Review and Giveaway: It Takes a Witch

It Takes a Witch (Wishcraft - Book 1) by Heather Blake


Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 309pp
ISBN-13: 978-0451235527

ISBN: 0451235525

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian Mystery)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Heather Blake on the WEB: website, blog, facebook, twitter


Books in the Series: It Takes a Witch (2012), A Witch Before Dying (2012)


Excerpt from It Takes a Witch


Synopsis:


Darcy Merriweather and her sister, Harper, hail from a long line of witches who have the power to grant wishes using spells. They've come to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, to join the family business, but they soon find themselves knee-deep in murder...


Until three weeks ago, Darcy and Harper were working dead-end jobs and trying to put their troubles behind them. Then their aunt Velma delivered a bombshell: They're actually Wishcrafters - witches with the power to grant wishes with a mere spell. Wanting a fresh start, they head to their aunt's magic-themed tourist town to master their newfound skills.

But their magic fails them when a wannabe witch turns up dead - strangled with Aunt Ve's scarf - and Ve's sweetheart, Sylar, is found looming over the body. Ve is standing by her man, but Darcy overheard Sylar wish that the victim would disappear - forever. With Harper distracted by her handsome new crush, Darcy is determined to sleuth her way to the truth. But it'll take more than a wish to unravel this mystery...


Thoughts:


It Takes a Witch marks the beginning of the Wishcraft series by Heather Blake. It's a cozy with a touch of magic that will appeal to paranormal fans as well as mystery buffs. Blake is no stranger to the publishing world and it's easy to see why she's so successful. If It Take's a Witch is any indication this going to be a rocking series! This first in a series book, certainly doesn't need any grace.

A lot of times an author spends an inordinately large part of the first book in a series, setting up the background, introducing the characters and setting and generally a lot of detail work and sometimes the actual plot of the book suffers a little bit. That certainly wasn't the case with this book. Blake strikes the perfect balance, keeping the set up directly tied to the story itself. I loved the idea of "Enchanted Village" and the fact that it was in Salem was a nice touch. History fans will enjoy the nod.

The Merriweather sisters come from a long line of witches with the ability to cast spells granting wishes, wishcrafters, if you will. Not knowing about their heritage or their abilities both girls are working dead-end jobs and wondering why they don't quite fit in. After their fathers death, their aunt Ve invites them to join the family business of wishcrafting and asks them to come to Enchanted Village so they can learn to do what they were born for. It's a new lease on life for Darcy and Harper as Blake starts to develop these two wonderful characters. I thought she did an excellent job of showing how the girls reacted to the impossible and unbelievable.


When their Aunt Ve's boyfriend Sylar (love the name) becomes involved in a murder it looks like it might take more than a few wishes to figure out what really happened. I liked the fact that there was a lot more going on than what met the eye. The author did a great job of providing just the right amount of suspects and several red herrings to throw the reader off. I don't always want to figure it out too quickly. I like to be surprised and Blake certainly did that. I thought she played well off the idea of witches living and working out in the open with mortals. It sat well with me as a reader was believable along with the reason why the girls were investigating. It was a plausible story line if taken from a paranormal viewpoint.


I have a penchant for the paranormal and I love cozies, so mixing the two together for me is always a very good read. This book was well written and interesting. The characters were fun and upbeat and the subject of murder was lightened by comic relief and a few messed up wishes. I rarely mention covers in a review other than to post them, but I have to say that the cover design for this book was fantastic. The colors, the touch of glitter in the swirls, it definitely said magic in a big way. 


I loved this one and I know you will too! I recommend it to cozy fans who like their mysteries with a touch of magic. This one is a great first in a series book and gives off the potential for an amazing series. Can't wait til the next one!

It Takes a Witch is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Heather Blake grew up in a suburb of Boston, and enjoys going "home" in her novels. As a young mother, she tried her hand at writing novels, and she hasn't looked back. Heather lives in the Cincinnati area with her high school sweetheart, their children, and Max the fish. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake.

~ You must be a GFC follower or E-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only (publisher request).
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST February 1st. 


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