Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft

Aug 21, 2012 Keertana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, swoooon

You can win a copy of this book on my blog!

3.5 Stars

From the surface, Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft seems to be like any other run-of-the-mill paranormal romance. We have the girl in the beautiful dress on the cover, a synopsis that hints at a female protagonist realizing she has paranormal powers, our classic Missing Parent Syndrome, and, of course, a romantic interest. Yet, when you really begin to read and probe deeper, you find that Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft is so much more than ju...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Christy Luis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Audrey knows, from the first sentence of the book, that something bad has happened to her mother. What she doesn't understand is how she "just knows." Turns out, her "witchy powers" have come to fruition! Better late than never? Not! As trouble mounts up, making her feel responsible, she soon wishes she had never found out about magic. Someone is threatening her—who? Where is her mother? And how does she fit into this picture?
Before reading this, I was nervous about whether I would feel secure...more

Audrey knows, from the first sentence of the book, that something bad has happened to her mother. What she doesn't understand is how she "just knows." Turns out, her "witchy powers" have come to fruition! Better late than never? Not! As trouble mounts up, making her feel responsible, she soon wishes she had never found out about magic. Someone is threatening her—who? Where is her mother? And how does she fit into this picture?
Before reading this, I was nervous about whether I would feel secure in reading a self-published book. Would I feel like I was in the hands of an experience storyteller? Jody Gehrman pulled it off! 2 points! There was definite skill in her craft, enough that I was not afraid to continue reading.
This book was like candy, as opposed to a hearty meal: pure fun (and it was fun), but containing very little meat or nutritional value. I didn’t learn from it, but I did enjoy the story. I think Jody’s purpose was to write a fun book, though, so I was not expecting much in the edification department. I expected fun, and I got fun!
The story arc of this book was good. I reallyreally wanted the end to resolve the conflict; but, Jody was smarter. She left just enough hanging that I wish I had the sequel in my hands right now.
Naturally, in a book written for teen girls, there was a romance angle. I liked Julian, if he was a bit flat. I loved the twists in their relationship—especially the memory loss—precious and original to Audrey’s Guide. I admired the author for resisting to heap on the sexual humor overall. I usually find too many sex jokes distasteful, and I greatly enjoyed Audrey’s sweet, bubbly humor.
My complaints about plot: in several tight situations, Audrey used some humorous, lucky method to win the day, while the bad guy often made some absurd oversight. For boy readers, this would be unacceptable. For Jody Gehrman’s audience (girl readers), it is excusable.
As far as morality, my spirit says "Eh." There's good and there's evil. I disagree with some of what the "good" side says. Of course, that happens with every book. There is a sort of Christian presence in this book, which surprised me. I enjoyed the character of Bridgit to some degree, but she doesn't act like an authentic Christian. Her parents are those horrid legalistic type. Unfortunately, there are some of those in the world. I felt they were portrayed a bit stereotypically, however. I hate saying that about a book, but it's true.
There was quite a bit of light cursing. Nothing terribly vulgar, just the usual stupid teenager type. It was just annoying rather than off-putting.
Overall, I would have given this book a 3.5. I liked it for the story, and I’ll still read the sequel.
Thanks, Jody, for the review copy! I hope my review was honest and up to your standards.
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Sep 01, 2012 Jennifer ( jen'sbookworld ) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review can also be found on my blog - Jen's Book World

21st August
An entertaining read. I liked the cover of the book and especially the spooky font of the word 'Witchcraft' and I think Audrey is one of the best fictional character ever imagined by an author. I absolutely loved her! Jody Gehrman sure knows how to create an enticing fantasy world with kick-ass moms and daughters, maniac villains and absolutely adorable and electric romantic scenes. Review soon to come!!

2nd September
First of a...more This review can also be found on my blog - Jen's Book World

21st August
An entertaining read. I liked the cover of the book and especially the spooky font of the word 'Witchcraft' and I think Audrey is one of the best fictional character ever imagined by an author. I absolutely loved her! Jody Gehrman sure knows how to create an enticing fantasy world with kick-ass moms and daughters, maniac villains and absolutely adorable and electric romantic scenes. Review soon to come!!

2nd September
First of all I would like to thank Jody Gehrman for providing me with an eBook copy of her awesome book - Audrey's Guide TO Witchcraft. The literary style, the plot and the characters, all were simply stunning and I highly enjoyed reading the book.

The story outright begins with a mystery as Audrey somehow just ‘senses’ that her mother is missing. And then some creepy stuff like the emergence of a face of a man in Audrey’s crème brulee starts happening which really doesn’t help ease down Audrey’s anxieties. Then when a mysterious cousin steps in to take care of Audrey and her sister Meg while their mother took care of some ‘family business’, Audrey’s suspicions are proved to be right that something was definitely wrong.

Somehow, in the middle of worrying about her mother, taking care of Meg and grilling their ‘cousin’- Sadie, for some answers, two things happen to Audrey that go on to change her life. First, Audrey starts to develop her witchy superpowers and had just might found a way to finally help her mother. And even with all this going on Audrey seems to be falling hard for Julian, a really cute guy who is also the manager of Meg’s band. That’s the second thing. But somewhere in the world of dark magic, something terrible is brewing. A lunatic man, associated with Audrey’s mother’s past, is thinking of building a world in which demons inhabit human bodies. And when all this hits too close to home, as Audrey’s best friend, Bridget’s sister almost dies and comes back as a totally different person, Audrey has no choice but to step into a world of hidden family secrets, evil necromancer and black magic rituals. Audrey will have to fight to save and protect her loved ones. Will she be able to win and survive all this madness before someone gets seriously hurt or worse, dies? And will she be able to defeat, and might just have to kill, the person who was related to her in ways she never could have imagined?

Audrey is one of the best characters that I have come across. She is funny, smart, though a little bit delusional and lacking self-importance. She is also strong and will do anything to protect her loved ones. And also the only word to describe even the normal as well as the romantic scenes between Audrey and Julian, which I could think of, is…electric. It felt as if the sparks were literally flying out of my laptop screen!

Some parts of the book were a little gory and creepy, like Gretchen – Bridget’s sister, sucking vigorously at her own blood with – eek! – slurping noises. God! That totally creeped me out! And having a very good visualizing power (that me!) does not help when the protagonist is blasting people’s brains off! Literally! Plus the writing was so good that images came clearly in my mind.

The last paragraph was not a complain though. Those scenes had some killer action in it that couldn’t have been written any better by anyone else. Audrey’s Guide To Witchcraft was a highly entertaining read, not having any boring points but having lots of exciting and mysterious points. I would recommend this book to all YA readers.(less)

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Dec 08, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars!
I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have fallen so far behind with my review books but I'm really making an effort to catch up. The only thing is that by the time I get round to reading them I can't even remember accepting them, let alone what they are about. (How bad is that!!! Should I even admit that here? Hope it doesn't put people off requesting) but as I say, I'm trying harder and catching up.
This book was great for the fact that it immediately d...more 4.5 stars!
I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have fallen so far behind with my review books but I'm really making an effort to catch up. The only thing is that by the time I get round to reading them I can't even remember accepting them, let alone what they are about. (How bad is that!!! Should I even admit that here? Hope it doesn't put people off requesting) but as I say, I'm trying harder and catching up.
This book was great for the fact that it immediately draws you in. I didn't even have to look up the blurb or research the book, it just grabbed me and made me a part of it's word.
Audrey is 17, she lives with her mum and 16 year old sister. Have you ever had one of those days when something just isn't right? Audrey gets a bad feeling whilst she is in school and it won't go away, when she gets home she discovers her mum is missing with no explanation. Then Sadie turns up claiming to be their cousin and that she has been sent to babysit them. But Audrey knows there is more too it. Then strange things start to happen to Audrey and she discovers that her mother is a very powerful witch, and she has inherited the powers. It's time to step up and fight back, but will she be able to master the magic before it's too late.

I really enjoyed this book, it has everything in it, magic, romance, mystery, fights, baking, and a creepy bad guy. Throughout the book Audrey makes 'notes' in her Guide book, anything from recipes for cakes and deserts to spells and potions, which gives us a great insight into her life.
Audrey herself is very likeable, she is determined to do what is right and to try to protect other people. She is very head-strong and likely to rush in first, think about it later, but I loved her passion.
Her sister is a bit of a brat, leader of a rock band just taking off, and 'beautiful' with it she still gets quite whiney and selfish in places, but I suppose when you consider the fact that she doesn't know anything about her mum's disappearance or the magic, you can forgive her some things.
Audrey's best friend Bridgit - throughout the book is very understanding and funny. She makes up her own words and expects people to know what she is talking about, I had fun trying to guess what it was before she told us.
Sadie herself was cool, a mixture of fun and relaxed and responsible adult. I liked her spirit and her determination to do what was right for the girls.
Then we have the love interest, Audrey meets Julian at a house party, he's trying to make it as a music manager and ends up signing her sister's band. Meaning they are around each other more often. But when Audrey and Julian are together strange things happen, the whole room seems to come alive. Is it love that's meant to be or something else more mysterious. I liked their connection though and the fact that the author hasn't gone down the 'insta-love' route, she builds up their relationship and lets it have its good and bad times.
The pace of this book is fast and flowing. I read it in a couple of hours and couldn't wait to know more. This is a planned series and i cannot wait to read book 2.
This is a book that will sweep you into the pages and immerse you into the world, and you won't want to leave!(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Mysti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. The included recipes made me want to actually bake something, and I don't have a cook-ish bone in my body! The witch/Pagan bits that were included were a bit to one side of what I'd been taught or believe, but were perfectly exact in this universe. Along with Audrey, the reader discovers her powers and how they work. I love Audrey's interactions with Julian, and his easy acceptance of all things 'casserole' (something she can't discuss with him). But I dislike the han...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, suspense, scifi-fantasy, relationships, paranormal, mystery

A young adult novel with sparkling dialog, excellent vocabulary, deep characters, plausible crushes and… well, and a paranormal plotline, Jody Gehrman’s Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft has it all. The story almost reads itself, smoothly written with great voices, wonderful use of language (where else will you read the word “neologisms” and immediately know what it means?), fantastic age-appropriate imagery, depictions of scenery as powerfully evocative as those of magic, and all told in a beautiful...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Gemma Wilford rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great piece of fantasy that is poetically written.

What I appreciated the most was the poetic style of writing that the author has, her descriptions and use of language really caught my attention. I loved the flow and rhythm of the sentences which were so beautifully described, the author really has a way with words.

Examples are:

The sun had set but enough light remained to stain the splotchy clouds a beautiful orange (36%)

Buttery moon (41%)

And one of my favourites – totally fab desc:

We looked o...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Three and a half stars: A blend of magic, romance and mystery, and a solid start to a series.

Audrey has this nagging feeling that something isn't right. She tries to soothe her nerves in cooking class by baking creme brûlée, but she just can't shake the feeling that her mother was abducted by this strange man with cruel eyes. When she torches the sugar on the custard, something mysterious happens. A face pushes forth from the custard cup. What is happening to her? When she gets home, she confirm...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Shortlatte rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have an urban fantasy confession to make: witches have never really done it for me. I love the idea of magic in general, but for some reason, whenever I’ve been presented with an array of supernaturals to choose from, the witches always take last place. That being said, I rather enjoyed my brief excursion into Audrey’s world, although my reaction might be due in part to my witch-biased low expectations going in.

Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraftdoesn’t stray too far from the typical young adult para...more I have an urban fantasy confession to make: witches have never really done it for me. I love the idea of magic in general, but for some reason, whenever I’ve been presented with an array of supernaturals to choose from, the witches always take last place. That being said, I rather enjoyed my brief excursion into Audrey’s world, although my reaction might be due in part to my witch-biased low expectations going in.

Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraftdoesn’t stray too far from the typical young adult paranormal mould, introducing us to a likable yet unremarkable heroine with self-esteem issues, a rushed introduction to the supernatural world, and a case of the dreaded insta-love. Still, while the book does commit the foregoing offenses, it does so in a manner that is almost charming in its lack of pretension. This book never takes itself too seriously, and while that tends to drive me crazy much of the time, here it was an asset that helped to offset the book’s more generic qualities. Audrey might not be particularly compelling as a narrator (not to mention her unfortunate ascent to Mary Sue status), but she is sincere and thus eminently more likable than so many of the young adult heroines that predominate in the genre at the opposite end of the spectrum. Audrey is tossed unceremoniously into a world she never knew existed, yet the vehicle for her education is a delightful secondary character who I hope resists becoming overshadowed as Audrey’s mom inevitably gets a larger page-presence in future books. Even the romance angle was cute, albeit inadequately explored. Still, Julian is a nice guy without a hint of being a broodingly secretive alpha-asshole, and rejoice! There isn’t a whiff of a triangle so far.

While reading, I couldn’t help but compare the book to other stories that I’ve encountered before, and honestly, Gehrman does little to dissuade the tendency. Pop culture references proliferate throughout, with more than a couple of nods to Harry Potter, yet I didn’t get any Rowling vibes. No, my brain ran to more obscure gems in the film arena such as Halloweentown and Simply Irresistible. If you can’t recall those cinematic wonders, don’t worry- your ignorance is forgivable. I can’t say the plot was enthralling, but it kept my attention, which is commendable judging by my reading record of late. The jury’s still out on whether I’ll be picking up the second book in the series, but if you’re looking for something rather frothy to while away a fall day, Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft is a good bet.

http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress....(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site, received-for-review

Other reviews like this at The Book Babe

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was...how do I put this? It was...interesting. For one, this is the first book I've read that only involved witches. Usually there's some werewolves, or some vampires thrown in to make the book more interesting. Some people spend their time reading paranormal books. I usually don't, so this is a bit out of the norm for me.

Yes, I enjoyed it, but I found a few things to be...well, annoying. For one, nothing about Julian and Audre...more Other reviews like this at The Book Babe

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was...how do I put this? It was...interesting. For one, this is the first book I've read that only involved witches. Usually there's some werewolves, or some vampires thrown in to make the book more interesting. Some people spend their time reading paranormal books. I usually don't, so this is a bit out of the norm for me.

Yes, I enjoyed it, but I found a few things to be...well, annoying. For one, nothing about Julian and Audrey's relationship was really explained. It seemed like they had a few serious problems (which I can't reveal because of spoilers), and they never really talked about their problems or anything. They just kind of faded into the wallpaper the next time they saw each other. I hate that. I wish there would have been more problem solving involved, because it would have helped us to really see some serious character development with Julian and Audrey.

The plot progressed fairly well, and it kept me interested, but after a fair amount of reading, my head kind of hurts. Yep, a lot of it may have went over my head. With all the spells involved, and names, and...oh, I'm losing it.

Julian and Audrey, well, let's just say I would swoon over Julian any day. But Audrey's character, she's the real fireball. She is entirely obsessed with helping her mom out. "When's my mom gonna be home?" or "I know I can help, why won't you let me?" To one point, she was actually a good character, because she absolutely wasn't afraid to roll with the punches, but she was also a teeny bit full of herself, with her witchy ways. Normally, she's not, but get her on the witch train, and her ego's pretty darn big.

All in all, I enjoyed Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, but it's not going to be my favorite any time soon.

*Book provided by author for review.

Favorite Quote:
She shook her head. "It's not like that. There's such a wide range of talents, and everyone's gifts are unique. I can't tell you how because I don't know how it works for you."(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finding out you have magical powers can be stressful for any teen. Add to that the stress of keeping this secret from those closest to you, finding your soul mate and having a necromancer out to destroy your family and yeah you have Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft.

Audrey’s life is a mundane as could be, that is until her mother disappears to help her family which neither Audrey or her sister Meg have ever heard of. Their only link to what is really going on is when their mysterious “cousin” Sadie s...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Valentina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books that can make a weekend fly by as you read it. It’s the kind that puts you in a good mood.
The protagonist is Audrey, of course, a teenage girl dealing with the regular issues that come with adolescence and with the things that come with being a witch in training. She is a fun heroine to follow throughout the book, with enough spunk to make her more interesting than many of the YA female protagonists that are out there at the moment.
I would have liked a bit more devel...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cover:
Very appealing cover, I like the spiral effect and the coloring. I for one am a huge fan of the girls in dresses on covers.

Beginning:
The start of the story took me some time to get into. Learning the characters, the setting and pacing was something that I did have to get used to. When I initially picked up the book, it was a lot larger than I thought it would be.

Middle:
The pacing and plot really starts to pick up around chapter 5. Lets just say the magic really starts to happen. The pace...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-author, great-supporting-characters, ya, witches

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I found out about Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft from the author herself and I was totally excited to read it. In my opinion, there aren’t nearly enough good witch books out in the market right now. Heck, my husband and I even went to Salem, MA for our first year wedding anniversary, so needless to say, I like witches! I also liked how Jody decided to self-publish this book. She certainly has enough readers for it...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I found out about Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft from the author herself and I was totally excited to read it. In my opinion, there aren’t nearly enough good witch books out in the market right now. Heck, my husband and I even went to Salem, MA for our first year wedding anniversary, so needless to say, I like witches! I also liked how Jody decided to self-publish this book. She certainly has enough readers for it to be successful and she has already proven herself to be capable in the traditional publishing world.

First 50 Pages: It took me a couple of chapters before I felt like I was fully focused on the story. I thought that it started off just a little on the slow side for my taste, but it wasn’t too long before it picked up speed. Around the 3rd or 4th chapter is when I started to really enjoy what I was reading. I also thought that some of the dialog felt a bit off and maybe the very beginning of the story could have used some more editing. Other than a few small speed bumps, I thoroughly enjoyed Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft. I especially enjoyed the characters, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

Characters & Plot: This story follows Audrey, a perfectly normal teenaged girl who is into baking and chemistry, two different interests that she gained from each of her parents. Well, things aren’t all fine and dandy for too long. Audrey comes home from school one day and her mother isn’t there and she can’t get a hold of her on her cell. Audrey knows that something isn’t right and out of the blue, a woman named Sadie shows up at their home. Sadie is Audrey and Meg’s (Audrey’s talented sister) cousin and she tells the girls that their mother had to take care of some so-called family business, so Sadie will be staying with them until their mother comes home. Seems pretty legit right? Not so much. Things begin to get even stranger, especially to Audrey.

Unexplainable things start to happen to Audrey and to the people around her. She suddenly has heightened senses, she causes a mean girl at her school to be knocked down just by looking at her, and she is having strange dreams or hallucinations of an awful man everywhere she goes. Finally Sadie decides to tell Audrey that she is a witch and not just any old witch either. She is an Alchematix, like a super witch with awesome powers. Audrey handles this news fairly well and she is given more news about her mother. Her mother is trying to stop an evil man who is bringing people back to life and Audrey intends to help in any way that she can. Her Alchematix powers begin to grow and develop. She has a lot on her plate! She tries to help her mother, learn more about herself and her abilities, not to mention all while falling in love with a super cute boy.

The characters in this book were a lot of fun to read about. Audrey could be a little cranky at times, but what teenager isn’t? I liked how she could handle herself in difficult situations, even if she didn’t really want to. I also liked her relationship with Bridget, her best friend, and how they were so loyal to one another. Audrey’s sister Meg was well fleshed out in my opinion, and I kind of felt bad for her because she was clueless as to what was really going on for most of the book. As much as I liked Audrey, I really loved Sadie. She is a totally unique character and she really stands out from the bunch. I wouldn’t mind reading a spin-off story about Sadie in the future!

Final Thoughts: There were a few minor hiccups, but overall I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a magical, fun, and mysterious tone to it. I’ll admit that I thought that the whole book was a little silly, but in a good kind of way. I think that fans of the author aren’t going to be disappointed and I’m definitely hoping to continue reading this series. It was a fast book that was so much fun to read and enjoy! If you like to read about witches, please check this out this book!(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Paige Firth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review is also on my blog - http://enchantology.wordpress.com/201...

Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft was an enjoyable read, though I must admit if I had picked it up a few years ago I might have liked it more. There isn’t really a logical reason why this is, I’ve just changed my taste in books ever so slightly. The story is very current, referencing Facebook and Twitter as well as popular books of our recent past – Harry Potter and Twilight to name a few. I like to be far from reality when I’m...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Kelli rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. This book was available for free on my Kindle and I thought, why not? There were lots of excellent reviews.

The story is about Audrey, a 17 year old who has just learned she is a witch. Her mother is missing and there is a big problem brewing that involves Audrey's family that she must help with.

What stood out most to me about this book was the writing. Gherman has an almost poetic way of explaining surroundings. The main character (Audrey) also has a lo...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Diana Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: witchy-witches, paranormal-romance

I’m not a YA reader, but when I saw this book pop up around the blogosphere, I was intrigued. The blurb sounded good (I love witchy books) and the cover is gorgeous! I’m glad I took a chance on Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft, because I really enjoyed it.

Audrey was a great character. It’s been a few years since I was 17, but I found myself realting to Audrey easily. She’s a bit socially awkward, would rather study chemistry or bake a cake than party, and she’s fiercely protective of her friends an...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Amie McCracken rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman is the story of a new witch, Audrey. Her mother disappears, a mysterious cousin shows up to babysit, and she has foreboding feelings about it all.

The voice in this book was flashy and fun. There was just enough high school mixed with new-witch-hiding-her-identity. I was completely in love with the 'cousin,' Sadie. She's eccentric and cool all at the same time. And the book is all around fun without being vapid and girly. The love story felt natural, w...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Denice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-from-amazon

Cover: I think it’s more fitting for a ghost story… But since Audrey can fly or levitate, it’s alright…

Audrey:

She’s very protective, it sometimes border on being overprotective, but at least most of the time she has the reason to… She’s also very smart considering she guessed her real bloodline thought she tried to deny it at first… And then there is her power… It’s very awesome and powerful… Just imagine, you’re able to do something extraordinary with just the use of your eyes…

Julian:

I think he...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Raelynn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Raelynn by: Jody

Shelves: e-books, spring-summer-reading-list-2012

**Review Originally posted at life-ducks.blogspot.com**

This was the very first book I read on my new Nook Color, and I loved that, but this is a book review. This book is quirky, suspenseful, humorous, and exciting! I easily read a few chapters a day for the first couple of days, but once I hit chapter thirteen, I was hooked. I did not put down my Nook for anything more than a moment. I became enthralled background story of a relationship Audrey develops, not to mention the main story line: chas

...more **Review Originally posted at life-ducks.blogspot.com**

This was the very first book I read on my new Nook Color, and I loved that, but this is a book review. This book is quirky, suspenseful, humorous, and exciting! I easily read a few chapters a day for the first couple of days, but once I hit chapter thirteen, I was hooked. I did not put down my Nook for anything more than a moment. I became enthralled background story of a relationship Audrey develops, not to mention the main story line: chasing the bad guy to save Audrey's mother.

In this book, Audrey Oliver is a 17 year-old girl living an ordinary life. She loves baking, like her pastry chef mother, and chemistry, like her late father. She has a best friend and a talented sister. One day, Audrey just feels that something is terribly wrong. When Sadie, a young estranged cousin, shows up, her suspicions are confirmed. With the story of her mother having to attend to "family business," the girls continue in their life. But weird things are happening to Audrey. She sees weird visions and seems to make things happen. Finally, she learns that she, and her mother, are witches. After that life shattering news she learns her mother is fighting an evil man and that Audrey may be in danger too. How is Audrey supposed to balance family loyalty, self-preservation, and her new magical abilities, not to mention falling in love? What's a witch to do?

As far as the story itself, I liked the idea of it. What can I say? Throw some witches onto paper, have them fight evil and fall in love, I'm sold. I also really loved the characters and their development. Sadie was, by far, my favorite character. I love her quirky personality and how lost she is at first in the Oliver home. I also love her menagerie/entourage. Meg was also an interesting character, being entirely without knowledge of the truth. Then there's Julian. I love that man. I'm so glad that Ms. Gehrman didn't make him evil or sketchy like so many authors feel the need to do.

My only real complaints are stylistic. I questioned the use of some metaphors and found, I think, two typos (only one I marked as distracting). My first complaint, though was the vocabulary. I'm an avid reader and English major with, what I consider, an advanced vocabulary, but within the first 10 pages, I had to look up 2 words and noted one as and unnatural words for a high school junior. If she was said to be an extremely intelligent or advanced student, I'd probably over look these words, but for a Young Adult novel I found them to seem pretentious and unnatural. After page 10, though, the unusual wording stopped or died down enough I forgot to notice.

Overall, I give this book a 4 duck rating. I really really enjoyed it, despite me minor, English major-esque, complaints. I really think that anyone who enjoys exciting fantasy novels, novels about witches and magic, or just really good, fast paced reads would really like this book. I, personally, am patiently (or perhaps impatiently) awaiting the sequel! Look below the rating for where you can purchase your own copy to love.

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Oct 06, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Audrey is just your average teenage girl. She likes spending time with her best friend, likes chemistry and baking. Not so average - she's just found out she comes from a long line of witches.

When her mom disappears and a cousin she never knew she had shows up to take care of her and her sister, Audrey knows something is wishy washy. Her mom never mentioned a big family or grandmother, just that she grew up on some hippy commune.

So between the boy she's crushing on, learning how to use her new w...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, owned, will-trade

'Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft' is a fun and exciting book that follows the main character, Audrey Oliver, as she deals with teenage life and with being a witch-in-training. Among her daily activities include school, crushing on a cute boy, learning spells, and trying to fight evil.

The first book in a series, this novel is full of excitement and tons of magical energy. The story's heroine, Audrey, is a perfect example of a modern day teenage girl - only with the added benefit of being a young wi...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

PDF Version free via author for honest review

This is such a great book and story. Audrey may not be the most popular girl in her school, but she is not one to be messed with either, especially once she finds out that she is not losing her mind but is coming into her family secret powers. Audrey never, in a million years, thought she would be learning that her family has a deep secret past of being witches and that she is coming in to her own powers. When her Mom goes away unannounced for a "fami...more PDF Version free via author for honest review

This is such a great book and story. Audrey may not be the most popular girl in her school, but she is not one to be messed with either, especially once she finds out that she is not losing her mind but is coming into her family secret powers. Audrey never, in a million years, thought she would be learning that her family has a deep secret past of being witches and that she is coming in to her own powers. When her Mom goes away unannounced for a "family emergency" Audrey knows there is much more going on than that, especially seeing as how her Mom has been distanced from her family for as long as she can remember. Why would her Mom go and help her family now after all these years? And why on Earth would she send a meager 21 year old "cousin" whom they have never even met to watch them while she is away? Can Audrey get answers out of this cousin about what's really going on? What will she do with those answers when she gets them? And how in the world can a young, just learning, witch help her Mom with this so called "family emergency"?

I very much enjoyed this book. I must say the characters were fantastic and really made the story as great at it is. I think my favorite character was the main one, Audrey, but Sadie and Meg were pretty great too. I loved the "talking" to animals thing Sadie does. Audrey was easy to relate to and come to love in my opinion. Her life in general and her struggles made her feel "real" to me. She has a best friend, an enemy, a sister who she thinks is way better than her and sort hates for it, boy trouble, school issues, and a HUGE family secret. The plot was perfect too. It had mystery, suspense, action, paranormal aspects, and great writing. I liked the dynamics of the characters and the plot. This book was a very good read in the fact that once you were sucked in by the first few pages, you were IN and had a hard time getting out to do things that you had to do. I found myself saying, "just one more chapter" a lot which then turned into, "I have to go do this and put this book down". It just was that kind of book, you couldn't help but read on. If you are looking for a nice young adult read that is a great book that will have you hooked from the first few pages this is the book for you! Very enjoyable and I highly recommend it!

5/5 Stars!
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Oct 31, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-paranormal, read-in-2012

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was a story that I had been looking forward to reading for months. I held off until the week of Halloween, thinking that I would be in the perfect mood for some magic.

The story was fun had a lot of sweet moments. Audrey was a main character that I did enjoy. She was kind, thoughtful, and smart. She feels as if her younger, rocker sister, Meg, outshines her. And in some ways, Meg did outshine Audrey. So did their cousin/temporary guardian, Sadie. Sadie and Meg were f...more Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was a story that I had been looking forward to reading for months. I held off until the week of Halloween, thinking that I would be in the perfect mood for some magic.

The story was fun had a lot of sweet moments. Audrey was a main character that I did enjoy. She was kind, thoughtful, and smart. She feels as if her younger, rocker sister, Meg, outshines her. And in some ways, Meg did outshine Audrey. So did their cousin/temporary guardian, Sadie. Sadie and Meg were fun, quirky characters and in comparison, Audrey sometimes felt...tame. And that's okay because that's simply who Audrey was, quiet and calm.

Things liven up for Audrey, though, when she meets Julian and the sparks fly! Literally. Audrey and Julian share a mystical connection that I never quite understood, but it did provide for the sweetest, most magical moments in the story. I love that he pushed Audrey to be up front with him, but didn't bully her into giving him answers that would put them both in more danger. He was very understanding of Audrey's quirkiness, probably a bit too understanding to be quite believable, but still, I enjoyed him.

Since I mentioned believability, I have to say that this was my only true issue with the story. Audrey and Meg's mom goes missing. A mysterious "cousin" shows up, says their mom had something to attend to, and doesn't give them a way to contact her. Instead of pitching the mother of all hissy fits and demanding answers, Audrey and Meg just go with it. They don't really like situation, but they don't fight it, and Meg even throws a party. I just didn't understand this angle, and felt like it was simply too easy.

However, I did enjoy Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft. It was magical, sweet and fun. I enjoyed watching Audrey develop and embrace her powers. The romance was just perfect to fit the tone of the story, and the ending was very dramatic. I do feel that younger teens would especially enjoy Audrey's story.

Full of sweet magic and a sweet leading character, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is a story that will appeal to fans of teen witches.(less)

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Aug 16, 2012 Kaytee (Dedicated Readers Only) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, awesome-covers, book-boyfriends, witches, series, paranormal, please-give-me-another, read-e-book-copy, reviewed-on-blog

This review, author interview, and giveaway of a signed copy of the book can be found at my blog:
Dedicated Readers Only

The wonderful Jody Gehrman provided me with a copy of her book to review, so big thanks to her!

I love the concept of this novel - I've always been a fan of witchy things since first watching "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". I haven't read a good witch story in a long time so I was itching to get into this one. Also, the cover, which Judy and her husband designed together, is so pret...more This review, author interview, and giveaway of a signed copy of the book can be found at my blog:
Dedicated Readers Only

The wonderful Jody Gehrman provided me with a copy of her book to review, so big thanks to her!

I love the concept of this novel - I've always been a fan of witchy things since first watching "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". I haven't read a good witch story in a long time so I was itching to get into this one. Also, the cover, which Judy and her husband designed together, is so pretty! The red dress really makes it stand out. And I love the title!

To me, the first few chapters seemed a little rushed. I feel like it would have been a good beginning had there been a previous book, but it seemed like it really just rushed into the whole, everything is weird phase. I like my paranormal/supernatural to have a bit of character development before transitioning into the weird stuff. I mean, creme brulee faces within the first few pages? It just seemed to happen too fast for me.

But, nevertheless, I really enjoyed this book. Once I got past the first few chapters and the story really got underway, I found myself not being able to put it down till I finished. I really like Audrey. She came across as a typical 17-year-old girl who just found out she is a witch. She definitely stands up for herself, and I like the fact that she isn't completely obsessed with one guy and is able to focus on other things in life, like training her powers and finding her mom. The story did not entirely revolve around the romance, which is very refreshing. I love romance just as much as the next girl, but sometimes it's nice to read about something else for a change, with a little romance thrown in.

When Audrey's mother goes missing, her "cousin" Sadie comes to town with her traveling circus of 2 kittens, Honey and Mo, her Iguana, Captain Zinky, and her boa constrictor, Alistair. I found it a bit odd how accepting Audrey and her sister, Meg, were of letting Sadie in the house. Meg, especially, seeming to find it not strange at all that her mother has gone off on a "family emergency" when she hasn't spoken to her family since long before either girl was born. As the book went on, though, I really came to like Sadie and her "magical" wit.

The characters in the book are all pretty good. Audrey's sister, Meg, is a high school, rock-star diva. She always wants to have her way, and when she doesn't get it, she throws a fit. Audrey is always comparing herself to Meg, and believes that Meg is the better, more pretty and popular sister, while she is like Cinderella to her. Julian, the love interest in the story, does add some humor to the story, and you always need a good romance! I can't wait to get to know him more in future novels.

I would have like to see more character interaction between Audrey and her mom. I think that's part of why I found the beginning to be rushed. I would have liked to see more interaction between them before she went missing. Besides knowing that she is Audrey's mom, I couldn't sympathize that she was missing through the book. I feel that if we had gotten to see them interact in the beginning, it would have made it easier to emotionally connect with her missing.

Above all my small complaints though, I still found myself really really liking this book, and I am definitely anticipating the rest of this series!(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Jami Zehr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Audrey has a bad feeling all day, she knows, in her gut, that something is terribly wrong with her mother. When she finally gets home after school, her mother is no where to be found, and she wont answer her cell phone either. Then, a long lost “cousin”, Sadie, shows up on their door step as Meg, Audrey’s sister, and Audrey are eating the last of the melting ice cream right out of the tub. Sadie informs the girls that she will be staying with them while their mother handles a “family emergency.

T...more Audrey has a bad feeling all day, she knows, in her gut, that something is terribly wrong with her mother. When she finally gets home after school, her mother is no where to be found, and she wont answer her cell phone either. Then, a long lost “cousin”, Sadie, shows up on their door step as Meg, Audrey’s sister, and Audrey are eating the last of the melting ice cream right out of the tub. Sadie informs the girls that she will be staying with them while their mother handles a “family emergency.

Then strange things start happening to Audrey, her senses are heightened, she shatters glass with her mind, and knocks over one of the Mean Girls at school by shooting at the girl with power from her eyes. Plus, Audrey is having visions of a scary man who shows up, in all places, on her creme brulee. Sadie tells Audrey she is a witch, in particular, an alchematrix, with a genetic predisposition to magic from her mother, who didn’t so much grow up on a hippie commune as on the Land full of Clan folk, all witches and sorcerers. Audrey begins to question everything she ever knew, and as her powers start to mature, she embraces her alchematrix side eager to help her mother in the fight against the bad guy, whoever he may be, even if she doesn’t know exactly what it is he is doing wrong. Other than bringing people back to life who should be dead, that is.

Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft was engaging and exciting. I really enjoyed the alchemist aspect of the story and how Audrey’s propensity for Chemistry and baking fed into her craft. Audrey is your typical 17 year-old and sometimes she is a bit whiny, but usually she gets over herself and does the right thing. Usually. So, I didn’t find her annoying, but instead she was courageous, if confused. Which stands to reason for someone who never knew they might turn out to be a witch with some strong magicks. Audrey is also extremely loyal to her best friend, Bridget, one of my favorite characters in the book. Bridget lacks a little self confidence, but grows and gains some as the story progresses. Plus she is a total geek of the first order, and that is always cool in my book. This was a fun fast read that I became totally engrossed in as the story progressed, enjoying the mystery, magic, and madness.

Read more on my blog: Absurdly Nerdly (less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Tifferz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutely LOVED this book! It is so fun and witty filled with deep characters. I loved Audrey's perspective. I also liked that she has her doubts about herself and seeing her grow in self confidence. I also like the effects that Julian and Audrey have on each other. It is simply magical. A couple of my favorite parts are the kissing scene and the books! I also really liked the "casserole" conversations and every time they say it. It cracks me up. I loved the dangerous adventure that we get to...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Alisia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought that this book was great! It was fun and exciting. The characters were well written and easy to like. I love Audrey. I really like Julian too. They are so cute together. I loved the part where Sadie erases a bit of Audrey's memory (I don't want to go into it too much so I don't give it anyway). Some bits of this book made me laugh out loud enough for my sister to come see what was so funny! Some parts make you laugh, some giggle, some aww (in sweetness), some made your heart race but a...more

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Nov 08, 2012 P.E. at Tantalizing Illusions rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was another really fun read. There was so much good about this book. There were actually no real flaws and I enjoyed reading this.

I liked that the characters made an impression on me. I could clearly picture them and their different personalities. Audrey feeling like a wallflower, Meg shining with infinite coolness, Bridget's sweetness... Each character had some defining traits that stood out very well and none of them were boring. I also thought Audrey was a nice c...more Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was another really fun read. There was so much good about this book. There were actually no real flaws and I enjoyed reading this.

I liked that the characters made an impression on me. I could clearly picture them and their different personalities. Audrey feeling like a wallflower, Meg shining with infinite coolness, Bridget's sweetness... Each character had some defining traits that stood out very well and none of them were boring. I also thought Audrey was a nice character to connect to. She had insecurities but she's a cool person that would do anything for the people she loves. I adored her habit of writing things down in a notebook type thing. The voice in the writing, sarcastic and insightful, was also really well done.

I'm going to talk about the writing shortly because I really liked it. I don't know enough about writing to be too technical but there didn't seem to be any mistakes whatsoever. Everything flowed so very well and I got into the story and was swiping page quickly. Especially at the end- that was kind of crazy. There were a lot of great one timers and stuff. Only thing I'd maybe nitpick about is one of the references- I know it's impossible to keep to date on current pop culture references but if an author doesn't use the right reference it will date their book.

There really isn't much to complain about in this story. I got to read another story about witches, which is awesome. They're not done- there are still so many possibilities with all the cool stories they could have so I love reading about witchcraft. I liked Audrey's world- it fit the story and was original. There were some new concepts that I'd love to explore.

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is another novel meant to entertain and it does a pretty darn good job. It's funny, it made smile, and I was totally into it. Sometimes though, I would have liked if some characters were more defined and if the story went in more depth (i.e. Dallas, and the villain's motivation). I'm glad this is a series and the world will hopefully be explored more in the future.

If I can find the sequel, I definitely hope to read it. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is one of those books that's a pretty good package and solid in every aspect. I did try to include negative things in my review for the sake of balance, but there is no major or real issues. Overall, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is pretty great so I'm giving it 4 stars.

****

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Aug 27, 2012 Dayla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: another-book-challenge, addicting, family, fun-read, just-plain-cool, magic, promising-series, romance, sassy, series, suspense, tough-chicks, witches, young-adult

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received this ebook from the author for review

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, the first in the Audrey's Guides series, by Jody Gehrman is a quick read that offers more than the short synopsis can possibly portray. With its well-written prose and witty dialogue, Gehrman's novel is a fun summer read that will steal your attention for hours.

There are four points to take notice of while reading Gehrman's novel: the dialogue, the prose, the characte...more Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received this ebook from the author for review

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, the first in the Audrey's Guides series, by Jody Gehrman is a quick read that offers more than the short synopsis can possibly portray. With its well-written prose and witty dialogue, Gehrman's novel is a fun summer read that will steal your attention for hours.

There are four points to take notice of while reading Gehrman's novel: the dialogue, the prose, the characters, and the speed of the story.

The dialogue served its purpose of drawing me in and evoking different emotions from me. When the characters were humorous, I felt their humour, yet when they were sad, I couldn't help but feel their hurt. Gehrman's success with dialogue is followed by, at times cliched, prose. While her writing is nearly flawless, she does employ the tactic of describing (view spoiler)

One important aspect of Gehrman's novel that I particularly like is the connection between the characters. I love that I can simply feel how important each character is to one another without being told by the author. There is obvious chemistry where there needs to be and the romance had me intrigued during my experience. I do have one thing that bothered me, I wish we knew more about Audrey and her love interest, but then again, this is the first in a series. I look forward to seeing how her relationship evolves!

The teeniest flaw this novel has is the pacing. There are moments where the story appears to slow down to a standstill and the reader is left wondering, hm, what now? Another issue with pacing is how the story builds up to such a huge climax, yet the conclusion happens a lot quicker than expected, not really letting the reader take in what's happening before it is over.

Gehrman's novel is a fun twist on the witch genre. She mixes old myths of what witches can do with new and creative powers and terms. I recommend Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft to those seeking a fun and slightly dark novel about magic, love, and the power of family. Also, if you're looking for fun characters with an edgy twist, then you might want to give this one a look.(less)

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