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Tales of Xest #1
The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn't
Everybody has bad days, stories of horror and woe. Unless they have the wind calling their name and ghosts telling them they have bad debts, I don’t have time to listen. I’m too busy with the hot guy who yelled at me because of some stupid feather, and the strange people jumping through puddles and kidnapping me to Xest.
If you don’t know where Xest is, join the club. They say it’s somewhere north of North, and east of East. It sure doesn’t look like any place I’ve ever seen.
So yeah, top that day and maybe I’ll hear you out. Right now though, I’ve got to go help the hot guy keep the darkness at bay over by the Unsettled Lands, while trying to not blow things up. It’s the only way I’ll ever get back to Salem.
If you don’t know where Xest is, join the club. They say it’s somewhere north of North, and east of East. It sure doesn’t look like any place I’ve ever seen.
So yeah, top that day and maybe I’ll hear you out. Right now though, I’ve got to go help the hot guy keep the darkness at bay over by the Unsettled Lands, while trying to not blow things up. It’s the only way I’ll ever get back to Salem.
349 pages, ebook
First published May 4, 2020
1121 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 16, 2020
This book only took me 2 days to read, but it felt a lot longer.
I kept reading to the end hoping questions would be answered and things explained, but it never quite happened. It started off with some interesting ideas, but lost its way in the middle and started to wander in muddy circles, then had an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion.
The biggest problem for me was that there was no logical consistency to the world building. People, places, and things appeared as and when the author wrote herself in to a corner and disappeared shortly afterwards, frequently to never be mentioned again. For example at one point Tippi, the main character, was attacked by monsters nobody had seen in centuries and afterwards nobody could track them down. Rather than the entire town going on high alert and people staying off the streets it's brushed aside and everything is back to normal by the next morning.
I also had a problem with how most of the characters in the book were bland cutouts with little personality and behaved in frustrating ways.
Tippi did nothing but bitch and whine about her circumstances and demand to go home, even when it was clear that wasn't going to happen. She never attempted to learn anything important on her own initiative, ingratiate herself with those around her, or ask questions in an attempt to find out more about how Xest worked or what her options were beyond Hawk and his competitors.
Hawk was apparently written to be secretive, but rather than seeming mysterious and enigmatic he just came across as a jerk drunk on his own power and making things difficult for himself. Then again there probably wouldn't have been a story if he'd bothered to act like a reasonable adult and explained why he needed Tippi's help, since most of the events were a consequence of her acting rashly based on misunderstandings and a lack of information.
Meanwhile I felt like the rest of the characters existed solely to try and give the impression Xest was a living world with various people all doing their thing. Yet we don't really get much of a description beyond those working for Hawk, and Tippi doesn't really speak to anyone else, not even the cocoa shop owner she is a regular customer of. It all felt very superficial, like set dressing that was only there for as long as my attention was on it.
Finally, when the conclusion sprung upon me I actually thought something else was going on and it wasn't until everything was over that I realised, no, that was it, that was the moment things had been building to. Which was incredibly disappointing since I could so easily mistake it for something else and it didn't answer anything.
I've encountered this lack of detail and confusing, wooly blending of scenes in to each other in other books by this writer. Then I thought it was simply an experienced reader discovering a new writer still getting their feet under them. Now I think that's just what this writer has to offer and I'm not interested in reading it again.
I kept reading to the end hoping questions would be answered and things explained, but it never quite happened. It started off with some interesting ideas, but lost its way in the middle and started to wander in muddy circles, then had an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion.
The biggest problem for me was that there was no logical consistency to the world building. People, places, and things appeared as and when the author wrote herself in to a corner and disappeared shortly afterwards, frequently to never be mentioned again. For example at one point Tippi, the main character, was attacked by monsters nobody had seen in centuries and afterwards nobody could track them down. Rather than the entire town going on high alert and people staying off the streets it's brushed aside and everything is back to normal by the next morning.
I also had a problem with how most of the characters in the book were bland cutouts with little personality and behaved in frustrating ways.
Tippi did nothing but bitch and whine about her circumstances and demand to go home, even when it was clear that wasn't going to happen. She never attempted to learn anything important on her own initiative, ingratiate herself with those around her, or ask questions in an attempt to find out more about how Xest worked or what her options were beyond Hawk and his competitors.
Hawk was apparently written to be secretive, but rather than seeming mysterious and enigmatic he just came across as a jerk drunk on his own power and making things difficult for himself. Then again there probably wouldn't have been a story if he'd bothered to act like a reasonable adult and explained why he needed Tippi's help, since most of the events were a consequence of her acting rashly based on misunderstandings and a lack of information.
Meanwhile I felt like the rest of the characters existed solely to try and give the impression Xest was a living world with various people all doing their thing. Yet we don't really get much of a description beyond those working for Hawk, and Tippi doesn't really speak to anyone else, not even the cocoa shop owner she is a regular customer of. It all felt very superficial, like set dressing that was only there for as long as my attention was on it.
Finally, when the conclusion sprung upon me I actually thought something else was going on and it wasn't until everything was over that I realised, no, that was it, that was the moment things had been building to. Which was incredibly disappointing since I could so easily mistake it for something else and it didn't answer anything.
I've encountered this lack of detail and confusing, wooly blending of scenes in to each other in other books by this writer. Then I thought it was simply an experienced reader discovering a new writer still getting their feet under them. Now I think that's just what this writer has to offer and I'm not interested in reading it again.
May 31, 2020
2020 the Year of the brief review...I thought a year only had 12 months I am starting to feel conned
As soon as you read the this book you know you are reading one by Donna's, all her characters have a very similar feel to them. A shy yet strong female lead and a strong/aggressive yet distant male lead, with a jealous x thrown in sometimes, this might put you off, but don't let it, this was a light fun read, full...yes, you know it ...Whimsy.
As soon as you read the this book you know you are reading one by Donna's, all her characters have a very similar feel to them. A shy yet strong female lead and a strong/aggressive yet distant male lead, with a jealous x thrown in sometimes, this might put you off, but don't let it, this was a light fun read, full...yes, you know it ...Whimsy.
March 9, 2023
3.75
Where is Xest?
Well, not East or South or North or West- but Xest of Rest!
I had fun reading this book and all of the magic and world building going on- but some of the characters were a bit frustrating to read. Also, I know we can't get all the answers to whats going on in this book, but I wanted some explanations, or at least some background into the big-bad in this book.
But towards the end of the book I was slowly getting on board with the romance, and I'm interested to see how the world of Xest will expand in the next books. I need answers!
Where is Xest?
Well, not East or South or North or West- but Xest of Rest!
I had fun reading this book and all of the magic and world building going on- but some of the characters were a bit frustrating to read. Also, I know we can't get all the answers to whats going on in this book, but I wanted some explanations, or at least some background into the big-bad in this book.
But towards the end of the book I was slowly getting on board with the romance, and I'm interested to see how the world of Xest will expand in the next books. I need answers!
April 24, 2021
DNF at 43% after joins Tippi to live with Hawk.
Although the writing was great and the world was fascinating, Tippi showed a lot of TSTL behavior. She chased down unknown men out of "desperation" even after being warned of that they're dangerous and continued to try to do magic for selfish purposes even after knowing that her magic casting had yet to ever work the way she intended during practice and other personal attempts.
Hawk kept warning Tippi that she didn't want to spread the knowledge of her special powers around Xest for fear of others trying to capture her for nefarious purposes, but she kept being careless in public. The first time that she did it unintentionally because she forgot was forgivable, but the subsequent times like trying to send a public newsflash message without knowing exactly how they worked and having it backfire horribly was just the height of stupidity IMO.
While Hawk didn't have the best moral code and was only keeping Tippi for his own selfish purposes, I felt bad that his finder ended up leading him to Tippi as the solution to his mysterious problem. He held up his side of the bargain by saving her from the factory, but Tippi kept trying to manipulate him and getting him to change the bargain terms like .
Tippi didn't choose to become an indentured servant in Xest originally, but her extremely poor personal choices and decisions in a new world where she didn't know the rules made for a highly irritating and frustrating read, and I couldn't force myself to continue and finish the book.
Although the writing was great and the world was fascinating, Tippi showed a lot of TSTL behavior. She chased down unknown men out of "desperation" even after being warned of that they're dangerous and continued to try to do magic for selfish purposes even after knowing that her magic casting had yet to ever work the way she intended during practice and other personal attempts.
Hawk kept warning Tippi that she didn't want to spread the knowledge of her special powers around Xest for fear of others trying to capture her for nefarious purposes, but she kept being careless in public. The first time that she did it unintentionally because she forgot was forgivable, but the subsequent times like trying to send a public newsflash message without knowing exactly how they worked and having it backfire horribly was just the height of stupidity IMO.
While Hawk didn't have the best moral code and was only keeping Tippi for his own selfish purposes, I felt bad that his finder ended up leading him to Tippi as the solution to his mysterious problem. He held up his side of the bargain by saving her from the factory, but Tippi kept trying to manipulate him and getting him to change the bargain terms like .
Tippi didn't choose to become an indentured servant in Xest originally, but her extremely poor personal choices and decisions in a new world where she didn't know the rules made for a highly irritating and frustrating read, and I couldn't force myself to continue and finish the book.
May 30, 2020
Another hyped up heroine
This just another book we’re the MC has great potential but isn’t competent in any way. I truly don’t understand how others reviewed her as strong. She literally spends the entire book thinking she isn’t good enough and for the most part she isn’t. Interesting world building but everything else is cliche and overdone. Another pretty face with a ball of magic swooning over some guy. The worst part is she isn’t even smart and reading about obvious things the MC should have easily reasoned through is annoying.
This just another book we’re the MC has great potential but isn’t competent in any way. I truly don’t understand how others reviewed her as strong. She literally spends the entire book thinking she isn’t good enough and for the most part she isn’t. Interesting world building but everything else is cliche and overdone. Another pretty face with a ball of magic swooning over some guy. The worst part is she isn’t even smart and reading about obvious things the MC should have easily reasoned through is annoying.
October 12, 2020
Not worth reading
Honestly, I wanted to like this book. I really did. Unfortunately, I hated it. The characters lacked dimension and any kind of relatability. The "world" was so poorly built that it reminded me of a middle school play- the only things that exist are what is in the scene, and even that isn't well rendered. The idea has potential, but it was poorly executed and not worth reading. Sorry!
Honestly, I wanted to like this book. I really did. Unfortunately, I hated it. The characters lacked dimension and any kind of relatability. The "world" was so poorly built that it reminded me of a middle school play- the only things that exist are what is in the scene, and even that isn't well rendered. The idea has potential, but it was poorly executed and not worth reading. Sorry!
May 6, 2020
3.5 Stars
July 12, 2020
If, at first, you don’t succeed...
collapse onto the floor kicking and screaming that you’re a failure and never try again. The entire plot hinges on my least favourite element of Harry Potter - which is that upon discovering that one has magical powers, is the chosen one, or whatever, the person can’t be bothered to learn anything about what’s going on. Harry befriends Ron Weasley on his first day at magic school learns two spells and spends their next 6 years repeating those same two spells over and over and over. This book has a similar problem. Tippi discovers that she is a super-powered witch and spends the entire book whinging rather than learning. The only time she successfully uses magic is when she is making poor decisions that make life worse for everyone who is trying to help her learn. It was frustrating to read.
collapse onto the floor kicking and screaming that you’re a failure and never try again. The entire plot hinges on my least favourite element of Harry Potter - which is that upon discovering that one has magical powers, is the chosen one, or whatever, the person can’t be bothered to learn anything about what’s going on. Harry befriends Ron Weasley on his first day at magic school learns two spells and spends their next 6 years repeating those same two spells over and over and over. This book has a similar problem. Tippi discovers that she is a super-powered witch and spends the entire book whinging rather than learning. The only time she successfully uses magic is when she is making poor decisions that make life worse for everyone who is trying to help her learn. It was frustrating to read.
April 13, 2021
a childish h, a cardboard H. This was a dnf at the 55% mark, when I decided that I just didn't like any of the characters enough to give a darn what happens to them
May 4, 2020
I loved this book, I am a huge fan of the wilds. But I think this is even better. The world here is Epic good, like a Donna Augustine Harry Potter world where thing are not fair or pretty. The heroine and her friends are awesome.
I read this inbetween my back to back reading of Kate Daniels, and I could not put it down at all. It is that good.
I read this inbetween my back to back reading of Kate Daniels, and I could not put it down at all. It is that good.
May 18, 2020
The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn’t
Donna Augustine
The Tales of Xest #1
Donna Augustine’s latest and debut in her new Tales of Xest series, The Whimsy Witch That Wasn’t is fantastic, a funny and sometimes scary page-turner. Her alien world is a unique landscape full of exotic backdrops and interesting characters some mild mannered and some down right frightening where readers will have little trouble finding their way around. Tippi our star is refreshing and even though she at first at least appears “normal” she’s got enough quirks to make her fit right into her unusual surroundings. The other characters especially Hawk and Rabbit are also intriguing and it will be fun to see where Donna takes readers as she continues the series.
Tippi spent her whole life trying to make herself believe she was just like everyone else that living in Salem is why such strange things happen to her. That was until a real ghost showed up in one of her boss’s fake séances then a hot guy shows up asking about a feather and the next thing she knows she finds herself kidnapped to Xest, a place East of East and West of West where the Fifth Wind blows, oh and the hot guy and his feather, yeah they live here too. Her life back in Salem might not have been all that but it’s better than living in this weird place called Xest, now she’s just got to figure out how to get back.
Donna Augustine
The Tales of Xest #1
Donna Augustine’s latest and debut in her new Tales of Xest series, The Whimsy Witch That Wasn’t is fantastic, a funny and sometimes scary page-turner. Her alien world is a unique landscape full of exotic backdrops and interesting characters some mild mannered and some down right frightening where readers will have little trouble finding their way around. Tippi our star is refreshing and even though she at first at least appears “normal” she’s got enough quirks to make her fit right into her unusual surroundings. The other characters especially Hawk and Rabbit are also intriguing and it will be fun to see where Donna takes readers as she continues the series.
Tippi spent her whole life trying to make herself believe she was just like everyone else that living in Salem is why such strange things happen to her. That was until a real ghost showed up in one of her boss’s fake séances then a hot guy shows up asking about a feather and the next thing she knows she finds herself kidnapped to Xest, a place East of East and West of West where the Fifth Wind blows, oh and the hot guy and his feather, yeah they live here too. Her life back in Salem might not have been all that but it’s better than living in this weird place called Xest, now she’s just got to figure out how to get back.
April 12, 2021
Disappointing
Not one of my favorites from this author. The heroine was especially whiney; the story an almost list of complaints from her. Beyond her magic, she's unremarkable. She lacks common sense, won't defend herself, and doesn't really try to learn anything about Xest to help herself escape. She's constantly getting rescued by others, which is beyond annoying. She might fight off a monster but god knows she has to collapse after and be carried by a man back to safety. On top of this, the character is constantly beating herself up while seeking others approval and praise. Maybe its just me, but I don't find a story with a character with such low self esteem interesting. I don't need the MC to be perfect, but I do prefer she have a sense of her own worth and not need all the men around her to show her she has worth. I think that's a bad message to send.
Hoping book 2 has some stronger female characters and drops the catty woman trope.
Not one of my favorites from this author. The heroine was especially whiney; the story an almost list of complaints from her. Beyond her magic, she's unremarkable. She lacks common sense, won't defend herself, and doesn't really try to learn anything about Xest to help herself escape. She's constantly getting rescued by others, which is beyond annoying. She might fight off a monster but god knows she has to collapse after and be carried by a man back to safety. On top of this, the character is constantly beating herself up while seeking others approval and praise. Maybe its just me, but I don't find a story with a character with such low self esteem interesting. I don't need the MC to be perfect, but I do prefer she have a sense of her own worth and not need all the men around her to show her she has worth. I think that's a bad message to send.
Hoping book 2 has some stronger female characters and drops the catty woman trope.
May 10, 2020
If you're an avid reader, like me, you understand that special buzz that happens when you open a new book and within a page or two you know you're about to read something special. The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn't has all the buzz, tingle, sparkle, and shiver of anticipation you can ever hope to achieve when starting a new book.
So much cleverness is packed into this story. The world building is excellent and done with a natural flow of information and not a huge info dump in the beginning as if the writer wanted to get it out of the way before getting down to the story.
Tippi's life with her mother was no picnic, the strange and bazaar the normal. It's not until Tippi removes a tattoo on the back of her neck that she finds out what strange and bazaar really means. A world of magic beyond her imagination. Friends to make up for the ones she never had. Challenges to face that frustrate and scare the bejesus out of her. And an alpha male to push her to become what she was meant to be.
So Freaking Good People!!!
So much cleverness is packed into this story. The world building is excellent and done with a natural flow of information and not a huge info dump in the beginning as if the writer wanted to get it out of the way before getting down to the story.
Tippi's life with her mother was no picnic, the strange and bazaar the normal. It's not until Tippi removes a tattoo on the back of her neck that she finds out what strange and bazaar really means. A world of magic beyond her imagination. Friends to make up for the ones she never had. Challenges to face that frustrate and scare the bejesus out of her. And an alpha male to push her to become what she was meant to be.
So Freaking Good People!!!
May 6, 2020
Great start to a new series!
Love the new series. The characters are all the quirky, funny, complex people you become very invested in. Tippi had a very dark lonely past and never quite felt like she belonged until a chance kidnapping changes everything. Get busy Donna I can't wait for the next book. Strong closed off alpha, strong,stubborn,headstrong woman what could possibly go wrong. Lol
Love the new series. The characters are all the quirky, funny, complex people you become very invested in. Tippi had a very dark lonely past and never quite felt like she belonged until a chance kidnapping changes everything. Get busy Donna I can't wait for the next book. Strong closed off alpha, strong,stubborn,headstrong woman what could possibly go wrong. Lol
May 5, 2020
Awesome, as always!
The only thing I regret when reading a Donna Augustine book is knowing I’ll have to wait on the next book release. Her books are alive, her characters are alive, the realms are alive, and I feel alive when reading them.
The only thing I regret when reading a Donna Augustine book is knowing I’ll have to wait on the next book release. Her books are alive, her characters are alive, the realms are alive, and I feel alive when reading them.
January 23, 2023
Fantastic world building!
Being in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, I haven’t been very useful in regards to writing reviews. When I’m not completely distracted by the constant chaos, I’m finding myself to be apathetic to everything. It’s been quite the pendulum swing. However, this book left me excited. I’m excited to continue the story, I’m excited to revisit the world, and I’m excited to see how our h will grow in the next installment.
Donna Augustine never leaves me wanting with a good storyline, but this is beyond great. The writing is tight, the dialogue is top notch, and the characters are fleshed out beautifully. It’s a slow burn, and the romance is similar in style to others by this author, but her game is on point with this one. She’s maturing as an author and it really shows. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
Being in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, I haven’t been very useful in regards to writing reviews. When I’m not completely distracted by the constant chaos, I’m finding myself to be apathetic to everything. It’s been quite the pendulum swing. However, this book left me excited. I’m excited to continue the story, I’m excited to revisit the world, and I’m excited to see how our h will grow in the next installment.
Donna Augustine never leaves me wanting with a good storyline, but this is beyond great. The writing is tight, the dialogue is top notch, and the characters are fleshed out beautifully. It’s a slow burn, and the romance is similar in style to others by this author, but her game is on point with this one. She’s maturing as an author and it really shows. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
June 29, 2020
Had potential, but rarely lived up to it
The main problem with this book is the fact that Tippi, the main character of the story, is completely insecure and filled with self-doubt, and even self-hate at times. She’s constantly saying how she’s too weak, or powerless, simply unable to do what is needed. Prideful to the point of being idiotic, while also viewing herself as unworthy time after time. It constantly comes up, in every chapter. It gets rather annoying very fast.
While she is a very weak character, it is possible that in the book number two, the story and characters may improve. There would have to be major character growth and development, otherwise there is no way I would be able to get through another book like this.
The main problem with this book is the fact that Tippi, the main character of the story, is completely insecure and filled with self-doubt, and even self-hate at times. She’s constantly saying how she’s too weak, or powerless, simply unable to do what is needed. Prideful to the point of being idiotic, while also viewing herself as unworthy time after time. It constantly comes up, in every chapter. It gets rather annoying very fast.
While she is a very weak character, it is possible that in the book number two, the story and characters may improve. There would have to be major character growth and development, otherwise there is no way I would be able to get through another book like this.
February 24, 2021
Fun Plot & Storyline but +18 read
Language: Lots of bad language including Fbombs,
Violence: minimal.
Sexual content: crude references to sex, story about losing virginity, libido,
Parents: probably best suited to 18+ due primarily to language and this content.
The story is interesting, it's about a girl who prefers the life as a wall flower but is forced into being something she had denied being long ago. An intriguing first book that is fairly fast paced, I’d enjoy taking on its sequel for sure.
Narrator: slow reader, even on 1.5 speed but enjoyable and adds a good amount of emotion to all the characters.
I was given a free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Language: Lots of bad language including Fbombs,
Violence: minimal.
Sexual content: crude references to sex, story about losing virginity, libido,
Parents: probably best suited to 18+ due primarily to language and this content.
The story is interesting, it's about a girl who prefers the life as a wall flower but is forced into being something she had denied being long ago. An intriguing first book that is fairly fast paced, I’d enjoy taking on its sequel for sure.
Narrator: slow reader, even on 1.5 speed but enjoyable and adds a good amount of emotion to all the characters.
I was given a free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 29, 2020
Eh
I wanted to like this.. but I just didn't and now have no interest in reading the rest of the series.
She gets kidnapped, sold, sold again, and was told nothing about who and what she is through the entire book. Every page is her whining about not being able to get back to her old life with gratuitous action sequences that follow. Then, suddenly, when you're a few pages from the book ending, she beats the mysterious 'it' monster without having fully learned (or even tried to learn) the mega spell. 😒😒
I wanted to like this.. but I just didn't and now have no interest in reading the rest of the series.
She gets kidnapped, sold, sold again, and was told nothing about who and what she is through the entire book. Every page is her whining about not being able to get back to her old life with gratuitous action sequences that follow. Then, suddenly, when you're a few pages from the book ending, she beats the mysterious 'it' monster without having fully learned (or even tried to learn) the mega spell. 😒😒
May 9, 2020
Meh... Can't put my finger on why I didn't like it. I did finish reading, so it wasn't horrible but it wasn't captivating either. The world building was OK. I liked the idea of the main protagonist being taken to a new dimension with magic and a whole new set of rules etc., but something just didn't click. I didn't like Tippi (too whiny, insecure and passive) and didn't feel like I wanted to know more about her or the other characters. Sadly, I will not read thr next installment.
November 6, 2020
DNF at 12%. Too cutesy. Like one of those greeting cards made for wine moms to give each other when they’re having a bad day. The writing was engaging-ish, but none of the drama or intrigue had any teeth. Also the MC seemed judgmental and boring.
December 7, 2020
I don't really remember much about this book except that the hero was an alpha ***hole (but I knew that was highly likely going in given the author's preference for that sort of male lead) and none of the worldbuilding made any sense.
April 27, 2021
I normally adore this author's books and while this wasn't a bad read I just had a really hard time connecting to the story and characters and it just didn't seem to hold my attention like her books normally do.
August 8, 2020
Awesome! Much better than expected. I need the next book! I liked the characters a lot, well rounded, mysterious and ample to discover still.
August 19, 2020
Read about 50% but couldn't be bothered reading the rest.... just wasn't invested in story enough - not enough depth of characters
June 28, 2021
Can always rely on this author to help me escape from all of the awfulness of the real world to a place with characters I love and a page-turning story.
June 8, 2020
There’s No Place Like Home?
Xest was not supposed to be anything except prison for the captured Tippi who has no idea everything may change as she figures out who she is and how her “prison” may become the home she needed all along.
This book was a Kindle Unlimited suggestion. Like everyone, I hate starting a book only to return it after a few pages or after reading a few chapters that make my eyes roll so I read some reviews first.
Many positive reviews rave about the author (but, like everyone, I wondered if they were fake) then there was the reviewer who gave a negative review stating something to the effect that the main character should have known what to do (implying she was an insipid kind of girl) and that struck me as interesting. I wanted to know if this book was actually a good read (were the reviews fake) or not. Guess what? It’s a really GOOD STORY and the good reviews are real..lol..I do feel a little sad that the negative reviewer didn’t grasp the underlying nuance of the character because I thought the author captured it well.
I started the book last night before going to sleep and before I knew it, I was laughing so hard when Tippi starts trying to practice magic that I had to keep wiping the tears. Now maybe I was tired and everything struck my funny bone but I went to sleep with a smile looking forward to reading more.
I think what that negative reviewer misunderstood is that this is the story of a young girl who was born with extraordinary magical abilities to a mother who was also magical but humans treated the mom like a crazy person and institutionalized her. As the little girl begins to grow up she sees that humans don’t believe the things her mother does and tells her about and she realizes that what she sees around her does not resonate with what she is told leading to a huge psychological schism. How this schism affects her self esteem carries through into adulthood. You don’t have to think outside the box to realize this kind of reality is common in children raised in extreme poverty, in abuse, in dysfunctional and addictive homes etc. This is a fictional, feel good kind of story but Tippi’s self doubt is who she is. She is 100% authentic when she doesn’t believe she can do the magic she’s being asked to do. To that reviewer (ha, who will never read this) I would like to add that someone who doesn’t know how to do something, like speak a new language, doesn’t intuitively know how to do it just because you plunk them in that country and talk louder.
This story is well written with only a few editing errors, very entertaining (couldn’t wait to finish it) and sexual attraction to a man didn’t drive the story (what a relief). Its a satisfying journey of female empowerment, caring for others and self discovery plus the situations and characters (loved the bird in the beehive hair and adding magic to dandelions) were highly imaginative. 5 stars and highly recommended for a relaxing and fun read.
Xest was not supposed to be anything except prison for the captured Tippi who has no idea everything may change as she figures out who she is and how her “prison” may become the home she needed all along.
This book was a Kindle Unlimited suggestion. Like everyone, I hate starting a book only to return it after a few pages or after reading a few chapters that make my eyes roll so I read some reviews first.
Many positive reviews rave about the author (but, like everyone, I wondered if they were fake) then there was the reviewer who gave a negative review stating something to the effect that the main character should have known what to do (implying she was an insipid kind of girl) and that struck me as interesting. I wanted to know if this book was actually a good read (were the reviews fake) or not. Guess what? It’s a really GOOD STORY and the good reviews are real..lol..I do feel a little sad that the negative reviewer didn’t grasp the underlying nuance of the character because I thought the author captured it well.
I started the book last night before going to sleep and before I knew it, I was laughing so hard when Tippi starts trying to practice magic that I had to keep wiping the tears. Now maybe I was tired and everything struck my funny bone but I went to sleep with a smile looking forward to reading more.
I think what that negative reviewer misunderstood is that this is the story of a young girl who was born with extraordinary magical abilities to a mother who was also magical but humans treated the mom like a crazy person and institutionalized her. As the little girl begins to grow up she sees that humans don’t believe the things her mother does and tells her about and she realizes that what she sees around her does not resonate with what she is told leading to a huge psychological schism. How this schism affects her self esteem carries through into adulthood. You don’t have to think outside the box to realize this kind of reality is common in children raised in extreme poverty, in abuse, in dysfunctional and addictive homes etc. This is a fictional, feel good kind of story but Tippi’s self doubt is who she is. She is 100% authentic when she doesn’t believe she can do the magic she’s being asked to do. To that reviewer (ha, who will never read this) I would like to add that someone who doesn’t know how to do something, like speak a new language, doesn’t intuitively know how to do it just because you plunk them in that country and talk louder.
This story is well written with only a few editing errors, very entertaining (couldn’t wait to finish it) and sexual attraction to a man didn’t drive the story (what a relief). Its a satisfying journey of female empowerment, caring for others and self discovery plus the situations and characters (loved the bird in the beehive hair and adding magic to dandelions) were highly imaginative. 5 stars and highly recommended for a relaxing and fun read.
July 1, 2020
Tippi was living a life in the shadows, trying to blend into the background so no one could see here. Her boss begged her to sit in on a séance even though Tippi knows that it is fake but gives in, nonetheless. When things go differently than expected, Tippi finds herself being kidnapped and taken to a world that is nothing like hers, Xest.
When Tippi’s kidnappers sell her to the factory her only goal is how to get back home. Tippi is considered just a lowly whimsy witch who has little to no power and she doesn’t disagree with the assessment. She even tries to use it to get back home. When Hawk sees Tippi in Xest, he knows that she is the one that can help him with the Unsettled Lands.
When Tippi starts working for Hawk it’s hard to tell what their true feels are for each other or if they even know they have feelings towards each other. It does not help that Belinda is constantly thinking that Tippi is a threat to what she wants for herself, Hawk. The other employees are more welcoming to Tippi than Belinda and even Hawk for that matter which makes her stay in Xest just a little more tolerable.
This is a new series by Augustine and it’s as imaginative as always and was truly a pleasure to read.
When Tippi’s kidnappers sell her to the factory her only goal is how to get back home. Tippi is considered just a lowly whimsy witch who has little to no power and she doesn’t disagree with the assessment. She even tries to use it to get back home. When Hawk sees Tippi in Xest, he knows that she is the one that can help him with the Unsettled Lands.
When Tippi starts working for Hawk it’s hard to tell what their true feels are for each other or if they even know they have feelings towards each other. It does not help that Belinda is constantly thinking that Tippi is a threat to what she wants for herself, Hawk. The other employees are more welcoming to Tippi than Belinda and even Hawk for that matter which makes her stay in Xest just a little more tolerable.
This is a new series by Augustine and it’s as imaginative as always and was truly a pleasure to read.
August 1, 2021
Overall: 2/5
Plot and themes: 1/5
Characters: 2/5
Writing style: 1/5
Attention-grabbing: 2/5
One night, Tippi is kidnapped by a couple of bounty hunters and transported to the world of Xest. Xest is a kind of pocket dimension where only those with magic can survive, and magic is something she apparently has plenty of. When Hawk finds her he knows she's the only one who can really help him with the mysterious dark threat to Xest.
The plot of this was super bland. I couldn't figure out what was going on for most of it and then when I did figure it out I didn't really care much. I'm kind of sick of books writing in unavailable men like this into the romance, there are enough of those in real life. And like if he led someone on forever because he's unable to commit for some random reason I'm not really buying that it's something that can be realistically overcome for their weak romance.
I didn't like the magic or the characters much so it was really just a fail for me. I've liked Donna Augustine's other books so this was just a disappointment.
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