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Wicked Witches of the Midwest #2
Every Witch Way But Wicked
Where there’s a witch, there’s a way! Where there’s a whole family of them, there’s trouble.
Bay Winchester, editor of Hemlock Cove’s small weekly newspaper, thinks her small hamlet’s upcoming murder mystery weekend is going to be all about fun, food and frolicking. Instead, when another dead body is discovered in Hemlock Cove, things turn into murder, mayhem and migraines (the latter is mostly thanks to her family, of course).
The body belongs to the town drunk – and no one can figure out who would want to kill him, or why. Bay’s investigation is stymied by her new boss, Brian Kelly, and her old flirtation, FBI agent Landon Michaels, both of whom seem to have more than interviews on their mind.
When you couple that with her cousin Thistle’s obsession with making their Great-Aunt Tillie pay for the curse she recently put on them (you don’t want to know) and her cousin Clove’s conviction that she is not – no matter what the rest of the family says – a blabbermouth, Bay has her hands full.
When the murder investigation takes a turn, though, a long-held Hemlock Cove secret is bound to be exposed. If it is, Bay may find herself in trouble – again – and this is the kind of trouble that she may not be able to find a way out of – even with Aunt Tillie’s help.
Bay Winchester, editor of Hemlock Cove’s small weekly newspaper, thinks her small hamlet’s upcoming murder mystery weekend is going to be all about fun, food and frolicking. Instead, when another dead body is discovered in Hemlock Cove, things turn into murder, mayhem and migraines (the latter is mostly thanks to her family, of course).
The body belongs to the town drunk – and no one can figure out who would want to kill him, or why. Bay’s investigation is stymied by her new boss, Brian Kelly, and her old flirtation, FBI agent Landon Michaels, both of whom seem to have more than interviews on their mind.
When you couple that with her cousin Thistle’s obsession with making their Great-Aunt Tillie pay for the curse she recently put on them (you don’t want to know) and her cousin Clove’s conviction that she is not – no matter what the rest of the family says – a blabbermouth, Bay has her hands full.
When the murder investigation takes a turn, though, a long-held Hemlock Cove secret is bound to be exposed. If it is, Bay may find herself in trouble – again – and this is the kind of trouble that she may not be able to find a way out of – even with Aunt Tillie’s help.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2013
2447 people are currently reading
1905 people want to read
About the author
Amanda M. Lee
312 books2,916 followersWhen I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.
Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews
May 4, 2019
Actual Rating: 4.15
This was an enjoyable read. I thought Book 2 was way better than Book 1. The characters were still enjoyable and funny. Also, I was happy to see more magic and mystery in this book. I thought the story was well-written, and I was really enjoying myself. Also, I have to say that I love Aunt Tillie. She may be old, but damn can she make me laugh. She is sassy, funny, and snarky as hell. I love how she makes the cousins fear for her. Also, she seems to be the most caring woman in the series as she always tries to protect her family. I also think Bay is an interesting character because of her ability to talk to ghosts. I find that really intriguing and I think it makes the story more unique. I cannot wait to read book 3. I hope the series continues to get better. Overall, a great read.
This was an enjoyable read. I thought Book 2 was way better than Book 1. The characters were still enjoyable and funny. Also, I was happy to see more magic and mystery in this book. I thought the story was well-written, and I was really enjoying myself. Also, I have to say that I love Aunt Tillie. She may be old, but damn can she make me laugh. She is sassy, funny, and snarky as hell. I love how she makes the cousins fear for her. Also, she seems to be the most caring woman in the series as she always tries to protect her family. I also think Bay is an interesting character because of her ability to talk to ghosts. I find that really intriguing and I think it makes the story more unique. I cannot wait to read book 3. I hope the series continues to get better. Overall, a great read.
October 6, 2017
I’d really love to be a witch(Some days I spend all day practicing)....
These Winchester witches are so much fun! This is the second book in the series and it was even better than the first, but not quite as good as the third (I’ve already read that)....There was definitely more of a mystery in this book, however I did find it a little disconcerting that the town still had their murder mystery weekend after an actual murder took place(But who am I to judge?).... there was also a little more magic and a little more romance, but I have to say hands-down my favorite part of this series is these fabulous witches, I truly enjoy spending time with them....
***Narration: the narrator does a very good job with this series, definitely a good choice!
These Winchester witches are so much fun! This is the second book in the series and it was even better than the first, but not quite as good as the third (I’ve already read that)....There was definitely more of a mystery in this book, however I did find it a little disconcerting that the town still had their murder mystery weekend after an actual murder took place(But who am I to judge?).... there was also a little more magic and a little more romance, but I have to say hands-down my favorite part of this series is these fabulous witches, I truly enjoy spending time with them....
***Narration: the narrator does a very good job with this series, definitely a good choice!
May 31, 2015
This is a fun series. The banter between the cousins, aunts and great Aunt Tillie is so entertaining. This is the second book in the series and another murder has happened in the town of Hemlock Cove. So far the books in this series could be considered stand alones, although there is the unfinished business between Bay and Landon. The murders are solved in each book, though, and the author does a fantastic job at giving us details and back story from book 1 in book 2. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
December 5, 2014
I am officially addicted to this series. Every Witch Way But Wicked continues with the open, defensive game playing (i.e. you don't have to outrun a bear, you just have to throw your cousin in front of it) among the Winchester clan. However, this time the men in Bay's life get a good taste of crazy Aunt Tillie. Their abject terror is hilarious, and had me looking forward to the Winchester family dinners. But beyond their reaction to the all out "crazy," it was interesting to see how they ultimately responded to Bay as they saw and understood more about her witchy ways. Overall a great mystery full of fun and deadly action.
October 6, 2017
Well, "wicked" is not the word I would use to describe the witches in this series. This is the second in the series, and as I have read the first two back to back, I can honestly say the second is an improvement over the first. The bickering between the family members is down, and the writing is smoother. There are still problems with the editing though--tense changes with verbs, sometimes some confusing sentence and paragraph structure, but those are fewer than in the first book.
Again, the author captures the small town feel pretty well which I think is a good thing. Those people from small towns will appreciate that. The pop culture references which vexed me so have been cut down dramatically from the first book, and are used in more appropriate places, so no problems there. Overall, it's a smoother read, which shows the author gaining experience, yay for experience!
The characters though... I just really... really... hate the main characters. The women still all sound the same to me; individual character voices are impossible to pick out. They are also still very argumentative, although that has been lessened from the first book. (Or perhaps I'm used to it now?) There was also more magic this time around, though still pretty... in the background. Just the characters. It's hard to read a series where you don't like the main characters, and they are downright mean to each other. Maybe because it's in text and not in a visual medium where you can pick up body language clues, but all of the barbs for each other seem meant, not kidding around, but honest-to-gosh meant in a malicious way. I'm sure that's not the intent, but that's how I'm reading it--again, text is not a visual medium, so some clues one would pick up on are just not there. Of the characters, Edith, the ghost, I think is my favorite.
Overall, it's a light read, and maybe (as the author puts in disclaimers) the style of the writing is not for me. It's not bad, but not terrible either.
Again, the author captures the small town feel pretty well which I think is a good thing. Those people from small towns will appreciate that. The pop culture references which vexed me so have been cut down dramatically from the first book, and are used in more appropriate places, so no problems there. Overall, it's a smoother read, which shows the author gaining experience, yay for experience!
The characters though... I just really... really... hate the main characters. The women still all sound the same to me; individual character voices are impossible to pick out. They are also still very argumentative, although that has been lessened from the first book. (Or perhaps I'm used to it now?) There was also more magic this time around, though still pretty... in the background. Just the characters. It's hard to read a series where you don't like the main characters, and they are downright mean to each other. Maybe because it's in text and not in a visual medium where you can pick up body language clues, but all of the barbs for each other seem meant, not kidding around, but honest-to-gosh meant in a malicious way. I'm sure that's not the intent, but that's how I'm reading it--again, text is not a visual medium, so some clues one would pick up on are just not there. Of the characters, Edith, the ghost, I think is my favorite.
Overall, it's a light read, and maybe (as the author puts in disclaimers) the style of the writing is not for me. It's not bad, but not terrible either.
March 12, 2024
rated
4 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Unlimited Read
Laugh out loud murder mystery
I just absolutely adore this laugh out loud murder mystery series that has the bonus of romance. I love this colorful family of woman. Can't wait to see what else they get into...
4 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Unlimited Read
Laugh out loud murder mystery
I just absolutely adore this laugh out loud murder mystery series that has the bonus of romance. I love this colorful family of woman. Can't wait to see what else they get into...
July 2, 2024
Another day, another body. When Bay Winchester moved back from Detroit to her sleepy little lakeside town she imagined her days of chasing hard-hitting news stories were over. But when the body of the town drunk turns up at a local festival, it seems like the big city has followed her home.
Soon Bay and her cousins, along with their three mothers and crazy old Aunt Tillie (the curse queen) are finding out that their small town has some huge secrets. The Winchester witches are as quirky a bunch as any I’ve encountered, but absolutely loyal to each other. I was also intrigued by Bay’s relationship with hunky FBI agent Landon. Every time they seem close to a relationship, her mad family does something to keep the couple circling.
A good, quick read with lots of laughs and witchy fun.
Soon Bay and her cousins, along with their three mothers and crazy old Aunt Tillie (the curse queen) are finding out that their small town has some huge secrets. The Winchester witches are as quirky a bunch as any I’ve encountered, but absolutely loyal to each other. I was also intrigued by Bay’s relationship with hunky FBI agent Landon. Every time they seem close to a relationship, her mad family does something to keep the couple circling.
A good, quick read with lots of laughs and witchy fun.
November 17, 2017
There is something quite endearing about these books...the characters are funny with their snarky humor towards one another and their outlandish behavior; attempting to tolerate one another while maintaining a strong familial bond...At the same time there is a level of intensity that appears in the story found in both the murder mystery aspect as well as the chemistry between Bay and Landon... It is a nice mix of traits that culminate into a humorous yet sensual journey...4 Stars:)
April 7, 2016
A disappointing book in that the premise had potential -- an all female family of witches with generational differences running an inn and boutique witchy shops in a little town with a tourist focus of marketing kitschy spooky bed n breakfast getaways to those who travel to experience such things. The characters were all incredibly whiney -- all of them -- and thought they were being clever with snarky comebacks -- with an erring ability to always sound lame. This drove every interaction and conversation. Very irritating and actually sad. I had to force myself to keep reading. Good ideas for setting and character disparities, inferior execution.
August 7, 2015
Fun
I really enjoy this series. The characters are hysterical and I actually laugh out loud. If you have a sister or siblings or even cousins you are close with, then you can definitely relate to this family. Throw in a healthy dose of witchcraft and it is a great recipe for a fun read!
I really enjoy this series. The characters are hysterical and I actually laugh out loud. If you have a sister or siblings or even cousins you are close with, then you can definitely relate to this family. Throw in a healthy dose of witchcraft and it is a great recipe for a fun read!
November 23, 2017
The poor little town has more murders than events, seems like. Bay was fun as usual and the grammar issues were decreasing (or I just glossed over them). It was not quite as funny as the first book in the series but was entertaining enough to get me to finish it in a day!
October 11, 2022
Hee hee hee. I'm starting to really like and be invested in these characters. Love fluff reads like these now and then. Definitely going to continue with the series.
February 22, 2019
3.5 stars
Since this is book 2 in this series, we didn't have to go through the whole "let's meet the characters" thing and we jumped right into the story. While there is a lot of "action" in this one, most of the details don't get revealed until closer to the end and I didn't guess who the killer was until we were almost on top of them being revealed anyway.
Everyone in the Winchester family is just as snarky (and slightly vindictive) as in the first book but for some reason they rubbed me the wrong way this time. I kinda wanted to step in and just say "STOP"! Clove is really not the brightest bulb on the tree and is slow on the uptake at times and I just want to smack her. Thistle seems to be holding grudges more and Bay ran into a streak of idiocy in this one. The guys that are around them are sweet but a little dumb (Marcus), very suspicious of them (Landon) and egotistical (Brian) and I have no idea how any of this will work out.
There are a lot of books in this series (and my library doesn't have any of them), so it may be a while before I get around to reading the next one.
Since this is book 2 in this series, we didn't have to go through the whole "let's meet the characters" thing and we jumped right into the story. While there is a lot of "action" in this one, most of the details don't get revealed until closer to the end and I didn't guess who the killer was until we were almost on top of them being revealed anyway.
Everyone in the Winchester family is just as snarky (and slightly vindictive) as in the first book but for some reason they rubbed me the wrong way this time. I kinda wanted to step in and just say "STOP"! Clove is really not the brightest bulb on the tree and is slow on the uptake at times and I just want to smack her. Thistle seems to be holding grudges more and Bay ran into a streak of idiocy in this one. The guys that are around them are sweet but a little dumb (Marcus), very suspicious of them (Landon) and egotistical (Brian) and I have no idea how any of this will work out.
There are a lot of books in this series (and my library doesn't have any of them), so it may be a while before I get around to reading the next one.
July 12, 2020
more 3.5
I liked this book better than the first book. Why? Aunt Tillie and Landon.
Aunt Tillie for me is the bomb. She is so feisty and just cracks me up. From her curses to her devotion to her family and how she protects secrets that aren’t hers to tell that woman is a firecracker and a hoot.
Landon because he is just great. He is taken by Bay and he is quite understanding about her cousins and family. He loves Aunt Tillie as well. Finds her entertaining so there is that that endears me to him.
In this one we have a murder mystery weekend coming up for her town only the town drunk ends up dead for real. Bay is dealing with a new boss, a murder, two men flirting with her (I root for Landon), cousins driving her up a wall, Aunt Tillie not telling her all she knows and cursing them and town secrets about to be exposed.
I love the Aunt tillie and Landon aspect. I love how this family sticks together no matter what. Still don’t think all the bickering is needed but it is at times entertaining. Seeing how Landon is driven batty by Bay and yet he stills finds her to be endearing is great.
The story is fun and entertaining. The romance blends into the plot and the plot is more fleshed out in this one over the first book. We also see more magic applied and less talk about the family being witches. Overall a quick read that you just sit back and enjoy.
I liked this book better than the first book. Why? Aunt Tillie and Landon.
Aunt Tillie for me is the bomb. She is so feisty and just cracks me up. From her curses to her devotion to her family and how she protects secrets that aren’t hers to tell that woman is a firecracker and a hoot.
Landon because he is just great. He is taken by Bay and he is quite understanding about her cousins and family. He loves Aunt Tillie as well. Finds her entertaining so there is that that endears me to him.
In this one we have a murder mystery weekend coming up for her town only the town drunk ends up dead for real. Bay is dealing with a new boss, a murder, two men flirting with her (I root for Landon), cousins driving her up a wall, Aunt Tillie not telling her all she knows and cursing them and town secrets about to be exposed.
I love the Aunt tillie and Landon aspect. I love how this family sticks together no matter what. Still don’t think all the bickering is needed but it is at times entertaining. Seeing how Landon is driven batty by Bay and yet he stills finds her to be endearing is great.
The story is fun and entertaining. The romance blends into the plot and the plot is more fleshed out in this one over the first book. We also see more magic applied and less talk about the family being witches. Overall a quick read that you just sit back and enjoy.
May 19, 2024
The Winchester family is really growing on me, especially crotchety Aunt Tillie, she's hilarious! We all need an Aunt Tillie to spice things up a bit. The relationship between the cousins reminds me of my own family sometimes, we're close but also keep each other on our toes. Overall I'm quite enjoying this series and looking forward to reading the next book. I don't love the narrator, some of her voices are a little dull, especially Thistle, who sounds perpetually bored most of the time, but the storyline is fun, the chemistry between Bay and Landon is not obnoxious and the mysteries are getting better. I really like Chief Terry too, he's kind of a father figure to Bay and I'm hoping he ends up with her mom.
(I listened to this as a box set and forgot to write this when I actually finished the book a couple weeks ago).
(I listened to this as a box set and forgot to write this when I actually finished the book a couple weeks ago).
October 14, 2017
The first of this series was an easy five star for me. This one fell a little short. In the first book, the banter between the family was hilarious, well-written, and really what sold me on the series. In this one...it felt mean. It wasn't really funny until a few lines at the very end. Up to that point, it just seemed like everyone was taking unnecessary shots at each other all the time and being really petty assholes.
I did like this murder mystery better than the first so that kept me going. But I was pretty disappointed that it wasn't an instant love like I was expecting.
I did like this murder mystery better than the first so that kept me going. But I was pretty disappointed that it wasn't an instant love like I was expecting.
December 9, 2017
Absolutely love this series. It's a snarky fun ride with a family that bickers like theirs no tomorrow but at the end of the day, that's what they are a tight-knit loving family. The mystery has enough twists that you question if you are or not a few times.
September 11, 2024
I’m really liking this series. It’s exactly what I was looking for. A cute, cozy mystery to give me all the fall feels. Bonus points for there being like a gazillion books in the series and the books are quick.🍁🧙🎃🔮
January 19, 2018
My current favourite series on audio book
July 30, 2019
Definitely a cozy, but definitely fun. Recommended for anyone liking a little paranormal mixed in with a cozy.
November 19, 2018
Bay is looking forward to the murder mystery weekend, but when a real dead body shows up things get a little crazy. And when Landon comes back after not keeping in touch with Bay she isn't sure what to think. However, they have bigger concerns like figuring out who the killer is, and what his really going on. And when it may seem like Landon is going to figure things out about Bay she isn't sure what to do.
This book was really interesting, and I liked it, but I didn't think it was great. I was a little annoyed with the things that happened with Landon. I feel like some of the relationship is just being skipped, and not exactly in a good way.
Other than that it was a pretty interesting mystery, and I was totally upset with how it ended. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book now.
This book was really interesting, and I liked it, but I didn't think it was great. I was a little annoyed with the things that happened with Landon. I feel like some of the relationship is just being skipped, and not exactly in a good way.
Other than that it was a pretty interesting mystery, and I was totally upset with how it ended. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book now.
August 13, 2016
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
July 31, 2015
The 2nd in the Wicked Witches of the Midwest series, this book finds Bay and her family embroiled in stolen gold, a dead man, a skeleton in a cave and Aunt Tillie's antics. I'm really enjoying this series, it's lighthearted, fun, with great plots that always keep me guessing.
August 16, 2015
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and looked forward to book two. It was a big disappointment. The storyline was fractured and the first half was pretty much devoted to their love lives or lack of. When it came to solving the murders it just suddenly went into overdrive and was over. I will not be reading any additional books in this series.
April 28, 2016
2nd book in the series and I'm getting a bit more used to the slightly annoying writing style. Good enough story but a bit of a slog to get into! I was about 3/4 way through before I decided it was ok and worth finishing! Characters progressing slowly and quite similar to 1st book. I might return to this series if I can get the next books free or cheap enough
September 10, 2015
Keeps you guessing till the end
This author will keep you guessing till the end , whodunit! She is always keeping the characters rolling along and busy. While this book amuses me, I wouldn't recommend it for my 12-year-old granddaughter. It is a bit graphic.
This author will keep you guessing till the end , whodunit! She is always keeping the characters rolling along and busy. While this book amuses me, I wouldn't recommend it for my 12-year-old granddaughter. It is a bit graphic.
June 20, 2013
I found this story amusing. I grew up in rural Michigan and can relate to the characters and setting. The way the characters interact is hilarious. It was a fun read.
July 3, 2013
OK book
October 18, 2014
Some very, VERY funny LOL moments in this one!
I kind of love Aunt Tillie.
:)
I kind of love Aunt Tillie.
:)
May 17, 2015
A quick fun read- felt a fairly similar book to the previous one but I'm enjoying the crazy characters even more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews