twilight series showed plenty of passion without sex so it can always be done.
If anything, I think the author's need to keep the girl undecided between two heroes that at 80% really didn't show their colors actually was a deterient to the enjoyment. At the end you really didn't care (At 80% you still had no idea what the mens true mission was). Keeping everything to the end, just drags the story down... a few interesting reveals, a bit more flirting, etc would have helped. Fixing that would probably have improved my enjoyment and the rating, basically a wobbly love triangle. A few kisses do not make passion and I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking a need to be together even if it's just chemistry.... heck the Twilight series showed plenty of passion without sex so it can always be done.
September 28, 2013
This one showed promise (the cover art caught my attention) but didn’t quite deliver on it for me. It was too jumpy with an inconsistent timeline, and given the lead to the show-down at the end, the actual event was anti-climatic. I liked Hallie to start but she was grating on me by the end of the book – the only character I liked throughout was Annabelle. I knew it was the first in a series so I wasn’t expecting everything to be wrapped up, but there were still too many gaps for my liking (what the heck happened to the cat?) – having just finished it I don’t feel any particular pull to read the second book, but I’ll wait awhile to see if I change my mind.
October 11, 2013
Jury's still out. There were so many grammer and spelling errors in the printing that I was getting annoyed. The story was pretty predictable but just like movies there isn't much that hasn't already been done. The relationships between the two male characters, Nicolas and Liam, is interesting and I hope the author explores this more as the series continues. The main character is kind of annoyingly self aware. She has some interesting/humorous quirks that I normally enjoy, however having them pointed out to me by the character, instead of letting me figure them out myself is a peeve of mine.
I'll give the next one a try and see if it gets better.
I'll give the next one a try and see if it gets better.
April 15, 2013
Would have given this 3 stars if the story had moved at a better pace, takes a lot of unnecessary time getting to the point. Lots of repetition, a couple of continuity issues and more than a few typos all worked against the plot and made this book less than magical fore.
June 17, 2013
Another good novel by Rose Pressey! I always enjoy Halloween's character (even though her absent-minded thoughts annoy me sometimes)! Light, fun read and I am looking forward to finding out what happens in the 3rd installment of the series!
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