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Wisteria Witches #1
Wisteria Witches
Zara Riddle moves to the town of Wisteria for a dream job as a librarian. She hasn't even unpacked her moving boxes when she and her teen daughter, Zoey, are swept up in a murder mystery. With all the ghosts and supernatural creatures around (Including a real hunk of a wolf shifter! Meow!) it's a good thing the Riddle women are tougher than they look. Now, if only they could handle their new witch powers as well as they've mastered their sarcastic wit!
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2017
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About the author
Angela Pepper
60 books587 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Angela Pepper lives with her family in the rainy Pacific Northwest, surrounded by spoiled kitties, deer, raccoons, and the biggest woodpeckers you've ever seen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 649 reviews
September 6, 2018
Wisteria Witches
Wisteria Witches Mysteries, Volume 1
By: Angela Pepper
Narrated by: Tiffany Williams
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I am a fan of this author's books but this new series is hilarious! There is so much witty banter and clever remarks, I feel I should listen again because I might have missed some! It is such a fun listen! I had a smile on my face most of the time the book was playing. I loved the plot, the crazy characters, and the silly connection between the mother and daughter! An enjoyable witch story with added ghost and shifter and who knows what else in this town... this has wonderful potential for a super series! I am in love with it already!
The narrator was wonderful! Performing comedy isn't easy but she made it seem natural! Perfect narration! So funny!
Wisteria Witches Mysteries, Volume 1
By: Angela Pepper
Narrated by: Tiffany Williams
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I am a fan of this author's books but this new series is hilarious! There is so much witty banter and clever remarks, I feel I should listen again because I might have missed some! It is such a fun listen! I had a smile on my face most of the time the book was playing. I loved the plot, the crazy characters, and the silly connection between the mother and daughter! An enjoyable witch story with added ghost and shifter and who knows what else in this town... this has wonderful potential for a super series! I am in love with it already!
The narrator was wonderful! Performing comedy isn't easy but she made it seem natural! Perfect narration! So funny!
April 28, 2021
This was such a delightful read. I must say, this one exceeded my expectations.
*4.5 STARS*
Also, ding-dong has become my new favourite word. I shall now use it all the time.
I bought Wisteria Witches on a whim. The blurb seemed cool, the reviews were pretty convincing too. Seemed like a nice lighthearted, witchy-witchy read. But since I got this on a whim, when I was reading a lot of other stuff, it had ended up being lying in my Kindle library for months now.
Suddenly I remembered about it recently and was in the mood for something nice, and cozy and, of course, witchy. I am always in for anything related to witchcraft. Now, while I didn't think I would dislike the book, I did not really have any great expectations either. It seemed like a nice breather after having read some pretty intense stuff. I was swamped with a lot of work so I need something fun and not too long and. So I was mostly viewing it as a light-hearted pastime.
But I ended up totally loving this book. It had such a warm and cozy vibe. It made me strangely nostalgic, probably reminded me of a whole lot of TV Shows. It had a major Gilmore GIrls thing going on, and maybe a bit of Good Witch and TVD. Now, the plotline is nothing like the shows mentioned, especially TVD. It was mostly the strange quaint magical town thing that reminded me of these shows and a bunch of other ones too. And the whole trope of a single, young, mother and a teen daughter. That had a major Gilmore Girls vibe. (And "The Good Witch" too I suppose but I have not watched much of that.) In fact, the characters of Zara and Zoey too were quite similar to that of Lorelai's and Rory's. Except Zoey was not as dumb as Rory's character had been written. Initially, she was annoying like most teen characters are but then she grew on me.
I loved Zara's character. She is hilarious and is missing a few screws up there which makes it all the better. We love weird characters. At least I do.
The writing was extremely delightful. Initially, I found it slightly bland. Maybe not bland but just nothing special but somewhere along the line, I began to find it hilarious and was simply loving it. I also love the character dynamics that have been introduced in the first instalment. I would love to see how all of them play out in future books.
We have a wee bit of romance but I can tell it is not as simple as it looks. A least at this stage. We still do not know much about the Moore family next door so I do not know if I can fully trust them. But one thing is definite- Chet is one hell of a yummy beefcake and I cannot blame Zara for having the hots for him.
The mystery part, to me, did not really feel much of a well..mystery. Because the culprit was a little obvious but I honestly didn't mind that much. I loved the overall vibe of the book so much and the characters, especially, that I honestly did not give a shit.
I have just now purchased the second book and it awaits me in my Kindle library so I shall take your leave. Have much reading to do.
*4.5 STARS*
Also, ding-dong has become my new favourite word. I shall now use it all the time.
I bought Wisteria Witches on a whim. The blurb seemed cool, the reviews were pretty convincing too. Seemed like a nice lighthearted, witchy-witchy read. But since I got this on a whim, when I was reading a lot of other stuff, it had ended up being lying in my Kindle library for months now.
Suddenly I remembered about it recently and was in the mood for something nice, and cozy and, of course, witchy. I am always in for anything related to witchcraft. Now, while I didn't think I would dislike the book, I did not really have any great expectations either. It seemed like a nice breather after having read some pretty intense stuff. I was swamped with a lot of work so I need something fun and not too long and. So I was mostly viewing it as a light-hearted pastime.
But I ended up totally loving this book. It had such a warm and cozy vibe. It made me strangely nostalgic, probably reminded me of a whole lot of TV Shows. It had a major Gilmore GIrls thing going on, and maybe a bit of Good Witch and TVD. Now, the plotline is nothing like the shows mentioned, especially TVD. It was mostly the strange quaint magical town thing that reminded me of these shows and a bunch of other ones too. And the whole trope of a single, young, mother and a teen daughter. That had a major Gilmore Girls vibe. (And "The Good Witch" too I suppose but I have not watched much of that.) In fact, the characters of Zara and Zoey too were quite similar to that of Lorelai's and Rory's. Except Zoey was not as dumb as Rory's character had been written. Initially, she was annoying like most teen characters are but then she grew on me.
I loved Zara's character. She is hilarious and is missing a few screws up there which makes it all the better. We love weird characters. At least I do.
The writing was extremely delightful. Initially, I found it slightly bland. Maybe not bland but just nothing special but somewhere along the line, I began to find it hilarious and was simply loving it. I also love the character dynamics that have been introduced in the first instalment. I would love to see how all of them play out in future books.
We have a wee bit of romance but I can tell it is not as simple as it looks. A least at this stage. We still do not know much about the Moore family next door so I do not know if I can fully trust them. But one thing is definite- Chet is one hell of a yummy beefcake and I cannot blame Zara for having the hots for him.
The mystery part, to me, did not really feel much of a well..mystery. Because the culprit was a little obvious but I honestly didn't mind that much. I loved the overall vibe of the book so much and the characters, especially, that I honestly did not give a shit.
I have just now purchased the second book and it awaits me in my Kindle library so I shall take your leave. Have much reading to do.
November 22, 2020
It was ... okay.
Honestly, I don't feel like I entirely know what was going on. Like, I couldn't really tell whether she was be-spelled, possessed, or TSTL at least half the time.
And I just really really don't understand why Chet was so cagey. I actually don't like him at all. Not sure if I'll read onward.
Honestly, I don't feel like I entirely know what was going on. Like, I couldn't really tell whether she was be-spelled, possessed, or TSTL at least half the time.
And I just really really don't understand why Chet was so cagey. I actually don't like him at all. Not sure if I'll read onward.
June 19, 2017
By the end of the first chapter I found myself giggling at how adorable Zara and Zooey are. They reminded me of Lorelai and Rory on one of my favorite TV shows, Gilmore Girls. Just like in the first season of Gilmore Girls, the mother and daughter in Wisteria Witches are ages 32 and 16. They have an unusually close mother-daughter relationship, and alternate between clever wit and genuine emotion. They tease each other and take care of each other and feel like the best of friends.
The girls move into their newly purchased house in the charming town of Wisteria and immediately strange and mysterious things begin to happen all around them. Some of them are magical, and others just strange, and still others seem to hint at future mysteries to be solved.
I'll admit that when I was reading, I forgot that there was a wolf shifter in the book, so when he actually shifted I was a little surprised. Particularly funny: the conversation between him and Zara about the term 'werewolf'.
My favorite thing about Wisteria Witches was the family dynamics. I like seeing a picture of a family who actually love each other. Recommended for fans of paranormal fantasy, cozy mystery, and the Gilmore Girls.
The girls move into their newly purchased house in the charming town of Wisteria and immediately strange and mysterious things begin to happen all around them. Some of them are magical, and others just strange, and still others seem to hint at future mysteries to be solved.
I'll admit that when I was reading, I forgot that there was a wolf shifter in the book, so when he actually shifted I was a little surprised. Particularly funny: the conversation between him and Zara about the term 'werewolf'.
My favorite thing about Wisteria Witches was the family dynamics. I like seeing a picture of a family who actually love each other. Recommended for fans of paranormal fantasy, cozy mystery, and the Gilmore Girls.
January 27, 2021
The Wisteria Witches is the perfect combination of magic and mystery with a sprinkle of romance. The main characters are surprising, witty and supernatural. A great light hearted, fast paced, supernatural mystery. For full review. Click here
May 2, 2024
This didn't work for me. Though I suspect it is a matter of taste over quality. There are some consistency issues, people knowing things they haven't been told and such, and I thought the dialogue got too formal at times (especially considering how informal Zara is in general). But for the most part what bothered me wasn't a matter of the book being bad, but of it being everything I dislike.
I found Zara intensely annoying! Yes, I see that we're supposed to think her Gilmore Girl cute. But I found her endless blather like nails on a chalkboard, all her constant media references trite, and her naiveté insincere. I felt like even the author thought her immature, often excusing the things she says by calling them juvenile, long-standing jokes between her and her daughter. The book falls short of calling anyone a poopy-head, but not by much, and only because it's so committed to "ding-dong."
Calling Zara and her crew Mary-Sues would be an understatement. On the upside, the book is 100% clean; not even a curse word is uttered. On the downside, it means the book lacks any sort of grit. So much so that there is barely any tension. I was just this side of bored for all of it.
Plus, the book takes a long time to pick up any kind of speed, spending far too much time on dinners and descriptions. (Hope you like adjectives.) Then, once it does, the mystery essentially solves itself off-page, leaving the reader out of the action.
Lastly, I disliked Tiffany Williams' narration style. It fit the book really well, actually. And again, the quality is fine. But the places she emphasizes words and her tone, etc, just highlights the overly-sensitive, overtly clean aspect of the book, making all my annoyances stand out even more.
Please don't take the last few paragraphs as my having an issue with clean stories. I just don't know a better way to describe the feel of it, like it's been scrubbed of anything interesting and real. I guess that's my base issue, why people complain about Mary-Sues in general, they don't feel real. They're too idealized to relate to and thus feel fake.
I actually have the audio box set of the first three books. I went into them with really high hopes. I'm all about cozy paranormal mysteries right now, and the main character even has my same name. When you're named Zarah, that's not something you encounter often. I will challenge myself to give the next book a try. Maybe with the world-building done, the next book will be better for me. I was disappointed with this. But I can 100% see all the things that irritated me, so being exactly what another reader will love. To each their own.
*edited to fix a homophone.
I found Zara intensely annoying! Yes, I see that we're supposed to think her Gilmore Girl cute. But I found her endless blather like nails on a chalkboard, all her constant media references trite, and her naiveté insincere. I felt like even the author thought her immature, often excusing the things she says by calling them juvenile, long-standing jokes between her and her daughter. The book falls short of calling anyone a poopy-head, but not by much, and only because it's so committed to "ding-dong."
Calling Zara and her crew Mary-Sues would be an understatement. On the upside, the book is 100% clean; not even a curse word is uttered. On the downside, it means the book lacks any sort of grit. So much so that there is barely any tension. I was just this side of bored for all of it.
Plus, the book takes a long time to pick up any kind of speed, spending far too much time on dinners and descriptions. (Hope you like adjectives.) Then, once it does, the mystery essentially solves itself off-page, leaving the reader out of the action.
Lastly, I disliked Tiffany Williams' narration style. It fit the book really well, actually. And again, the quality is fine. But the places she emphasizes words and her tone, etc, just highlights the overly-sensitive, overtly clean aspect of the book, making all my annoyances stand out even more.
Please don't take the last few paragraphs as my having an issue with clean stories. I just don't know a better way to describe the feel of it, like it's been scrubbed of anything interesting and real. I guess that's my base issue, why people complain about Mary-Sues in general, they don't feel real. They're too idealized to relate to and thus feel fake.
I actually have the audio box set of the first three books. I went into them with really high hopes. I'm all about cozy paranormal mysteries right now, and the main character even has my same name. When you're named Zarah, that's not something you encounter often. I will challenge myself to give the next book a try. Maybe with the world-building done, the next book will be better for me. I was disappointed with this. But I can 100% see all the things that irritated me, so being exactly what another reader will love. To each their own.
*edited to fix a homophone.
August 28, 2017
Aww, this one was kooky and fun. Actually, I think it was Zara herself who was kooky and fun. Zoey's not quite at her level of kookiness, but she's only sixteen. She has time to grow into her off-beatedness.
So. Wisteria. A small town with some big secrets. Moving there seems like a dream come true for Zara, but those secrets start popping up almost as soon as she rolls in. Things like ghosts and otherworldy critters and an aunt Zara hadn't seen in ages.
You know, LITTLE THINGS.
As the secrets begin to be revealed and Zara learns about her family's legacy, she's also dancing around the mystery of the death of her house's previous owner (that's kinda a mouthful, isn't it?). Her neighbor is VERY distracting (and there's a bit of a mystery surrounding the two of them, isn't there?) and the town just keeps getting more interesting every time she turns around.
Witches, shifters, a quirky town, and a touch of danger. Ahh, Wisteria.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
So. Wisteria. A small town with some big secrets. Moving there seems like a dream come true for Zara, but those secrets start popping up almost as soon as she rolls in. Things like ghosts and otherworldy critters and an aunt Zara hadn't seen in ages.
You know, LITTLE THINGS.
As the secrets begin to be revealed and Zara learns about her family's legacy, she's also dancing around the mystery of the death of her house's previous owner (that's kinda a mouthful, isn't it?). Her neighbor is VERY distracting (and there's a bit of a mystery surrounding the two of them, isn't there?) and the town just keeps getting more interesting every time she turns around.
Witches, shifters, a quirky town, and a touch of danger. Ahh, Wisteria.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
August 31, 2018
It crossed my mind Gilmore Girls fans may dig this - most of the story if light and amusing banter between mother and teenage daughter. A new house has been purchased, a new town has been moved into, new neighbors have been introduced, and of course new powers discovered. Yippee!
I like the humor in the book, and the characters - the issue is that there isn't actually a plot-plot. It's fun, it's cute, I liked seeing her accidentally step on the strange boss's toes and meet a ghost in the house (kind of) with a weird aunt and what-not, as well as an unnaturally dreamy neighbor - but interest started waning when the story didn't keep picking up purpose.
I like the humor in the book, and the characters - the issue is that there isn't actually a plot-plot. It's fun, it's cute, I liked seeing her accidentally step on the strange boss's toes and meet a ghost in the house (kind of) with a weird aunt and what-not, as well as an unnaturally dreamy neighbor - but interest started waning when the story didn't keep picking up purpose.
May 5, 2020
Round up to 4.5 stars. A sheer delight, especially if you love Gilmore Girls. I’m not usually a fan of funny books, but these were so good for my soul.
November 2, 2020
Lots of laugh-out-loud humour! I had so much fun reading this book. Zara Riddle and her daughter move to a new town where Zara starts a new job as a librarian. The fun starts immediately with a spooky house, unusual neighbours and the arrival of unmet family. There are lots of supernaturals in this new town. The only thing I found a bit frustrating is that this story doesn't have a plot. It does have a mystery, clues, red herrings and fabulous characters but no plot. It wanders. But I liked it so much I will be reading the next in the series.
December 29, 2020
Fun little story
Giving this one a 4 star rating. It's an entertaining story place in a simple world of witches & Co. Characters are the strongest element in the whole affair, with snappy dialogues and enough humor to make them endearing. The world around Wysteria is simple enough, not too detailed but not to the point it feels lacking either. The main plot throughout volume 1 is simple enough to follow and gets a good resolution by the end of the volume. A few overarching elements are left opened by the end, clearly placed there to be addressed in future volumes. There were a couple of questions that were left unaddressed in book 1 that I feel could have actually been given more clarity to satisfy my curiosity. Instead I was left a bit frustrated at the obvious "I may address this in a future volume but I'm not sure yet"... Anyway, good read :-)
Giving this one a 4 star rating. It's an entertaining story place in a simple world of witches & Co. Characters are the strongest element in the whole affair, with snappy dialogues and enough humor to make them endearing. The world around Wysteria is simple enough, not too detailed but not to the point it feels lacking either. The main plot throughout volume 1 is simple enough to follow and gets a good resolution by the end of the volume. A few overarching elements are left opened by the end, clearly placed there to be addressed in future volumes. There were a couple of questions that were left unaddressed in book 1 that I feel could have actually been given more clarity to satisfy my curiosity. Instead I was left a bit frustrated at the obvious "I may address this in a future volume but I'm not sure yet"... Anyway, good read :-)
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April 7, 2019
4 Stars... One word to describe this book would be, charming... From the small town cozy feel with adorable gingerbread style homes, to the wacky but lovable characters of Zara and Zoey, to the magical dynamics that intrigued as well as mesmerized... This read was sweet, fun, and entertaining from start to finish... There is certainly more to discover in the mysterious town of Wisteria; many secrets yet to unveil, and I am eager to go on the journey:)
April 17, 2019
First in the Wisteria Witches cozy urban fantasy mystery series and revolving around Zara and Zoey Riddle.
My Take
Wisteria Witches is a story of a realistic and very quirky mother-daughter team that will have you rolling in the aisle even as you appreciate the interactions of a mom raising a teenage daughter.
I do love Zara for her sense of humor and desire to put fun in every day. Now if only she didn't jump to conclusions so quickly, especially that one about her being the "person with the most motivation to kill Winona..." She was so fixated on that!
The story leaves a lot of questions unanswered, including how so many people seem to know who and what Zara is; the identity of the mysterious benefactor; why no one seems to know how old Winona is, but Zoey does; why Chet leaps back and forth between hot and cold, on-again, off-again without any clue as to why; the past life experiences; the monster that keeps almost surfacing and the bird UFO that must be part of the series arc; and, more.
I did like the tip about the frozen red juice in the latex glove.
There's a bit of channeling going on: Zara channeling Winona (who had quite a bit to say that left a few questions); Grampa Don and his pronouncements that have me wondering who's the agent; Chet's cryptic avoidances; and, Zinnia's statements.
It's first person protagonist point-of-view from Zara's perspective, which is only fair, since Zara is the one with so many life-changing moments. Then there were those cliffhangers at the end...including the pronouncement of Zara having five days to live. One cliffhanger is wondering...if...maybe...Pepper will develop more of the core characters and put a plot together...
I never did understand how Zara figured out who the culprit was.
Have some toast...
The Story
It was time for a change, only Zara Riddle decided that change needed to be across country where she and her daughter fall in with witches, shapeshifters, librarians, and murderous beasties, as they unpack their belongings in a Victorian Gothic house...haunted by a ghost.
The Characters
Zara Riddle is a librarian with an unusual perspective — and a quirkier dress sense — who had no idea she was a Spirit Charmed witch (charmed against harm by ghosts and may communicate on their behalf; they're also a magnet for lost souls caught between worlds). She was once known as Zara the Camgirl. Her sixteen-year-old daughter, Zolanda Daizy Cassaundra Riddle, a.k.a., Zoey, almost sounds the more mature of the two...until you "hear" Zara's thoughts behind her commentary, *grin* There are also her references to the murderous "Talkie Toaster".
Zirconia Cristata Riddle was Zara's mundane mother, and Zinnia Riddle is her younger, estranged witch of a sister.
Wisteria is...
...the quaint town to which the Riddles move. Chet Moore, an "engineer" a.k.a., Chet Twenty-one, lives next door with his ten-year-old weird son, Corvin, and his dad, Grampa Don. (Chet was also the executor of Winona's will that benefited the Moores.)
The crafty, hooting Kathy Carmichael is the head librarian and Zara's boss (all Kathy's sons play professional sports and her husband manages them all). The pink-haired Frank Wonder is the children's librarian with a dramatic flair for dressing. The library has a Grumpy Corner in the staff lounge for those bad moments.
Dorothy Tibbits dresses like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and is the Realtor who sold Zara the Red Witch House, which had been owned by Winona Vander Zalm, a wacky diva socialite who was also a healer. I got the impression that Dorothy has her own Toto. Griebel Gorman does a lot of repair work in Wisteria. Arden is another neighbor who has a Labradoodle named Doodles. Rob and Knox work in town. The mayor is the coroner and the morning radio DJ. Detective Bentley works the murder case. Jordan and the pregnant Chloe Taub run the Gingerbread House of Baking
Dr Bob– is Corvin's therapist. Viv (or Finn or Winnie) is a friend of Zinnia's. Charl– is one of Chet's coworkers. Jorg Ebola. Spooky Gatherings for Ghouls Cookbook was written by Zinnia and Winona.
Mrs Hutchins was Zara and Zoey's prayerful neighbor back home. Nash had been like a big brother to Zara when they were growing up.
The Cover and Title
The cover is very similar to the story, as it jumps all over but does stay centered on Zara who is standing in an old storage room and wearing a bright purple, plunging-vee mini-halter dress into which she is well buckled, her long, wavy, red hair floating in the breeze of her power under her WIDE-brimmed witch's hat. Blue lights are swirling around her gauntleted forearms and hands while Zinnia's ancient book of magic floats before her. The author's name is in a pale, pale blue at the top while the title is in a glowing pale lilac at the bottom with the series information in a pale blue below that.
The title is a simple comment on the Wisteria Witches who live in the town.
My Take
Wisteria Witches is a story of a realistic and very quirky mother-daughter team that will have you rolling in the aisle even as you appreciate the interactions of a mom raising a teenage daughter.
"...I'm the proud owner of the only sixteen-year-old who actually wants to go to school."Seriously, this is very funny. Its primary problem, however, is that same "funny" that has such an unevenness to it. The humor flowed well for a while until it suddenly pulled me up short, causing me to re-read sections, as if someone else had put pen to paper then it suddenly went back to the easy flow... And it was like the tide, back and forth, back and forth.
I do love Zara for her sense of humor and desire to put fun in every day. Now if only she didn't jump to conclusions so quickly, especially that one about her being the "person with the most motivation to kill Winona..." She was so fixated on that!
The story leaves a lot of questions unanswered, including how so many people seem to know who and what Zara is; the identity of the mysterious benefactor; why no one seems to know how old Winona is, but Zoey does; why Chet leaps back and forth between hot and cold, on-again, off-again without any clue as to why; the past life experiences; the monster that keeps almost surfacing and the bird UFO that must be part of the series arc; and, more.
"No, I'd stick to my usual strategy for dealing with nonsense. Hitting right back with even more nonsense of my own."I wanna be possessed...if only so I can learn how to do stuff!
"'I tried to be normal once,' I said. 'Worst four minutes of my life.'"One of the pluses to all Pepper's leaping about is that she didn't have to actually connect everything.
I did like the tip about the frozen red juice in the latex glove.
There's a bit of channeling going on: Zara channeling Winona (who had quite a bit to say that left a few questions); Grampa Don and his pronouncements that have me wondering who's the agent; Chet's cryptic avoidances; and, Zinnia's statements.
It's first person protagonist point-of-view from Zara's perspective, which is only fair, since Zara is the one with so many life-changing moments. Then there were those cliffhangers at the end...including the pronouncement of Zara having five days to live. One cliffhanger is wondering...if...maybe...Pepper will develop more of the core characters and put a plot together...
I never did understand how Zara figured out who the culprit was.
Have some toast...
The Story
It was time for a change, only Zara Riddle decided that change needed to be across country where she and her daughter fall in with witches, shapeshifters, librarians, and murderous beasties, as they unpack their belongings in a Victorian Gothic house...haunted by a ghost.
The Characters
Zara Riddle is a librarian with an unusual perspective — and a quirkier dress sense — who had no idea she was a Spirit Charmed witch (charmed against harm by ghosts and may communicate on their behalf; they're also a magnet for lost souls caught between worlds). She was once known as Zara the Camgirl. Her sixteen-year-old daughter, Zolanda Daizy Cassaundra Riddle, a.k.a., Zoey, almost sounds the more mature of the two...until you "hear" Zara's thoughts behind her commentary, *grin* There are also her references to the murderous "Talkie Toaster".
Zirconia Cristata Riddle was Zara's mundane mother, and Zinnia Riddle is her younger, estranged witch of a sister.
Wisteria is...
...the quaint town to which the Riddles move. Chet Moore, an "engineer" a.k.a., Chet Twenty-one, lives next door with his ten-year-old weird son, Corvin, and his dad, Grampa Don. (Chet was also the executor of Winona's will that benefited the Moores.)
The crafty, hooting Kathy Carmichael is the head librarian and Zara's boss (all Kathy's sons play professional sports and her husband manages them all). The pink-haired Frank Wonder is the children's librarian with a dramatic flair for dressing. The library has a Grumpy Corner in the staff lounge for those bad moments.
Dorothy Tibbits dresses like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and is the Realtor who sold Zara the Red Witch House, which had been owned by Winona Vander Zalm, a wacky diva socialite who was also a healer. I got the impression that Dorothy has her own Toto. Griebel Gorman does a lot of repair work in Wisteria. Arden is another neighbor who has a Labradoodle named Doodles. Rob and Knox work in town. The mayor is the coroner and the morning radio DJ. Detective Bentley works the murder case. Jordan and the pregnant Chloe Taub run the Gingerbread House of Baking
Dr Bob– is Corvin's therapist. Viv (or Finn or Winnie) is a friend of Zinnia's. Charl– is one of Chet's coworkers. Jorg Ebola. Spooky Gatherings for Ghouls Cookbook was written by Zinnia and Winona.
Mrs Hutchins was Zara and Zoey's prayerful neighbor back home. Nash had been like a big brother to Zara when they were growing up.
The Cover and Title
The cover is very similar to the story, as it jumps all over but does stay centered on Zara who is standing in an old storage room and wearing a bright purple, plunging-vee mini-halter dress into which she is well buckled, her long, wavy, red hair floating in the breeze of her power under her WIDE-brimmed witch's hat. Blue lights are swirling around her gauntleted forearms and hands while Zinnia's ancient book of magic floats before her. The author's name is in a pale, pale blue at the top while the title is in a glowing pale lilac at the bottom with the series information in a pale blue below that.
The title is a simple comment on the Wisteria Witches who live in the town.
February 23, 2020
As the book opens, Zara Riddle and her teenage daughter Zoey are moving into their first house in Wisteria. Zara’s a librarian and somehow not only got a job in the Wisteria Library but managed to buy a large house for almost nothing. But as they’re moving in, strange things start to happen. The house seems to have a ghost. And within a few days Zara learns she’s a witch, and that the last owner of the house may have been murdered.
This was very slow for me in the beginning, as both Zara and Zoey annoyed me. The author tried too hard to make their dialog snappy and funny. And aside from being inside Zara’s head a lot, there was mostly dialog. About 1/3 of the way through the book I began to find it more interesting. Clearly there are a lot of odd characters in Wisteria, and a fair amount of paranormal activity. The mystery was wrapped up rather quickly, but then the book went on for several more chapters, leading into some real questions as to what happens next in the series.
I would give the book overall a C- (probably a D for the first 1/3 and about a C+ for the remainder). I’ll pick up the next in the series to see if I like that entire book. However, if Zara and Zoey turn annoying again, I’ll be through.
This was very slow for me in the beginning, as both Zara and Zoey annoyed me. The author tried too hard to make their dialog snappy and funny. And aside from being inside Zara’s head a lot, there was mostly dialog. About 1/3 of the way through the book I began to find it more interesting. Clearly there are a lot of odd characters in Wisteria, and a fair amount of paranormal activity. The mystery was wrapped up rather quickly, but then the book went on for several more chapters, leading into some real questions as to what happens next in the series.
I would give the book overall a C- (probably a D for the first 1/3 and about a C+ for the remainder). I’ll pick up the next in the series to see if I like that entire book. However, if Zara and Zoey turn annoying again, I’ll be through.
November 18, 2022
(Wisteria "Cozy Witches" book 1 of 8
2022 Grade B-
I picked up the Cozy Witches Kindle set from Amazon for a low price figuring there was little to lose. I was right, this one was enjoyable. The novel is mostly a character interaction and development tale. There is not much world building because the magic is pretty standard and a red house covered in wisteria and inhabited by the previous owner's ghost in a small west coast town does not need much more description than that. The character development story does not flag for the first half. After that, it does get a bit repetitive as parties and other events are basically repeated. But the mystery is enjoyably solved in the last quarter. It might be a disposable story but it was an enjoyable light read and I will read more.
2022 Grade B-
I picked up the Cozy Witches Kindle set from Amazon for a low price figuring there was little to lose. I was right, this one was enjoyable. The novel is mostly a character interaction and development tale. There is not much world building because the magic is pretty standard and a red house covered in wisteria and inhabited by the previous owner's ghost in a small west coast town does not need much more description than that. The character development story does not flag for the first half. After that, it does get a bit repetitive as parties and other events are basically repeated. But the mystery is enjoyably solved in the last quarter. It might be a disposable story but it was an enjoyable light read and I will read more.
December 30, 2019
“Wisteria Witches (Wisteria Witches #1)” is a fun story for a road trip when not everyone appreciates lesfic!
The narration is terrific, the story and writing is fun, and….we learn that Barbie Dolls can be placed under pillows as a tribute to the “boob fairy”!! 4*
The narration is terrific, the story and writing is fun, and….we learn that Barbie Dolls can be placed under pillows as a tribute to the “boob fairy”!! 4*
November 9, 2017
Fun read! Many parts that had me lol. There were also parts that dragged. Over all I enjoyed the book and looking forward to the next.
April 22, 2021
Round up to 4.5 stars.
April 14, 2025
this is a really cute, cozy paranormal mystery. silly turns of phrase, lots of jokes and banter and a ghost, witches, shifters and more. a nice palate cleanser between heavier books.
December 2, 2015
"Maybe it was just a trick of the light, wouldn't it be cool if there was a ghost? I've always wanted something cool to happen to me, to make me less boring."
This was one of the funniest books I have had the pleasure of reading 2015! Zara and her daughter Zoey move to the small town of Wisteria for a fresh start and a new Librarian job for Zara. Strange things start to happen as they move into the red witch house, as they meet their new neighbour who happen to be shifters and the rest of the intriguing characters in this absolutely hilarious book. Oh, and did I mention there had been a murder?
Did I also say Zara was interested in her new and hot and sexy neighbour Chet: "Zara, you have a power over me that has nothing to do with the supernatural."
"A witch who is spirit Charmed will become a magnet for lost souls caught between worlds"
"I feel like a kid with a new toy."
"Kathy, this might be my recent dehydration causing auditory hallucinations, but did you just say my house is the Fountain of Youth?"
If you have time to read only one more funny book this year, then choose 'Wisteria Witches.' You will not be disappointed.
This was one of the funniest books I have had the pleasure of reading 2015! Zara and her daughter Zoey move to the small town of Wisteria for a fresh start and a new Librarian job for Zara. Strange things start to happen as they move into the red witch house, as they meet their new neighbour who happen to be shifters and the rest of the intriguing characters in this absolutely hilarious book. Oh, and did I mention there had been a murder?
Did I also say Zara was interested in her new and hot and sexy neighbour Chet: "Zara, you have a power over me that has nothing to do with the supernatural."
"A witch who is spirit Charmed will become a magnet for lost souls caught between worlds"
"I feel like a kid with a new toy."
"Kathy, this might be my recent dehydration causing auditory hallucinations, but did you just say my house is the Fountain of Youth?"
If you have time to read only one more funny book this year, then choose 'Wisteria Witches.' You will not be disappointed.
January 19, 2018
This wasn’t what I was anticipating and so it’s not my style, but that’s not to say it’s a bad book. It’s just not something I would have chosen to read if I’d known what it was. I would catalog it as “very YA”, and while one mystery is solved, several others aren’t, so it does kind of end on a cliffhanger. The writing puts a lot of focus on just how kooky the town is, without really explaining much, so it leaves the reader feeling like we’re still waiting for the story to get going even 95% of the way through the book. I’m sure the rest of the books will explain everything that’s missing, but I just can’t find myself curious enough to read them and find out.
If you’re a preteen looking for a kooky family in a kooky town solving a murder mystery with no sex/suspense/violence/explanation/life-like adults then this is the book for you.
If you’re a preteen looking for a kooky family in a kooky town solving a murder mystery with no sex/suspense/violence/explanation/life-like adults then this is the book for you.
July 15, 2021
I think this boiled down to personal preference and this book landed on my DFN list. What I really liked was the mother/ daughter interactions. They were adorable and it felt like a genuine mother/daughter relationship. That was pretty much all I liked lol. At first, I enjoyed Zara's fun and quirky personality. But then it started to feel forced, over the top, and annoying. I stopped reading during chapter 10 as barely anything had happened and it was like nails on a chalkboard with the dialogue. She started to feel ditzy and I couldn't get over the reference to her being a cam girl. I'm not sure if that's really what the author had intended talking about her blog and then a reference to a cookbook signing. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Camgirl definition is - a woman who poses for a webcam especially as a form of paid adult entertainment.
May 26, 2018
Those who know my reviews know I give 4 stars generously as long as there aren't horrible things (in my estimation) wrong with the book. Others may like the book and I don't want to penalize someone who wrote and published a book. Within the cozy mystery genre, there are things to expect. This one actually falls a bit short for me. It's another one of before-showing-any-redeeming-qualities the men just fall head over heels for her. The male characters aren't developed. The main character falls for two guys at once (which can come across as cruel and heartless if not written well). My KU subscription will cancel in a day, so I don't expect to continue with this series. If I pick up KU at a later date and run out of mindless things to read, I might pick up the 2nd.
February 2, 2016
Zara Riddle and her daughter Zoey move to Wisteria where they discover that they are witches. Chaos ensues as Zara becomes possessed by a ghost and gets cozy with the guy next door, who isn't all that he seems.
I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue was very witty and funny. I thought that the relationship between mother and daughter was great. I did think that the mystery sort of took a back seat at times as Zara played with her powers, but overall it was a good read and I would read other books in the series.
I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue was very witty and funny. I thought that the relationship between mother and daughter was great. I did think that the mystery sort of took a back seat at times as Zara played with her powers, but overall it was a good read and I would read other books in the series.
March 8, 2016
Adorable start t a great new sert
I loved the way the characters were set up. The story was cute. I definitely plan on reading the rest of the series.
I loved the way the characters were set up. The story was cute. I definitely plan on reading the rest of the series.
September 1, 2018
This was such a fun book! My favorite character was Zara. She was so bubbly and funny. I also loved the next door neighbor, Chet. I’ve often wanted to move somewhere where nobody knows me like Zara did. She moved to Wisteria to take a job as a librarian. The house she bought has some secrets. So do the neighbors and other residents of the town. There were so many elements to this story. Mystery, cozy, suspense and even some spooky happenings outdoors. I laughed through a lot of it. The author knows how to add in some humor at the right places. What makes it even better is that it is clean and the younger generation would enjoy it also.
If you prefer audiobooks, the narrator is WONDERFUL! She does the perfect voice for the different characters. I liked aunt Zinnia and look forward to learning more about her. The narrator really brought the characters to life, especially Grandpa Don. All through the book I was rooting for Zara and Chet to get close but by the end, there were some more possibilities.
If you prefer audiobooks, the narrator is WONDERFUL! She does the perfect voice for the different characters. I liked aunt Zinnia and look forward to learning more about her. The narrator really brought the characters to life, especially Grandpa Don. All through the book I was rooting for Zara and Chet to get close but by the end, there were some more possibilities.
November 3, 2025
Gilmore Girls x iZombie, but witches. It's easy, it's light, it's cozy, it's a little zany.
This is objectively a 3 star book, but I enjoyed it a 4 star amount. That may be just because I was in the exact right mood for it, but it still counts.
Is it a masterpiece? Nah. It's corny and the jokes are bad (but funny. like "Dad" jokes), the plot is a little thin, and the main character isn't the brightest. BUT I don't really mind all of that because the author doesn't pretend the character is anything other than what she is. Which is SO refreshing after a slew of other books' "super smart best ever" characters that do nothing but get themselves into trouble by being dumbasses.
Sometimes you just want simple, and this is it! It's well executed for what it is-- no glaring typos, no annoying repetition or unnecessary side quests, reasonably unique and fleshed out characters, just enough world building to let you know what's happening (even though, like most urban fantasy, it relies on your existing knowledge). Bonus points because the main character is an actual adult and sort of acts like it, and I love Mother-Daughter relationships in books.
This is objectively a 3 star book, but I enjoyed it a 4 star amount. That may be just because I was in the exact right mood for it, but it still counts.
Is it a masterpiece? Nah. It's corny and the jokes are bad (but funny. like "Dad" jokes), the plot is a little thin, and the main character isn't the brightest. BUT I don't really mind all of that because the author doesn't pretend the character is anything other than what she is. Which is SO refreshing after a slew of other books' "super smart best ever" characters that do nothing but get themselves into trouble by being dumbasses.
Sometimes you just want simple, and this is it! It's well executed for what it is-- no glaring typos, no annoying repetition or unnecessary side quests, reasonably unique and fleshed out characters, just enough world building to let you know what's happening (even though, like most urban fantasy, it relies on your existing knowledge). Bonus points because the main character is an actual adult and sort of acts like it, and I love Mother-Daughter relationships in books.
April 6, 2017
Just what my heart needed - a fun, lighthearted, sassy read. A whimsical way to start a new series and I cannot wait for more. Zara and her daughter, Zoey, have moved to Wisteria, a fantastic town with witches, immortals, and shifters. Zara has a gorgeous, hairy, new neighbor that makes her swoon. Zoey, a very intelligent sixteen year old, is as funny and sarcastic as her mother. The two are a dynamic team ready to take on the murderer of the ghost roaming their new house. The flow of this book is smooth and quick to read, two or three hours gone and I was ready to read more. My copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2020
Here was the man I'd been looking for, the man I could be myself with. After sixteen years of nothing substantial, I was ready. Ready to open my heart, to bare my soul, to make terrible mistakes in the name of love.
The story is just OK, but the dialog/thought processes are slightly too quirky-cutesy-perky for my taste. I may continue the series, but probably not unless the books are free or discounted.
I could have spent an hour practicing my sponge-twisting technique, but I was interrupted by a knock at the door. My heart pounded guiltily as my mind raced with paranoia. It was the witch police! They could tell I was practicing magic without their authorization and without half a clue!
The story is just OK, but the dialog/thought processes are slightly too quirky-cutesy-perky for my taste. I may continue the series, but probably not unless the books are free or discounted.
I could have spent an hour practicing my sponge-twisting technique, but I was interrupted by a knock at the door. My heart pounded guiltily as my mind raced with paranoia. It was the witch police! They could tell I was practicing magic without their authorization and without half a clue!
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