Rags to Witches: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery

by Mary Beth Olglethorpe

Althea Orwell thought she’d left her magic and her hometown of Fogg Haven behind when she traded in her cauldron for a "normal" life. But when her grandmother, Mathilda, passes away after 187 mysterious years, Althea returns to inherit not only her family’s quirky tea shop, Cup of Leaves, but also a world brimming with magic—and trouble.

As Althea struggles to accept her new role as the shop’s owner, she discovers a cryptic journal hidden by Mathilda. It's filled with magical symbols, unfinished spells, and secrets Althea can’t ignore—especially when ghosts start disappearing from town, including one of the shop's oldest customers. With a cryptic note, a coded journal, and the town’s skeptical (and distractingly handsome) sheriff by her side, Althea must untangle a web of magic and mystery before Fogg Haven’s paranormal residents vanish for good.

If Althea can’t crack the case, she might just end up the next in line to disappear.

Perfect for fans of magic, mystery, and a touch of romance, Rags to Witches will enchant readers who love paranormal cozies with a twist.

191 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2024

Reviews

[Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rags to Witches follows Althea Orwell, who following the death of her grandmother has recently moved back to Fogg Haven to take over her grandmother's magical tea shop. When a string of ghost disappearances forces her to start investing what strange forces are around town.

I was originally drawn to pick it up because of the title - who doesn't love a pun?
I liked it but I couldn't fully enjoy it.
Cons:
• The writing quality was really inconsistent, though the second half was better than the first.
• There was so much repetition. Elements would be mentioned several times in a chapter to herself and then to another character, and while this doesn't seem absurd, the chapters average 6 pages.
• There's an implied urgency in the plot but the main character doesn't actually follow through on those time sensitive events with the same level of urgency (days/ weeks go bye).
• Main character becomes convinced it's all a personal attack, with no real evidence to say for certain with the size of the town.

Pros:
• Lots of puns. Crypto-o-currency was not one I saw coming.
• The plot was cute, I do wish there was a bit more leading time of her working in the shop before the mystery began.
• Suggestions of a possible romance
• Good general mystery

With more editing I think it would be a solid story, but there was just a lot of inconsistency.

Thank you to Mary Beth Olglethorpe and BookSirens for the ARC.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rags to Witches: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Mary Beth Olglethorpe
I really enjoyed the blend of supernatural beings and modern tech in this book. I really liked the teashop setting. The crow familiar was really cute. I liked that the main character’s sister helped her solve the mystery. The sheriff was so worried about Althea but was useless, he doesn’t believe in magic and only told her to stay out of it. The whole time I had no idea who was behind the ghosts disappearing, so I was thinking the whole time.
I had a little trouble getting into this book because there was no backstory for Althea and her relationship with the sheriff. However, once I got further in the book and the author expanded on her relationship with her sister, and created a feeling of curiosity about who her grandmother really was I was really interested.
This is a quick read that would be a good read for a day off during the fall or winter with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket.


I did receive a free copy of the e-book to review.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rags To Witches, is the first book in the Rags To Witches cozy mysteries by Mary Beth Oglethorpe. When the story begins, Athelia has just buried her favorite aunt Matilda. She has also inherited her strange brew tea shop as well as her familiar. sue wants to do her aunt proud but isn’t confident in knowing as much magic or being as strong as her aunt was but promises herself she will do her best. Soon she is going to have to prove it because detective Luke comes to tell her that ghost Edith is missing. Luke is looking into it after all he is the detective and fog Haven, but unfortunately he isn’t magical and doesn’t know much about that side of town. This is why Athelia starts looking into the missing ghost herself, but soon Edith will not be the only paranormal entity that is missing. when looking into the missing Athelia thinks she may have the clue that leads her to the culprit, but she’ll soon learn the answer is much more dangerous. She will also learn that even though her aunt is gone, that doesn’t mean she’s not still protecting her. I really enjoyed this book and although I didn’t understand everything having to do with the cryptocurrency, It wasn’t hard to follow along. if you like good mysteries, magic, witches, ghost, vampires, etc, living along side humans, stop a while in Fog Haven, and have a spot of tea. You won’t regret it. I certainly did not.

[Methmini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Beth's Rags to Witches is an enchanting tale that effortlessly weaves together themes of resilience, identity, and magic.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its Vivid world-building. The author creates a rich setting where magic feels both whimsical and dangerous, making the stakes feel real. The descriptions of the protagonist's transformation from a downtrodden orphan to a confident witch are beautifully written, showcasing her growth and determination.

The character development is another strong suit of this book. The protagonist is relatable, with flaws and insecurities that make her journey toward self-acceptance all the more rewarding. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, adding depth to the narrative and providing moments of humor, wisdom, and tension.

The pacing of the book is steady, with a balance between action-packed sequences and quieter, introspective moments. The themes of found family, courage, and believing in oneself resonate deeply, making this not just a magical story but also an inspiring one.

While the plot occasionally leans on familiar tropes of the "rags-to-riches" and "hidden magical destiny" variety, Mary Beth's fresh perspective and engaging writing style keep the story captivating.

[Pamela Sewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Sirens eARC. Althea Orwell returns to her hometown of Fogg Haven following the death of her grandmother Mathilda to take over her tea shop with her sister. Althea has focused on living a normal life and has foregone her magical abilities. However it soon becomes apparent that all is not well with paranormal residents under threat. Althea must dust off her special skill set to restore the community to its balance and disperse the dark energy. Will the spells and clues in Mathilda's journals be enough to counteract the evil? I found the premise of this cozy paranormal to be entertaining yet felt that the writing was inconsistent and with many repetitive passages. It also seemed that some threads and leads introduced were dropped and not followed through. Althea was an engaging character and the tea shop and small villages setting gave good vibes.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Althea and her familiar Beezle a crow have quite a mystery on their hands. Ghosts' life forces are being drained by a mastermind running a crypto currency scheme. The sheriff Luke doesn't believe in magic but he tries to help. Dark forces are at work and Althea and her human sister Delia try to solve the clues their gram left for them. More than money is being stolen for dark purposes. Delia has a big secret!!! Althea's

family has secrets too!!! My head is spinning!!! The Revenant warn her they're coming back to finish the fight. Can she beat them at their own games again??? Winner take all, but the stakes are high. Cliffhanger!!

An edge of your seat unputdownable read.

I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well….I'm not really sure what to say about this one. First off, I am not interested in cryptocurrency, so that kind of gave it a not so great feel to me. I usually enjoy the storyline of girl comes back to family home/business, takes over, etc. but this was kind of draggy. It's a quick read as in a smaller book/words, not in the way quick read is about how good the story is and you can't put it down. I will read the next book in the series to see if things get better. I always want to give an author a second and third chance, just in case it was a bad day for me or the author changes up some things. We'll just have to wait and see.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Caitlin C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book. The story line was interesting and fast paced and fun. There were a ton of great puns and I would love to know more about where the story line goes. The crypto-currency was one of my favorites and it was so interested to see how that tied to the life force of the paranormals.

I could not get behind the writing style. It was inconsistent, rushed during certain aspects and not clear. I wanted to know more about Althea's backstory, how did she end up back in Fogg Haven, why was her sister not more a part of running the tea shop and really any history.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Robert Foland · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rags to Witches" is an enjoyable paranormal mystery. Author Mary Beth Oglethorpe has created an amazing world where "normal" human beings coexist with paranormal entities such as ghosts and witches. Within this world, she has woven an intriguing mystery. The book is attention-grabbing, features great characters, and offers a compelling mystery to solve. Is there anything better than relaxing and reading books like this?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Booksirens.

Althea is thrust into her hometown and its problems after the death of her grandmother. With help from her sister and the towns disinterested sheriff, they were able to unlock the first clue.

The writing of this was a little slow paced for my liking. Maybe a little repetitive in some areas, but for the most part it was a fun and cozy story for any one wanting a slow cozy story

[teal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get invested in this one. It felt too dramatic, too silly, and very unfinished. We don't learn anything about the characters... they supposedly run a tea shop but they constantly leave it alone. A lot of information is just skated over and we don't hear about it again. I did finish it, so that's why it gets two stars instead of one.

~ Thank you to BookSirens for the free ARC. My review is voluntary. ~

[Bia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSiren for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am always down for a cosy, witchy, mystery, so I thought I would have a great time with this book. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the way it was written. Everything was so repetitive, I was constantly being told that this person was very important to the main character and that her grandmother was full of secrets, and something was up with the crypt-o-currency (don´t even get me started on crypt-o-currency, it gets mentioned every other page and I still have no idea what it is), how the guy was such a sceptic even though he fully believed in ghosts???
This book was not my cup of tea (sorry).

[AMBER CLARK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, mystery, and a touch of romance makes Rags to Witches such a wonderful book. Dark forces are at work and ghosts are disappearing. Can Althea figure out what's going on and stop it or is she in danger of disappearing as well? With her grandmother's journal and a little help from the local sheriff sets out to solve the mystery in Fogg Haven.

[Sabrina Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rage to witches is book 1 of Rags to Witches series. The story line brings a little of old history to new worlds. A great mystery, inheritance, and finding out you are a witch. The book has a since of humor with a relaxation for the reader to just enjoy. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica Kimbel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was just an okay read for me. The first have was extremely repetitive and slow, with not much variation in the chapters. Every one started off with, this morning in the tea shop…. About two thirds into the book, I felt like it was more interesting and enjoyable, so I have hope that future books in this series are better.

[Sharon A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy paranormal mystery- the author did a good job intertwining the “normal” humans and the “paranormal” beings such as ghosts and witches.

The writing was a little slow paced and too repetitive but I did enjoy the mystery aspect.

I also liked Beezel the familiar.

Be prepared this book ended on a cliffhanger.

[Linley Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book and beginning of a series. Following death of her grandmother Althea embarks on trying to solve the mystery regarding missing ghosts which left by her grandmother. There’s danger and surprises throughout.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Deborah Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really fun Althea runs a tea shop she inherited after her Grandmother died. Ghosts are disappearing and their crypto has been taken erasing their attachment to our world. Althea goes against dark magic and a plan that is putting the paranormal community in danger of disappearing. I enjoyed this book and I recommend it.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was going to be good. The concept was, but it was so very repetitive. I felt like I just kept rereading the thing over and over and over and over…yeah, like that! I just can’t bring myself to read the rest of the series.

[Indie · Rating 3 out of 5]

well... this could be so good !!! but, it was on repeat... just too much... I love witchy, small town , new life, new love interest... just...

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Althea has to go home after the death of her grandma, she hasn't been back to Fogg Haven since she left many years before. There she finds a business she inherits, mysterious journals and she is a witch.

Overall fun book, will look for #2

[Mercedes burnside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books with magic and mystery. I admire all the details to the places and the characters. I do wish there was more connection to the main character and sheriff. I also wanted more details on her background. Overall I really enjoyed the whole book and can’t wait to read the next book.

[KayCee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read with interesting characters and an enjoyable mystery.

I received an ARC for free and leave this review voluntarily.

[Miza]

This was an easy ready… The writing and word building gave a cozy feeling. The plot is good but some sentence seems to be repeating in most chapter.

I received an e-advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.