Witchful Sinking

Midlife at the Magnolia

by Jen B. Lassalle

Genres: Fantasy

258 pages, Paperback

Published December 25, 2025

About the author

Jen Lassalle is a writer of paranormal women's fiction and midlife fantasy fiction under the pen name JB Lassalle. She likes strong females who are more than just a bit awkward, dimensional males who roll with the punches, and found family friendships that triumph over nuanced bad guys you love to hate.

Jen is a New Orleans resident. The city, and the surrounding areas, serve as a rich backdrop for a world where magic exists and mystical creatures are not only real, but live among us.

When Jen isn’t writing, she’s hanging with her family and friends at a local park or coffee shop. She likes working out, which is kind of weird, loves yoga, and plays video games. Of course, she reads.

Jen and her husband have two kids. One is an avid competitive swimmer (which sucks up all their weekend time). The other is a daydreamer like Jen who plays the Mega Man theme on his guitar and binge watches Stranger Things.

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ I still enjoy the characters, I love the idea of it. House and Gumbo are still my favorites, but after three of these we're starting to drag a little bit. So far we've come to accept aging gracefully, admit some faults, and repair friendships and working relationships through honesty and vulnerability. Hopefully the next release finds Ray and Ethan on the same page at least, if not back to friends. And when it comes to love for Simone, I almost hope it's someone new. Sometimes the past is there for a reason, no need to relive it. (I wouldn't be mad if she ended up with both guys, but something tells me Lassalle isn't that kind of writer)

[Georgen Charnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again we have this weepy, exhausted woman, who's pretty much disinterested in everyone else, in charge of this place that has four businesses. She doesn't know anything about three of the four businesses and doesn't care to learn about them. Now we've added clumsiness, I guess to make her "relatable." And an injury, because sometimes she can heal and other times she can't. There's a ritual meant to make the coven a cohesive unit by pretending they're best friends.

I hope the next book features her murder and Brianne becoming the head.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing the series, this book has nature battling Simone, House, and the coven or are they the ones causing the problems? This book was even more action-packed than the last one, making it a fast and enjoyable read.

[Rebecca Goss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable installation of this lovely series about a middle aged woman coming into her power and developing new relationships. There’s humor, friendship, romance and some angst. I like this series and look forward to the next book.

[Tara M Faria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I like this series a lot, but by the third book, some parts of the storyline are starting to drag. I’m looking forward to the fourth book in the series. It’s a lot of fun reading about a menopausal witch who just discovered her magic, lives in a magic house, and talks to her magic cat.

[Michelle Halber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't as strong. I suspect it was mostly a filler before the love triangle book.