Charming Springs - Where every day is colder than a witch’s kitty! After ditching her cheating fiancé, Indie Warren hits the road in her trusty old truck, refusing to settle for anyone or anywhere.
But all that changes after Indie gets stuck in the frozen ghost town of Charming Springs, North Carolina.
In the middle of July.
This secret magical town was struck by a curse that brought on eternal winter and cast a barrier around it with no way in or out.
And Indie knows this because the talking owl told her so, obviously.
Suddenly Indie’s thrown into a world of magic, mayhem, and murder. And when she stands accused of the deadly deed, she’ll have to use her wits to prove her innocence… if she can keep her newfound magical powers under control!
Even with the help of her feathered friend and the mysterious reaper with his own secrets, she’ll need to find her own way out of this cursed place—dead or alive.
J. L. (Jerri) lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, with her family and feisty canine. She loves delicious southern food, dogs, Carolina sunrises on the beach, shopping on King Street, and curling up with about twenty different books on the weekends. When she gets the rare chance, she also likes to go exploring and learning more about Charleston's rich history.
Make sure to sign up for Jerri's mailing list to receive her newsletter so you can find out all about her new releases, check out cover reveals, take part of fun giveaways, PLUS receive an exclusive cocktail recipe book from J. L. for free! https://www.subscribepage.com/u0d6c6
Feel free to contact J. L. Collins here: jlcollinsbooks@gmail.com
i really loved this new series, this beginning is a great start and i can only hope the rest of the series will be the same quality....it was funny, intriguing and magical! Indie is on the road to find what will make her happy after a bad breakup and she enters a city after being attracted by it's name ...problem is that city is under the snow while it's july and worse she suddenly can't leave after meetinga talking owl....
Charming spring is a city for magical beings elemental witches and wizards, vampires, shifters,fairy, familiars and more.The city got hit by two curses: one the eternal winter and then a time spell...for 11years the people, except Ash, got stuck in time not aging but not waking up from their sleep..until India appears. If it was not enough...a murder happns and the newcomer is of course the likely culprit.
Indie is really strong minded, she is shocked of course but she still try to learn about this new universe without getting overwhelmed....we are discovering all the that at the same time as Indie and it's captivating. Ash is teh most mysterious one of course i do have little idea of what he could be ( really who loves hoarding and knowledge^^) but we will learn that in the future. In this first instalment we learn more about the city and a curse as well as Indie discover part of her she never knew existed.
The investigation is a great way to make us discover the city and those living in it, it's well written and a real page turner.
I can't wait to see what book 2 will bring and since i love owl i want more of Goldie. Really a good paranormal cozy mystery
It’s nice to see a protagonist who wants to learn to use her powers.There is humor amid the murder investigation by the bumbling sheriff. There is the mystery of her bloodline. I will definitely be reading a book to to continue the adventure. It was a fun read
Mystery clues were a little obvious but enough character development to make up for that negative. Interesting environment created in the book by "magic" it almost acts as another "character" in the book. Will give the author kudos for that element of the book. Will probably read the second book in the series to see if the author lives up to the promise created in the first book of exploring this difficult environment she created. There were a couple of threads in the plot that the author did not explore very well and in one case dropped until the very end of the book and then picked it back up felt odd and out of step with the ploy.
One and done. A great idea, but I didn’t enjoy it.
Like I said, this book had a great premise. But I wasn’t fussed with any of the characters, especially Ash, and I really didn’t care about solving the murder, nor about breaking the barrier. Everything seemed rushed, and Indie went from a ‘norm’ to super witch in practically no time. Which was a shame as I think the story would have benefited if her abilities were discovered over the course of multiple books rather than gain them all in the one story.
There were unfortunately a lot of things that just didn't quite work for me, starting with the logistics of the premise and the lack of real character for the town and its people (and the lack of any real drama to waking up after 11 years). And either it's a lot of poetic license or the author doesn't know a lot about how academia and academic positions work. But more than any of this, I'm not saying the setup didn't have potential, but it didn't really go anywhere.
This book was a bit of a slow read for me. Mostly because it’s the first in a new paranormal series and the author had to spend a lot of time setting everything up. I found that the last third of the book moved much more quickly. I really like the idea of a paranormal town trapped by a curse and I like Indie and the other characters. I’m looking forward to the next book on the series.
I loved this book. I thought it was clever and original, well-written and engaging. The world building was top notch. I honestly can’t wait until the next book in the series comes out.
Indie is off on a road trip in her grandmother’s truck and trailer, trying to get over breaking up with her boyfriend. It’s summer, and she’s on break from teaching. When she comes to a fork in the road, she chooses the way to Charming Springs. When she arrives, she finds it’s anything but charming. The streets and stores are empty. She’s suddenly moved from the summer heat and sun to cold and snow. And she can’t leave the way she came. It’s most unusual. She’s met, eventually, by a talking owl, a friendly if not overly competent messenger. Then she comes across Ash. He’s nice, but there’s something about him that she can’t figure out. He introduces her to Fatima, who intends to help her figure out her witch powers, which Indie is sure she doesn’t have. From there, things just get stranger and stranger, and then, she’s accused of murder. Will she ever be able to figure a way out of town?
I thought this was a fun book. It kept me turning pages, desperate to know what would happen next.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had not effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
Charming Springs - Where every day is colder than a witch’s kitty! After ditching her cheating fiancé, Indie Warren hits the road in her trusty old truck, refusing to settle for anyone or anywhere. But all that changes after Indie gets stuck in the frozen ghost town of Charming Springs, North Carolina. In the middle of July. This secret magical town was struck by a curse that brought on eternal winter and cast a barrier around it with no way in or out. And Indie knows this because the talking owl told her so, obviousl Suddenly Indie’s thrown into a world of magic, mayhem, and murder. And when she stands accused of the deadly deed, she’ll have to use her wits to prove her innocence… if she can keep her newfound magical powers under control! Even with the help of her feathered friend and the mysterious reaper with his own secrets, she’ll need to find her own way out of this cursed place—dead or alive.
This is a brilliant read. Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building. Can't wait to read what the author brings out next. Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
In a new series, J. L. Collins introduces us to Indie, a gal who is taking some time away from home to get over a bad break-up and recharge. Off she goes in her Nan's truck, pulling her camper up the mountains in North Carolina. When she comes across as split in the road (and almost out of gas) she chooses the route to Charming Springs 2.2 miles. Imagining a waterfall and pleasant hiking in the woods, she abruptly discovers how wrong she is! For the town is buried in snow and no one around. She can't get gas here. Turning around to drive back the way she came, something strange happens. Of course that's nothing compared to the events in her near future! Throw away what you think you know about witches and magical beings, because Indie is about to embark on an unbelievable adventure that you can't begin to imagine! While it takes awhile for the pace to really pick up to avalanche speed, the author carefully lays the foundation for the town and the unusual predicament facing the citizens of Charming Springs. So much new information, and yet still some secrets being held back from Indie (and readers). A delightful start to a unique series. I can't wait to see where it goes from here!
Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series. Great cast of characters and an entertaining story line. A woman in her mid-30s who recently broke up with her fiancé after she caught him cheating on her. Leaves on a road trip from her assistant professor job at the University in Washington DC. She decided to go on a road trip to find her self. She decided to take a scenic side road into a small town to check it out. She begins to run low on gas and finally makes it into the town. Yet somethings going on. It is mid July and in this town up in the mountains it is full on winter. And it seems there’s nobody around. Then a bird starts talking to her. And then finally she meets one person. Then everything goes all wonky. Follow along as she soon realizes she is trapped in a cursed town of supernaturals. Follow along as she tries to figure out what’s going on and how to get out. Check it out
Indie Warren leaves her old life behind and goes on a road trip after her breakup with her cheating boyfriend. As she’s driving she has a choice of following one of two road signs. Charming Springs seems like as good a choice as any. When she gets there, she can’t believe what she’s seeing! Winter in July? And she can’t leave to go back the way she came? She’s trapped until she and the residents of this cursed town find a way to break the curse.
I thought this was a unique storyline for this new paranormal cozy mystery. The characters are interesting and who doesn’t love a talking owl? There isn’t really a lot of action and some may find the book kind of slow, but I found the storyline, world building and characters interesting enough to hold my interest. It’ll be interesting to see where the author takes this series.
Great start to this charming new series with wonderful characters in a very interesting town. Every person seems to have a mystery for Indie to learn about so there’s plenty of future stories. The town itself is a big mystery too as is Indie’s background and ancestors. Looking forward to finding out more about all of them. The murder mystery was a good one. The book has so many mysteries, your mind will be constantly working. Who is Ash? What’s in the room? Why was the spell cast? How was the spell opened to let Indie in and then resealed? And so much more. Love all of the main characters. Such a good group of sidekicks. Really looking forward to reading more.
I'm in love with the setting, Charming Springs, and the parade of lovely characters, first in line Goldie and Fatima for me. While is not too different from other cozies in term of beginning, ex boyfriend/partner/husband sparking a trip to change the MC life and the magical secluded town set, there are quite amusing and fresh new elements that make this story so pleasant. The only thing I found a slight bother is that, after a nicely paced beginning and core part, the last bit, while still giving all the information needed, felt a bit rushed to the end. I highly recommend this book and am already eyeing the next one in my tbr pile.
Indie is not having a good time when she decides to ditch her cheating fiancé as she finds herself stuck in a ghost town in North Carolina in the middle of July when her truck stops working. Little does she know she has enter a magical town where it is always winter and there is no way in or out the barrier according to an owl who befriends her.
She must find a way out or else and prove her innocence as secrets of the cursed placeneeds to be out despite her survival.
Indie is an assistant professor with short blue hair who is looking for a summer off after a bad breakup. She takes off in her little blue truck towing a small camper. Taking the turn-off in NC for Charming Springs seems like the right decision until she gets there. Suddenly she is in a frozen, snowy environment. The truck is out of gas and everything is closed.
Now this looks like the perfect environment for murder. If only the town would wake up …..
This is the first book in a new series. I loved it and can’t wait for the next one.
In my opinion this is a good start to a new series. It was a little slow moving in the first half of the book, the second half moved must faster. J.L. Collins did a good job of keeping me guessing. I find there are a lot of interesting characters and can't wait for their stories. Sometimes it was a little bit hard to follow with all the characters. I like Indie's independence and her stubborn streak. In my opinion this series has potential. I look forward to the next book. I read on Kindle Unlimited.
I truly enjoyed it and I honestly hope you give your main character a stronger backbone. I read a lot of these type of books and get frustrated when the hero takes forever to build confidence in her abilities and in herself. Please don’t drag it out until book 5 or 6 for her to finally realize her skills.
Haven’t quite figured out what Fatima is but I’m guessing Ash is one of several things. A Reaper, or the son of Mother Nature and Father Time ( wouldn’t that be a kicker!)
Can’t wait for the adventure to continue with the next issue.
This is a new series by J. L. Collins set in Charming Springs, North Carolina. It is 219 pages not 32 pages.
I found the concept of a cursed town intriguing. With today being 107 Degrees F, I am wishing for a little cold. This is well written, great characters, and I look forward to the next installment.
I was given an Advanced reader’s copy and am not required to leave a positive review.
What a delightful, fast-paced, well-written cozy. I am not always a fan of paranormal stories, so really appreciated that the main character was trying to figure out how to handle the fact that witches were real right along with me. Indie is great; I loved her quick thinking and fun banter with all the other usual suspects of a cozy - two love interests, two good friends (so what if one's an owl?), a council of town leaders. Will definitely be reading others in this series!
Great start to a new series! While on a road trip, Indie turn off the main town and enters a frozen magical town. Soon she is accused of murdering a prominent witch. Can she discover the identity of the real killer? This book has a good plot and is skillfully written. The characters are lively and believable. I’m looking forward to learning about Indie, her new friends and this magical town. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a series! Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2020 Verified Purchase Indie is a great character looking to get away after a breakup and recharge. The town is adorably cursed and with wonderful characters that come alive on the page. I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I will definitely be along for the full ride! I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Indie Warren is out touring the countryside trying to get her head on straight, when she comes upon a road branching out in two directions. Feeling brave she takes the right branch and her truck barely makes it into town where it promptly dies. She can take this in stride, what has her baffled is all the cold and snow-in June. As if winter in June wasn't already strange enough what she finds out next will blow her mind.
.. but it's not terribly written. There's enough differences apart from the snow to keep it going although I think the only witch with all the powers takes it a bit far.. especially when she's got no idea.. the other part that frustrates is the total acceptance of witchcraft and wizardry.. there's not enough scepticism.. which makes it all a bit flat where it could have been made more interesting.
What a chill. Indie ends up stuck in a town that she literally can’t get out of. No one there can! And to make it worse, it’s always winter. Oh my. How interesting. I love the magic and murder. The characters had a great introduction in this story. Such a good beginning to their story. I’m definitely interested in continuing to see where things go. And if they’re ever able to get out.
Such an intriguing storyline! Indie is taking a summer road trip after breaking up with her cheating fiancé. She comes across a secret magical small town called Charming Springs that has been frozen in time...literally. Now, along with the town residents, Indie is trapped in Charming Springs. Great start to a new series and I am looking forward to see what happens next!
Amazing flow to this story that keeps you guessing and turning the pages. The characters come alive and I found myself grinning at times. I like to check out new ( to me ) authors and this one had me captivated. Try her out, and you will find a fine storyteller to entertain you.
A Cold Case In Spell is the first book in the Ice Witch Mysteries and is a great start to this new series.
I loved this book and was entertained from start to finish with murder, magic, mystery, and mayhem. The characters are delightful and the storyline was fun and enjoyable.
I am looking forward to reading more books in this series. I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
The heroine of the story wasn’t as likable as I would have hope. Maybe I’m too southern, but her irritability towards people that were going out of their way to help her got under my skin a little. I’m gonna try book 2 to see if she chills out a little (no pun intended).
This is a completely different setting for a paranormal series and it was entertaining. Indie comes into a cursed town and is blamed for a murder and now she has to find a killer. The cast of characters was good, the mystery well done and it’s a good cozy mystery.