Samantha Hale is still figuring how to master the art of witchcraft.
When Samantha Hale and her best friend Cameron attend an estate sale filled with clocks at the home of a mysterious old woman and her eccentric granddaughter, they have no idea they're in for the adventure of a lifetime--and the clocks are only the beginning...
Skylar Finn grew up in a refinery town just outside of Houston, Texas. She has lived in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Colorado, and most recently Florida. She writes on the road on planes, trains, and buses. When she's not writing, she is out looking for the next adventure.
I enjoyed this quick story of Samantha, a young witch who is just discovering her heritage. After her parents’ divorce, Sam went to live with her father who refused to believe in her mother’s powers or acknowledge that his daughter might be more than she appeared to be. Once she was introduced to her mother and grandmother, along with her aunt and cousin Tamrin, Sam begins to learn about the powers at her command.
Unfortunately, she runs into some very old magic that she is in no way equipped to deal with. Her family warns her that there is a very dangerous magical being operating very close to where she lives, but Sam is far too new to spell craft to recognize these entities or protect herself.
It was frustrating to watch Sam and Tamrin repeatedly ignore warnings from their more experienced elders and walk into situations fraught with danger. Time and again I wanted to scream at the girls to stop assuming they were in control and to ask for assistance.
The author did have a few interesting new twists on magic and its history that made the story more interesting. Overall, a short, enjoyable read.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series and it did not detract from this story at all. I found it to be interesting and entertaining. We learn about Samantha Hale, a 30-year-old woman, who found out a short while ago, that she is a witch and part of a coven. Her father took her away from her mother and anything to do with his wife and her kind when Samantha, Sam, was little. So, until recently, Samantha assumed she was just your "average Joe". She's had no training whatsoever. She feels the need to protect her family and friends. She is a bit naive and is always looking for the human way of addressing a situation, instead of a magical one.
I loved this book with it's characters with depth. This book presents a thought provoking view of what time is. The quality of writing was wonderful. I'm truely impressed with Skylar Finn as an author.
Samantha Hale knew it was Spring – her allergies were horrible, and her newly-inherited magic abilities provided no relief. Her boyfriend, Peter, went off to work and she searched for something to eat. But when she opened the vegetable keeper, she saw a human heart! Going back to verify it, there was only an artichoke in there. Was this a vision of something to come? She went to the café to get coffee and avocado toast, then headed to see her friend, Cameron, at his boutique. She joined him on his road trip to an estate sale but decided not to mention the heart in the refrigerator.
In the first room they entered, there were clocks of all kinds everywhere! Sam wanted to buy an hourglass with odd symbols and no sand in it. Although the owner’s granddaughter said it wasn’t for sale, she would make an exception “in Sam’s case”… whatever that meant? She had an odd vibe about the place and was glad when they left. The hourglass was small enough that Cameron pulled out a necklace chain to allow her to wear it on her neck. Next, she met her cousin Tamsin for lunch and was invited to Tamsin’s art class to meet her amazing teacher. When class was over, she went to meet her boyfriend, Peter, a journalist. He seemed really distracted and uncomfortable, but finally told her someone found a human heart in a hand-carved box in a doughnut shop! She immediately thought of her vision! Peter almost wanted to give up being a journalist – how could a murderer do such a thing?
When Sam prepared her bath, she let out a scream as her mother’s face appeared in the water! Her mom, aunt, and cousin were all witches and this was a new spell her mom was trying out. But when Sam told her about the human heart she saw, her mom and aunt decided to tell her their concerns. Her mom had a vision of a powerful, old magic near where Sam was. Combined with Sam’s vision, and because a heart was often part of a dark magic ritual, her mom cautioned her and Tamsin to be vigilant and careful. Were they in danger from dark magic? Does Tamsin’s odd, eccentric professor have anything to do with this? Will Peter be safe as he has to investigate the crime? And most important of all, can Sam solve the murders in time to protect those she loves?
I thoroughly enjoyed this well-paced cozy mystery. The story line was intriguing, pulling the reader in very quickly. The characters were described well, realistic and likable. The humor interspersed kept the dark and scary aspects at a level the reader could deal with while continuing to read. Time travel, murder, intrigue, and magic make this a book you will definitely want to read!
Samantha Hale is unemployed and thinking about moving in with her boyfriend, Peter. Her cousin is in town and going to college. Her dear friend owns a store. But she is at a standstill. The only thing is, she is a very powerful witch who just happens to not like using her powers. But her life is in for a big time change.
This is a paranormal adventure with a witch as the main character. It is interesting and full of action. The storyline is creative and contains lots of twists and turns that keep you invested in the story to the end. The writing is well done. It is the characters that takes this from good to wonderful, because they are so well defined ,interesting and full of personality. They draw you into the story. Sam learns so much about herself during this tale it is great to see her grow as a witch and a woman. This book has it all,romance, action, adventure, surprises and a great ending. If you love paranormal books about witches you will enjoy this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sam has really left her marketing adventures behind. But where has that left her? Madly in love with Peter and terrified about how vulnerable that makes both of them.
But what is her job now? Essentially, Sam is now a witch in training. But she needs to grow beyond the framework her father gave her. She is not defined by her job, yet does need enough of a public persona, so to speak, to fill in enough blanks for non magicals. I am a contractor, or... poor thing does seem a bit tortured by all that.
Again she faces evil and power untold. She has natural strength, and some of her craft is instinctive. Time to expect that raw power alone is not enough to face the unimaginable.
Edge of your seat KU read!
I got an advance copy of this book from Booksprout. I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited, then bought it from Kindle.
The adventures for Sam are just beginning. I am looking forward to reading what happens next!
Samantha Hale attends an estate sale with her best friend Cameron and discovers a mysterious old woman and her granddaughter. The house is filled with timepieces, clocks, and other clock-related items for sale. Cameron buys a grandfather clock for his store and Sam buys an empty hourglass charm. They soon realize how these purchases will have a profound impact and put them along with Sam’s cousin Tamsin and her journalist boyfriend Peter lives in peril.
How does Peter’s story and the discovery of a human heart, Tamsin’s teacher (and secret crush), plus the mysterious clock ladies all fit together? And why do Samantha’s mom and aunt feel a powerful and old magic presence near Sam? Are the girls safe or is there black magic lurking about?
This is a fast-paced cozy mystery filled with lots of mystery, intrigue, adventure, and magic.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sam has so much going on in her mind regarding Peter, what to do with her life, her cousin and her obsession with Cristo...add in that someone is going around kidnapping, murdering women and cutting out their hearts, which is a story Peter is also covering for his newspaper job, and she’s got a lot going on. Especially since these deaths seem like black magic ritualistic. Plus there is also a huge magic presence in town that her family can’t determine is good or bad. Life is crazy for Sam!
I love this series so far. The characters, even being witches, are so real and deal with a lot of mundane life problems. The magic parts are great and I would love to find out how this author comes up with some of her ideas. When you read this and meet Suki you will understand what I’m talking about. She’s just so deep! Can’t wait for the next book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
READER WARNING: I ONLY ENDORSE BOOKS 5 AND 6 OF THIS SERIES SO FAR!!! Samantha is back, and there's another excellently crafted mystery to unravel! Between obsessing about Pete, cousin Tamsin, and unemployment woes...well, it's astonishing that Sam can find TIME to also deal with a self-involved ghost, missing hearts, protecting a close future victim, and literally saving the world! This was an engrossing read, and I enjoyed being lead (and mislead) through the clues; I honestly had no idea of the truth until the big reveal. AND the villain even offered some insights I had completely overlooked! I'm eager to get back to these characters from this author.
I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series (I assume they’ll update the description later); I missed out on a lot of character development and events this one refers to. I will say it sounds like a lot of interesting stuff happened there, so I plan to go back and read it. Without giving too much away, I felt like the author avoided the typical coming-into-your-power plotlines, and had an interesting twist. Plus the characters are great. I look forward to starting at the beginning and seeing where this series goes. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.
I didn't realise that this was the second book in this series, but in spite of it, it turned out to be a really good read. Sam, the inept witch finds herself in situations where she wished she was better trained but being that she has magic in her blood, she manages to somehow access her powers when she needed them.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, with a strong storyline and lot of action, making it a difficult book to put down! There are some very clever bits, playing on Sam's own issues and insecurities, which added to the intrigue. I would totally recommend this book. I received an ARC from Booksprout and this is my honest opinion
Samantha Hale is still trying to come to terms that is a real witch. Her mother, aunt,and grandmother have told her so. She is finding her powers but is afraid to use them. Her cousin Tamsin has moved to the city to go to college and be on her own. When Samantha meets the witches who guard time and finds they need help defeating father death and his mind ions, she has to help them. Young women are dieing and having their hearts removed so Sam has to keep Tamsin safe. Another page turned by a new to me author.
Definitely better than the first book, no longer did the story become inundated with repetition but came into its own with a great storyline that kept me interested. What would happen if time stood still? Who would survive? Whilst a killer is roaming the city stealing hearts, Sam is trying to look out for her younger cousin, her boyfriend and her best friend, but neglecting to take care of herself will she be at risk of being murdered or will the people closest to her come to the attention of the killer?
The Witching Hour by Skylar Finn is an awesome story to read. I love reading about witches, magic and cozy mysteries in my stories. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about fantasy, mysteries and cozy mysteries in their stories as much as I do.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love cozy mysteries! I have read a few of the books written by this author and I have not been disappointed. This book is no exception. Fabulous story, well-written, and filled with action and intrigue.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. With a combination of a great storyline, fantastic characters, murder, intrigue, and witchcraft, this is sure to please any cozy lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I like this storyline about a witch discovering her powers and her mother at 30, The characters are well developed and the conversations flow naturally. The plot progresses at a good pace, making it hard to put down. Can't wait for the more!
Well done enjoyed the book.A woman coming into her own.And a family and friends that can not be replaced.it is not who you are it is the people you come from.And a friend in need is a friend indeed .🐾
A nicely imagined world and magical systems. A few tropes employed (but at least our heroine did not stubbornly refuse to believe she had magic). The telling was good, and there is room for future developments in Sam’s life, her friends and coven.
It took most of the book to get interesting to me for some reason. I don't know if there were previous books to this one, so I am sorry I could not give a better review. I will try more of skylar's stories.
This was a great book to read. It had a little bit of everything. Mystery, suspense, Magic and romance. I would like to read more in the series if it is a series.