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Betwixt & Between #4
Moonlight and Magic
Fortysomething Annette Osmund always knew she was psychic. She's not, but that didn't stop her from giving those nonexistent abilities her all. What she is, however, is a very powerful witch who has just inherited magics she never dreamed possible.
Starting over in a new town with her BFF has been an adventure. Defiance's status as a powerful type of witch called a charmling has kept Annette busy. But while Deph, a seeker, is still learning to use her magics, to control the power at her fingertips, Annette is overcome with powers of her own. Turns out, her being besties with Deph was not an accident. They were drawn to each other even before their powers emerged, and Annette learns she is also a charmling, a healer, and an alchemist. But what does that even mean?
Fortunately, there's one way to find out. She consults the house they're living in. Or, more to the point, the delicious entity haunting the house. Because, like her, he was once an alchemist. Maybe he will have the answers she so desperately seeks before she kills someone. The fact that he was once a stunning specimen of masculinity has nothing whatsoever to do with her desire to learn from a man who may or may not have been a powerful warlock.
Starting over in a new town with her BFF has been an adventure. Defiance's status as a powerful type of witch called a charmling has kept Annette busy. But while Deph, a seeker, is still learning to use her magics, to control the power at her fingertips, Annette is overcome with powers of her own. Turns out, her being besties with Deph was not an accident. They were drawn to each other even before their powers emerged, and Annette learns she is also a charmling, a healer, and an alchemist. But what does that even mean?
Fortunately, there's one way to find out. She consults the house they're living in. Or, more to the point, the delicious entity haunting the house. Because, like her, he was once an alchemist. Maybe he will have the answers she so desperately seeks before she kills someone. The fact that he was once a stunning specimen of masculinity has nothing whatsoever to do with her desire to learn from a man who may or may not have been a powerful warlock.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2022
365 people are currently reading
3655 people want to read
About the author
Darynda Jones
59 books16.6k followersNYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier, and her books have been translated into 17 languages. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, certain they went away the better for it. She penned the international bestselling Charley Davidson series and is currently working on several beloved projects, most notably the Sunshine Vicram Mystery Series with St. Martin's Press and the Betwixt and Between Series of paranormal women's fiction. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.
Click here to read one of the more popular short stories by Darynda called The Monster:
https://theneverneath.com/2018/02/02/...
She can be found at http://www.daryndajones.com
Click here to read one of the more popular short stories by Darynda called The Monster:
https://theneverneath.com/2018/02/02/...
She can be found at http://www.daryndajones.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 382 reviews
April 3, 2022
Published in December 2050 that’s a long wait 😂
October 28, 2022
What the heck happened?
Moonlight and Magic is more a series of events than a story.
Moonlight and Magic is more a series of events than a story.
November 17, 2022
Loved it. The first book is not from Defiance's point of view but from Annette's instead. So here is the thing, I figured out who 'The Warlock' was almost immediately. There is a lot going on in this book. But mostly I was here for that romance. Weird but fun.
October 31, 2022
I planned to give this book 3 stars. The whole silent hero reminding me too much like Charley’s man. The story was boring. I didn’t connect with any of the characters or care what happened to them. It had been so long, I’d forgotten everyone too.
But then…
SPOILERS AHEAD
The reveal of who Annette’s mystery lover, whom she confessed she loved after two or three days, was is gross. The insta love was bad enough but finding out he’s Daphne’s grandfather, who is still married to GiGi was worse. There was no divorce, but a spell that tied him to the house. And then GiGi gives her blessing.
I just can’t. Daphne hears her best friend screwing her grandfather.
I can’t.
I want my money back…yuck.
But then…
SPOILERS AHEAD
The reveal of who Annette’s mystery lover, whom she confessed she loved after two or three days, was is gross. The insta love was bad enough but finding out he’s Daphne’s grandfather, who is still married to GiGi was worse. There was no divorce, but a spell that tied him to the house. And then GiGi gives her blessing.
I just can’t. Daphne hears her best friend screwing her grandfather.
I can’t.
I want my money back…yuck.
January 20, 2025
3 Stars for Moonlight and Magic: Betwixt & Between, Book 4 (audiobook) by Darynda Jones read by Traci Odom.
I’m not sure what the problem was but I just couldn’t get into this story. It’s been quite a while since I read the previous book but I just didn’t connect with the characters. I usually love the author’s work but not so much with this one.
I’m not sure what the problem was but I just couldn’t get into this story. It’s been quite a while since I read the previous book but I just didn’t connect with the characters. I usually love the author’s work but not so much with this one.
November 26, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
The Betwixt and Between series up to this point has followed Defiance's POV, but in Moonlight and Magic we now get to see the world through Annette's eyes as she goes on an adventure to figure out who her father really is, after she is found to be one of the charmlings too and had to have a wizard father. I have had a lot of fun with Defiance and her exploration of both her powers and the handsome guy in a kilt who fixes things around the house, but I was ready to do a side adventure with Annette, the BFF with all kinds of spunk and funny banter.
Annette shows up on her mother's doorstep to a meet a new stepfather and find that her cousin is living with her mom. There is also a wizard following her around that no one can see. Annette wants answers but ends up having way more questions about both her mom's current situation, why her cousin is ready to kill her and what the hot Warlock wants from her.
This is a shifted story for sure and I'm still not sure how I feel about the romantic love interest part of it. I figured out who the warlock was right away but had fun playing along until Annette could figure it out too. The side story with Annette's mom was interesting and there was a lot of emotional baggage unlocked there. But I must say that overall the story was not as strong as some of the others in this series and I'm still on the fence about the love interest.
Overall Annette is a fun character and spending time in her head is an adventure in and of itself. Exploring her powers was a good time and I did like family aspect of it. A few scenes seemed completely cobbled together and the resolution 'convenient' but other than that a good time overall. The best parts of any Darynda Jones book is always the intro to each chapter. They make me laugh or ponder every time.
Narration:
Traci Odom has narrated all four books of the series. She delivers Darynda Jones' humor well and seems to fit the women's PRN genre well. She is a solid narrator who does well with the story. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to the clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
The Betwixt and Between series up to this point has followed Defiance's POV, but in Moonlight and Magic we now get to see the world through Annette's eyes as she goes on an adventure to figure out who her father really is, after she is found to be one of the charmlings too and had to have a wizard father. I have had a lot of fun with Defiance and her exploration of both her powers and the handsome guy in a kilt who fixes things around the house, but I was ready to do a side adventure with Annette, the BFF with all kinds of spunk and funny banter.
Annette shows up on her mother's doorstep to a meet a new stepfather and find that her cousin is living with her mom. There is also a wizard following her around that no one can see. Annette wants answers but ends up having way more questions about both her mom's current situation, why her cousin is ready to kill her and what the hot Warlock wants from her.
This is a shifted story for sure and I'm still not sure how I feel about the romantic love interest part of it. I figured out who the warlock was right away but had fun playing along until Annette could figure it out too. The side story with Annette's mom was interesting and there was a lot of emotional baggage unlocked there. But I must say that overall the story was not as strong as some of the others in this series and I'm still on the fence about the love interest.
Overall Annette is a fun character and spending time in her head is an adventure in and of itself. Exploring her powers was a good time and I did like family aspect of it. A few scenes seemed completely cobbled together and the resolution 'convenient' but other than that a good time overall. The best parts of any Darynda Jones book is always the intro to each chapter. They make me laugh or ponder every time.
Narration:
Traci Odom has narrated all four books of the series. She delivers Darynda Jones' humor well and seems to fit the women's PRN genre well. She is a solid narrator who does well with the story. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to the clip: HERE
December 23, 2022
Nanette usually the sidekick with a punch has her own story. :D She proves herself to be funny as we all knew, strong, and has one messed up family tree. One she needs to get some answers on from dear old mom. Too bad mom isn't selling any answers, at least not yet. Nanette, stuck in her home town finds herself stalked, in the middle of a life or death mystery, and dangerous gang activity. The girl really has skills at finding trouble !
Let's talk about the romance, wooah it's kinky. Toe curling kinky that might send you to your nearest realtor asap ! I'm so happy for her.
Cliffhanger ! Danger danger there is a cliffhanger
Let's talk about the romance, wooah it's kinky. Toe curling kinky that might send you to your nearest realtor asap ! I'm so happy for her.
Cliffhanger ! Danger danger there is a cliffhanger
December 22, 2022
This was a bit of a surprise for me. I liked it more than I was expecting, only because I just love Defiance so much that I wasn’t sure Annette would hold up as a main character. I found this to be just as funny and entertaining.
November 11, 2024
I agree with many other reviews that said this one just wasn’t as good as the first three in the series. I didn’t hate it but I just didn’t like it as much as the others. They can’t all be amazing….
November 9, 2022
The Betwixt and Between series introduced readers to a bewitching world of magic, witches, shifters and a sentient house along with a charming cast of characters, and an exciting, twisting series plot. I was surprised, but a little eager, too, when I learned this book would switch narratives to give Annette the lead role and point of view.
Moonlight and Magic is the fourth of the paranormal women’s fiction (feels like urban fantasy) series that will read/listen best in order.
So, yes, Annette got some stunning shocks in the last book. Defiance, her best bud, accidentally turned her into a crow and she kept the shifting ability, but she also unlocked Annette’s separate charmling witch powers as the second of three most powerful witches that every evil warlord worth his sand wants to acquire. Along with Defiance, Annette needs to get up to speed on controlling her magic pronto and that includes getting the down low on her true family history aka running back to Arizona and grilling her mom about the truth of her birth.
Annette’s family reunion isn’t shaping up to be all hearts and unicorns when she comes across the ghost of a cute girl who obviously didn’t die naturally, her mom is with a new sketchy guy, and her evil cousin (and mom’s favorite) is in residence. Oh, and there is a shadowy, sexy warlock playing phantom wherever Annette goes.
Moonlight and Magic was something of a mixed bag for me. I was excited to get Annette’s story and this side excursion into her past, but there were aspects of the story that didn’t do it for me. For instance, I have no idea why it took Annette and the gang the length of the book to work out who, why, and how about the warlock when it seemed obvious to me and especially with all the hints along the way.
And, another big distraction was the audio narration. I love Traci Odom for this series and enjoy her work, but I didn’t get a distinct difference in voice that this was Annette. It was jarring getting Annette’s story and situation with that soft-spoken wryness that was what I thought of, up until now, as Defiance’s voice and story.
The romance was not unexpected after events in the previous book. However, when it came down to it, it felt mildly weird with his original wife (who has moved on), granddaughter (who only heard of him recently), and granddaughter’s bestie all living together in the sentient house while Annette and her sexy warlock started a relationship.
This story felt like a side jaunt in some ways because the conflict was a separate line from the existing series arc, but it also wasn’t because it was allowing for Annette to get up to speed in a similar way that Defiance had through the earlier books. I enjoyed mostly seeing Annette getting to make peace with her past and engage in current day interactions with her mom and, later, her dad.
So, I’ll be curious to see where things go next. I have a good time with this series and though this one wasn’t a complete win, it was still fun. Those who enjoy humorous urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction should definitely get this series on the list.
I rec'd an audio copy via Tantor Audio to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy Nov 2nd.
Moonlight and Magic is the fourth of the paranormal women’s fiction (feels like urban fantasy) series that will read/listen best in order.
So, yes, Annette got some stunning shocks in the last book. Defiance, her best bud, accidentally turned her into a crow and she kept the shifting ability, but she also unlocked Annette’s separate charmling witch powers as the second of three most powerful witches that every evil warlord worth his sand wants to acquire. Along with Defiance, Annette needs to get up to speed on controlling her magic pronto and that includes getting the down low on her true family history aka running back to Arizona and grilling her mom about the truth of her birth.
Annette’s family reunion isn’t shaping up to be all hearts and unicorns when she comes across the ghost of a cute girl who obviously didn’t die naturally, her mom is with a new sketchy guy, and her evil cousin (and mom’s favorite) is in residence. Oh, and there is a shadowy, sexy warlock playing phantom wherever Annette goes.
Moonlight and Magic was something of a mixed bag for me. I was excited to get Annette’s story and this side excursion into her past, but there were aspects of the story that didn’t do it for me. For instance, I have no idea why it took Annette and the gang the length of the book to work out who, why, and how about the warlock when it seemed obvious to me and especially with all the hints along the way.
And, another big distraction was the audio narration. I love Traci Odom for this series and enjoy her work, but I didn’t get a distinct difference in voice that this was Annette. It was jarring getting Annette’s story and situation with that soft-spoken wryness that was what I thought of, up until now, as Defiance’s voice and story.
The romance was not unexpected after events in the previous book. However, when it came down to it, it felt mildly weird with his original wife (who has moved on), granddaughter (who only heard of him recently), and granddaughter’s bestie all living together in the sentient house while Annette and her sexy warlock started a relationship.
This story felt like a side jaunt in some ways because the conflict was a separate line from the existing series arc, but it also wasn’t because it was allowing for Annette to get up to speed in a similar way that Defiance had through the earlier books. I enjoyed mostly seeing Annette getting to make peace with her past and engage in current day interactions with her mom and, later, her dad.
So, I’ll be curious to see where things go next. I have a good time with this series and though this one wasn’t a complete win, it was still fun. Those who enjoy humorous urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction should definitely get this series on the list.
I rec'd an audio copy via Tantor Audio to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy Nov 2nd.
January 29, 2023
This is book 4 in the series and you definitely want to read them in sequence. This book made me laugh out loud several times so I do recommend it!
March 12, 2024
Reto lector 2024 PopSugar Reading Challenge 49. El vigésimo cuarto libro de un autor
¡Qué cortito!. Es difícil hablar de esta saga sin compararla con Charley Davidson. La voz narradora es idéntica. Esto es particularmente llamativo porque se trata de una voz con una personalidad propia muy particular, plagada de un humor de tintes absurdos muy personal. Lo que hace lo hace más notorio.
Si tenemos en cuenta que la voz narradora en Charley Davidson era la de su protagonista en primera persona, tenemos a 2 protagonistas que hablan, piensan, se expresan, etc de forma idéntica. Una forma muy muy reconocible.
La cosa se agrava aquí notablemente porque en esta saga, la narradora empezó siendo una y en este libro quien habla es la mejor amiga de la de los otros libros.... ¡Y es idéntica! A su amiga y a Charley Davidson!. Es como si tuviéramos unas trillizas desparramadas entre dos sagas, hablando a la vez. Clones.
Por lo demás, la historia de esta saga me gusta más que la de Charley, cuya fuerza se apoyaba casi exclusivamente en esa singularísima voz, mientras que aquí el argumento tiene su gracia (Lo de Percy me ha dejado a cuadros, por cierto). Me he reído bastante, sobre todo con la estatua. Verdaderamente es una saga con una historia prometedora, pero debería aprender a diferenciar las voces de los personajes, por muy simpática que sea la voz elegida, no es de recibo que los personajes de ambas sagas se vayan pasando la personalidad de unos a otros, como las 3 Parcas con su único diente. GL Bis (Betwixt & Between) y Reto 2024
¡Qué cortito!. Es difícil hablar de esta saga sin compararla con Charley Davidson. La voz narradora es idéntica. Esto es particularmente llamativo porque se trata de una voz con una personalidad propia muy particular, plagada de un humor de tintes absurdos muy personal. Lo que hace lo hace más notorio.
Si tenemos en cuenta que la voz narradora en Charley Davidson era la de su protagonista en primera persona, tenemos a 2 protagonistas que hablan, piensan, se expresan, etc de forma idéntica. Una forma muy muy reconocible.
La cosa se agrava aquí notablemente porque en esta saga, la narradora empezó siendo una y en este libro quien habla es la mejor amiga de la de los otros libros.... ¡Y es idéntica! A su amiga y a Charley Davidson!. Es como si tuviéramos unas trillizas desparramadas entre dos sagas, hablando a la vez. Clones.
Por lo demás, la historia de esta saga me gusta más que la de Charley, cuya fuerza se apoyaba casi exclusivamente en esa singularísima voz, mientras que aquí el argumento tiene su gracia (Lo de Percy me ha dejado a cuadros, por cierto). Me he reído bastante, sobre todo con la estatua. Verdaderamente es una saga con una historia prometedora, pero debería aprender a diferenciar las voces de los personajes, por muy simpática que sea la voz elegida, no es de recibo que los personajes de ambas sagas se vayan pasando la personalidad de unos a otros, como las 3 Parcas con su único diente. GL Bis (Betwixt & Between) y Reto 2024
October 26, 2022
A Creative Tale
Darynda Jones is a masterful storyteller! She has a way of spinning humor, mystery and a touch of romance into her stories. I love that her heroines are middle aged and very realistically portrayed, well, besides the fact that they possess a bit of magic. Well, and their house is actually the great grandfather of one of the current residents. There’s just so much fun and a little craziness in this series that you will laugh, be a little scared now and then, and love the characters.
Darynda Jones is a masterful storyteller! She has a way of spinning humor, mystery and a touch of romance into her stories. I love that her heroines are middle aged and very realistically portrayed, well, besides the fact that they possess a bit of magic. Well, and their house is actually the great grandfather of one of the current residents. There’s just so much fun and a little craziness in this series that you will laugh, be a little scared now and then, and love the characters.
January 19, 2023
Magic and Moonlight
Betwixt and Between, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: eBook
Source: KindleUnlimiteed
Dates Read: 1/8/23 - 1/15/23
Stars: 3
Narrator(s):
The Characters:
Annette Osmund:
Mystery Warlock :
Defiance, Gram, Annette’s mother, Annette’s Cousin
The Story:
Upon finding out that she was born a Charmling, Annette returns home to confront her mother about who her biological father is. She unknowingly stumbles upon an attempted murder and much more trouble of her cousins making,
I do not understand why we needed to go on what feels like a side quest with Annette. I feel like it didn’t push the overall story arch forward. I love Annette and I like where her love story is going but this book feels like filler with a great cliffhanger that has me looking forward to the next story.
Betwixt and Between, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: eBook
Source: KindleUnlimiteed
Dates Read: 1/8/23 - 1/15/23
Stars: 3
Narrator(s):
The Characters:
Annette Osmund:
Mystery Warlock :
Defiance, Gram, Annette’s mother, Annette’s Cousin
The Story:
Upon finding out that she was born a Charmling, Annette returns home to confront her mother about who her biological father is. She unknowingly stumbles upon an attempted murder and much more trouble of her cousins making,
I do not understand why we needed to go on what feels like a side quest with Annette. I feel like it didn’t push the overall story arch forward. I love Annette and I like where her love story is going but this book feels like filler with a great cliffhanger that has me looking forward to the next story.
November 13, 2022
The fact that Darynda Jones is hilarious is, for her longtime readers, a given. Besides, I've always liked Annette better than Defiance, not to mention Percy, so this new series intrigues me quite a bit and I hope that, despite numerous postponements, the following books will follow shortly.
IL fatto che Darynda Jones faccia ridere, é ormai per i suoi lettori di lunga data, un dato di fatto. Inoltre a me Annette é stata sempre piú simpatica di Defiance, per non parlare di Percy, quindi questo nuova serie mi intriga parecchio e spero che, nonostante numerosi rinvii, i libri seguenti seguano a breve termine.
IL fatto che Darynda Jones faccia ridere, é ormai per i suoi lettori di lunga data, un dato di fatto. Inoltre a me Annette é stata sempre piú simpatica di Defiance, per non parlare di Percy, quindi questo nuova serie mi intriga parecchio e spero che, nonostante numerosi rinvii, i libri seguenti seguano a breve termine.
October 27, 2022
Very cute paranormal series. Classic Darynda Jones humor.
November 1, 2022
3.5. But arg, her and her endings!!
November 4, 2022
It's Annette's turn to figure out what's going on with her life and THERE IS A LOT. So much. For one, she's got a lot of power and her control over said power is a little iffy. Which isn't cool when you can turn an ordinary cup of coffee into a poisonous brew with a touch. On the up side, Annette has a solid group of friends who support and can mentor her through her growing pains.
The other thing she's dealing with is how she came about these powers when both of her parents are decidedly non-magical. Which leads to a road trip to visit her mom. Because answers are needed. Along the way, she picks up a sexy warlock companion who's decidedly tight lipped, but offers a few pointers none-the-less.
She also gets to deal with her mom (I'm undecided on how I feel about her), her cousin (meh), and a little girl who needs her help very badly. Annette may be new to this charmling business, but she can't step back when a little girl's life in on the line. So she gives it her all. And somehow gets stuck in the middle of something she definitely didn't see coming.
A very sexy warlock who's more than he seems, a road trip that gives a few answers, a couple of bad guys who are plotting bad, bad things, an accidental transformation, and an encounter that rocks Annette's socks off. Do I want more? With that tease of an ending, YOU BET.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
The other thing she's dealing with is how she came about these powers when both of her parents are decidedly non-magical. Which leads to a road trip to visit her mom. Because answers are needed. Along the way, she picks up a sexy warlock companion who's decidedly tight lipped, but offers a few pointers none-the-less.
She also gets to deal with her mom (I'm undecided on how I feel about her), her cousin (meh), and a little girl who needs her help very badly. Annette may be new to this charmling business, but she can't step back when a little girl's life in on the line. So she gives it her all. And somehow gets stuck in the middle of something she definitely didn't see coming.
A very sexy warlock who's more than he seems, a road trip that gives a few answers, a couple of bad guys who are plotting bad, bad things, an accidental transformation, and an encounter that rocks Annette's socks off. Do I want more? With that tease of an ending, YOU BET.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
November 1, 2022
disappointed
I have loved every single book I have read by Darynda Jones. This book was just a miss. A lot of context missing, some lines were almost like a “ remember me mentioning that before” type. But then I was getting so confused because I had no idea where some of the stuff came out of. The random sex scene? With no buildup at all. She figured out it was Percy then bam she’s having an orgasm by him. Makes no sense. And the ending feels like I’m stuck at the top of a roller coaster. Such a let down.
I have loved every single book I have read by Darynda Jones. This book was just a miss. A lot of context missing, some lines were almost like a “ remember me mentioning that before” type. But then I was getting so confused because I had no idea where some of the stuff came out of. The random sex scene? With no buildup at all. She figured out it was Percy then bam she’s having an orgasm by him. Makes no sense. And the ending feels like I’m stuck at the top of a roller coaster. Such a let down.
July 21, 2023
Not as good as the first 3. This book felt slapped together and veered off the path a bit. Almost no movement in the storyline.......................
**Spoiler Alert**
The instant relationship between Annette and her mother is just so unrealistic, instant forgiveness and 100% trust in a person doesn't happen especially not after the way her mother had been described in the previous books. Also The relationship with Percy is just cringy and weird.
**Spoiler Alert**
The instant relationship between Annette and her mother is just so unrealistic, instant forgiveness and 100% trust in a person doesn't happen especially not after the way her mother had been described in the previous books. Also The relationship with Percy is just cringy and weird.
November 30, 2022
What happened. This series had been good, and this wasn't horrible. It just wasn't great.
Darynda's books are normally phenomenal. but this one is just okay. I hope the next book is better.
Darynda's books are normally phenomenal. but this one is just okay. I hope the next book is better.
March 13, 2023
https://celebrityreaders.com/2023/03/...
3.5 stars — The humour of these characters is still absolutely fantastic, but I found that I noticed the lack of progression even more in this one. I think my frustration with drawn out mysteries from the reader was showing a bit more.
Annette was also extremely frustrating in her obliviousness…or something. There is a character who shows up in this story that you can guess from almost the very beginning, and given how easy it was for the reader it was kind of hard to take that Annette took the whole book to figure it out. I mean, I suppose she’s got a lot going on, but the longer it took for her to figure it out, the more frustrated I became. Maybe it’s supposed to make her look ordinary? Maybe because we, as the readers, have read Deph’s books we can put together clues that Annette couldn’t because she didn’t have the same knowledge? I don’t know, it just didn’t work for me.
That same character ends up being a bit of a love interest, and I will admit I’m a bit reluctant about it. I don’t even know why, it’s just a personal taste thing, and I’m sure I’ll be swayed to the dark side with time.
As for the mystery and shenanigans, they were pretty fun. It was interesting to see into Annette and how insecure and doubtful of herself she could be. It was great to get some background and learn about what happened to her brother in the past.
I think my problem is that I’m not a very patient person, and so I end this book still not having answers to some questions that have been niggling me, as well as more questions and more unresolved situations. I’m obviously going to keep going in this series, but I am a bit bummed with the pacing of information and stuff like that…I’m just too greedy.
3.5 stars — The humour of these characters is still absolutely fantastic, but I found that I noticed the lack of progression even more in this one. I think my frustration with drawn out mysteries from the reader was showing a bit more.
Annette was also extremely frustrating in her obliviousness…or something. There is a character who shows up in this story that you can guess from almost the very beginning, and given how easy it was for the reader it was kind of hard to take that Annette took the whole book to figure it out. I mean, I suppose she’s got a lot going on, but the longer it took for her to figure it out, the more frustrated I became. Maybe it’s supposed to make her look ordinary? Maybe because we, as the readers, have read Deph’s books we can put together clues that Annette couldn’t because she didn’t have the same knowledge? I don’t know, it just didn’t work for me.
That same character ends up being a bit of a love interest, and I will admit I’m a bit reluctant about it. I don’t even know why, it’s just a personal taste thing, and I’m sure I’ll be swayed to the dark side with time.
As for the mystery and shenanigans, they were pretty fun. It was interesting to see into Annette and how insecure and doubtful of herself she could be. It was great to get some background and learn about what happened to her brother in the past.
I think my problem is that I’m not a very patient person, and so I end this book still not having answers to some questions that have been niggling me, as well as more questions and more unresolved situations. I’m obviously going to keep going in this series, but I am a bit bummed with the pacing of information and stuff like that…I’m just too greedy.
May 12, 2023
I enjoyed this next book in this series, told this time from the point of view of Annette, the second charmling in this series. Having now discovered what she is, Annette returns home to find out more about who she is and where she came from, but things at home with her mom and her new boyfriend is not an easy ride.
Through in an incorporeal warlock who may or may not want Annette for his own nefarious purposes, a frantic search for a missing child and a dodgy deal gone very wrong and Annette has her hands full.
I really liked Annette in this one - she had to stand on her own a bit more and use her powers, but still being very new at all this, she's very unconfident. Hopefully that confidence will grow as she learns more about what she can and can't do. While I like the idea of the warlock helping her, I did think it was a bit creepy with who it was and what happened back at the house! Maybe there'll be a bit more physical development in this plot in the next book!
A fun quick read and I'm looking to reading the next one when it comes out! Hopefully we'll find out about the third charmling soon as well!
Through in an incorporeal warlock who may or may not want Annette for his own nefarious purposes, a frantic search for a missing child and a dodgy deal gone very wrong and Annette has her hands full.
I really liked Annette in this one - she had to stand on her own a bit more and use her powers, but still being very new at all this, she's very unconfident. Hopefully that confidence will grow as she learns more about what she can and can't do. While I like the idea of the warlock helping her, I did think it was a bit creepy with who it was and what happened back at the house! Maybe there'll be a bit more physical development in this plot in the next book!
A fun quick read and I'm looking to reading the next one when it comes out! Hopefully we'll find out about the third charmling soon as well!
November 7, 2022
Picking up shortly after the conclusion of the previous book, Moonlight and Magic shifts gears and moves Annette, the previous sidekick character, into the role of protagonist. At first I was totally thrown for a loop that the series changed main characters and the narrator, while still first person POV, is no longer Defiance. I will admit that I didn’t care for it at first, but by the end of the book, I’d been able to wrap my head around the change. Annette and Deph have similar personalities, which is part of the reason I had trouble adjusting to the change.
Now that Annette knows she’s a witch, she heads back to Arizona to visit her mom to find out who her real father is (because now she realizes it isn’t the man who raised her). There is all sorts of trouble brewing back at mom’s, including a condescending cousin, a lost ghost child, an evil stepfather, and a mysterious shadow warlock who may or may not be helping Annette.
While it took a bit, the overall story did grab me. I enjoyed seeing Annette find her own voice and way of doing things as she gains confidence. I love the humor, which remains consistently strong, and there is a fabulous Buffy reference. I liked seeing Annette have a heart-to-heart with her family.
With that said, I had some issues with the story. Although the author gives reasons, I was dismayed that Annette didn’t figure out what was going on with the phantom warlock. Additionally, I felt the lack of police presence at Annette’s mom’s home after what goes down is ridiculous. And the continued lack of security as the book continues bothered me - bordering TSTL (too stupid to live). Additionally, I did not like Annette’s romantic storyline at all, and the sexy times had me cringing. (I have several issues, but I don’t want to give spoilers).
Narration: Ms. Odom provides a delightful performance as the first person POV, 40-something Annette. Although the change in main character threw me at first, I appreciate that Ms. Odom slighted adjusted her voice for the narrator when comparing it to the previous three books, keeping Deph’s voice unique to her character. I found Odom’s array of female characters unique and fitting. Both females and males are adjusted appropriately for age. Overall, her males are deeper, but soft and whispery sounding rather than masculine.
In the end, I liked the start of Annette’s story and mostly enjoyed Moonlight and Magic. I still enjoy the world, although rules sometimes feel a little loosey-goosey. Now that I’m used to Annette as MC, I think the next one will be easier to listen to.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B
Review copy provided by publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Now that Annette knows she’s a witch, she heads back to Arizona to visit her mom to find out who her real father is (because now she realizes it isn’t the man who raised her). There is all sorts of trouble brewing back at mom’s, including a condescending cousin, a lost ghost child, an evil stepfather, and a mysterious shadow warlock who may or may not be helping Annette.
While it took a bit, the overall story did grab me. I enjoyed seeing Annette find her own voice and way of doing things as she gains confidence. I love the humor, which remains consistently strong, and there is a fabulous Buffy reference. I liked seeing Annette have a heart-to-heart with her family.
With that said, I had some issues with the story. Although the author gives reasons, I was dismayed that Annette didn’t figure out what was going on with the phantom warlock. Additionally, I felt the lack of police presence at Annette’s mom’s home after what goes down is ridiculous. And the continued lack of security as the book continues bothered me - bordering TSTL (too stupid to live). Additionally, I did not like Annette’s romantic storyline at all, and the sexy times had me cringing. (I have several issues, but I don’t want to give spoilers).
Narration: Ms. Odom provides a delightful performance as the first person POV, 40-something Annette. Although the change in main character threw me at first, I appreciate that Ms. Odom slighted adjusted her voice for the narrator when comparing it to the previous three books, keeping Deph’s voice unique to her character. I found Odom’s array of female characters unique and fitting. Both females and males are adjusted appropriately for age. Overall, her males are deeper, but soft and whispery sounding rather than masculine.
In the end, I liked the start of Annette’s story and mostly enjoyed Moonlight and Magic. I still enjoy the world, although rules sometimes feel a little loosey-goosey. Now that I’m used to Annette as MC, I think the next one will be easier to listen to.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B
Review copy provided by publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
November 1, 2022
Annette is center stage in this book as she travels to Arizona to talk to her mother about her biological father. From the first chapter to the jaw dropping end, I laughed, I teared up as Annette learns more about her powers, her relationship with her mother that FINALLY grows into a something real, her cousin who is now a statue (just got to laugh as this is perfect)and the heart wrenching save of Apple. A perfect read and with the "hook" at the end I'm excited for the next one.
January 22, 2023
I don’t know why, but I thought this book was the conclusion to the series so I was surprised by the cliffhanger ending. Overall I enjoyed it. I typically don’t like when the MC shifts but I enjoyed Annette’s adventure just as much as Deph’s in the first 3 books. It seemed short though…more like a novella, but I’m interested to see where this takes us for the next book.
March 15, 2023
The fourth installment in the Betwixt & Between series, Darynda Jones does not disappoint! I really enjoyed this one, and how the story progressed. This one had me laughing out loud. Well written and well paced, this book is enjoyable and hard to put down. While I'm looking forward to the next in this series, I'm still feeling a little cheated on how this one ends.
March 12, 2024
El problema que tengo con estos libros es que da igual quien lo narre ya que la personalidad es exactamente igual, lo único que cambia es el nombre.
Si, son graciosos, pero le falta chicha.
Una mujer chistosa que se enamora de un chico sexy, tienen mucho sexo y pasan cosas divertidas de vez en cuando.
Si, son graciosos, pero le falta chicha.
Una mujer chistosa que se enamora de un chico sexy, tienen mucho sexo y pasan cosas divertidas de vez en cuando.
October 29, 2022
Another excellent installment. So happy to get in Nette’s head. I want more!
July 24, 2023
These are light and beach read type books I reall
Enjoyed the audiobooks I hope there is a 5th
Enjoyed the audiobooks I hope there is a 5th
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