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White Haven Witches #1
Buried Magic
Witchcraft, dark secrets, and demons. No one is safe in White Haven.
White Haven has a history of witchcraft, but the locals don't know that there are real witches living among them, and Avery is one of them.
When she receives an ominous premonition, a rune covered box, and an intriguing letter, all hinting at the mysterious past of her hometown, perched on the Cornish coast, Avery realises that the witches are missing a vital part of their history.
Five missing grimoires.
And when the annoying, but very handsome, Alex Bonneville, shares the same premonition, they know that trouble's coming.
Against her better judgement, Avery teams up with the other witches to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately, someone will do anything to stop them.
Now is the time to uncover the past.
Now is the time to reclaim their heritage.
And they'll risk everything to do it.
When quirky White Haven turns into a battleground of magic and demons, only the White Haven Witches can stop it.
If you love urban fantasy with a twist of romance and plenty of magic, you'll love book 1 of the White Haven Witches.
White Haven has a history of witchcraft, but the locals don't know that there are real witches living among them, and Avery is one of them.
When she receives an ominous premonition, a rune covered box, and an intriguing letter, all hinting at the mysterious past of her hometown, perched on the Cornish coast, Avery realises that the witches are missing a vital part of their history.
Five missing grimoires.
And when the annoying, but very handsome, Alex Bonneville, shares the same premonition, they know that trouble's coming.
Against her better judgement, Avery teams up with the other witches to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately, someone will do anything to stop them.
Now is the time to uncover the past.
Now is the time to reclaim their heritage.
And they'll risk everything to do it.
When quirky White Haven turns into a battleground of magic and demons, only the White Haven Witches can stop it.
If you love urban fantasy with a twist of romance and plenty of magic, you'll love book 1 of the White Haven Witches.
234 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2018
4042 people are currently reading
6166 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Green
79 books690 followersI'm a writer, a pagan, and a witch, and consequently love all things magical. I write fictional books about witchcraft and the paranormal, and they are jam-packed with fabulous characters, colourful settings, plenty of action, and lots of humour.
I was born in England, in the Black Country, but moved to New Zealand in 2006. I lived near Wellington with my partner Jase, and my cats Sacha and Leia. However, in April 2022 we moved again! Yes, I like making my life complicated… I’m now living in the Algarve in Portugal, and loving the fabulous weather and people. When I’m not busy writing I read lots, indulge in gardening and shopping, and I love yoga.
Confession time! I’m a Star Trek geek – old and new – and love urban fantasy and detective shows. Secret passion – Columbo! Favourite Star Trek film is the Wrath of Khan, the original! Other top films – Predator, the original, and Aliens.
In a previous life I was a singer in a band, and used to do some acting with a theatre company. For more on me, check out a couple of my blog posts. I have also written a blog about how I finally became comfortable about calling myself a witch. It's called Leaning into my Witch.
I was born in England, in the Black Country, but moved to New Zealand in 2006. I lived near Wellington with my partner Jase, and my cats Sacha and Leia. However, in April 2022 we moved again! Yes, I like making my life complicated… I’m now living in the Algarve in Portugal, and loving the fabulous weather and people. When I’m not busy writing I read lots, indulge in gardening and shopping, and I love yoga.
Confession time! I’m a Star Trek geek – old and new – and love urban fantasy and detective shows. Secret passion – Columbo! Favourite Star Trek film is the Wrath of Khan, the original! Other top films – Predator, the original, and Aliens.
In a previous life I was a singer in a band, and used to do some acting with a theatre company. For more on me, check out a couple of my blog posts. I have also written a blog about how I finally became comfortable about calling myself a witch. It's called Leaning into my Witch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 443 reviews
October 22, 2019
A bit frustrating
Nothing was really resolved in this book and it just kind of stopped. Also, a key character died and it was written about with so little feeling and I wondered if I should care because it felt like the author didnt. Maybe these things wil be resolved in the next book; I havent decided if I'm bothered enough to read it.
Nothing was really resolved in this book and it just kind of stopped. Also, a key character died and it was written about with so little feeling and I wondered if I should care because it felt like the author didnt. Maybe these things wil be resolved in the next book; I havent decided if I'm bothered enough to read it.
January 9, 2019
Actually 3.5 stars. Author has potential.
Buried Magic #1 - My first read by this author. I enjoy witches and the Cornwall area, and this story has both, plus the histories of several of the families trace back past the 1500s. Tie in a couple more magical, or not, families with suspicious agendas, and occult dimensional portals allowing demons passage to White Haven. There are many interesting storylines that do a good job of keeping the reader's interest, along with the premonitions, intrigue and suspense at a fast pace. The characters have enough substance and personalities, they add to the story; along with the emotions created throughout the story. An elderly historian opened a big can of troubles when she left the family histories of the witches, along with plenty of secrets and the search for their unknown missing grimoires.
The author was a bit wordy about nonessentials, such as clothing and repeated "I am/we are witches" and I'm so bored with all the good looking people in books; aren't there any real people anymore? This story continues into the next book Magic Unbound, so don't expect a conclusion yet. I contacted the author to review this book when I found MU on Booksprout. 3.5*
Magic Unbound #2 - This story picks up three days after Buried Magic ends. Secrets after secrets, from all sources, come to light, including the connection of one of the unknown families. I have to laugh that these witches don't use their magic for searches and can't dry themselves when drenched; a little inconsistency there. As much as I like Avery and Alex, there was too much unnecessary emphasis on their relationship at the expense of the other witch characters, along with too much detail on clothing and looks; rather simplistic plotting, which drags the story down. The story is flowing smoothly with a bit of substance and then come to a stop for a silly commercial; annoying distractions.
Needs editing to tighten the story and correct errors. Why possessive and plural are so confusing nowadays to authors is beyond me. Family's is used for: families; families'; family's. Soul's is used in place of Souls. They're for they are. This story sets the foundation for the next book in the series. I found this book on Booksprout. 3.5*
Buried Magic #1 - My first read by this author. I enjoy witches and the Cornwall area, and this story has both, plus the histories of several of the families trace back past the 1500s. Tie in a couple more magical, or not, families with suspicious agendas, and occult dimensional portals allowing demons passage to White Haven. There are many interesting storylines that do a good job of keeping the reader's interest, along with the premonitions, intrigue and suspense at a fast pace. The characters have enough substance and personalities, they add to the story; along with the emotions created throughout the story. An elderly historian opened a big can of troubles when she left the family histories of the witches, along with plenty of secrets and the search for their unknown missing grimoires.
The author was a bit wordy about nonessentials, such as clothing and repeated "I am/we are witches" and I'm so bored with all the good looking people in books; aren't there any real people anymore? This story continues into the next book Magic Unbound, so don't expect a conclusion yet. I contacted the author to review this book when I found MU on Booksprout. 3.5*
Magic Unbound #2 - This story picks up three days after Buried Magic ends. Secrets after secrets, from all sources, come to light, including the connection of one of the unknown families. I have to laugh that these witches don't use their magic for searches and can't dry themselves when drenched; a little inconsistency there. As much as I like Avery and Alex, there was too much unnecessary emphasis on their relationship at the expense of the other witch characters, along with too much detail on clothing and looks; rather simplistic plotting, which drags the story down. The story is flowing smoothly with a bit of substance and then come to a stop for a silly commercial; annoying distractions.
Needs editing to tighten the story and correct errors. Why possessive and plural are so confusing nowadays to authors is beyond me. Family's is used for: families; families'; family's. Soul's is used in place of Souls. They're for they are. This story sets the foundation for the next book in the series. I found this book on Booksprout. 3.5*
March 12, 2024
I had to DNF at about 40%. It had promise but the characters fell flat and the writing style was difficult to get into.
January 19, 2025
Characters were super flat - at the beginning it was hard to remember who was who because they didn't have personality. Romance felt really cringey.
I like the idea behind the book but this wasn't intriguing or mysterious, not the way I had hoped / expected this to be.
This didn't feel smooth to read, nor captivating. To be honest I had to decide several times not to DNF and give this a chance. I made it through but can't say I enjoyed it.
Story was a decent but execution was lacking something.
This had romance that was suddenly there out of nowhere, Avery didn't seem to remember she owned cats that she should have taken care of and they had cell phones but didn't even try to use them when they needed help. How in earth this book can have an average rating 4.15?
I like the idea behind the book but this wasn't intriguing or mysterious, not the way I had hoped / expected this to be.
This didn't feel smooth to read, nor captivating. To be honest I had to decide several times not to DNF and give this a chance. I made it through but can't say I enjoyed it.
Story was a decent but execution was lacking something.
This had romance that was suddenly there out of nowhere, Avery didn't seem to remember she owned cats that she should have taken care of and they had cell phones but didn't even try to use them when they needed help. How in earth this book can have an average rating 4.15?
January 12, 2021
I enjoyed the simple reading, character descriptions and overall plot. Looking forward to book 2. I get it Thursday. YAY
December 30, 2020
Okay so, this could’ve been worse, but it also could’ve been way better. Throughout the book I really wasn’t invested at all, and the writing style was really distracting; it didn’t flow well.
Information in the book was introduced in a very weird way, and the author overused “she” throughout the entire thing—there’s other ways of referring to characters. Also, “witchy senses”? “Supernatural wind”? I laughed while reading those, because if you’re going to make a book with a fantasy setting, at least expand it a little.
The characters were very bland, Alex especially. His only personality trait seemed to be “sexy”. Avery’s hatred of him is never explained, and neither is her ridiculous crush on him. Gil was the only character I thought had potential, and of course he was killed off.
Most of the cast is in their late 20’s, and yet none of them act like it? They all behave like high schoolers or younger, it’s like the author didn’t know how to write adults. The substitutes for curse words was really cringey, “sod off” especially.
One thing I noticed that isn’t really important but I found funny: Between the first page and page 31, Anne was described (with this exact phrasing) as “a bit of a local historian” three times. It’s as if the description was copied and pasted.
Long story short I probably won’t be reading the next book in the series because it felt like nothing happened in this one.
Information in the book was introduced in a very weird way, and the author overused “she” throughout the entire thing—there’s other ways of referring to characters. Also, “witchy senses”? “Supernatural wind”? I laughed while reading those, because if you’re going to make a book with a fantasy setting, at least expand it a little.
The characters were very bland, Alex especially. His only personality trait seemed to be “sexy”. Avery’s hatred of him is never explained, and neither is her ridiculous crush on him. Gil was the only character I thought had potential, and of course he was killed off.
Most of the cast is in their late 20’s, and yet none of them act like it? They all behave like high schoolers or younger, it’s like the author didn’t know how to write adults. The substitutes for curse words was really cringey, “sod off” especially.
One thing I noticed that isn’t really important but I found funny: Between the first page and page 31, Anne was described (with this exact phrasing) as “a bit of a local historian” three times. It’s as if the description was copied and pasted.
Long story short I probably won’t be reading the next book in the series because it felt like nothing happened in this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2024
Buried Magic is book one of the White Haven series of urban fantasy tales. These are based in a delightful Cornish coastal village and I was really pleased to discover the series and its location.
The history of the village is famous because of the medieval witch trials, and Avery is a descendent of a woman accused of being a witch at that time.
A local historian dies and leaves Avery all her books, which include details of several other families similar to hers, in the village. The information brings up old wounds and new questions, but when a woman dies from unnatural causes, Avery and her friends discover that a demon is on the loose and that they may all be in serious danger.
Magic and mayhem abound in this story with a four hundred-year-old mystery. I liked how the author sprinkled Cornish themes throughout the story, while the witchcraft was fresh and believable. This story continues in the next book, while I believe that the other books in the series are all stand alone tales.
The history of the village is famous because of the medieval witch trials, and Avery is a descendent of a woman accused of being a witch at that time.
A local historian dies and leaves Avery all her books, which include details of several other families similar to hers, in the village. The information brings up old wounds and new questions, but when a woman dies from unnatural causes, Avery and her friends discover that a demon is on the loose and that they may all be in serious danger.
Magic and mayhem abound in this story with a four hundred-year-old mystery. I liked how the author sprinkled Cornish themes throughout the story, while the witchcraft was fresh and believable. This story continues in the next book, while I believe that the other books in the series are all stand alone tales.
January 7, 2021
Voici une histoire witchy plutôt sympathique et qui prend place en Cornouailles, où quelques descendants de sorcières du coin décident de se réunir et former un coven pour faire face à une menace magique. J'aime bien, il n'y a pas de temps morts et les héros sont sexy (quoique la romance reste très light à mon goût), le style est agréable à lire. Un petit bémol pour la fin abrupte, on a l'impression qu'on est arrivé à la fin d'un chapitre et non du livre, rien n'est résolu. Apparemment il y a déjà 7 tomes (moi qui pensais lire un one-shot lorsque je l'ai commencé… ;_;), je continue quand même sur ma lancée, curieuse d'en savoir plus !
April 16, 2020
I really wanted to like this book. I visit Cornwall regularly and I love books about witches. Unfortunately, this was a boring read with very little authentically Cornish about it. The writer doesn't seem to have done more than the most surface-level research. They mention Truro and Doombar, other than that the book could have been set anywhere.
I could have forgiven that if they had told a good story, but the 'characters' were barely even one-dimensional, there was no build-up, no tension and no resolution to any of the story threads that had been introduced. I understand that this is the first in a series and that some elements of the story will continue in later books, but when I buy a book I expect it to be able to enjoy it on its own terms. Absolutely nothing that was introduced in this 'book' got resolved and it's not like it even ended on a cliffhanger, the book just stopped and then had the nerve to ask you to buy the next book. No thanks!
I could have forgiven that if they had told a good story, but the 'characters' were barely even one-dimensional, there was no build-up, no tension and no resolution to any of the story threads that had been introduced. I understand that this is the first in a series and that some elements of the story will continue in later books, but when I buy a book I expect it to be able to enjoy it on its own terms. Absolutely nothing that was introduced in this 'book' got resolved and it's not like it even ended on a cliffhanger, the book just stopped and then had the nerve to ask you to buy the next book. No thanks!
September 6, 2021
This book is very readable. It's the kind of 'get swept up in the story' reading that first turned me on to reading as a boy when I discovered the Narnia books. (Not that this is a kid's book. It's definitely not.) I picked up Buried Magic mostly out of curiosity, as witch novels aren't typically my thing. I was very pleasantly surprised. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because there wasn't enough of a sense of closure for me at the end of the book. The story arc didn't wrap up enough. So maybe I'll have to pick up book 2...
dnf
June 13, 2022OK i tried but I can't do it, I'm dropping it at 58%.The writing and the dialogue just don't work, the characters are extremely shallow and the world building is basically nonexistent (how does the magic work? Idk and I think the author doesn't either). Disappointing
May 22, 2022
This is narrated by the fabulous Janine Haynes, and you can buy the audiobook from several retailers:
https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/1...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/buri...
https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4496...
https://www.audible.com/pd/Buried-Mag...
https://www.hibooks.com/discover/audi...
https://shop.authors-direct.com/produ...
https://bingebooks.com/book/buried-magic
https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/...
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/978099513...
https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/1...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/buri...
https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4496...
https://www.audible.com/pd/Buried-Mag...
https://www.hibooks.com/discover/audi...
https://shop.authors-direct.com/produ...
https://bingebooks.com/book/buried-magic
https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/...
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/978099513...
January 8, 2022
Avery lives in a town steeped in witchcraft history and she is one. Part of an anthology box set I have, Buried Magic is about a quest to find ‘something’ before Evil does...
I really liked the writing style and easy flow, whilst the descriptions were just enough to paint wonderful pictures surrounding the plot and characters.
With reluctance, Avery teams up with other witches and the race is on.
There are themes of magic, romance, evil and much more – a great read. However, the story continues in the next book, so no conclusion from book one.
Enjoyable.
I really liked the writing style and easy flow, whilst the descriptions were just enough to paint wonderful pictures surrounding the plot and characters.
With reluctance, Avery teams up with other witches and the race is on.
There are themes of magic, romance, evil and much more – a great read. However, the story continues in the next book, so no conclusion from book one.
Enjoyable.
August 13, 2024
Not the best book I’ve read this year, but entertaining, and a good way to start Halloween, which clearly begins August 1.
I feel like since this was sold as a 6 book-in-1 mega digital novel, that I’ll be required to read all 6 back to back because this first installment was pretty cliff-hangerish.
Guess we will see if it holds my attention.
I feel like since this was sold as a 6 book-in-1 mega digital novel, that I’ll be required to read all 6 back to back because this first installment was pretty cliff-hangerish.
Guess we will see if it holds my attention.
November 3, 2024
I decided to read something paranormal for the Halloween season. This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the characters and the story. I’ll be reading book 2 since this one was a bit of a cliffhanger as they say.
November 9, 2020
Magic and romance
Enjoyable story about Avery and the other witches in the history-filled setting of Cornwall. A bit of light romance and intrigue builds interest. Nicely done!
Enjoyable story about Avery and the other witches in the history-filled setting of Cornwall. A bit of light romance and intrigue builds interest. Nicely done!
August 11, 2023
2.75 ⭐️
Weirdly anticlimactic in the end but there’s definitely potential for a great series overall!
Weirdly anticlimactic in the end but there’s definitely potential for a great series overall!
October 7, 2024
2.5 - liked the characters and the setting but not a complete story in its own right.
February 6, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and not soppy. The story line was very exciting and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, a real page turner for me
June 5, 2025
really good read and interesting idea i loved the mysteries in the plot and how there are still questions at the end
March 29, 2020
things get complicated when family histories starts to unravel. An interesting start to a series I would like to see where it goes. Worth a listen.
December 14, 2018
I love that the characters are very realistic in there feeling, emotions and beliefs. Avery, Alex, Elspeth, Gil, Gil's wayward brother Reuben and Briar are witches. Their ancestry goes back hundreds of years. Their history is steeped in mystery and secrets. When Avery and Alex have the same warning that darkness and danger is coming. They gather the rest of the witches for a meeting. They are not officially a coven but some of them want to organize one. When, Anne, an elderly historian of the residences of White Haven dies, she bequeaths books and boxes to Avery. Anne leaves them an ominous letter. Each of their family's old grimoires have been hidden for hundreds of years and each family needs to find their own and protect it from those who wield back magic. The danger the group faces is unimaginable. There are strange murders and deaths that are suspicious of demonic activity. As the group has only used their magic for the benefit of mankind, they had no clue how to ward off and protect themselves. But they are learning quickly and combining their powers to fight. Then out of the blue a new threat makes himself know. Caspian Faversham wants the grimoires and told Avery he will go to any length to get them. He told her that their lives would be in danger if they refused to cooperate. So far only Alex and Elspeth have found their family's grimoires. Avery, Gil, Reuben and Briar still must find theirs. Every move the group makes, Caspian and/or a demon is there to thwart them. The question now is how is he getting his information on their whereabouts. What will it take to keep ahead of Caspian and keep him off their tracks? Unfortunately, during one of their searches, Caspian and a demon appear and one of the groups is killed. Grief envelops the group. At the same time, there is a romance building between Avery and Alex. This contains a soft cliffhanger and the next book "Magic Unbound" will be released January 10th, 2019. I am looking forward to continue reading about the good versus evil in White Haven. I was totally invested and engrossed in reading this book. I highly recommend it and know you will not be disappointed. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 16, 2018
I liked the approach toward the magic of modern-day witches.
It was a real treat to follow the adventures of that family to escape the evil plans of their adversary. There is a good plot with intrigue and suspense and an interesting detective.
it is very easy to get into the life of Avery and the other witches of White Haven. And it is really easy to just keep reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was a real treat to follow the adventures of that family to escape the evil plans of their adversary. There is a good plot with intrigue and suspense and an interesting detective.
it is very easy to get into the life of Avery and the other witches of White Haven. And it is really easy to just keep reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2019
Good Read
I found this book quite fun to read, and will be moving on to book 2. This book is 3.5 stars for me, but that option is not available to me.
On the upside, I found most of the characters quite interesting and nice. They balance each other out. I like the slow build of the mystery of the 5 grimoires. I was sad at the end of the book at the unexpected turn of events, but can understand it as it provides impetus for one of the characters to embrace the family history and discover what happened all those centuries ago. Hopefully they learn to fully embrace being witches and why it is necessary to understand both the dark and light side of it so as to have a better handle on their abilities. I have found this to be true in following my own path and staying true to the good in the craft.
On the downside, I felt the character's pasts and families were not fleshed out at all. Their attitude towards their gifts and rich history tended to annoy me somewhat. It just seemed like they could take it or leave it. I am hopeful that will change going forward. I would have loved to see a little more steam between a few of the characters. It was hard to see them connected romantically at all as it was barely mentioned and the one love scene lasted less than a paragraph.
I reserve judgement on the issue of fleshing out the characters as there are more books to read in this series, and I will remain hopeful that I get more history on each of them as the mystery moves forward. I also am hopeful for a little more romance as it is hard to invest in a relationship that is barely a part of the story. Mostly, I have high hopes for the mystery itself and hope that it ends up being an exciting and rewarding ride.
I found this book quite fun to read, and will be moving on to book 2. This book is 3.5 stars for me, but that option is not available to me.
On the upside, I found most of the characters quite interesting and nice. They balance each other out. I like the slow build of the mystery of the 5 grimoires. I was sad at the end of the book at the unexpected turn of events, but can understand it as it provides impetus for one of the characters to embrace the family history and discover what happened all those centuries ago. Hopefully they learn to fully embrace being witches and why it is necessary to understand both the dark and light side of it so as to have a better handle on their abilities. I have found this to be true in following my own path and staying true to the good in the craft.
On the downside, I felt the character's pasts and families were not fleshed out at all. Their attitude towards their gifts and rich history tended to annoy me somewhat. It just seemed like they could take it or leave it. I am hopeful that will change going forward. I would have loved to see a little more steam between a few of the characters. It was hard to see them connected romantically at all as it was barely mentioned and the one love scene lasted less than a paragraph.
I reserve judgement on the issue of fleshing out the characters as there are more books to read in this series, and I will remain hopeful that I get more history on each of them as the mystery moves forward. I also am hopeful for a little more romance as it is hard to invest in a relationship that is barely a part of the story. Mostly, I have high hopes for the mystery itself and hope that it ends up being an exciting and rewarding ride.
April 16, 2021
This is the first novel in the White Haven Witches series of paranormal mystery by TJ Green. When I downloaded it, I did not notice the author’s note that it is only half a story, and you must read the next book, Magic Unbound, to get any resolution.
I liked the premise well enough, and the plot was somewhat intriguing, but the story never quite captured my attention—it was always easy to put down. The characters didn’t feel well developed, so I never really cared what happened to any of them. They seemed immature, especially considering most of them are business owners. The dialog was often awkward.
The main character, witch and bookstore owner Avery, is sometimes annoyingly insecure, and then overconfident at other times. She often said the opposite of what she felt and refused to speak up regarding what she wanted. She’s the kind of person who will constantly tell you that everything is fine when it obviously isn’t, which I find irritating. Her love interest Alex seems nice enough, but their romance wasn’t very convincing. Other than the fact that they are both witches and she finds him physically attractive, what do they like about each other? I have no idea.
Although I’m somewhat curious about where the story is going, I didn’t find this compelling enough to want to seek out the next book.
The narration by Janine Haynes was fine. She has a lovely voice and I enjoyed her accent; however, I had trouble recognizing her character voices enough to follow who was speaking. While she enunciates clearly, I was occasionally confused by unfamiliar British pronunciation.
I own the Kindle version of this book but was provided a free review copy of this audiobook by the author; I volunteered to provide an honest review.
I liked the premise well enough, and the plot was somewhat intriguing, but the story never quite captured my attention—it was always easy to put down. The characters didn’t feel well developed, so I never really cared what happened to any of them. They seemed immature, especially considering most of them are business owners. The dialog was often awkward.
The main character, witch and bookstore owner Avery, is sometimes annoyingly insecure, and then overconfident at other times. She often said the opposite of what she felt and refused to speak up regarding what she wanted. She’s the kind of person who will constantly tell you that everything is fine when it obviously isn’t, which I find irritating. Her love interest Alex seems nice enough, but their romance wasn’t very convincing. Other than the fact that they are both witches and she finds him physically attractive, what do they like about each other? I have no idea.
Although I’m somewhat curious about where the story is going, I didn’t find this compelling enough to want to seek out the next book.
The narration by Janine Haynes was fine. She has a lovely voice and I enjoyed her accent; however, I had trouble recognizing her character voices enough to follow who was speaking. While she enunciates clearly, I was occasionally confused by unfamiliar British pronunciation.
I own the Kindle version of this book but was provided a free review copy of this audiobook by the author; I volunteered to provide an honest review.
December 15, 2018
(Review with spoilers)
Magical story. I loved it.
Several magical families have lived in a small village on the coast of Cornwall for generations. Years ago, the families were persecuted for their power, but now the last descendants can practice their magic without being judged for it, and they have small businesses in which they use their power for the benefit of the people. Avery, the protagonist, has a bookstore.
One night, she has a premonition. Something bad is going to happen, and soon. She's not the only one who sees it. Alex, another witch, goes to see her and tells her that he has felt the same thing. He tells her that it's important, and that they should summon the other witches from the village to talk about it. She, who has always kept herself apart, is reticent. Until that same day she finds a trunk belonging to one of the magical families, and discovers that everything has changed. Someone wants to take over the old magic books belonging to their families, books that they had lost, and they are willing to do anything to get it.
I liked Avery. Always apart from others, she finds it difficult to open up and relate to them.
I loved Elspeth and Reuben. They like to be together, they both know what they want.
It hurts that Gil had to hide from his wife the truth about him, that he couldn't be honest. But he didn't want to be alone. And it hurts that he's dead.
I recommend it.
I received a complimentary ARC from the author, and this is my honest review.
Magical story. I loved it.
Several magical families have lived in a small village on the coast of Cornwall for generations. Years ago, the families were persecuted for their power, but now the last descendants can practice their magic without being judged for it, and they have small businesses in which they use their power for the benefit of the people. Avery, the protagonist, has a bookstore.
One night, she has a premonition. Something bad is going to happen, and soon. She's not the only one who sees it. Alex, another witch, goes to see her and tells her that he has felt the same thing. He tells her that it's important, and that they should summon the other witches from the village to talk about it. She, who has always kept herself apart, is reticent. Until that same day she finds a trunk belonging to one of the magical families, and discovers that everything has changed. Someone wants to take over the old magic books belonging to their families, books that they had lost, and they are willing to do anything to get it.
I liked Avery. Always apart from others, she finds it difficult to open up and relate to them.
I loved Elspeth and Reuben. They like to be together, they both know what they want.
It hurts that Gil had to hide from his wife the truth about him, that he couldn't be honest. But he didn't want to be alone. And it hurts that he's dead.
I recommend it.
I received a complimentary ARC from the author, and this is my honest review.
April 30, 2022
Extremely disappointed. I foolishly purchased books 1-3 AND books 4-6 based on reviews, thinking i’d get into the stories. I was wrong. I’m only halfway through the first bundle of three, conceding defeat, deleting the books from my device. One of the most irksome details was the excessive use of the word “presume”. Once I noticed it being used in places the narrative called for alternative words I couldn’t ignore it, then it became a fixation which detracted from the story. It just wasn’t compelling for me so i’m moving on without guilt to hopefully more enjoyable tales.
December 22, 2024
I enjoyed this book and found it a nice, easy read. A local historian dies and leaves Avery all her books, which include details of several other witch families similar to hers, in the village. Avery and her friends discover that a demon is on the loose and that they may all be in serious danger.
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because there wasn't enough of a sense of closure for me at the end of the book. The story arc didn't wrap up enough, so you feel like you have to read the next book xx
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because there wasn't enough of a sense of closure for me at the end of the book. The story arc didn't wrap up enough, so you feel like you have to read the next book xx
May 5, 2019
Fabulous start to a new series and my new authors for 2019. Loved all the characters and loved the descriptions of the shops and houses in White Haven. The witches are coming into their own, with there magic and the friendships being forged. Highly recommend.
February 8, 2025
3⭐️
The book fell flat for me. I don't think I will read the next book in the series tbh. Some moments in the book were good but the description of action scenes just felt like the author didn't care that much.
The book fell flat for me. I don't think I will read the next book in the series tbh. Some moments in the book were good but the description of action scenes just felt like the author didn't care that much.
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