A darkness has settled over Xest, as roaming hordes of grouslies prey on the vulnerable. Witches and warlocks fear walking the streets, as lines are being drawn, and sides are taken. There’s only one way to stop the destruction coming, but tracking down an evil that doesn’t want to be found isn’t easy.
When a demon from hell shows, threatening to take over a Xest on the brink of destruction, I only have one option: get in the way. My sacrifice, offering myself as collateral to buy us time, is driving a larger divide between me and a furious Hawk. Meanwhile, finding the origin of the evil destroying our world means delving into my own inner demons. The closer I get to the truth, the closer I get to losing Hawk, my newfound family and everything I’ve fought for.
The yoyo relationship B.S. throughout this whole series is so annoying
Tippi gets better with her magic in this one, but the relationship between her and Hawk is middle school level, and maddening. If you're wondering how it goes, I'll give you a preview: Tippi says, " hawk is so annoying! He's always telling me what to do, and I'm a woman that makes her own choices and even if those choices are irrational and get myself and others hurt or put in dangerous positions, I still stand by them, because my intentions are good...Hawk is hot, I don't like him though, anybody can date him, in fact, I encourage others to try...omg he's talking to another woman! I'm so mad! I hate him, I mean, I don't care, I'm just irritated with him for another reason. He doesn't like me anyway. Omg we kissed! It doesn't mean anything though...oh, he just talked to another girl! I'm so mad! They are obviously dating now, and I'm mad, but I honestly don't care at all..." And it just keeps going on and on....
The Most Wanted Witch Tales of Xest #3 Donna Augustine
Series summary: Tippi Tudor always a misfit in Salem finds herself kidnapped to a place called Xest, an alternate world where magic rules and learns that she’s a witch. There she makes friends and meets a powerful, hottie, entity called Hawk who she’s equally attracted to and put off by but who always seems to have her back no matter what. When she realizes that in Xest she’s finally found a home she fights for the right to stay while figuring out who to slay a monster that’s terrorizing the residents.
Donna Augustine is an excellent storyteller as evidenced by how engaged she keeps readers from page one to the surprising finish at the end of this series installment. She also keeps them on their toes with her direct no nonsense dialogue mixed in with some much needed humor in the dark world she’s created putting her heroine Tippi through the ringer trying to figure out how to keep her friends safe from the evil invading Xest. She also tackles some social problems like injustices and inequalities, relationship dos and don’ts and friendship obstacles. Also in book three readers learn a bit more about Tippi’s roots and are left not with answers but a longing for book 4 where hopefully all the questions will finally be put to rest. Maybe.
In book three Tippi has been through a lot since her abrupt arrival on Xest and she’s not letting the evil known as Dread that’s roaming the streets take over the only place that’s ever felt like home. If she didn’t have enough on her plate trying to keep her friends safe, her enemies off her doorstep, figure out where she stands with Hawk and try to keep them all safe from Dread, now she’s got a demon from hell and an angel who wants a part of her too. What’s a witch to do? Well this witch is going to put one foot in front of the other, figure out how to get rid of Dread and get the demon and angel off her back. Oh and somehow figure out just exactly what’s between her and Hawk. Yeah easy peasy.
We are a touch closer to finding out who/what Tippi really is….. but we actually aren’t. It’s becoming more of the focus, but the answers still feel very far off. We also still don’t know what Hawk is, but that almost feels superfluous in the face of their growing animosity/attraction.,
I need Tippy to stop acting like a petulant brat and put on her big girl pants. I love all of Donna Augustine's books, but Tippy is pressing my patience something fierce. I will never stop buying Augustine's books, and I'm excited for whatever comes next... but I kind of wish the heat between Hawk and Tippy would either turn up or fuck off. The random kissing as she's convincing herself she hates him over and over is weird and feels disingenuous. Her making impulsive choices while literally everyone who has lived in this magical land their whole life is telling her it's stupid.... is just annoying. Get your shit together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Spoiler alert. How can the strong heroine who is, by her own admission, strongly sexed, be so clueless, spineless, and celibate for THREE volumes?!?!! Sure she's confused about the whole magic thing but she came to grips with that when she sent someone to live her life in the Rest. She's devolving and trading the title strong heroine for something less and losing her appeal in the process.
I'm disappointed that their relationship has gotten nowhere. This feels like very little happened. I'll still read the next book, but unless something happens, like say, they actually have a decent conversation together. I'll probably drop this series afterwards. Sigh.
I agree with other reviews about Tilly's immature behaviour. The character is really irritating. This series is good, however this book seemed like a pass through to get to the good parts, which I'm hopeful it's coming in the next book
I did really like this book but I couldn't give it more than three stars. The reason is because of Hawk. I honestly find him to be such an a**hole. Seriously. He is controlling and other than be really attractive, I don't really get the appeal. Spoilers below that truly illustrate his dickishness.
This book could have been a bit shorter since they spent most of the time doing nothing when they should have been tracking down Dread. Tippi never practices her magic so she still sucks at that. She can’t even fight even though she’s been training. And we never find out why her magic doesn’t protect her. Hawk thinks it’s because she has no self worth but they never dig into that.
So more denial of her capabilities. More whiplash with her and Hawk. I dislike him even more in this book but I guess his actions are supposed to be ok because they’ve been under the guise of protecting her?? I’d say I hope she gets with Oscar instead because he’s way more fun but based on the description for the next book, that’s not going to happen.
Bibbi really comes into her own and a bit of a badass with claws, metaphorically speaking. She’ll probably end up with Oscar.
Idk why they brought Gillian into the mix except for some OW drama. I still don’t get Tippi’s attraction to him because she barely knows anything about him. I get this is supposed to be “slow burn” or whatever but it’s not like there’s a ton of sexual tension with them. He does something asshole-ish, she gets pissed and does something stupid, they argue, then sometimes he kisses her out of nowhere and leaves her, and all we get is her inner thoughts which are mostly about hating him sprinkled with small bits of desire which I don’t get because he gaslights her all the time??
All in all, the plot itself was still good so I’ll read the final book because I can’t leave a series unfinished
Hello book hangover. Happens every time Donna puts out a new book, but it is so worth the blurry eyes and fuzzy head. This third book in the series is EXCELLENT! I love a well built fantasy world and Xest is foreign and exotic in the best possible way. A world made up of of witches, wizards, and fantastical creatures.
Tippi may have arrived in Xest from Rest (that were you and I live) but she has never felt more at home in what should be a foreign land. From book one, The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn't, Hawk has tried to push Tippi back to Rest. Tippi has fought for her right to be a citizen of Xest in spite of his efforts and she's not about to let anyone or anything take that away from her. She is willing to fight to protect her new world even if that means digging into her past.
Tippi and Hawk may take center stage in the story but the secondary characters hold their own in being unique and entertaining. I love the growth Bibbi goes through and poor Zab always seems to get the short end of the stick.
Questions are answered in this third book and more are raised. The fourth book can't come soon enough but I had enough closure in The Most Wanted Witch to not feel as if I'm teetering on the edge of a cliff. Highly recommend the entire series.
Grouslies are hunting the people of Xest as a darkness has started to take over the town. Everyone is vulnerable except Hawk and Tippi and no one knows why. The town has started taking sides and everyone is cautious on who is on which side.
A demon shows up from hell and states that rules state that if something threatens the town and has the potential to spill into other dimensions so he states that he can take over the town. To buy time, Tippi sacrifices herself and puts herself up as collateral for a month to try to figure out how to stop Dread, the darkness that is eating up the town. Tippi is trying everything possible to figure out where her magic came from and how to save Xest. The more she delves into it the more she fears that she will lose all that she has worked so hard to find in Xest.
Book 3 brings us closer to knowing the true origins of Tippi and her magic. The pull between Tippi and Hawk is so strong that the hope is there that they will find a way to get out of each other’s way and find the love that they both deserve though a new woman threatens the opportunity between them.
Ugh..All I can say is, I'm glad there will be a book 4 as I love this series and like all Donna Augustine series, I'm not ready for it to be over. The author likes to write trilogies and for some reason I thought 'could this be the last??' but thankfully, not.
The only reason it got 4.5 stars is I thought the progression of the plot wasn't getting anywhere at almost 80% of the book, then all of a sudden there was a possible answer. However, I like the introduction of the new characters and also...the new twist on cocoa. That was freaking hilarious!
As always, fantastic story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Absolutely love Tippi and Hawke and the side characters (Especially Oscar and Bibbi) are making me laugh out loud with their blatant truths and their meddling. The declaration was one of the funniest scenes in this series. Tippi is so oblivious, I do find that endearing but sometimes I want to say 'he totally wants you! wake up!'
Can't wait for the next one and...I hope it won't be the last. Fantastic series.
Tippi’s journey has carried her from Salem to Xest. From a Whimsy witch to a Nowhere witch, and now to the most wanted witch in the land. But the very magic that once defined her has become her greatest liability. The townsfolk are beginning to see the chilling truth: her powers bear an unsettling resemblance to the dark force she’s been fighting to keep at bay.
Now, with the stakes higher than ever, Tippi must set aside her grudge against Hawk and step into maturity. Her new home is unravelling, and time is running out. If she doesn’t act fast, the same people who once feared the forest’s evil may turn on her instead.
Yet the real mystery runs deeper. Why does Tippi possess this unique magic? What hidden ties bind her to the very darkness she loathes? And can she stop the evil breaking loose, known as the Dread, before time runs out and another power claims both her and Xest for good?
So many questions, so little time. I’m really enjoying this one. Tippi gets under my skin sometimes, though. Just like Hawk said, her stubbornness borders on stupidity!
I haven't read a book by Donna Augustine that I haven't enjoyed, and this book is no exception. I loved getting back to Tippi and Hawk and the gang and liked several aspects of this book, even things that have really already been done in the series (since they are my favorite types of things!) This book did seem to drag a bit, however, and their team against the Dread didn't seem to be doing much of anything before suddenly some answers were given to them for the climax of the book. I love how stubborn and scared Tippi is, and get just as frustrated as her friends in the book (they even say things to her that I say to her in my head lol) and how patient and buttoned-up Hawk is, though we all know what is happening under the surface (except Tippi). Definitely looking forward to book four, and really hoping for pay-off in the slow burn romance woven into deep fantasy story that this author is so good at. 3.5 stars
This is the third book and I'm still loving the whole storyline. In this installment we see the group hunkering down and trying to figure out what Dread is and how to stop it. New characters are introduced, previoisly minor characters step up, and there's more angst. There's even the introduction of heaven and hell with 2 characters coming forth and finally, at the end, explaining how things in xest came to be. There's more between Hawk and Tippi too. That being said, tippi s whining and bull headedness got old really fast in this book. She was "making a stand" and fighting w Hawk far too often and for really pig headed reasons that had me rolling my eyes and just wondering "why though?". That got a little distracting at times but still loved the book and cannot wait for the 4th book to come out
I want to give this a five, but Tippi is beginning to annoy me. Hawk is definitely into her, but she only trusts him when she needs him, which she does big time. The Xest world is being overrun by "Dread", which you can guess what that means. Everyone is looking over their shoulder, there are a few attacks by little poisonous critters that bite and sometimes kill. The "devil" (Xavier) steps into the picture. Very interested in Tippi, she allows herself as collateral for solving the problem of Dread and she has to meet weekly with Xavier who woos her. The angel (Lou) also shows up and he ends up giving her a solution. It is dangerous and requires her to be in danger, but she agrees. My annoyance is that she does not trust Hawk at all, who has tried to earn her goodwill. Sigh. We will see
I am annoyed that we are in. I believe book 3 and we still haven’t seen enough of Tippi and Hawk being together. In addition, I’m still very confused about the parameters of this world. I would like to understand what’s going on or be able to make predictions but I feel like I am bumbling about. Overall, I enjoyed the relationship with Timmy and Hawk but I don’t like the lack of information, and the lack of anything happening in the story. I felt like the climax situation with the big bad was too easy. Even so, I still plan to read the next book, but I wish there was more.
Wow,Tippi sure has a lot on her plate in this book. The whole town of Xest not counting her growing group of allies seem to want to end her. Hawk is such a good foil for her and if only Tippi would get out of her own way I think she could find her hea. Two new characters cut from opposite ends of the cloth add some new twists to the story. The characters that have formed a family of sorts provide humour that anyone that has a large family can relate to. I really enjoyed this and hope the next one has Tippi and Hawk solving their differences.
I have enjoyed the storyline so far and side characters but the main character Tippi...is just too much hard work. 3 books in and she's still not growing emotionally, blames Hawk for everything, goes off to do her own thing and then still manages to blame him when it goes wrong. Throughout all this she’s determined to not have an adult conversation with him and forget slow burn romance because this is like trying to get 2 wet sticks to make a spark. Please let book 4 have the emotional maturity and romance I've been waiting for since book 1
Once again the plot is good and I really liked the ending, but the main character is extremely frustrating. She is stubborn and makes stupid decisions just to not do what Hawk wants. He’s also stubborn and neither of them communicate at all, but he at least has the knowledge and experience to back up his decisions. It made most of the book difficult to get through until the external conflict picked up and took over the rest of the story.
Such a fun and inventive story. Love the characters. Tippi frustrated me a bit too much in this book with several things that I don’t want to mention and potentially spoil for others, but she is only 19. She’s allowed to be a bit immature. I wish her character was 10 or more years older. But otherwise, it was super fun. I wish the last “battle” scene was longer though. I didn’t want the book to end. Can’t wait for the next one!
I am certainly enjoying this series. I like the characters quite a bit, I am enjoying how Tippi has grown and seems to have a backbone now, I love her relationship with Hawk, and I'm finding the storyline very interesting. I've been going between reading the book on Kindle and listening to the audible and both versions are awesome! I'm going to start the last book in the series right now. Very excited to see how this will end.
Where was my life before Tippi. I could read her on repeat. I just love her and her dust bunny. The unrequited love this book was funny too. Makes me want some Cocoa. I can’t wait for the next book. I want more Hawk and Tippi. Hawk makes me all tingly.
I am totally addicted to this witch! I never new what to expect. The monsters are new to me. Some with. familiar name still like the others had inspected powers and properties. The setting is out of this world to say the least. If one likes the first book in the series it is hard not to read the rest.
The storyline continues in Xest! Tippy and Hawk, Hawk and Tippy no one can keep up with what page they are on today as it's ever changing and sucks you right in to see whats next! Can't wait for what is next in Tales of Xest 4!
I LOVE this series so much. Slow burn romance normally does my head in but these books are so well written it doesn’t bother me at all. Very funny and intelligent writing. Can’t wait to see what happens in book 4!
I love these books. It has a feel of Terry Pratchett, the right tension of romance in the air between Hawk and Tippy without taking over the mystery of who is Tippy. The dialogue are funny. I can't wait to read the next book.
Great read. I’m enjoying the story plot unfold. And Hawk and Tippi’s relationship grow. Just wish that part went a little further but I’m sure the next book will grant that.