The only thing more twisted than a cursed witch is her family tree.For the past fourteen years, Edgehill’s resident secret witch, Amber Blackwood, has been haunted by her parents’ deaths. The whole town knows about the tragedy, but the details remain a mystery even to Amber. From her tiny studio apartment above her shop, The Quirky Whisker, Amber can see her partially rebuilt old house out on the … old house out on the edge of town. Although she now has a good life—delighting children with her magically infused toys, concocting healing tinctures for Edgehill’s residents, doting on her cats, Tom and Alley, and sitting on the committee for the town’s annual Here and Meow Festival—she feels stuck in the past.
Amber suspects the fire that killed her parents was set deliberately by a witch from the cursed Penhallow clan, from whom no one has heard even a whisper since the night her parents died. The clan’s sudden disappearance is no coincidence to Amber, but her aunt Gretchen refuses to believe there’s a connection and urges Amber to stop looking for someone to blame. So Amber is shocked when Aunt Gretchen shows up unexpectedly, claiming the Penhallows have resurfaced and that one of them is heading for Edgehill with Amber in his sights.
Aunt Gretchen knows more about the fabled clan than she’s letting on. Amber is determined to find out what her aunt is hiding, and what the Penhallow seeks, before the same treacherous force that took Amber’s parents’ lives claims her own.
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You will meow with delight as you read this book and I’m not kitten you one bit! Mellissa Erin has a cativating series that you will purr over as you read each delicious page of this book and series! The main characters will quickly become your friends and you’ll be rooting for them to somehow stop the mad witch who
Is after Amber!
I give this an enthusiastic 5 paws but only because one can’t rate it any higher! Young adult and adult readers will find this series to be catnip to their soul as they read into the wee hours of the morning due to the fact that they CANNOT put the book down! The suspense will have you reading and hissing in displeasure when interruptions occur.
In all seriousness I wholeheartedly recommend this book because the writing and the plot is first-rate and I know you will love the characters and the story itself as much as I do! Pick up this book and series and just settle in for a delightful reading experience that you will truly love!
This book is such a realistic mystery, even though the main character has supernatural abilities. It reminds me of the Mentalist—if Patrick Jayne were a woman and a witch.
The main character, Amber, is the only witch in her town, and no one knows about her abilities. When her best friend, Melanie, is murdered and Chief Brown likes Amber as a suspect, that’s when the book really gets interesting. Amber knows she has to: 1. Clear her name and; 2. Avenge her friend’s death. These great motivations allow us to see Amber’s magic in action. The way she works her spells to get the information she needs is not only exciting, but it’s done in a way that seems totally plausible. When she’s finally on the same side as the law, and they start working together, it picks up momentum and progresses so seamlessly I felt like I was watching a movie. The dynamic between her and the chief is a bit tenuous, but that makes it convincing. Even though the chief is suspicious of Amber and her “abilities,” he’s able to put that aside to find Melanie’s murderer.
There isn’t a love interest in this book, per se, but there are hints of a possible relationship in the future between Amber and Connor, an old school acquaintance, and current reporter. Even though that isn’t really played up in this book, some groundwork is laid that leads me to believe it could happen in future books.
We don’t take a deep dive into many characters in this book, but the reader is able to form a deep connection with Amber as she navigates through her thoughts and actions. She’s a likable and believable character. I enjoy that she’s smart, emotional, and funny at times, even though the circumstances were anything but. Her character is vulnerable and raw, which is always a plus. The storyline is well thought out and flows logically. There is never a moment where it lulls or feels “unbelievable.” Despite Amber using magic to uncover things no one could know without it, the book still seems completely natural.
If you are looking for a book that’s gripping from beginning to end and mixes humor and enchantment, then Pawsitively Cursed would be a good book for you.
PAWSITIVELY CURSED by Melissa Erin Jackson is a well-written supernatural cozy mystery. While this is the second book in the Witch of Edgehill series, it worked well as a standalone novel.
The story takes place in the fictional town of Edgehill, Oregon where witch Amber Blackwood has resided all of her life. She is considered reclusive and a bit odd by the townspeople and runs a shop called the Quirky Whisker that has her small studio apartment above it. She makes and sells magically infused toys that people believe are mechanical.
Fourteen years ago her parents were killed in a fire and Amber believes they were killed by a witch from the cursed Penhallow clan. Amber’s aunt Gretchen and sister Willow show up unexpectedly early for a town event. With this scenario the story is off and running.
The book had a protagonist that was appealing, supporting characters that were delightful or antagonistic and scenes that were bittersweet, suspenseful, engaging and/or heartbreaking.
While this novel has some quirky characters and a murder that you might expect to read in a cozy mystery, it also has some underlying themes that are explored. They include secrets, family dynamics, isolation due to being different and the inability of so many to accept those that are not quite like them. These extra themes are what pushed the rating to a 5 star rating for me.
While this is the first book I have read by Melissa Erin Jackson, I look forward to reading more of her suspenseful, thought-provoking and enjoyable novels. Overall, I was immediately drawn into the story and highly entertained.
Many thanks to Ringtail Press / Xpresso Book Tours, Melissa Erin Jackson and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Didn’t like this book as much as the first one. It just seemed to drag on and on……
Another murder and Amber steps up to help solve it.
This is the exciting second book in the Edgehill Witch cozy mystery series. The quirky and unique characters add a lot to the well written storyline. The story engages you from the beginning to the conclusion. I really enjoyed the character interaction and the witty dialogue. The mystery is interesting, with a devious evil villain, lots of surprises and unexpected events. The action is great and the use of magic well incorporated into the storyline. I liked how the family comes together and the emotional drama included. I look forward to book three.
Amber Blackwood is Edgehill’s local witch and she’s always been haunted by her parents’ death fourteen years ago but her aunt refused to talk about it. So, Amber is shocked when her aunt shows up telling her that a Penhallow witch is headed for town and she’s in danger.
This book is a wonderful follow up to book one of the series. I received a copy of this book from Hidden Gems and this is my honest review. The book’s well-written with well-rounded characters, some of whom you’ll like and others you won’t. I was pulled into the story from the beginning. Full of action, intrigue, and magic, this book is actually better than book one and you’ll be compelled to finish it. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
Title: Pawsitively Cursed
Author: Melissa Erin Jackson
Initial thoughts
When I saw this title on NetGalley I immediately requested it because I loved the previous book and Jackson’s other book too. And I really really really love books about witches.
Description
Amber Blackwood is Edgehill’s resident witch. Her parents died 14 years ago in a fire. The whole town knows about the tragedy, but the details remain a mysterie. Amber owns a little shop called The Quirky Whisker, and from there she can see the remains of their old house every day. Although Amber has a good life now, she feels stuck in the past. She needs to know what happened to her parents and she will do everything in her power – power she had no idea she possesses – to find out. She suspect the fire was set deliberately by a witch from the cursed Penhallow clan, from whom no one had heard ever since Amber’s parents deaths,
One night, just out of the blue, her Aunt Gretchen shows up and claims that a Penhallow is after her.
Characters
The characters are well-written, not just Amber but the supporting ones too.
Amber is getting shaped by her adventures in the previous book and her adventures in this one. She experiances some real tough things, finds out stuff about her parents that changes her fundamentally.
She even has a love interest and I hope that line will continue in spite of the ending.
World-building
I’m a dog person but I loved all the cat-themed shop and street names.
All in all Pawsitively Cursed is a fine continuation of the previous book. It has everything I seek in a book: suspense, excitement, interesting characters, good pacing and supernatural elements.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Thank you! This book is highly recommended, I will read the next one too.
This review is for the audio book.
I really enjoyed book one and wanted to find out what happened next for Amber, so I got book two. So glad I did I really enjoyed it and hope there is more books to come. I really like the characters and think they are a lot of fun, with things like learning how to use there magic, even the grumpy reclusive cousin turned out to be like able. This book had a lot more witch craft than the first book, which was just great and I liked learning what happened to Amber’s parents. There also was a touch of romance.
When Amber’s Aunt Gretchen turns up early to help in the shop with the town’s festival, Amber knows something isn’t right. Then her sister turns up. Is someone using magic to get all the remaining Blackwood family together in one place? This seems possible when a dead body is found in the same hotel as her Aunt was staying in but something about the body is very strange and the feeling in room even stranger. It seems someone from there past has come back to haunt them and to solve this murder might mean Amber has to solve the death of her parents. The problem is her aunt isn’t talking and the only other person there that day has gone mad and doesn’t want anything to do with the sisters. Has the time come for Amber to finally find out what happened that night? Especially as with magic around not everything is as it seems and she has to quickly learn who she can trust.
I like the narrator and I am glad she is the narrator for both books in this series. She is easy to listen to and speaks clearly. Book and narrator both a real treat for the ear.
This is a fascinating mystery with fabulous characters. I love Amber and her wonderful shop. This book is well-written with plenty of twists to keep me guessing to the end. I am looking forward to the next book by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Pawsitively Cursed
A Witch of Edgehill Mystery Book 2
Melissa Erin Jackson
I loved this book. It was great. The characters were fun and enjoyable. The storyline was great. I cannot wait for more!!!
This series keeps getting better! This time Amber, her sister, Willow, and Aunt Gretchen have to fight an evil, cursed, Penhallow. Amber learns more about her magic and her family’s past. It dredges up a lot of heartache, but she has to know to be able to fight the evil.
I’m in love with these characters. The author makes them so real! The suspense of finding out what was going to happen kept me on the edge. How things were occurring and playing out…fantastic! Bring on the next one!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found this book to be an extremely good read. It has a great combination of suspense, mystery and drama.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Edgehill, a small town, with mostly normal humans, but also home to Amber, a witch, who magics life into toys for children. In the first book she helped solve a murder and the mystery of her parents’ death was described. In this second book Amber finally finds out what happened to her parents, why they died. She and her family are under threat and it takes a concerted effort to protect each other.
The first book was fun to read and interesting, but it left some threads hanging loose, which were picked up in this book and questions from Book 1 are answered now.
A good, entertaining story, with quirky characters, that make the story more interesting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I read the first book in this series, so I was glad to read the second because I liked the first so much. I dived right in, and I enjoyed this second one more than the first. There were so many revelations and secrets coming to light, and I loved seeing Amber work with Willow and her aunt Gretchen. I hope they stick around for more books. I was very sad at the end of the book, and I really didn’t want it to end that way. I can’t say much as it’s a major spoiler, but I’m hoping something different will happen. Besides the end, this was a fun-filled, well-written cozy paranormal, and I’m looking forward to more. I do recommend this book! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.
Amber Blackwood can see the partially rebuilt family home from her studio apartment above The Quirky Whisker. The house is a reminder of the horrible fire that claimed the lives of her parents and has remained a mystery after 14 years as to what really happened that fateful night. When her aunt Gretchen unexpectedly comes to town and tells her that a member of the cursed Penhallow clan is heading to Edgehill with Amber in his/her sights, she begins to wonder if they had something to do with her parents demise. Amber feels that her aunt knows more than what she has been letting on for all these years and goes to seek out the truth. Will the same fate that hit her parents also happen to Amber or can she stay one step ahead to uncover hidden secrets and bring closure?
With a touch of fantasy and paranormal magic, this is a mystery filled with suspense, hidden secrets, mysterious strangers, strong female leads, and a captivating storyline.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in the series but don’t worry if you missed the first the author does a recap at the beginning and fills you in a bit as you go along but I would still recommend buying the first too so you can enjoy it also! Ambers life may be in danger from the same family she suspects is responsible for the death of her parents. Her Aunt is hiding secrets, and Amber knows it. Amber is just busy with her shop where she makes toys and gives them a bit of magic to animate them when her Aunt tells her that someone from the family amber suspects to be responsible for the death of her parents is coming to town. He is coming for Amber.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Pawsitively Cursed is the second book in this series and is well worth the read. The author pulls you in right from the beginning. Aunt Gretchen, Amber and Willow are all together again and for a reason. They need to protect Amber and each other. I won’t give the story away, but I will say the book was really good and I will continue with this series to see where things go. You have murder, a case of mistaken identity, (or was it) and so much more. The past has come back to haunt them all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ooooooo to finally being able to find out what actually happens to her parents!! Aunt Gretchen keeping secrets!! Love her stories and how a witch can live among plain ole humans in a small town yet spill a little magic into her shop is wonderful!! Such a pleasure reading book after book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Amber is just recovering from losing a friend, when violence strikes again. This time Amber’s family is the target and there doesn’t seem to be any way to avoid trouble. This novel is even more exciting and the main characters develop as the story unfolds. I enjoyed Pawsitively Cursed and will be looking for the next development.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A very nice read. The author pulls you into the lives of these characters and you can’t escape. Amber, Willow and Aunt Gretchen are strong women that will do whatever is necessary to save each other and the people of their town.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.