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The Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic #1
Slouch Witch
To make one thing clear: Ivy Wilde is not a heroine.
Actually, she is the very last witch in the world to be called if you need magical support. If it were up to Ivy herself, she would like to hang out on the couch all day, watch series, munch junk food and have arguments with her cat. But due to a bureaucratic mistake, Ivy becomes a victim of a reversed identity and involuntarily - very, very involuntarily! - hurled right into the Arcane Branch, the investigative agency of the Holy Order of Magical Enlightenment.
Ivy's problems quickly quadruple when a valuable object was stolen and she was forced to work with Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. Raphael's sapphire-blue eyes somehow make butterflies flutter in Ivy's stomach, but the adeptus actually shows everything that Ivy deeply rejects: the joyless pitfalls of too much stoic witchcraft. And the longer Raphael Ivy sucks, the greater your desire ... to turn him into a frog!
Actually, she is the very last witch in the world to be called if you need magical support. If it were up to Ivy herself, she would like to hang out on the couch all day, watch series, munch junk food and have arguments with her cat. But due to a bureaucratic mistake, Ivy becomes a victim of a reversed identity and involuntarily - very, very involuntarily! - hurled right into the Arcane Branch, the investigative agency of the Holy Order of Magical Enlightenment.
Ivy's problems quickly quadruple when a valuable object was stolen and she was forced to work with Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. Raphael's sapphire-blue eyes somehow make butterflies flutter in Ivy's stomach, but the adeptus actually shows everything that Ivy deeply rejects: the joyless pitfalls of too much stoic witchcraft. And the longer Raphael Ivy sucks, the greater your desire ... to turn him into a frog!
342 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,523 reviews
February 5, 2019
This was fun! The writing, the main characters, and the pacing are all excellent. As an additional bonus this book also features a magically-abled talking cat who is hilariously rude. It turns out you really might not want to know what your cat is thinking at all times.
Unfortunately the 'whodunnit' mystery, for me, ended on a 'who cares?' note which kept me from rating this one higher. But the romance is a nice slow-burn with an undercurrent of chemistry between the two main leads. So all in all, I'll definitely pick up the next one in this series.
Unfortunately the 'whodunnit' mystery, for me, ended on a 'who cares?' note which kept me from rating this one higher. But the romance is a nice slow-burn with an undercurrent of chemistry between the two main leads. So all in all, I'll definitely pick up the next one in this series.
April 8, 2024
This book is free on Amazon (Canada) today (04/08/2024). 🙂
✅ Pace
✅ Plot / Intrigue
✅ Magic system
✅🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
🆗 Characters
After being expelled from The Order many years ago, Ivy has been content to live a slow-paced and lazy life. Driving her taxi by day, and relaxing in front of the TV by night. When a case of mistaken identity leads to her being bonded to one of the most uptight members of The Order, she finds her whole routine being thrown upside down, as Ivy is now forced to work with him, meaning she has to get up early, train, investigate, run around, and she doesn't get breaks whenever she wants to.
The intrigue is good, and while I had suspicions, I honestly couldn't tell who the culprit was or who they were until the very end.
I enjoyed the originality of the magic system. The fact that the witches can use magic by drawing runes with their hands or using combinations of herbs is refreshing and different from what I am used to in paranormal books with witches. The rest of the world-building is pretty basic, it’s the usual setting where witches have their institutions and where they manage to live in harmony with humans. I am not sure though what the prospects are for the witches that are part of the Order (which is most of the witches)… They just work for the Order either in HR, teaching position, or investigating position, but that seems to be about it, besides dealing with the Order’s business, they don’t seem to have many prospects or options job-wise.
The main issue I had with this book was the development of the characters. The main character was not bad, but I was not that fond of her. She was an okay character and while she was funny at times, I didn’t fall in love with her. I like that the author decided to make her very lazy and that she owned her laziness 100%. I could relate with Ivy preferring to stay at home and do nothing rather than go out to train or hang out with people, but despite that, I still struggled to really care about her. She was funny and relatable, but at the same time, she felt rather bland and simplistic at times.
Also, while I know I should admire the way Ivy can let go of her past and not feel any resentment toward the people that wronged her, to me it just felt as if she didn’t care enough. She just shrugged it off, and even when she was confronted by the person who got her unfairly expelled, she just went on, without seeking any retribution. I would not have been able to do it, especially seeing that the other person never got caught and didn’t ever get any consequence… But maybe that’s just me being too picky or vain.
It is worse when it comes to the love interest. Again, he is not bad, but I just didn’t care for him. He was supposed to be this intense, sexy mage, but he ended up being an intense semi-jerk that just turned it around quite suddenly and decided to be kind to Ivy. There were a few “moments” when it seemed as if he wanted to kiss Ivy, but I honestly didn’t feel the chemistry between them, and I was not involved in the potential romance between them. The whole disappointment they feel when they are not bonded anymore also made no sense to me. They are two grown-ups, they can just see each other without the bond. I thought they would be happy to be able not to spend every minute together anymore, and that they would just go on with their life, only that they would now be friends and spend time together when they felt like it. The ending with them also just felt rushed and while I am curious to see how they will deal with what happened, I am not involved enough in their relationship to rush to get the book.
Overall, this is a light, fast-paced, and entertaining book, but I am glad that it was free on Audible and that I didn’t have to pay for it, or I would have been disappointed. I honestly don’t know if I will read the next book. I might try it since it’s included in my Audible subscription, but I am in no hurry to read it.
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✅ Pace
✅ Plot / Intrigue
✅ Magic system
✅🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
🆗 Characters
After being expelled from The Order many years ago, Ivy has been content to live a slow-paced and lazy life. Driving her taxi by day, and relaxing in front of the TV by night. When a case of mistaken identity leads to her being bonded to one of the most uptight members of The Order, she finds her whole routine being thrown upside down, as Ivy is now forced to work with him, meaning she has to get up early, train, investigate, run around, and she doesn't get breaks whenever she wants to.
The intrigue is good, and while I had suspicions, I honestly couldn't tell who the culprit was or who they were until the very end.
I enjoyed the originality of the magic system. The fact that the witches can use magic by drawing runes with their hands or using combinations of herbs is refreshing and different from what I am used to in paranormal books with witches. The rest of the world-building is pretty basic, it’s the usual setting where witches have their institutions and where they manage to live in harmony with humans. I am not sure though what the prospects are for the witches that are part of the Order (which is most of the witches)… They just work for the Order either in HR, teaching position, or investigating position, but that seems to be about it, besides dealing with the Order’s business, they don’t seem to have many prospects or options job-wise.
The main issue I had with this book was the development of the characters. The main character was not bad, but I was not that fond of her. She was an okay character and while she was funny at times, I didn’t fall in love with her. I like that the author decided to make her very lazy and that she owned her laziness 100%. I could relate with Ivy preferring to stay at home and do nothing rather than go out to train or hang out with people, but despite that, I still struggled to really care about her. She was funny and relatable, but at the same time, she felt rather bland and simplistic at times.
Also, while I know I should admire the way Ivy can let go of her past and not feel any resentment toward the people that wronged her, to me it just felt as if she didn’t care enough. She just shrugged it off, and even when she was confronted by the person who got her unfairly expelled, she just went on, without seeking any retribution. I would not have been able to do it, especially seeing that the other person never got caught and didn’t ever get any consequence… But maybe that’s just me being too picky or vain.
It is worse when it comes to the love interest. Again, he is not bad, but I just didn’t care for him. He was supposed to be this intense, sexy mage, but he ended up being an intense semi-jerk that just turned it around quite suddenly and decided to be kind to Ivy. There were a few “moments” when it seemed as if he wanted to kiss Ivy, but I honestly didn’t feel the chemistry between them, and I was not involved in the potential romance between them. The whole disappointment they feel when they are not bonded anymore also made no sense to me. They are two grown-ups, they can just see each other without the bond. I thought they would be happy to be able not to spend every minute together anymore, and that they would just go on with their life, only that they would now be friends and spend time together when they felt like it. The ending with them also just felt rushed and while I am curious to see how they will deal with what happened, I am not involved enough in their relationship to rush to get the book.
Overall, this is a light, fast-paced, and entertaining book, but I am glad that it was free on Audible and that I didn’t have to pay for it, or I would have been disappointed. I honestly don’t know if I will read the next book. I might try it since it’s included in my Audible subscription, but I am in no hurry to read it.
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January 13, 2019
Slouch Witch
The Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic, Book 1
By: Helen Harper
Narrated by: Tanya Eby
What a hoot! This book is so funny! This is a must read for anyone that wants a good laugh and listen to a good story. Ivy is a witch but she is too smart for her own good. She is lazy and so she uses her 'smarts' to help her laziness. She is also a taxi driver and uses her magic to cope with unruly passengers. All is well until she is accidentally bond to an attractive Agent from the Order of Magic. She has to stay with him until she can figure out a way to unbind the spell, or 100 days. He likes exercise, order, and everything she doesn't. It is so funny! I giggled all the way through it! So fun!
The narrator is fabulous! She is just what you would think Ivy would be and all the other characters! She is perfect! I can't say enough positive things about the narration of this book! Just perfect!
The Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic, Book 1
By: Helen Harper
Narrated by: Tanya Eby
What a hoot! This book is so funny! This is a must read for anyone that wants a good laugh and listen to a good story. Ivy is a witch but she is too smart for her own good. She is lazy and so she uses her 'smarts' to help her laziness. She is also a taxi driver and uses her magic to cope with unruly passengers. All is well until she is accidentally bond to an attractive Agent from the Order of Magic. She has to stay with him until she can figure out a way to unbind the spell, or 100 days. He likes exercise, order, and everything she doesn't. It is so funny! I giggled all the way through it! So fun!
The narrator is fabulous! She is just what you would think Ivy would be and all the other characters! She is perfect! I can't say enough positive things about the narration of this book! Just perfect!
September 8, 2017
I got this a while ago and put it off because I don't find the lazy thing terribly appealing. Once I picked it up, though, I had a hard time stopping and found myself closing the book (okay, turning off the Surface) late at night with a contented sigh. I just loved Ivy and Winter didn't suck, even up front when he was being a pain.
And here's my disclaimer and the reason you can probably ignore this review because this is all about personal taste. The world building is just barely enough to cover the background of the story and the plot is pretty slight, even if it holds together reasonably well on scrutiny (though the holding together is at least partially due to the world building supporting it, probably deliberately). The main feature of this story's background is that there is magic, people have differing natural attunement to the magic, but you still have to train and/or practice to get the full benefit of that inherent ability. The main magic training program/organization is "the Order" which is a combination certification and bureaucracy with both research and rule enforcement responsibilities. The Order has something of a lock on the higher-level training, though not as much of one as they'd like (though they aren't bastards about it, like you might expect if this were more sloppily written).
But it was Ivy and Winter who drove my interest, really. It turns out that Ivy has a low tolerance for boredom than it is that she is lazy. So the whole Order thing didn't really work out for her and she folded pretty quickly when she was falsely accused of cheating some eight years ago and has been content with a job that provides lots of flexibility to experiment on her own. She tells herself that she's lazy to give herself a pass on pursuing the things that really interest her and not the things that some stuffed shirts tell her she should know in order to pass the next certification/test. Maybe it's because I can relate having taken the easy route to my own interests myself on more than one occasion (heck, that's the foundation of my career, more or less) but I found her charming and her exchanges with the more hide-bound Winter were a lot of fun.
And I liked Winter, too. It turns out that he's a lot more about getting the job done than following the rules and I liked how he gave Ivy the respect she earned as soon as she earned it—and not before. Since she earned his respect, at least partially, pretty early on that meant I allowed myself to like him pretty early on, too. I particularly liked his counter-perspective on the Order and how he took explicit pains to show Ivy the good side to counter her experiences with the ambition-grubbing jerkwads.
And caveat about shallowish world building aside, Harper doesn't take shortcuts with her characters, even with the bad guys. I liked how the plot turned out and that I didn't catch on to what was really happening until the main characters did (well, maybe a scene or two early). There was nuance and a layer or two on the mystery and I liked both the discovery of the plot and how their methods and approach revealed the various strengths and weaknesses of Ivy and Winter and how they really kicked butt as a team.
So yeah, five stars may be a bit high. But I just loved these characters and can't wait to pursue the next volume in the series.
A note about romance: While it's pretty clear that Ivy and Winter are attracted, this is a slow-burn type of thing and I am totally down with that. Harper does an excellent job with the character interactions and this is no less so in the boy/girl relationship department. And that epilogue with Brutus ? Rocked!
And here's my disclaimer and the reason you can probably ignore this review because this is all about personal taste. The world building is just barely enough to cover the background of the story and the plot is pretty slight, even if it holds together reasonably well on scrutiny (though the holding together is at least partially due to the world building supporting it, probably deliberately). The main feature of this story's background is that there is magic, people have differing natural attunement to the magic, but you still have to train and/or practice to get the full benefit of that inherent ability. The main magic training program/organization is "the Order" which is a combination certification and bureaucracy with both research and rule enforcement responsibilities. The Order has something of a lock on the higher-level training, though not as much of one as they'd like (though they aren't bastards about it, like you might expect if this were more sloppily written).
But it was Ivy and Winter who drove my interest, really. It turns out that Ivy has a low tolerance for boredom than it is that she is lazy. So the whole Order thing didn't really work out for her and she folded pretty quickly when she was falsely accused of cheating some eight years ago and has been content with a job that provides lots of flexibility to experiment on her own. She tells herself that she's lazy to give herself a pass on pursuing the things that really interest her and not the things that some stuffed shirts tell her she should know in order to pass the next certification/test. Maybe it's because I can relate having taken the easy route to my own interests myself on more than one occasion (heck, that's the foundation of my career, more or less) but I found her charming and her exchanges with the more hide-bound Winter were a lot of fun.
And I liked Winter, too. It turns out that he's a lot more about getting the job done than following the rules and I liked how he gave Ivy the respect she earned as soon as she earned it—and not before. Since she earned his respect, at least partially, pretty early on that meant I allowed myself to like him pretty early on, too. I particularly liked his counter-perspective on the Order and how he took explicit pains to show Ivy the good side to counter her experiences with the ambition-grubbing jerkwads.
And caveat about shallowish world building aside, Harper doesn't take shortcuts with her characters, even with the bad guys. I liked how the plot turned out and that I didn't catch on to what was really happening until the main characters did (well, maybe a scene or two early). There was nuance and a layer or two on the mystery and I liked both the discovery of the plot and how their methods and approach revealed the various strengths and weaknesses of Ivy and Winter and how they really kicked butt as a team.
So yeah, five stars may be a bit high. But I just loved these characters and can't wait to pursue the next volume in the series.
A note about romance: While it's pretty clear that Ivy and Winter are attracted, this is a slow-burn type of thing and I am totally down with that. Harper does an excellent job with the character interactions and this is no less so in the boy/girl relationship department. And that epilogue with Brutus ? Rocked!
September 13, 2017
Urban fantasy that feels like Tango & Cash as written by Ilona Andrews.
Ivy Wilde is a witch who was kicked out of the Order early in her career. Despite being brilliant and powerful, she's taken that as the cue to aggressively slack off. Years later the Order forces itself back into her life in the form of a magical binding with Order hot-shot Raphael Winter. Before long Ivy is tagging along in a magical investigation and turning heads while doing it, despite the personality clash between her committed slacker attitude and the stick up Rafe's butt.
This is light stuff, but it's funny and entertaining. I appreciated the attempts to fill out the world. Yes, the Order is full of ambitious people and office politics, but there's an aside that shows the point of it all. Yes, the work Ivy puts into her laziness doesn't make a lot of sense either, but Rafe has a great theory on that too.
And the book is almost worth reading just for the punchline at the end.
Ivy Wilde is a witch who was kicked out of the Order early in her career. Despite being brilliant and powerful, she's taken that as the cue to aggressively slack off. Years later the Order forces itself back into her life in the form of a magical binding with Order hot-shot Raphael Winter. Before long Ivy is tagging along in a magical investigation and turning heads while doing it, despite the personality clash between her committed slacker attitude and the stick up Rafe's butt.
This is light stuff, but it's funny and entertaining. I appreciated the attempts to fill out the world. Yes, the Order is full of ambitious people and office politics, but there's an aside that shows the point of it all. Yes, the work Ivy puts into her laziness doesn't make a lot of sense either, but Rafe has a great theory on that too.
And the book is almost worth reading just for the punchline at the end.
June 30, 2017
2 1/2 barely
Urban fantasy light. Very light, in both senses of the word.
It reads easily, but as a UF it lacks a tight, logical mystery. They don't really sleuth, they stumble around. World-building is pretty confused too, that thin layer's that there..
The plot is what makes less sense to me. An armageddon that births nothing at all. It's pretty absurd.
Overall, there's not really much to this book, except maybe a likable heroine. But as I said it reads easily.
Urban fantasy light. Very light, in both senses of the word.
It reads easily, but as a UF it lacks a tight, logical mystery. They don't really sleuth, they stumble around. World-building is pretty confused too, that thin layer's that there..
The plot is what makes less sense to me. An armageddon that births nothing at all. It's pretty absurd.
Overall, there's not really much to this book, except maybe a likable heroine. But as I said it reads easily.
June 16, 2018
No, my breasts do not impair my ability to drive.
With a title like: Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic, it's hard not to relate.
Rating 4-lazy-stars
The Plot
After getting expelled of The Order, Ivy Wilde couldn't be happier. Driving her car. Eating pizza. And never leaving her couch. But things are about change. She's going to have to work at The Order again. With their most hard-working witch: Winter Raphael. And like they say, opposits attract. Let's hope
they don't kill each other first.
The Characters
Ivy
One of the best female MCs: funny, powerfull and extremely lazy. I loved her to bits. If I didn't relate to her. Who would? I loved that she was okay with her place in the world. I think ambition is overrated sometimes. With her being a taxi driver. Someone call the feminist community. We have a female taxi driver in a book!
"Ambition always makes me feel rather queasy. "
"I nodded in satisfaction that sort of dedication to sleep always impresses me. "
Winter
It was a rocky a start between Winter and I. At first, I was interested in him yet didn't actually like him. After a while, our rocky relationship lead to a smooth sailing. Once he turned on his swoon. I really liked that he was honest, loved his work and earnest in everything he does.
"‘It’s Rafe. Nor Raphael. I’m not an angel.’ ‘You just look like one,’"
" ‘If you ever call her that again,’ he murmured, ‘you will live to regret it.’ "
World-Building {4 stars} Easy to understand and great.
Romance {3,5 stars} From hate to love with great banter and a tiny bit of steam. Really liked it.
Writing {3,75 stars}
I recommend this to fantasy lovers and romantic people.
Thank you for reading and hope you have a good day!"
With a title like: Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic, it's hard not to relate.
Rating 4-lazy-stars
The Plot
After getting expelled of The Order, Ivy Wilde couldn't be happier. Driving her car. Eating pizza. And never leaving her couch. But things are about change. She's going to have to work at The Order again. With their most hard-working witch: Winter Raphael. And like they say, opposits attract. Let's hope
they don't kill each other first.
The Characters
Ivy
One of the best female MCs: funny, powerfull and extremely lazy. I loved her to bits. If I didn't relate to her. Who would? I loved that she was okay with her place in the world. I think ambition is overrated sometimes. With her being a taxi driver. Someone call the feminist community. We have a female taxi driver in a book!
"Ambition always makes me feel rather queasy. "
"I nodded in satisfaction that sort of dedication to sleep always impresses me. "
Winter
It was a rocky a start between Winter and I. At first, I was interested in him yet didn't actually like him. After a while, our rocky relationship lead to a smooth sailing. Once he turned on his swoon. I really liked that he was honest, loved his work and earnest in everything he does.
"‘It’s Rafe. Nor Raphael. I’m not an angel.’ ‘You just look like one,’"
" ‘If you ever call her that again,’ he murmured, ‘you will live to regret it.’ "
World-Building {4 stars} Easy to understand and great.
Romance {3,5 stars} From hate to love with great banter and a tiny bit of steam. Really liked it.
Writing {3,75 stars}
I recommend this to fantasy lovers and romantic people.
Thank you for reading and hope you have a good day!"
October 11, 2017
Ivy is a sassy,, confident, and most importantly smart witch...She is definitely getting added to my ever-growing book BFF list.....
This book definitely got its five star rating based on the fact that these characters were absolutely fantastic! Not just Ivy but Winter as well, they just played off each other so well....The world was well developed yet simple (and I appreciate that)....There was definitely some chemistry between Ivy and Winter, it was slow burning (another thing I appreciated) and I thought the best part of it was that Winter truly respected Ivy for the witch that she is.... I would strongly encourage anybody to pick up this book, I’m already almost done with the second and it is equally as fabulous! Definitely going to need to read some more from this author....
*** narration:Tanya Eby I think she did a fantastic job, but I’m a little confused as to why they have an American narrator narrating an English woman and with an American accent?All the other characters had an English accent, I appreciated the fact that she did not narrate in an English accent the entire time, but there are a lot of really good English narrators.... it didn’t really bother me, however it might have if I was English? Not sure, but now I don’t want them to change the narrator for the series, that always throws me off....
January 23, 2018
This was pure fun. Just the thing to brighten up these foul gray days we've been having.
This isn't heavy urban fantasy. It's more of a 'magical detective' story, featuring an unlikely partnership with a lot of chemistry. The hero, Winter, is a sort of modern day Mr. Darcy with his buttoned up, serious demeanor and Ivy is his polar opposite, always trying to find the easiest way out. However, as these things go, the pair's differences complement one another nicely and end up bringing out the best in both of them. Their banter is so fun as each continually attempts to get the better of the other.
Definitely a romance, but there are no detailed sex scenes if that is something you require.
Ivy's familiar, Brutus, is hilarious. She though it would be a great idea to have a talking cat, but kept a lid on the spell after realizing it would be bad for the feline population if everyone really knew what 'selfish bastards' cats are. His conversations mostly consist of repeating the word "food" or "pet" until he gets his way.
I listened to the audio and it was good, but a bit odd for one reason. The series takes place in England and all the characters speak with an English accent except for Ivy.
This isn't heavy urban fantasy. It's more of a 'magical detective' story, featuring an unlikely partnership with a lot of chemistry. The hero, Winter, is a sort of modern day Mr. Darcy with his buttoned up, serious demeanor and Ivy is his polar opposite, always trying to find the easiest way out. However, as these things go, the pair's differences complement one another nicely and end up bringing out the best in both of them. Their banter is so fun as each continually attempts to get the better of the other.
Definitely a romance, but there are no detailed sex scenes if that is something you require.
Ivy's familiar, Brutus, is hilarious. She though it would be a great idea to have a talking cat, but kept a lid on the spell after realizing it would be bad for the feline population if everyone really knew what 'selfish bastards' cats are. His conversations mostly consist of repeating the word "food" or "pet" until he gets his way.
I listened to the audio and it was good, but a bit odd for one reason. The series takes place in England and all the characters speak with an English accent except for Ivy.
Read
February 2, 2024Actual rating: 2.8956879 stars.
Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I try reading decaf, diet and gluten-free UF when I perfectly know it's not for me? WHY?? Because I'm a bloody shrimping idiot, that's why. Please someone, anyone, exorcise me or something!
Why thank you, Gunther dear! Much obliged and stuff.
Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I try reading decaf, diet and gluten-free UF when I perfectly know it's not for me? WHY?? Because I'm a bloody shrimping idiot, that's why. Please someone, anyone, exorcise me or something!
Why thank you, Gunther dear! Much obliged and stuff.
August 9, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! Those who have been aboard for a while know that urban fantasy and I are not usually friends. In fact we tend to be enemies. I can't explain why. It's just a truth. And yet recently I loved the DFZ urban fantasy series. Then when I was perusing me Goodreads' ports for plunder list to find something that fit me mood, the First Mate told me to scroll back up to see what had a caught his eye. Apparently his unconscious mind was finding me the perfect book because I ADORED this!
Ivy is the laziest witch around. She does the bare minimum so that she can lay on her couch, eat tasty treats, fight with her cat, and enjoy entertainment. Sounds like me kinda gal. Then a case of mistaken identity gets her magically attached to an investigator of the Order. She is not down with that. But the spell lasts for 588 days and unless she can find a work-around, she has to deal with annoying (but cute) Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. She doesn't want to be part of any investigation (or work!). She just wants her old lazy life back. But the magic has other ideas.
Aye, this have romance in it. But it also has a snarky cat named Brutus who made me hysterically laugh out loud. Seriously he made the book for me. I also very much enjoyed Ivy who (like me) just wants to lounge around all day. I actually didn't mind the romance in this because it was not the focus. Plus Ivy is an excellent person to hang out with. I love her humor and outlook on the world. I also very much enjoyed the mystery aspects and the side characters. The book is fun and entertaining and was exactly what I needed to read. I read it quickly in one sitting.
Much thanks to Matey Sarah @ Brainfluff for letting me know about this book. I will be reading the next in the series. Arrr!
Ivy is the laziest witch around. She does the bare minimum so that she can lay on her couch, eat tasty treats, fight with her cat, and enjoy entertainment. Sounds like me kinda gal. Then a case of mistaken identity gets her magically attached to an investigator of the Order. She is not down with that. But the spell lasts for 588 days and unless she can find a work-around, she has to deal with annoying (but cute) Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. She doesn't want to be part of any investigation (or work!). She just wants her old lazy life back. But the magic has other ideas.
Aye, this have romance in it. But it also has a snarky cat named Brutus who made me hysterically laugh out loud. Seriously he made the book for me. I also very much enjoyed Ivy who (like me) just wants to lounge around all day. I actually didn't mind the romance in this because it was not the focus. Plus Ivy is an excellent person to hang out with. I love her humor and outlook on the world. I also very much enjoyed the mystery aspects and the side characters. The book is fun and entertaining and was exactly what I needed to read. I read it quickly in one sitting.
Much thanks to Matey Sarah @ Brainfluff for letting me know about this book. I will be reading the next in the series. Arrr!
June 16, 2017
I had a break in between doing work and school. I decided to read this book for just a few chapters and ended up sleeping at 5am to finish it.
It's nothing incredibly complex plot wise but I can totally relate to Ivy in so many levels about being a lazy ass.
It's a fun light paranormal book with a really solid plot line. Watch out for this author. You'll love her books.
It's nothing incredibly complex plot wise but I can totally relate to Ivy in so many levels about being a lazy ass.
It's a fun light paranormal book with a really solid plot line. Watch out for this author. You'll love her books.
March 29, 2018
Have you ever read a character that you related to so well that you wondered if your life really is the Truman show and some author is creeping on you and writing fanfic of your life?
Yeah I figured it was just me. Now I’ve gone and made things awkward.
Oh how I loved this book. Our main character, the lazy Ivy, is perfectly happy as a taxi driver, working until she’s made enough to pay her bills then go home and binge watch her favorite show Enchantment. Enchantment sounds awesome btw, like Survivor but with magical challenges. I would binge watch that too.
A misunderstanding comes when Ivy is mistaken for her neighbor Eve, and she is magically bound to work for the Order with Raphael Winter.
Winter doesn’t play nicely with others and had to be magically bound into a partnership so he would participate. Unfortunately, Ivy isn’t in the Order. She was kicked out. For cheating, and don’t forget assault. But Ivy is temporarily enlisted to help investigate theft of a magical item with Winter.
I loved the Odd Couple dynamic between Ivy and Winter. He’s a type A personality, very motivated and serious. She’s as lazy as you can get and quite hilarious.
Here’s this exchange when Winter drags her to the gym because they have to be within a certain mile radius while working.
“‘Treadmill,’ Winter barked. ‘We’ll start with a comfortable jog to warm you up.’
Horror settled in my bones. Since when was a jog ever comfortable? A slow stroll perhaps, preferably in broad sunshine with an ice-cream in my hand.”
I have had that same thought at the gym.
Also Ivy enchanted her cat to speak and Brutus steals every scene he is in.
“‘Yes, he can talk but he only has a vocabulary of about twenty words and most of them aren’t very nice. I abandoned the plan to make millions from the spell when I realised that people would finally realise their cats are selfish little bastards who only care about themselves. There would have been mass feline abandonment if they heard what their pets really have to say. It seemed prudent to keep the magic to myself.’
Winter blinked. ‘I see.’
‘Pet,’ Brutus repeated. ‘Bitch.’
‘Don’t be offended,’ I said. ‘He calls everyone that.’”
If cats could talk you know this is what they would say.
The world building is a bit shallow, but the humor and character interactions make up for it. If you are looking for a light hearted urban fantasy, this is a great read. Also there’s a hint of romance and some tension between Ivy and Winter, but there’s no instalove in sight! On to book two!
Yeah I figured it was just me. Now I’ve gone and made things awkward.
Oh how I loved this book. Our main character, the lazy Ivy, is perfectly happy as a taxi driver, working until she’s made enough to pay her bills then go home and binge watch her favorite show Enchantment. Enchantment sounds awesome btw, like Survivor but with magical challenges. I would binge watch that too.
A misunderstanding comes when Ivy is mistaken for her neighbor Eve, and she is magically bound to work for the Order with Raphael Winter.
Winter doesn’t play nicely with others and had to be magically bound into a partnership so he would participate. Unfortunately, Ivy isn’t in the Order. She was kicked out. For cheating, and don’t forget assault. But Ivy is temporarily enlisted to help investigate theft of a magical item with Winter.
I loved the Odd Couple dynamic between Ivy and Winter. He’s a type A personality, very motivated and serious. She’s as lazy as you can get and quite hilarious.
Here’s this exchange when Winter drags her to the gym because they have to be within a certain mile radius while working.
“‘Treadmill,’ Winter barked. ‘We’ll start with a comfortable jog to warm you up.’
Horror settled in my bones. Since when was a jog ever comfortable? A slow stroll perhaps, preferably in broad sunshine with an ice-cream in my hand.”
I have had that same thought at the gym.
Also Ivy enchanted her cat to speak and Brutus steals every scene he is in.
“‘Yes, he can talk but he only has a vocabulary of about twenty words and most of them aren’t very nice. I abandoned the plan to make millions from the spell when I realised that people would finally realise their cats are selfish little bastards who only care about themselves. There would have been mass feline abandonment if they heard what their pets really have to say. It seemed prudent to keep the magic to myself.’
Winter blinked. ‘I see.’
‘Pet,’ Brutus repeated. ‘Bitch.’
‘Don’t be offended,’ I said. ‘He calls everyone that.’”
If cats could talk you know this is what they would say.
The world building is a bit shallow, but the humor and character interactions make up for it. If you are looking for a light hearted urban fantasy, this is a great read. Also there’s a hint of romance and some tension between Ivy and Winter, but there’s no instalove in sight! On to book two!
October 29, 2022
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/מכשפ...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/מכשפ...
October 14, 2017
Welcome to the lazy girls' club!
If I were to be one of the characters in this book, who would I be? I'd be Ivy of course; I'm a lazy bum and proud. Hehe. Let's not forget about Brutus. I swear, I could hear my cat plotting the world's apocalypse. Beware, cats will rule the world! (if you were wondering, that's my kitty as my profile picture).
This book was amazing. I was laughing so hard that my sides ached so much and people gave me weird looks. I didn't care. I love a book with spunky characters, this ensures that the ride is sure to be filled with tears of laughter and belly aching pain.
The writing was good considering this is my first UK read. The most fun words I liked were "plonker' "arse" "lift" - yep, that's right, I mean Lift as in an elevator. hehe. The suspense and mystery were phenomenon. I hadn't the slightest idea who were the culprits, I would have never imagined it was ...... (no spoilers here! you'll have to read the book to know).
Let's not forget the super hot and sexy investigator, Winter, Ivy's partner. I love his name. I liked the chemistry between Ivy and Winter. The ending of this book was left in a hot and steamy messy.
If you would like a good laugh, I recommend this book.
Book two, here I come! Ta ta ta tahhhhh!
If I were to be one of the characters in this book, who would I be? I'd be Ivy of course; I'm a lazy bum and proud. Hehe. Let's not forget about Brutus. I swear, I could hear my cat plotting the world's apocalypse. Beware, cats will rule the world! (if you were wondering, that's my kitty as my profile picture).
This book was amazing. I was laughing so hard that my sides ached so much and people gave me weird looks. I didn't care. I love a book with spunky characters, this ensures that the ride is sure to be filled with tears of laughter and belly aching pain.
The writing was good considering this is my first UK read. The most fun words I liked were "plonker' "arse" "lift" - yep, that's right, I mean Lift as in an elevator. hehe. The suspense and mystery were phenomenon. I hadn't the slightest idea who were the culprits, I would have never imagined it was ...... (no spoilers here! you'll have to read the book to know).
Let's not forget the super hot and sexy investigator, Winter, Ivy's partner. I love his name. I liked the chemistry between Ivy and Winter. The ending of this book was left in a hot and steamy messy.
If you would like a good laugh, I recommend this book.
Book two, here I come! Ta ta ta tahhhhh!
August 8, 2018
A light and sometimes funny story but nothing I'd spend my precious audible credits on.
August 9, 2018
Really funny, light hearted urban fantasy. Ivy is an original main character and has great chemistry with Rafe Winter. I adored Brutus!
July 25, 2017
Light urban fantasy. Funny heroine and cat. Author not great at relationship scenes but the story is good.
August 24, 2021
Such a strong 1st book! I’m in love with the protagonist. Please, please, please let this series continue to be just as great, if not more.
Here are some of my thoughts:
• I thought this book sounded fun – and it is, but I’m glad to see that it’s surprisingly thoughtful. First of all, the investigation is super interesting and the crime and suspects are surprisingly complex. It is definitely not too obvious who the culprit is. Second, I love seeing Ivy as this lazy genius as she and Winter tackle this investigation. Even though she claims she rather just stay at home and be lazy, she still does what needs to be done. I am intrigued by that juxtaposition of her laziness and irreverence alongside her innate talent and thoughtfulness. For a lazy person, she is surprisingly hardworking and curious about the case.
• Ivy: Everyone underestimates her, but she is a literal prodigy. I love that she does what she wants and doesn’t give a fuck about social norms and what’s expected. She is refreshingly herself – she is self-aware in both her lameness/awkwardness at times but also self-aware in her abilities. I love how irreverent she can be and the humor and reliability she has. She doesn’t take life too seriously and enjoys the simple comforts of life, like sleeping and eating. However, she also has a sense of justice, and I like seeing her explore her own need for justice and curiosity for the Order despite proclaiming she doesn’t want to be associated with the Order years ago after the wrong they did her. Anyway, I have a lot of good thoughts about her. It’s easy to root for her, and who doesn’t love an underdog who proves everyone wrong? I feel thrilled when people see how capable she is and start giving her respect that she deserves. Regardless though, I’m glad that Ivy doesn’t need it, and lives her own way of life.
• Winter: He’s cold, straight-laced, hard-working, well-respected, and the perfect opposite to Ivy’s irreverence and laziness. I enjoy seeing them team up together in the investigation and actually work well in balancing each other out. His experience, carefulness, and intelligence and her resourcefulness, boldness, and unexpected genius.
• And, besides that, I love the chemistry and the bantering. Definitely ship. Love the build-up of their relationship. It’s nice to see him learn how smart and amazing she is, and standing up for her when no one else ever has. Meanwhile, he teaches her that the Order is not all bad. Their relationship is humorous at times with the bantering and their differences but also genuine and deep with how they ask each other tough questions and learn to respect and trust one another.
I thoroughly enjoy this book. Ivy is a hoot and she can easily become one of my favorite protagonists in a book – I’m going to see how the series progresses first though. I love her, Winter, the romance, the world-building, and the plot. I’m excited to see more. 4 solid stars
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
Here are some of my thoughts:
• I thought this book sounded fun – and it is, but I’m glad to see that it’s surprisingly thoughtful. First of all, the investigation is super interesting and the crime and suspects are surprisingly complex. It is definitely not too obvious who the culprit is. Second, I love seeing Ivy as this lazy genius as she and Winter tackle this investigation. Even though she claims she rather just stay at home and be lazy, she still does what needs to be done. I am intrigued by that juxtaposition of her laziness and irreverence alongside her innate talent and thoughtfulness. For a lazy person, she is surprisingly hardworking and curious about the case.
• Ivy: Everyone underestimates her, but she is a literal prodigy. I love that she does what she wants and doesn’t give a fuck about social norms and what’s expected. She is refreshingly herself – she is self-aware in both her lameness/awkwardness at times but also self-aware in her abilities. I love how irreverent she can be and the humor and reliability she has. She doesn’t take life too seriously and enjoys the simple comforts of life, like sleeping and eating. However, she also has a sense of justice, and I like seeing her explore her own need for justice and curiosity for the Order despite proclaiming she doesn’t want to be associated with the Order years ago after the wrong they did her. Anyway, I have a lot of good thoughts about her. It’s easy to root for her, and who doesn’t love an underdog who proves everyone wrong? I feel thrilled when people see how capable she is and start giving her respect that she deserves. Regardless though, I’m glad that Ivy doesn’t need it, and lives her own way of life.
• Winter: He’s cold, straight-laced, hard-working, well-respected, and the perfect opposite to Ivy’s irreverence and laziness. I enjoy seeing them team up together in the investigation and actually work well in balancing each other out. His experience, carefulness, and intelligence and her resourcefulness, boldness, and unexpected genius.
• And, besides that, I love the chemistry and the bantering. Definitely ship. Love the build-up of their relationship. It’s nice to see him learn how smart and amazing she is, and standing up for her when no one else ever has. Meanwhile, he teaches her that the Order is not all bad. Their relationship is humorous at times with the bantering and their differences but also genuine and deep with how they ask each other tough questions and learn to respect and trust one another.
I thoroughly enjoy this book. Ivy is a hoot and she can easily become one of my favorite protagonists in a book – I’m going to see how the series progresses first though. I love her, Winter, the romance, the world-building, and the plot. I’m excited to see more. 4 solid stars
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
August 26, 2018
This is an entertaining urban fantasy series.
Ivy Wilde is a witch. She’s lazy and proud of it. When she finds herself roped in to helping The Order’s most workaholic witch, Raphael Winter, Ivy is determined to get out of it.
The characters in this book are refreshing. Ivy is self-assured, sassy, humorous, and talented. She’s a taxi driver determined to maximise her couch time. Her familiar, Brutus the cat, is ascerbic and self-focused. I loved his character.
I would have liked more prolonged tension between Winter and Ivy. It felt like things progressed a little quickly on that front, but this was still a fun read.
I’m planning to continue with the series.
Ivy Wilde is a witch. She’s lazy and proud of it. When she finds herself roped in to helping The Order’s most workaholic witch, Raphael Winter, Ivy is determined to get out of it.
The characters in this book are refreshing. Ivy is self-assured, sassy, humorous, and talented. She’s a taxi driver determined to maximise her couch time. Her familiar, Brutus the cat, is ascerbic and self-focused. I loved his character.
I would have liked more prolonged tension between Winter and Ivy. It felt like things progressed a little quickly on that front, but this was still a fun read.
I’m planning to continue with the series.
July 3, 2017
This made for a cute and fun read. The heroine was so quirky and the banter hilarious. Plus there is a talking cat that calls people "bitch" and constantly demands food. I loved the familiars/cats in this read.
I wanted a bit more in the sense of closure but I guess that's to be expected in a series. At least it wasn't a cliffhanger. I look forward to more!
I wanted a bit more in the sense of closure but I guess that's to be expected in a series. At least it wasn't a cliffhanger. I look forward to more!
January 22, 2021
Ein wirklich lustiges Buch, mit einer etwas anderen Protagonistin. Besonders der Kater hat mich echt zum Lachen gebracht.
January 14, 2023
*** 4.00 ***
"...“I pulled out, making the driver in the battered BMW coming up behind me gesture in my direction with an angry scowl. Now, now. He had plenty of room to slow down. I reckon that anyone who gets irritated by something like that needs to sort their life out. If you’re getting stressed out by having to brake slightly, what happens to your equilibrium when your pipes burst or your kid gets suspended from school or your mum is diagnosed with cancer? It simply isn’t worth the effort to sweat the small stuff.”..."
This was a light, fun and entertaining little story about witches and their struggles for position in The Order. Ivy and Rafael are thrown together to investigate a missing artifact from the heavily warded Order library. Ivy has been kicked out of the Order some time ago and is completely unprepared and quite unwilling to go back to them, no matter the circumstances... However she struggles to get out of it, the investigation and the handsome Rafael get her invested and she finds herself having fun. I had fun reading about it as well, so I am looking foreword to the next book:):):)
Favorite character - Brutus, the Cat!
"...“From somewhere above me, there was an irritated hiss. ‘Food.’
I strained my head upwards. ‘Hi, Brutus.’
His yellow eyes stared down at me, unblinking. ‘Food, bitch.’
I sighed. ‘I’ve told you time and time again. If you call me that, I’m not going to feed you.’
‘Food.’
‘Give me a minute.’
‘Food.’
‘I’d like the chance to get a cup of tea first.’
‘Food.’
‘Piss off.’
‘Food.”..."
"...“I pulled out, making the driver in the battered BMW coming up behind me gesture in my direction with an angry scowl. Now, now. He had plenty of room to slow down. I reckon that anyone who gets irritated by something like that needs to sort their life out. If you’re getting stressed out by having to brake slightly, what happens to your equilibrium when your pipes burst or your kid gets suspended from school or your mum is diagnosed with cancer? It simply isn’t worth the effort to sweat the small stuff.”..."
This was a light, fun and entertaining little story about witches and their struggles for position in The Order. Ivy and Rafael are thrown together to investigate a missing artifact from the heavily warded Order library. Ivy has been kicked out of the Order some time ago and is completely unprepared and quite unwilling to go back to them, no matter the circumstances... However she struggles to get out of it, the investigation and the handsome Rafael get her invested and she finds herself having fun. I had fun reading about it as well, so I am looking foreword to the next book:):):)
Favorite character - Brutus, the Cat!
"...“From somewhere above me, there was an irritated hiss. ‘Food.’
I strained my head upwards. ‘Hi, Brutus.’
His yellow eyes stared down at me, unblinking. ‘Food, bitch.’
I sighed. ‘I’ve told you time and time again. If you call me that, I’m not going to feed you.’
‘Food.’
‘Give me a minute.’
‘Food.’
‘I’d like the chance to get a cup of tea first.’
‘Food.’
‘Piss off.’
‘Food.”..."
December 28, 2019
Slouch Witch is book one in The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic by Helen Harper.
OMG I had a blast with this novel. It was so much fun! The title and blurb peeked my interest and had me curious about a lazy witch.
Slouch Witch is a light, amusing, and enchanting tale. This novel introduces us to a fun paranormal world where witches and magic have been a part of regular society. Tho those witches tend to stay to themselves and are slotted into careers based on how much magical abilities they have.
Ivy might be a witch and she might take the easy way in life, but she’s no slouch when it comes to magic. She’s actually quite brilliant, but just gets bored easily. She is a pariah among her Oxford witch-crowd due to something that happened in her past. She doesn’t let this put her down.
This reads like an Urban Fantasy Cozy Mystery. I loved how Ivy is roped back into the crowd that spurned her. The world is great and we get plenty of quirky characters to enjoy. The humor is light and the case that Ivy and Winter need to solve is engaging and amusing. The case wraps up nicely, Winter and Ivy are amicable yet a bit of regret in their separation, and we are left with a little note of to be continued.
Slouch Witch was a nice start to the series. I can’t wait to pick up the next novel and find out what might be in-store for Ivy. The mystery was a delight and the characters were entertaining.
Rated: 4 Stars
OMG I had a blast with this novel. It was so much fun! The title and blurb peeked my interest and had me curious about a lazy witch.
Slouch Witch is a light, amusing, and enchanting tale. This novel introduces us to a fun paranormal world where witches and magic have been a part of regular society. Tho those witches tend to stay to themselves and are slotted into careers based on how much magical abilities they have.
Ivy might be a witch and she might take the easy way in life, but she’s no slouch when it comes to magic. She’s actually quite brilliant, but just gets bored easily. She is a pariah among her Oxford witch-crowd due to something that happened in her past. She doesn’t let this put her down.
This reads like an Urban Fantasy Cozy Mystery. I loved how Ivy is roped back into the crowd that spurned her. The world is great and we get plenty of quirky characters to enjoy. The humor is light and the case that Ivy and Winter need to solve is engaging and amusing. The case wraps up nicely, Winter and Ivy are amicable yet a bit of regret in their separation, and we are left with a little note of to be continued.
Slouch Witch was a nice start to the series. I can’t wait to pick up the next novel and find out what might be in-store for Ivy. The mystery was a delight and the characters were entertaining.
Rated: 4 Stars
July 5, 2017
Part of me just doesn't know how to feel about this book. Ivy is somehow both sympathetic and not -
she's lazy, gross, irresponsible, indifferent, witty, irreverent, sarcastic, genuine, and kind. I liked her and disliked her equally. Winter is tough to get a handle on, but that's probably due to the first person narrative. I liked the mystery, though I don't really get the magic just yet. Looking forward to the next book, though.
Shit, I almost forgot! You should read this book, if for no other reason than to meet a witch's familiar that just says "Food, bitch." whenever Ivy comes home. No joke, the cat is the best character in the book.
she's lazy, gross, irresponsible, indifferent, witty, irreverent, sarcastic, genuine, and kind. I liked her and disliked her equally. Winter is tough to get a handle on, but that's probably due to the first person narrative. I liked the mystery, though I don't really get the magic just yet. Looking forward to the next book, though.
Shit, I almost forgot! You should read this book, if for no other reason than to meet a witch's familiar that just says "Food, bitch." whenever Ivy comes home. No joke, the cat is the best character in the book.
August 14, 2019
Really enjoyed this one.
It maybe gave me some Charley Davidson book series vibes.
Just a smidge.
But, it's definitely it's own thing.
I liked it a lot and will definitely be continuing in the series.
It maybe gave me some Charley Davidson book series vibes.
Just a smidge.
But, it's definitely it's own thing.
I liked it a lot and will definitely be continuing in the series.
June 6, 2023
*** 3.65 ***
This was fun! I really like Ivy and Brutus 😀👍
This was fun! I really like Ivy and Brutus 😀👍
February 20, 2022
"Hexen gibt es doch" ist der erste Band der "Hex-Files" Reihe von Autorin Helen Harper.
Ich finde die Geschichte ganz nett, so wirklich erreicht hat mich der Hype aber leider nicht. Es wird mir ehrlich gesagt viel zu wenig erklärt. Warum wissen alle Menschen im Buch, dass es Magie und Hexen gibt? Wie ist dieser Orden entstanden? Das sind z. B. zwei Fragen, die ich mir das ganze Buch über gestellt habe. Das mit dem Hexenorden und dessen Strukturen erinnert mich zudem auch an "Chicagoland Vampires". Mich stört so etwas normalerweise nicht, hier ist es mir aber leider stark aufgefallen.
Die Protagonistin Ivy ist mir persönlich zeitweise etwas zu nervig, Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter ihr genaues Gegenteil und für meinen Geschmack viel zu steif. Die Katzen im Buch sind eine nette Abwechslung, generell ist mir die Geschichte aber fast schon ein wenig zu albern. Am Ende passiert dann etwas, dass so gar nicht zu den Charakteren passt. Ich möchte hier aber jetzt nicht spoilern. Ich finde diese Szene und ehrlich gesagt auch das Bodyshaming in puncto Abnehmen am Anfang ziemlich daneben. Für mich hat es sich so angefühlt, auch wenn es vermutlich gar nicht so beabsichtigt war. Der Kriminalfall im Buch ist ganz nett, es gibt aber spannendere übernatürliche Krimis.
Alles in allem kann ich leider nur knappe 3 Sterne vergeben. Die Dialoge sind unterhaltsam, wirklich vom Hocker reißt mich dieses Buch aber nicht. Mir fehlen auch irgendwie die Bilder zu den Charakteren im Kopf. Ich kann mir kaum vorstellen, wie die Protagonisten aussehen.
Hier folgen noch einige Infos zum Hörbuch:
8 Stunden und 20 Minuten / Ungekürzte Ausgabe
Sprecherin: Yesim Meisheit
Ich würde der Sprecherin 5 Sterne geben.
Verlag: LYX Audio
Ich finde die Geschichte ganz nett, so wirklich erreicht hat mich der Hype aber leider nicht. Es wird mir ehrlich gesagt viel zu wenig erklärt. Warum wissen alle Menschen im Buch, dass es Magie und Hexen gibt? Wie ist dieser Orden entstanden? Das sind z. B. zwei Fragen, die ich mir das ganze Buch über gestellt habe. Das mit dem Hexenorden und dessen Strukturen erinnert mich zudem auch an "Chicagoland Vampires". Mich stört so etwas normalerweise nicht, hier ist es mir aber leider stark aufgefallen.
Die Protagonistin Ivy ist mir persönlich zeitweise etwas zu nervig, Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter ihr genaues Gegenteil und für meinen Geschmack viel zu steif. Die Katzen im Buch sind eine nette Abwechslung, generell ist mir die Geschichte aber fast schon ein wenig zu albern. Am Ende passiert dann etwas, dass so gar nicht zu den Charakteren passt. Ich möchte hier aber jetzt nicht spoilern. Ich finde diese Szene und ehrlich gesagt auch das Bodyshaming in puncto Abnehmen am Anfang ziemlich daneben. Für mich hat es sich so angefühlt, auch wenn es vermutlich gar nicht so beabsichtigt war. Der Kriminalfall im Buch ist ganz nett, es gibt aber spannendere übernatürliche Krimis.
Alles in allem kann ich leider nur knappe 3 Sterne vergeben. Die Dialoge sind unterhaltsam, wirklich vom Hocker reißt mich dieses Buch aber nicht. Mir fehlen auch irgendwie die Bilder zu den Charakteren im Kopf. Ich kann mir kaum vorstellen, wie die Protagonisten aussehen.
Hier folgen noch einige Infos zum Hörbuch:
8 Stunden und 20 Minuten / Ungekürzte Ausgabe
Sprecherin: Yesim Meisheit
Ich würde der Sprecherin 5 Sterne geben.
Verlag: LYX Audio
October 13, 2024
Is Urban Fantasy no longer to go-to genre for me? I am not sure. All I know is that other than IA books in the last few years, I haven't been truly enjoying any female-led UF.
Slouch Witch started interesting enough. What made picking up this book is that the main lead is unconventional, which was refreshing. Ivy is witty and intelligent. She does things the smart way instead of using common time consuming methods. Unfortunately, I got tired quickly of this attitude because she was just that. Lazy smart witch. Her character wasn't explored enough for me.
On the other hand, the mystery plot was kind of boring, I wasn't invested in it from the start nor cared about catching the culprit. I found myself skimming through the book between the 60% and 80% mark, it's not that things weren't happening, it's more that it just couldn't care less. I honestly considered dropping the book because I was forcing myself to read it. I'm not sure if the last 15% were worth it but they were better than most of the book.
As for Winter, he was also bland. I didn't find him hot nor felt the chemistry between them except towards the last two chapters. I honestly didn't care much about him either.
All in all, I can see why many have enjoyed this book. Sadly, it wasn't my cup of tea. I would only recommend it if you're an avid UF reader, otherwise, I doubt you will enjoy it.
Slouch Witch started interesting enough. What made picking up this book is that the main lead is unconventional, which was refreshing. Ivy is witty and intelligent. She does things the smart way instead of using common time consuming methods. Unfortunately, I got tired quickly of this attitude because she was just that. Lazy smart witch. Her character wasn't explored enough for me.
On the other hand, the mystery plot was kind of boring, I wasn't invested in it from the start nor cared about catching the culprit. I found myself skimming through the book between the 60% and 80% mark, it's not that things weren't happening, it's more that it just couldn't care less. I honestly considered dropping the book because I was forcing myself to read it. I'm not sure if the last 15% were worth it but they were better than most of the book.
As for Winter, he was also bland. I didn't find him hot nor felt the chemistry between them except towards the last two chapters. I honestly didn't care much about him either.
All in all, I can see why many have enjoyed this book. Sadly, it wasn't my cup of tea. I would only recommend it if you're an avid UF reader, otherwise, I doubt you will enjoy it.
April 13, 2018
Well Ivy might be a witch but she’s no slouch when it comes to magic ! What she is though is a character that enjoys a bit of comfort and what’s wrong with that? Ivy has lost all faith in the self important Order so when a magical binding is placed on her by mistake trust me Ivy is not going to go quietly. No she might have been dragged into their mess but she sure is going to make it obvious that there’s no way she’s going to actually help them or is she ?
I liked Ivy and her snark and humour really made her a heroine I wanted to see read more about. She might be looked down upon by many but guess what? Ivy couldn’t care less and in fact uses their bigotry to her own advantage. So what if her slimy ex is giving her the come on because he hasn’t got a snowballs chance. No far more tempting is her gorgeous but uptight blue eyed partner Winter. Trouble is he actually wants Ivy to work and that dear friends really isn’t her bag. No Ivy will show up and pay lip service but somehow things are getting out of control. Fear not though as Ivy isn’t alone no she has her familiar Brutus the talking cat who really does have a mind of his own!
Great characters , a twisting mystery and even the possibility of romance meant this book kept me up reading until 1.30 am so definitely a new author for me to check out.
I liked Ivy and her snark and humour really made her a heroine I wanted to see read more about. She might be looked down upon by many but guess what? Ivy couldn’t care less and in fact uses their bigotry to her own advantage. So what if her slimy ex is giving her the come on because he hasn’t got a snowballs chance. No far more tempting is her gorgeous but uptight blue eyed partner Winter. Trouble is he actually wants Ivy to work and that dear friends really isn’t her bag. No Ivy will show up and pay lip service but somehow things are getting out of control. Fear not though as Ivy isn’t alone no she has her familiar Brutus the talking cat who really does have a mind of his own!
Great characters , a twisting mystery and even the possibility of romance meant this book kept me up reading until 1.30 am so definitely a new author for me to check out.
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