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The Witch Is Back by H.P. Mallory (Book 4)- Review
The Witch Is Back by H.P. Mallory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having read this series out of order (book three first, followed by one and two) it took me a minute to get my bearings when I started reading it. That said, even with my mild confusion about how the previous book ended, I was sucked in faster than a penny into a vacuum cleaner.
Jolie is back at the beginning of her story, back in her little fortune telling shop where Book One picked up, ignorant and unaware of the magical things that walk amongst us. And like the start of the series, everything hinges on the magical thing that walks through her lil’ shop door. Unlike the first time, that Magic Man is not Rand.
Now, I hesitate to divulge too much of the plot because it certainly was a twist on things and I don’t want to spoil all the fun for readers. In the grand scheme of things, I do believe I’ve fallen into team Sinjin territory over the course of the series so far — and Mallory must have read my mind. Yum.
That being said, reading The Witch Is Back was a bit like having trippy deja vu (or however you spell that). Some bits felt familiar like an old comfy sweater, while others felt odd in that alternate-universe kind of way. For example, Jolie’s BFF (Christa? I’m horrible with names)seemed a lot more randy and foul-mouthed than I remember her. Jolie is more naive than I recall. Sinjin is still Sinjin though, so there’s that. 
I did have a few nitpicks with the whole time-travelling concept and “rules” which mainly revolve around this book’s resolution, but I can’t hardly spell them out for fear of spoiling all the fun for anyone reading this.
Overall, I still adore this series and it’s characters. In fact, I also have the ARC for Book 5 and devoured that one right after this book. So that should tell you something!
** I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley for review purposes.**
Related articles
- Jolie Wilkin’s Series (Books 1-3) by HP Mallory – Quickie Book Reviews (quirkygurl.com)
- Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness – Book Review (quirkygurl.com)
Jolie Wilkin’s Series (Books 1-3) by HP Mallory – Quickie Book Reviews
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory (Jolie Wilkins Book #1)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**I read book 3 first (as an ARC) and loved it. So I went back to the beggining of the series to get my Rand / Sinjin fix!**
In some regards, this series starts out as a lot of typical paranormal chick books. Under-confident gal meets mysterious stranger, her life is upended and in the end she gets her hunk and some wicked-cool superpowers.
But this was not your typical paranormal.
Yes, Jolie has a little business reading people’s cards (fortunes) but her powers are hit-and miss. Other than her cat and an adorable BFF, she doesn’t have much of a social life. Then in walks Rand– a hunky, aloof guy with a job offer and more curiosity about her than Jolie can bear. But it’s not all “White Knight swooping in to save the day”. Oh, no.
The twists and turns are almost addictive. And the men, oh, the men. Introspective Rand. Hot-blooded (cold-blooded) Vampire Sinjin. Don’t expect your typical love triangle though.
As with the rest of the book, Mallory keeps every facet of this series fresh, smart and sassy. She knows how to build the uh, tension, as the story reaches it’s climax, only to leave the reader wanting more
Toil and Trouble by H.P. Mallory ( Jolie Wilkins Book #2)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**I read book 3 first (as an ARC) and loved it. So I went back to the beggining of the series to get my Rand / Sinjin fix!**
I adore this series, even more than I love Nutella, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, or my inexplicable love of all things 80′s. I loved watching Jolie as she becomes her destiny. I become frustrated right along side her when Rand is being hard-headed, and (dare I say it?) I blush when she does at the latest of Sinjin’s attempts to woo her.
I reviewed the Third Book a while back here, but I’ll repost for again for convienence
Witchful Thinking by H.P. Mallory (Jolie Wilkins Book #3)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having not read the first two books in this series, I expected to be a little behind while reading it. But there is enough back-story in this book that I got most everything that happened prior to this novel. I could see that as a lot of filler for someone who had already read the previous books though, but I guess that’s the price you pay for trying to keep everybody happy.
Overall, I really liked the main character Jolie, and I seem to be just as confused about her possible love interests as she is. (I wanted to whack Rand upside his handsome face a few times and Sinjin surprised me quite a few times too ~swoon!) The plotting kept me going and I finished this book in about three hours on this lazy Sunday afternoon.
That being said, a few things bugged me. Jolie doesn’t want to be the Queen, yet she seems to be falling right into the “I’m the Queen, so you have to do it” mantra. Also, a few things seem to be accepted a little too easily, or forgotten fairly quickly. Take the Prophetess (or priestess, I forget already) Mercedes… Surely I can’t be the only one who smells something rotten in Denmark here. She finds out something, or somehow knows a helpful tidbit, and no one questions it. Even when it seems hinky.
I’ll read more by Mallory of course, back to the beginning to see if that makes me feel better about this book. Overall I really liked it, but I wanted to love it– you know?
My only regret now is that I have to wait for the fourth book to come out!
Book Review – Witchful Thinking by H.P. Mallory
Witchful Thinking by H.P. Mallory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having not read the first two books in this series, I expected to be a little behind while reading it. But there is enough back-story in this book that I got most everything that happened prior to this novel. I could see that as a lot of filler for someone who had already read the previous books though, but I guess that’s the price you pay for trying to keep everybody happy.
Overall, I really liked the main character Jolie, and I seem to be just as confused about her possible love interests as she is. (I wanted to whack Rand upside his handsome face a few times and Sinjin surprised me quite a few times too ~swoon!) The plotting kept me going and I finished this book in about three hours on this lazy Sunday afternoon.
That being said, a few things bugged me. Jolie doesn’t want to be the Queen, yet she seems to be falling right into the “I’m the Queen, so you have to do it” mantra. Also, a few things seem to be accepted a little too easily, or forgotten fairly quickly. Take the Prophetess (or priestess, I forget already) Mercedes… Surely I can’t be the only one who smells something rotten in Denmark here. She find out something, or somehow knows a helpful tidbit, and no one questions it. Even when it seems hinky.
I’ll read more by Mallory of course, back to the beginning to see if that makes me feel better about this book. Overall I really liked it, but I wanted to love it– you know?
