When life falls apart, sometimes the best way forward is through a looking glass to the future, especially if it leads to a town where magic is real, secrets are hidden in plain sight, and the local guide is a good-looking crush from years ago.
Once Maeve finds out her husband has a mistress and her life has pretty much been a lie except for the beautiful daughter she created from nineteen years of marriage, she takes her friend up on an invite to Stonewick Village. The town is a quirky tourist trap, famous for its enchanted setting and mysterious beginnings.
Maeve feels an unexpected sense of belonging when she steps foot in the tiny Midwest village. For the first time in years, she’s ready to reclaim her life, even if she’s unsure where to start.
But Stonewick Village isn’t just a picturesque getaway. As Maeve settles in, a centuries-old secret unveils itself, and she’s pulled into a whirlwind of magic and mystery. Maeve must rediscover her strength, not just for herself, but for the village slowly revealing its true nature.
After all, it’s been over 100 years since the Stonewick Academy came to life, and it just might be Maeve who awakens the magic.
Maeve knows she’s about to embark on the time of her life, and she can’t wait to prove to everyone that being over forty doesn’t mean the adventures stop.
In fact, it’s merely the beginning.
If you love whimsical worlds, mystery, slow-burn romance, and a dash of humor, grab your wand and your tea and step into Stonewick today in this midlife cozy fantasy. A wonderful cozy fantasy for those who love paranormal women's fiction and midlife magic!
This was a bit of a slog for me. Maeve reads more 20 something than 45. She is annoyingly repetitive in asking for more info and continuous reassurances. There were several times when I just put down the book because it wasn’t moving and Maeve needed more info, always. She was told multiple times that the info would come when she was ready for it. The author had some areas where the narrative jumped without a transition. At one point Maeve was at work, then with Keegan, then they walk into the garden and suddenly her jacket opens to show her birthmark on her hip? Give me a break, how is she dressing for work? Is she having a wardrobe malfunction? Oh, and just then it begins to snow - the hip is still out there while winter is arriving. Almost every chapter ends with a “you are not alone” and “we can do this together” so much millennial reassurance just makes the story drag on and lack momentum.
This story read more like a young woman that just broke up with her cheating boyfriend and moved to a new town for a fresh start. Not a woman in her midlife who just found out her husband of over 18 years had been cheating on her for years. The characters she meets in this new town are fun and interesting and I think the premise of the story had great potential. The town is full is whimsy and mystery with a darkness in the shadows to give the story some edge. This is why I gave the book rating for this book at least a 3. But it is a slog getting through the repetitive descriptions and discussions the main character has with herself in making any life choices. And listening to the main character almost beg those around her for the information they are keeping from her that is relevant to the decisions she is making is frustrating. These side characters say they believe her life experience is important in the role she must play in this town, yet they treat her as if she is a child that cannot handle the truth. I just wish the main character had been treated more as an equal adult in this story. An adult that life had thrown some badness at that she handled. An adult that didn’t let that define her and opened herself up to the magic in this town with determination and love and some fight. Let’s see how the second book handles all of this. I am curious.
All these strange happenings & no one offers to explain anything to Maeve - just that she'll find out when the time is ready. Guess the author wants to save the explanations over the 9 books in the series. With each book between 400-500 pages, I don't have the patience or inclination. Just not for me.
I really wanted to love Magical Melee by D. K. Bolton because the premise immediately hooked me. A middle-aged woman discovering magic she never knew she had while also rediscovering herself? Yes, please. 🙌🏻 That kind of story is right up my alley.
The book has a cozy paranormal vibe that I genuinely enjoyed, especially the theme of personal growth and stepping into power later in life. Those elements made the story feel relatable and gave it a lot of heart.
That said, the pacing felt a bit off for me. The first half of the book had quite a bit of repetition, which made it harder to stay fully engaged. I also struggled with the length: at over 450 pages, it felt more like the start of a large world-building fantasy series than the cozy paranormal story I was expecting.
Even with those issues, I’m still intrigued by the concept and the characters. I’ll probably continue with the next book in the series at some point, but I’m planning to take a little break before diving back into this world. 📚✨
This was a slow start of a book. Hard to stay connected to the main character. But, then it started to come together, the characters more real. By the time I finished, I was way more invested in the story and the people who inhabited Stonewick. I’m looking forward to the next book, and hope the momentum continues.
WARNING! Cliffhanger! Actually, it is more of a hook, as we are left wondering what our character will decide to do, but it’s not a particularly traumatic one. That being said, the next book is already out, so no need to wait anyway!
Her divorce finalized, Maeve and her best friend Sky take a trip to the magical tourist town of Stonehaven, a place Maeve has always wanted to go to, but never quite managed. There she discovers links to her own past and family history, and learns that magic is all too real, and that, like the rest of the world, not everyone who wields it is good.
This is the start of a midlife magical series, with an entertaining cast of characters, a recent divorcée finding her footing in the world, and a society where age and its subsequent wisdom are needed before one can be a witch. Maeve is a bit of a character. Her life before has put her down and marked her- she might have a fiery temper, but she also has a tendency to let things get bad before it comes out. This makes her a little wishy-washy at times, but she gradually starts to find her own inner strength as the book goes on. The cast of side characters is a fun one, with all sorts of magical beings, and a dog who might be a little more than Maeve realises. There is a potential love interest, but this is a slow burning flame (Maeve is a little reluctant to jump back into the dating scene so soon), and of course there is the distracting big bad to even things out and keep you on your toes.
The book itself was enjoyable, veering slightly to the cosy side of things, although the big bad has a tendency to make cosy impossible, with a definite magical setting.
My only real complaint is that sometimes the book jumped a little- one chapter ends, then there is a skip as the next chapter begins. Sometimes things might get repeated, or our heroine might say something, only to question it when someone else says the same thing a few paragraphs later. These can be slightly distracting to the reader, especially if you aren’t fond of editorial issues, but otherwise don’t impair the story itself, which is a fun ”coming of middle age” tale.
If you are looking for a substantial, cosy-adjacent, paranormal women’s fiction read, then I can definitely recommend this one as a book that PWF lovers might just enjoy- be warned, it ends on a slight cliffhanger, with a number of loosely dangling threads you might just want to find out about.
This was an excellent book - first in the series. The author did a masterful job of building the world of the books and it was a fascinating world - layered and complex with lots of magic and mystery. I recommend this book. I have already downloaded the second book in the series.
Amazon synopsis: When Maeve finds out her husband is sleeping with everyone but her, she decides she needs a little magic in her life. At forty-five, Maeve takes her best friend up on an offer to visit Stonewick Village—a quaint, quirky tourist haven famous for its whimsical charm and mysterious roots.
From the moment Maeve sets foot in the cobblestone streets of Stonewick, she feels an unexpected pull to the town’s enchanted setting. Between tea shops brimming with cozy vibes, eccentric locals, and magical oddities hiding in plain sight, Stonewick feels like the perfect place for a fresh start, or so she thinks.
But beneath its charming exterior, Stonewick holds secrets waiting to be uncovered. As Maeve settles in, she’s drawn into the mysteries of the long-dormant Stonewick Academy, a legendary magical institution that seems to stir back to life in her presence. With a mix of humor, heart, and just a little chaos, Maeve must embrace her inner magic to help the town and herself find a new beginning.
Because at forty-five, Maeve knows one thing for sure: life’s adventures don’t stop. In fact, they’re just getting started.
I was very interested in reading this book because of the middle age, divorce, and starting over aspect. I tend to find those parts of stories to be extremely relatable.
However, I found the book to be pretty boring. I was trying to figure why, and I just really wasn't all that invested in Maeve. The author gave me no reason to care about her. Instead of middle age, divorce, and starting over being a critical foundation to the story, it's nothing more than a footnote.
If the author had started the story at the point where Maeve discovered her husband was cheating and showed the aftermath of that, I likely would have been invested enough to root for her and follow along on her journey. Most of the time, an author has one chance to turn a reader into a fan, and this author sadly failed at this opportunity.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a mix-up of everything from a cozy midlife divorcee discovery to Harry Potter. I liked the characters, but still struggle a bit with the FMC, Maeve. We are told she's in her mid-40's but it doesn't routinely feel that way. There are definitely a lot of self-doubts and curiosity that stretches patience. The secondary characters pretty much say two things. "We can't tell you (yet)" and "we'll always be here for you". Basically, both get said - a LOT. There are some pretty decisive editing issues with lots of repetitive dialogue and strange timelines. There is a "Big Evil" lurking and some battle action that was pretty anti-climatic. They seemed to just stand around and shoot magic at each other. It was interesting and I will probably read book 2 to determine about pursuing the entire series.
I absolutely loved this story! Being at the same age as our main character, it was easy to picture myself there with Maeve, experiencing all that she did.
Moving to a familiar yet foreign small town, Maeve navigates her new-found single mom life with her daughter at college and her ex leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Maeve is a strong woman who leads with her heart and it shows. With Frank the pug, and Stella the quirky tea shoppe owner by her side, Maeve discovers a hidden past and the important role she holds in Stonewick.
Magical Melee has the right amount of humor that made me laugh and the right amount of flirting that makes me question if something will happen between Keegan and Maeve. Maybe there's a spell for this sort of thing???
Magical Melee is the first book in The Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy series by DK Bolton. Mauve is finally visiting a small town of Stonewick with her friend Skye. It’s a town that both her mother and her ex-husband felt was too touristy. Recently divorced and her daughter leaving for college, Mauve is finally experiencing and falling in love with this small town. Stonewick offers a variety of attractions that Mauve finds magical. Needing a place to live, she finds a unique cabin to rent. Magical Melee is filled with many magical mysteries. It is fast paced reading. The book is intense with a sense of urgency and danger to find. Not necessarily my preferred genre, I never put the book down. I needed to know the answers Mauve is searching to understand. I am a fan of B. k. (Karice) Bolton’s writing and I find my reading interests expanding.
I’ve just finished binge reading from book 1 through 7. This series has been so much fun to absorb I just can’t hardly wait for Magical Mojo to be released. Kudos to DK Bolton on weaving threads of magic into my life interspersed with pots of tea. I’ve become very invested in Maeve, Keegan, Twobble and crew. There are gems of wisdom, quotes, that have spoken to me about some of life’s truths. As a midlifer myself, I wish I could attend The Academy for real.
I’ve read A LOT of books where the main character has a piece of crap husband and has to start life over and either reclaims her magic or finds out she is magic. Most follow the same pattern. This book starts that pattern and throws you off course bringing a welcoming mystery. This story is definitely in its own league. And the author has done a good job of setting you up to want to continue to the next book. I’m hoping for some faster paced excitement from book two but really enjoyed book one!!
Argh, I hate giving a mediocre review because I really liked the idea and where the story goes. It was great that the main character/heroine was in her forties and the creativity of the magical village was fun. What I found disappointing was the one dimensional characters. By the end of the story I really didn’t know WHO any of the characters were as people, I couldn’t even feel a connection with the main character because there wasn’t much there to bond with. I kept reading thinking it would change but it never did.
I really liked this book, but it did start out rather slow. I'm glad that I stuck with it, because now I'm eagerly waiting for book two! I can't wait to find out what happens to all the characters from Maeve, Keegan, Stella, and cute little Frank, and Twobble! So far I've had fun with this book and even had me laughing.
I thought this book was a slow start but I found myself compelled to keep reading and now I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series. The characters are original and the story line is really interesting. It was my first book by this author and I’m hooked!
In a world of my own isolation this book filled my heart with warmth, dreams and possibilities. Happiness bound my heart as I read the middle age witch coming into her own and a 70+ old w/barely a wrinkle or pain filled with glitter and joy radiating positivity thru pain. It's everything I needed and then some. Thank you.
Her daughter is off to college and her husband has left her for another. Taking time for herself she takes a trip with a neighbor who always wanted to visit the "Witch Town". There she finds people who know her and she finds she knows their names without being introduced. Had she been here before? Good Read can't wait for the next book.
The moment I picked up this book I could not put it down. I had to keep reading. I absolutely loved the story line and all the surprises that came along with it. Of course the last chapter leads you with a cliff hanger and wanting to know what happens. Onto the next book.
I almost returned this book after several chapters because it was too serious and lacking humor. Twobbles added the spark that kept me reading. The fight scene was not at all suspenseful. The ending was predictable. But like I said, it was entertaining enough to finish.
Stonewick is not a tourist destination. It is magical. So many different residents. Even Gargoyles to protect the town. Magical yarn. Magical tea. My favorite is character, Frank, the little bull dog.
I love this story! The characters are amazing—except for Gideon and the ex!—and I love the village of Stonewick! Just wondering if the Stone cottage is taking reservations? Bwahaha
I enjoyed reading this book. Maeve 's life goes through a bad patch with a divorce and the upheaval of starting her life over. Then she visits a magical town. Things really start happening. It's a good book!
This was the absolute PERFECT cozy fall read!! It was the perfect amount of plot and intrigue with laugh out loud moments and adventure. I can’t stop gushing about it to anyone who will listen. 🥰 I can’t wait to continue the series!
I absolutely loved this book! From the characters and creatures, to the well described town, I couldn't put it down!! I'm hooked! Starting the 2nd book in tge series now! Happy reading, Heather 🩷
This book kept me engaged from the start, and I read it over the course of one day. I did find the dialogue a bit repetitive, but overall I enjoyed the small town, magical theme and the engaging characters. Ready for the next book!