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whosjessanyway's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.75
I loved this book so much. The mystery was so much fun, the vibes were incredibly cozy and autumnal, the characters were so likeable! So enjoyable while still dealing with some delicate and important themes. I had a blast.
That was the thing about grief I had come to know so well. It was always too much. The loss always too big. The pain always takes up too much space. It takes all the room you have until there is nothing left, and then it takes even more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
chrism6's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
renpuspita's review
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When reading through "In the Company of Witches" reviews, I see that this book penned as "Practical Magic meet Gilmore Girls". I said, I never watch them both, but I pick this title because I love read any book with witch on it. Add with the book genre that is cozy mystery and the colorful cover, I'm sold already. However, after finish reading, I'm a little bit conflicted to rate this book. I'm hovering between 3 or 4, or maybe 3,5. Then, I decide to give 3 because, while I enjoy the story there is something of this book that didn't sit well with me.
In the Company tell the story about the Warren witches and their B&B in the small town called Evenfall. They are mostly good witches with our heroine, Brynn can converse with the dead, while her aunt Izzy is a kitchen witch and the other aunt, Nora is a garden witch. Brynn's uncle, Gideon, deal with premonition but for something that happen in the past, he rarely left the B&B attic. Like your usual cozy mystery, there was a murder with a mix of closed room case. There's some sleuthing by Brynn to clear Nora's name because Nora is the person that discover the victim body. There's a mystery of whodunnit while the whydunnit itself is pretty much simple to guess.
This book main theme is apparently how to deal with your grief and let the past go. The grief is pretty apparent not just from Brynn that lost her husband a year before the story start and make her lost her ability to perform magic, but to others characters as well. However, the grief theme also overwhelmed another aspect, like the mystery. The mystery itself is pretty easy to guess. Sure, there was false lead and some red herrings, but in the end my guess was right. This book is more like how to deal with your family, and the mystery just like a second theme. There's so many family drama, not only between the Warrens, but also from the victim family. In which, when the truth behind the victim demise come out the light, all I feel is a sadness. How, even bound by blood, family can be strangers and tear each other apart, all that left are regrets.
While I enjoy reading Brynn's voice since the story is told entirely from her PoV, I have problem with one of the aunt and she's Nora. At first I think Nora's problem is her temper that running hot, contrast with her big sister, Izzy that pretty much a peacemaker and hate conflict. However, I see that Nora just love to girlbossing to the point it's become so annoying to read. She's not only bossy, sometimes childish, aggressive, abrasive and maybe a little bit narcissistic; but I don't like the way Nora gaslighting Brynn to move on from her grief. She literally challenge everyone and while I get that this is the way Nora care for people she love and she never hesitate to play bad witch or use forbidden spell to help a friend in need, I just don't like her gaslighting. I also feel that there's not much groveling from Nora since she think her attitudes were justified while in the other side Brynn say sorry because Brynn hide the fact that her magic was gone because of the grief. It's just feel..unfair. Brynn try her damnedest to clear Nora's name from being a culprit yet Nora pay it by gaslighting Brynn to move on and accept that her husband is gone.
The writing itself actually pretty good since the author successfully make me hating Nora and try to sympathize with Brynn, lel. There's also no detective or law enforcement that lead the investigation just like in any cozy mystery I read since the mystery mostly solved by Brynn playing amateur sleuth and with some help of magic. I did enjoy read this one, but I just hope that Nora's part can be handle differently.
In the Company tell the story about the Warren witches and their B&B in the small town called Evenfall. They are mostly good witches with our heroine, Brynn can converse with the dead, while her aunt Izzy is a kitchen witch and the other aunt, Nora is a garden witch. Brynn's uncle, Gideon, deal with premonition but for something that happen in the past, he rarely left the B&B attic. Like your usual cozy mystery, there was a murder with a mix of closed room case. There's some sleuthing by Brynn to clear Nora's name because Nora is the person that discover the victim body. There's a mystery of whodunnit while the whydunnit itself is pretty much simple to guess.
This book main theme is apparently how to deal with your grief and let the past go. The grief is pretty apparent not just from Brynn that lost her husband a year before the story start and make her lost her ability to perform magic, but to others characters as well. However, the grief theme also overwhelmed another aspect, like the mystery. The mystery itself is pretty easy to guess. Sure, there was false lead and some red herrings, but in the end my guess was right. This book is more like how to deal with your family, and the mystery just like a second theme. There's so many family drama, not only between the Warrens, but also from the victim family. In which, when the truth behind the victim demise come out the light, all I feel is a sadness. How, even bound by blood, family can be strangers and tear each other apart, all that left are regrets.
While I enjoy reading Brynn's voice since the story is told entirely from her PoV, I have problem with one of the aunt and she's Nora. At first I think Nora's problem is her temper that running hot, contrast with her big sister, Izzy that pretty much a peacemaker and hate conflict. However, I see that Nora just love to girlbossing to the point it's become so annoying to read. She's not only bossy, sometimes childish, aggressive, abrasive and maybe a little bit narcissistic; but I don't like the way Nora gaslighting Brynn to move on from her grief. She literally challenge everyone and while I get that this is the way Nora care for people she love and she never hesitate to play bad witch or use forbidden spell to help a friend in need, I just don't like her gaslighting. I also feel that there's not much groveling from Nora since she think her attitudes were justified while in the other side Brynn say sorry because Brynn hide the fact that her magic was gone because of the grief. It's just feel..unfair. Brynn try her damnedest to clear Nora's name from being a culprit yet Nora pay it by gaslighting Brynn to move on and accept that her husband is gone.
The writing itself actually pretty good since the author successfully make me hating Nora and try to sympathize with Brynn, lel. There's also no detective or law enforcement that lead the investigation just like in any cozy mystery I read since the mystery mostly solved by Brynn playing amateur sleuth and with some help of magic. I did enjoy read this one, but I just hope that Nora's part can be handle differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent
defenders_iris's review
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is peak cozy mystery, with a gentle tale of grief interwoven. The author is very good at using simple words and descriptions to achieve an amazing mind picture for all the scenes, and the magic is believable without begging the question of "why can't they just use magic to solve the problem."
I really enjoyed this book and am for sure purchasing the sequel!
I really enjoyed this book and am for sure purchasing the sequel!
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
alexisgarcia's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this was very cozy and fun, but this also contained a lot of commentary about grief. i liked this a lot!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, and Grief
jeimy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I absolutely adored this book for so many reasons. I would say it’s a cozy mystery, but it’s also so much more than that.
Wallace took really conventional things like witches, murder, small towns and made it unique. The way she brought the setting to life, made the characters multi-dimensional and likable, and kept me hooked along the way is just amazing.
But my absolute favorite thing about this book is that we have a woman protagonist who doesn’t see finding love as her main focus. Instead, we get toexplore grief and loss, and feel acutely how the loss of Brynn’s husband has affected her. It’s really just the best. I’m saving book #2 for the right time—whether that be in the fall or when i want a warm hug in book form!
Wallace took really conventional things like witches, murder, small towns and made it unique. The way she brought the setting to life, made the characters multi-dimensional and likable, and kept me hooked along the way is just amazing.
But my absolute favorite thing about this book is that we have a woman protagonist who doesn’t see finding love as her main focus. Instead, we get to
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
jenncortes's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
laurel616's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I really wanted to love this book. It has a few great things going for it:
- Cozy mystery vibes
- No romance subplot that takes over the book
- Main character is a witch in a family of witches
However, I couldn't get over the characterization of many, but most egregiously Nora. This is supposed to be an older and experienced witch and she is acting like someone in a bad sitcom - just stirring the pot and acting (or threatening to act) on all these wild emotions that are not reasonable for a mature adult that has been hiding as a witch their whole life.
I was also really disappointed in how the characterization of Gideon plays out. He's disability-coded, but
Overall, I don't think I am going to remember this book in a few months, nor do I have interest in reading the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Death of parent and Domestic abuse
dainty_books's review
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief and Murder
saramcaps's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Into the cauldron: the young grieving widow from Practical Magic, the town lore and inn from Gilmore Girls, the zany aunts from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and add a ghostly murder mystery. Truly a perfect cocktail for cozy fall fantasy.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief and Murder