Source: Audiobook Purchase, Kindle Purchase, Physical Book PurchaseFormat: Audiobook
A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell
Narrator: Xe Sands
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
Date Read: 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery
More Information:Students are spooked at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts, and Lily is called in to search for possible paranormal activity. In return she's been promised a trunkful of Victorian-era clothes recently discovered in a school storage closet.
But Lily finds something else: the body of a wealthy patron of the school. In between running the store and seeing her new boyfriend, Max—a "mythbuster" who is uncomfortable with her witchcraft—she uses her sleuthing skills to try to solve the murder. Soon Lily senses something from the school's vintage clothes, but it's not the smell of mothballs—it's the unmistakable aura of evil intent.
Publisher: Penguin, Tantor
Series: A Witchcraft Mystery #2
Also by this author: If Walls Could Talk, Secondhand Spirits, Keeper of the Castle, In a Witch's Wardrobe, Hexes and Hemlines
Also in this series: Secondhand Spirits, In a Witch's Wardrobe, Spellcasting In Silk
Read/Listened for Fun (Kindle/Audible)
Tracking Books Read Review (short)
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.50
Character Rating: 4.00
Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: A Cast-Off Coven was a wonderful listen with a pretty darn good who-dun-it!
Overall Thoughts: Lily is a unique leading character. I don’t always like her but I always love her gumption. She grew a LOT in A Cast-Off Coven and learned a little bit more about herself in the process. I am hoping part of the process means shucking off her current love interest but that remains to be seen. I LOVED the mystery in A Cast-Off Coven. The school was the perfect setting for this one because it involved Lily’s two shop gals (my favorite characters) more! My favorite parts in the first two books all involved the side characters and I hope they play a bigger role in the future books! There was a little bit of everything involved in this case: fun, twists, turns, and a bit of old-fashioned sleuthing. I love that Lily’s witch powers are just part of how she figures things out! She really does have a great head on her shoulders.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated By Xe Sands / Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
Xe rocks the narration for this series. She plays Lily in a way that totally makes her personality shine. She has really good male voices and her pacing is outstanding. I totally recommend these on audio!
Final Thoughts: I already got the rest of the series on audio and now I need to squeeze them in!
| Story Rating | |
| Character Rating | |
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During her non-reading time you can find her hanging with her rescue furr children named after book characters: Lizzie a beautiful cattle dog mix (Pound Pup), Cinder a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Pound Pup), and Minerva a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Foster Fail). Gathering with friends and family, attending conventions, watching movies/tv shows, rooting for the 49rs, and crocheting.
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Hmm, evil Victorian clothes… This sounds like my kind of book! I still need to do some catching up with this series.
Love how you find these cute, quirky books with great titles & covers.
Lovely review Felicia, I enjoyed this one too. And now you make me want to read the third book, which has been on my computer for ages.
p.s. I love your new blog look!
Thanks!
I have book 3 ready to go too! I picked up this series and the Home Renovation series over Black Friday 🙂
Nice! I like when the mystery is actually mysterious and it’s not just the MC who keeps us reading (or listening, as is the case).
I didn’t quite figure it out till the 3/4 moment but in a cozy that is pretty darn awesome!
I’m going to have to add Juliet Blackwell to my TBR – very awesome review!! And a highly rated one, too! I’m actually searching for one of her books at the moment at work, too (Tarnished and Torn) – someone walked out the doors with it, maybe! Grrrrrrr
By the way, thanks for including ALL the species 😉
Both series are pretty good (Home Renovation Series is the other). I think you would like this one more as it is a bit darker than the other 🙂
I love this series! I’ve not done any in audio yet but I love her books, both this series and her Haunted Home Renovations series
I love the Haunted Home Renovation series too. Xe does the narration on those too 🙂
Hm… sounds like a winner. I’m also going to have to try the audio. Especially when the narrator teases you in the comments! LOL
They are excellent! And Xe is a tease darn it! Won’t give me answers LOL
I am happy to hear that the second book is better. I liked the first book, but didn’t LOVE it as I thought it was a bit dark for a cozy. I need to give this series another chance.
The first was darker than this one though the case in this one still has dark moments. Her home renovation series is much lighter!
So so glad you continue to enjoy Blackwell’s series with me, Lily and Oscar 🙂 My lips are sealed on the love interest – you’ll just have to listen to find out!
NO hints! You are brutal LOL 🙂 I will just keep on listening and not look up spoilers (no promises on that) 🙂
Hm..I really do wanna try a cozy audio
You would like this series on audio and it might actually be a perfect one for you.