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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.
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent
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!
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, and Grief
ashleycmms's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Car accident, Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Stalking and Fire/Fire injury
toomanytbr's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.75
Minor: Death of parent, Car accident, Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, and Murder
bookishfaye's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
Such a perfect autumnal book!! The fall season vibes in here were honestly 10/10. This is a cozy witchy murder mystery set in a small town & I enjoyed it a lot!
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
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