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Southern Witch #1

Would-Be Witch

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The promising debut of a hot new voice in paranormal romance?and the first of the Southern Witch novels. The family magic seems to have skipped over Tammy Jo Trask. All she gets are a few untimely visits from long-dead, smart-mouthed family ghost Edie. But when her locket?an heirloom that happens to hold Edie's soul?is stolen in the midst of a town-wide crime spree, it's time for Tammy to find her inner witch. After a few experiences with her dysfunctional magic, Tammy turns to the only person in small-town Duval, Texas, who can help: the very rich and highly magical Bryn Lyons. He might have all the answers?and a 007 savoir faire to boot?but the locket isn?t the only heirloom passed down in Tammy's family. She also inherited a warning: stay away from Lyons.

304 pages, ebook

First published January 17, 2009

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Kimberly Frost

23 books690 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 464 reviews
Profile Image for gremlinkitten.
449 reviews108 followers
September 28, 2011
While at first (in the first four pages) it seemed that the character of Tammy Jo Trask would be a good one, that was quickly proven to be a false notion. To put it quite simply, she was a helpless moron. Now, I don't expect a MC to be invulnerable or a genius, but I would still hope for someone who can think and act for herself. As if her ex-husband with benefits is an Alpha of the worst kind isn't enough, he also belittles her just about all the time and tells her what and what not to do. But that's okay because he comes to her rescue and shows an occasional kindness. Excuse me? That makes his emotional abuse alright? I don't think so! And Bryn (whose name seems female to me), her other love interest, isn't much better. He is also derogatory towards her and orders her around, so basically he's just as big a jackass as her ex. To make matters even worse, Bryn is on this list, that was written ages ago, of people the Trask women cannot fraternize with, and Tammy doesn't even question why. She just accepts everything she is told, and all she's says about the list is that it has "something to do with the family being destroyed for all of eternity." Mmm-hmm, likely. Ever heard of family feuds or women scorned? Now I'm not saying it's not totally impossible, but how can I like or respect a character who doesn't look into things herself and let's people (re: men) treat her the way they do? And I don't care how sheltered someone is, how can Tammy not know what a red light district is? There is a difference between sheltered and stupidity, and Tammy Jo doesn't even straddle the line (most of the time she's on the side of stupid). Now, to be fair, she does do some things on her own that aren't always moronic, but for me, that's all trumped by her numerous negative attributes.

Onto the plot, which is pretty convoluted to say the least. Finding her locket is supposed to be the main storyline, but it quickly gets lost in the midst of zombies, werewolves, and who-knows-what? because I couldn't take anymore and stopped reading on page 180. What little so-called humor came across mean-spirited and close-minded and made me cringe more than once. Also, all the terms of endearments were very annoying and distracting to read, especially when it wasn't used in the dialogue. Honestly, I know it's a small Texas town, where they might use sugar, honey, sweetie, etc. more than, well anywhere, but it seemed overdone and far-fetched. Still, if only Tammy had been more sympathetic and had more qualities that I admire, I might have made it to the end. While I did read the last chapter or two and it looks as if she may have gotten a little better by that point, it's way too little, too late for this reader. How Mercutio puts up with her is beyond me, because cats are smart and regal creatures (the majority anyway :P). Good luck to future readers out there, maybe you won't have any problems with what I did, but I'd advise anyone who finds what I mentioned annoying, to skip the book then.
Profile Image for chucklesthescot.
3,000 reviews134 followers
October 19, 2011
It didn't take long for this book to annoy me. Stuck up rich bitches getting their own way just because they are rich bitches. Tammy Jo the helpless airhead bimbo who has no common sense or any clue what is going on outside her brain dead ditzy world. The 'I am man hear me roar' himbo ex-husband Zach who is there to bonk and be annoyed by, like the macho monkey that he is. Georgia Sue, the overbearing in-your-face friend who never pauses for breath long enough to even listen to what someone else is saying. And of course Mr Dangerous lurking in the corner who your family told you not to talk to because he's a baaaad man!

Oh give me a break already! Plus the language of honey this and sugar that every ten seconds was really annoying. Tammy Jo is the type of woman who should never be allowed out unsupervised. She is the steriotype of the dumb bitch who can't drive, can't think, can't stand up for herself against an aunt who is DEAD, and who does stupid things all the time. I can feel the suffragettes shuddering in their graves...

Profile Image for Jennie Damron.
656 reviews77 followers
October 27, 2019
I wanted something light with lots of action and just plain fun. This book supplied that and then some. I loved Tammy Jo and her Ocelot Mercurtio. Witches and cats, spells and betrayal, family feuds, and love triangles. This book really has it all. I enjoyed all of it and am so glad I read it. Excellent binge read.
Profile Image for The Flooze.
765 reviews283 followers
October 15, 2017
Would-Be Witch is a little helter-skelter at times, but it's a very fun read. It reminded me a bit of the Sookie Stackhouse series, but with a much greater focus on humor.

Tammy Jo Trask is a likable, sweet narrator with just the right streak of sarcasm to keep her interesting. (She's also proof positive that us redheads have fiery tempers when crossed!) As an untrained, late-blooming witch, she's obviously going to make a lot of blunders, and with her family out of town she can't be too choosy about whom she gets to help.

Enter Bryn Lyons, who fits the arrogant hottie mold to a tee. He's suave and devilishly handsome, and has the intelligence and magical ability to back up that arrogant attitude. Tammy Jo dearly loves to yell at him, while he fiercely enjoys taunting her into a tizzy. I can see much amusement coming from his efforts to win her over.

While I appreciated that the author didn't dump oodles of info in my lap, the world-building here is very thin. I'm hoping that's because Tammy Jo herself is a little clueless about how things work, and that we'll learn right along with her. It makes me wonder though--just how flakey is her family that she doesn't even know there are authorities that deal with magic? The laughs were more than enough to distract me, but I hope she bulks up the world a bit in future books.

As key as Tammy Jo and Bryn are to this story, the entire town plays a significant role. There's Tammy's ex-husband, who's a good ol' boy with a big heart and the right intentions, but he's far too bossy for his own good. There's Johnny Nyguen Ho, the town's only nod to ethnic diversity, who believes himself psychic and is fabulously creative when it comes to clothing designs and hair. Johnny comes complete with diva vampire boyfriend Rollie, and Tammy Jo's conversations with them prompted a lot of chuckles. And then, of course, we needed a life-long nemesis (everyone in a small town has one), so sprinkled throughout the story are run-ins with some rich-bitch nasty-pants who has it out for our Tammy.

It's a great popcorn read, and I'm certainly intrigued enough to keep on reading. These sorts of misadventures are right up my alley.
Profile Image for Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ .
1,293 reviews9,002 followers
August 16, 2014
3.5 stars

Tammy Jo is like a supernatural Stephanie Plum. Being a fan of Stephanie Plum, I think this is kind of great. Would-Be Witch is definitely in the Chick Lit sub-genre of Urban Fantasy, so if that's not your thing, I would skip it. Tammy definitely has her dingbat moments, but they're balanced by extreme cleverness, so that doesn't bother me. Like I said--I like Stephanie Plum.

The plot was kind of erratic, so I can't say much without spoilers . . . suffice it to say that Tammy is a witch from a long line of witches, who at age 23 has not come into her witchy powers.

She's basically a magical dud.

Riiiiiight . . . *winks*

Overall I liked it, but if you read UF for the kick-ass heroines and nonstop action, this one may not be for you.
Profile Image for Mlpmom (Book Reviewer).
3,190 reviews411 followers
January 15, 2015
It was no surprise that I quickly became caught up in the series and had a hard time putting it down, in fact, I never did put it down. I read straight through the day until I got to the very last page.

I knew I was going to love Tammy Jo, Zach, and Bryn. Having read the two short stories before starting this (which I highly recommend doing), I simply couldn't wait to dive right in and see if the series was as good as the shorts were and I am happy to report that I wasn't let down.

I have gotten to a point in my life where love triangles are starting to bore me and I am even starting to (gasp) get tired of them and all the angst that comes with them but I have to admit, the one in this, just works and it is relatively angst free.

Bryn and Zach couldn't be too more different but so very intriguing men. Zach is the good ole cowboy that protects what is his, so much so that he often comes off as overprotective and overbearing and you just want to smack him upside the head but then, then, that little stubborn cowboy will go and say something so sweet and romantic in his southern drawl that he will have you melting right at his feet and you fall right in love with him.

Then there is Bryn, the dark and mysterious millionaire that is every bit what you would expect. A bad boy playboy but who, of course, seems to have a heart of gold. He is sexy and strong and oh so drool worthy and he wants nothing more than to have Tammy Jo (Tamara to him) by his side and again you love him for it.

How in the world could you ever choose between two such great men? I still haven't figured that one out and I have a feeling it will only get harder as the series progresses.

Frost really did create something fun in this series. There is humor and swoon worthy moments, action, danger, mystery, ghosts, magic, darkness, lightness, it really does have it all and it does it all while still managing to be fun and clean. I don't think there was a single bad word in this unless you count Sam Houston as a bad word and you know what? I loved it! It was so refreshing and nice to get something fun that will still make your heart pound with the danger and the romance but still be PG-13 rated so I wouldn't have a problem with one of my girls picking this up and reading along with me.

Tammy Jo gave me everything I love in my heroines and still managed to be sort of awkward and goofy at the same time and so very real and endearing that I couldn't help falling in love with her as well.

I can't even tell you how excited I am to pick up the second book and dive right back into Tammy Jo's world.
Profile Image for Yodamom.
2,208 reviews216 followers
August 23, 2013
Love Merc the cat , an Ocelot ! Great story about a witch that does not really think she's a witch.. , her Testosterone heavy ex-husband, one super rich sexy male witch, and a grumpy father all trying to save them selves and the town from death. The twists and turn leave you guessing.This is a sexy, fun book with fantastic characters that make me want to know them better. If you like Mary Janice Davidson,Charlaine Harris, and Gerry Bartlett you will love this book.
Paranormal Cozy
Profile Image for Natasha.
289 reviews99 followers
May 30, 2010
Would-Be Witch is the dazzling debut in the hilarious and addictive Southern Witch series by Kimberly Frost.
What a delight!
I was in one of my witchy moods, so I decided to see what I could find. I was so happy I came across this series from another fellow blogger's review blog. And if the story didn't sounds catching enough, get a load of the cover art! It's amazing. I love cartoon cover art, I think this may be my favorite. (Along
with Tate Hallaways, Garnet Lacey series cover art).
There were times were it reminded me of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, where the protagonist is the prettiest in the small southern town, but looked upon as weird. But this series is focused on being way more whitty. It's a fun, light read that will keep your head in the book all weekend!

Tammy Jo is down-to-earth (she says a funny line with that in book 2) and she's a great character to read. I love her wittiness and ability to kick butt when needed. But deep down she's just a regular southern gal. I loved reading along with her on her witchy adventures, and could see myself being her friend.(if only she were real. hehe)
She's also caught in a pretty hard to choose love triangle between her hunky ex-husband Zach(who's still in the picture) and the handsome wizard named Bryn Lyons who wants to be her mentor in witchcraft- And more. There's a rule in her family. Stay away from Lyons. But it's so not easy. Especially when she needs his help more than not. And did I mention he wants her? Because he does, bad.

All of Frost's characters are written perfect for their parts, and I just love her style in writing!
It's not all about love though, she's is a witch. But she's not a very good one. She comes from a line with witches and she seems to be the only one who is reckless and lacking with her magic. So she decided to take another path in life. Her true calling is being a pastry chief. And she's mighty good at it!
But someone steals her family's necklace at a Halloween party, a necklace that is connected to great great grandmother's dead twin sister Edie's ghost. Edie's soul resides in the locket, and Tammy Jo will do anything to get it back.
Now Tammy Jo finds herself swept away in a change of events, finding out more than she's bargained for.

Now, I cannot forget to mention my favorite character. The trusting, cute Mercutio. Tammy Jo's Ocelot.(wild cat). I love him! I wish all cats were as perceptive as him. (But I wouldn't change my kitty, Cova for the world!)

Would- be Witch is filled with supernatural creatures, southern hotties and all you can take, laughs. It's full of charm and whit, and pretty good suspense. You get pulled right in from page one, and the moment you finish this book, you'll be driving back to the book store for book 2. So you might as well buy them both at once!
I'm dying to read Halfway Hexed in Feb 2011. Make sure everyone buys it so the series can keep going! You'll agree with me when you start to read along with Tammy Jo and the crew!
Profile Image for Kat Montemayor.
Author 9 books221 followers
July 4, 2015

Recommended by my dear friend Candace.
I'm going to have to go with my southern drawl on this review. I LOVED this story. The author got so many things about Texas right. I found myself smiling for most of the book.

The book starts out with Tammy Jo getting fired. She comes from a line of witches, but her mother and her aunt have taken off, searching for something. That leaves Tammy Jo alone, struggling to figure out her powers.

Bryn Lyons is a warlock in the town of Duvall, a place replete with magical ley lines. He wants to help Tammy Jo. There's only one problem. He is on a list of people her mother and aunt have told her to have no dealings with. But when strange things start happening in their small Texas town, and a gang of werewolves threaten their existence, Tammy Jo has no choice. She has to retrieve the locket of her long-dead aunt who lives as a ghost within it.

There's also the issue of Tammy Jo's ex-husband, Zach, who also happens to be a deputy and gets her out of numerous scrapes with the law. He doesn't seem to understand that they are actually divorced.

My friend Candace thinks I'm crazy for not rooting for Bryn and Tammy Jo, and I can definitely see her point. The trouble is, I felt so bad for Zach.

I can't wait to read the next book to see what kind of trouble Ms. Tammy Jo gets herself into.
Profile Image for Cindy.
391 reviews
August 25, 2011
Very rarely do I 5 star ANYTHING...But there are exceptions waiting for you to break them. This book rated 5 stars. Mega humor from a klutzy would be witch. 2 hot guys trying to jump her for (whispers) sex, and a whole pack of werewolves trying to jump her (not for sex), good friends, loving ex-husband (who still adores her), a future lover, and would you believe it: a gay vampire named "Rollie". You NEED to read this...I KNOW there are more in this series, and I'm gonna find them and laugh on. Join me for some fun!
Profile Image for Mandy.
229 reviews12 followers
November 9, 2009

Things I liked:

1. The cat is awesome. Seriously. He kicks werewolf and redneck ass a couple different times throughout the story. Plus, I just have a thing for big cats. I'd love to have an ocelot of my own.

2. Tammy Jo has no idea what she is. She's really not interested in knowing....at least until she has to. But, it doesn't throw her off to learn of witches, ghosts, werewolves, vampires, etc.

3. The developing romance between Tammy Jo and Bryn Lyons. Although, he comes off as a snobby ass a couple of times, they have great chemistry. I really want to see where this is going and find out why the Lyons name is on the don't mess with list.


What I didn't like:

1. The down home, southern, red neck, good ole boy attitude most of the characters seem to have. Specifically, Tammy Jo's on again off again ex-husband, Zach. The I'm the male so therefore I know what you need lil lady attitude just rubs me the wrong way. He doesn't want to listen to her or believe her, but she damn well better do as he says. *grumble*

2. Apparently, (at least according to novels) all fabulous drag queens in the south are also African-American vampires. I don't really have a problem with this, but with the way the characters and dialogue treat this. Tammy lets a couple homophobic comments slip. I get the feeling it was meant to be comedic but just knocks my opinion of her down a few rungs. She can easily accept werewolves and magic, but has issues with people being gay?

3. Tammy Jo is constantly breaking the law......and it is alright. She breaks into houses, steals cars, and generally causes chaos. Luckily, she is sort of dating her ex-husband who also happens to be a cop. No charges are ever pressed. He threatens to throw her in jail a couple of times, but never does...in fact he usually helps her do whatever her next illegal act is going to be. I understand her situation is desperate, but baking a cake doesn't actually make up for stealing a car.

Overall:

Even with the story elements that bothered me, I devoured this novel. It was so much fun! I was a bit disappointed when it came to a close. It must be a sign I need to get a hold of book two.
Profile Image for Melissa.
220 reviews35 followers
September 30, 2017
This book is terrible! It's a bad caricature of a Texan mixed with every bad romance trope imaginable. How dare a woman be independent and intelligent! "Oh no, I may have divorced my husband before age 20, but three years later I'm still fucking him and letting him call all the shots! I have no money to my name, but I can still afford my family's weird estate. And I have no clue where my mom and aunt are. I haven't seen them in a year, but I've made no attempts to find them! I'm just a pretty, dumb redhead without the sense god gave a goose. And I use lots of colloquialisms. Poorly. Incorrectly, and mashed with others like some depraved Southern-Valley Girl mallaprop!"

I haven't read a book this bad in years! Save yourself the time! If you want a naive southern witch/elf/magical creature style book, go read the Charlene Harris Sookie Stackhouse novels. At least those had a decent editor! If I had to read the phrase "what in the Sam Houston" one more time, I would've literally clawed me own eyes out! This book is terrible. The only interesting character was the cat.
Profile Image for Carolyn F..
3,491 reviews51 followers
February 12, 2018
Wow, I just did not enjoy this book at all. The main character is just walked all over by seemingly everyone and just takes it. When she finds out who did her wrong or confronts people who are overly mean, she does pretty much nothing except mumble under her breath. Now, if it were me, there would be a HUGE amount of swearing, some cake throwing or whatever is handy, maybe hair pulling and scratching faces of a certain someone in this book - but definitely the first two. I didn't care for anybody in this book.
Profile Image for Clarabel.
3,832 reviews59 followers
October 15, 2022
Cinq étoiles, sans hésiter. Car j'ai franchement été agréablement surprise par ce début de série, introduisant une sorcière sans pouvoir (Tammy Jo Trask) qui vit dans une petite ville du Texas en tant que pâtissière lambda.

Au cours d'une soirée déguisée, elle se fait voler son précieux médaillon - un legs familial - auquel le fantôme de sa grand-tante est lié. Prête à tout pour le récupérer, elle n'hésitera pas à toquer à la porte de son « ennemi » en se disant qu'elle règlera plus tard les conflits de quinze générations de sorcières. Les ennuis ne vont cependant pas s'arrêter en si bon chemin ! Tammy est droguée par un vieux médecin ; son épouse défunte devient un zombie ; des loups-garous débarquent en ville ; sa meilleure amie est mordue par un vampire ; et elle reçoit en cadeau un leopardus pardalis très protecteur. Sa vie personnelle part aussi en cacahuète : son ex-mari, adjoint du shérif, est convaincu qu'ils vont se remarier. Et il intervient, tout le temps. Tantôt prévenant et protecteur, tantôt autoritaire et intrusif. Au choix. Car un autre individu est en train de faire battre son cœur, même si son nom figure sur la liste des interdits et donc des inaccessibles. Même pas en rêve. Peu importe s'il est entreprenant, charmeur et opiniâtre.

Miam, miam, miam. Je sens que je vais me régaler, car contrairement à ce que montre la couverture, ce n'est pas sexy, sombre ou mystérieux. C'est surtout rocambolesque et fantasque. Tamara est une héroïne comme j'aime : pas délurée, pas prétentieuse, pas débile non plus. Elle avance dans son histoire avec sang-froid (il lui en faudra) et assume ses moments de faiblesse (une petite robe avec des franges et des perles et youplaboum). J'ai beaucoup aimé ce mélange de légèreté et de fantastique dans un univers qui se développe soigneusement. Enfin moi, ça m'a plu. Et je lis la suite dans la foulée ! ♥
Qu’était-il arrivé à ma paisible petite ville ? À une époque lointaine, seules quatre personnes possédaient des pouvoirs. Ils avaient tous été discrets au sujet de l’autre monde. Aucun habitant ordinaire n’avait eu la moindre raison de croire qu’il existait. Maintenant, des vagues de crimes et le surnaturel à Duvall. Cela ne ferait pas bonne impression dans la brochure touristique.
Profile Image for Nichole Lemons.
295 reviews11 followers
January 12, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down.

Overall, I liked this book! Some of the southern vernacular got kind of old (darlin’ in particular) but the story kept me interested and entertained! Some of the twists were unexpected!
Profile Image for MlleLambert.
250 reviews13 followers
August 2, 2017
4.5 stars
Au départ, j’ai trouvé que la façon dont l’histoire était racontée était un peu trop simpliste. J’avais l’impression que l’histoire était écrite pour les pré-adolescents alors que son contenu vise, quant à moi, plus les adultes que les enfants. Peut-être cela venait-il du fait que Tammy Jo parle constamment à son chat Mercutio, car une fois habituée à cette façon un peu enfantine de lui parler (qui ne parle pas à son chat comme à un bébé ;)) j’ai embarqué dans l’histoire de pied ferme. Une histoire où tout déboule à la vitesse de l’éclair!
Chronique: http://bookivores.over-blog.com/2017/...
Profile Image for Courtney.
783 reviews156 followers
September 16, 2014
The story takes place in Duvall texas, a stereotypical small town.(For the first few chapters, 'til I made myself stop, all the characters 'sounded' like Sheldon's Mom from the big bang theory. Not really a plus.) Everybody knows everybody's business, and you'll never live anything down.

The main character is Tammy (Tamera) Jo Trask, who despite coming from a long line of witches has no magic herself. When a locket haunted by her great-aunt (?) Edie is stolen, Tammy Jo has to get it back before Edie tries to leave and her soul is destroyed. To do so she is forced to ask Bryn Lyons for help, despite being forbidden to associate with him or any of his kin. Things get more complicated when a zombie shows up in town, and a pack of werewolves show up, out for Tammy's blood.
~~~~~~~~~~

Pros: Interesting plot, hot love interest (Bryn), a cool ghost character (Edie), more than the usual creature line-up (there's a merrow mentioned. Mercutio, who was probably my favourite character, despite being a cat (possibly an ocelot). Johnny was adorable, and his vampire boyfriend Rollie was pretty cool too.

Cons: I didn't really like the main character, there was the usual (cliche) love-triangle, 2nd love interest was an immature idiot, unbelievable (she gets into way too much trouble, and doesn't have to deal with the repercussions for any of it), lots of characters with little effect on the plot (might be fix-able if they have more parts in the next few books), and so much happens that the plot kind of jumps all over the place.

It wasn't bad. It kept my attention, and I didn't have any major urges to drop it and find something else. I can't say I really liked it, though.

I found the main character, Tammy Jo was borderline irritating - it's kind of hard to pin down why. She's like-able at the start, standing up to a b***h who is trying to weasel her out of her proper payment for a cake Tammy made. This ends up costing her her job, which causes issues time and again throughout the book.
I suppose that part of it is I don't get her reasoning in relation to Zach - he's kind of a bonehead. Yes they've known each other forever, and been close since childhood. But he doesn't seem to have grown up much since then. He seems to vary between showing up to tease her about something, acting protective when she's in danger, acting jealous in regards to Bryn, and ordering her around like she's a kid (most of the book). And then being irritated when she makes her own decisions. And despite his 'charming' personality, and the fact that it already didn't work out between them (they're divorced) she's still sleeping with him.

If you can put up with Zach, though, it's not a bad book. Fairly standard magic system, and like I've mentioned, Mercutio was awesome. Probably ties with Bryn for the smartest character in the book. He hauls Tammy's ass out of the fire a few times, despite it getting him beaten all to hell. (And yes, as she says in the book, the vet probably DOES think she's an awful pet owner. Injuries during various fights, plus Bryn's dog mauling the poor thing? I wouldn't be surprised if the next book features a visit from the ASPCA.)

Images behind the spoiler cut Mercutio!!
Profile Image for Brandi ;).
639 reviews25 followers
October 4, 2010
I actually gave up on this book for several weeks and only came back to it a few days ago. It captured me immediately but then the fighting started at a witches council and I lost all interest. I would pick the book up and read a page or two then realize I had stopped paying attention to what I had been reading. So again I would put it down and go on to read another book. Finally I decided it was either time to read it or give it up so I started in on it again and pushed through over that reading hump and I am soooo happy that I didn't give it up! What a fabulously fun read.
I think my problem was that in this book werewolves are (or seem to be) totally evil and I just don't really go that way with were lore. Hey, if a vamp can funny and humane, why can't a were? So, when the were's attacked the witches council and mayhem and slaughter was abundant, I just kind of closed myself off to the book and went on to another. I'm working on that little problem of mine.
Anyway, after I re-started the book and pushed thru my mind block, the book took off and was, as I said before, just fabulous. Yes, Tammy Jo did seem to get out of a lot, and I mean A LOT of 'little problems' (stealing various objects such as cars, guns, money, personal items, ect) but she was sleeping with a town cop (don't know how he didn't lose his job) and she is a witch (although a new one) so it all worked out one way or another. PLUS she has this cat, an Ocelot, that totally steals the scene everytime he is in it. He helped make the book in my opinion, she would have been lost with out him. LOVED the cat.
So, I'm glad I didn't shelf the book and gave it another chance. It was well worth it.
Profile Image for Melinda.
170 reviews26 followers
March 31, 2013
NOTE UNFINISHED
I actually persisted until about halfway through Chapter 15 with this one.
It almost had me.
But in the end I just wasn't interested enough to finish and there were just too many other interesting things out there that I'd rather be reading.
Was hoping for another Sookie Stackhouse esk southern urban/paranormal romp, except this time with witches.
There were some things I found enjoyable/interesting about the book, I was kept at least mildly curious. And the writing decent.
The real problem for me was the characters.
The main character, while she started out seeming interesting and tough, just got sillier and sillier as the book progressed. And she started out standing up for herself, but it was all down hill and letting people (namely the annoying male leads) push her around from that point on.
And the two male leads/love interests uggg and grrr and just bleck.
They were both domineering, chauvinistic and rather two dimensional.
I pretty much strongly disliked both of them instantly (hate is such a strong word and, well implies a greater level of emotion than they actually managed to inspire in me).
I pushed on hoping the main character would suddenly develop some self respect and spine and tell them both to shove off, but sadly no, it looked like they were well and truly there to stay. And since the main character actually seemed to be getting progressively thicker and more frustratingly ditzy with every page, yeah my interest was waning.
I didn't actually decide to stop reading this one, it just happened.
And it's been a while now and I don't feel any particular desire to pick it up again, so I've decided to mark it as finished and move on.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,223 reviews148 followers
November 27, 2013
Listening to audiobook.

I thought this would be a light-hearted and funny story. I did not find it as such. I found that most of the characters a little on the stupid side.

I thought that this book made everyone in the southern Texas town out to be morons. I thought Tammy Jo was weak for allowing her ex-husband to continue to control her life even after a divorce. Very much the Southern, small-minded stereotype at work throughout the entire story. The only characters that seemed to have any sense to them were Bryn and Lenox Lyons, who were from out-of-town. This heroine is probably one of the most ignorant characters I’ve ever read.

There is a difference between a heroine who seems to constantly get herself into trouble, but is still strong and smart. Rachel Morgan in the Hollows series is a great example. She constantly makes some decisions that are not always the best, and forced to choose between a bad decision and a worse decision.

In this book, Tammy Jo, just seems like a dumb character who can’t seem to get out of her way and has to turn to her cat to make decisions. You know, I talk to my animals, but I truly believe that this character expected the cat to make decisions for her.

The narration for this book was okay and felt like it went well with the book. The narrator did make the character sound a little on the dumb side, but to me that fit really well with this character. I would be willing to try a different series with this narrator, but I really have no intention of continuing with this series.

Originally posted at Hotlistens.com
Profile Image for Once.
2,344 reviews81 followers
March 21, 2011
This seems like a series, I am really going to enjoy. It reminds me of The Sookie Stackhouse novels but not too gory like them. This book is one of those exciting fun and funny reads. The best part hands down is the humor. You will find mystery, suspense and action but Humor takes the cake. Kimberly created some crazy, eccentric characters, that I am excited to keep reading more about. I have the next 2 books in the series waiting to be read.

You meet Tammy Jo a witch that doesn't really know or use her powers. She lives in a small town in Texas called Duvall. Her ex-husband Zach who is a police officer in town still has a thing for her and Tammy does too. Tammy Jo wants to be a pastry chef, not a witch. Of course if life was that easy. Tammy Jo's has her necklace stolen from her and she must find it. This necklace is very important because it contains her great great grandmother's ghost in it. Tammy Jo has to find it to sae Edie's ghost. Now Tammy Jo must start to look at thos ethat have always surrounded her and she might even have to start to trust in someone she was told to stay away from. Bryn Lyons is that person, he is a warlock that can possibly help Tammy Jo, but she is reluctant because of what her family has been told in the past. Will Tammy Jo trust and become Bryn apprentice or will she try and figure it all out on her own? of course she needs to do that before the werewolves find her.
448 reviews19 followers
December 22, 2021
A cute and lighthearted story filled with lots of quirky characters. Tammy Jo is the main personality of the series...she's the one with the magic that doesn't work right and everything that happens in the story revolves around her, magic and a growing love triangle between her, her ex-husband and a male witch she's not supposed to associate with. Then also a mix of spell-cast problems, angry werewolves, a stolen family locket complete with the family ghost and any number of other odd occurrences to keep the plot going. So there's plenty of thing to keep your attention as the story progresses and there are lots of characters moving in and out of the various scene, most playing small roles as Tammy Jo flits around doing her 'thing'.

I loved the 'cat' Tammy Jo got as a gift that isn't exactly a real cat and am interested to learn more about it. Then we never go an explanation of what happened to her mother and aunt who just disappeared. I admit to being curious about that plot thread. And why is everyone in the town accepting of the things that happened but never ask any questions. It's convenient for the story but totally unrealistic. Questions....question...all of which I hope to get answers too eventually.
Profile Image for Marina.
617 reviews29 followers
November 21, 2015
I ran into this series in the library the book cover caught my eye. I love cats and the minute I saw that book cover I was like what is that...is that an ocelot...why is that on a book cover? The book was fun lots of wacky characters and hot chemistry. =0)
This was my 1st book by this author too. Now I am a fan. Plan to read this series!
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Spoiler
Note to Self; Texas
Profile Image for ~Cyanide Latte~.
1,818 reviews89 followers
August 30, 2020
Good God, what a mess. I've read fanfictions written by 14-year-olds that are far less of a train wreck than this.

[EDIT] It was recommended to me by my friends that I throw in a few of the reasons I gave them as to why this book was such a mess, so here you go:
- There's just no real cohesion to the plot.
- The characters are all caricatures of people, they don't feel real. Paper has more dimension.
- Too much happens without explanation or emotion behind it.
- A LOT of suppressed homophobia and some slurs. I get this is set in a small town in Texas, but come ON.
- No explanation of how magic works in this universe.
- Random zombie incident that has NO bearing on the rest of the plot.
- Main character spends more time driving around to different places in the neighborhood than she does anything useful. She attempts spell-casting twice but we are never told what her spells actually did, just that they *jazz fingers* had an effect, oooh~.
- Oh, I forgot to add that not only was the gay character who most of the homophobia was against treated as a caricature of a stereotypical gay man, but he was also a General Flavor Of Asian who spoke in badly broken English.
931 reviews41 followers
November 17, 2021
I’m writing this as a general loose view of the whole series, seeing as I skimmed them all. I kept on skimming and skipping through the books because they had potential. The development of characters and chemistry between the people, the touch of mystery required for a series to span into several installments were the main reasons which drew me on. However, what stopped the books from being captivating were the many irrelevant obstacles which were piled on at every single twist and turn, mostly without a comeuppance for the vile character, dealt at any kind of satisfying interval. One builds the obstacles in a plot line to help it move along and to motivate the reader to keep on reading to see what happens next, in this book too many irrelevant obstacles were just a hindrance and made the plot flow to come full stop more than once and instead of interesting the reader to read through it made one skip the whole chapter. Therefore, what I like to call, the flow of the book was trickling through at best of times instead of moving smoothly and drawing you with it. I think two and a half stars should be sufficient but as usual goodreads won’t accept half stars.
Profile Image for Cherie.
1,044 reviews45 followers
November 13, 2020
3.5 stars

This was one of those easy enjoyable reads. It has that southern Sookie Stackhouse feel to it, another series I enjoyed. Just enough mystery, witchiness, romance, paranormal and comedy to make it work. Will definitely pick up the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Devz Milady.
326 reviews5 followers
February 17, 2015
Where to start! Lets tick some of the repulsive aspects of this book!

-Our heroine -A exaggerated "Southern" y-all talking dumb red-headed belle who was all about cliched 'My hair is red so I have to be all emo and stupid", who hasn't heard of the words like 'red-light district' or gaelic [especially considering her witch ancestry]

- Twilight style 2 Male-chauvnist-yet-HOT-AS-HELL guys trying their crazy stuff to get our heroine to swoon over them - one a typical rich suave Edward while the other all muscle bound macho swaggering Jacob...when will we ever ever get over the Twilight effect!!!!

- Typical casting with a rich bitch who tries her best to hurt our sweet heroine, with apparently no real reason other than being a bitch, friends who get hurt giving a chance to show how loyal/brave/stupid our heroine can be.. I mean, Tammy is being hunted by Werewolves and instead of leaving her friend to be rescued, she decides to "stick" with her in a show of loyalty, which comes off as real stupidity to anyone with sense

- Did anyone else find the fact that both the heroes had no respect for Tammy as a person and had only interest in getting into her pants cos she looks hot, kinda disturbing and cheap?

-People do weird things without any solid reason; Lennox stole Tammy's locket & caused all the havoc and didnt really have a good reason on why he didnt just ask her... why didnt he? Tammy's mom & aunt and even Edie, the family ghost tells her not to do anything with Lyons but gives her no real reason - which makes no sense as Tammy is not 3-4 yrs old.. I find even a 6 yr old kid needs a reason for not doing something..so what made 3 apparently smart women decide that the best way to get a hormonally crazy gal from getting banged by a sexy guy is to create more mystery around that guy? Its a real surprise Tammy didnt get involved with Bryn earlier!

- Question - if someone you were married to and you still love and you know that the feelings are mostly returned, went off & slept with someone while you were in the same house, how would you react?
1. Get effing mad and storm out
2. Cut all relations with the cheater
3. Try to kill the bastard/bitch who did it
4. Get a bit angry to show you're upset but still kiss & coo cos you hope to still get into the pants of your ex later, even though someone has already been in it...
Guess which option our dumb macho hero Zach chose..
The guy is supposed to be real hot, is a cop, has a nice family and still drools after an ex wife who he thinks is off her head.. just cos she's the prettiest girl in the town.. shallow anyone?

- Weird mysteries like a were wolf gang mindlessly attacking people & getting slaughtered just to avenge 1 guy's death..really???? And who the hell is Diego?The boss's son? If not whats the big deal in him dying that Samuel is trying to get the whole pack decimated? Who is Samuel? Werewolves are best trackers but they couldnt really distinguish between a witch who did magic and a witch who happened to sleep in the same house? How did they ever manage to track anyone with that logic? Also Lennox didnt kill Diego at Tammy's place..so how in the whole fantastic world did his & Tammy's scents got mixed up?Did they take a secret bath together or what? By this logic, if I'd killed Diego during the Oscars, the werewolves would go crazy trying to hunt the entire Hollywood A list... Really smart characterization, Kimberly.

And how about the 2 missing ladies - Tammy's mom & aunt? What did Edie have to say about it? I mean she seems very powerful & all? Also wasnt she supposed to come out when Tammy was in danger? If so was she taking a nap when she was getting attacked by werewolves?
Tammy was attacked by werewolves cos apparently she was sleeping upstairs when Lennox the actual killer was burgling her house and somehow the stink got on her...later she attacked and killed several werewolves but that didnt count... cos, she used a silver bullet?? Anything making sense?


- What did you find the most irritating part? Where Tammy kept saying "I am not really a witch.." till almost the last chapter even though she has been doing spells, she's been told that she has power, her spells seemed working... In fact, the part where Samuel slaps her when she says that nonsense is one of the best for me.. slap the dumb ass idiot again I say!
The other most irritating part for me was the weird Asian guy who inspite of living in a town without any other Asian friends and surrounded by other White guys, cant still string a sentence together..If this is not racism, tell me what is!


Overall, this is a tasteless hodge podge of ideas with sex interests thrown in to make things spicy.. It just makes it all yukky! Nobody finds a divorced 23 year old woman stringing along 2 guys as heroine material...
There were some interesting concepts about fey and magic but it all got drowned by the Y-alls and focus on getting the southern cliches right!
I think people are now just writing YA novels to cash in on the whole Super natural interests and Triangle love stories, without a clear idea in mind...
Unless you're a hard core Texan, I doubt if you will enjoy this...
Profile Image for Mary.
567 reviews15 followers
February 12, 2018
I'll read the next is the series. It would have been three stars without the accents.
Profile Image for Frost’.
32 reviews2 followers
May 25, 2017
Très bon livre au départ...mais rapidement, on se rend compte que le fil conducteur part en tout sens à peine rendu à la moitié du livre. Une histoire qui semblait logique, mais qui au final se ramasse avec des lacunes ou des incohérences qui en viennent à perturber la lecture.

Je reste très mitigée. Je tente quand même la lecture du second tome, dans l'espoir de voir une amélioration.
Profile Image for  ♥Lynn ♥ .
203 reviews51 followers
March 17, 2017
For me, this one started off really well. I was ready to buy the whole series. Somewhere in the middle, things went south. I enjoyed the main character, I just felt left out of the plot for a while. Not sure really what else to say about it, other than you know when you are making a cake and you don't mix it well and you have patches of mix that you haven't mixed well with the rest of the mixture...that was this book. Certain plot lines didn't mix well.
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