Helpful Score: 12
LOVED IT!
Meet Lily Ivory, San Fransisco's newest resident witch. She owns and runs a vintage clothing shop in the Haight area. Soon after aquiring a bunch of old clothes from elderly Mrs. Potts, her little neighbor Jessica gets snached by a demon named La Llorna. Soon after, Mrs Potts is found dead in her home in the middle of a pentagram.
Now Lily must work hard to figure out the connection between the two crimes, save the girl, clear her name, and banish the demon. (and she does it all with class and style)
She is supported by a colorful cast of friends, including a myth-buster, a local male witch, her new familiar (think Black cat, only a gargoyle-slash-pig -- who TALKS), and a local coven of witches.
I am highly anticipating the next in the series, due out June 2010. I think this book was far better than Madelyn Alts Bewitching series. Theres a whole lot more spell casting, and i found that the information provided along the way throughout the book was extremely accurate, as far as practicing witchcraft goes.
This book had a nice blend of paranormal, suspence, magic, rituals, humor, mystery, and a lite budding romance. Its a very well done mystery! No sex scenes, and no swear words.
A perfect little cozy!
Meet Lily Ivory, San Fransisco's newest resident witch. She owns and runs a vintage clothing shop in the Haight area. Soon after aquiring a bunch of old clothes from elderly Mrs. Potts, her little neighbor Jessica gets snached by a demon named La Llorna. Soon after, Mrs Potts is found dead in her home in the middle of a pentagram.
Now Lily must work hard to figure out the connection between the two crimes, save the girl, clear her name, and banish the demon. (and she does it all with class and style)
She is supported by a colorful cast of friends, including a myth-buster, a local male witch, her new familiar (think Black cat, only a gargoyle-slash-pig -- who TALKS), and a local coven of witches.
I am highly anticipating the next in the series, due out June 2010. I think this book was far better than Madelyn Alts Bewitching series. Theres a whole lot more spell casting, and i found that the information provided along the way throughout the book was extremely accurate, as far as practicing witchcraft goes.
This book had a nice blend of paranormal, suspence, magic, rituals, humor, mystery, and a lite budding romance. Its a very well done mystery! No sex scenes, and no swear words.
A perfect little cozy!
Helpful Score: 6
Juliet Blackwell has written the first book, Secondhand Spirits, in her Witchcraft Mystery series and I just loved it! I found Lily Ivory to be a thoroughly likable witch who hopes to finally settle and make a home in San Francisco's bay area, specifically in the colorful and historically offbeat Haight Ashbury neighborhood. Throw in two sexy albeit different men, one maniacal demon, a frightening urban legend come to life, and other delightful characters...well then, you have the ingredients for a great book. I didn't stop until the last page, then moaned dramatically when I realized the next adventure with Lily Ivory and friends would not be until next June of 2010! Kudos to a wonderfully talented author with a wicked pen and a lovely imagination. If you enjoy settling in with a mystery that involves magic, ghosts, goblins, sexy male witches, hunky mythbusters and a grab bag of cheerfully eccentric characters...then this is a great read and treasure for your keeper shelf. Buy it and enjoy! I give it my highest recommendation.
Helpful Score: 6
Well, it was different than what I was expecting. There were excellent and realistic depictions of witchcraft mixed with the more fantastical Hollywood depictions of it. I felt conflicted by this throughout the entire book. I guess I don't understand why the author chose to mix realism with fantasy as much as she did. Weird. I enjoyed the store and the cast of characters quite a bit. I liked the setting, the action, and most aspects of the story. I just didn't like the real versus Hollywood versions of magic. It was just so inconsistent for me that it took away some of my enjoyment. I would be willing to give the next book in the series a try, though. There were definitely enough positives for me to go into the next one with an open mind.
Helpful Score: 4
Very enjoyable. Ms Blackwell will have lots of flexibility with this series in the future. The main character, Lily, and her supporting cast can grow in all different direction. Plot was quick and fun. Discussion of vintage clothing was interesting. My was okay, not great but kept you interested. I will definately get the second book when it comes out in June.
Helpful Score: 4
I really liked this book... a very good start by new author. The storyline is well written, I like the fact that the main character, who is a witch, shows respect for her powers and magic, she didn't over due it and made the magic she performed seem believable... the author actually seemed do have done some research on performing spells and use of the craft. Also nice to read about a male witch character.
I am excited to read the sequel book.
I am excited to read the sequel book.
Helpful Score: 2
Enjoyable, easy read. Cute urban fantasy involving a "natural" witch Lily Ivory, some light romance.
Helpful Score: 2
I loved this book! Can't wait for the next book in the series. This book also hit home with the story of The Llorona, the kids in family were always scared with that story.
Helpful Score: 2
Loved it. Set in San Francisco where I'm from so that helped. I'm looking forward to the next one!
Michelle R. (atammcreation) reviewed Secondhand Spirits (Witchcraft, Bk 1) on + 41 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I discovered author Juliet Blackwell awhile back when I found her Haunted Home Renovation Series, and I loved that first book so much, that I researched the author to see what else she might hve written, and discovered this series, A Witchcraft Mystery.
I loved this book. Lily is our lead, a powerful witch, that we know very little about, so we discover just a little about her history, with so many more mysteries in her as a person herself yet to discover. Bronwyn is actually a wiccan, a normal human who practices witchcraft as a religion, but not a real witch and not powerful. Bronwyn shares space in the store with Lily and can already tell what Lily is, before and without Lily telling her. She becomes something of a friend to Lily, the first of her life. Maya is a student at the Fine Arts College that is recording histories of people, and in that role finds a number of vintage clothing stashes for Lily. Se also, although being skeptical of the whole paranormal world, another friend to Lily.
In this, the first of the series, Lily and Maya met with an elder lady who isn't all that she seems, and while they are visiting to look for clothes, a young girl down the street is "abducted". Lily takes it upon herself to try to figure out what is going on and to get the girl back.
It is a well-written and charming story that weaves it's way around, introducing a number of people, giving us just a touch about them, not too much but just enough to keep us interested. So looking forward to the next book to see where each of these people go, the history and pasts that they bring to the story and where they are headed. I find myself wanting to discover more about the people.
Another great book by Juliet Blackwell.
View all my reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book. I had expected it to be somewhat chicklit, but that wasn't the case at all. Our heroine has plenty of spunk and her missteps did not make me cringe. I am very excited to see where Blackwell will go with this series.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was better than I expected. I felt that San Fransisco was accurately depicted, there was a nice distinction between Wicca as a religion and Witches in general and the characters were lovable. Overall, I liked it and will read the next eagerly.
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed it, different, spooky, surprising and touching at times. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed this book. Something a little different then I normally read. Would definately read the next in the series .
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed this first book in this series and can't wait to read number two. A light read in the cozy genre about a powerful young witch, Lily, who is just learning to find happiness with a new set of friends in her new San Francisco home. While I would not have expected to be endeared to a demon, Oscar, Lily's new familiar, is such a sweet entity.
This book was certainly more than I expected, looking at the cover. I anticipated a light, silly mystery, but there was actually some meat to it. There was definitely a light side to the story, with humor and endearing characters, but I got the feeling that the author had really done her homework regarding the Craft and wove it into a story of good versus evil. I'd definitely recommend it and am looking forward to the second book in the series.
Irene L H. (NonExistence) -
Secondhand Spirits is an enjoyable and admirable story that will draw you into a world of magic, spirits, witchcraft, vintage clothes, and friendships. While the story does have a light feel, this is not a frothy, comedic mystery at all. I enjoyed the story of Lily and her evolving life as much as the mystery.
The writer is clearly gifted and has done her research.
Juliet Blackwell or (Haley Lind) did a great job of reeling me into her book. I would definitely recommend trying "Secondhand Spirits". It was a pleasure to read.
The writer is clearly gifted and has done her research.
Juliet Blackwell or (Haley Lind) did a great job of reeling me into her book. I would definitely recommend trying "Secondhand Spirits". It was a pleasure to read.
First things first, I love the cover of this novel. Anyone who knows me knows that I dont pay much attention to the cover of a book when deciding whether to read it and that was the case when I decided on Secondhand Spirits. However, it would be wrong of me not to point out that the cover has glitter. Raised, sparkly mist surrounds the woman in pink to imply an overflowing amount of magic within her. But now that Im looking at it again, I could see how someone might confuse the wispy smoke with a bad odor or extremely nasty gas.
Still. Glitter.
Throughout the first half of the book, I found myself rolling my eyes at how blatantly alike it was to another book Ive read, Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway. In the interest of fairness, I looked up the publication dates of the two novels. Tall, Dark & Dead came out in 2006, four years before Secondhand Spirits was published. Unless the similarities between the novels are merely coincidental, Juliet Blackwell likely copied Tate Hallaway, but Ill leave it up to you, readers, to decide for yourselves.
Read more: http://theparanormalreview.blogspot.com/2014/08/secondhand-spirits-by-juliet-blackwell.html
Still. Glitter.
Throughout the first half of the book, I found myself rolling my eyes at how blatantly alike it was to another book Ive read, Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway. In the interest of fairness, I looked up the publication dates of the two novels. Tall, Dark & Dead came out in 2006, four years before Secondhand Spirits was published. Unless the similarities between the novels are merely coincidental, Juliet Blackwell likely copied Tate Hallaway, but Ill leave it up to you, readers, to decide for yourselves.
Read more: http://theparanormalreview.blogspot.com/2014/08/secondhand-spirits-by-juliet-blackwell.html
This is a frothy mystery with a little paranormal thrown in, I'd say it's skimmed milk really. If you're looking for a light read, this could be it, but don't expect much. The story is of a displaced witch trying to settle in San Francisco via a vintage-clothes shop on Haight Street, who ends up dealing with child-stealing demon La Llorona. The plot goes along okay until the rather disappointing climax, which to me was full of holes, writing-wise. Meant to be a series, you can see the story buds that are meant to grow later on. But for this book, those sketchy references leave you with an incomplete feeling. If you want a meatier witch, try Kim Harrison The Hollows series.
I didn't think this was as good as the Madelyn Alt series but I will read the next one to see if it gets any better.
This is a fun read. A distraction from everyday life, light and airy and hard tto put down.
