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Paranormal Hunters #1
Black Witch Magic
Librarian by day, cursed witch by night:
Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long…
Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna…
When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.
Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long…
Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna…
When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2020
177 people are currently reading
2538 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
October 29, 2020
i started this book two weeks ago and got like 20% into it but got into a reading slump and then started school so i had absolutely no free time until today when i finally started to read this and i couldn't stop reading until i finished!! this was a really cute light paranormal romance with a little mystery element and i thought it was the perfect read for october!!
the story follows a Selene, witch and Aiden who's a paranormal investigator, whose newest case is about none other than Selene's grandmother,, they meet when they have to share a ride to a restaurant but they both have no idea who the other is. i thought their relationship was so cute, they're both huge nerds and their snarky banter was so fun to read!
thanks to netgalley for approving me for the arc!!!!
the story follows a Selene, witch and Aiden who's a paranormal investigator, whose newest case is about none other than Selene's grandmother,, they meet when they have to share a ride to a restaurant but they both have no idea who the other is. i thought their relationship was so cute, they're both huge nerds and their snarky banter was so fun to read!
thanks to netgalley for approving me for the arc!!!!
October 29, 2020
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Black Witch Magic is a fun paranormal, holiday romance with lots of subtext on racism and microagressions! Selene Blackstone is a curvy Black girl living in a small town (Brimrock), working in the library by day, but is secretly a witch. Oh, and she is living with a family curse that traps her in Brimrock and destroys her attempts at having a relationship. Aiden O'Hare is the skeptic on a paranormal investigation show, spending the holidays with his friend and partner Eddie. Also, he is not the biggest fan of Christmas. I won't say too much more about the plot, but this was a great blend of romance, humor, and peril.
It also has tons of subtextual commentary on racism and microagressions. You can definitely read it at face value, but it's pretty clear that much of the fear, dislike, and consistent microagressions that Selene faces because people think she comes from a family of evil witches is a stand-in for the very real things Black people deal with, especially in small towns where most people are not non-witches *cough* white people *cough*. Even the arc involving Aiden coming to terms with witches being real parallels the importance of the white partner in an interracial relationship recognizing and grappling with what their partner faces on a regular basis. Oh and the big bad (without getting specific) turns out to be a self-righteous white woman. It's great.
But also you can read this as an engaging paranormal romance, and I'm betting plenty of readers won't pick up on what's really going on. But it's definitely there and I thought it was smart while still being a fun story. I would definitely read more from this author in the future! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Black Witch Magic is a fun paranormal, holiday romance with lots of subtext on racism and microagressions! Selene Blackstone is a curvy Black girl living in a small town (Brimrock), working in the library by day, but is secretly a witch. Oh, and she is living with a family curse that traps her in Brimrock and destroys her attempts at having a relationship. Aiden O'Hare is the skeptic on a paranormal investigation show, spending the holidays with his friend and partner Eddie. Also, he is not the biggest fan of Christmas. I won't say too much more about the plot, but this was a great blend of romance, humor, and peril.
It also has tons of subtextual commentary on racism and microagressions. You can definitely read it at face value, but it's pretty clear that much of the fear, dislike, and consistent microagressions that Selene faces because people think she comes from a family of evil witches is a stand-in for the very real things Black people deal with, especially in small towns where most people are not non-witches *cough* white people *cough*. Even the arc involving Aiden coming to terms with witches being real parallels the importance of the white partner in an interracial relationship recognizing and grappling with what their partner faces on a regular basis. Oh and the big bad (without getting specific) turns out to be a self-righteous white woman. It's great.
But also you can read this as an engaging paranormal romance, and I'm betting plenty of readers won't pick up on what's really going on. But it's definitely there and I thought it was smart while still being a fun story. I would definitely read more from this author in the future! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 7, 2020
This isn’t my first Mila Nicks book and it won’t be my last! I was looking forward to Black Witch Magic and it didn’t disappoint! I loved loved loved Aiden and Selene and their sarcasm humor together! What I really liked about them was how things were not perfect like there was awkwardness to them that was so cute and different! I really found selen relatable even though she’s a witch and I’m no witch. I also really enjoyed the blend of genres. There was just enough romance, paranormal and mystery to keep me reading onto the next page!
Another thing I liked was the friendships. Selene/Noelle and Aiden/Eddie were a focal point and it was nice seeing the ups and downs in both friendships. Both friendships felt very real in that regard especially Selene and Noelle. But I would’ve liked to see more on Aiden and Eddie toward the end and what’s going on with them since they’ve been best friends for so many years, but I’m thinking that will be part of the nest book? How it leaves off is very open ended and leaves the door open for a lot of different plot lines for all the characters.
P.S. loved Yukie! She made me want a terrier ^___^
Another thing I liked was the friendships. Selene/Noelle and Aiden/Eddie were a focal point and it was nice seeing the ups and downs in both friendships. Both friendships felt very real in that regard especially Selene and Noelle. But I would’ve liked to see more on Aiden and Eddie toward the end and what’s going on with them since they’ve been best friends for so many years, but I’m thinking that will be part of the nest book? How it leaves off is very open ended and leaves the door open for a lot of different plot lines for all the characters.
P.S. loved Yukie! She made me want a terrier ^___^
March 18, 2021
I don't know thr right recipe for a murder mystery - romance book but I guess it is not an easy one.
This book felt like a romance with some murder mystery distraction to me. I didn't care much for the magical action but Selene and Aiden are the perfect couple and Noelle is one the best friends characters I've read about, so I enjoyed the trip.
This book felt like a romance with some murder mystery distraction to me. I didn't care much for the magical action but Selene and Aiden are the perfect couple and Noelle is one the best friends characters I've read about, so I enjoyed the trip.
October 25, 2020
This book brings the holiday feels! If Halloween and Christmas had a baby it would be this book 🎄🎃
You have witches, paranormal investigators, an adorable pup, and the holiday season. What can go wrong? Nothing, absolutely nothing!
Well..... Actually something can go wrong and that is an old family curse and a certain supernatural entity trying to get its revenge. Will Selene be able to juggle her attraction to the highly handsome Aiden while figuring out who could be causing harm to her small town? Read to find out!!! It will soooo be worth it lol I cannot wait for the next book in this series
I voluntarily read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
You have witches, paranormal investigators, an adorable pup, and the holiday season. What can go wrong? Nothing, absolutely nothing!
Well..... Actually something can go wrong and that is an old family curse and a certain supernatural entity trying to get its revenge. Will Selene be able to juggle her attraction to the highly handsome Aiden while figuring out who could be causing harm to her small town? Read to find out!!! It will soooo be worth it lol I cannot wait for the next book in this series
I voluntarily read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 14, 2022
DNF @26% RTC
June 18, 2021
3 stars
This was such a fun book!
Black Witch Magic is about a witch and paranormal investigator falling in love. When Aiden comes to Brimrock to investigate Selene’s grandmother, a fabled witch who haunts the town, she knows she must stop him. However, there’s sparks between them that can’t be denied. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.
I loved the plot of this book! I thought it was super fun. The paranormal investigation show that Aiden’s a part of gave me big Buzzfeed Unsolved vibes.
I really liked the characters. Selene’s quiet and bookish and dreams of having adventures. Aiden’s also socially awkward and would rather spend his nights curled up in bed with a book or doing research. Both persons are really similar but it was so cute watching these nerds fall in love. Their dynamic was adorable and sweet and they definitely had me melting at times. The one thing that I wasn’t a big fan of is the fact that their relationship felt a little instalovey but it wasn’t too hard for me to overlook that.
The writing was easy to get through and I ended up finishing this one pretty quickly. There were some dialogue choices that I wasn’t really a big fan of though. I couldn’t help but think no one talks like this.
Overall though, this was a little wild and very fun. I loved the cozy atmosphere and the little mystery element. I definitely had a good time with it.
This was such a fun book!
Black Witch Magic is about a witch and paranormal investigator falling in love. When Aiden comes to Brimrock to investigate Selene’s grandmother, a fabled witch who haunts the town, she knows she must stop him. However, there’s sparks between them that can’t be denied. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.
I loved the plot of this book! I thought it was super fun. The paranormal investigation show that Aiden’s a part of gave me big Buzzfeed Unsolved vibes.
I really liked the characters. Selene’s quiet and bookish and dreams of having adventures. Aiden’s also socially awkward and would rather spend his nights curled up in bed with a book or doing research. Both persons are really similar but it was so cute watching these nerds fall in love. Their dynamic was adorable and sweet and they definitely had me melting at times. The one thing that I wasn’t a big fan of is the fact that their relationship felt a little instalovey but it wasn’t too hard for me to overlook that.
The writing was easy to get through and I ended up finishing this one pretty quickly. There were some dialogue choices that I wasn’t really a big fan of though. I couldn’t help but think no one talks like this.
Overall though, this was a little wild and very fun. I loved the cozy atmosphere and the little mystery element. I definitely had a good time with it.
October 19, 2020
Dnf at 58%
I really wanted to like this book as I received an advanced copy of it but I could not get into it. I could not connect with either of the main characters and the romance felt so forced to me.
The characters have only known each other for about 2 days and were saying things like 'I didn't know you wore glasses' and 'I miss her usual style' and 'That's unlike him'. It just seemed so unlikely to me that they would know these kind of details after only 2 days.
I also hated how the author chose to change the names of social media sites. 'Instagram' was 'InstaPixel' and YouTube was 'YouTV'. Every mention of the sites immediately took me out of the story.
Overall was a promising concept but it did not deliver.
I really wanted to like this book as I received an advanced copy of it but I could not get into it. I could not connect with either of the main characters and the romance felt so forced to me.
The characters have only known each other for about 2 days and were saying things like 'I didn't know you wore glasses' and 'I miss her usual style' and 'That's unlike him'. It just seemed so unlikely to me that they would know these kind of details after only 2 days.
I also hated how the author chose to change the names of social media sites. 'Instagram' was 'InstaPixel' and YouTube was 'YouTV'. Every mention of the sites immediately took me out of the story.
Overall was a promising concept but it did not deliver.
January 10, 2022
It's a nice story, I've been looking for a romance story like the other but where the MC is a witch.
I wasn't expecting the mystery but it raised my ratings because the romance left me "cold", I just wasn't invested at all.
Hopefully, it's just going to be this book and not all Mila Nicks' books, I will try Love's Recipe eventually, and I hope I'll like this one 🤞
I wasn't expecting the mystery but it raised my ratings because the romance left me "cold", I just wasn't invested at all.
Hopefully, it's just going to be this book and not all Mila Nicks' books, I will try Love's Recipe eventually, and I hope I'll like this one 🤞
October 17, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, it was just what I needed after finishing a rather heavy read. I considered it a Halloween read but it’s set at Christmas time so it’s like two holidays for the price of one :)
Selene is a witch. She is cursed because of drama between her grandmother and another witch, way before Selene was born.
Her best friend is also a witch. While Selene lives with some pretty unfortunate curses, she can’t leave town. She is cursed to fail in love and can’t leave the town where almost everyone but her best friend look at her suspiciously every time something bad happens. Selene is a good person, a good witch, and it’s a shame that she’s often the source of gossip.
Aiden works with his best friend Eddie on a streaming tv series. They investigate unusual, possibly paranormal, situations together. Eddie is the believe, Aiden the cynic.
They go to Eddie’s hometown together to spend the holidays and also to investigate the story of a witch.
Aiden doesn’t know Selene is a witch when they meet and Selene doesn’t know about Aiden’s job. They are just pulled together.
While Eddie’s family seems like they’re straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, Aiden is not willing to get pulled into it all. He’d rather spend his time with Selene.
It seems like their potential relationship could be cursed before it begins but you definitely will be rooting for them both to find happiness together.
I got an early copy of this book from the author through NetGalley. Thank you for sharing it with me! It was a perfect Halloween read for me, I’m someone that doesn’t like things that are actually scary. This felt more like magical realism.
Selene is a witch. She is cursed because of drama between her grandmother and another witch, way before Selene was born.
Her best friend is also a witch. While Selene lives with some pretty unfortunate curses, she can’t leave town. She is cursed to fail in love and can’t leave the town where almost everyone but her best friend look at her suspiciously every time something bad happens. Selene is a good person, a good witch, and it’s a shame that she’s often the source of gossip.
Aiden works with his best friend Eddie on a streaming tv series. They investigate unusual, possibly paranormal, situations together. Eddie is the believe, Aiden the cynic.
They go to Eddie’s hometown together to spend the holidays and also to investigate the story of a witch.
Aiden doesn’t know Selene is a witch when they meet and Selene doesn’t know about Aiden’s job. They are just pulled together.
While Eddie’s family seems like they’re straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, Aiden is not willing to get pulled into it all. He’d rather spend his time with Selene.
It seems like their potential relationship could be cursed before it begins but you definitely will be rooting for them both to find happiness together.
I got an early copy of this book from the author through NetGalley. Thank you for sharing it with me! It was a perfect Halloween read for me, I’m someone that doesn’t like things that are actually scary. This felt more like magical realism.
November 10, 2020
First of all, thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the enemies to lovers style romance and how realistic it was. Nicks did not paint the perfect relationship and I loved that. The romance between Selene and Aiden showcased the ups and downs of a real relationship. I also really enjoyed most of the characters, they were all loveable and relatable. I also loved that the main character was a mid-sized girl who loved herself. As a mid-sized girl myself, who rarely sees any representation in media, I was so happy to be able to see myself in a character in terms of body type. This was a cute magical read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Witchy books have been my new obsession and this one certainly met the mark!
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the enemies to lovers style romance and how realistic it was. Nicks did not paint the perfect relationship and I loved that. The romance between Selene and Aiden showcased the ups and downs of a real relationship. I also really enjoyed most of the characters, they were all loveable and relatable. I also loved that the main character was a mid-sized girl who loved herself. As a mid-sized girl myself, who rarely sees any representation in media, I was so happy to be able to see myself in a character in terms of body type. This was a cute magical read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Witchy books have been my new obsession and this one certainly met the mark!
October 7, 2020
This book grabbed my attention since I’ve recently started reading light paranormal romance. The idea of a Black witch librarian sounded interesting!
Selene Blackstone is a witch stuck in her hometown of Brimrock, Massachusetts, because of a curse put on her grandmother Luna over 40 years ago. She is self-taught in the realm of lunar magic because her mother didn’t want to talk about it and didn’t pass along any witchy wisdom at all before she died. Luna disappeared all those years ago, so Selene is all alone, except for her best friend Noelle and Noelle’s aunt Bibi. She’s scorned in the town due to her vaguely ominous family history. She is described as a woman with brown skin, dark curly hair and fleshy thighs, but her Blackness doesn’t seem to play a role other than her physical description.
Aiden and Eddie are best friends and paranormal investigators who co-host an online video show. They come to Brimrock for the holidays, to spend two weeks with Eddie’s family who live there. They’re also going to do research on Luna Blackstone, whom the townsfolk claim was an evil witch who continues to haunt the area and cause mysterious, unexplained events. There’s a lot of rumor and blame placed on the Blackstones, but I found it frustrating that nobody, including Selene, really knows much about her grandmother or mother, both of whom are gone.
Aiden and Selene cross paths, hit it off, and then find out who the other really is. There’s some angst, but not a ton. I was never super-invested in their ups and downs, but I did enjoy their sarcastic senses of humor and banter. There is some fairly steamy sex in the book, but not a lot of it. You can easily skip those few scenes if they’re not your thing.
Adventures and investigations ensue. This isn’t a hard-hitting mystery, if that’s what you’re looking for. It is light and fun and a bit snarky, which I liked.
Many times, the language and descriptions seemed awkward to me and took me out of the flow of the story. Like a paper was described as off-white, the color of “rotten eggnog.” What? Who has seen rotten eggnog to know what color that is? Aiden and Eddie’s van is quite frequently described as a 1976 Dodge Caravan. I didn’t think minivans were a thing until the 1980s and it was oddly mentioned so often that I googled it and found that Caravans didn’t come out until 1984. At one point, characters debate whether they should wait 30 minutes for a ride or walk 3 blocks. How long are those blocks?! Aiden’s basil allergy is integral to the story, yet he happily eats pesto chicken. Um, if that pesto was made with basil like most pesto is, he’s in trouble! And Selene is CONSTANTLY pushing her glasses up her nose, which after a while seemed like awkward filler. There were enough of those things that bugged me and brought me out of being immersed in the story. That said, it wasn’t enough to make me quit the story, and overall, I did enjoy it. This is a maybe recommendation for me. If you read a ton and have a few hours to spend on a light, kind of steamy, witchy, kind of mysterious story, then go for it.
I received a free digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Selene Blackstone is a witch stuck in her hometown of Brimrock, Massachusetts, because of a curse put on her grandmother Luna over 40 years ago. She is self-taught in the realm of lunar magic because her mother didn’t want to talk about it and didn’t pass along any witchy wisdom at all before she died. Luna disappeared all those years ago, so Selene is all alone, except for her best friend Noelle and Noelle’s aunt Bibi. She’s scorned in the town due to her vaguely ominous family history. She is described as a woman with brown skin, dark curly hair and fleshy thighs, but her Blackness doesn’t seem to play a role other than her physical description.
Aiden and Eddie are best friends and paranormal investigators who co-host an online video show. They come to Brimrock for the holidays, to spend two weeks with Eddie’s family who live there. They’re also going to do research on Luna Blackstone, whom the townsfolk claim was an evil witch who continues to haunt the area and cause mysterious, unexplained events. There’s a lot of rumor and blame placed on the Blackstones, but I found it frustrating that nobody, including Selene, really knows much about her grandmother or mother, both of whom are gone.
Aiden and Selene cross paths, hit it off, and then find out who the other really is. There’s some angst, but not a ton. I was never super-invested in their ups and downs, but I did enjoy their sarcastic senses of humor and banter. There is some fairly steamy sex in the book, but not a lot of it. You can easily skip those few scenes if they’re not your thing.
Adventures and investigations ensue. This isn’t a hard-hitting mystery, if that’s what you’re looking for. It is light and fun and a bit snarky, which I liked.
Many times, the language and descriptions seemed awkward to me and took me out of the flow of the story. Like a paper was described as off-white, the color of “rotten eggnog.” What? Who has seen rotten eggnog to know what color that is? Aiden and Eddie’s van is quite frequently described as a 1976 Dodge Caravan. I didn’t think minivans were a thing until the 1980s and it was oddly mentioned so often that I googled it and found that Caravans didn’t come out until 1984. At one point, characters debate whether they should wait 30 minutes for a ride or walk 3 blocks. How long are those blocks?! Aiden’s basil allergy is integral to the story, yet he happily eats pesto chicken. Um, if that pesto was made with basil like most pesto is, he’s in trouble! And Selene is CONSTANTLY pushing her glasses up her nose, which after a while seemed like awkward filler. There were enough of those things that bugged me and brought me out of being immersed in the story. That said, it wasn’t enough to make me quit the story, and overall, I did enjoy it. This is a maybe recommendation for me. If you read a ton and have a few hours to spend on a light, kind of steamy, witchy, kind of mysterious story, then go for it.
I received a free digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2021
I am not an own voices reviewer so please check out various Black reviewers, bloggers, booktuber and bookstagrammers for a more comprehensive and honest review.
I have this book a 4.25 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed reading this book. What first caught my eye was the title and the cover. Like Black witches? Sign me up! I thought this was a great book that really read like a cozy mystery/paranormal romance. Which in my opinion, is a fantastic combination. I enjoyed the witchy elements, and the mystery elements. I loved that Adrian’s character was part of a paranormal buster duo like Buzzfeed Unsolved. He did remind me of Shane with his skepticism.
I think the strongest part of this story is the budding romance between our main characters, Selene and Adrian. They were so cute together and the chemistry was sizzling! Those kiss scenes were hot! Although, it was insta-lovey at first, their feelings and attraction towards one another built as the story progressed. I loved how Adrian was protective of Selene and defended her to the towns people and how irresistible he found her.
I also enjoyed Noelle’s character who is Selene’s BFF and fellow witch. I loved how she stuck with Selene through and through even if they have their disagreements. I didn’t really enjoy Eddie’s character though because he was pushy and somewhat forcing certain views of his onto Adrian. Also he had an issue with Selene which is an underlying message about racism and how Black women are seen through the lens of White society. Like the town's whole issue with Selene and her family had an underlying tone and message about how White people view Black people (i.e. criminal and evil).
So if you like paranormal interracial romances with Black witches and messages throughout and some fun, this is for you! Can't wait for the sequel!
I have this book a 4.25 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed reading this book. What first caught my eye was the title and the cover. Like Black witches? Sign me up! I thought this was a great book that really read like a cozy mystery/paranormal romance. Which in my opinion, is a fantastic combination. I enjoyed the witchy elements, and the mystery elements. I loved that Adrian’s character was part of a paranormal buster duo like Buzzfeed Unsolved. He did remind me of Shane with his skepticism.
I think the strongest part of this story is the budding romance between our main characters, Selene and Adrian. They were so cute together and the chemistry was sizzling! Those kiss scenes were hot! Although, it was insta-lovey at first, their feelings and attraction towards one another built as the story progressed. I loved how Adrian was protective of Selene and defended her to the towns people and how irresistible he found her.
I also enjoyed Noelle’s character who is Selene’s BFF and fellow witch. I loved how she stuck with Selene through and through even if they have their disagreements. I didn’t really enjoy Eddie’s character though because he was pushy and somewhat forcing certain views of his onto Adrian. Also he had an issue with Selene which is an underlying message about racism and how Black women are seen through the lens of White society. Like the town's whole issue with Selene and her family had an underlying tone and message about how White people view Black people (i.e. criminal and evil).
So if you like paranormal interracial romances with Black witches and messages throughout and some fun, this is for you! Can't wait for the sequel!
Read
April 30, 2021I'm putting this one on pause for now. I actually think it's pretty good and is probably getting to the really good stuff. But my brain is being impatient. But definitely going to finish it. @35%
Read
October 29, 2020Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of Black Witch Magic!
You know how sometimes you just get on Netgalley and scroll and request, scroll and request, along with scrolling and requesting?
Well, that's what was happening when I came across Black Witch Magic. I had never read anything by Mila Nicks prior requesting, but the synopsis intrigued me. Black main character who happens to be a witch taking place in a small New England town?! How could I NOT want to read this novel?!
Reading Black Witch Magic was a good time. The pace was good, the writing was easy to follow and I really enjoyed that we got both perspectives, Selene's and Aiden's. I really enjoy when romance novels include both POV's because I am someone who loves to overthink and jump to conclusions. I really appreciate when authors allow for my brain to take a pause.
There were two cons:
I didn't really understand the timeline in regards to Selene's grandmother. She stated that her mother had to grow up without her grandmother, but Selene is 25 while her grandmother disappeared 30 years prior? I thought I missed something, but it was mentioned multiple times and it still didn't make sense to me.
The other thing made me roll my eyes every time was that there are repeated references to Harry Potter. I know HP has played a big role in a lot of people's lives, authors included, but I really think that we need to move on from HP as a reference. This may not bother some people, but it really felt unnecessary to have it in the story, especially more than once. It's really time to move on and have another witchy series be our muse.
Other than that I enjoyed my time with Black Witch Magic. I will be picking up the second installment once it is out and highly recommend, especially as a Christmas/Holidays read.
You know how sometimes you just get on Netgalley and scroll and request, scroll and request, along with scrolling and requesting?
Well, that's what was happening when I came across Black Witch Magic. I had never read anything by Mila Nicks prior requesting, but the synopsis intrigued me. Black main character who happens to be a witch taking place in a small New England town?! How could I NOT want to read this novel?!
Reading Black Witch Magic was a good time. The pace was good, the writing was easy to follow and I really enjoyed that we got both perspectives, Selene's and Aiden's. I really enjoy when romance novels include both POV's because I am someone who loves to overthink and jump to conclusions. I really appreciate when authors allow for my brain to take a pause.
There were two cons:
I didn't really understand the timeline in regards to Selene's grandmother. She stated that her mother had to grow up without her grandmother, but Selene is 25 while her grandmother disappeared 30 years prior? I thought I missed something, but it was mentioned multiple times and it still didn't make sense to me.
The other thing made me roll my eyes every time was that there are repeated references to Harry Potter. I know HP has played a big role in a lot of people's lives, authors included, but I really think that we need to move on from HP as a reference. This may not bother some people, but it really felt unnecessary to have it in the story, especially more than once. It's really time to move on and have another witchy series be our muse.
Other than that I enjoyed my time with Black Witch Magic. I will be picking up the second installment once it is out and highly recommend, especially as a Christmas/Holidays read.
October 23, 2020
This was a fun read. Despite the Halloween vibes from the title and cover, this one is actually set during the holiday season, spanning across Christmas and New Years. It’s the perfect transitional book, with its paranormal storyline and sprinkles of Christmas cheer.
Selene, a lunar witch, is cursed. Confined to the town of Brimrock, Massachusetts, she spends her days as a librarian stocking shelves under the watchful eye of her colleagues. As an outcast of the town who suspects her secret, and doomed to live a life of misery, a newfound romance with Aiden, a paranormal investigator, is not what Selene anticipated.
Sarcastic and charming, Aiden was the absolute sweetest hero. Together with his partner, Eddie, their brotherly bond, along with the glimpses into their show 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, was the perfect comedic touch. As a true skeptic of the paranormal, I loved the opposites attract type connection he forms with Selene.
With this story featuring an investigation of paranormal activity in the town, I found it slightly overshadowed the romance. Their moments together were cute, but a little uneventful compared to the mystery threatening Selene, making the overall story feel slow to me. I was hoping for more sizzling tension between them, but still an enjoyable read.
Selene, a lunar witch, is cursed. Confined to the town of Brimrock, Massachusetts, she spends her days as a librarian stocking shelves under the watchful eye of her colleagues. As an outcast of the town who suspects her secret, and doomed to live a life of misery, a newfound romance with Aiden, a paranormal investigator, is not what Selene anticipated.
Sarcastic and charming, Aiden was the absolute sweetest hero. Together with his partner, Eddie, their brotherly bond, along with the glimpses into their show 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, was the perfect comedic touch. As a true skeptic of the paranormal, I loved the opposites attract type connection he forms with Selene.
With this story featuring an investigation of paranormal activity in the town, I found it slightly overshadowed the romance. Their moments together were cute, but a little uneventful compared to the mystery threatening Selene, making the overall story feel slow to me. I was hoping for more sizzling tension between them, but still an enjoyable read.
May 23, 2021
I received this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book! At first it seemed a bit slow-paced but then things started happening and I couldn't stop reading! It's pretty good!
Selene Blackstone is a witch and she's cursed. Aiden is a paranormal investigator who doesn't believe in the paranormal. The people in the town of Brimrock hate Selene cause they think she descends from a family of witches and there was something weird about her grandmother Luna. Aiden goes to Brimrock with his friend Eddie to investigate the Blackstone family for their YouTV series about paranormal stuff. But when Aiden meets Selene he feels she's different in a good way.
This is the first book in a series and it was really good. I love magic and romance so this was the perfect book for me!
The mystery was interesting, I kept wondering about it. The romance was so good, I just want to read the rest of the books in this series to know more about the main characters! The friendships were great, Noelle and Selene are the best.
I wish there was even more magic but being the first book it's okay, I guess there's more magic in the sequels. But it was fantastic the bits of magic in this one.
The ending of the mystery was totally unexpected and I love that, I didn't see it coming.
I'll try to pick up the rest of the series to see where the story is going.
I really enjoyed this book! At first it seemed a bit slow-paced but then things started happening and I couldn't stop reading! It's pretty good!
Selene Blackstone is a witch and she's cursed. Aiden is a paranormal investigator who doesn't believe in the paranormal. The people in the town of Brimrock hate Selene cause they think she descends from a family of witches and there was something weird about her grandmother Luna. Aiden goes to Brimrock with his friend Eddie to investigate the Blackstone family for their YouTV series about paranormal stuff. But when Aiden meets Selene he feels she's different in a good way.
This is the first book in a series and it was really good. I love magic and romance so this was the perfect book for me!
The mystery was interesting, I kept wondering about it. The romance was so good, I just want to read the rest of the books in this series to know more about the main characters! The friendships were great, Noelle and Selene are the best.
I wish there was even more magic but being the first book it's okay, I guess there's more magic in the sequels. But it was fantastic the bits of magic in this one.
The ending of the mystery was totally unexpected and I love that, I didn't see it coming.
I'll try to pick up the rest of the series to see where the story is going.
February 6, 2021
cute, small town romance w/ some witchy vibes. I loved, loved Selene as a character- the introverted librarian is a soft spot for me. Aiden’s character was also “cute” and “nerdy” while incorporating a lot of things that come with that personality- like difficulty in social situations. these things were part of his personality and totally okay. my problems lie in the writing. there were several times where we opened a chapter with a recap of the chapter we JUST read. the plot-line with Eddie’s family felt off & a little pointless- it didn’t create clues or suspicions. there were several plot v romance issues, in that, I felt like the plot heavily outweighed the romantic scenes. and the scenes we got were disjointed and an odd choice to showcase. lastly, the wording for the sex scenes were... not sexy.
(“fat mushroom tip” as a shining example. and referring to Aiden’s sexual thoughts as “caveman” as if you can’t be intelligent and have a libido)
(“fat mushroom tip” as a shining example. and referring to Aiden’s sexual thoughts as “caveman” as if you can’t be intelligent and have a libido)
October 19, 2020
Selene Blackstone is cursed. Decades before she was born, a witch placed a curse on all Blackstone witches, that they will never be able to leave their town or fall in love. Selene has always resigned herself to her fate, but things change when a paranormal investigator shows up to town. Aiden is a skeptic by nature, but he knows there’s something different about this town, and about Selene.
This was a really fun book! I was expecting it to be more Halloween-centric but I loved that it took place around Christmas. It felt like a cozy mystery but with added witchcraft and Christmas vibes.
Selene and Aiden were really cute. I love that they’re a witch and a paranormal investigator. They’re both super awkward but have some great banter.
I found the villain to be a bit over the top, but all-in-all this felt like watching a hallmark movie!
*Advanced copy provided by NetGalley*
This was a really fun book! I was expecting it to be more Halloween-centric but I loved that it took place around Christmas. It felt like a cozy mystery but with added witchcraft and Christmas vibes.
Selene and Aiden were really cute. I love that they’re a witch and a paranormal investigator. They’re both super awkward but have some great banter.
I found the villain to be a bit over the top, but all-in-all this felt like watching a hallmark movie!
*Advanced copy provided by NetGalley*
May 31, 2021
This is exactly the type of paranormal romance I've been craving lately. This had the right amount of humor, magic, and mystery.
Selene is Brimstone's town librarian, hiding her secret that she's a witch. Aiden comes in town to investigate the paranormal mystery behind Selene's grandmother. He's a skeptic, but after meeting Selene, they both feel an attraction to each other. Eerie things start happening in Brimstone that people believe is connected to Selene and Aiden joins her to figure out what is happening.
This was such a fun read and I can't wait to read more in this series!
Selene is Brimstone's town librarian, hiding her secret that she's a witch. Aiden comes in town to investigate the paranormal mystery behind Selene's grandmother. He's a skeptic, but after meeting Selene, they both feel an attraction to each other. Eerie things start happening in Brimstone that people believe is connected to Selene and Aiden joins her to figure out what is happening.
This was such a fun read and I can't wait to read more in this series!
March 2, 2021
I didn't love this book as much as i thought i would or wanted to. On the surface, this looks like the perfect book for me: fantasy element, romance, strong fat woman of color lead, etc... I don't think the character development was particularly strong nor was there enough backstory for the characters. It was cute enough, but it took me far too long to read for such a short book because i just wasn't that excited about.
December 7, 2020
This book was a great combination of Halloween and Christmas! It has magic, witches, and a couple suspenseful scenes that felt like a Halloween read. Then there were lots of Christmas/winter activities going on to fulfill the Christmas vibes (it takes place in late December). I thought the romance built in a nice way and I was rooting for both of them throughout the book. I liked how the couple actually talked to each other instead of letting a miscommunication or issue sit and fester. Overall a fun read!
October 18, 2020
Like many other readers, I made the assumption that this book would be set over Halloween (or at least the fall). Although the prologue does open on Halloween night, the actual story is spread over the month of December leading up to Christmas and then New Year’s Day. It was on me for assuming based on the subject of witches and the paranormal, but I do wish that it took place at least in the fall without the snow which automatically creates a more romantic scene without really trying. However, the timeline does make sense because it’s how our two main characters actually come together as our male lead wouldn’t be in town for the plot’s initial set-up if it wasn’t for the holiday (the events themselves would not have happened the way they did if it was set during another season).
Brimrock, Massachusetts (not a real town – at least through an initial search as I was curious) is home of legendary magic and is home to its cursed resident, Selene Blackstone. Selene’s grandmother, Luna, a witch, was cursed after an incident with a succubus named Aurora. Each generation after now suffers the same curse where the female witches are unable to leave the town of Brimrock and are also unable to find happiness, especially with love. She at least has her best friend named Noelle and Noelle’s aunt Bibi to keep her company as Selene is last remaining Blackstone. Selene’s love of books has to therefore act as substitutes for her dreams of adventure and love. Just as she is about to give up on the latter, she meets Aidan O’Hare. Could it be that Aiden has come into her life to break her curse or is she doomed to suffer another heart break?
Aidan O’Hare is one half of a dynamic duo of paranormal investigators for YouTV (a play on the name YouTube – this actually happens A LOT – Uride = Uber for example). Their show Paranormal Hunters (a play on the actual show Ghost Hunters) features Aidan as the sarcastic skeptic and his fellow host, Eddie, as the believer. Together they have created 49 successful episodes and the legend of Luna Blackstone in Brimrock, MA seems the logical choice for the next episode. This is also perfect as Eddie’s family is from the same town and will be home to visit the holidays. Although Aidan GREATLY dislikes holiday festivities, he and Eddie head to Brimrock to stay with Eddie’s Aunt Priscilla and the rest of his family.
Aidan meets Selene through a Uride mishap and soon they start a relationship (after some antics). Unfortunately, during this time, there seems to be some mysterious happenings in Brimrock and Selene, as the link to the town’s “spooky” past, is the number one suspect. Not only must this but she protect the fact that she is an actual witch as well. Aidan and Selene must work together to find the true culprit to help clear Selene’s name.
The actual mystery part of the story is interesting and I think most readers might not be able to guess the ending. I was about a third of the way before I made two guesses and one was the right answer. Others that I know have either been right their first guess or had no idea until the end which makes for a fun mystery as its not obvious to every reader. It definitely added to my need for a fun fit to the Halloween spirit. The author also did well complementing it to the Christmas/Holiday season surrounding the mystery so it felt like a great balance between the opposing seasons. It was a nice mix of “spooky” mixed with heart-warming joy to make one cohesive novel.
I love the banter between Selene and Aidan as their interactions helped to build their chemistry. I wish their relationship was explored more as there seemed to be something missing that keeps me from becoming fully invested in their relationship. As they are a multiracial couple, I feel that it was a missed opportunity to not delve into this as there wasn’t much mentioned about this outside of a few descriptions of their appearance here and there. It could be something that comes about with future novels so it’s impossible to fully judge it one way or another.
Selene is a fantastic bookish character that is just trying to fit in to a world that constantly seems to reject her. As the town is weary of accepting her due to her family’s past, she feels very lonely even when surrounded by people (especially the other women she works with at the library). She has her dog Yukie and her best friend Noelle that she can be herself around, but it doesn’t help that she has to stand on edge to not make any mistakes. Her search for acceptance was very well done and I greatly enjoyed reading about this part of her story. My only negative with her is more on a quirk that she does more than her personality. Selene’s glasses were constantly discussed and she has to continuously push them back up off the end of her nose. As someone who wears glasses, this to me just seems to be an ill-fit pair and she might want to update hers. It got a little distracting when it’s mentioned multiple times within a few minutes of reading (or at least it felt that way).
The other characters in this story felt likable and it was nice to get bits and pieces about their individual stories as background pieces in the main story. I didn’t fully connect with Aidan’s hate of all things Christmas. I don’t understand how he even whined about going ice skating when that can be a year-round activity (depending on where you live). His reasons for this dislike are declared, but they don’t feel relatable as there is no substance to back up these feelings. I wish it was done in a little more detail as I’m genuinely curious to learn more about this hate of all things Christmas and family. I know tons of people that aren’t into many of these holiday activities, but Aidan seems to dislike them to the extreme so I am super curious to find out more.
This novel is the start of the Paranomal Hunter series which means there is some conclusion to the main story, but it is set up to continue in the next, which is due in 2021. As it is a series, it helps to make sense of the one true aspect of the book I didn’t originally care for. However, it makes sense and is the best way to write as part of a series. If this was a standalone, then it would have lost major points to me. The story itself builds to come to the conclusion of who is actually causing all this havoc in Brimrock and Aidan and Selene’s quest to find this person or thing. You reach this climax a few chapters before the end of the story so the last bits are all about the aftermath. As a standalone, to me, this is prologue type situation, but as a series, I can see why the author chose to keep it all together as the main story.
Overall, Selene and Aidan make a fun couple. Their romance slowly builds as they are each weary of becoming too close at times to each other. They have chemistry and experience some unfortunately roadblocks (one in particular I give the author major kudos for as it is something rarely mentioned in romances even though it can happen – you’ll have to read to find out though). The story’s mystery was fun and it was nice to see Selene and Aidan work together to solve who was behind the antics. There are some issues so the novel isn’t perfect, but it definitely has potential. I would encourage readers to give this novel a try as this story offers slightly more than the typical romance as you have the mystery added in. The story is a fantastic set-up for what’s to come with the next novel in the series and I can’t wait to read the next one!
Feel free to check out my other reviews at Chonky Books Review
Brimrock, Massachusetts (not a real town – at least through an initial search as I was curious) is home of legendary magic and is home to its cursed resident, Selene Blackstone. Selene’s grandmother, Luna, a witch, was cursed after an incident with a succubus named Aurora. Each generation after now suffers the same curse where the female witches are unable to leave the town of Brimrock and are also unable to find happiness, especially with love. She at least has her best friend named Noelle and Noelle’s aunt Bibi to keep her company as Selene is last remaining Blackstone. Selene’s love of books has to therefore act as substitutes for her dreams of adventure and love. Just as she is about to give up on the latter, she meets Aidan O’Hare. Could it be that Aiden has come into her life to break her curse or is she doomed to suffer another heart break?
Aidan O’Hare is one half of a dynamic duo of paranormal investigators for YouTV (a play on the name YouTube – this actually happens A LOT – Uride = Uber for example). Their show Paranormal Hunters (a play on the actual show Ghost Hunters) features Aidan as the sarcastic skeptic and his fellow host, Eddie, as the believer. Together they have created 49 successful episodes and the legend of Luna Blackstone in Brimrock, MA seems the logical choice for the next episode. This is also perfect as Eddie’s family is from the same town and will be home to visit the holidays. Although Aidan GREATLY dislikes holiday festivities, he and Eddie head to Brimrock to stay with Eddie’s Aunt Priscilla and the rest of his family.
Aidan meets Selene through a Uride mishap and soon they start a relationship (after some antics). Unfortunately, during this time, there seems to be some mysterious happenings in Brimrock and Selene, as the link to the town’s “spooky” past, is the number one suspect. Not only must this but she protect the fact that she is an actual witch as well. Aidan and Selene must work together to find the true culprit to help clear Selene’s name.
The actual mystery part of the story is interesting and I think most readers might not be able to guess the ending. I was about a third of the way before I made two guesses and one was the right answer. Others that I know have either been right their first guess or had no idea until the end which makes for a fun mystery as its not obvious to every reader. It definitely added to my need for a fun fit to the Halloween spirit. The author also did well complementing it to the Christmas/Holiday season surrounding the mystery so it felt like a great balance between the opposing seasons. It was a nice mix of “spooky” mixed with heart-warming joy to make one cohesive novel.
I love the banter between Selene and Aidan as their interactions helped to build their chemistry. I wish their relationship was explored more as there seemed to be something missing that keeps me from becoming fully invested in their relationship. As they are a multiracial couple, I feel that it was a missed opportunity to not delve into this as there wasn’t much mentioned about this outside of a few descriptions of their appearance here and there. It could be something that comes about with future novels so it’s impossible to fully judge it one way or another.
Selene is a fantastic bookish character that is just trying to fit in to a world that constantly seems to reject her. As the town is weary of accepting her due to her family’s past, she feels very lonely even when surrounded by people (especially the other women she works with at the library). She has her dog Yukie and her best friend Noelle that she can be herself around, but it doesn’t help that she has to stand on edge to not make any mistakes. Her search for acceptance was very well done and I greatly enjoyed reading about this part of her story. My only negative with her is more on a quirk that she does more than her personality. Selene’s glasses were constantly discussed and she has to continuously push them back up off the end of her nose. As someone who wears glasses, this to me just seems to be an ill-fit pair and she might want to update hers. It got a little distracting when it’s mentioned multiple times within a few minutes of reading (or at least it felt that way).
The other characters in this story felt likable and it was nice to get bits and pieces about their individual stories as background pieces in the main story. I didn’t fully connect with Aidan’s hate of all things Christmas. I don’t understand how he even whined about going ice skating when that can be a year-round activity (depending on where you live). His reasons for this dislike are declared, but they don’t feel relatable as there is no substance to back up these feelings. I wish it was done in a little more detail as I’m genuinely curious to learn more about this hate of all things Christmas and family. I know tons of people that aren’t into many of these holiday activities, but Aidan seems to dislike them to the extreme so I am super curious to find out more.
This novel is the start of the Paranomal Hunter series which means there is some conclusion to the main story, but it is set up to continue in the next, which is due in 2021. As it is a series, it helps to make sense of the one true aspect of the book I didn’t originally care for. However, it makes sense and is the best way to write as part of a series. If this was a standalone, then it would have lost major points to me. The story itself builds to come to the conclusion of who is actually causing all this havoc in Brimrock and Aidan and Selene’s quest to find this person or thing. You reach this climax a few chapters before the end of the story so the last bits are all about the aftermath. As a standalone, to me, this is prologue type situation, but as a series, I can see why the author chose to keep it all together as the main story.
Overall, Selene and Aidan make a fun couple. Their romance slowly builds as they are each weary of becoming too close at times to each other. They have chemistry and experience some unfortunately roadblocks (one in particular I give the author major kudos for as it is something rarely mentioned in romances even though it can happen – you’ll have to read to find out though). The story’s mystery was fun and it was nice to see Selene and Aidan work together to solve who was behind the antics. There are some issues so the novel isn’t perfect, but it definitely has potential. I would encourage readers to give this novel a try as this story offers slightly more than the typical romance as you have the mystery added in. The story is a fantastic set-up for what’s to come with the next novel in the series and I can’t wait to read the next one!
Feel free to check out my other reviews at Chonky Books Review
December 20, 2020
https://avanikshah.wordpress.com/2020...
Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks is a BWWM paranormal romance and the first in the Paranormal Hunters series. We see our main characters - Selene Blackstone and Aiden O’Hare set in a cozy New England town called Brimrock.
Selene Blackstone is a Librarian by day, cursed witch by night. Her grand mother, Luna Blackstone and the other witches on the Blackstone bloodline were cursed few centuries ago. She has a best friend Noelle.
Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie.
I loved how the story started with a little flashback of late 1770s where the Ancestral Blackstone Bloodline Witches were cursed for the upcoming centuries in this town. Then slowly and steadily the story builds up between Selene and Aiden.
We also see a lot of friendship components between Aiden and Eddie as well as Noelle and Selene. The story is a perfect sweet, cozy winter romance which is witchy and little bit of magical at the same time. I liked how the narrative style is and how the author has explored the plot.
You will find not only sweet romance, but love for books, a girl who prefers books and libraries, a guy who is equally shy, paranormal stuff and those little small town mysteries roaming around. I liked this book overall and ask you to pick it up if you are looking for something light and cozy at the same time.
______
Thank You to NetGalley and the author Mila Nicks for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks is a BWWM paranormal romance and the first in the Paranormal Hunters series. We see our main characters - Selene Blackstone and Aiden O’Hare set in a cozy New England town called Brimrock.
Selene Blackstone is a Librarian by day, cursed witch by night. Her grand mother, Luna Blackstone and the other witches on the Blackstone bloodline were cursed few centuries ago. She has a best friend Noelle.
Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie.
I loved how the story started with a little flashback of late 1770s where the Ancestral Blackstone Bloodline Witches were cursed for the upcoming centuries in this town. Then slowly and steadily the story builds up between Selene and Aiden.
We also see a lot of friendship components between Aiden and Eddie as well as Noelle and Selene. The story is a perfect sweet, cozy winter romance which is witchy and little bit of magical at the same time. I liked how the narrative style is and how the author has explored the plot.
You will find not only sweet romance, but love for books, a girl who prefers books and libraries, a guy who is equally shy, paranormal stuff and those little small town mysteries roaming around. I liked this book overall and ask you to pick it up if you are looking for something light and cozy at the same time.
______
Thank You to NetGalley and the author Mila Nicks for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
October 13, 2020
Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks
Paranormal Romance 2.5 stars
Release date Oct 30
Selene Blackstone is a librarian who lives in Brimrock. Her grandma Luna was cursed in the 70’s and the family still lives with the curse. Oh, did I forget to mention they’re witches? Enter Aiden O’Hare & his best friend Eddie, who have a paranormal investigation show, and they’ve chosen the infamous Luna to do a show on. But Aiden doesn’t count on meeting & falling for Selene.
This book was a bit disappointing. I find it odd that there’s a content warning on the first page stating this isn’t for readers under age 18 (due to sex, violence, and language), yet it reads very YA in the writing style. If you toned down the 2 sex scenes and removed a few swear words this could easily be marketed to YA & I think would find a better market.
One major pet peeve with the book (and this sounds stupid, but it really bugged me), is the author keeps giving the address of the house Selene lives in, and does it over and over and over in the book. Like, instead of saying “Selene went back home” the author says “Selene went back to 1221 Gifford”. If Selene owned 5 houses then this might make sense, otherwise it reads really weird.
Overall it’s a fluffy witchy romance, with some issues.
Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and the author for this advanced reading copy. The opinions in this review are my own.
Paranormal Romance 2.5 stars
Release date Oct 30
Selene Blackstone is a librarian who lives in Brimrock. Her grandma Luna was cursed in the 70’s and the family still lives with the curse. Oh, did I forget to mention they’re witches? Enter Aiden O’Hare & his best friend Eddie, who have a paranormal investigation show, and they’ve chosen the infamous Luna to do a show on. But Aiden doesn’t count on meeting & falling for Selene.
This book was a bit disappointing. I find it odd that there’s a content warning on the first page stating this isn’t for readers under age 18 (due to sex, violence, and language), yet it reads very YA in the writing style. If you toned down the 2 sex scenes and removed a few swear words this could easily be marketed to YA & I think would find a better market.
One major pet peeve with the book (and this sounds stupid, but it really bugged me), is the author keeps giving the address of the house Selene lives in, and does it over and over and over in the book. Like, instead of saying “Selene went back home” the author says “Selene went back to 1221 Gifford”. If Selene owned 5 houses then this might make sense, otherwise it reads really weird.
Overall it’s a fluffy witchy romance, with some issues.
Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and the author for this advanced reading copy. The opinions in this review are my own.
November 9, 2020
I was writing a review for another Netgalley ARC when I stumbled upon Black Witch Magic and boy am I happy I was approved for this one. This was a cute, fun read for this time of year. The book gives off major Halloween vibes, but the story actually takes place during Christmas and New Years, so we're getting all the holidays.
Selene comes from a family of cursed witches and can never leave her hometown of Brimrock. She spends her days stacking books in the local library and hanging out with her witch best friend, Noelle. Everyone in the town treats Selene as an outcast due to rumors of her being a witch.
Enter the male romantic interest, Aiden, who is visiting Brimrock for the holidays to film an episode for his online show, Paranormal Hunters with his best friend Eddie. Selene and Aiden fall for each other quick and have a lot of cute moments together. I loved the banter between these two characters and the fact that they are both awkward people, but worked perfectly together.
I wish there was a bit more steamy romance between Selene and Aiden. A large portion of the book was focused on the mystery aspect of the book, so parts of the story were slow for me as the mystery wasn't that complex. But, I overall really enjoyed this and will be picking up the second book when it is released!
*Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an early eARC copy of Black Witch Magic*
Selene comes from a family of cursed witches and can never leave her hometown of Brimrock. She spends her days stacking books in the local library and hanging out with her witch best friend, Noelle. Everyone in the town treats Selene as an outcast due to rumors of her being a witch.
Enter the male romantic interest, Aiden, who is visiting Brimrock for the holidays to film an episode for his online show, Paranormal Hunters with his best friend Eddie. Selene and Aiden fall for each other quick and have a lot of cute moments together. I loved the banter between these two characters and the fact that they are both awkward people, but worked perfectly together.
I wish there was a bit more steamy romance between Selene and Aiden. A large portion of the book was focused on the mystery aspect of the book, so parts of the story were slow for me as the mystery wasn't that complex. But, I overall really enjoyed this and will be picking up the second book when it is released!
*Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an early eARC copy of Black Witch Magic*
April 15, 2023
👻
I was in the mood for something witchy. This book was mostly paranormal with a little romance and mystery. The last third of the book really is where its at. Closed the loop on the decades long family feud and the strange things happening in town. Poor Aiden was just trying to have place to go during Christmas and ended up running for his life.
CN: jealousy, micro aggressions, family secrets,
I was in the mood for something witchy. This book was mostly paranormal with a little romance and mystery. The last third of the book really is where its at. Closed the loop on the decades long family feud and the strange things happening in town. Poor Aiden was just trying to have place to go during Christmas and ended up running for his life.
CN: jealousy, micro aggressions, family secrets,
April 22, 2021
I loved it. It had everything I wanted: A black witch, some interesting backstory, a good written love interest and you still end up with a lot of questions unanswered.
So, I'm super exited for the next book. I already have it pre-ordered.
So, I'm super exited for the next book. I already have it pre-ordered.
October 22, 2020
First, I'd like to thank Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.
This is my first novel by Mila Nicks, so I can't compare it to anything else of hers, but I have to say that I really enjoyed this. It had a mystery within the novel as well, so it wasn't just a contemporary romance. I thought the book blended both elements together, and I'll be honest the twist towards the climax of the book actually surprised me.
In Black Witch Magic, we have Selene Blackstone, granddaughter to the infamous Luna Blackstone who the whole time despises. We don't ever actually know why, just that there is a curse on the Blackstone family made back back in the late 70s by either a jealous or jilted lover. I couldn't quite figure that part out. I wasn't sure if it was some white hag of a witch who was beyond delusional, or if her fiancé was having a legitimate affair with Luna. I do think that could have been fleshed out a little more, but perhaps that was the point, that there is never just two sides to a story, but the truth somewhere in the middle. Anywho, due to said curse, Selene is destined to live her life in Brimrock, a fictional small town in New England. Everyone hates her or thinks she's weird. They don't know that she's a lunar witch except her best friend and sister from another mister, Noelle who is a green witch. She's just trying to live her life with the crappy people of this town, and honestly, the fact that she hadn't decimated them all by this point was a miracle in itself.
In comes Aiden O'Hare, paranormal investigator part of a duo with his best friend, Eddie. Eddie's aunt and her family live in Brimrock, so they decide to go there for the holidays before investigating into Luna Blackstone's history as they said the town is haunted by her ghost. All these strange happenings are occurring, mainly to the male sex, so this would be prime footage for their 50th episode of their little YouTV channel. Aiden doesn't particularly like Christmas, and he finds Eddie's family, especially his Aunt Priscilla overwhelming. He wasn't far off because they are a lot, especially the aunt. She's a Hallmark Christmas movie made flesh, and even I hated her by halfway through the book.
Due to a rideshare mishap, our two lovebirds meet and eventually keep meeting until they decide to go on a date. Aiden lies about who he is, Selene doesn't completely tell the truth, but this all comes to a head pretty early on in the book. Soon enough, our Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew are doing their own investigation into the unfortunate happenings to two men in town. The whole town believes Selene is responsible, and Aiden just isn't having that.
I really enjoyed Selene and Aiden together. I felt that they complimented each other well despite the fact that they were both awkward turtles when it came to dating or people in general. They had some snafus throughout the book, but they actually sat down and discussed them like healthy adults, especially after their first go around in the bedroom left Selene very dissatisfied. I loved that Mila went there. She made the first sexual experience a total dud, complete abolishing the trope of a wonderful, orgasmic first time. It was embarrassing, mortifying, hilarious, and real. Yet, our lover boy Aiden was not going to go down without showing her that he knew how to take care of a woman, and boy did he ever. There isn't a lot of steaminess in the book, but that makes the sexy times even better.
The story itself is nicely paced. I don’t think there were any particular moments that dragged on. I don’t think there was any insta-love, just a very deep connection based on mutual respect, admiration, and fondness for each other. There were no “I love you” tossed around after knowing each other for less than a month. I also really really loved Selene’s friendship with Noelle. These two were ride or die, and they meant it. I could have read a whole book of just them being best witch friends together and breaking the curse themselves.
I will say that if you are going in thinking this is set during Halloween, it isn't. It's set during Christmas, but the mystery of the book does provide a certain spookiness to it. I think this is start of a very cute series with these two, and I can't wait to read more about them.
This is my first novel by Mila Nicks, so I can't compare it to anything else of hers, but I have to say that I really enjoyed this. It had a mystery within the novel as well, so it wasn't just a contemporary romance. I thought the book blended both elements together, and I'll be honest the twist towards the climax of the book actually surprised me.
In Black Witch Magic, we have Selene Blackstone, granddaughter to the infamous Luna Blackstone who the whole time despises. We don't ever actually know why, just that there is a curse on the Blackstone family made back back in the late 70s by either a jealous or jilted lover. I couldn't quite figure that part out. I wasn't sure if it was some white hag of a witch who was beyond delusional, or if her fiancé was having a legitimate affair with Luna. I do think that could have been fleshed out a little more, but perhaps that was the point, that there is never just two sides to a story, but the truth somewhere in the middle. Anywho, due to said curse, Selene is destined to live her life in Brimrock, a fictional small town in New England. Everyone hates her or thinks she's weird. They don't know that she's a lunar witch except her best friend and sister from another mister, Noelle who is a green witch. She's just trying to live her life with the crappy people of this town, and honestly, the fact that she hadn't decimated them all by this point was a miracle in itself.
In comes Aiden O'Hare, paranormal investigator part of a duo with his best friend, Eddie. Eddie's aunt and her family live in Brimrock, so they decide to go there for the holidays before investigating into Luna Blackstone's history as they said the town is haunted by her ghost. All these strange happenings are occurring, mainly to the male sex, so this would be prime footage for their 50th episode of their little YouTV channel. Aiden doesn't particularly like Christmas, and he finds Eddie's family, especially his Aunt Priscilla overwhelming. He wasn't far off because they are a lot, especially the aunt. She's a Hallmark Christmas movie made flesh, and even I hated her by halfway through the book.
Due to a rideshare mishap, our two lovebirds meet and eventually keep meeting until they decide to go on a date. Aiden lies about who he is, Selene doesn't completely tell the truth, but this all comes to a head pretty early on in the book. Soon enough, our Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew are doing their own investigation into the unfortunate happenings to two men in town. The whole town believes Selene is responsible, and Aiden just isn't having that.
I really enjoyed Selene and Aiden together. I felt that they complimented each other well despite the fact that they were both awkward turtles when it came to dating or people in general. They had some snafus throughout the book, but they actually sat down and discussed them like healthy adults, especially after their first go around in the bedroom left Selene very dissatisfied. I loved that Mila went there. She made the first sexual experience a total dud, complete abolishing the trope of a wonderful, orgasmic first time. It was embarrassing, mortifying, hilarious, and real. Yet, our lover boy Aiden was not going to go down without showing her that he knew how to take care of a woman, and boy did he ever. There isn't a lot of steaminess in the book, but that makes the sexy times even better.
The story itself is nicely paced. I don’t think there were any particular moments that dragged on. I don’t think there was any insta-love, just a very deep connection based on mutual respect, admiration, and fondness for each other. There were no “I love you” tossed around after knowing each other for less than a month. I also really really loved Selene’s friendship with Noelle. These two were ride or die, and they meant it. I could have read a whole book of just them being best witch friends together and breaking the curse themselves.
I will say that if you are going in thinking this is set during Halloween, it isn't. It's set during Christmas, but the mystery of the book does provide a certain spookiness to it. I think this is start of a very cute series with these two, and I can't wait to read more about them.
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