The world-building in this novel is good for a first novel. I also liked that the protagonist is a different kind of witch, i.e., she raises shades from dead bodies so she can solve murders. The whole part about raising one so it could give her testimony in court was fabulous and tastefully done.

What I don’t like is the main character. I don’t know I find her annoying. Again, I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it a few years ago.

A funny line.

Since there was a cliffhanger, I will try the next book in the series.

Series: Alex Craft #1

I don’t remember what brought this book to my attention.  It was probably something to do with one of the later books in the series. I know better than to expect too much from a book marketed as urban fantasy, but the library had a copy, so I figured it was worth a shot. I’d call this more of a modern day fantasy world rather than an urban fantasy, however, because we’re most definitely not in our world.  Magic users and fae went public about seventy years ago and it’s a modern-day mishmash of magical charms, cars, and cell phones.

I almost quit because it took a good hundred pages to get interesting. Several of the tropes bordered on cliché territory (the absolutely broke investigator, the girlfriends who would throw the MC at any man who showed interest [and who don’t apologize when said man tries to harm her], the sort of triangle, the hostile police, etc). And at several points the characters basically acted in the way most convenient for the plot without a lot of conviction.

But…the world felt like it was a more original take on the genre with how the MC’s magical powers, the ghosts, and the fae stuff were presented, so it gets an extra half star.  I’m undecided as to whether to give the next one a shot.

A psychic librarian cozy mystery sounded like it could be promising, but it was mostly just meh.  Starting in the middle of the series may not have helped, but series like this can settle out after a few books so that later books can be better, so I figured it was worth a shot.  I don't remember how this book came to my attention; it might have turned up accidentally in a library catalogue search. I probably take too many chances with books from the library.

Anyway, what ended up happening was a lot of amateurish questioning and running around with very little librarianing.  Plus Ophelia kept being worried that this sheriff/cop was going to arrest her on very flimsy pretexts because that's what he kept threatening to do.  Also, the use of magick (yes, spelled with a 'k') as opposed to magic struck me as gimmecky.  I guess it was the new age psychic thing but still.  I should probably just steer clear of anything that mentions the word psychic and stick to the relative safety of urban fantasy.