Witch or Treat

Night Shift Witch #2.5 (How to Date a Witch)

by ReGina Welling

It's All Hallows' Eve, and these witches are getting wild!
Just in time for Halloween, some of your favorite authors have teamed up to bring you more than 600 pages of mystery, magic, and mayhem.
Whether it's a trick or a treat, these witchy tales will surely get you in a spooky state of mind!

The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin by Nikki Haverstock
Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats by Danielle Garrett
One Spell of a Night by ReGina Welling and Erin Lynn
‘Tis the Season to be Creepy by Sonia Parin
The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife by Joynell Schultz
The Mystery of the Halloween Mask by Ani Gonzalez
How to Date a Witch by Cate Lawley
Hexing the Ex by Ruby Blaylock
Costumes and Cauldrons by Amanda A. Allen
Harper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie by D.S. Butler
Witches & Stitches by Ava Mallory
GoB (Game of Bones) by Pearl Goodfellow
Howling Ian by Karny McFlynn
Bubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble by Tegan Maher
A Dark Root Samhain by April Aasheim

Genres: Paranormal, Witches, Halloween, Anthologies, Holiday, Mystery, Ghosts

666 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2017

About the author

ReGina Welling prefers not to talk about herself in the third person so...

I live in Maine with my husband, a silly flufferpup named Dash, and a crazy cat named Cricket. I write full time and also create mixed media artwork when I get the chance.

When I was three, my mom brought home a new book and when she went to read it to me, I read it to her instead. That was when she realized I'd learned to read. Since then I couldn't even estimate the number of books I've read. It's a lot!



**October featured author in the Cozy Mystery Book Club.
Get "Murder Above the Fold" for FREE, plus join our "All Things Balefire" virtual scavenger hunt for your chance to win ebooks, signed paperbacks, & a Kindle Fire tablet! Just visit www.reginawelling.com and sign up for my newsletter!

Reviews

[Sandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute YA short story about witches, Samhain and pumpkins.

Merged review:

A fun collection of short Halloween stories from some of my favourite authors. I enjoyed almost all of the stories in this collection. They are fun or dark and some are both. I certainly found a couple of new series and authors to read.

[Terri Crossley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for Halloween

I really enjoyed this book! Not only did I get to read some great short stories I also found some great new authors to read! Witches, warlocks, ghosts, and vampires this book has it all! Each story was unique and gave you a perfect example of the authors books! I really enjoyed getting to know more about each character and I can't wait to find more books from these authors! If you are looking for a book filled with a perfect touch of Halloween stories this is the book to read! I highly recommended this book!

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little collection of cosy, funny Halloween based short stories. My favourite so far has been Ani Gonzalez - Mystery of the Halloween Mask. How can you not love the idea of a dimension hopping shop that's here today, gone tomorrow!

Great value and great little nuggets to fill a lunch hour!

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 2 out of 5]

kindle unlimited but have been so busy that decided to risk buying outright before the price went up higher than 99 cents, and definitely wish had just found time to do on ku. At BEST this story came out to like a 22 so for that many stories less than 2 average, Joynell Schultz and Ani Gonzalez will probably look up but the rest not going to happen.

The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin - Nikki Haverstock -- what does a body part costume {probably won't post if put what it was, but oh they can say this crap in the story, I just can't post exactly what they wrote or TOS doesn't allow}, how old is this airhead 90120 drama child, even when something is her fault it's still someone else's fault? No, even as a rat the small storage room wouldn't be bigger than a stadium; can we actually start getting some PLOT here. "I raced toward the pumpkin covered with fabric." Uh, the MISSING one? Can we please quit jumping back and forth in the timeline, sentence to sentence. No, certain things are just etiquette, quit putting mage in front of everything, we got it already. If stomach is growling for food, an alcoholic drink is NOT going to help, try FOOD. Vin doesn't have enough time to do anything so someone else does a non mage spell, yet Vin then turns around and does a different spell, uh what. 1 at best

Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats - Danielle Garrett -- typical study contains bookshelves, a desk, chair, computer, desk, lamps so why prattle on that the 'study' is 'more' or a library? If the bats aren't alive but instead rubber ones just charmed to come to life then why did he think the vampire could do anything with them? Why would someone stand out because humans don't have fangs showing, even the other vampire characters aren't showing fangs all the time. Why are the kids being let go, after earlier saying the organization would erase their minds when they got there. Uh, yeah, everyone assumes a vampire would leave where ever before dawn yanno the whole burn to a crisp thing, and another thing why would the SPA be waiting until another day when it would be hello light, the witch doesn't know how long wards and spells would hold against vampires and that's 99.9% of people there, and the longer anything waits the more likely the vampires would know something is going on. Vampires don't breathe so what's the point of that sentence? Innocent young woman, she's vampire, how do you know how old or experienced she is. Ending stupid. 1

One Spell of a Night - Regina Welling and Erin Lynn -- uh what? 2 at best

‘Tis the Season to be Creepy - Sonia Parin -- if a purchase is 37 something, no change back, why would you give her a 50 and why would you even have a 50 as those don't even come out of atms but you have to ask bank for them and very few places can cash one. People can't have 'similar distinguishing features', because the one word means to set apart as different, to identify it from others. It is difficult to get prints off of organic surfaces, formidable off of rough/textured surfaces, and virtually impossible to get prints off of oily surfaces or those smeared by movement; she'd already touched the pumpkin several ways as did the person who carved it with overlapping prints AND it's on something with a preserving spray WITH peppermint and aloe oils so NO. Uh how big is that window and how many curtains to frame and/or billow out from 2 different things. No, if only some things stick in your mind, then you do NOT have a photogenic memory. Only someone with a guilty conscience would panic, WRONG, usually exact opposite. 75-100 days for miniature pumpkins, longer for average, even longer for the giant ones, and speaking of, where did the supplier get the big ones. You don't want someone involved in the police investigation yet you are thinking all of it to yourself which is around someone that can read your thoughts duh. Why would his father been named after a muscle car when it wasn't his father but his grandfather that was the enthusiast. A whole can of food is not a 'treat' it's a meal. They left a suspected killer, who they were about to arrest and who hadn't even been questioned yet, in the house and all ran off {one for police work and one being a hound dog after some chick}, uh sure NOT. Then she figures out a major thing, proof of who the killer was, and even though she gets a 'call' from the detective she doesn't talk about the major break AT ALL. Why, even if it just looked the same pumpkin as her's was it there at all, when what had been filmed was a larger pumpkin which was where? What the blazes does intended to decapitate a doll and being blackballed have to do with killing the person next door to steal their pumpkin preserving secret, which would have ended up in court anyway because of possible copyright/patent infringement {just changing an item or 2 does NOT make it a different item, just another version of same already copyrighted protected item}.Why would anonymous calls scare anyone in to handing over a formula that was NEVER mentioned in the CALLS. minus 1

The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife - Joynell Schultz, ok bit odd and lost me couple of times but overall 4 or 5

The Mystery of the Halloween Mask - Ani Gonzalez - bit confused as if missed something, was the one chick always that, reincarnated, turned in to, changed, what, but overall guess maybe a 4

How to Date a Witch - Cate Lawley -- no a few weeks of working in a funeral home does not make someone an 'expert' on any of it, uh dead body and also another that had to do with legal dueling and stupidity, and then bam it's over they 2 want to make out so let's go, no plot uh ick 1

Hexing the Ex - Ruby Blaylock -- uh what one guy maybe maybe not ex drops dead, nothing to do with her, but she has to solve supposed murder or else be haunted by him forever, WHY? NO 'many' do NOT call supernatural beings 'supes', throwing in all those weird names doesn't help confusion of massive amount of names and not using more than pronouns half time USE NAMES 'her' 'his' etc DON'T do! confusing boring mess 1

Costumes and Cauldrons - Amanda A. Allen -- huh christmas red and black hair? the story, if can call it that, is all over the place, rather pointless, got boring almost immediately, so many names and places thrown out that didn't make sense nor about 1/4 of sentences, keep having to read and re-read parts, there are words missing, lack of punctuation to tell when someone starts talking, no actual plot and going nowhere, 1

Harper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie D.S. Butler, it's putting white fabric paint not painting fabric paint redundant, Abbot Cove really murder she wrote much duh Cabot Cove Maine, how does one sabotage a pie by scooping out the center by 'mistake', why plant Holly bushes in Maine it's not good planting zone for them they rarely survive much less grow well or enough to be a 'bush', unbelievable red herrings and boring 1

Witches & Stitches - Ava Mallory, someone has their ears covered how can they hear someone say uncover them, if it's police why would either of them want to get door and if girl was getting it how could grandmother open it, no idea who talking to who or who talking back, if supposedly know it's police car why would it matter if couldn't 'make out the make' of the car and why would you say it like that plus where did it go, threw yourself across table face first huh that would be full body so sat down and threw your upper body maybe either way makes no sense, she/her/etc don't know who talking to who about what, grandmother can hear a whisper from another yard but then she can't hear the very next one when no one moved, how and where does one duck when they're sitting on a porch swing in full view, why is there " around her saying she's glad she stopped to see me/herself, what was the point of story besides being convoluted confusing and incomplete, expected better of Mallory 1

GoB (Game of Bones) - Pearl Goodfellow, you don't have time or resources to get backup from other isles yet you have time and resources to wait for backup from administrative capital {and what does that even mean}, how could a cat mimicking gordon ramsay's comments offend customers when it's already been said that she's the unawakened can't understand them and how many customers could total she have since she's never at the store just the assistant, how is a boat with a skeleton but no blood etc 'gruesome', "charms the Avalon's boast" huh?, sleuths not sleuth's, hardly likely with both vortices and turbillions that there would be several as one would tend to negate another one and why would it take months to show up, repositories not repository's, you feel the claws again but you didn't feel the cat landing back on your head because it was up on the chandelier, he's going to drop a neurotoxin in while wearing no protection himself in a room that is not sealed but stand by the door to make sure it goes off besides btw some are lighter than air and some heavy but having one go off on the floor yet feeling effects both standing and nearer the floor makes no sense, 'Ross the Boss' would only be an alias and duh if he went by it anywhere as a NAME wouldn't be any type of legal name could put on anything such as a driver's license duh, no idea since the cats are immortal and only her and the other lady was at risk of death how there could have been 'more' deaths, and obviously 'her' motives are to help guard the vault duh, less than 1

Howling Ian - Karny McFlynn--worried about romance when there's killer loose? uh hell sexual harassment on the job sanctioned by boss uh no way and don't matter what she looks like she's serving food not working stripping pole, is he yelling from other room whole time because didn't seem that way yet another part he called for her when she supposedly was already in room, he who is going to give her earful her phone time?, you're driving and it's someone else's car but you're not even paying enough attention while supposedly piloting metal death machine to pay attention to red lights and traffic, so was his nickname already Monty or not jeez, "call HIM Monty" , why was she 15 minutes late getting car back when she got sacked even before end of her shift, 50 cent or 50 dollar words the "$.50" is totally confusing, since earlier it said he never remembered her start and end times and when she'd be back why would he think she was late anyway, he goes nuts from unlocked much less open door yet house on bottom floor with a window wide open? anybody who falls for the palm zapper 15 times deserves to get zapped for stupidity, uh since he won what he gets to pick what, why would she think she'd been using a curling iron when she has naturally curly hair, why wouldn't it have been empty when he looked because he gave it to her and it was empty then duh, and for supposedly semi intelligent people she didn't get the Bonhomme/bone home reference and neither did he, why would he ask her if she was going to call when supposedly he hadn't read it and when he gave it to her it was blank, a germophobic guy is going to kick his feet up on the coffee table, next to the popcorn ick, what does it matter what someone knows about dead bodies much less one on the couch and ditto in middle of night, stupid pointless 'story, -1

Bubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble - Tegan Maher -- why would anyone wait until day of party to start baking, you can't slip money in to a register because the whole point is to have to have access to open it so bills won't fit {used to be a cashier on different machines so know}, you say you gotta be getting back yet you're dawdling looking at displays and espresso machines, you're racing time because you were stupid and waiting until the day of a party to do such things as ice cupcakes and cookies and running out of time but to explain you stop what you're doing all together why surely your mouth can work the same time as hands icing things, did she finish putting the crepe around the fireplace and isn't that a fire hazard anyway, why and how would you end up losing a pair of earrings in the punch, what's the big deal about ouija board and spirits since a lot of things supposedly help communication such as the crystal ball on the table, so she was tired of sitting so gets up to walk around with him even though she's supposed to be handing out candy, she gets a plate of food and they eat for a couple of minutes then she has a coughing fit at his question then recovers and puts her EMPTY plate on the ground what did she do inhale all her food, somebody needs candles because the lights are out so they come to the kitchen and ask if that's where the candles are still kept and you NOD? 2 people sitting on a lawn chair yeah not, was she reading the stupid fortunes on the back porch or the front porch or in the parlor but if there how was she handing out candy from there, why would you be getting handed wrapped food that needed to go in to another room but just taking the trays and setting them on the living room table, uh what 1

A Dark Root Samhain - April Aasheim -- it said only until sunrise and the story said the sun was already showing through the fog and trees so sunrise and then some so how could the ring be taken, the world is supposed to be at risk but oh my yes worry about being a little late helping someone with some halloween thing omg, and then her sister is just sitting there telling stories to children while she is just doing nothing so again what was so important she had to be there to 'help' with she's doing nothing, how could she be dressed the part but not dressed a certain way at the same time, why would anyone set out multiple bowls of candy, and again why did she have to be at her sister's shop at all because she hasn't actually been in there or around there doing much of anything, everybody's life could depend on the ring yet when she sees the one woman again instead of following her to where ever she instead stops to help her aunt with store bought pies uh makes sense NOT, she stops to talk to the stranger because she sees some kind of ring then evidently doesn't bother to look at his hand again at all before leaving, why would there be footprints since those 3 had went and come back and she'd done round trip again and since there's still nothing there duh NO one's footprints are showing up, again it's supposed to be major bad mojo and she find the girl AGAIN but only talks to her a couple of minutes then goes ALL the way back to town part to do what exactly, why would they have a halloween parade the day AFTER halloween, why does the one girl have on fairy wings now when before it specifically said she wasn't going to wear them, sees the strange female again then is like oh well whatever and doesn't bother to see where she goes or does that time, he found the ring but who's to say he had promised it to the one twit or that he was in love with the mistress of the house sheesh plus the one twit is who had the ring was her after she'd found it in her father's things after he passed as well as the butler demanding it and dying and then the main female who was running the house taking and putting it under lock and key, Anna didn't do anything to the groundskeeper that were her father who passed later and she found the ring in his things plus it was the butler who died but because he tried to take it so again nothing with the owner of the house wanted to put the ring under lock and key, and once AGAIN she meets the magician and again doesn't look for the ring that he wore that caught her attention the first time {2 or 3 times BACK}, and still didn't say where the one sister was getting all the money or why she was stealing tips, less than 1 total waste of time

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

15 books written by 16 authors all about Halloween-Halloween parties-costumes-foods-and all things supernatural. Let me tell you about a few of my favorite stories.

Harper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie by Danica Butler.
Granny Grant and her two grand-daughters are witches in a small town that has no idea that witches are even real. Harper and sister Jessica are tying to keep their secret hidden and Granny often forgets and flaunts her abilities, causing the girls to scramble and cover up Granny's magic. At a Halloween party Granny enters a pumpkin pie into a contest that leaves the judge hospitalized with a severe allergic shock and close to death. Harper assumes the responsibility of solving the near death mystery.
Using minimum witchcraft she delves in and delivers an unexpected conclusion to the case.
It is a well written and the perfect length to read in one sitting, I was happy to revisit these women and enjoy another episode in the quirky world of the Grants.

Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats by Danielle Garrett
This is also part of a series I have enjoyed reading about paranormals who live in a non-magical town. One is a witch named Holly Bolt, and she has been banished from the paranormal living area to the town of Beechwood Harbor. There she lives with other paranormals in an inn run by a ghost. When one of her inn mates, a vampire named Lacey is allowed to give a Halloween party for her vamp friends, something goes wrong because three humans are found at the party, and one is dead-possibly undead. Holly and shifter friend Adam get the two humans out and seal off the house before calling the magic police and spoiling the party...but not before they try their hand at finding the murderer themselves.
I love the way the author casts the vampires as shallow and self-centered and vain. Wait! Maybe that is how vamps really are! Great fun.

How to Date a Witch by Cate Lawley
Continuing her series with this entry, Star and her boss (and a human) Ben attend a Halloween party given by two witches, one of whom is Star's mentor. When an unexpected ghost shows up and a witch gets murdered, Star and Ben are forced to step in and solve yet another murder in this witchy setting. Matters are complicated by the fact there are humans there who must not learn about witchcraft at the risk of having their memories wiped. The fact that the witches don't tell the truth or volunteer any information makes this a challenge for Star and Ben to solve.
A fun way to move the series forward and make readers a little more aware of challenges that may be coming up for Ben and Star.

These three and the rest compose a well written Halloween anthology that it is a pleasure to read. Perfect shorter stories make it good for times when you can't sit and read as long as you wish! Easy to pick another story because they are all excellent and written by accomplished authors. And if that isn't enough, it is a bargain to get 15 stories for such a low price.

[Kelly Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining collection of Halloween stories. Unlike other collections I've come across, these were almost all well written and edited. There was only one story that I couldn't bring myself to read, and most get three or four stars.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch or Treat

I have only had the chance to read the first book in the series so far BUT I had to read it first because it is the prequel to a series I just read the first book of – Of Murder and Mages: Casino Witch Mysteries #1 – and - I was eager to see what happened. Well, in The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin a six foot pumpkin is imbued with much magic that will be released on All Hallows Eve…except…it disappears! Vanessa promises to find it and in so doing hopes to receive a kiss from someone she has a crush on. Fun and funny with a dose of magic, family interference and a happy ending.

I look forward to reading each of the rest of the stories in this book before Halloween and may return to update my review as I do so.

Thank you to Nikki Haverstock for the copy of this marvelous anthology – this is my honest review. (4-5 Stars)

It's All Hallows' Eve, and these witches are getting wild!
Just in time for Halloween, some of your favorite authors have teamed up to bring you more than 600 pages of mystery, magic, and mayhem.
Whether it's a trick or a treat, these witchy tales will surely get you in a spooky state of mind!

NIKKI HAVERSTOCK
The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin

DANIELLE GARRETT
Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats

REGINA WELLING AND ERIN LYNN
One Spell of A Night

SONIA PARIN
‘Tis the Season to be Creepy

JOYNELL SCHULTZ
The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife

ANI GONZALEZ
The Mystery of the Halloween Mask

CATE LAWLEY
How to Date a Witch

RUBY BLAYLOCK
Hexing the Ex

AMANDA A. ALLEN
Costumes and Cauldrons

D. S. BUTLER
Harper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie

AVA MALLORY
Witches & Stitches

PEARL GOODFELLOW
GoB (Game of Bones)

KARNY MCFLYNN
Howling Ian

TEGAN MAHER
Bubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble

APRIL AASHEIM
A Dark Root Samhain

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Witch and Treat” earns 5/5 Witchy Pumpkins and Halloween Fun!

What great entertainment for the Halloween season! Like most short stories, these are snippets with your favorite characters from your favorite authors. Although background and character connections are not revisited like in the full-length books, they are not required for fan’s and newbie’s enjoyment because a summary is provided before each short story to set up enough details to get the reader off to a good start. Each story is engaging offering a clever mystery from missing pumpkins to kidnapping to murder, of course, endearing and quirky characters including some furry familiars, and more than a few audible gasps and giggles. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your preferences, a couple stories ended posing questions like in a traditional cliffhanger or were a segue into another of the author’s books. They grabbed my interest and I was off to explore other works from the authors, but I’d have preferred more of a conclusion then to having to find another book. But, I really did enjoy this collection, and highly recommend it. From favorites to new-to-me authors and those in-between whose rave reviews had me intrigued, I explored their social media and other available works, becoming a ‘follower,’ and picking up several book ones or more in my search. I’m eagerly becoming a fan of all of these authors. You will be thrilled with this holiday-themed, magical read. Just what you want for Halloween in between the trips to greet the trick or treaters! But leave the lights on…

"Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. However, all of the above opinions are my own.”

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of HOW TO DATE A WITCH
By Cate Lawley.
This dynamic duo; Star, who is a witch,
and her boyfriend Ben who is a human
and a funeral director, are great together.
In this story they are on their second date
and have been invited to an All Hallows Eve party by another witch.
Whilst looking for a cozy corner for a kiss or two,
.they stumble upon a dead body. Which leads to
them becoming involved in a witchy whodunnit.

This story is ful of fun and is really good read.
The characters are very interesting and the story
flows really well. I especially like Star. She's really fun,
with all the flaws a human would have
but the added complication of being a witch.

The mystery part of this story was good, if a little brief.
I would have loved it to go on for a few more chapters.
Having said that, the story was really great and has only
made me want to read more about Star and Ben in the future.

Cate always makes her stories fun, and there is always an
unexpected development somewhere in the plot to keep us all guessing.
That's what makes her books so good. They cater to our love of mystery,
whilst at the same time, engaging us with her great variety of characters.

All in all a very good short story. I read it and wanted more - the sure sign of a good book.

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch or Treat: A Collection of Paranormal Cozy Shorts - Ooops, I waited to long to read this collection and now it's not available on Amazon. Oh well, this is a good set of short stories, most of which can be read without having read the previous books in their series. There was one that this doesn't apply. One is gosh-awful. I was introduced to several unknown authors, but I got this for the authors I enjoy reading: Regina and Lynn, Joynell, D. S. and Ruby. Now I have more authors that I would like to read again. All the shorts have a summary, which I appreciate knowing about a story before I read it. Some of these are spoilers (part of a series) and some aren't. Most books needed minor editing.

Nikki Haverstock, The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin - My first story by this author. I found it funny, entertaining, but I kept seeing Vin Diesel as the Vin Mage), and interesting with good sexual tension. 4*

Danielle Garrett, Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats - My first story by this author. I found it not to my liking. There were continuous references to previous stories without details explaining them. This story fits between the first two books of the Beechwood Harbor Magic series. 3*

Regina Welling and Erin Lynn, One Spell of A Night - I enjoy what I've read so far by these two ladies. This book follows No Chance in Spell. I found it interesting, fast paced and intriguing, and the characters are likable. 4*

Sonia Parin, 'tis the Season to be Creepy - My first story by this author. I found it funny and interesting. The communication is different. Luna is likable. I'll be reading more by Ms. Parin. 4*

Joynell Schultz, The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife - I enjoy reading anything by Ms. Schultz. Although I don't care for the superhero genre, I found this story to be funny, cute and entertaining, with a perfectly matched pair of characters. 4*

Ani Gonzalez, The Mystery of the Halloween Mask - My first story by this author, I think, although I found the store very familiar? I found it a funny, entertaining, fast paced and quickly read story. 4*

Cate Lawley, How to Date a Witch - My first story by this author. I found it well written and interesting, and it had good characters, I like Ben the best. The story wasn't ruined by not knowing the Vegan Vamp world. 4*

Ruby Blaylock, Hexing the Ex - I enjoy reading stories by Ms. Blaylock. I found this story interesting, fast paced and well written, with good characters. 4*

Amanda A. Allen, Costumes and Cauldrons - My first story by this author. I found it interesting and the characters likable. 4*

D. S. Butler, Harper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie - I enjoyed reading some of the Harper Grant series and this was no exception. This is a short story filled with humor, magic and laughs. This time there isn't a murder, but there's an investigation that gets stopped when a big investigation happens. Harper uses a little magic and wonders if her magic caused the poisoning. Good for a coffee break or a little down time; very relaxing. Still clean. 4*

Ava Mallory, Witches & Stitches - My first story by this author. I found it hilarious, a bit intriguing and lots of fun to read. 4*

Pearl Goodfellow, GoB (Game of Bones) - My first story by this author. I found it rather stupid and in major need of editing. They're locked in a room and know the murder will be back with another can of neurotoxin, so they stand around gabbing, instead of blocking the faceplate. At least the cats are cool, when the writer isn't making them stupid. 2*

Karny McFlynn, Howling Ian - My first story by this author and I don't care for her writing style. The part with envelope was ridiculous and confusing from there on. Skimming to find the end, I discovered an incomplete story, but not a cliffhanger since the story doesn't have any intrigue or suspense. 1*

Tegan Maher, Bubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble - My first story by this author. I found it interesting, funny, entertaining with a touch of intrigue. The characters are likable. 4*

April Aasheim, A Dark Root Samhain - My first story by this author. I found it interesting, simple and a quick read. The characters are likable. 3*

Merged review:

Of Murders & Mages #1 - I was first introduced to Ella with The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin, which I liked it. This is a well written story full of intrigue, suspense, emotions and humor. There's a bit of sexual tension between Ella and Vincent, although they haven't discovered it in this story nor is it as strong as it was the short story with the exploding pumpkin. I had a lot of fun reading this, especially since it is so better edited than books in this genre; no distractions from the story. There's a good overview, which I appreciate knowing about a story before I read it. Needs very minor editing. 4*

Nikki Haverstock, The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin - My first story by this author. I found it funny, entertaining, but I kept seeing Vin Diesel as the Vincent, and interesting with good sexual tension. I read it in the Witch or Treat paranormal collection. 4*

Lights, Camera, Murder #1 - I don't care for TV since it's full of garbage, and reality TV, including the news, is a lower form of garbage, all scripted regardless of its nomenclature. But I did like this book because of the writing style and humor. The storylines were good, but it's still a cozy. The interest between Ryan and Melissa was well done. Of course, the best actor in the bunch, Bubbles the Toot Machine. Since this book was better than I expected, I read the second book of this two book series since it was in my library. Minor editing needed. 4*

Crossover Murder #2 - Same sentiments as above about TV and company, but this book concentrated more on everything but the filmings, two rTV shows together with their own crews. This book picks up with week five productions, Lights ended with week four. While the characters, the storylines and the love interest were still interesting, I found this book a bit wordy. Along with the minor editing, an editor should have tighten the story, making it a little more fast paced since it did bog down in a few places with the extra wordage. Still interesting reading and the characters have filled out more. 4*

[Lisa Denn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Witch Or Treat, a selection of paranormal cozy shorts from one of the participating author's Ava Mallory. My honest review follows:

First, the 15 paranormal stories included in Witch Or Treat are: The Case Of The Exploding Luck Pumpkin (Nikki Haverstock), Cats, Burglars And Talking Hats (Danielle Garret), One Spell Of A Night (Regina Welling and Erin Lynn), 'Tis The Season To Be Creepy (Sonia Parin), The Supernatural Life Of A Superhero Wife (Joynell Schultz), The Mystery Of The Halloween Mask (Ani Gonzalez), How To Date A Witch (Cate Lawley), Hexing The Ex (Ruby Blaylock), Costumes and Cauldrons (Amanda A. Kelly), Harper Grant And The Poisoned Pumpkin Pie (D.S. Butler), Witches And Stitches (Ava Mallory), GOB [Game Of Bones] (Pearl Goodfellow), Howling Ian (Karny McFlynn), Bubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble (Tegan Maher) and A Dark Root Samhain (April Aasheim).

The collection of paranormal short stories included in Witch Or Treat not only put me in "spooky state of mind" as promised but also introduced me to a few "new" authors.

I thoroughly enjoyed Witch Or Treat and highly recommend it be added to your Halloween "To-Do" List.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the amusing short stories and characters in this anthology. Kept me chuckling and enjoying. So far, I had read two good stories and continue reading.
The Mystery of the Halloween Mask by Ani Gonzalez
Dora was cursed. As the Keeper of dangerous artifacts, she had no life or control of herself. A new witch in Banshee Creek with a mystery to solve and exactly during the Halloween Day! Kept me intrigued and when one of the members of PRoVE rearing its nose, more to enjoy. Like this strange town stories with the peculiar characters, amusing and ridiculous situations, and the mystery and secrets behind.
How to Date a Witch by Cate Lawley.
A bunch of witches attending a witch party and a murder to solve. Star, a very witty witch with a sleuth mind and lot of amusing situations and characters, made this short story interesting and entertaining. Liked her and Ben’s character. He was a human that blended well in the witch group. First time I read a story by this author and liked it very much. Think I’m going for more stories in this series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previously to this, I had only read one "Cozy Mystery" having been dedicated to the genre's of Paranormal and Sci-fi Romance, but as it was about witches I decided to give it ago and I was really surprised how good it was and how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. So when this Anthology came available I jumped at buying it and I haven't been disappointed. All the books are great and it is such great value. The stories are well written and draw you in from the very beginning and at the end, even though they are stand-alone books, you are left wanting to read more about the characters. So it is a great introduction to some new authors and their creations. And if you are already acquainted with these authors then you will already know how good their writing is and this Anthology will present you an opportunity to get some short stories about characters you already love and at a great value. So if like me your usual genre is paranormal romance and you enjoy books about witches then give these ago I bet you will also get hooked on reading this genre.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife by Joynell Schultz

This was a very quick read and I hope that we get more from Joy about Naima and Nolan's story. It was over far too quickly and I wanted to know more but hopefully this is just a scene setter for a much longer story. It is set in Joy's superhero world and I have read both of the other works in this series - the story "The Stellar Life Of A Superhero Wife" is available free from Joy's website and the book "The Secret Lives of Superhero Wives" has recently been published. Naima is very different from the other women in this series and I look forward to seeing how she and Nolan settle down to married life.
I loved Joy's book "Blood and Holy Water" and recommend that you try it yourself. It is just a beautiful story and a lovely read.
I received an ARC but decided to voluntarily write a review and the opinions are my own.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just got started reading these shorts and am really enjoying them. I have chosen to review the 3 I have read so far.

The Mystery of the Halloween Mask - Ani Gonzalez - This is by one of my favorite authors. Dora is the keeper of the Magical Curiosity Shoppe in Banshee Creek. Love paranormal stories.

How to Date a Witch - Cate Lawley - Another favorite author of mine. Star and Ben are on their second date and boy is it a doozy. They are at a party and someone ends up dead. Can a witch and a human figure out what really happened?

Witches and Stitches - Ava Mallory - A fairly new author for me. Alaina and her crazy grandmother can get themselves into so much trouble. Jail, disappearing people, trouble with the neighbor, and that's just the beginning.

Loving that these are clean, paranormal stories with a mystery and some romance.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of short stories that are mostly well written. These stories are just long enough to give you a taste of their writing styles and a glimpse into the individual worlds they have created, but not long enough to really get a feel for the story lines.

Although I did enjoy most of the stories, there were a couple that I didn't care for. This is a fun set of short stories, many about 5 chapters, a couple are only 3 chapters, and a few anywhere from 8 to 14 chapters. If you are looking for fun quick reads that will give you a sampling of new possible authors, this is the book you are looking for.

[Tink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witchy fun at its best!

Let me say first, that I'm usually not a fan of anthologies. This one, however, has me rethinking that. It's a mix of cute, sassy cozy witches, witches of a more supernatural nature, and even some based on modern day real life witchcraft. Among other things, there's murder, immortal cats, cursed objects, and teddy bears who speak Yiddish. It has something for anyone who likes cozies, the supernatural, and a laugh or two. Even a teeny bit of romance. It's a great way to introduce yourself to new to you authors, and in the case of Ani Gonzalez, a brand new series. I highly recommend it.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection was a real treat to read!

Some amazing authors in a big bowl full of awesome. Many full length stories, some shorts.

Got me hooked on the sisters and other Ruby Blaylock series - like Dead before the wedding.

Also introduced me to Ani Gonzales, Nikki Haverstock and other paranormal / adventure / cozy / fantasy authors.

A big tome, but oh so much fun - and the chance to pick out long or short stories, all in one volume!

Left me following up on more Ruby Blaylock, and more other authors. Three down from Ruby 2 to read in my recent purchases, and Instafreebie collections.

A great way to get a full sized bite of a lot of awesome authors' work!

[Robyn Gaye-Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hexing The Ex by Ruby Blaylock
The three Witch sisters are pushing a trolley full of Halloween candy through the local supermarket when they run into Ree's Ex Drew who not only left her but took her dog as well! Ree shouted some bad things at him, collecting a large audience whom she also yelled at, though I don't blame her.
Unfortunately later that day Drew's ghost appears and says he is stuck to Ree unless she can solve his murder in a week. Then he'll be stuck for good, and that terrifies Ree. A great read and you must see what happens with the panicked sisters.
Plus there are other great Witchy tales in the book!

[Diana Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection

Yeah, it's a collection of stories by different authors, but...I couldn't believe how many of these were shorts from series I've read and loved. Five of the fifteen stories are from favorite authors/series; it's like getting free shorts! As for the rest, some I liked better than others of course, but I've found some new authors and series to explore in addition to the five that it thrilled me to find. Trust me; this collection is a gem. Grab it quick, and I'm sure you'll find, like I did, some old favorites and some new possibilities!

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch or Treat

This book is a collection of witch centered Halloween stories. The ones that I liked the least are the ones that left me hanging with no resolution but an invitation to buy the author's next book to find out what happened. Guess what, naughty author, I'm not falling for such cheap tricks. Another problem that I had with the collection is that not all the stories were well edited (words left out, duplicated, misspelled). The ones that I liked best had an actual mystery involved and or explained the significance of Samhain.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

[This book was a gift so it will not show as a "verified purchase". I am voluntarily reviewing it]

This book is as diverse as a bag of Halloween candy- the good kind. 15 short stories to celebrate Fall, Samhain and Halloween. From cursed masks to poison pies, vegan vampires to unsettled ghosts, this is an utterly charming anthology that you'll return to when you need a smile.

Very enjoyable and recommended

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little collection of tales to get you in the Halloween mood! My review is for Cats, Bats and Talking Hats by Danielle Garrett. I follow her Beechwood Harbor series and this short novella was a great tide-over until the release of her next full-length novel. I have to admit the author had me at "bedazzled fire hydrant" - love her sense of humor! I am currently reading some of the other stories in the collection as well.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great boxed set with some wonderful authors and some are new to me. I love boxes sets because they introduce me to new authors. Each book in this set have a wonderful story and well developed characters. The stories flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This boxed set will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises.

[Joy Ki`Ili · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was super fun to read, each story was unique in its own way. I especially liked The Mystery of the Halloween Mask, I'm a great fan of Banshee Creek, so this was my next fix. I enjoyed How to Date a Witch too, after all we might need those hints. Really, each one of these stories will leave at least grinning when your done.

I received an ARC of this from Ani Gonzalez and have voluntarily chosen to review it here.

[Kay Tuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch or Treat

Absolutely fantastic!!! So many stories from different author's. I totally enjoyed each and everyone. You don't know what the next one is going to be about. A lot of the authors I had never heard of before, but will definitely be checking out their other books. I liked that there was such a variety of stories. If you get the chance to read this book you won't be disappointed. Again a great book!!!!

[Jennifer K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet treat 🍭🍬!

This was a very entertaining book. A collection of short stories written by a variety of authors. Most of the stories have a humorous element and a short mystery. It was a great way to introduce a new series with some stories not quite concluding so you can pick up where you left of it you continue the series. So if you’re looking for great short reads give this book a try.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Selections

An interesting selections of stories. I enjoyed all except one,"Howling Ian". I did not like the ending where you are left hanging up in the air. I have a tendency of continuing to read a good story into the next book. There was no book to continue to but just an empty link.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of stories centered around Halloween is a delightful way to be introduced to some new authors. As with any anthology this collection has some excellent and some mediocare offerings but for the most part the stories were above average.

I received an advance reader copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.