It all started with a demon in a big-box store…
When a series of demon attacks rocks the magical world, reluctant witch investigator Alma Bellrose will have to separate friend from foe to find out why—before it leads to the destruction of her supernatural town, her friends, and herself.
So much happens in this book, all starting with Alma being confronted by a demon. She seems to be much more powerful than I’d realised, and I enjoy reading all the different magical things she can do.
This one has all the characters we loved in the first two books, some surprising twists and an ending that leaves you wanting more. A great addition to the series!
Once again, while only trying to go about her day, Alma’s swept up in chaos. And I was swept up right along with her, no other choice except to hang on for the ride. It’s a twisty, tangled plot filled with misdirections and double-crosses. With more secrets and lies than you can shake a magical staff at. I don’t know what to say about the things I loved most about this story without giving away the best revelations. This book might just have left me with more questions than it answered, but I love that we’re learning even more about Alma and her abilities, while discovering new unique residents of Silverpool. The ending has left me speechless and completely rabid to find out what will happen next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
A Spell to Die For is the third installment in the Sonoma Witches series and although it can be read as a stand-alone, I urge you to read them in order.
The main character, Alma Belrose is a witch with an incurable inability to kill demons. She has been honorably discharged from the Protectorate and although she’s no longer an agent (the official name of a demon-hunter witch) the Protectorate often enlists her help solving murders. They don’t ask nicely, not that she would agree if they did, they leverage her to do the work for them.
I love how Gretchen Galway has developed Alma’s character gradually over the course of three books and I look forward to seeing the character developed further in the series. Some of Alma’s mysteries are unknown even to herself. Having been raised by a single father with questionable morals, an infamous thief who refused to talk about her dead mother, Alma discovers her true nature bit by bit.
A Spell to Die for reveals more about Alma’s past, her strained relationship with her father, and the mystery surrounding her mother.
The supporting characters are endearing and their story blends well with Alma’s story arc. I love both Birdie and Seth. Birdie didn’t know she was a witch until the previous book, Hex at a House Party and now, Alma teaches her how to control her power and do magic. At this point, her magic is still weak but Birdie is getting better.
Seth is another of my favorite characters. He’s a changeling, and according to the Protectorate he should die but Alma’s inability to kill prevented his demise. He is now Alma’s neighbor and friend. She worries about him often and even goes to great length to hide his existence and keep him alive.
He shrugged.
“You’re doing that thing you do again.”
His nonchalance annoyed me. “Keeping you alive?”
“Suffering in a future that may never come.”
Another awesome side character is Willy, the gnome living in the redwood tree in front of Alma’s house. He is always polite and well-mannered but more powerful than anyone realizes, including Alma. He is fond of her and protects her by threatening anyone who tries to harm her. Alma offers him treats and springwater (with magical properties).
We don’t know much about his magic powers but it’s hinted that witches fear him. When two Protectorate agents come to her house acting aggressively he sets them in their place instantly. That was an unexpected show of force but very satisfying to read.
Read the full review with reference to the other books one the series here: https://www.summonfantasy.com/book-reviews/a-spell-to-die-for-by-gretchen-galway-book-review
It started with a Demon in a big box store…. From that opening line, once again the reader is hooked into the world of Alma Bellrose, the “simple” hearth witch who is anything but simple. Alma’s nurturing spirit is determined to protect Silverpool and its citizens from danger posed by random spirits and the ironically named Protectorate, of which she was once, and may be again, a member. A sudden invitation to her father’s wedding does not bring joy to Alma. Malcolm Bellrose’s talent lies with thievery and trickery not with anything remotely paternal. Alma was raised without a mother in what was truly a den of a thief! But as Alma gets drawn back into her father’s orbit, events shake her little corner of the world to its core!
“Spellbinding” is the operative word for this series by Gretchen Galway. The tale this author weaves is riveting, but so is Ms. Galway’s writing style as well. Although I am not a fan of the 1st person POV, its use here truly places the reader in Alma’s boots. Every emotion, every ache, is felt and more importantly, the surrounding characters come alive through Alma’s eyes. As the Sonoma Witches series continues to unfold, it appears Alma’s power seems to grow. The mystery surrounding her mother, the intricacies of The Protectorate and some eye-opening revelations seem to batter Alma as the story flows along. But our favorite witch is stronger than anything a demon, any member of The Protectorate and anything her father can dish out to her.
Pieces of the puzzle that is Alma’s background begin to fall in place, and the reader cannot wait to see when the full picture is seen! And although the story does not end on a conventional cliffhanger, that last line…… oh boy, I CANNOT WAIT for the next book in this series!