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Audrey's Guides #1
Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft
Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training.
When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.
When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.
293 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2012
43 people are currently reading
4124 people want to read
About the author
Jody Gehrman
15 books798 followersJody Gehrman is a native of Northern California, where she can be found writing, teaching, reading, or obsessing over her three cats most days. She is also the author of eleven novels and numerous award-winning plays. Her debut suspense novel, Watch Me, was published by St. Martin's Press. Her other adult novels are Bombshell, Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. Her Young Adult novels include The Truth About Jack, Audrey's Guide to Black Magic, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love. Babe in Boyland was optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award. Her plays have been produced or had readings in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of Communication at Mendocino College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
August 21, 2012
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 just a paranormal mystery about a girl who realizes she’s a witch and tries to hone her powers to help her mother fight unspeakable evil. It’s about sibling relationships, friendships, finding yourself, and about maintaining a normal life in a world where your control seems to be slipping with every moment. Thus, I found myself to be pleasantly surprised, enchanted, and enthralled by the world Gehrman had created and I will most definitely be coming back for more.
For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I put more emphasis on well-developed characters opposed to scintillating plot lines, so I was both excited and pleased by how deep and thoughtful the characters in this novel were. Audrey, our protagonist, is a girl like any other who feels insecure in high school. In fact, Audrey is often jealous of her beautiful younger sister and feels overshadowed in her lively presence. While I don’t have a sister myself, I was able to understand Audrey’s mixed feelings toward her sibling and I thought their relationship was portrayed very realistically and with a lot of thought. It reminded me a lot of the sister relationship in “27 Dresses” and while it wasn’t resolved by the end of the novel, that only made me love it more for its realistic quality.
In addition to this wonderful relationship though, Audrey herself is such a spunky character. She isn’t easy to like at first as she is often withdrawn, cold to her mother’s supposed “cousin” who comes to take care of Audrey and her sister while her mother is missing, and she is generally morose. Yet, she stands up for her best friend, isn’t afraid to be who she is and speak her mind, and her difference from others sets her apart. Furthermore, she is determined and perseverant, so when she learns she is a powerful witch, she takes it in her stride and makes the best of her situation which I love about her.
Nevertheless, the one aspect of this novel that truly blew me away was the romance. It takes a lot for me to jump on the romance bandwagon in a novel, but I simply adored the way the love story in this book played out. For one, there is no triangle of love! *does happy dance* If that isn’t enough to make you pick up this book, the romance is also very normal and realistic. Julian, the older college guy who winds up becoming the manager for Audrey’s sister’s band, Cherry, meets Audrey at a party and they instantly click. Thus, their relationship blossoms through actual dates and conversation which is so refreshing and entertaining to read! Yes, their romance did have quite a few clichés that had me rolling my eyes such as the way a storm occurred when they first touched or how objects fly around when they kiss or how Julian dreams of Audrey and feels a pull towards her, but all those paranormal wonders aside, I really loved these two.
Finally, the last ingredient to making me love a novel has to be plot twists and while there weren’t too many of them in this novel, there were one or two which I totally didn’t see coming! I love when I don’t predict the outcome of a novel, as that is something that seems to happen too often these days, so I was pleasantly surprised by the twists in this story.
Alll of that being said, there are still a few flaws with this book. For one, I found the beginning to be a little slow and hard to get into, especially since the plot idea of making mysterious things happen and then being told you were a witch/wizard had been done before, plenty of times. Furthermore, I was a little disappointed by the ending when Audrey finally faces the villain. I did find him to be evil, but I thought his evil plan was rather overdone in the past and I found that Audrey managed to manipulate him far too easily. I’m looking forward to seeing more showdowns between Audrey and our villain in the future, but I hope they have a tad bit more of originality in them.
Overall though, this novel was brilliant! It kept my attention, had me laughing and sitting on the edge of my seat in worry, and I was thoroughly invested in the sparkling dialogue between Audrey, her friends, and her love interest. I can’t wait for the sequel to release and finished this book with a satisfied sigh. Thus, I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a new paranormal read or, at any rate, some sizzling romance because trust me, Julian is swoooon-worthy! ;)
A huge thank you to Jody Gehrman for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings as well as win a copy of this novel on my blog. (INT Giveaway)
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 just a paranormal mystery about a girl who realizes she’s a witch and tries to hone her powers to help her mother fight unspeakable evil. It’s about sibling relationships, friendships, finding yourself, and about maintaining a normal life in a world where your control seems to be slipping with every moment. Thus, I found myself to be pleasantly surprised, enchanted, and enthralled by the world Gehrman had created and I will most definitely be coming back for more.
For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I put more emphasis on well-developed characters opposed to scintillating plot lines, so I was both excited and pleased by how deep and thoughtful the characters in this novel were. Audrey, our protagonist, is a girl like any other who feels insecure in high school. In fact, Audrey is often jealous of her beautiful younger sister and feels overshadowed in her lively presence. While I don’t have a sister myself, I was able to understand Audrey’s mixed feelings toward her sibling and I thought their relationship was portrayed very realistically and with a lot of thought. It reminded me a lot of the sister relationship in “27 Dresses” and while it wasn’t resolved by the end of the novel, that only made me love it more for its realistic quality.
In addition to this wonderful relationship though, Audrey herself is such a spunky character. She isn’t easy to like at first as she is often withdrawn, cold to her mother’s supposed “cousin” who comes to take care of Audrey and her sister while her mother is missing, and she is generally morose. Yet, she stands up for her best friend, isn’t afraid to be who she is and speak her mind, and her difference from others sets her apart. Furthermore, she is determined and perseverant, so when she learns she is a powerful witch, she takes it in her stride and makes the best of her situation which I love about her.
Nevertheless, the one aspect of this novel that truly blew me away was the romance. It takes a lot for me to jump on the romance bandwagon in a novel, but I simply adored the way the love story in this book played out. For one, there is no triangle of love! *does happy dance* If that isn’t enough to make you pick up this book, the romance is also very normal and realistic. Julian, the older college guy who winds up becoming the manager for Audrey’s sister’s band, Cherry, meets Audrey at a party and they instantly click. Thus, their relationship blossoms through actual dates and conversation which is so refreshing and entertaining to read! Yes, their romance did have quite a few clichés that had me rolling my eyes such as the way a storm occurred when they first touched or how objects fly around when they kiss or how Julian dreams of Audrey and feels a pull towards her, but all those paranormal wonders aside, I really loved these two.
Finally, the last ingredient to making me love a novel has to be plot twists and while there weren’t too many of them in this novel, there were one or two which I totally didn’t see coming! I love when I don’t predict the outcome of a novel, as that is something that seems to happen too often these days, so I was pleasantly surprised by the twists in this story.
Alll of that being said, there are still a few flaws with this book. For one, I found the beginning to be a little slow and hard to get into, especially since the plot idea of making mysterious things happen and then being told you were a witch/wizard had been done before, plenty of times. Furthermore, I was a little disappointed by the ending when Audrey finally faces the villain. I did find him to be evil, but I thought his evil plan was rather overdone in the past and I found that Audrey managed to manipulate him far too easily. I’m looking forward to seeing more showdowns between Audrey and our villain in the future, but I hope they have a tad bit more of originality in them.
Overall though, this novel was brilliant! It kept my attention, had me laughing and sitting on the edge of my seat in worry, and I was thoroughly invested in the sparkling dialogue between Audrey, her friends, and her love interest. I can’t wait for the sequel to release and finished this book with a satisfied sigh. Thus, I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a new paranormal read or, at any rate, some sizzling romance because trust me, Julian is swoooon-worthy! ;)
A huge thank you to Jody Gehrman for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings as well as win a copy of this novel on my blog. (INT Giveaway)
October 29, 2012
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 confirms her fear; her mother is missing. That evening, a spunky visitor in bright red boots arrives with a menagerie of animals. Sadie claims to be a cousin sent to look after Audrey and her sister Meg while their mother attends to a family emergency. Something just doesn't add up for Audrey. When her strange powers continue to manifest, she learns the truth.....she is really a witch and her mother was sent to destroy the same sinister man she was seeing in her mind. Audrey just knows that her mother is in danger. Can she learn to wield her new found powers and rescue her mother?
What I Liked:
* I always enjoy books that feature witches and Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft fits the bill. It is a fun, magical book with everything you love about witches. There is also a sweet romance and a mystery that will keep you flipping the pages.
*One thing that I absolutely loved about this book was the way that Ms. Gehrman stimulates all the senses with her writing. She paints colorful images that you can see in your mind, and describes rich aromas as well as pungent odors. The chapter with the chocolate cake tasting scene is so well done that you can practically taste the chocolate melting on your tongue, if nothing else it will leave you craving chocolate cake. Thankfully, Ms. Gehrman provides us the delectable recipe. I love books that engage all my senses as it totally heightens and enriches the reading experience.
*Audrey is one of those characters that shows tremendous growth. In the beginning, she is a nerdy, shy teenage girl who stands in the shadow of her beautiful and talented sister. She feels awkward around boys and she lacks courage. As the story unfolds, she learns that she has some incredible powers. She slowly starts to hone her magical skills and as she does she transforms. I liked that her growth is slow, but by the end she stands up and shows that she is capable and she notches up her self esteem.
*The romance in this one is particularly sweet. When Audrey meets Julian she immediately assumes that he will be into her sister so she is hesitant to believe that he is really into her. This relationship begins on shaky ground, but the chemistry and the sparks between the two are undeniable. I loved that Julian refuses to give up despite the fact that Audrey is not able to tell him the truth, and there are plenty of misfires. A delicious chocolate cake manages to catch the romance on fire. I appreciated that this one was slow to develop and full of missteps. No insta love or love triangles in this one.
*I enjoyed the sister relationship between Meg and Audrey. It felt very real to me, in that Audrey felt like she was Meg's shadow since Meg is a talented musician and beautiful, but Meg feels insecure in Audrey's footsteps as well. Sibling relationships aren't always easy, and while the two get along, the relationship reflects all the difficulties that are present in sibling relationships.
*I liked all of the main characters, but Sadie was my favorite. She strides on scene in knee high candy apple red boots with a python and iguana in tow. This girl screams charisma from the get go and I was never bored when she was in the scene. For the record, I totally want her to stop by and give me a magical witch wardrobe!
And The Not So Much:
*This one starts out a little slow, and the story line is familiar; a teenage girl suddenly taps into mysterious powers and learns that she is a witch. While the beginning is not exactly original, I was pleased to see that the story managed to take on a life of its own.
*I was a bit frustrated with some predictability. You just know when Sadie tells Audrey that she wants her and Meg to stay home on Halloween because she has a bad feeling, but yet she lets them go out anyway, that something bad is going to happen...and then when Meg starts hanging around the surfer guy with the bad aura, Audrey and Sadie don't stop it and do nothing to prevent it...you know that nothing good is going to come from this.
*I wished that Audrey's mother was more prominent. The book opens with her abduction and she is absent almost the entire book. You have no idea what her mother is like and what kind of relationship she has with her daughters. There are a few snatches of information, but I felt that having a better understanding of the mother and daughter dynamic would allow me to feel more anxiety with the disappearance of the mother.
*I personally would like Audrey's guide to be more prominent. Audrey keeps a journal full of recipes and she writes down everything of importance so naturally when she learns to be a witch she begins to record spells. I really enjoyed the written spells and some of the recipes that were included. I totally want to bake Audrey's cake. I enjoyed the journal and craved more.
Audrey's Guide To Witchcraft is the perfect witchy read for the season. It is fast, fun and features an electric romance and a mystery. If you are looking for a book that is not over top the scary, grab this one. With its great characters and tantalizing writing you are sure to enjoy this Halloween Treat!
Favorite Quotations:
"How can magic ever find you if you won't let it in?"
"Apparently, she was perfectly willing to accept the impossible, so long as it came with coffee."
"What if this was all an elaborate ploy to recruit me for some wacky cult? I didn't want to turn into a bald girl in a caftan banging a tambourine at the airport."
"The smell of magic still hung about her, like standing in a grove filled with fragrant, dripping trees after and earth-soaking storm."
"I didn't want to accidentally bust a witchy move and set their super hair sprayed hair on fire."
"Sometimes knowledge is power, and sometimes it's a deadly liability."
"All day at school I felt ebullient. With a home football game scheduled, the mood on campus matched mine, though for different reasons. I could almost taste the simmering excitement as my peers anticipated on-field violence, post-game keggers, furtive groping under the bleachers."
"Just last week he'd kissed me for the first time, and my heart felt like a massive magnolia opening petal by petal. Now that flower lay brown and shriveled at our feet, its petals bruised and trampled. All because of me."
"The ocean appeared as I reached the crest of the hill. The waves exploded on the beach, spitting piles of foam, their curves silvered by stars."
"But some people love the slutty Halloween approach, as if getting half naked automatically makes it a costume."
"What is insanity, though, Audrey?" He flashed a feral grin. A vein throbbed in his temple. "Isn't that just the word we use when people won't conform to our limitations?"
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated and all opinions expressed are my own.
Posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
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 confirms her fear; her mother is missing. That evening, a spunky visitor in bright red boots arrives with a menagerie of animals. Sadie claims to be a cousin sent to look after Audrey and her sister Meg while their mother attends to a family emergency. Something just doesn't add up for Audrey. When her strange powers continue to manifest, she learns the truth.....she is really a witch and her mother was sent to destroy the same sinister man she was seeing in her mind. Audrey just knows that her mother is in danger. Can she learn to wield her new found powers and rescue her mother?
What I Liked:
* I always enjoy books that feature witches and Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft fits the bill. It is a fun, magical book with everything you love about witches. There is also a sweet romance and a mystery that will keep you flipping the pages.
*One thing that I absolutely loved about this book was the way that Ms. Gehrman stimulates all the senses with her writing. She paints colorful images that you can see in your mind, and describes rich aromas as well as pungent odors. The chapter with the chocolate cake tasting scene is so well done that you can practically taste the chocolate melting on your tongue, if nothing else it will leave you craving chocolate cake. Thankfully, Ms. Gehrman provides us the delectable recipe. I love books that engage all my senses as it totally heightens and enriches the reading experience.
*Audrey is one of those characters that shows tremendous growth. In the beginning, she is a nerdy, shy teenage girl who stands in the shadow of her beautiful and talented sister. She feels awkward around boys and she lacks courage. As the story unfolds, she learns that she has some incredible powers. She slowly starts to hone her magical skills and as she does she transforms. I liked that her growth is slow, but by the end she stands up and shows that she is capable and she notches up her self esteem.
*The romance in this one is particularly sweet. When Audrey meets Julian she immediately assumes that he will be into her sister so she is hesitant to believe that he is really into her. This relationship begins on shaky ground, but the chemistry and the sparks between the two are undeniable. I loved that Julian refuses to give up despite the fact that Audrey is not able to tell him the truth, and there are plenty of misfires. A delicious chocolate cake manages to catch the romance on fire. I appreciated that this one was slow to develop and full of missteps. No insta love or love triangles in this one.
*I enjoyed the sister relationship between Meg and Audrey. It felt very real to me, in that Audrey felt like she was Meg's shadow since Meg is a talented musician and beautiful, but Meg feels insecure in Audrey's footsteps as well. Sibling relationships aren't always easy, and while the two get along, the relationship reflects all the difficulties that are present in sibling relationships.
*I liked all of the main characters, but Sadie was my favorite. She strides on scene in knee high candy apple red boots with a python and iguana in tow. This girl screams charisma from the get go and I was never bored when she was in the scene. For the record, I totally want her to stop by and give me a magical witch wardrobe!
And The Not So Much:
*This one starts out a little slow, and the story line is familiar; a teenage girl suddenly taps into mysterious powers and learns that she is a witch. While the beginning is not exactly original, I was pleased to see that the story managed to take on a life of its own.
*I was a bit frustrated with some predictability. You just know when Sadie tells Audrey that she wants her and Meg to stay home on Halloween because she has a bad feeling, but yet she lets them go out anyway, that something bad is going to happen...and then when Meg starts hanging around the surfer guy with the bad aura, Audrey and Sadie don't stop it and do nothing to prevent it...you know that nothing good is going to come from this.
*I wished that Audrey's mother was more prominent. The book opens with her abduction and she is absent almost the entire book. You have no idea what her mother is like and what kind of relationship she has with her daughters. There are a few snatches of information, but I felt that having a better understanding of the mother and daughter dynamic would allow me to feel more anxiety with the disappearance of the mother.
*I personally would like Audrey's guide to be more prominent. Audrey keeps a journal full of recipes and she writes down everything of importance so naturally when she learns to be a witch she begins to record spells. I really enjoyed the written spells and some of the recipes that were included. I totally want to bake Audrey's cake. I enjoyed the journal and craved more.
Audrey's Guide To Witchcraft is the perfect witchy read for the season. It is fast, fun and features an electric romance and a mystery. If you are looking for a book that is not over top the scary, grab this one. With its great characters and tantalizing writing you are sure to enjoy this Halloween Treat!
Favorite Quotations:
"How can magic ever find you if you won't let it in?"
"Apparently, she was perfectly willing to accept the impossible, so long as it came with coffee."
"What if this was all an elaborate ploy to recruit me for some wacky cult? I didn't want to turn into a bald girl in a caftan banging a tambourine at the airport."
"The smell of magic still hung about her, like standing in a grove filled with fragrant, dripping trees after and earth-soaking storm."
"I didn't want to accidentally bust a witchy move and set their super hair sprayed hair on fire."
"Sometimes knowledge is power, and sometimes it's a deadly liability."
"All day at school I felt ebullient. With a home football game scheduled, the mood on campus matched mine, though for different reasons. I could almost taste the simmering excitement as my peers anticipated on-field violence, post-game keggers, furtive groping under the bleachers."
"Just last week he'd kissed me for the first time, and my heart felt like a massive magnolia opening petal by petal. Now that flower lay brown and shriveled at our feet, its petals bruised and trampled. All because of me."
"The ocean appeared as I reached the crest of the hill. The waves exploded on the beach, spitting piles of foam, their curves silvered by stars."
"But some people love the slutty Halloween approach, as if getting half naked automatically makes it a costume."
"What is insanity, though, Audrey?" He flashed a feral grin. A vein throbbed in his temple. "Isn't that just the word we use when people won't conform to our limitations?"
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated and all opinions expressed are my own.
Posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
October 1, 2017
Another Meh book. I didn't care for the characters, hated all the lying going on. The story was ok, but it's been done before and much better. There were some good moments but few and far between. At least it was pretty short and a quick read.
October 18, 2012
Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft has a gorgeous cover and inside there is a terrific spell-casting, character filled tale that kept me spellbound. Witches, necromancers, swoon worthy guys and a chocolate cake with raspberries that should be illegal! This witchy tale offered a great start to a new series.
The tale pulls you in from the start. We meet protagonist Audrey and things are about to turn upside down in her fairly normal little life. First, strange things happen at school that kind of freak her out, she has some weird visions/daydreams and a nagging, persistent feeling that something is wrong with her Mom. When she gets home she and her sister are greeted by their supposed cousin, twenty-one year old Sadie. Sadie informs them their mother has had to go home to deal with a family emergency. Audrey and Meg have never met their mother’s side of the family and something just feels wrong. Stranger still weird things are happening to Audrey. Mix in a cute boy who does things to her, the weird dude from her dreams and her unusual cousin and you have the makings for a witchy tale. The tale that unfolded kept me enchanted, as the tale slowly picked up speed and things were revealed to us.
Audrey is a typical teenager, who is eager to take on the world. She loves cooking and chemistry and I ended up liking this geeky, nerd girl. Her sister Meg is one of those girls who seems to have it all, from the way she walks to her ease at being center stage. Sadie was totally cool and just gave of that whole 'hippy-vibe'. I found her to be funny, quirky and quick-witted. I so want to read more about her! Bridget is Audrey’s best friend, and I liked this nerd girl with her made up vocabulary. I admired how loyal Audrey was to her, but also loved the growth we saw in Bridget. Julian is yummy, and I am very curious about him and the effects he has on Audrey. Overall the characters were fairly fleshed out but still have the potential to be more as the series progresses. The romance is sweet, funny, smexy and served on the side is this tale.
Gehrman adds her own delightful twists and colorful characters to a tried and true formula creating a fun, silly, captivating read that kept me intrigued as the tale unfolded. The tale had dark and suspenseful moments filled with evil, necromancers, zombie type creatures and witchy goodness. Gehrman made baking sensual even magical and I liked this added element. I want to test out that chocolate cake recipe..Eep! Audrey’s powers, the coven’s rules, spells mentioned and other witchy details were fascinating. The pacing was perfect and slowly built to the intense climax. While the tale is far from over, she skillfully avoided the dreaded cliffhanger.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale pulls you in from the start. We meet protagonist Audrey and things are about to turn upside down in her fairly normal little life. First, strange things happen at school that kind of freak her out, she has some weird visions/daydreams and a nagging, persistent feeling that something is wrong with her Mom. When she gets home she and her sister are greeted by their supposed cousin, twenty-one year old Sadie. Sadie informs them their mother has had to go home to deal with a family emergency. Audrey and Meg have never met their mother’s side of the family and something just feels wrong. Stranger still weird things are happening to Audrey. Mix in a cute boy who does things to her, the weird dude from her dreams and her unusual cousin and you have the makings for a witchy tale. The tale that unfolded kept me enchanted, as the tale slowly picked up speed and things were revealed to us.
Audrey is a typical teenager, who is eager to take on the world. She loves cooking and chemistry and I ended up liking this geeky, nerd girl. Her sister Meg is one of those girls who seems to have it all, from the way she walks to her ease at being center stage. Sadie was totally cool and just gave of that whole 'hippy-vibe'. I found her to be funny, quirky and quick-witted. I so want to read more about her! Bridget is Audrey’s best friend, and I liked this nerd girl with her made up vocabulary. I admired how loyal Audrey was to her, but also loved the growth we saw in Bridget. Julian is yummy, and I am very curious about him and the effects he has on Audrey. Overall the characters were fairly fleshed out but still have the potential to be more as the series progresses. The romance is sweet, funny, smexy and served on the side is this tale.
Gehrman adds her own delightful twists and colorful characters to a tried and true formula creating a fun, silly, captivating read that kept me intrigued as the tale unfolded. The tale had dark and suspenseful moments filled with evil, necromancers, zombie type creatures and witchy goodness. Gehrman made baking sensual even magical and I liked this added element. I want to test out that chocolate cake recipe..Eep! Audrey’s powers, the coven’s rules, spells mentioned and other witchy details were fascinating. The pacing was perfect and slowly built to the intense climax. While the tale is far from over, she skillfully avoided the dreaded cliffhanger.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
July 2, 2015
Things are changing for Audrey, and not in a good way. She goes to school one day with the nagging feeling that her mother is in danger. When she goes home, she is greeted with her supposed cousin Sadie. She tells Audrey that her mother is gone to deal with a family emergency. Audrey is skeptical though, because she has never met any of her mothers side so can't see how her mother would up and leave without telling them. She has no choice but to accept it till she can talk to her mother and find out whats happening. Add in strange occurrences at school, things happening by themselves, a hot boy and diary entrances and you have a recipe for a winner!!
First things first, I loved the recipe entries!! Be them cooking ones or spell ones, I thought it was a unique and fun way of doing it, plus you may learn a new recipe from it :) .
Character wise, every single one of them was well thought out and developed. Audrey is a smart, no nonsense girl who loves cooking and chemistry. She was witty, brave and strong. Meg is Audreys' sister and I loved their relationship. To Audrey, Meg has everything, she is a musician and gets all the guys but that doesn't stop Audrey from looking out for her and trying to protect her. We have Sadie, who is the "cousin". She was like a cool aunt to the girls, which I loved. She was only a few years older than them so could easily relate to them. Then we have the awesomeness that is Julian. There are sparks between him and Audrey but he affects her in ways she cant explain. He was such a sweetheart too though. So loyal, caring and nice.
The plot moves along nicely and I loved finding out about Audreys' powers alongside her. Audreys' heritage was fascinating and intriguing. The bad guy was well developed as well and at a certain part I thought he was truly evil, but then something developed that made me think that he isn't as he seems.
In all this was a witty, quick and thrilling read. I pretty much loved everything about it and can't wait to read more from this author. It's definitely one that everyone should check out.
Natalie Duke was perfect for this book. She had pep when needed and really brought the sass out in the characters. She brought Audrey to life and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story.
*I received a copy of this for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
First things first, I loved the recipe entries!! Be them cooking ones or spell ones, I thought it was a unique and fun way of doing it, plus you may learn a new recipe from it :) .
Character wise, every single one of them was well thought out and developed. Audrey is a smart, no nonsense girl who loves cooking and chemistry. She was witty, brave and strong. Meg is Audreys' sister and I loved their relationship. To Audrey, Meg has everything, she is a musician and gets all the guys but that doesn't stop Audrey from looking out for her and trying to protect her. We have Sadie, who is the "cousin". She was like a cool aunt to the girls, which I loved. She was only a few years older than them so could easily relate to them. Then we have the awesomeness that is Julian. There are sparks between him and Audrey but he affects her in ways she cant explain. He was such a sweetheart too though. So loyal, caring and nice.
The plot moves along nicely and I loved finding out about Audreys' powers alongside her. Audreys' heritage was fascinating and intriguing. The bad guy was well developed as well and at a certain part I thought he was truly evil, but then something developed that made me think that he isn't as he seems.
In all this was a witty, quick and thrilling read. I pretty much loved everything about it and can't wait to read more from this author. It's definitely one that everyone should check out.
Natalie Duke was perfect for this book. She had pep when needed and really brought the sass out in the characters. She brought Audrey to life and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story.
*I received a copy of this for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
October 6, 2013
Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is a delightfully gripping page-turner. A great mix of mystery, suspense, and romance, this book was equally enjoyed by my teenage daughter and myself.
The full cast of characters feel like friends and family by the end of the book. Even the evil ones, enforcing the adage, "you can't choose your family."
Author Jody Gehrman employs magickal techniques both real and fantastical. Real Witches will know the difference, and perhaps wish we knew how to harness the more esoteric arts. But enjoy the far reaching ones all the same.
As a practicing Witch, and the author of Sexy Witch, I was happy to received a review copy of Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft. And I'm even more happy to be able to give this fun, exciting tale an A+.
As this is the case, one could say that Audrey's Guide of Witchcraft is "Witch endorsed".
The full cast of characters feel like friends and family by the end of the book. Even the evil ones, enforcing the adage, "you can't choose your family."
Author Jody Gehrman employs magickal techniques both real and fantastical. Real Witches will know the difference, and perhaps wish we knew how to harness the more esoteric arts. But enjoy the far reaching ones all the same.
As a practicing Witch, and the author of Sexy Witch, I was happy to received a review copy of Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft. And I'm even more happy to be able to give this fun, exciting tale an A+.
As this is the case, one could say that Audrey's Guide of Witchcraft is "Witch endorsed".
July 23, 2017
This review was originally posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings on October 31, 2012.
I absolutely LOVED this book! It was already a highly anticipated read on my list, so when Jody contacted me about reviewing it, I immediately said yes. I'm so glad I did! This book combines two of my favorite subjects to read about, witches and baking.
Audrey is a regular girl, who has a bit of a self esteem issue (what high schoolers don't??) Her sister is the social butterfly, who always attracts all the guys. As a result, Audrey is a little down on herself, and has lower self esteem. But not when it comes to her friends. Audrey is fiercely loyal and protective of her best friend Bridget, who is teased by the queen bee of the school Dallas. I loved reading the interactions between Audrey and Dallas because I envied the boldness that Audrey had when fighting with her. I wish that I could have stuck up for myself the way that Audrey sticks up for Bridget. The friendship between these two characters is real and fun. I love how Bridget is always coining new words and phrases. And Audrey is sarcastic at times.
I also like Audrey because she loves to bake, and she's good at it. Baking is something that I've begun doing in the last couple of years and I really love it, so it was a point that I could really identify with her on. Especially since she makes her own alterations/ additions to recipes, I do that all the time.
The romance between her and Julian is really nice. It's not insta-love, but there's a real connection between them which is quite obvious and almost literal. I don't want to give too much away, so lets just say that it's electric. The great thing about the dynamic between Julian and Audrey is that he knows that there's something going on with her, but he doesn't push, and he's not weirded out by the strange things that happen to her. He forces her (in a good way) to be as honest as she can with him, and he accepts that there are things she's not able to tell him (specifically about her magic) They even come up with a code word for when she can't tell him something, which is cute. I really appreciated the fact that Audrey's magic was dealt with directly by Julian.
"Try looking at it from my point of view, though, Audrey. I really like you. Am I going to get totally hammered here because your life is complicated and you can’t explain just how complicated? Am I always going to be an outsider looking in?"
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 4027-4028). Jody Gehrman.
A lot of times in books about witchcraft when there's a witch and a mortal involved, there's a lot of lying to cover up the fact of the magic, and it's never really addressed by the character who's having things kept from them. The fact that Julian brings it up is a really nice change from the usual here.
In the same token, there are a few classic lines that you see often in books about witchcraft too, like "Sometimes we have to risk one, for the good of the many." All in all, it's a good mix of classic and modern elements.
One thing that grated on me a little bit was the dialogue. At times it was okay, but then at other times it got totally "teenager" maybe by a bit too much. But, the fact that Bridget coined her own terms made up for this.
One really amazing thing about this book is that it's so descriptive, and involves your other senses too, making it easier to imagine the scenes. There's amazing use of color in this book. I don't know why, but when authors write vivid, descriptive scenes with colors, they always stick out as I'm reading. There are so many here, it's wonderful. Uses of color happen every few pages. You might think that it would get old, but it doesn't. The author doesn't repeat color sequences, and it's not just "oh his eyes are blue" kind of stuff. Here are a couple sections where she talks about color that really stuck out.
The sun had set, but enough light remained to stain the splotchy clouds a beautiful orange, as if a neon tangerine had been smeared across the sky carelessly.
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 2405-2406). Jody Gehrman.
I felt my skull bust open like a magnolia on speed. Colors raced inside my body—a riot of blues, purples, greens, reds and golds—all of them ricocheting off one another before gushing through the fresh opening in my head. I felt like a kaleidoscope heated up until it explodes, sending a thousand glowing shards of color spinning wildly into the air.
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 2226-2228). Jody Gehrman.
Those are just a few examples but there are lots more in the book. In addition to the colors, I like how Gerhman incorporated smell into the story too. Audrey and Sadie's magic each has it's own specific scent. The dark magic has a stench, and it's easy to imagine from the descriptive reactions that Audrey has to it. One of the battles is particularly gruesome because of Gerhman's ability to set the scenes with such vivid imagery. It definitely had me cringing.
Both Bridget and Audrey really grow into their own, which is really nice. There's one sticking point with this for me though. You can see Bridget's growth (I won't say how) in some of her actions toward the end of the book, but the impact is lessened somewhat as Audrey explains the meaning behind the actions to Sadie. It would have been more powerfully shown if there hadn't been additional explanation.
Overall, this is an absolutely amazing book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves books about witchcraft. A little heads up for Harry Potter fans, there is an HP reference! I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely LOVED this book! It was already a highly anticipated read on my list, so when Jody contacted me about reviewing it, I immediately said yes. I'm so glad I did! This book combines two of my favorite subjects to read about, witches and baking.
Audrey is a regular girl, who has a bit of a self esteem issue (what high schoolers don't??) Her sister is the social butterfly, who always attracts all the guys. As a result, Audrey is a little down on herself, and has lower self esteem. But not when it comes to her friends. Audrey is fiercely loyal and protective of her best friend Bridget, who is teased by the queen bee of the school Dallas. I loved reading the interactions between Audrey and Dallas because I envied the boldness that Audrey had when fighting with her. I wish that I could have stuck up for myself the way that Audrey sticks up for Bridget. The friendship between these two characters is real and fun. I love how Bridget is always coining new words and phrases. And Audrey is sarcastic at times.
I also like Audrey because she loves to bake, and she's good at it. Baking is something that I've begun doing in the last couple of years and I really love it, so it was a point that I could really identify with her on. Especially since she makes her own alterations/ additions to recipes, I do that all the time.
The romance between her and Julian is really nice. It's not insta-love, but there's a real connection between them which is quite obvious and almost literal. I don't want to give too much away, so lets just say that it's electric. The great thing about the dynamic between Julian and Audrey is that he knows that there's something going on with her, but he doesn't push, and he's not weirded out by the strange things that happen to her. He forces her (in a good way) to be as honest as she can with him, and he accepts that there are things she's not able to tell him (specifically about her magic) They even come up with a code word for when she can't tell him something, which is cute. I really appreciated the fact that Audrey's magic was dealt with directly by Julian.
"Try looking at it from my point of view, though, Audrey. I really like you. Am I going to get totally hammered here because your life is complicated and you can’t explain just how complicated? Am I always going to be an outsider looking in?"
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 4027-4028). Jody Gehrman.
A lot of times in books about witchcraft when there's a witch and a mortal involved, there's a lot of lying to cover up the fact of the magic, and it's never really addressed by the character who's having things kept from them. The fact that Julian brings it up is a really nice change from the usual here.
In the same token, there are a few classic lines that you see often in books about witchcraft too, like "Sometimes we have to risk one, for the good of the many." All in all, it's a good mix of classic and modern elements.
One thing that grated on me a little bit was the dialogue. At times it was okay, but then at other times it got totally "teenager" maybe by a bit too much. But, the fact that Bridget coined her own terms made up for this.
One really amazing thing about this book is that it's so descriptive, and involves your other senses too, making it easier to imagine the scenes. There's amazing use of color in this book. I don't know why, but when authors write vivid, descriptive scenes with colors, they always stick out as I'm reading. There are so many here, it's wonderful. Uses of color happen every few pages. You might think that it would get old, but it doesn't. The author doesn't repeat color sequences, and it's not just "oh his eyes are blue" kind of stuff. Here are a couple sections where she talks about color that really stuck out.
The sun had set, but enough light remained to stain the splotchy clouds a beautiful orange, as if a neon tangerine had been smeared across the sky carelessly.
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 2405-2406). Jody Gehrman.
I felt my skull bust open like a magnolia on speed. Colors raced inside my body—a riot of blues, purples, greens, reds and golds—all of them ricocheting off one another before gushing through the fresh opening in my head. I felt like a kaleidoscope heated up until it explodes, sending a thousand glowing shards of color spinning wildly into the air.
Jody Gehrman. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Kindle Locations 2226-2228). Jody Gehrman.
Those are just a few examples but there are lots more in the book. In addition to the colors, I like how Gerhman incorporated smell into the story too. Audrey and Sadie's magic each has it's own specific scent. The dark magic has a stench, and it's easy to imagine from the descriptive reactions that Audrey has to it. One of the battles is particularly gruesome because of Gerhman's ability to set the scenes with such vivid imagery. It definitely had me cringing.
Both Bridget and Audrey really grow into their own, which is really nice. There's one sticking point with this for me though. You can see Bridget's growth (I won't say how) in some of her actions toward the end of the book, but the impact is lessened somewhat as Audrey explains the meaning behind the actions to Sadie. It would have been more powerfully shown if there hadn't been additional explanation.
Overall, this is an absolutely amazing book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves books about witchcraft. A little heads up for Harry Potter fans, there is an HP reference! I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2012
Coming on the heels of Babe in Boyland, I have to say, I was sadly disappointed. There were a number of reasons, but I think the biggest reason was voice. Natalie from Boyland had such a strong, distinctive, engaging voice - her personality was completely there. Audrey... Audrey is often closer to a stock character. There were moments when her humor and personality would come through more strongly, and I would feel what the book could be, but most of the time, I felt like you could easily swap her with another character from any quickly churned-out paranormal fantasy and not notice too much of a difference. She was never completely cardboard (not a lost cause by any means), but compared to the vibrant Natalie, and knowing what Gehrman is capable of, I was always waiting for that injection of personality, and it made me a little sad (and made the book harder to get into) when it didn't come.
Basically, the book felt a little unfinished to me. It felt...hmm, it felt like I was reading an earlier version, before things were tightened up and streamlined. It's never a good thing when I feel myself wanting to redline things, but I did have that urge. The dialogue needed tightening, the magic needed more of a foundation, and the whole book needed another "pass" - another round of tweaking and perfecting. The magic especially just felt too easy, too Bewitched-wink-and-nod-and-POOF! = magic, y'all. That never works for me, especially when it's combined with the suddenly-I'm-magic trope. I require balance in all things - if there are great advantages, there need to be great drawbacks. And if there are not, if this is just the way your magic works, I need to know more of the Why. I need to believe it, because if I don't buy that, how can I buy anything that happens as a result?
I felt the plot needed some tightening, too. Sometimes it seemed to move too quickly and drop the connections that were needed to build tension, and sometimes it seemed to be stuck in limbo, leaving me wanting to just push through already. It's tricky to review, actually, because there were plenty of times when it flowed along and did what it was supposed to do, pulling me along with it. But there were enough patches that left me frustrated and wanting to fix, that they marred my overall impression.
And though I don't want to go into spoiler territory, I do want to address the pitfalls of having a suddenly very powerful main character and a sort of nebulous Big Bad. Audrey accepts everything way too easily, especially for as smart of a character as she is. If someone shows up at your house (with a boa constrictor wrapped around her neck) and says your mom has been kidnapped because she's magic(k), and then all manner of weird things begin happening and hey, wouldn't you know it, you're magic(k), too, and a maybe rare, powerful, uber-magick, then please, start to question everything. Because if you (the character) do not, your reader will, and they will be put off by the fact that you didn't. You don't just accept things like that, even in the face of flying shit and proofproofproof, because that's a HUGE paradigm shift, and you are required by law (or something) to question whether someone is playing a really elaborate prank on you, or you've lost your damn mind. You just have to, at least for form's sake, before giving in and saying, okay, guess I'm magic(k)! (And same with the Big Bad - I need to buy it, buy who he is and why he's so Eeeevilll! or he'll end up coming off cheesy. This particular Big Bad just walked that line. I didn't fully buy who he was or why he does some of the things he does, though I'm sure that will be explained more in future books. But he did give me the creeps, so that gets him villain points.)
But all this is not to say it's not a worthwhile read, and maybe I should have opened with that before unleashing all of my grievances. But I never seem able to do that because I have to get it out, so...there you go. I think if I'd read this when I was younger, many of the things that bothered me may not have. (And maybe if I hadn't read this just after reading Babe in Boyland, which I really enjoyed, things may not have bothered me as much as they did in comparison.) I do like Audrey, even if she's not quite as "real" as Natalie. There's good tension and romance, even if I did wish for more depth in both. It's very quick, and Gehrman's storytelling is engaging, and I think there are those who will connect with Audrey and love her, and ignore or forgive the story's flaws as a result. But I can't help but wish for something more memorable, knowing Gehrman is capable of it. Still, I'd recommend it for a quick Halloween read without much hesitation - but whether I'll read more of the series is up for debate.
Basically, the book felt a little unfinished to me. It felt...hmm, it felt like I was reading an earlier version, before things were tightened up and streamlined. It's never a good thing when I feel myself wanting to redline things, but I did have that urge. The dialogue needed tightening, the magic needed more of a foundation, and the whole book needed another "pass" - another round of tweaking and perfecting. The magic especially just felt too easy, too Bewitched-wink-and-nod-and-POOF! = magic, y'all. That never works for me, especially when it's combined with the suddenly-I'm-magic trope. I require balance in all things - if there are great advantages, there need to be great drawbacks. And if there are not, if this is just the way your magic works, I need to know more of the Why. I need to believe it, because if I don't buy that, how can I buy anything that happens as a result?
I felt the plot needed some tightening, too. Sometimes it seemed to move too quickly and drop the connections that were needed to build tension, and sometimes it seemed to be stuck in limbo, leaving me wanting to just push through already. It's tricky to review, actually, because there were plenty of times when it flowed along and did what it was supposed to do, pulling me along with it. But there were enough patches that left me frustrated and wanting to fix, that they marred my overall impression.
And though I don't want to go into spoiler territory, I do want to address the pitfalls of having a suddenly very powerful main character and a sort of nebulous Big Bad. Audrey accepts everything way too easily, especially for as smart of a character as she is. If someone shows up at your house (with a boa constrictor wrapped around her neck) and says your mom has been kidnapped because she's magic(k), and then all manner of weird things begin happening and hey, wouldn't you know it, you're magic(k), too, and a maybe rare, powerful, uber-magick, then please, start to question everything. Because if you (the character) do not, your reader will, and they will be put off by the fact that you didn't. You don't just accept things like that, even in the face of flying shit and proofproofproof, because that's a HUGE paradigm shift, and you are required by law (or something) to question whether someone is playing a really elaborate prank on you, or you've lost your damn mind. You just have to, at least for form's sake, before giving in and saying, okay, guess I'm magic(k)! (And same with the Big Bad - I need to buy it, buy who he is and why he's so Eeeevilll! or he'll end up coming off cheesy. This particular Big Bad just walked that line. I didn't fully buy who he was or why he does some of the things he does, though I'm sure that will be explained more in future books. But he did give me the creeps, so that gets him villain points.)
But all this is not to say it's not a worthwhile read, and maybe I should have opened with that before unleashing all of my grievances. But I never seem able to do that because I have to get it out, so...there you go. I think if I'd read this when I was younger, many of the things that bothered me may not have. (And maybe if I hadn't read this just after reading Babe in Boyland, which I really enjoyed, things may not have bothered me as much as they did in comparison.) I do like Audrey, even if she's not quite as "real" as Natalie. There's good tension and romance, even if I did wish for more depth in both. It's very quick, and Gehrman's storytelling is engaging, and I think there are those who will connect with Audrey and love her, and ignore or forgive the story's flaws as a result. But I can't help but wish for something more memorable, knowing Gehrman is capable of it. Still, I'd recommend it for a quick Halloween read without much hesitation - but whether I'll read more of the series is up for debate.
September 2, 2012
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.
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.
April 24, 2015
Did I enjoy this book: Sure! This was a fun book and it’s right up my alley! The characters were a little flat and the major plot twist/reveal was incredibly obvious, but I still enjoyed the book!
I do, as always, have a few critical comments, the first being the title and its relevance. Audrey is a chef, so the shtick is that she writes recipes in her notebook for not only food but important things in life. It’s kind of cheesy but OK, I can roll with it. But. The book isn’t called Audrey’s Recipe Book to Witchcraft . . . where did the guide book come in? She doesn’t write guides, she writes recipes. WTF. Further, I believe that there are (maybe) 5 recipes written by Audrey in the whole book. It is hardly a main theme and it confused me as why this would be considered important enough to name the book after. Anyhoo.
I get that this book is the first in a series and that such books often end with a cliff-hanger to get you to read the rest of the books. However, usually a book will tie off at least one or two of the plot lines before ending the story. When I was about 3/4 of the way through, I kept looking at how many pages were left and kept thinking, “There is no way I’m getting any closure with so few pages left.” Not a single plot line was resolved. Not one. (OK one was sorta resolved . . . and then promptly unresolved again) Our spunky, though annoyingly self-esteem-less, heroine confronted the mysterious necromancer and then he just let them leave. Uhm. Big baddies don’t just let you walk out–it wasn’t even like she tricked him. It was a little hard to believe.
I very much enjoyed the “electric” love story with Julian, however, I feel like the romance would be a little more interesting and believable if Julian wasn’t quite so piney and Audrey was a little more confident. In the absence of confidence, perhaps we could have a few more descriptions of Audrey’s positive physical qualities. Aside from the mysterious magical “something,” I can’t come up with a single reason that Julian is all goo goo over Audrey. Especially when we hear again and again about how beautiful and talented her sister Meg is. Maybe we will learn more about this in the next book . . . who knows.
Would I recommend it: It was a fun and easy read, and I always enjoy discovering new magical worlds. So I would say yes, if this genre is your thing go ahead and pick this one up. It’s not perfect but it is entertaining. If I get around to it, I would like to read the second book. (I would even be willing to review it!) I want to find out what happens with Julian and I REALLY want to learn more about the Clan!
As reviewed by Sara at Every Free Chance Books.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://everyfreechance.com/2015/04/sa...
I do, as always, have a few critical comments, the first being the title and its relevance. Audrey is a chef, so the shtick is that she writes recipes in her notebook for not only food but important things in life. It’s kind of cheesy but OK, I can roll with it. But. The book isn’t called Audrey’s Recipe Book to Witchcraft . . . where did the guide book come in? She doesn’t write guides, she writes recipes. WTF. Further, I believe that there are (maybe) 5 recipes written by Audrey in the whole book. It is hardly a main theme and it confused me as why this would be considered important enough to name the book after. Anyhoo.
I get that this book is the first in a series and that such books often end with a cliff-hanger to get you to read the rest of the books. However, usually a book will tie off at least one or two of the plot lines before ending the story. When I was about 3/4 of the way through, I kept looking at how many pages were left and kept thinking, “There is no way I’m getting any closure with so few pages left.” Not a single plot line was resolved. Not one. (OK one was sorta resolved . . . and then promptly unresolved again) Our spunky, though annoyingly self-esteem-less, heroine confronted the mysterious necromancer and then he just let them leave. Uhm. Big baddies don’t just let you walk out–it wasn’t even like she tricked him. It was a little hard to believe.
I very much enjoyed the “electric” love story with Julian, however, I feel like the romance would be a little more interesting and believable if Julian wasn’t quite so piney and Audrey was a little more confident. In the absence of confidence, perhaps we could have a few more descriptions of Audrey’s positive physical qualities. Aside from the mysterious magical “something,” I can’t come up with a single reason that Julian is all goo goo over Audrey. Especially when we hear again and again about how beautiful and talented her sister Meg is. Maybe we will learn more about this in the next book . . . who knows.
Would I recommend it: It was a fun and easy read, and I always enjoy discovering new magical worlds. So I would say yes, if this genre is your thing go ahead and pick this one up. It’s not perfect but it is entertaining. If I get around to it, I would like to read the second book. (I would even be willing to review it!) I want to find out what happens with Julian and I REALLY want to learn more about the Clan!
As reviewed by Sara at Every Free Chance Books.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://everyfreechance.com/2015/04/sa...
September 13, 2012
Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft has turned out to become one of my favorite books. I am so happy to have finally found a book that knows what it is talking about when it comes to witchcraft. Granted, this book is not full of witchy stuff nor does it go into great detail about witchcraft. What I am talking about is when it does mention something that has to do with witchcraft it tells the truth and the author doesn’t make up something that just sounds good. From what I can tell, either the author knew what she was talking about when it came to witchcraft or she really did her homework in order to use facts instead of just made up myths.
Now on to the book! This book is beautifully written and the details the author goes into when describing the characters or the scenes are magnificent. She goes into just the right amount of details that allow you to imagine exactly what is going on in detail and I just loved that about this book. I also love the cute lines, which are strewn though and had me cracking up. A favorite line of mine is “When embarking on a new, potentially dangerous adventure, never hurt to have an overly protective boa constrictor on your team.”
Another reason that made me love this book so much is Audrey. She is a strong smart young woman and she has a lot on her plate when her mother goes to help the clan. Sadie (the so called cousin) is also a favorite of mine too because she is so down to earth and funny and you can’t help but to connect with the both of them. Audrey really reminds me of myself because there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my family or my friends and she has a level head about her. She sticks up for herself and her friends and does what she believes is right. I love this character so much and have so much respect for this character and how things go horribly wrong but she is able to not only keep a close relationship with her sister but also start a relationship with hunky Julian while tackling this whole demon zombie thing going on. I mean, that is a lot for one 17 years old to face.
I do know that I can’t wait for the next installment of this book. I am so eager to find out what happens next and what happens with her relationship with Julian. I can’t wait to see how Audrey grows not only as a witch but also as a person. At the end of the book we learn some things that I kind of saw coming when I started getting farther into the book so those are also some things that I am looking forward to seeing develop and see how they will change Audrey either for the good or the bad.
I have no idea when the second part comes out but I really hope it is soon because I can’t wait to pick up where I left off.
Now on to the book! This book is beautifully written and the details the author goes into when describing the characters or the scenes are magnificent. She goes into just the right amount of details that allow you to imagine exactly what is going on in detail and I just loved that about this book. I also love the cute lines, which are strewn though and had me cracking up. A favorite line of mine is “When embarking on a new, potentially dangerous adventure, never hurt to have an overly protective boa constrictor on your team.”
Another reason that made me love this book so much is Audrey. She is a strong smart young woman and she has a lot on her plate when her mother goes to help the clan. Sadie (the so called cousin) is also a favorite of mine too because she is so down to earth and funny and you can’t help but to connect with the both of them. Audrey really reminds me of myself because there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my family or my friends and she has a level head about her. She sticks up for herself and her friends and does what she believes is right. I love this character so much and have so much respect for this character and how things go horribly wrong but she is able to not only keep a close relationship with her sister but also start a relationship with hunky Julian while tackling this whole demon zombie thing going on. I mean, that is a lot for one 17 years old to face.
I do know that I can’t wait for the next installment of this book. I am so eager to find out what happens next and what happens with her relationship with Julian. I can’t wait to see how Audrey grows not only as a witch but also as a person. At the end of the book we learn some things that I kind of saw coming when I started getting farther into the book so those are also some things that I am looking forward to seeing develop and see how they will change Audrey either for the good or the bad.
I have no idea when the second part comes out but I really hope it is soon because I can’t wait to pick up where I left off.
March 23, 2015
About: 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?
My Thoughts: This was a fun book, in that I enjoyed the story. There was nothing that wowed me in the departments of theme or literary flourish. The story arc was fine. I really wanted the end to resolve the conflict; the author leaves 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, as it was original to Audrey’s Guide. I admired the author for resisting to heap on the sexual humor. I usually find too many sex jokes in teen lit 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. Thankfully, this is a comedy, anyway, so plot points aren't make or break.
As far as the themes "good and 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 give this book 3 stars. Before reading it, 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? For the most part, Jody Gehrman pulled it off. I think it could have used another round of keen editing; I liked it for the story, and I’ll plan to read the sequel.
Thanks, Jody, for the review copy! I promised an honest review and I hope it met your standards.
My Thoughts: This was a fun book, in that I enjoyed the story. There was nothing that wowed me in the departments of theme or literary flourish. The story arc was fine. I really wanted the end to resolve the conflict; the author leaves 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, as it was original to Audrey’s Guide. I admired the author for resisting to heap on the sexual humor. I usually find too many sex jokes in teen lit 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. Thankfully, this is a comedy, anyway, so plot points aren't make or break.
As far as the themes "good and 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 give this book 3 stars. Before reading it, 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? For the most part, Jody Gehrman pulled it off. I think it could have used another round of keen editing; I liked it for the story, and I’ll plan to read the sequel.
Thanks, Jody, for the review copy! I promised an honest review and I hope it met your standards.
August 27, 2012
I wouldn't be me if I didn't comment on the cover of this book first. It is pretty eye catching. It has a way of drawing you in and making you want to pick it up and stare at it absorbing the details. At first glance I thought the dress was blood and then I realized it was fire, which so happens to be very fitting and well done for this story.
This book started off like most first books in series do, a little slow with lots of setting and character development but nothing that made me feel like the book was dragging on excessively.
It is no secret that I love books with witches in it, I have always been fascinated by the idea. Maybe that goes back to my days of watching Bewitched on TV and wishing I could crinkle my nose up like Elizabeth Montgomery could. Whatever the reason, paranormal books about witches, are always something I am willing to read and try out.
This wasn't your typical YA book about witches. Some of the ideas and concepts were uniquely done and really did make this an interesting fun read.
I never really felt a connection with Audrey like I wanted but it didn't really seem like I had to either. It didn't distract me from the story like it sometimes can if you don't. She was a good character and her relationship with some of the secondary characters actually made her character better. I really liked Bridget and her made up words and eccentricities. Sadie was pretty outrageous with her circus of animals and even Julian was slightly endearing with his weird compulsion to be around Audrey. They really helped lighten up the book and made for some real laugh out loud moments.
This didn't have as much romance as I normally like and everything wasn't answered and cleared up but then again since this is just the first book in the series I wasn't really expecting it to be.
I think it will be fun to see where the second book takes the characters and where the story goes from here.
3.5 Stars!
This book started off like most first books in series do, a little slow with lots of setting and character development but nothing that made me feel like the book was dragging on excessively.
It is no secret that I love books with witches in it, I have always been fascinated by the idea. Maybe that goes back to my days of watching Bewitched on TV and wishing I could crinkle my nose up like Elizabeth Montgomery could. Whatever the reason, paranormal books about witches, are always something I am willing to read and try out.
This wasn't your typical YA book about witches. Some of the ideas and concepts were uniquely done and really did make this an interesting fun read.
I never really felt a connection with Audrey like I wanted but it didn't really seem like I had to either. It didn't distract me from the story like it sometimes can if you don't. She was a good character and her relationship with some of the secondary characters actually made her character better. I really liked Bridget and her made up words and eccentricities. Sadie was pretty outrageous with her circus of animals and even Julian was slightly endearing with his weird compulsion to be around Audrey. They really helped lighten up the book and made for some real laugh out loud moments.
This didn't have as much romance as I normally like and everything wasn't answered and cleared up but then again since this is just the first book in the series I wasn't really expecting it to be.
I think it will be fun to see where the second book takes the characters and where the story goes from here.
3.5 Stars!
November 4, 2016
This book was brought to my attention by the author and I am thankful as it was a very good read.
Family begins the day like others – get dressed, eat, hug, then head off in their different directions… work and school. But on this day was the last day Audrey will see her mom. Now this teenager is thrust into a whirlwind of a life as she comes into her legacy, falls in love, realizes she is jealous of her sister, and meets a new friend in Sadie.
This was interesting from the beginning but work got in the way and it took me a bit to finish it. It was written to pull you in from the beginning as I become absorbed with all Audrey was going through in her day.
I like how you gave description of her surroundings without boring me and yet it was detailed enough I could perfectly visualize it. When describing to co-worker or my daughter about what I was reading I referred by accident to the movie. haha That is how visual you made it for me. :) Thank you!
I began getting close to the end and went to find the next book and realize this one hasn’t been out long. [sigh] Yes I will be waiting your next release.
I like that you allowed Audrey and Julian their connection without them having to have sex. I look forward to their bond growing in the next books. This will be fun to read as she learns of the land and to grow into her legacy. I am glad Meg won’t be left behind at winter break.
It sorta touches the edges of memory’s from other movies and books but nothing jumps out at me to mention. I am glad Sadie will stay with them throughout this journey.
I like the ending because it is a teen book that she curled up in her bed (alone) but with her phone txting Julian. But another part of me wanted her and his bond to have been strong enough that he would have been there on the porch with Sadie when they pulled up. Then when he wasn’t I thought of yes this is a teen book and thought he would show up now or call. But I guess a txt will do.
Family begins the day like others – get dressed, eat, hug, then head off in their different directions… work and school. But on this day was the last day Audrey will see her mom. Now this teenager is thrust into a whirlwind of a life as she comes into her legacy, falls in love, realizes she is jealous of her sister, and meets a new friend in Sadie.
This was interesting from the beginning but work got in the way and it took me a bit to finish it. It was written to pull you in from the beginning as I become absorbed with all Audrey was going through in her day.
I like how you gave description of her surroundings without boring me and yet it was detailed enough I could perfectly visualize it. When describing to co-worker or my daughter about what I was reading I referred by accident to the movie. haha That is how visual you made it for me. :) Thank you!
I began getting close to the end and went to find the next book and realize this one hasn’t been out long. [sigh] Yes I will be waiting your next release.
I like that you allowed Audrey and Julian their connection without them having to have sex. I look forward to their bond growing in the next books. This will be fun to read as she learns of the land and to grow into her legacy. I am glad Meg won’t be left behind at winter break.
It sorta touches the edges of memory’s from other movies and books but nothing jumps out at me to mention. I am glad Sadie will stay with them throughout this journey.
I like the ending because it is a teen book that she curled up in her bed (alone) but with her phone txting Julian. But another part of me wanted her and his bond to have been strong enough that he would have been there on the porch with Sadie when they pulled up. Then when he wasn’t I thought of yes this is a teen book and thought he would show up now or call. But I guess a txt will do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2012
First off, I didn't really find the cover that appealing.
I just don't like the background color and the way the title is presented.
It also seems to make to book look as if it's for much younger readers.
I also didn't like the way the chapters we're divided. Do not ask me why this bothered me, but it just did. I think it might be because it made the book look (sorry for being blunt) cheap.
These things are very minor, though.
They did NOT take away from the terrific story.
I loved the concept the author explored on witchcraft, it was different from anything I've read.
Maybe I don't read enough books about witchcraft or something.
Nonetheless, it truly fascinated me!
I just loved Audrey, when reading the story, she just felt real.
There was a lot of character growth as the story unfolded.
I loved Audrey's humor, even more at the end. Braaains.
Humor is usually most needed when things aren't funny. At all, haha.
I think the reason why I loved her so much was because she's easy to relate to.
Her biggest strength and weakness is her big heart.
At first, I was sad that there wasn't much romance in the novel. Don't get me wrong, there is love, but the book wasn't revolved around it. I later realized that I liked it better that way. It's weird how everything about Audrey and Julian's relationship isn't really explained. At the same time, that's what makes their connection so special. Everything is not in their favor, everything sure doesn't make any sense, but they simply are, without much thought of complications.
All in all, I loved this book.
Jody Gehrman's writing made me want to read more,
so it's a well deserved 4 stars for me.
I just don't like the background color and the way the title is presented.
It also seems to make to book look as if it's for much younger readers.
I also didn't like the way the chapters we're divided. Do not ask me why this bothered me, but it just did. I think it might be because it made the book look (sorry for being blunt) cheap.
These things are very minor, though.
They did NOT take away from the terrific story.
I loved the concept the author explored on witchcraft, it was different from anything I've read.
Maybe I don't read enough books about witchcraft or something.
Nonetheless, it truly fascinated me!
I just loved Audrey, when reading the story, she just felt real.
There was a lot of character growth as the story unfolded.
I loved Audrey's humor, even more at the end. Braaains.
Humor is usually most needed when things aren't funny. At all, haha.
I think the reason why I loved her so much was because she's easy to relate to.
Her biggest strength and weakness is her big heart.
At first, I was sad that there wasn't much romance in the novel. Don't get me wrong, there is love, but the book wasn't revolved around it. I later realized that I liked it better that way. It's weird how everything about Audrey and Julian's relationship isn't really explained. At the same time, that's what makes their connection so special. Everything is not in their favor, everything sure doesn't make any sense, but they simply are, without much thought of complications.
All in all, I loved this book.
Jody Gehrman's writing made me want to read more,
so it's a well deserved 4 stars for me.
September 9, 2012
'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 witch on top of everything else. Audrey has to deal with normal teen angst along with normal problems like boys, school, friends, and family; but being a witch brings its own issues. Audrey is a very likeable character and I was able to easily identify with her and root for her throughout the book. The story was very fast paced with lots of magic and adventure - which made it a page turner that I couldn't put down. The narrative had a great flow and was written really well - both of which are needed to make a great book. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I will definitely be reading the next installment in the series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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 witch on top of everything else. Audrey has to deal with normal teen angst along with normal problems like boys, school, friends, and family; but being a witch brings its own issues. Audrey is a very likeable character and I was able to easily identify with her and root for her throughout the book. The story was very fast paced with lots of magic and adventure - which made it a page turner that I couldn't put down. The narrative had a great flow and was written really well - both of which are needed to make a great book. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I will definitely be reading the next installment in the series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2012
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 beautifully consistent voice.
There’s something charmingly natural (and I’m using charm with its non-supernatural meaning) about a teen writing notes on baking chocolate cake in the same book as the recipe for replenishing magical protection. And this novel’s full of natural charm, supernatural terrors, scary bad guys and mysterious strangers, with a hint of mystical powers behind the chanting of curious spells. Plus there’s a great love interest, humor and pathos, and a mysteriously missing Mom.
Highly recommended—I can hardly wait to read what happens next.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free ecopy of this novel when the author was a guest on my blog.
There’s something charmingly natural (and I’m using charm with its non-supernatural meaning) about a teen writing notes on baking chocolate cake in the same book as the recipe for replenishing magical protection. And this novel’s full of natural charm, supernatural terrors, scary bad guys and mysterious strangers, with a hint of mystical powers behind the chanting of curious spells. Plus there’s a great love interest, humor and pathos, and a mysteriously missing Mom.
Highly recommended—I can hardly wait to read what happens next.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free ecopy of this novel when the author was a guest on my blog.
November 11, 2012
Reading Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is a fun experience.
Audrey's is not your typical girl. She has something magical in her..but she don't know it yet. Until one day a mysterious girl came after her mother went missing. That's when she found out that she--her mother, as well--was a witch. (Don't worry, that's not a spoiler. You'd know it from the title right away.)
I liked how the story unfold--though I can tell some events. The characters are fun and funnyand quite weird. The romance in it also has the effect on me. I really liked it and I'm smiling while I read it.
The overall story was really nice. Even if it is a series, I already saw a lot given in this book and it didn't left me feel incomplete. I liked and enjoy it on the very first page til the last.
Thank you so much, Jodi Gehrman, for the effort of sending me a paperback copy of your book for review even if I live internationally and I was just starting (she sent me the book months ago). I also appreciated the personalized bookplate. Thank you! x
Audrey's is not your typical girl. She has something magical in her..but she don't know it yet. Until one day a mysterious girl came after her mother went missing. That's when she found out that she--her mother, as well--was a witch. (Don't worry, that's not a spoiler. You'd know it from the title right away.)
I liked how the story unfold--though I can tell some events. The characters are fun and funny
The overall story was really nice. Even if it is a series, I already saw a lot given in this book and it didn't left me feel incomplete. I liked and enjoy it on the very first page til the last.
Thank you so much, Jodi Gehrman, for the effort of sending me a paperback copy of your book for review even if I live internationally and I was just starting (she sent me the book months ago). I also appreciated the personalized bookplate. Thank you! x
September 17, 2012
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 development in the book’s magical side. The magic performed in the story seemed to come too easily, and it would have added a nice bit of tension to have made it more of a challenge.
The story is fast-paced (sometimes a bit too fast), so that we are never bored. The ending felt just a tad rushed, but it is an interesting conclusion to the book. Of course, this is just the first in a series, so there’s still lots that will happen in Audrey’s life.
I recommend this book to YA fiction lovers and to those of you who are looking for something fun to read.
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 development in the book’s magical side. The magic performed in the story seemed to come too easily, and it would have added a nice bit of tension to have made it more of a challenge.
The story is fast-paced (sometimes a bit too fast), so that we are never bored. The ending felt just a tad rushed, but it is an interesting conclusion to the book. Of course, this is just the first in a series, so there’s still lots that will happen in Audrey’s life.
I recommend this book to YA fiction lovers and to those of you who are looking for something fun to read.
October 6, 2012
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 witchy powers, brewing up spelling and whipping up creme brulee, Audrey has her hands full. Especially since she wants to learn her new powers as soon as possible to help her mom on her magical mission. A mission Audrey only finds out about when she strong arms cousin Sadie to tell her about.
From beginning to end, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is engaging, fun and unique! I really enjoyed every page of this magical adventure and look forward to reading more in this new, intriguing series! Audrey sparkles, even as she deals with real issues. A gem of a book!
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 witchy powers, brewing up spelling and whipping up creme brulee, Audrey has her hands full. Especially since she wants to learn her new powers as soon as possible to help her mom on her magical mission. A mission Audrey only finds out about when she strong arms cousin Sadie to tell her about.
From beginning to end, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is engaging, fun and unique! I really enjoyed every page of this magical adventure and look forward to reading more in this new, intriguing series! Audrey sparkles, even as she deals with real issues. A gem of a book!
October 1, 2019
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
This is one of my 2012 ebook freebies, and while I found parts of this book intriguing, it ended up being a miss for me.
Audrey's mom is missing, and now a mysterious "cousin" has come to look after Audrey and her sister Meg (even though this cousin is only a couple years older than her). Weird things have been happening around Audrey lately, explosions and a creepy face appearing in her dreams (and her pie). It turns out that Audrey has some magical abilities, similar abilities to her mother, and both of them are in danger.
With ebook freebies, I tend to read the first couple of chapters to see if it's any good before deciding whether to continue reading. This one passed the first couple of chapters test, but the rest of the book really dragged. The book begins with Audrey worried about her mother, and that's what originally drew me in. But, the fear for her mother drops pretty quickly in the text. Yes, Audrey occasionally worries about her and occasionally asks her "cousin", Sadie, about it, but it rarely goes further. Since, as the reader, we never get the chance to know about the mother, it was also easy to forget that she was at risk.
The friendship with Bridgett also bothered me. The friendship itself was great, but this book follows the trope of "keep secrets from friends and family to protect them". I HATE this trope so much! 1. Because it almost always puts your friends and family in more danger. 2. It shows that you don't have much respect for your friends and family. 3. It breaks relationships. Bridgett, Meg, and Julian (the love interest) are kept in the dark about what is going on and it infuriated me! Julian actually knows the more of what is going on even though he is impacted the least! Meg's mother is also involved in this, she deserves to know what is going on! Not knowing things actually puts her in danger in the book, but THEY STILL NEVER TELL HER! Nope! They just keep wiping everyone's memories, so Meg is likely going to turn into a vegetable at some point because they will wipe her mind every time something witchy happens. Bridgett was also put in danger for not knowing and, you guessed it, they wiped her mind. I don't give two bleeps about the rules and how the mundane can't know about magic. IF SOMEONE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU LET THEM KNOW! Your loved ones should be more important than the rules. I love it when books let the best friend help even if they don't have magic. But, no, that didn't happen.
I also love it when sisters come together, but this book wouldn't let the sister help either. It was just mind-wiping and the MC lying to everyone, so I couldn't get that girl power. We did get to see the sibling relationship, and how they are jealous of one another, but the jealousy didn't feel like it was repaired. Audrey is jealous of Meg because she's cool, with hipster friends and boys like her, and when Audrey finds out she's a witch, she feels that she one-upped Meg. She feels superior to Meg, and the rest of the book is spent throwing Meg under the rug. She's never included in the serious talks because she can't know the witchy stuff and it frustrates her, but this is not fixed. This book also had a stereotypical mean girl who bullies Bridgett because she's not stick-thin. I don't like mean girls in books, but I also didn't like how Audrey would stand-up for Bridgett. When the mean girl called Bridgett fat, Audrey would make fun of how the mean girl is anorexic and bulimic. The mean girl is definitely in the wrong, but it is NEVER okay to make fun of real eating disorders.
I mentioned how the beginning starts intriguingly. It starts off foreboding with Audrey having a bad feeling about her mom and seeing a creepy guy in her dreams. This intrigued me in the beginning, but the book began to drag after that. The book is only 293 pages, but I felt like it was taking forever to get exciting. Part of my issue could have been that I figured out a lot of key plot points early on. For instance, the rotten auras that Audrey sees. I knew what it meant pretty quickly, but Audrey and Sadie assumed it meant something entirely different (and something that required a lot of complex details) when it was just obvious
There is romance in this book but I didn't care for it. I didn't understand the foundation of the relationship. Basically, Julian thinks Audrey is special, and that's the basis of him wanting to be with her, even though they barely know each other (and he's out of college). Weird stuff happens when they're together, like sparks and stuff floating. I get the feeling that they are going to end up being soulmates or the witchy equivalent.
IN CONCLUSION
When I started this review, I was hoping I would find some positive feelings. There were some ideas that I liked, but I just was so bothered by the lying in this book. I can see why people would like this book and, to be honest, if I read this book in 2012 after I downloaded the ebook, I would have probably liked it. Now, though, I'm older and I'm more bothered by friendships not being shown strongly. I'm not continuing this series.
MY THOUGHTS
This is one of my 2012 ebook freebies, and while I found parts of this book intriguing, it ended up being a miss for me.
Audrey's mom is missing, and now a mysterious "cousin" has come to look after Audrey and her sister Meg (even though this cousin is only a couple years older than her). Weird things have been happening around Audrey lately, explosions and a creepy face appearing in her dreams (and her pie). It turns out that Audrey has some magical abilities, similar abilities to her mother, and both of them are in danger.
With ebook freebies, I tend to read the first couple of chapters to see if it's any good before deciding whether to continue reading. This one passed the first couple of chapters test, but the rest of the book really dragged. The book begins with Audrey worried about her mother, and that's what originally drew me in. But, the fear for her mother drops pretty quickly in the text. Yes, Audrey occasionally worries about her and occasionally asks her "cousin", Sadie, about it, but it rarely goes further. Since, as the reader, we never get the chance to know about the mother, it was also easy to forget that she was at risk.
The friendship with Bridgett also bothered me. The friendship itself was great, but this book follows the trope of "keep secrets from friends and family to protect them". I HATE this trope so much! 1. Because it almost always puts your friends and family in more danger. 2. It shows that you don't have much respect for your friends and family. 3. It breaks relationships. Bridgett, Meg, and Julian (the love interest) are kept in the dark about what is going on and it infuriated me! Julian actually knows the more of what is going on even though he is impacted the least! Meg's mother is also involved in this, she deserves to know what is going on! Not knowing things actually puts her in danger in the book, but THEY STILL NEVER TELL HER! Nope! They just keep wiping everyone's memories, so Meg is likely going to turn into a vegetable at some point because they will wipe her mind every time something witchy happens. Bridgett was also put in danger for not knowing and, you guessed it, they wiped her mind. I don't give two bleeps about the rules and how the mundane can't know about magic. IF SOMEONE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU LET THEM KNOW! Your loved ones should be more important than the rules. I love it when books let the best friend help even if they don't have magic. But, no, that didn't happen.
I also love it when sisters come together, but this book wouldn't let the sister help either. It was just mind-wiping and the MC lying to everyone, so I couldn't get that girl power. We did get to see the sibling relationship, and how they are jealous of one another, but the jealousy didn't feel like it was repaired. Audrey is jealous of Meg because she's cool, with hipster friends and boys like her, and when Audrey finds out she's a witch, she feels that she one-upped Meg. She feels superior to Meg, and the rest of the book is spent throwing Meg under the rug. She's never included in the serious talks because she can't know the witchy stuff and it frustrates her, but this is not fixed. This book also had a stereotypical mean girl who bullies Bridgett because she's not stick-thin. I don't like mean girls in books, but I also didn't like how Audrey would stand-up for Bridgett. When the mean girl called Bridgett fat, Audrey would make fun of how the mean girl is anorexic and bulimic. The mean girl is definitely in the wrong, but it is NEVER okay to make fun of real eating disorders.
I mentioned how the beginning starts intriguingly. It starts off foreboding with Audrey having a bad feeling about her mom and seeing a creepy guy in her dreams. This intrigued me in the beginning, but the book began to drag after that. The book is only 293 pages, but I felt like it was taking forever to get exciting. Part of my issue could have been that I figured out a lot of key plot points early on. For instance, the rotten auras that Audrey sees. I knew what it meant pretty quickly, but Audrey and Sadie assumed it meant something entirely different (and something that required a lot of complex details) when it was just obvious
There is romance in this book but I didn't care for it. I didn't understand the foundation of the relationship. Basically, Julian thinks Audrey is special, and that's the basis of him wanting to be with her, even though they barely know each other (and he's out of college). Weird stuff happens when they're together, like sparks and stuff floating. I get the feeling that they are going to end up being soulmates or the witchy equivalent.
IN CONCLUSION
When I started this review, I was hoping I would find some positive feelings. There were some ideas that I liked, but I just was so bothered by the lying in this book. I can see why people would like this book and, to be honest, if I read this book in 2012 after I downloaded the ebook, I would have probably liked it. Now, though, I'm older and I'm more bothered by friendships not being shown strongly. I'm not continuing this series.
February 5, 2013
This YA novel is a fast, snappy read. Audrey possesses extreme magical talent, but it takes her mother's strange disappearance and a threat to the safety of the world for her to realize that she's, well, a witch. Add in a handsome guy who might just be her soul-mate, an evil necromancer who wants her power, and a quirky cousin who wants to help, and you have a story bursting with loveable characters, enough drama to keep things moving, and tingly romantic scenes. Such a fun tale, and I can't wait for more of Audrey's magical journey!
July 17, 2012
I am a big fan of paranormal books. I am truly hoping this is going to be turned into a series because I can't wait to find out what happens next! This is a great YA paranormal book that is fast paced and full of engaging character's that make you keep reading on. The author spins a fast paced, humorous tale packed with action and romance. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
August 6, 2012
Hmmm there was something lacking in this book. It had all the markings off a good
story but nothing gripped me about it. In fact I really struggled to get through it.
Hard to put my finger on why I just could not get into it.
Worth a read to see if you like it but I would be reading any of the next books.
Very forgettable book I'm afraid.
story but nothing gripped me about it. In fact I really struggled to get through it.
Hard to put my finger on why I just could not get into it.
Worth a read to see if you like it but I would be reading any of the next books.
Very forgettable book I'm afraid.
August 17, 2012
What a great book!!! It moved along at a good pace with plenty to keep you coming back for more. Two worlds with so many secrets! Author was spot on with the Dallas Character and the hows and whys of her actions, and I loved when Bridgett had her moment! I cant wait to read the next book and I would love to see more of Audrey and Julian and their sparks!
Want to read
August 17, 2012Mrvý krát po cca desiatich rokoch som vyhrala knihu ! Bola som tak satrašne happy, že som volala lele (ktorá mi to nezdvihla) a lile ktorá musela počúvať najmenej 10 min o tom ako som strašne šťastná :D
Read
March 11, 2016Fun! Full review to come.
November 5, 2012
Wonderful and fresh! Full review to come tomorrow!
August 26, 2012
The writing was a little choppy, but the story was a good idea.
October 3, 2012
3.5 stars
When Jody Gehrman contacted me about reviewing her book, I was excited to have the opportunity to read something different. I haven't read YA novels that feature actual high school students or that are about witches for a while now. I'm far enough removed from high school that I really don't care about the petty school drama and teenage angst associated with it. As for witch books, are there really that many even out there anymore? I am definitely a high fantasy fan, but I need to mix up the genres I read every once in a while, and Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft provided a great way to switch things up with something else I enjoyed reading.
Audrey believes that she's in for another typical day of high school until a feeling of unease begins to penetrate her thoughts. For reasons she can't explain, she knows that her mother has disappeared; she sees this mysterious face and haunting blue eyes all over; and she hurts the school's resident mean girl without lifting a finger. Audrey's fears about her mother are confirmed and she learns something even more unexpected: her mother is a witch and so is she. And powerful witches at that. Her mother's "family," a clan up north, needs to borrow her mother's considerable talents to defeat a sorcerer, and so Sadie, a young witch, comes to stay with sisters Audrey and Meg. Once Sadie discovers Audrey's power, she hesitantly consents to train Audrey. Although her mother is still missing, Audrey's life starts to improve as she embraces her inner powers, finds love, and plans on doing whatever it takes to help her mother defeat this mysterious enemy.
The strongest aspect of this book is definitely Audrey's relationships with others. I think that Gehrman paints a realistic portrayal of teen sisters, jealousy and all. Despite the drama and petty annoyances she has with Meg, it's clear that Audrey will do anything to protect her younger sister. And although their mother is absent for most of the book, the relationship between the mother and her two daughters also plays a large role in the story. Most of Audrey's decisions stem from her doing whatever she thinks will help out her mother. Lots of times teenagers go through phases where they believe their parents do not understand them, so it was refreshing to see how this book presented a teen girl's strong relationship with her mother. Besides her strong family bonds, I loved reading about Audrey's friendship with her best friend Bridget and the gradual friendship that forms between Audrey and her witch "cousin" Sadie. In fact, the vast majority of relationships that influence Audrey are formed through strong female bonds, which is awesome. Who doesn't love reading about that?
Of course I also enjoyed Audrey's relationship with Julian. While it isn't quite insta-love, there is a sense of insta-connection. Sadie hints at possible meanings behind Audrey and Julian's connection, so I feel sure that this topic will be something explored in future novels. I've just been very jaded recently when it comes to romance in YA books, but Audrey and Julian have a solid relationship. Julian cannot offer the same support to Audrey that the female influences do, but he is still the kind of boyfriend that all protagonists struggling with paranormal secrets should have; for the most part he's completely accepting of Audrey's inability to divulge her secrets, and he is genuinely a good guy who cares for her safety. I'd like a little more character development on his end, but for the first book in a series I was content.
I liked the idea of Audrey making lists of important things in her life. The idea fits well with Audrey's two main interests in life, baking and chemistry, which both are very list- and detail-oriented. I think the inclusion of a few recipes and how-to guides was great (and on a similar note I enjoyed how the story ended - it felt circular and so right). I do wish that this theme could have been expanded even more. There are only about five lists throughout the entire novel, unfortunately. I wanted more recipes and spells. So I hope we'll get more details of those in future novels as well.
In terms of conflict, I found the overarching villain-initiated conflict could have been a bit stronger. Even though the villain does try to explain his plans for world control to Audrey, I didn't really understand his motivation behind his actions. And after Audrey has seen so many creepy messages and images, I felt the final showdown was anticlimactic, although it definitely leaves the book open for series potential. I actually found myself more drawn to Audrey's internal struggles. I love a character who struggles with identity issues and seeks to find a sense of purpose. I considered this to be at the heart of this story and it had far more effect on me as a reader and Audrey's characterization than the actual villain showdown does.
I found myself to be pleasantly surprised by this book. Because the YA paranormal romance market has become so flooded with books over the past few years, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft suffers from a few clichés here and there. Those clichés, however, did not detract from my enjoyment of reading this solid and well-written contribution to YA witch/paranormal books. Because the book is part of a series, Gehrman did leave a number of things open and I am eager to see how the story continues. This is a light and fun read, yet Gehrman is also able to bring up some important questions about family and self-discovery.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Jody!
When Jody Gehrman contacted me about reviewing her book, I was excited to have the opportunity to read something different. I haven't read YA novels that feature actual high school students or that are about witches for a while now. I'm far enough removed from high school that I really don't care about the petty school drama and teenage angst associated with it. As for witch books, are there really that many even out there anymore? I am definitely a high fantasy fan, but I need to mix up the genres I read every once in a while, and Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft provided a great way to switch things up with something else I enjoyed reading.
Audrey believes that she's in for another typical day of high school until a feeling of unease begins to penetrate her thoughts. For reasons she can't explain, she knows that her mother has disappeared; she sees this mysterious face and haunting blue eyes all over; and she hurts the school's resident mean girl without lifting a finger. Audrey's fears about her mother are confirmed and she learns something even more unexpected: her mother is a witch and so is she. And powerful witches at that. Her mother's "family," a clan up north, needs to borrow her mother's considerable talents to defeat a sorcerer, and so Sadie, a young witch, comes to stay with sisters Audrey and Meg. Once Sadie discovers Audrey's power, she hesitantly consents to train Audrey. Although her mother is still missing, Audrey's life starts to improve as she embraces her inner powers, finds love, and plans on doing whatever it takes to help her mother defeat this mysterious enemy.
The strongest aspect of this book is definitely Audrey's relationships with others. I think that Gehrman paints a realistic portrayal of teen sisters, jealousy and all. Despite the drama and petty annoyances she has with Meg, it's clear that Audrey will do anything to protect her younger sister. And although their mother is absent for most of the book, the relationship between the mother and her two daughters also plays a large role in the story. Most of Audrey's decisions stem from her doing whatever she thinks will help out her mother. Lots of times teenagers go through phases where they believe their parents do not understand them, so it was refreshing to see how this book presented a teen girl's strong relationship with her mother. Besides her strong family bonds, I loved reading about Audrey's friendship with her best friend Bridget and the gradual friendship that forms between Audrey and her witch "cousin" Sadie. In fact, the vast majority of relationships that influence Audrey are formed through strong female bonds, which is awesome. Who doesn't love reading about that?
Of course I also enjoyed Audrey's relationship with Julian. While it isn't quite insta-love, there is a sense of insta-connection. Sadie hints at possible meanings behind Audrey and Julian's connection, so I feel sure that this topic will be something explored in future novels. I've just been very jaded recently when it comes to romance in YA books, but Audrey and Julian have a solid relationship. Julian cannot offer the same support to Audrey that the female influences do, but he is still the kind of boyfriend that all protagonists struggling with paranormal secrets should have; for the most part he's completely accepting of Audrey's inability to divulge her secrets, and he is genuinely a good guy who cares for her safety. I'd like a little more character development on his end, but for the first book in a series I was content.
I liked the idea of Audrey making lists of important things in her life. The idea fits well with Audrey's two main interests in life, baking and chemistry, which both are very list- and detail-oriented. I think the inclusion of a few recipes and how-to guides was great (and on a similar note I enjoyed how the story ended - it felt circular and so right). I do wish that this theme could have been expanded even more. There are only about five lists throughout the entire novel, unfortunately. I wanted more recipes and spells. So I hope we'll get more details of those in future novels as well.
In terms of conflict, I found the overarching villain-initiated conflict could have been a bit stronger. Even though the villain does try to explain his plans for world control to Audrey, I didn't really understand his motivation behind his actions. And after Audrey has seen so many creepy messages and images, I felt the final showdown was anticlimactic, although it definitely leaves the book open for series potential. I actually found myself more drawn to Audrey's internal struggles. I love a character who struggles with identity issues and seeks to find a sense of purpose. I considered this to be at the heart of this story and it had far more effect on me as a reader and Audrey's characterization than the actual villain showdown does.
I found myself to be pleasantly surprised by this book. Because the YA paranormal romance market has become so flooded with books over the past few years, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft suffers from a few clichés here and there. Those clichés, however, did not detract from my enjoyment of reading this solid and well-written contribution to YA witch/paranormal books. Because the book is part of a series, Gehrman did leave a number of things open and I am eager to see how the story continues. This is a light and fun read, yet Gehrman is also able to bring up some important questions about family and self-discovery.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Jody!
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