Zoey Rivers has a pretty great job as Head of Staff at Sunnyside Retired Witches Community. She’s good at handling the magical messes that are part and parcel of providing a home for elderly (and some slightly senile) witches. But when the messes turn from slightly sloppy to hugely horrible, Zoey realizes there’s more involved than just her residents. If she doesn’t figure out who’s causing havoc … who’s causing havoc at the Home, the place might not be standing for much longer.
If you love crime capers with magic, mayhem, and mystery, you’ll adore Zoey Rivers and her comical crew of witch retirees.
Please note: This book is a crime caper, not a murder mystery.
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A Bottle Full of Djinn by Paula Lester is a awesome story that I have read. This is book number one in this awesome series that I have fallen in love with. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves to read cozy mysteries.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Zoey is a young witch trying to live life on her terms and build a credible rep with the paranormal community. Her mother dabled in the dark arts and as far as everyone knew came to a bad end. Now she;s head of the Sunnyside Witch;s Retirement Home. She has a boyfriend, Doug, and they are out for breakfast something that doesn;t happen often. He drops her off at work, where she also lives, and heads to his work. For the life of her Zoey cannot remember if Doug ever told her what he did for work. She gets to work and everything seems calm, or as calm as it can be in a retirement home for witchs and wizards. Then unusual events start to occur and when she tells her boyfriend he goes to visit her. Then he breaks the news..there is a djinn involved and he explains how to take care of the issue. The zany inhabitants will soon give Zoey a run for her job and sanity. Now she has to get over her animosity with her arch nemesis, Hope. But will it be in time to save her little brood , her job and her sanity.
Fantastic story and read! Giggles may abound and the light hearted will combine beautifully with the drama.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book I’ve read in this series. I love that Sunnyside is a supernatural community and the residents at the retirement home are hilarious. Can’t wait for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I would love to be a fly on the wall at this place. Sounds like so much fun! I was ecstatic with the story and the path to the end came about!! A new author for me, you should read it!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Zoey is the head of staff at Sunnyside Retired Witches Community Center for aging witches and warlocks. Someone is causing trouble at the center, exploding cakes, loud noises in the night, etc., which in turn has everyone in an uproar. Zoey isn’t sure if its one of the magical seniors, who all have issues, or if there is someone else causing mischief. This was such a fun book, alot different from all the murder mysteries. I loved it and plan to read more.
This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery. It has a great combination of mystery, suspense, humor and a lot of troubling problems. The characters are all fun and lovable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Zoe and Steve really have their hands full as director and assistant director of their retirement home for witches and wizards.
Zoe came from a long line of strong magic, but gave most of it up after her mom disappeared doing dark magic.
The subsequent disappearance of her father, after she graduated high school, left Zoe essentially an orphan.
She built a family of friends around her, and a home in the retirement center where she lived.
Looks like a Djinn is up to some mischief this time, with a few magical boosts from some residents.
Working together with her extended circle of friends, they manage to contain the main troubles, deal with some other sticky staffing issues, and a few family issues for someone else.
Trust and some close friends seems to be the key for Zoe – even if sometimes has to learn to trust herself and her own powers
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout.
I read it on Kindle Unlimited and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Bottle Full of Djinn
Sunnyside Retired Witches Community Book 1
Paula Lester
This was so much fun. I loved this book. It was full of funny and quirky characters that you cannot help but love. Zoey is out to solve a crime and everyone is there to help with fun and magical results. The Sunnyside Retired Witches Community is a laugh a minute. You won’t want to miss it!
A crime caper mystery with fun and hi jinks that the retired witches get up to. Not all mysteries involve murder. There are other types, this is one. A great one too!!!!!!
I would love to know what a ‘normal day’ would be at this place. It seems that everyday there is something going on. Now add a Djinn to the mix, where did he come from?
As I write this, I think that these are normal days. Put retired witches together in one place, add magic and not being bored. What will happen?
What happened to Susan when she ‘retired’? What work does Zoey’s current boyfriend do? Looking forward to more of the frenemy between Zoey and Hope. Is Snores really sleeping all that time?
This is my honest and freely given review. I did receive an ARC book.
This author is new for me but that is the beauty of bookshelf you’re able to find awesome new authors to get hooked on. I loved this book because it is quirky and funny about retired witches and what they do and I can’t wait to read more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Bottle Full of Djinn is not what I expected. It was a cute read and a lot of fun, but it wasn’t much of a mystery. When I read a cozy I expected there to be at least one murder but there were none in this book. The mystery was one better suited for younger readers – who is causing the trouble at the retirement home for witches. There were plenty of funny moments, heavy on the over-the-top slapstick element. These would appeal to young readers as well as adults.
A Bottle Full of Djinn has plenty of senior witch hijinks, absurd situations, and laugh out loud instances galore. The writing was well done, and the characters were a joy to follow, even if some were more developed than others. There were a few loose ends and things that didn’t add up, but what’s the worry when the purpose is fun and a happy ending is in the offering .
This book is suitable for all ages.
4 / 5
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Zoey is the Head of Staff at Sunnyside Retired Witches Community and usually takes the chaos in stride… until the day it’s just too much. Turns outs there’s a djinni loose wreaking all kinds of havoc and it’s up to Zoey to put it back in its bottle. Easier said than done, of course!
I enjoyed this book as much as I did the prequel, because while I like cozy murder mysteries, sometimes I like a little chaos and humor and no murder mysteries, too. Zoey’s boyfriend identifies her problem and she must again rely on the collective knowledge of her staff, residents and nemesis Hope to solve it. Mayhem ensues. Lots of fun to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Zoey Rivers has her hands full as the Head of Staff at the Sunnyside Retired Withes Community. Not only has the cook quit, but strange things are happening to cause havoc at the home. When she gets the heads up that Djinn might be running loose at the home, Zoey must ask the help of her frenemy to bring order back to the community.
The pages are filled with lots of magic, mayhem, madcap adventure, and an entertaining supporting cast of characters that include retired witches. If you like humor as part of your mystery, then this book has what you are looking for.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Enter the world of Sunnyside, and the Sunnyside Retired Witches Community. Aging supernaturals all living together (or trying to, or maybe not . . . ) and Zoey, the Head of Staff has the daunting job of keeping them all from destroying the facility and one another. There is never a dull moment, as the residents work mischief on one another, accidentally or intentionally (or sometimes even in their sleep). Add to this the internal bickering of the staff, and the small-town rivalries of Sunnyside itself, Zoey finds herself running to keep up with the hilarious pandemonium of every day life. And now there is a series of potentially destructive phenomena at the retirement community, as Zoey sets out to solve the mystery.
This is the first of a new series by Paula Lester, (not including the pre-quel, Ghostly Trails, also highly recommended) and it leaves the reader wishing for more. The characters are cranky, lovable, and real. Filled with page-turning suspenseful situations, this delightful story is a relaxing introduction to a whimsical world that you’ll want to visit again and again.
Zoey is the head of staff for a magical retirement community. Her town of Sunnyside, California, is full of witches and warlocks, though normals do occasionally pass through town. People aren’t supposed to use magic in public, but they are often lax about it. Strange events that Zoey can’t explain start happening at the retirement community, a kitchen covered in chocolate cake batter, farm animals in the common room, and a ghost. Will Zoey figure out what’s going on? Will she lose staff and residents because of this?
If you read the prequel to The Sunnyside Retired Witches Community series, you are familiar with the quirky world and cast characters that make up the greater and smaller communities of Sunnyside. The author does a fantastic job of integrating magic into the story, often in a humorous fashion. It’s an engaging read that makes you wonder what funny, offbeat thing will happen next, whether it is magical or not. The book is a delightful way to spend an afternoon.
This was a great start to a new series. A retirement community for witches. That’s a brilliant idea. This book was filled with mayhem and twists and turns. Who knew that retired witches were so mischievous.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A slow start despite the action but once the djinn was introduced I couldn’t put it down. Will be interested in seeing what happens next in the series. I would recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Seniors are FUN! I am so hoping to have the energy and zest these retirees have when I hit 65 and older! Add magic and a djinn to the mix and it’s an adventure not to be missed. I’m excited about book 2!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.