Maggie is just getting used to the idea that she may be a witch when she is drawn again into a murder mystery. Amanda is the kind of girl who loves to make you hate her so when she dies, suspects abound. Maggie is drawn into the mystery by Amanda's mom who asks for help. What else can she do?

These books are fluff, but fun fluff. ( )

Mystery with preachy wiccan, New Age ideas, with angsty teenagers ( )

The fun subgenre of paranormal, cozy mysteries (double-sub really) usually dishes out cute situations, humorous pitfalls and of course a dash of magically-inclined charm. Maybe that’s why this failed? It just didn’t do enough of those traits.

Story isn’t too bad – an obnoxious teen gets killed, the small town finds it tragic, and our protagonist solves the crime. She works at a shop, Enchanted, under her employer, pro-witch type.

The start is semi-sluggish but needed to establish scene of crime. I didn’t feel enough enchantment to rush back to the book so it took me awhile to finish this one. The middle grows more interesting once some personal drama squirts some needed life into it. What really irked me was that the ending half got much better, only to have the last chapter or so result to stupidity.

Suddenly the heroine, a woman with her hand on her shoulders, starts acting stupid for the sake of the story. The whole trip for evidence was just hokey and unnecessary. The phone and picture convenient setup? Puh-leeze. Why steal a frame, who not just take a picture of it? Why wait almost the entire book for high res shots and then want them sent to your cellphone? And even if the person is recognized in the shot, how do you automatically know they are the killer because of that?

The heroine is likeable enough, although a bit too goody sometimes. Tom as her romantic interest is dull, have no idea why she cares. Instead of loving Felicity as a super sweet, supportive boss, she irritated me with her clicheness and wise woman persona. There is a clear cookie cutter formula used for characterization. And while I did feel bad for the grieving parents, the ‘victim’ was loathsome and I couldn’t care less about her.

Madeline Alt does write well. She keeps to the point, avoids over-elaborating, keeps pacing consistent, but needs to improve on unrealistic, staged dialogue, especially in the last quarter between her and her boss and best friend upstairs.

Romance is pretty much not there but there are some hints to come. I have to admit I’m curious on what’s going to happen in that department. The mystery isn’t complicated to solve; there weren’t enough players to strongly consider. I guessed before so it wasn’t a big surprise. On it being paranormal, sometimes it delves into that and other times it went so long without it I’d forget it was supposed to be a paranormal novel. I’m not impressed yet with the magic stuff but it has the potential to develop into something better later.

I may like the next book if I get my hands on it. The writer does her job well but there are some rough edges needing polishing.
( )

Well this is better than the first book in the series.....

But I am gonna tell you...I liked the mystery part...and I liked the "paranormal" part, because I live like that...but I do not like dumb-bunny scaredy-cats...and I do not like run on description...that is just filler and has little or no bearing on the story.....

I have just finished this second book, which was better...and not as much description...but there might have been, because I skimmed the "blathering" parts! Oh and the dumb-bunny scaredy-cat hasn't evolved much...but it has only been two months in the book's time frame from the last murder.

Hmmmmm......

So...the Hottie Cop isn't talking to her (you know he doesn't like paranormals) because she opened her mouth before he could tell her his reasoning for arresting the G-Witch (to keep her out of harms way & get to the real killer).... She's withholding major evidence from the police....I told you she's a dumb-bunny. She still works in a paranormal shop but gets spooked when the paranormal happens around her (well Duh! Look where you work & who you spend time with)...and she still will not tell her mother or sister to stop dumping on her!

But the mystery was ok...this young WRAP (White Rich American Princess) gets murdered Found dead in the water, but no water in her lungs, a bullet in the back of her head....the gal has a roll of banknotes that she didn't get from her parents, she has two guys on the line, she writes a secret sex blog (but all the h.s kids know about it), she takes spy photos of herself & the men she S****S....and hides the evidence. Her mother finds out (after the girl gets murdered) and gives the evidence to dumb-bunny scaredy-cat...who instead of turning it over to the police...decides to take a look at the photos...bad move..... ( )

not bad, kept me interested ( )