TONIGHT SHE’S GOING TO FIND HER MAGIC OR DIE TRYING—HOPEFULLY IN THAT ORDER. AND WITHOUT DYING. Cassandra Holly is just your average witch living in Nevermore. Except for the witch part. To be a witch, to stay in Nevermore—and in enchanting distance of her family—she needs to find her magic. Now. Against all odds, she does. Sort of. FINDING HER MAGIC IS WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG. Coming into her magic is a dream come true. Stumbling onto a crime scene where the most powerful—and crankiest—witch in Nevermore’s history has been murdered? Not so much. Being hired by the witch’s ghost to find the killer? Verging into nightmare territory. Ordinarily Cassie would have left the crime solving to the experts. But it turns out the ghost is not only well-versed in cranky, but coercion as well, and she isn’t going to take no for an answer. GHOSTLY DESPOT ASIDE, WHAT IF THE MURDER WAS SIMPLY A RED-HERRING? The more Cassie learns about the murder, the more she realizes something more nefarious is afoot. And if she doesn’t figure out the true mystery in time, she’ll lose her magic, her family, her home. And quite possibly herself.
A magically delightful debut for author Violet Merriweather!
Book one in the new witch themed para-cozy, Witches Of Nevermore Mysteries, MAGICLESS IN NEVERMORE, is a wonderful start to this new series.
Violet Merriweather introduces us to the enchanting town of Nevermore where only witches and magic live. Young protagonist Cassandra Holly, a witch who doesn’t have power, is searching for her magic so she can stay in her beloved town.
MAGICLESS IN NEVERMORE is a great, fast moving read. It captured my attention from the very beginning and held it until the last page. The action packed reveal had me holding my breath, which came out on a long sigh once finished. Wow!
This is a perfect book for anyone who loves a good para-cozy. And, it is well suited to readers of all ages. It does have a bit of a younger vibe than a lot of cozies, but this makes it a perfect first book if you’ve been wanting to introduce your pre-teen/young adults to this genre.
Cassandra Holly wants to find her magical talent is. In order to do that, she and her best friend Willow cast a spell in the cemetery, with the help of Willow's aunt. But Willow's aunt is a cat, who was banned from Nevermore while she was still a human.
Once Maude is dead, her ghost gives Cassie a task--find my killer. Thus sets in motion events that could cause Cassie to lose everything, just when she thinks she's found it.
There is a lot going on in this book between the magical elements and the murder investigation. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like Cassie. I found her a little immature, but she grew as the narrative wore on, and by the time I was finished I was invested in her, and wanted to see what happened.
Nevermore is an interesting setting, and there is a plethora of characters to learn about in this opening chapter of Ms. Merriweather's series.
I will continue with this series, despite the fact I thought the first part of this book was stuffed with information and could have been trimmed a bit. It will be intriguing to see what happens to Cassie next.
Over the weekend I read Magicless in Nevermore by Violet Merriweather. This is a paranormal fantasy cozy, and reads like a fairy tale for grown ups. I think it was a good witches story. It was fable like and cautionary tale as much as it was a cozy. I enjoyed the writing of main character Cassandra Holly and her best friends. I think this cozy was also funny and easy to picture even though it was more on the fantasy then I normally read, I enjoyed the story and it was a great release! I can recommend this story to those like me who enjoy a fun witch story! I liked the spin on this one!
Magicless in Nevermore by Violet Merriweather is the first book in a paranormal cozy mystery series that is full of magic, witches, and a town in need of a savior. Cassandra Holly is a witch without magic. After waiting many years for her magic to manifest on her own, Cassie, along with her best friend Willow, and Willow's Aunt Maude (in cat form, and none-too-happy about being brought along) takes things into her own hands. This sets off a chain of events that has Cassie having to trust her magic, believe in her power, and save the town of Nevermore.
Someone is siphoning the magic out of the town, and that same someone murdered Maude's cat familiar. I really liked this magical cozy mystery. I felt the story line was quite unique. The magic felt real and seemed different than any other magic/witch story I've read. I loved the characters and all the magic. I enjoyed my time reading Magicless in Nevermore and I am excited to read the next book in this series.
I received an eBook from the author. I am voluntarily sharing my review, and my opinion was not influenced in any way.
Cassie is in a panic. Her 21st birthday is approaching, and she has yet to manifest any magic. If she doesn't achieve the feat by age 21, she will be banished from Nevermore, the magical enclave, which is the only home she's ever known. Desperate, Cassie drags her BFF, Willow, to the cemetery at night to perform a risky displacement spell, hoping that she can capture some of the loose magic that Nevermore is inundated with. Their unwilling aide is Willow's great-great-great-aunt Maude, who's in the form of a cat.
When Cassie triggers the spell, all hell breaks loose. She wakes up at home and later learns that Maude is dead and presumed to have been murdered. Cassie is aware her magic has awakened, but she has no idea what her talent is. Maude's ghost appears to her, demanding that Cassie find out who killed her. In exchange, she will tell Cassie all about her magical talent.
Cassie reluctantly agrees. She is aided and abetted by Willow, yet thwarted by her high school nemesis, Jubilee. When her high school crush, Ethan, keeps turning up, Cassie doesn't know if he's friend or foe. During the course of her investigation, Cassie learns that the enchantments that keep Nevermore separate from the human world are in danger of falling, which would expose them to mortals. Now, not only does Cassie have a murder to solve, she must also save Nevermore.
I liked the premise of the story. Cassie and Willow were engaging characters, and other characters were done well. However, the plot didn't flow smoothly; it was somewhat choppy. I could forgive that, but other plot points were never explained very well.
Hmm. If I could give this 3 1/2, I would. As it stands...I'll give it a three.
MAGICLESS IN NEVERMORE by Violet Merriweather The First Witches of Nevermore Book
Nevermore is a world of magic and witchcraft, protected from mortals, and the home of Cassandra Holly and her family. Cassie is getting desperate. She's almost 21 and has yet to come into her magic powers. Without magic she'll be forced to leave her friends and family and the town of Nevermore itself. Desperate times call for desperate measures and with the help of her best friend Willow, Cassie tries her hand at a major spell to find her magic. Forces combine and the unexpected happens. While Cassie finds her magic, she can't quite figure out what it is. Not only that, Willow's aunt, a not quite willing aspect of the spell, is found dead-and her not quite dead spirit demands that Cassie finds out who killed her! Cassie has to deal with her new found powers, a cantankerous ghost, her family, and mean girls. Will Cassie make sense of it all before Nevermore itself is destroyed?
When creating a new world, such as Nevermore, parameters must be laid out. The rules of the world must be explained, which can lead to a certain complexity. Such is the case in MAGICLESS IN NEVERMORE. The book had a slow start as I had to adjust to how Nevermore, and its inhabitants, worked. The power structure, responsibilities, and what people were actually capable of had to be laid out by the author and understood by the reader. Once I developed a clearer understanding of the world I began to enjoy the characters as well as their interactions. Maud, who we meet as a disdainful cat (well, witch in cat form) becomes a cantankerous ghost who, although not exactly dead, demands her killer be found! I found this crotchety specter great fun. Cassie personifies the part of us that wants to fit in, be appreciated and useful, yet finds herself with egg in her face as she try to succeed. In other words, the perfect person to root for. Honest family dynamics, friendship and its antithesis, and privilege and entitlement align to create a paranormal world which perfectly reflects our own reality.
Spend time getting to know Nevermore. Once there you'll be charmed and enjoy this brave new world.
Cassandra Holley lives in Nevermore – a mythical town hidden from muggles, a town where everyone figures out early on what their particular magical talent is. Everyone except Cassie, that is. She’s coming up on her 21st birthday and if she doesn’t figure out what her talent is by then, she’ll be banished from the town, the only place she’s ever known, and where all her loved ones live. During a ceremony with her bff to encourage Cassie’s magic to manifest, she ends up “killing” a very powerful witch, who then hires her to find out who really murdered her.
In the version of this e-book I read, it started out with a prologue involving witches in a cemetery, and it immediately had me reaching for the delete key. And I’m still not sure what purpose it served, other than to introduce some members of the Council to Serve All Living Emblems of Magic (SALEM), who make an appearance later in the book. (Ok, that one thing was kind of clever.) I have heard that in a subsequent version to the one I read, the prologue was moved to the back of the book. I hope so, because I don’t think including it moved the ball forward.
I struggled with this book a bit. I enjoy mysteries with paranormal content, but this one had way more than I usually read. It was very heavy on spells, sigils, potions, and all things magickal. Even with that, I was intrigued by watching Cassie, a fish out of water, struggle to find her place in the world, and to come into her own. The supporting characters – Cassie’s family – all whom knew their talents almost before they could talk, her BFF, Willow, the Mean Girls in the town, the local newspaper reporter, and others – were well-drawn. The settings were well described. I felt like I was right there with Cassie as she struggled with the magic, and learned how to use it to her advantage, and to protect her town.
Putting aside the heavy magical elements, I did enjoy Cassie and the mystery part of the book. I also found her struggles to separate from her mother realistic. And I liked the relationship between Cassie and Willow. Would I read this again? No. Would I read more in the series? I think I might, just to see how Cassie progresses.
I voluntarily agreed to review this book after receiving a free copy.
Youthful readers target market, a delightful read for any age.
There are a rare few writers who work under the constraints of youth writing; avoid profanity, avoid explicit sex or sex altogether, avoid explicit and graphic violence etcetera; who manage to write extraordinarily good and compelling stories. The rewards for this accomplishment are often great, long shelf life at the book store, multi-generational fandom, selection for literary awards, selection for "The Battle of the Books" and even movie adaptation.
I submit that Violet Merriweather, has joined the ranks of Emily Rhodda, Barbara Kingsolver, Angie Sage and Eoin Colder. It is extremely rare for me to award five stars, and yet there is nothing that I can find fault with in this story. So Very Well Done!
I will be recommending this to all friends who have any tolerance for the youthful style. It is a bit of a shame that some writers fall into the snare that to written te for adults a book must be violent or full of sex, and inversely that books for youth must lack substance. We should better celebrate the artistry of those writers who avoid such pitfalls.
First in a new paranormal cozy series, this is a fun read. There is magic, humor, murder and even romance.
Cassie is an interesting character: she is a bit immature at times, but she is relatable and also grows in maturity as the story unfolds.
The entire town of Nevermore and the premise of a place hidden from the nonmagic folk is fascinating, as are the descriptions of the variety of talents displayed by the inhabitants. Cassie's parents and siblings are an important part of her life, and of the story, as is her good friend Willow.
The cranky ghost of Maude is hilarious throughout the story, but she offers invaluable clues to the solving of her murder.
The final reveal is well done, and quite a surprise. There is also a hint at the end of the second story to come, which I look forward to reading very soon.
**I received a copy of this book from the author with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
I received this book as a gift and voluntarily chose to review it]
“The magic knows what to do,”Maude said, swooping so close the tips of our noses touched. “So get out of the way and let it do what it was meant to."
Cassandra Holly lives in Nevermore. As a witch this is a good thing unless you haven't "found your magic"; your talent as a witch. And the time is coming closer as to when she needs to have it, or she will be " cast out" of the town, banished from everything she knows and loves.
Cassie is a young woman with "a life" but without a vocation her "life" seems precarious. Everyone else has found what their gifts are. And all she's got is a ghost with a problem. Seems like there is something wrong with the guardians of Nevermore, and Cassie needs to help figure out what's up, or everyone may suffer.
I have to say that I've read many cozies. I also understand that this is a new author. Until the last quarter of the book I was unimpressed. There seemed to be too many characters doing too many things for the actual story to manifest. The last few chapters are what made me want to finish it and I am looking forward to the second instalment.
I very much enjoyed this book! An original storyline with great characters. I definitely want to read more. The only criticism I would have is more character development at the beginning, I didn't know what the characters looked like which distracted me from the story somewhat. I also would have liked a bit more description in certain parts. Overall a wonderful book and I can't wait for the next one!
This is a wonderful start to a new series, I very much enjoyed it. Cassie is a young witch who hasn't found her magic - yet. As soon as Cassie does find her magic, things get a little off kilter. Cassie is hired by the ghost of the dead body she just stumbled upon to discover who the culprit is. If that isn't enough, Cassie must save Nevermore, the enchanted town all magical being reside.
This story quickly drew me in and kept me turning the pages, I didn't want to put the book down. The author does a nice job of building suspense and keeping you on the edge of your seat so you will want to know what happens next.
I really enjoeyd the characters. I thought they are likable and I want toe get to know them better. I can't wait to read more about them.
Cozy mystery fans who enjoy a paranormal element will be sure to enjoy this series.
I received a copy of this manuscript from the author, my review has been voluntrily submitted.
The story begins with a bang.. literally and from that moment I am hooked and eager to read the rest of the book. I am a sucker for witchy cozy mysteries (in case you haven't noticed) however though this is indeed a cozy it gave me a bit of a New Adult feel and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book as I have yet to come across a cozy mystery with the kind of vibe and found it a welcome addition to the wonderful plot.
You so need to put this on your to read list! It's awesome! The author has mixed magic and a mystery, and has done it most brilliantly. Open this book and step into Nevermore. A place hidden from the normal world, where magic still exists, and so do witches. Meet Cassie, who is desperate to discover her magic so she won't be exiled from her home. If I tell any more, I'll tell you too much.
Cassie lives in Nevermore. A secluded town where witches and wizards live. She has a big problem, she’s a witch with no magic. If she doesn’t awaken her magical abilities by her next birthday, she’ll be forced to leave Nevermore. She and her best friend Willow cast a spell to awaken Cassie’s magic. The spell doesn’t seem to work as Cassie still doesn’t know what kind of magic she can do. Then someone is murdered. With the help of a cranky ghost, Cassie and Willow uncover a plot that threatens to destroy Nevermore.
The book was fun to read and interesting. Both Cassie and Willow were great main characters, but the cranky ghost was my favorite. It was fun to see how the author showed the levels and abilities of the town’s occupants, especially Cassie’s parents and siblings. I’m looking forward to seeing more displays of talents in coming books. If you’re looking for a humorous light read with a supernatural twist, check it out.