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Witches and Wine #1
Witches' Brew: Cozy Mystery
Pepper Jasper moves from Sydney to the cozy town of Lighthouse Bay, answering a desperate plea from her aunts to help with their failing Bed and Breakfast business. She discovers her aunts are more eccentric than she remembered, the Bed and Breakfast does not serve breakfast, and the cottages for lease have strange themes. And what's more, within minutes of her arrival, she stumbles across a dead body. Pepper soon has her hands full, contending with a murder mystery, irritating guests including the enigmatic Lucas O'Callaghan who is convinced every woman wants to fall into his arms, and her aunts, who are hiding more than one dark secret. Who or what lurks in the forbidden room at the end of the dark corridor? Why do the aunts insist she drink copious quantities of special label wine?
188 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2017
2521 people are currently reading
1670 people want to read
About the author
Morgana Best
208 books432 followersUSA Today best-selling author Morgana Best survived a childhood of deadly spiders and venomous snakes in the Australian outback. Morgana Best writes cozy mysteries and enjoys thinking of delightful new ways to murder her victims.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
February 14, 2018
A couple of editing issues but all in all a great romantic cozy mystery. Could use a bigger push on the romance.
A great read!
Pepper sure has allot to absorb as she makes her way to live with her 3 aunts. Meeting 2 handsome men in one day is just the begining. Murder and mystery soon follow suite and now it is up to Pepper to make sense out of it all. Albeit the mercurial Mr. O'Callaghan does not make the situation any easier with his conceit and odd requests.
A real tailspin of a tale filled with all sorts of things that go bump in the night. And explanations on how wrong we have been about them throughout the years.
A great read!
Pepper sure has allot to absorb as she makes her way to live with her 3 aunts. Meeting 2 handsome men in one day is just the begining. Murder and mystery soon follow suite and now it is up to Pepper to make sense out of it all. Albeit the mercurial Mr. O'Callaghan does not make the situation any easier with his conceit and odd requests.
A real tailspin of a tale filled with all sorts of things that go bump in the night. And explanations on how wrong we have been about them throughout the years.
October 5, 2018
I am coming to the conclusion that cozies are just not for me. I really did not like the characters and am still trying to figure out what is going on. Is this a murder mystery or just an aside to the reveal of all these really lousy secrets. The secrets are not revealed in a clever way.
August 20, 2021
When Pepper relocates to Mugwort Manor to live with her 3 eccentric aunts she has no idea what's in store for her. Enter the handsome Lucas, full of mystery and don't forget the dead body that crashes through the skylight. Delightful twists and turns in the first book in the series- and yup, I bought book 2 already.
November 29, 2018
Valkyrie Jasper (Pepper) moves to Lighthouse Bay to live with her excentric aunts after a sucession of failed jobs leaves her no choice since her degree in Classical Literature has proven to be worthless.
Her aunts run a bed and breakfast that is not doing very well, and they hope Pepper can help turn things around. Her aunts also appear to be more than just three elderly spinsters trying to make a living with the B & B.
As she arrives to the B & B, she meets a new arriving guest (Lucas O'Connor) who is extremely arrogant, and to make things worse, a body falls though the stained glass window ceiling right at their feet.
Lucas has his own problems as he inherited his uncle's winery after his death. The victim who fell through the window is the winery's Wine Scientist. It appears the someone wants the winery to go out of business in a bad way.
Her aunts run a bed and breakfast that is not doing very well, and they hope Pepper can help turn things around. Her aunts also appear to be more than just three elderly spinsters trying to make a living with the B & B.
As she arrives to the B & B, she meets a new arriving guest (Lucas O'Connor) who is extremely arrogant, and to make things worse, a body falls though the stained glass window ceiling right at their feet.
Lucas has his own problems as he inherited his uncle's winery after his death. The victim who fell through the window is the winery's Wine Scientist. It appears the someone wants the winery to go out of business in a bad way.
October 26, 2018
Fun for Halloween season
A great Cozy Mystery with a good plot and sub plots. Great characters and a new twist to paranormal characters.
A great Cozy Mystery with a good plot and sub plots. Great characters and a new twist to paranormal characters.
October 21, 2020
This story is SO Australian it even has a Yowie shifter rather than a werewolf. A Yowie is an Aussie version of Big Foot.
A cosy romantic suspense, Pepper arrives at her aunts B&B just in time to have a body plunge to the ground from the roof. Also arriving is Luke - the heir to the winery at the other end of town. There are immediately attraction sparks between the two as Pepper is drawn into solving a twofold mystery - one who killed the man on the roof, and two, she thought she was a witch but what is she? And what is Luke? Can there be a future for them when this is over!
Enjoyed it so much I am going to grab the second in the series to see what happens next with Pepper and Luke
A cosy romantic suspense, Pepper arrives at her aunts B&B just in time to have a body plunge to the ground from the roof. Also arriving is Luke - the heir to the winery at the other end of town. There are immediately attraction sparks between the two as Pepper is drawn into solving a twofold mystery - one who killed the man on the roof, and two, she thought she was a witch but what is she? And what is Luke? Can there be a future for them when this is over!
Enjoyed it so much I am going to grab the second in the series to see what happens next with Pepper and Luke
August 13, 2020
Pepper/Valkyrie moves to live with her aunts, three eccentric older women. When a murder happens just as she arrives at their Bed and Breakfast, she needs to figure out what is going on. There are lots of secrets and mysteries in this story including her aunts. I thought it took too long for the aunts to start answering some of Pepper's questions. I found it frustrating that the aunts call her Valkyrie and she tells everyone her name is Pepper. I wasn't wowed by the the solution to the murder mystery. I did really like the characters and the relationships. I like the universe that is eventually revealed and I think the story has lots of potential for an interesting series. I will likely read the next in this series.
August 9, 2020
Enjoyable and fun cosy mystery
With the quirky aunts, a thoroughly annoying man and a murder, Pepper has her hands full, running the bed and breakfast. The paranormal element added to the cosy mystery and made it more fun. In the beginning, Pepper did not understand much as her aunts did not discuss much with her. But as the story moves forward, her role in the story and the twists and the turns were very enjoyable. Liked it.
With the quirky aunts, a thoroughly annoying man and a murder, Pepper has her hands full, running the bed and breakfast. The paranormal element added to the cosy mystery and made it more fun. In the beginning, Pepper did not understand much as her aunts did not discuss much with her. But as the story moves forward, her role in the story and the twists and the turns were very enjoyable. Liked it.
November 2, 2022
Largely forgettable formulaic witch-meets-family-history story.
Valkyrie “Pepper” can’t find a job w/ her classical literature degree. She moves in w/ her three elderly aunts to help run their bed and breakfast (w/o breakfast) in a creepy house. She literally runs into a new guest of the B&B as they are both entering it—hate-at-first-encounter—when a body literally falls through the skylight. Who-dun-it! And what are the mysterious noises from the “forbidden room” of Pepper’s childhood? The aunts have a lot of secrets….
And thus the series is set up.
Valkyrie “Pepper” can’t find a job w/ her classical literature degree. She moves in w/ her three elderly aunts to help run their bed and breakfast (w/o breakfast) in a creepy house. She literally runs into a new guest of the B&B as they are both entering it—hate-at-first-encounter—when a body literally falls through the skylight. Who-dun-it! And what are the mysterious noises from the “forbidden room” of Pepper’s childhood? The aunts have a lot of secrets….
And thus the series is set up.
November 21, 2020
A quick, fun read
August 31, 2020
Decent story but annoying details.
The story itself was pretty good, though a little too predictable to my taste. What bugged me was some details. Like having a murder happen as you arrive, being told several times to stay in the house and not honour by yourself, and the first thing you don't be next morning, making sure not to wake the others, is to go outside by yourself! And the story starts with the impression she is broke, just a plain ticket, new underwear and a fancy coffee to her name, then we discover she apparently could also afford a cab (why did one of the aunt's not pick her up from the airport, especially if she was broke), has more luggage, which made pointing out the new undies kind of ludicrous, and apparently has plenty of money to buy 3 hand dyed skeins of merino. Now, I don't know the price of merino in Australia, but I would say it's probably between $20 and $40 at least! That is a lot of money if you claim a cup of coffee as your only possessions. There are also a lot of strange loose ends, that might be worked out in later books, though I don't think I will ever buy them. Like why does the yarn store clerk not seem to know the aunts, if they are such fervent knitters, the clerk should have known them and probably would have known their preferences. They have lived there a long time. And that won't even touch on why are some of these people do good looking, why does Lucas smell of spices, why is he driving the aunt's caveat the end of the story, rather then his own, after the aunts said she would only let family drive it, which was clearly a fabrication. Just to many unfinished things in one book.
The story itself was pretty good, though a little too predictable to my taste. What bugged me was some details. Like having a murder happen as you arrive, being told several times to stay in the house and not honour by yourself, and the first thing you don't be next morning, making sure not to wake the others, is to go outside by yourself! And the story starts with the impression she is broke, just a plain ticket, new underwear and a fancy coffee to her name, then we discover she apparently could also afford a cab (why did one of the aunt's not pick her up from the airport, especially if she was broke), has more luggage, which made pointing out the new undies kind of ludicrous, and apparently has plenty of money to buy 3 hand dyed skeins of merino. Now, I don't know the price of merino in Australia, but I would say it's probably between $20 and $40 at least! That is a lot of money if you claim a cup of coffee as your only possessions. There are also a lot of strange loose ends, that might be worked out in later books, though I don't think I will ever buy them. Like why does the yarn store clerk not seem to know the aunts, if they are such fervent knitters, the clerk should have known them and probably would have known their preferences. They have lived there a long time. And that won't even touch on why are some of these people do good looking, why does Lucas smell of spices, why is he driving the aunt's caveat the end of the story, rather then his own, after the aunts said she would only let family drive it, which was clearly a fabrication. Just to many unfinished things in one book.
October 1, 2020
Mon avis en français
My English review
I saw this free novel on kindle and as I like cozy mystery, I was quite curious to discover a new series as well as a new author.
Pepper, despite her degree in hand, can’t find a job, so when her aunts ask her to come to the city of Lighthouse Bay to help them run their Bed and Breakfast, she sees this as a solution to her problems. But the town is full of secrets, and her aunts seem to hide many things. And then there is Lucas O’Callaghan, that charming man who thinks that all the women are after him, which really annoys our dear Pepper.
It was a nice novel overall and I had a good time, but I have to say that I didn’t get as hooked as I thought I would. It’s a book that won’t necessarily leave me with a memorable memory, but it’s an easy read.
My English review
I saw this free novel on kindle and as I like cozy mystery, I was quite curious to discover a new series as well as a new author.
Pepper, despite her degree in hand, can’t find a job, so when her aunts ask her to come to the city of Lighthouse Bay to help them run their Bed and Breakfast, she sees this as a solution to her problems. But the town is full of secrets, and her aunts seem to hide many things. And then there is Lucas O’Callaghan, that charming man who thinks that all the women are after him, which really annoys our dear Pepper.
It was a nice novel overall and I had a good time, but I have to say that I didn’t get as hooked as I thought I would. It’s a book that won’t necessarily leave me with a memorable memory, but it’s an easy read.
August 18, 2022
I picked 3 stars but honestly I don’t know how I feel about this book. I think the idea had merit, but the execution was a bit all over the place and there was just way too much going on. It was also incredibly repetitive for how short it is, and at times extremely contradictory. A prime example is when she’s out for a walk along the beach. The lighthouse is to the right. In the very next sentence, it’s apparently to the left. There was also a lot of “that’s a conversation for another time” going on, which again, given how short the book is, all of these conversations for another time happened all in one conversation at a time that couldn’t even be considered “better” for the main character to learn about everything…
October 19, 2020
Witches, vampires, and shifters. Oh, my!
I enjoyed reading this first book in this series as I have always enjoyed reading the ones from Morgana. Each of the series she offers has something unique about them and this one is no exception. Pepper a.k.a. Valkyrie moves in with her eccentric aunts to help them run a Bed and Breakfast from their ancestral home. She is a witch but is that all she is? When a body falls into the entryway of the house just as she and a guest arrive, she realizes that there is more to her aunts than she first thought. I'm off to read the next installment of the series because I liked this book so much.
I enjoyed reading this first book in this series as I have always enjoyed reading the ones from Morgana. Each of the series she offers has something unique about them and this one is no exception. Pepper a.k.a. Valkyrie moves in with her eccentric aunts to help them run a Bed and Breakfast from their ancestral home. She is a witch but is that all she is? When a body falls into the entryway of the house just as she and a guest arrive, she realizes that there is more to her aunts than she first thought. I'm off to read the next installment of the series because I liked this book so much.
August 8, 2024
This is a new series by one of my favorite Australian Authors she is funny, a bit sassy and these are quick reads or listens. Pepper comes to Lighthouse Bay to live with her Aunts and help them with their business...While there her Aunts tell her a few things about herself she didn't know the first being that she is a Vampire....and so are they....also there is Yowie in Australia and possibly other things as well....whatever is a girl to do with this knowledge....One of the guests staying in the cottages is Lucas O'Callahan an Irishman who warns Pepper to stay away from him as he wants no contact with females....So, if Vampires and Yowie's are real are other things as well??? come for a quick trip into the paranormal world of Morgana Best in Witches' Brew Book 1 in her Vampires and Wine series
September 16, 2019
Low 3 star
The culprit was a bit too obvious to me although some of the details were too far out to guess. But I'm known for putting pieces together so maybe they're not so blatant to other readers.
The culprit was a bit too obvious to me although some of the details were too far out to guess. But I'm known for putting pieces together so maybe they're not so blatant to other readers.
August 12, 2020
Witches' Brew is a solid cosy setting in Australia. (Funny, I just mentioned recently I hadn't read too many books set in Australia and here we are again!) There is, of course, a paranormal slant to the story which unless you strongly object to supernatural elements is not so wild as to require a massive suspension of disbelief. I found it to be rather charming. This was a nice, light read and a good distraction to everyday life.
October 18, 2021
What a fun little book. Witches vampires and shifters. A murder mystery in a small Aussie town.
October 5, 2019
2.5 Stars
I sorta liked the book but found some things frustrating. The flighty Aunts were a bit too cliché and very vague. They never answered questions that were important to their niece and important to moving the story forward.
Examples:
Page 102: “That’s a conversation for another time .”
Page 125: “That’s a conversation for another time .” is said TWICE ON THE SAME PAGE! 😡
Page 131: “I can give you a long summary of the history later.” Later never comes btw.
Page 134: “We’ll talk about it later.” But they don’t! 😣
(All page #’s are from the Nook version I read.)
Valkyrie or Pepper is the main character. Her real name is Valkyrie but goes by Pepper for no apparent reason. “Aunts, everyone else calls me Pepper. The agreement was that if I returned to help, you would call me Pepper, and I could live in one of the cottages” Yet the Aunts always call her Valkyrie. It’s irritating! Pepper/Valkyrie faints. A lot. Get scared? Faint! Get some weird news? Faint! Find out shifters are real? Faint! I’m worried no one is using concussion protocol with her.
I did appreciate that the author explained that this is set in Australia so she would be using Australian spellings for words like neighbour instead of neighbor, etc. She also included Australian slang and terms for everyday things. Again this was extremely nice and probably necessary so she wasn’t constantly emailed about typos. However, I expect an author to write using the vernacular of the country where the story is set and would be irritated if she used American terms like trunk for boot knowing this was set north of Sydney.
Or worse still when an author sets a story in America but uses British or Australian terms for everything. Yes, I’m calling you out again Rebecca Raisin! You are the guiltiest of the guilty doing this. Tsk, tsk!
It’s a cute-ish book and I might read the next in the series hoping it gets better if the book was free for at least only 99 cents.
I sorta liked the book but found some things frustrating. The flighty Aunts were a bit too cliché and very vague. They never answered questions that were important to their niece and important to moving the story forward.
Examples:
Page 102: “That’s a conversation for another time .”
Page 125: “That’s a conversation for another time .” is said TWICE ON THE SAME PAGE! 😡
Page 131: “I can give you a long summary of the history later.” Later never comes btw.
Page 134: “We’ll talk about it later.” But they don’t! 😣
(All page #’s are from the Nook version I read.)
Valkyrie or Pepper is the main character. Her real name is Valkyrie but goes by Pepper for no apparent reason. “Aunts, everyone else calls me Pepper. The agreement was that if I returned to help, you would call me Pepper, and I could live in one of the cottages” Yet the Aunts always call her Valkyrie. It’s irritating! Pepper/Valkyrie faints. A lot. Get scared? Faint! Get some weird news? Faint! Find out shifters are real? Faint! I’m worried no one is using concussion protocol with her.
I did appreciate that the author explained that this is set in Australia so she would be using Australian spellings for words like neighbour instead of neighbor, etc. She also included Australian slang and terms for everyday things. Again this was extremely nice and probably necessary so she wasn’t constantly emailed about typos. However, I expect an author to write using the vernacular of the country where the story is set and would be irritated if she used American terms like trunk for boot knowing this was set north of Sydney.
Or worse still when an author sets a story in America but uses British or Australian terms for everything. Yes, I’m calling you out again Rebecca Raisin! You are the guiltiest of the guilty doing this. Tsk, tsk!
It’s a cute-ish book and I might read the next in the series hoping it gets better if the book was free for at least only 99 cents.
February 6, 2017
Witches Brew (Vampires and Wine, Book 1) is the newest start of a series by Morgana Best. The story opens when Valkyrie aka Pepper arrives at her three aunt's bed and breakfast. They have kindly offered her a job there when they found out she had lost yet another position in Sydney. The B & B is a family legacy, and since Pepper's parents disappeared (presumed dead), they are her only family. She had visited there when she was a child, and loved the close proximity to the ocean and the area in general. However this time things are a little different. The house and rental cottages need work. The aunts are just barely breaking even, and Pepper is determined to turn things around. However before she barely walks in the door, a dead man drops through the stained glass skylight in the reception area where she and another guest are waiting. From there we meet the guest, other guests, and of course the policemen. Over a short period of time so many strange things happen and strange habits of characters are mentioned! While letting the police solve the murder there are many other details the family must focus on.
The surprises are many, and some of them hit me as quite a shock. It is a great deal of fun to read this book, and I believe it is one of Morgana's best ever. I reluctantly put it down half finished when I realized it was well past 1am and I needed some sleep. I couldn't wait to finish it in the morning, and was up early to do so. I can't recommend it enough for a fresh look at the supernatural characters we thought we knew "all" about! Grab your copy and enjoy. I am waiting (impatiently) for the second book in the series!
The surprises are many, and some of them hit me as quite a shock. It is a great deal of fun to read this book, and I believe it is one of Morgana's best ever. I reluctantly put it down half finished when I realized it was well past 1am and I needed some sleep. I couldn't wait to finish it in the morning, and was up early to do so. I can't recommend it enough for a fresh look at the supernatural characters we thought we knew "all" about! Grab your copy and enjoy. I am waiting (impatiently) for the second book in the series!
September 23, 2018
Witchy mystery
Pepper Jasper has decided to move in with her eccentric aunt's who run a failing bed and breakfast. When she arrives a body of a man falls from the roof and lands in front of her. When questioned by the police Pepper begins to feel that something strange is going on. She finds that her aunt's are secretive and their bed and breakfast is failing because they don't serve breakfast and they have weirdly themed cottages for lease. There are a bunch of strange guests including Lucas O'Callaghan who seems to believe that he is God's gift to women. When Pepper begins to investigate the rooms she finds a locked door with strange lights and noises coming out of it but her aunt's tell her that the room is forbidden to every one. As Pepper is trying to make sense out of everything around her there is still a murder to solve. Filled with fun, quirky characters and things that go bump in the night, this is a fun cozy mystery that was enjoyable to read.
Pepper Jasper has decided to move in with her eccentric aunt's who run a failing bed and breakfast. When she arrives a body of a man falls from the roof and lands in front of her. When questioned by the police Pepper begins to feel that something strange is going on. She finds that her aunt's are secretive and their bed and breakfast is failing because they don't serve breakfast and they have weirdly themed cottages for lease. There are a bunch of strange guests including Lucas O'Callaghan who seems to believe that he is God's gift to women. When Pepper begins to investigate the rooms she finds a locked door with strange lights and noises coming out of it but her aunt's tell her that the room is forbidden to every one. As Pepper is trying to make sense out of everything around her there is still a murder to solve. Filled with fun, quirky characters and things that go bump in the night, this is a fun cozy mystery that was enjoyable to read.
August 23, 2020
Not bad. What would have gotten it more stars would have been answering more questions than Book 1 did. One understands not everything will be answered in Book 1 of a series, but it's not unreasonable to expect some answers. Most annoying to me was Valkyrie's inability to decide who she is. Is she the poor relation who has nowhere else to go and has to come help her elderly aunts, or is she a family connection the aunts are going to take under their wings? Neither fully suits the story, nor does the story match the description's "desperate plea from her aunts". Is she Valkyrie or is she Pepper? Is she a strong woman or a pushover? It's the inconsistencies that annoyed me.
Some editing and proofreading issues are minor, but not expected from a "bestselling author" who presumably has a proofreader.
I got this book on a free book offer from Amazon. I might read the rest, if they show up on free book days, or if my library has them.
Some editing and proofreading issues are minor, but not expected from a "bestselling author" who presumably has a proofreader.
I got this book on a free book offer from Amazon. I might read the rest, if they show up on free book days, or if my library has them.
December 7, 2020
A quick and easy read.
Overall I enjoyed it. But there's also no denying the many inconsistencies or the fact that I was frequently annoyed.
Mostly by the many references to "that's a conversation for another time". Half-way through the book I was ready to scream or strangle someone every time one of the aunts mentioned it.
It also doesn't just tweak the paranormal lore/ rules, (i.e. glittering vampires, ugh), no, it tosses it out the window entirely. Like shifters with no heightened senses, no improved smell, hearing, nothing.
When I read this I was quite put off and thought that's like saying vampires don't drink blood and lo' and behold a couple chapters later...
The writing style seemed to switched from overly detailed one minute to fairly generalized the next.
But like I said despite all these issues I actually did enjoy reading it, and if the rest of the series ever shows up in KU I might actually consider picking up the next book.
Overall I enjoyed it. But there's also no denying the many inconsistencies or the fact that I was frequently annoyed.
Mostly by the many references to "that's a conversation for another time". Half-way through the book I was ready to scream or strangle someone every time one of the aunts mentioned it.
It also doesn't just tweak the paranormal lore/ rules, (i.e. glittering vampires, ugh), no, it tosses it out the window entirely. Like shifters with no heightened senses, no improved smell, hearing, nothing.
When I read this I was quite put off and thought that's like saying vampires don't drink blood and lo' and behold a couple chapters later...
The writing style seemed to switched from overly detailed one minute to fairly generalized the next.
But like I said despite all these issues I actually did enjoy reading it, and if the rest of the series ever shows up in KU I might actually consider picking up the next book.
November 8, 2020
Light fluffy paranormal cosy crime that are a very easy read. I enjoy the Australian setting,
and the fact that I can switch my brain off while reading. But a couple of things really bugged me:
1. What is the point of making Pepper and her aunts vampires on top of being witches when they don't drink blood, sunlight has no effect on them and they can see themselves in mirrors - in fact they have absolutely NO vampire characteristics except speed. It is so stupid.
2. How Pepper's aunts refuse to tell her anything about the supernatural and are constantly lying to her 'for her own good' and so as 'not to upset her or stress her'. ALL THE TIME. And how Pepper doesn't push it.
and the fact that I can switch my brain off while reading. But a couple of things really bugged me:
1. What is the point of making Pepper and her aunts vampires on top of being witches when they don't drink blood, sunlight has no effect on them and they can see themselves in mirrors - in fact they have absolutely NO vampire characteristics except speed. It is so stupid.
2. How Pepper's aunts refuse to tell her anything about the supernatural and are constantly lying to her 'for her own good' and so as 'not to upset her or stress her'. ALL THE TIME. And how Pepper doesn't push it.
October 18, 2020
This book was very disappointing. I read it because I was between books and had gotten it free from Barnes & Noble. I will not other reading the rest of the series. I feel like it was a waste of time and not much really happened. it was not well written or believable even on a fantasy level. Parts of it did not really even match up with earlier portions. Definitely would not recommend this book.
December 11, 2018
Not a fan
I wasn't a fan of the pacing of the story, there were several editing errors, and the random mishmash of witchcraft traditions (why is a Australian witch practicing hoodoo traditions?) Threw me off. Overall I didn't really get invested in the story and probably won't continue the series.
I wasn't a fan of the pacing of the story, there were several editing errors, and the random mishmash of witchcraft traditions (why is a Australian witch practicing hoodoo traditions?) Threw me off. Overall I didn't really get invested in the story and probably won't continue the series.
July 22, 2022
Disappointing
I was quite disappointed. I was expecting something else, something more maybe. Some parts of the book were fun and even funny. Some parts were just terrible. I didn't really enjoy any of the characters at all. They just kinda fell flat.
I was quite disappointed. I was expecting something else, something more maybe. Some parts of the book were fun and even funny. Some parts were just terrible. I didn't really enjoy any of the characters at all. They just kinda fell flat.
Want to read
February 12, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (2/12/2018)! 💝
February 21, 2018
Some interesting concepts, but much of the plot seemed haphazard.
December 28, 2017
Witches' Brew is a sweet and uncomplicated story, full of mystery, suspense, and a slight hint of romance. The heroine's name is Valkyrie, or Pepper, as she likes to be called. To be completely honest, I am not sure which is truly the MC's real name.
Anyway, Pepper has to move from Sydney to Light's Bay because things are too expensive there. The poor dear didn't have enough foresight to see that her college degree in English Lit was completely pointless, so now she is plum out of luck on the job prospects.
Her three aunts, Agnes, Dorothy, and Maude, all run a B&B at the small beach town of Light's Bay and have offered Pepper a job. Naturally she takes it and leaves her old life behind. She has never been close to her aunts, simply because her parents kept their distance from them.
However, now that Pepper's parents have been missing for the past five years, she is eager to not only have a job, but to also be around family. The three old ladies are known for their eccentricities but they seem harmless enough so no one really seems to mind them.
That all changes when shortly after Pepper arrives at Mugwort Manor, a body falls through the foyer skylight. Talk about a plot entrance! It was quite a surprise! Pepper thought her life would now be quiet and calm because she is staying in a small beach town. Oh how wrong she was!
Someone has been killed and there is a murderer on the loose, the question is, who is it? There are multiple people staying at the B&B cottages at Mugwort Manor, and many of them act suspicious. There is the William's couple which seem rather haughty, Marius Jones, and last but not least, Lucas O'Callaghan, an infuriating man who thinks he is all that and a bag of chips!
There is also an inspector on the case named Owen who Pepper doesn't completely trust. His manner is unsettling, not to mention rude! Oh, and just in case I forgot to mention it, the aunts are witches. This book actually reminded me a lot of 'Practical Magic'. The movie anyways, I have never read the book.
This was all around a cute story that I enjoyed reading. While the plot does get resolved and the bad guy is put away, there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. What does Peppers future hold? Does she have any special abilities? What secrets are the aunts holding? What is with the black cat? And what is Lucas?
I just can't get over how quickly and agilely he shimmied up that tree. At the beginning of the novel there was a mentioning of something called the 'Bushland Panther', a legendary creature that had been spotted all over Australia. I can't help but feel that tidbit was foreshadowing.
I don't think the little black cat is a Bushland Panther, I think perhaps Lucas may be a beast of legend. That would explain his agility and hearing! In this book the things that go bump in the night are real, as you can see by the series name, so I would not put it past this author to make Lucas something extra special.
There are some implications at the end of what might happen, but the only way to be certain is to read the next story and I will be more than happy to do so! This was such a delightful little novel and I am so glad that I stumbled across it. Plus this was the first book I have read that takes place in Australia. What fun! Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! (I know this isn't the proper use for cheering but I felt like saying it anyway!)
Anyway, Pepper has to move from Sydney to Light's Bay because things are too expensive there. The poor dear didn't have enough foresight to see that her college degree in English Lit was completely pointless, so now she is plum out of luck on the job prospects.
Her three aunts, Agnes, Dorothy, and Maude, all run a B&B at the small beach town of Light's Bay and have offered Pepper a job. Naturally she takes it and leaves her old life behind. She has never been close to her aunts, simply because her parents kept their distance from them.
However, now that Pepper's parents have been missing for the past five years, she is eager to not only have a job, but to also be around family. The three old ladies are known for their eccentricities but they seem harmless enough so no one really seems to mind them.
That all changes when shortly after Pepper arrives at Mugwort Manor, a body falls through the foyer skylight. Talk about a plot entrance! It was quite a surprise! Pepper thought her life would now be quiet and calm because she is staying in a small beach town. Oh how wrong she was!
Someone has been killed and there is a murderer on the loose, the question is, who is it? There are multiple people staying at the B&B cottages at Mugwort Manor, and many of them act suspicious. There is the William's couple which seem rather haughty, Marius Jones, and last but not least, Lucas O'Callaghan, an infuriating man who thinks he is all that and a bag of chips!
There is also an inspector on the case named Owen who Pepper doesn't completely trust. His manner is unsettling, not to mention rude! Oh, and just in case I forgot to mention it, the aunts are witches. This book actually reminded me a lot of 'Practical Magic'. The movie anyways, I have never read the book.
This was all around a cute story that I enjoyed reading. While the plot does get resolved and the bad guy is put away, there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. What does Peppers future hold? Does she have any special abilities? What secrets are the aunts holding? What is with the black cat? And what is Lucas?
I just can't get over how quickly and agilely he shimmied up that tree. At the beginning of the novel there was a mentioning of something called the 'Bushland Panther', a legendary creature that had been spotted all over Australia. I can't help but feel that tidbit was foreshadowing.
I don't think the little black cat is a Bushland Panther, I think perhaps Lucas may be a beast of legend. That would explain his agility and hearing! In this book the things that go bump in the night are real, as you can see by the series name, so I would not put it past this author to make Lucas something extra special.
There are some implications at the end of what might happen, but the only way to be certain is to read the next story and I will be more than happy to do so! This was such a delightful little novel and I am so glad that I stumbled across it. Plus this was the first book I have read that takes place in Australia. What fun! Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! (I know this isn't the proper use for cheering but I felt like saying it anyway!)
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