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Grimoires Gone Wild
Most Wardwell witches are forces of nature. Mari is more of a natural disaster.
After losing her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment in one fell swoop, thirty-six-year-old journalist Marigold Wardwell finds herself doing the one thing she swore she'd never moving back to Duskboro, Vermont – the magical small town she fled at eighteen.
The thing about descending from a line of powerful witches is that everyone expects you to live up to the family name. Her mother can control the weather. Mari? She once tried to light a candle and set her own eyebrows on fire.
The plan is survive the summer, and escape back to Boston by fall.
Except Wardwell Manor itself is unraveling. The protective wards are failing, the house is misbehaving, and the family grimoire – her only hope for fixing any of it – is missing.
When other grimoires start disappearing and strange anomalies plague Duskboro, Mari becomes a prime suspect. Everyone knows she’s the Wardwell who is terrible at magic. What better motive could someone have?
Alongside her dead grandmother’s judgemental talking cat, an elderly psychic aunt whose visions are becoming increasingly unreliable, and a cast of quirky locals (including the handsome mortician she’s trying not to notice), Mari must find the thief and save the town before Duskboro descends into disaster.
After losing her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment in one fell swoop, thirty-six-year-old journalist Marigold Wardwell finds herself doing the one thing she swore she'd never moving back to Duskboro, Vermont – the magical small town she fled at eighteen.
The thing about descending from a line of powerful witches is that everyone expects you to live up to the family name. Her mother can control the weather. Mari? She once tried to light a candle and set her own eyebrows on fire.
The plan is survive the summer, and escape back to Boston by fall.
Except Wardwell Manor itself is unraveling. The protective wards are failing, the house is misbehaving, and the family grimoire – her only hope for fixing any of it – is missing.
When other grimoires start disappearing and strange anomalies plague Duskboro, Mari becomes a prime suspect. Everyone knows she’s the Wardwell who is terrible at magic. What better motive could someone have?
Alongside her dead grandmother’s judgemental talking cat, an elderly psychic aunt whose visions are becoming increasingly unreliable, and a cast of quirky locals (including the handsome mortician she’s trying not to notice), Mari must find the thief and save the town before Duskboro descends into disaster.
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About the author
Cleo Frost
1 bookCleo Frost has been dreaming of being a witch since she was a little girl, but since that didn’t work out, writing about them is the next best thing. She writes paranormal cozy mysteries with quirky casts, talking cats, and lots of small town whimsy.
Cleo lives in the mountains of Upstate New York with her husband, a menagerie of cats, some aquatic snails, and a handful of chickens. When she’s not holed up at her desk in her historic (but hopefully not haunted) home office, she can be found wandering local trails, visiting craft breweries, and supporting her local music scene.
Cleo lives in the mountains of Upstate New York with her husband, a menagerie of cats, some aquatic snails, and a handful of chickens. When she’s not holed up at her desk in her historic (but hopefully not haunted) home office, she can be found wandering local trails, visiting craft breweries, and supporting her local music scene.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 5, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with an advance reader copy (ARC) of Grimoires Gone Wild in exchange for an honest review.
Grimoires Gone Wild was such a fun read, and I already can't wait for the sequel!
The characters were all so memorable, and I'm eager to return to this world to see what happens next—especially with our two favorite feline friends. Honestly, I found myself smiling every time the cats appeared on the page. (Though the human characters were just as wonderful!)
The pacing was excellent, with a mystery that steadily unfolded and kept me hooked from beginning to end. I loved the magical realism elements and the cozy small-town atmosphere. The story explores grief, finding yourself, returning to your hometown, reconnecting with the people you left behind, and the many layers of relationships, all while delivering a compelling mystery.
I also appreciated that there was no spice, making this a cozy fantasy that a wide range of readers can enjoy. It's definitely going on my list of books to buy because I know my daughters will love it too.
Overall, this was an easy 5-star read for me. If you loved Sarah Beth Durst's Faraway Inn or Lucy Jane Wood's Rewitched, you'll absolutely want to add this cozy fantasy to your TBR. I can't wait to see where this series goes next!
Grimoires Gone Wild was such a fun read, and I already can't wait for the sequel!
The characters were all so memorable, and I'm eager to return to this world to see what happens next—especially with our two favorite feline friends. Honestly, I found myself smiling every time the cats appeared on the page. (Though the human characters were just as wonderful!)
The pacing was excellent, with a mystery that steadily unfolded and kept me hooked from beginning to end. I loved the magical realism elements and the cozy small-town atmosphere. The story explores grief, finding yourself, returning to your hometown, reconnecting with the people you left behind, and the many layers of relationships, all while delivering a compelling mystery.
I also appreciated that there was no spice, making this a cozy fantasy that a wide range of readers can enjoy. It's definitely going on my list of books to buy because I know my daughters will love it too.
Overall, this was an easy 5-star read for me. If you loved Sarah Beth Durst's Faraway Inn or Lucy Jane Wood's Rewitched, you'll absolutely want to add this cozy fantasy to your TBR. I can't wait to see where this series goes next!
June 2, 2026
This one turned out to have the sweetest answer for all the books gone MIA. When the adults discover it, they were so in awe , and so was I. What a wonderful story. And the surprises don't end there. Englebert drops a few pearls of his wisdom on Mari, and her aunt makes her an offer she can't refuse. I am so looking forward to more from this author. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.
June 4, 2026
This was such a fun read. Mystery, suspense and humor all wrapped up in a very cute a darling story about a town of magical families. Two who left town at the age of 18, only to return. One opened a business, the other insists she isn't staying. They join forced with a few other friends to investigate things going missing and weird things happening. Friendship, family and a maybe love interest. This story has it all.Can't wait for more in the series
June 3, 2026
I signed up as an ARC reader for this book and I’m so glad I did. I loved every moment of it. I loved getting to know Mari and Englebert and all the other characters in the story. It took such a sweet twist as they try and find where the lost items are disappearing to. I cannot wait to read more from Cleo
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews