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The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm
Callie Aigean drove twenty-four hours, carrying twenty-four extra pounds on her plus-sized frame, staring down her 24th birthday in less than twenty-four weeks. That's the day she's due to make her magical ascension into a full witch and take her place among the elite spellcasting community of Blue Crab Bay. Callie expects a cakewalk until the Source throws her a boulder instead of a buoy. It's out of the cauldron and into the pyre when Callie learns failure doesn't mean banishment, but instead sees her whole family stripped of power and exiled.
With the help of her beloved Grandpa, Callie's determined to learn three decades' worth of spells and charms in under six months, but when an attack takes the only family member who believes in her, Callie wants to give up and let her family drown her. Fortunately, she's got a rambunctious Familiar who swears she's not a puppy and a cast of clever witches to help her succeed. Callie is determined to master the Harkness Hat Trick––crushing her ascension, smiting a killer, and trying not to drown in a cauldron of her own crap.
Will Callie have a magical meltdown, or can she pull up her big witch panties and stop a madman with a maniacal mission before the Frost Moon rises?
With the help of her beloved Grandpa, Callie's determined to learn three decades' worth of spells and charms in under six months, but when an attack takes the only family member who believes in her, Callie wants to give up and let her family drown her. Fortunately, she's got a rambunctious Familiar who swears she's not a puppy and a cast of clever witches to help her succeed. Callie is determined to master the Harkness Hat Trick––crushing her ascension, smiting a killer, and trying not to drown in a cauldron of her own crap.
Will Callie have a magical meltdown, or can she pull up her big witch panties and stop a madman with a maniacal mission before the Frost Moon rises?
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 11, 2025
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 19, 2025
Get a Clue!
When I say this book is a sarcastic, magical, delight of the highest order, I mean it! The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm is the book you need when you and your life are spinning wildly out of control and you need some body double action in the form of a slightly pudgy, mouthy witch that doubles as a trainwreck to make you feel better about the state of your own life.
Aerie Avant folds you into the world of Blue Crab Bay with Callie (MC) pulling back into town after she blew outta there seven years ago thinking she’d never go back. See, Callie comes from a witch family of high regard and even higher talent and Callie is pretty sure she’s adopted because when Source was handing out magical abilities like Halloween candy to the rest of her family, well, much like Charlie Brown, Callie got a rock.
And then there’s Declan.(MMC) She never expected him to wait until she came back which upon further inspection determines that Callie’s pants are indeed on fire in more ways than one!
And if that doesn’t entice you, you could always get a Clue. (Yes that was a teaser, no I won’t tell you more)
What follows is a level of mayhem and laughter that will have you snorting coke zero out your nose from start to finish.
Not to mention, there’s some pretty great witchy wisdom that juggles topics like metaphysics, sacred geometry, philosophy and psychology. Proving this book is heavier than your average witchy, mystery, romance but you’d never know it because Ms. Avant serves it up lighter than Airie. (That was a terrible pun…I’ll see myself out)
When I say this book is a sarcastic, magical, delight of the highest order, I mean it! The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm is the book you need when you and your life are spinning wildly out of control and you need some body double action in the form of a slightly pudgy, mouthy witch that doubles as a trainwreck to make you feel better about the state of your own life.
Aerie Avant folds you into the world of Blue Crab Bay with Callie (MC) pulling back into town after she blew outta there seven years ago thinking she’d never go back. See, Callie comes from a witch family of high regard and even higher talent and Callie is pretty sure she’s adopted because when Source was handing out magical abilities like Halloween candy to the rest of her family, well, much like Charlie Brown, Callie got a rock.
And then there’s Declan.(MMC) She never expected him to wait until she came back which upon further inspection determines that Callie’s pants are indeed on fire in more ways than one!
And if that doesn’t entice you, you could always get a Clue. (Yes that was a teaser, no I won’t tell you more)
What follows is a level of mayhem and laughter that will have you snorting coke zero out your nose from start to finish.
Not to mention, there’s some pretty great witchy wisdom that juggles topics like metaphysics, sacred geometry, philosophy and psychology. Proving this book is heavier than your average witchy, mystery, romance but you’d never know it because Ms. Avant serves it up lighter than Airie. (That was a terrible pun…I’ll see myself out)
February 22, 2025
This book was so much fun to read! I started out misunderstanding who the two voices are for the podcast that opens most chapters. They were snarky and funny but I thought they were “mean girl” teenagers at first and thought the book would not be for me. I was wrong.
The further I got into the story, the more I couldn’t put it down, and rushed to the ending. Happy to see this is Book 1 of a series; I can’t wait to read more about the witches in Blue Crab Bay.
I received a free digital ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
The further I got into the story, the more I couldn’t put it down, and rushed to the ending. Happy to see this is Book 1 of a series; I can’t wait to read more about the witches in Blue Crab Bay.
I received a free digital ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
March 11, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I absolutely adore this book! It was such a captivating and beautifully written novel. I felt like the descriptions and turns of phrase used at times gave a poetic feel. Callie, the female main character, is struggling with coming to terms with moving back home and settling in within her family and taking her destined place within her witch community. I felt like I could relate to Callie's struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling uncomfortable with the unknown of the future. Each chapter started with a "podcast episode" hosted by two members of the local witch community. It gave the book a different aspect than I've seen before and was a fun twist. It gave a glimpse into the community and some hints of the history between characters without revealing too much until Airie Avant was ready to make the full reveal.
I am really looking forward to reading future books in this series!
I absolutely adore this book! It was such a captivating and beautifully written novel. I felt like the descriptions and turns of phrase used at times gave a poetic feel. Callie, the female main character, is struggling with coming to terms with moving back home and settling in within her family and taking her destined place within her witch community. I felt like I could relate to Callie's struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling uncomfortable with the unknown of the future. Each chapter started with a "podcast episode" hosted by two members of the local witch community. It gave the book a different aspect than I've seen before and was a fun twist. It gave a glimpse into the community and some hints of the history between characters without revealing too much until Airie Avant was ready to make the full reveal.
I am really looking forward to reading future books in this series!
January 6, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Witches of Blue Crab Bay by Airie Avant is an enchanting and heartfelt debut that pulls you into a magical coastal world filled with humor, high stakes, and self-discovery. Callie Aigean is a protagonist you can’t help but root for as she faces her impending magical ascension, familial expectations, and an unexpected tragedy.
I was immediately hooked by Avant’s rich descriptions of Blue Crab Bay and the witty, clever dialogue that gave life to the characters. Callie’s struggles—balancing her plus-size frame with her determination to grow into her power—felt deeply relatable and refreshing in a genre that often prioritizes perfection over authenticity.
One thing I particularly loved was Callie’s bond with her mischievous Familiar. Their interactions brought levity and warmth to a story that also tackled grief and resilience. However, I felt that some of the secondary characters, while intriguing, could have been developed more fully to enhance their impact on the story.
While the pacing was strong for most of the book, the final showdown felt a bit rushed, and I would’ve liked a deeper exploration of the antagonist’s motivations. These minor quibbles aside, the story left me eager to dive into the next installment and see where Callie’s journey takes her.
Avant has crafted a magical world full of charm and grit, and I can’t wait to revisit Blue Crab Bay. If you enjoy witchy tales with a mix of humor, heart, and high stakes, this is a series you won’t want to miss!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Witches of Blue Crab Bay by Airie Avant is an enchanting and heartfelt debut that pulls you into a magical coastal world filled with humor, high stakes, and self-discovery. Callie Aigean is a protagonist you can’t help but root for as she faces her impending magical ascension, familial expectations, and an unexpected tragedy.
I was immediately hooked by Avant’s rich descriptions of Blue Crab Bay and the witty, clever dialogue that gave life to the characters. Callie’s struggles—balancing her plus-size frame with her determination to grow into her power—felt deeply relatable and refreshing in a genre that often prioritizes perfection over authenticity.
One thing I particularly loved was Callie’s bond with her mischievous Familiar. Their interactions brought levity and warmth to a story that also tackled grief and resilience. However, I felt that some of the secondary characters, while intriguing, could have been developed more fully to enhance their impact on the story.
While the pacing was strong for most of the book, the final showdown felt a bit rushed, and I would’ve liked a deeper exploration of the antagonist’s motivations. These minor quibbles aside, the story left me eager to dive into the next installment and see where Callie’s journey takes her.
Avant has crafted a magical world full of charm and grit, and I can’t wait to revisit Blue Crab Bay. If you enjoy witchy tales with a mix of humor, heart, and high stakes, this is a series you won’t want to miss!
March 11, 2025
The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm is a charming coming of age tale following the main protagonist Callie as she unravels the mysteries of her family and those that seek them harm, while attempting to ascend into her full witchy powers. I very much enjoyed this debut novel by Airie Avant; her style is slow and deliberate, but not belabored. Despite being under 350 pages, the main characters are well developed and the town/world created has quite some depth. The reader can expect to be fully hooked with the action kicking into full speed to race to the finish around the 65% mark. While there are many magical and fantastical elements, I am sure readers like me will relate to Callie’s internal struggles, imposter syndrome and her apprehension about the future.
While I absolutely love podcasts in real life and appreciate the use of them as a rhetorical device, in the context of this novel it did not land for me. It did not add as much as I would have liked to the plot and took me out of the story when I simply wanted more of Callie’s story immediately. That small critique aside, I really enjoyed the novel and I look forward to future installment of The Witches of Blue Crab Bay.
Thank you to BookSirens for the free advance review copy I received. I appreciated the opportunity to read and review this book and I do so voluntarily.
While I absolutely love podcasts in real life and appreciate the use of them as a rhetorical device, in the context of this novel it did not land for me. It did not add as much as I would have liked to the plot and took me out of the story when I simply wanted more of Callie’s story immediately. That small critique aside, I really enjoyed the novel and I look forward to future installment of The Witches of Blue Crab Bay.
Thank you to BookSirens for the free advance review copy I received. I appreciated the opportunity to read and review this book and I do so voluntarily.
February 12, 2025
As this is a debut novel I expect that we will see some great things from Airie Avant in the future but this one didn't quite do it for me.
There were parts of this book that were very fun (lots of good sarcasm and magical adventure), but other parts seemed to drag and were too loaded down with details and too complex to keep straight. As the story progressed I was able to keep some of the characters and their specialties straight but others were mentioned in passing again with not enough context to remember who they were or why they were important. Similarly, each chapter started with the transcript of a magical radio show. I keep looking for deeper connections to the main story but by half way through I started simply skipping these pages. These transcripts felt like inside jokes being explained to an outsider, they should have been hilarious but the ended up tedious. After dragging through the beginning of the story the middle was quite the adventure and mystery but just when I thought it was going to earn an extra star the ending and resolution of the mystery felt a bit rushed and less satisfying than I was hoping.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There were parts of this book that were very fun (lots of good sarcasm and magical adventure), but other parts seemed to drag and were too loaded down with details and too complex to keep straight. As the story progressed I was able to keep some of the characters and their specialties straight but others were mentioned in passing again with not enough context to remember who they were or why they were important. Similarly, each chapter started with the transcript of a magical radio show. I keep looking for deeper connections to the main story but by half way through I started simply skipping these pages. These transcripts felt like inside jokes being explained to an outsider, they should have been hilarious but the ended up tedious. After dragging through the beginning of the story the middle was quite the adventure and mystery but just when I thought it was going to earn an extra star the ending and resolution of the mystery felt a bit rushed and less satisfying than I was hoping.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 1, 2025
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm was a fun read!
Including the podcast text at the beginning of most chapters was a clever and entertaining way to build some of the mythology of witches in this book. I felt that I got to know the main character Callie really well although I was a little curious to know more about what she did in the several years she was away from home. At times she was a little frustrating but overall I connected with her and enjoyed seeing her develop as a character. Her banter with Declan was particularly fun and I also loved her relationship with Clue, who was a great addition. I felt that some of the characters, such as Callie's brother, were not as well-developed, but it may just be that they did not play as big of a role in the story. At the end of the book I was definitely excited to read the next installment of Callie's story!
The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm was a fun read!
Including the podcast text at the beginning of most chapters was a clever and entertaining way to build some of the mythology of witches in this book. I felt that I got to know the main character Callie really well although I was a little curious to know more about what she did in the several years she was away from home. At times she was a little frustrating but overall I connected with her and enjoyed seeing her develop as a character. Her banter with Declan was particularly fun and I also loved her relationship with Clue, who was a great addition. I felt that some of the characters, such as Callie's brother, were not as well-developed, but it may just be that they did not play as big of a role in the story. At the end of the book I was definitely excited to read the next installment of Callie's story!
March 17, 2025
This is a debut novel and book 1 in the series The Witches of Blue Crab Bay. This was not a fast read but it kept me interested. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story to see what would happen next. This book has murder, drama, a bit of romance, paranormal with witches and a familiar, and humor.
There are two stories in one, kind of. One is Callie’s journey to get her power and trying to find out who murdered a member of her family and injured others. The other story is a podcast with two snarky witches and some incredibly bad commercials.
If you like mystery mixed with humor and some paranormal, I highly recommend this. I’m looking forward to book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There are two stories in one, kind of. One is Callie’s journey to get her power and trying to find out who murdered a member of her family and injured others. The other story is a podcast with two snarky witches and some incredibly bad commercials.
If you like mystery mixed with humor and some paranormal, I highly recommend this. I’m looking forward to book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 5, 2025
What a fun and unique new series! I love the main character, Callie. Her snide remarks are and the way she ends up fumbling over her words when she’s nervous are lol!
I was shocked at who the victims ended up being in the story. It’s sad when a loved character is taken. We always expect it to be the grouchy, unliked character in the story. Who the killer was came out of nowhere to me! Then to find out that a character that we all thought was bad had other motives for their actions. Talk about red herrings!
The podcast took a bit to get used to, but once I got into the book it was really interesting and goofy at the same time. Another reason for the lol moments.
This was a truly fascinating book!
I was shocked at who the victims ended up being in the story. It’s sad when a loved character is taken. We always expect it to be the grouchy, unliked character in the story. Who the killer was came out of nowhere to me! Then to find out that a character that we all thought was bad had other motives for their actions. Talk about red herrings!
The podcast took a bit to get used to, but once I got into the book it was really interesting and goofy at the same time. Another reason for the lol moments.
This was a truly fascinating book!
December 26, 2024
this was a strong start to the Witches of Blue Crab Bay series, it had that element that I was looking for in the paranormal element. I was hooked from the first page and thought it was a great opening chapter. It had that element and characters that I was hoping for. Airie Avant has a strong writing style and left me wanting to read more in this series. It uses the magic element that I was looking for and was hooked from the paranormal element that I was looking for. I'm excited to read more in this world and from Airie Avant.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 10, 2025
Reading The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm felt like stepping into a whirlwind of magic, chaos, and sharp humor. Airie Avant’s writing is packed with witty banter and sarcasm that keeps the story light and entertaining, even when things get intense. The main character is flawed in the best way—relatable, determined, and full of heart, making it easy to root for her. I loved the clever podcast-style transcripts that added a unique touch to the storytelling. While some side characters could have been fleshed out more and the ending felt a bit rushed, the mix of humor, mystery, and magic made this such a fun read. I can’t wait to see what’s next in the series!
January 21, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the witches in this small town. The Magic system is complex, unique and modern and incredibly interesting.
The author weaved a layered, funny and sarcastic story filled with hijinks, exploration of character and spell casting that hit me on every level.
And I laughed, alot! If you're looking for a new world to lose yourself in with emmersive settings and hilarious characters loaded with depth, I highly recommend this book. I can't wait for the rest of the series.
Highly recommend.
The author weaved a layered, funny and sarcastic story filled with hijinks, exploration of character and spell casting that hit me on every level.
And I laughed, alot! If you're looking for a new world to lose yourself in with emmersive settings and hilarious characters loaded with depth, I highly recommend this book. I can't wait for the rest of the series.
Highly recommend.
March 11, 2025
I was going through a thing and this book helped me cry it out. I did enjoy the book. I liked how the miscommunication wasn't cliche. I was pleasantly surprised at what happened.
April 17, 2025
Thank you to Conquest Publishing for the gifted copy.
Enjoyed this book to the Witches of Blue Crab Bay series. I enjoyed the magic element in the story. This book will definitely pull you in. If you're new to paranormal style type of writing and genre, this would be a good book to read. Callie has struggles and I feel as if it can be relatable to some of us. I also enjoyed that there was this humor to it. I'm not big on paranormal, but it's definitely one that I would absolutely enjoy rereading again!
Enjoyed this book to the Witches of Blue Crab Bay series. I enjoyed the magic element in the story. This book will definitely pull you in. If you're new to paranormal style type of writing and genre, this would be a good book to read. Callie has struggles and I feel as if it can be relatable to some of us. I also enjoyed that there was this humor to it. I'm not big on paranormal, but it's definitely one that I would absolutely enjoy rereading again!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews