Hexes & Hot Flashes

The Oracle of Wynter #1

by Lisa Manifold, Eva Wilhelm (Narrator)

RUNNING TIME: 6 hrs 30 min
Six months ago, I lost my husband. Six hours ago, I found out he had another family. Six minutes ago, my life changed forever.

For my 45th birthday, I planned to treat myself to a spa day with my bestie. But instead, my late husband’s insurance broker drops by to let me know that not only am I still widowed, but my husband’s insurance policies are being paid to his other wife - and his other family. Happy birthday to me.

Shell-shocked and still forty-five, my spa day becomes wine night as I attempt to drown my sorrows with music and dancing. The next thing I know, I'm being romanced by an Indiana Jones wannabe who arrives like a dervish to sweep me off my feet. One thing leads to another but before anything happens, Indy goes missing, the place is trashed, and I’ve got myself a glowing snake tattoo that seems to be talking to me about magic, curses, and a hex that is going to kill me. And I get to do the walk of shame - without having any of the fun.

I arrive home to to find Logan Gentry, a tall, dark drink of water who seems to think I am some ancient magical being sent here to solve his problems. On any other day, I would bust out my Taser and show him who’s boss but there’s something about his story - and the fact that he knows all about my talking tattoo - that draws me in.

One thing is for sure… this guy knows more about what’s happened to me than I do. If I help him, maybe I’ll find some answers along the way. Assuming the curse on my possessed tattoo doesn’t kill me first.

Age is just a number, right? Especially when you're possessed by an ancient Oracle.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Romance

Audiobook

First published January 29, 2021

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure if what made this book so mediocre was the book itself or the terrible narration. I’m leaning towards it being the narration. Going back through the audiobooks I’ve listened to, I saw that I listened to (and liked) this reader before so maybe it was just the way she read this book. Honestly, I probably should have abandoned ship early in the book but I stuck it out hoping either she’d get better or I’d get used to her. Didn’t happen. She grated on me. Her odd pronunciation of some common words (like Oracle), her melodramatic tone, her cadence, all irritated me. Fair warning if you want to try this on audio.

The story itself was fine, though I’m not sure I felt any particular affection for Wynter or any of the other characters. Meh. If I get Kindle Unlimited again, I may try book two on kindle to see if I like it better that way. But I won’t buy it. Clearly in the minority here since this book has an average rating of 4.5 stars (when I write this).

[~Shawna the crazy coffee reader~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book in the PWF genre. Wynter is strong even when she does not realize it. Coming to grips with her new occupation wasn’t easy but she handles it eventually. I mean, when your new job includes the supernatural, magic and a hot shifter you really have no choice but to adjust or go mental. Excited for the next in the series!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenna Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential, but it was honestly meh for me. The majority of the time the MC just whines and wallows about her dead husband and not wanting to be the Oracle. I wish the book focused more on the supernatural side and not her kids and dead husband. She just spends the majority of her time either asking stupid questions or arguing. I doubt I’ll read the next one. Too boring and too much focus on her stupid menopause. Who cares if she’s in menopause??? She’s supposed to be some badass Oracle so she needs to stop whining!

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hexes & Hot Flashes by Lisa Manifold is the first book in her paranormal womens fiction series, The Oracle of Wynter. Being an Oracle is unique in this genre. Wynter is a strong woman even if she doesn't think she is and she does shine as she learns to navigate her new position. With a talking tattoo, a mentor that is a ghost, mythical goddesses and her first "consultant" is a panther shifter, Wynter will begin this new life of adventure and magic. A very enjoyable read and I will be reading Magic & Menopause next.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Read for a bachelorette romance novel book report*

Hexes & Hot Flashes

Wynter Chastain is a recent widow. Her kids are grown and she is in a deep depression since the death of her husband, Derek, in a helicopter accident at their Grand Canyon tour company. While settling his affairs she discovers he was leading a second life with a new wife and two young children (because he changed his insurance policy to 70% go to this other family and 20% go to Wynter). All of a sudden her depression gives way to rage at the man she has been married to for 25 years and for which she sacrificed her life, career and all her time since college.

Anyway - she goes on a drunken night at a nightclub in Martha’s Vineyard (where she lives) and meets a very alluring man, goes back to his hotel room and then she has a hot flash and goes to the bathroom to recover. When she comes back the man has vanished, the place is trashed, and a golden snake bracelet is in his place. Wynter is like “let me just put this bracelet on” then she passes out and the bracelet becomes a tattoo.

Turns out she was tapped to be an oracle and then this magical being (Logan) looking for help shows up and she’s like what is happening. Magical people are trying to kill her and take her powers and she’s like idk maybe have them? She kinda just wants to wallow and garden and has no money since she was relying on the life insurance policy.

Logan is a magical panther who is in the shape of a man who appears and disappears inexplicably but needs her help figuring out his past. Wynter is like “everyone is trying to kill me” and Logan is like “well I’m a panther so I can protect you”. In the end she figures out what he needs? I didn’t get it. He was at a party and everyone hated him. Whatever, it was a boring reason why he needed help - I wanted her to figure out what was going on with her husband’s affair!

Wynter also has a ghost ex-oracle guide who is a chain smoking old lady from Kansas who tells her she needs to read this fancy book but the book is mostly blank and not helpful.

The end.

I have several critiques and questions. First - the insurance policy. Polygamy? It was through their jointly owned business? How could Derek change the beneficiaries?
Second -
there was no romance! This book is called “Hexes and Hot Flashes” are you kidding? I should be compensated for pain and suffering and the NYPL should also be awarded damages for FRAUD.
Third - clearly this is the first in a series which is a bummer because now I’m sucked in and have to read the follow up - necromancy & knee pain. There goes my Goodreads reputation.

Any questions?

[Willa Mckenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot flashes and humor!!

This is a very delightful, funny,book. Wanted to keep reading everytime I needed to put in down it just caught my attention more.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of The Oracle of Wynter series and the main character is a forty five year old widow, called Wynter Chastain, who lost her husband in an accident some six months before. She has three grown up children, who all live elsewhere. For her birthday, she was planning a spa day out with a good friend, but instead gets a visit from her husband’s insurance broker, for her to sign the insurance policy payouts, to finalise her husband’s estate. Her husband had increased the payments into his insurance policies a few years ago, to ensure she could manage once he was gone and that their children could be set up in life and homes of their own. Only problem is that these papers bring about an enormous shock! During the six months a year when he was working away, he had created a whole other family, with a wife and young children. Now most of the insurance payout is to go to his second family, with very little for her. Thankfully, she had at least received the money from selling their jointly run and owned company. She cancels her spa day out and basically hides out from everyone as she has to try and come to terms with this news and the shock of it all.

She has to call her kids to come and visit her in person, so she can break the news to them all. Her daughter takes it the worst, but considering they now have brothers or sisters they never knew about, they can’t blame the children and wat to know if this other wife knew anything about them. Wynter looks up the woman’s social media sites and sees happy pictures of the woman and her children with her husband, which are soon taken down, obviously after she received the same paperwork! Wynter finally takes herself out to a local bar and starts to have a few rinks, when she has an attractive man come and sit next to her at the bar. Ash (Ashton) Flint is out celebrating reaching a certain goal he had been trying to reach for ages. He looks quite a bit like Indiana Jones and she ends up having a few drinks with him, then dancing the night away. He invites her back to his room at a nearby inn, where she goes to the bathroom to freshen up. When she comes back out, the room is in disarray and he is missing. She stumbles over a sofa and ends up being jabbed by something sharp as she sits down on a chair. She finds a bracelet shaped like a serpent and puts it on for some reason. Almost as if a voice was telling her to do it. A bright light flashes around the room and she blacks out.

When she came to, the bracelet had disappeared, but her arm felt sore. She hears a voice again, telling her to get out of there and that they would appear to her, once her first consultant arrived for counsel. Until she has completed this first consultation, she needs to keep herself safe. Safe from what she has no idea. She ignores this voice and instead calls the police, one of the officers thinking her behind what has happened, but luckily the other officer is an old friend from childhood. She ends up having to go to the police station to have a sketch made of the missing man, right in front of the inn’s receptionist, who knows her and was missing when the two arrived! No doubt, this will mean this woman will spread some gossip around the place she has live all of her life. When she finally gets home in the early hours of the morning, there is a strange man waiting on her porch. He is called Logan Gentry and calls her the Oracle, and says he is there to seek her help in discovering his past. He remembers nothing from more than about seven years ago, not even his real name. He can remember nothing at all about his life and wants her to find out who he really is and to uncover his past.

Only the fact he knows about the serpent tattoo that has replaced the bracelet, and seems to know a lot more about her new role connected to this. She gets a few more messages from her mystery voice, telling her she has to help him, or she will be in danger. She sends him packing the first night, so she can get some sleep and try to figure out what is happening to her. When he returns, she allows him to stay over in her home, after being told she needs to sort out his issue or those she knows will be in danger, as well as her. A not so nice man comes to her house, while he is away, practically threatening her to give up the bracelet, not that she knows how to, and as she gets told, they would happily kill her to achieve it! Not so good. She is glad of Logan’s presence in her home after that and even her best friend, who she reveals everything to about this situation she finds herself in, finds him attractive. He ends up staying with her friend when her kids all come back to figure out what to do about their father’s second family and if they want to contact them or not.

Wynter has some strange dreams and faints a few times, but is luckily caught by the hunky Logan each time. She keeps getting the same vision of a group of men and women, but never manages to see the face of the man with his back to her. The former Oracle is now her guide to what she has to do in her new role as Oracle, and helps her figure out ways to get closer to what is happening in her visions and how to identify the important parts of it. Logan has spent some time working out how to locate the Oracle and spent some two weeks to find her exact location. Apparently, only those in need should be able to find out where she is and seek her assistance. Logan has a definite need for help and she is now finding out that magic and everything else associated with that, is actually real, as there must be a reason he can’t remember his past or who he is even. Wynter has to succeed on her first consult, but wants to already give up the role of Oracle, which may well happen if she doesn’t succeed. Whether that will only be if she dies, is yet to be seen! A complex case for her to start with, but her visions give her some of the clues and point Logan to some other aspects to look at financially, to pinpoint who he is. Calling on a previous client of his, but with no knowledge of the man, almost had him called by a different name. This helped find one alias for him. She has more to do and she may gain a helper for her future consults, if she stays the course. Hopefully this will be Logan, as there is a chemistry between them. An unusual storyline and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book and what Wynter does next. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Spinneretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

When widowed Wynter Chastain finds out her husband had a second family, she is devastated.
When a night out with a handsome stranger turns into his disappearance, she is confused.
And when she finds out she is now the Oracle, she’s thrown into a world she never knew existed. Now she has to help Logan, a mysterious man who appeared on her doorstep, find his past...

Paranormal women’s fiction, is a relatively new genre (as of Feb 2021), but has proven to have a rather large following, and a number of authors interested in writing it, which is where this book comes in.
Featuring an older heroine, in a different phase of life from the usual, it’s all about life changes and new beginnings, and the idea that you’re never too old for adventures (or even a little romance).
The best thing about paranormal women’s fiction, is that the older heroines tend to have way more common sense, and do far fewer stupid things, which is often a refreshing change!
This book was entertaining and even amusing at times. The heroine gets put through the wringer, but manages to rise above everything and ‘level up’ as it were.
As the first book in a series, it’s left with an open-ending for future books, but it’s not a cliffhanger.

Recommended for those who enjoy paranormal romance, urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction.

[Bluebyyou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much didn't make sense even before the supernatural entered the picture.

Sorry, but a forty-five year old woman with two decades running a successful business faced with her issue would not be docilely signing on the dotted line, she would be on the phone to a lawyer so fast it would have made that insurance agent's head spin.

Also, that is not how life insurance policy payouts work.

And, since bigamy is illegal in the USA, the other woman is making a claim under a fraudulent name and would not have any legal standing without a court judgement.

Moreover, the insurance agent knowingly allowing a benefactor under a fraudulent name to be named on an insurance policy would be actionable.

There is no way the family business was successful enough to support TWO families when it was only bringing in money half the year.

There is no way the female lead would have been able to run a service-based business in Arizona from Massachusetts .

There is no way the female lead could have failed to notice her husband's personal and/or business expenditures suddenly far exceeded his needs and kept growing to insane heights for a man living alone. At the least, she should have had concerns he had developed an addiction, especially with Vegas so close.

The female lead has just discovered her husband has another family, she looks them up on social media, finds pics of him with his other family and softens because the children look like her LYING, CHEATING husband.

Oh, and it also made no sense that her husband allowed those pics to be posted on social media.

The female lead keeps referring to her husband's paramour as the other wife. Bigamy is illegal so the paramour is not the other wife, she is the other woman.

The female lead says she knows she has to contact the other woman because her children will want to meet the children from their father's and the other woman's union. The female lead's 'children' are adults who no longer live at home and have their own lives so, in actually fact, there is no reason for her to be involved.

There is an incident, the police are called and she STILL fails to call a lawyer.

The female lead's house was given to her by her parents, she just sold the family business, which includes a freakin' helicopter, to another tour operator and will be receiving 20% of a life insurance that was suppose to cover all financial loses caused by his death so it would be at least a million dollars, meaning she would still be receiving 200,000 dollars, yet she is whining she is broke.

And then, in chapter four, she becomes too-stupid-to-live and I gave up.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wynter Chastain woke up on the morning of her 45th birthday still sad about the death of her husband 6 months ago, but she’d planned on spending the day with her best friend at the spa. When she gets a call from her insurance agent, telling her that he needs to come over and have her sign the insurance papers, she can tell there’s something wrong. They’ve been friends for a long time, and she can tell in his voice. When he gets there, he gives her the worst news possible. Apparently when her husband lived in Arizona for 6 months out of the year, he’d had another wife and 2 small children, and had left the bulk of his life insurance policy to them. Instead of heading to the spa, she heads to the bar where she meets a stranger and heads back to his hotel.
When she comes out of the bathroom though, his room is destroyed, he’s nowhere to be found, and she’s found a snake armlet. Things go from bad to strange though. Apparently, the armlet only presents itself to the next Oracle. That’s right, Wynter is the next Oracle. Think Oracle of Delphi, only now the Oracle can be found anywhere in the world. The previous one resided in Kansas. Just like in history though, consultants show up to make requests of the Oracle, and the first shows up immediately. Not knowing what to do, Wynter has to forge her path, figure out how it works, find the grimoire, and help her first consultant. All while dealing with the fact that her husband had another wife and children, helping her grown children deal with that same fact, and protect herself from all manner of supernatural beings who are out to stop her before she finishes her first consultation and officially takes the mantle as the next mantle.
Oh, I am so happy to read a story where the main character isn’t young enough to be my daughter. I mean, a lot of the time, the age isn’t given, but you just know. Wynter’s 45 and going through menopause (I’m 50 and on the other side). It’s wonderful to see your main character is older, maybe wiser, but is still Gen X and maybe a little punk or rock ‘n roll. I can’t wait to see where this series goes. Now I’m off to grab the next book with my KU subscription!!

**Read using my Kindle Unlimited Subscription

[Anastasiya M · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one didn’t quite work for me. The premise had potential—an older woman discovering she's an Oracle while navigating menopause sounded like it could bring something fresh to the paranormal genre. But instead of leaning into the magic and mystery, it got weighed down with too much whining, repetition, and a lot of inner turmoil that honestly just dragged on. The plot moved at a snail’s pace, and any time something supernatural did happen, it was overshadowed by the main character’s endless complaints about her hot flashes, her grief, or how unfair life had become.

The main character, Jess, was supposed to be a powerful Oracle-in-the-making, but she spent most of the story either avoiding responsibility or bickering with the people around her. I understand grief, and I understand overwhelm, but I expected more growth or resilience—especially from someone in her mid-40s. Instead, her internal monologue felt strangely immature, and I found myself more frustrated than empathetic. The supporting characters felt like cookie-cutter filler: the loyal-but-annoying best friend, the impossibly perfect male lead, and a handful of forgettable magical figures thrown in to keep things "witchy."

The suburban setting, the overdone tropes, and the weird fixation on menopause felt more like distractions than depth. The genre usually lends itself to quirky fun or suspenseful drama, but this couldn’t seem to commit to either. The writing was fine at surface level, but it circled the same issues so often that I started skimming pages. I wanted more magic, more movement, more bite—and less internal rambling about hormone imbalances. Not sure I’ll be continuing with the series.

Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m pretty worked up over a fictional character/situation. I’d dig that rat bastard up and kill him all over again. Isn’t bigamy illegal? I can appreciate that Wynter doesn’t want to harm Derek’s other children, but damn. I’d at least contest the will for 50%. His actions scream that he hardly gives a fuck about his first family. Don’t even get me started on his insurance agent. Another prick. Are they like doctors and lawyers with confidentiality? I don’t think so.

Didn’t Wynter notice any kind of irregularities in their finances? Maintaining two homes/families can’t be cheap. My second question is where did the Arizona wife think Derek was six months out of the year when he wasn’t with her?* At least Wynter believed he was running their business. Could Florry contact him so Wynter could guilt him into hell?

The flowers are pretty damn suspicious since Derek thought he’d be with Wynter to celebrate (dinner & dancing reference) Why would he order flowers six months or more in advance and handwrite his own card? What a schmuck. Luckiest guy in the world my ass.

I realize all of the above is not the main storyline but it pisses me off (obviously)

I thoroughly enjoyed this and the different aspects of Wynter’s new life that she has to adjust to if she accepts the position of Oracle. The secondary characters, Logan, Shelley and her three kids are a bonus and the bad guys and gossipy women add intrigue and humor.

There supposedly are eleven books in this series, although I can only locate ten. Samhain & Stretch Marks** doesn’t appear to have been published. That’s okay. If I read these ten without interruption I will be miles behind in my other series and well over my KU allotment of books to read.

*Eventually disclosed
**Elsewhere it’s noted as a prequel featuring Florry. I was able to find it on BookFunnel. Not only that but I discovered three other books in the series -
Occult & Osteoporosis
Conjuring & Crying Spells
Tarot & Toe Tingles

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wynter Chastain’s husband has died, but maybe even worse is that she learns he had another family with kids and that all the insurance money was being paid to the second family rather than to her!

Wynter decides she needs to get away for a bit and goes to a bar where she meets Ashton Flint, a dead ringer for Indiana Jones. She goes to his hotel room and Ash is apparently attacked when she goes into the bathroom and she hears a thump outside the door. When she comes out, the room has been trashed, furniture damaged, cushions slashed, and Ash is missing. Sitting down on a slashed chair, she is poked by a bracelet of a serpent with diamond eyes that may have been dropped there. A voice in her head tells her to put the bracelet on her wrist, then a bright light comes from the serpent’s eyes and she is unconscious.

When she wakes up, the bracelet is gone. Ash is also still gone. And the voice spoke up again telling her to get out of there quickly. She feels strange and later finds a tattoo on her arm. She also hears a voice in her head… and something about an Oracle? What is happening to her?

This is fast-moving story with lots of things happening while the reader is likewise kept in the dark about what is going on. Grab your copy and see if there is any explanation for the mysterious bracelet and everything going on that makes no sense. Wynter is in trouble, but not sure how she got there or how to get out of it! Will she get her answers soon?

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was most definitely a pleasant surprise. I was looking for new (to me) PWF authors and kinda stumbled upon this one. So glad I did!
A welcome break from what has sadly become a bit of common fare within the genre.
Overall I found it an engaging, fun, interesting (the good kind) read. A bit different, haven't come across that many contemporary books featuring oracles and I'm always a sucker for stories featuring one or more of the various mythologies.
I love that there was no rush to dive into any form of new romantic entanglements.. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good romance as much as the next girl, I just always find it a bit too unbelievable how quickly some of these protagonists are ready and willing to get involved again (especially considering their backstories whether its recent widowhood or divorce/betrayal or both).
I like the mystery aspects of it and I'm learning that I prefer this type of magical inheritance/discovery rather than the usual forgotten aunt or gran.

Okay, here a few things I noticed on the technical side...
At one point it switched from past to present tense mid page for no rhyme or reason only for it to switch back to past tense a couple of pages later.
Also there were some words missing, incomplete sentences that sorta thing...

Plus, I think the tagline in the blurb would be more accurate as 6 months, 6 days, 6 minutes rather than months, hours, minutes.

[Joga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breath of fresh air. Boredom flew away.

I enjoyed “Hexes & Hot Flashes” immensely, giggles and wisdom hand in hand.

After a story such as this, there are so many things to say. First I will have to admit not being a fan of political correctness. Which leads to the danger of good people becoming annoying, when their authors rave becomes like a tutorial in everything good. In this story that can be forgiven though. Feeling like you are dumped in the middle of a movie script can also be forgiven. Quite entertaining as well. And giggles are always good. My favorite about this story are the mythical elements, and there is a lot of them. And the book as a whole is a perfection of storytelling and worldbuilding so delightfully engrossing. Loved it to pieces. And there is some enchanting wisdom as well. Hexes & Hot Flashes did more than cure my boredom. Had me staring at the sea after finishing the book. And girl, I am gonna do some researching on the mythical elements of the book after this.

Apart from all of that, it has to be said, being chosen to become the Oracle of Theama should happen to every woman. What a brilliant author. Am looking forward to read her other books, in search of the perception and magic this one has.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jan Niblock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book because I really enjoyed the previous stories by this author. I was not sure what to expect but I have to say, I loved the book. It was such a fun book to read, it has some suspense, some mystery and some paranormal.

Wynter is one tough cookie, she has lost everything that she thought was her normal life. She finds herself in a place that she thought she was losing her mind and her safety. But what I really liked about her was her ability to rise above it like a rational adult in an irrational world.

Logan is one mysterious man who comes into Wynter’s life just as she is trying to cope with finding out her dead husband had another family, being a suspect in a disappearance, and having voices in her head. He knows who she is and needs her help. Because he seems to know more about what is happening to her, she lets him stay around. But not that she really had a say in the matter, he was determined to stay until she does help him.

It will be very interesting to see where this story goes in the future. I only hope that Logan stays around in those books, I really do like him.

[Christine Rains · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wynter recently lost her husband and then finds out he had another family for years. She tries to forget the betrayal by going out dancing, but ends up with a magical bracelet which makes her the Oracle. Wynter has no idea what that means, especially when Logan turns up on her porch demanding her help and won't go away. She can't just forget about it all. If she doesn't help him and learn how to be the Oracle, she might end up dead herself.

This was a fun and light-hearted paranormal read. I really appreciate seeing an older protagonist who wasn't a klutzy idiot like other older women main characters tend to be in this genre of books. Wynter was rational, kind, and wise. She raised three kids with a husband gone half of the year and kept the books on his business. Unfortunately that leads to one issue which bothered me: if she was in charge of the finances, how did she not notice he was supporting another family? It's not easy to hide. I loved Goldie the Oracle's bracelet/tattoo and Florry, the previous Oracle. Logan was hot in an understated way. Though Wynter did have a lot on her mind with everything else rather than focusing on lusting after him.

[Just Jese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoyed this

So, although I gave it 5/5, the ending didn’t make it feel complete and I think that’s what adds to the charm of this entire story.
Wynter’s story is short of heartbreaking, like I FELT for the woman. To find out the man you loved, college sweetheart and all, for almost 3 decades cheated on you, was a bigamist and had a whole family/life that he managed to keep a secret and screwed you/your family out of a large portion of money/wealth you rightfully were entitled to. That SUCKS. Then to make matters worse, when you finally feel like doing something just for you…your entire world turns upside down.
To say she rebounded and came out of it better off is kinda lowballing it greatly.
I enjoyed meeting Logan and the kids, but c’mon don’t you wish you knew what happened in NY or how that meeting played out?
But the twisted beauty of the author not including those scenes or drawing out the aftermath of Oracle acceptance is that we only need to know when we need to know… and I guess we don’t need to know.
Can’t wait to dove into book 2!

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in the Oracle of Wynter series and I'm so excited to continue. I wasn't sure what to expect when I downloaded this book but I'm unbelievably happy with it!

Wynter Chastain is a 45 year old widow who, after her husband died, found out he led a double life (another wife and kids). She herself has 3 grown kids so throughout the book they deal with this new revelation together. On top of that, Wynter becomes the new Oracle and learns there is a supernatural world she had no idea about. She gets her first consultant, Logan, and has to help him through his problem. It said she wasn't really done helping him so I'm hoping that he keeps making a healthy appearance in the books to come because I really loved his character and there was undeniable chemistry between him and Wynter.

I loved all the characters in their own way. Especially Wynter, who is a strong female lead figuring her way through this new way of life while dealing with a mass amount of grief.

Definitely check this book out if you're into cute supernatural books. :)

[Natillie Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, Wynter, ok....when my cousin found out her husband had a second family she didn't take it near as well. LET IT OUT, GIRL. Yes by the time we get to know Wynter it has been a few months since the shock. And of course starting everything off with six, six, six is an omen.
BUT an ancient Oracle is no match for a wronged Middle-aged woman. Seriously, we hit a certain age and we don't care or give a....Though not all of us get a Hot, magical, Indiana Jones shifter coming for us.
The internal struggles, the struggles of a new life, a new job, and dang tattoo that won't mind its own business and you find there is a LOT Going on...which some authors would fail at trying to pull off, NOT Manifold though, this author knocks it out of the park and best yet THere IS A Book TWO!!!
I love that in 2021 I am finding more and more novels with and without romance, with or without paranormal elements, centered around Women outside of College.

[Mrs T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I found this little beauty, but I'm glad I did.

Wynter Chastain has recently lost her husband and is now, 6 months later about to receive the life assurance money and try to start moving on with her life.

Only life has other plans for Wynter and she can't decide if they are good, bad or worse!

There's a twist with the assurance payout (no spoilers) and on a night out, hoping for a few hours away from everything, her fling with an Indiana Jones look-a-like goes decidedly pear shaped, ending at the police station with a mysterious snake tattoo on her arm.

Wynter is now the Oracle (with a capital O). Strange things start occurring. A gorgeous hot shifter turns up on her doorstep asking for the Oracle's help. Her snake tattoo talks in her head and a ghost in a nightie and fluffy slippers is her 'spiritual guide'.

This book has such a good story line and is very amusing and I can't wait to see what book 2 brings for Wynter.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's great to see a 45-year-old woman take center stage. She spends a little more time than I enjoyed dithering and whining about her bizarre new situation when a magic bracelet changes her life - I'm sure I would do the same thing but got annoyed anyway. Once she's on board, she's pretty determined. Enjoyed the paranormal world building.

The whole book has a bit of a prelude feeling, setting up Wynter's new status as the Oracle, introducing secondary characters, solving her first problem, but leaving everyone at the fledgling stage of engaging with each other (who is Logan and what's the rest of his story? what kind of relationship are he and Wynter going to develop?). Looking forward to the next one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun idea--a magic world where the power comes not to 11-year-olds on their way to wizarding schools; nor to 20-somethings leaving getting unstuck from the humdrum and launching into paranormal lives; but to a mature woman heading into empty-nesting, menopause, and widowhood. Confident that the bumps in the writing will smooth out as we go along, I look forward to the second and third installments of this series, waiting for me on my library shelves.

note: Now that I've read the second book I'm so disappointed. Author Lisa Manifold struck a major blow against ageism, only to fall into really awful racism. But I'll do that review on Book 2. Book 1 was a fun start, and yeah, sure, I'll read Book 3 in hopes she gets her poop in a pile, as one of her characters put it, and fulfills the promise of her clever concept with some more-culturally-respectful mystical delights.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a NON-SPOILER REVIEW. Hexes and Hot Flashes by Lisa Manifold is the opener for her Oracle of Wynter series. I found this read entertaining. The characters are interesting and a bit mysterious. The storyline is amusing and a little bit of a head banger. Wynter makes a dramatic (in a good way) heroine who is having to start her life over at an age where she should be (in her opinion) settled and happy. Lots of angst and wit pepper this story making for a read that you can't put down once started. It is a series opener, so be prepared for the not quite a cliffhanger ending. A fun read that leads the reader to expect more...

This honest and voluntary review was made possible by reading a copy through Booksprout.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wynter had a bad year when her husband dies, the insurance company says they are paying the other family and not her, and she has no clue where to start from there. Meets a guy at a bar, goes home with him and he disappears and the place is trashed. She starts to hear things when she puts on a snake bracelet and then things really go wonky. Being told you are now an Oracle just makes it all come apart, but she needs answers and this guy knows things. The characters and storyline are unique and work well together. The twists and turns are crazy and she know has so much more to deal with. Loved the action and the backstories.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patrice Veilleux Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Imagination

Hahaha...I’ve read many of the women’s paranormal stories (you know, those menopausal, post-menopausal age heroines who discover their magical abilities) and I have so enjoyed reading them, it is delightful and refreshing for the women to be older and to have shared experiences with me. So that said, this writer is in a category all her own because I never knew where this story was going, it seemed like everything was a surprise her role as an Oracle and to be married to a (surprise) ...holy Toledo, I did NOT see that coming.

Really enjoyed book one and can’t wait for the next story in this series!

[Shhh We're Reading Dirty Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a few years but we finally are getting back to a book by Lisa Manifold. This first book in the Oracle of Wynter series gives us another main character in her 40’s similar to the Betwixt series and the Midlife Bounty Hunter series. We compare the different and similar ways all three series approach writing about a woman in her 40’s getting a new start in life. We don’t get the sexy times we love but it does feel like the groundwork has been set for us to get some pretty great sex scenes in future books! And what is more fun than hoping for a random hook up at a bar and ending up with a supernatural calling?

[Traci Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique premise!

It's not every day that you read a book with a talking tattoo and a chain-smoking, intermittent ghost. This book has that and so much more!

I like that there are mythological elements, and it's clear that the author did her research. I enjoyed getting to know Wynter and learning along with her what it means to be the Oracle as well as how to handle her husband having another family. She has an awful lot to deal with all at once, and she maneuvers it all very well!

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one in this series!

[R.L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Much Fun

Witty, fast moving, great characters, unique magic--there's so much to like in this book. I almost feel bad because the more trouble Wynter gets thrown at her, the more I enjoy her story.

And I love that her troubles span magic and mundane. Wynter has to deal with gossipy neighbors and a profound betrayal at the same time she's getting introduced to an entirely new layer of reality and facing off against angry myths come to life.

This was a delightful book I am sure I will want to read again. Can't wait for the next one.

[Aditi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started off as a mixed bag for me. I loved the idea that it was an oracle and something new. I liked that she didn't know magic existed and it took her a while to adapt to her new circumstances. A lot of the pwf books have women instantly go into hear me roar mode, which is great too but this was different.
It was a little repetitive initially because she was adapting to the idea of magic and how much gossip would affect her. Overall I enjoyed the book and can't wait to start the next one where less time will be spent laying out the new ideas and maybe more will happen in the story.