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Lilith Blackward #1
What the Hex
It's not every day you see your own funeral 20 years into the future. Lucky me. Hey, I'm Lilith Blackward and when I was young and stupid I commandeered a spell that ripped a hole in time and took me to the worst day of my life. Actually, my life was over but, well, you get the drift. Now I'm saddled with my older self's ghost who is very irritating. Yes, I realize I'm talking about myself. Why is life so complicated?
So now I must figure out how I was murdered. How do I know I was killed...because Older Lilith's Ghost can't remember how she died and the only way that happens is if I was murdered. At least that's what they tell me. But in the meantime I'm a witch private investigator hired by a Coven detective to find another missing Coven detective. She was sent undercover and hasn't checked in for months. She was to infiltrate a cult called the Cold Dawn. Funny, that name sounds somehow familiar.
Speaking of familiar...my familiar is a little different. His name is Sir Kain and he was a knight in his former life. Now he is a living statue. Why couldn't I have gotten a little furball familiar? Oh well, Sir Kain has grown on me and I wouldn't trade him for the world now, especially since he's saved my life one or 20 times.
So hold onto your hats kids...this will be a bumpy ride!
***This is the First Book in the Lilith Blackward Cozy Witch Series***
So now I must figure out how I was murdered. How do I know I was killed...because Older Lilith's Ghost can't remember how she died and the only way that happens is if I was murdered. At least that's what they tell me. But in the meantime I'm a witch private investigator hired by a Coven detective to find another missing Coven detective. She was sent undercover and hasn't checked in for months. She was to infiltrate a cult called the Cold Dawn. Funny, that name sounds somehow familiar.
Speaking of familiar...my familiar is a little different. His name is Sir Kain and he was a knight in his former life. Now he is a living statue. Why couldn't I have gotten a little furball familiar? Oh well, Sir Kain has grown on me and I wouldn't trade him for the world now, especially since he's saved my life one or 20 times.
So hold onto your hats kids...this will be a bumpy ride!
***This is the First Book in the Lilith Blackward Cozy Witch Series***
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2019
272 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Constance Barker
461 books204 followersConstance Barker lives in the Midwest with her husband and two Akitas where she can look out from her screened porch onto a wooded area brimming with activity. Since she was a young girl she read mysteries, often given to her by her grandmother. She loved figuring out who the culprit was and sometimes she was right and other times startled at who the author picked as the assailant. Now she enjoys writing mysteries herself. When she isn't writing stories, she can be found in her favorite vacation spot, Las Vegas or shopping for bargains.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 20, 2019
It’s a cliffhanger 🙄
I absolutely despise cliffhangers. It’s really lazy writing. If your book is good, people are going to want to read your next book without the cliffhanger ending.
I absolutely despise cliffhangers. It’s really lazy writing. If your book is good, people are going to want to read your next book without the cliffhanger ending.
January 25, 2020
Great supernatural cozy mystery Siri‘s
A great supernatural cozy mystery series with the great cast of characters in the dark and twisted storyline. So far action packed and very entertaining. Check it out
A great supernatural cozy mystery series with the great cast of characters in the dark and twisted storyline. So far action packed and very entertaining. Check it out
November 12, 2019
5 star plot, 2 star execution
I like the premise: a spell by an inexperienced witch gone awry. Trying to determine hidden motivations and who to trust makes for an engrossing read. It's a shame that the suppposedly intelligent main character is so illogical, and that poor sentence structure regularly creates enough confusion to distract the reader. I'm familiar with this auhor, so I'll try Book 2 in the series.
I like the premise: a spell by an inexperienced witch gone awry. Trying to determine hidden motivations and who to trust makes for an engrossing read. It's a shame that the suppposedly intelligent main character is so illogical, and that poor sentence structure regularly creates enough confusion to distract the reader. I'm familiar with this auhor, so I'll try Book 2 in the series.
July 13, 2019
Obviously a very powerful young witch, Lilith fails her "exam" that would allow her to become a member of the coven, when in spite of performing a spell not attempted by most witches, it does not satisfy the judge. Even with this rocky beginning at 16, Lilith became a PWI (Private Witch Investigator), although not sanctioned by the coven. When she is blackmailed into finding missing coven police detective by a coven long-standing detective, she knew it would be a bad job. However, she takes on the job anyway. What follows is a twisted tale of cruelty that surrounds her family and the entire coven.
This complex story has some great characters! Sir Kain, Lilith's unconventional familiar who is a man made of granite, is my favorite. Lilith's future ghost, referred to as OLG (Older Lilith's Ghost) is another unusual character. I have a feeling that a kracken named Gwen will be another one in future books. One of the most frustrating-yet compelling-parts of the narrative is the actual wording of the magic spells.
This is not your basic witch cozy people! Unlike anything I have read before, it captivated me. I hate to admit it, but once again author Constance Barker has me hooked! A 180 degree turn from when I first met Lilith!
This complex story has some great characters! Sir Kain, Lilith's unconventional familiar who is a man made of granite, is my favorite. Lilith's future ghost, referred to as OLG (Older Lilith's Ghost) is another unusual character. I have a feeling that a kracken named Gwen will be another one in future books. One of the most frustrating-yet compelling-parts of the narrative is the actual wording of the magic spells.
This is not your basic witch cozy people! Unlike anything I have read before, it captivated me. I hate to admit it, but once again author Constance Barker has me hooked! A 180 degree turn from when I first met Lilith!
July 12, 2019
Cults, conspiracies and betrayals
Okay a great read but just a tad confusing. A cult, a missing detective, an unauthorised witch and betrayal at the highest level - family! Her acceptance into the coven had been rejected even though she had successfully cast the time spell. Okay it had taken her into the future but not the seconds she expected. It actually took her to her own funeral 20 years in the future. Here her mother had joined her ghost with her. Now working as a PI she's been asked by a detective to find a missing colleague. In secret. Voids, murdered brothers, stolen memories, affairs and news that not only is her mother having an affair (she had wiped the memories of her familiar) but that her family is actually behind the cult. A cult that means to kill all human life. Can she find the detective? Will she make sense of it all? Will she have to use the time spell again and if so will she receive another ghost?
Okay a great read but just a tad confusing. A cult, a missing detective, an unauthorised witch and betrayal at the highest level - family! Her acceptance into the coven had been rejected even though she had successfully cast the time spell. Okay it had taken her into the future but not the seconds she expected. It actually took her to her own funeral 20 years in the future. Here her mother had joined her ghost with her. Now working as a PI she's been asked by a detective to find a missing colleague. In secret. Voids, murdered brothers, stolen memories, affairs and news that not only is her mother having an affair (she had wiped the memories of her familiar) but that her family is actually behind the cult. A cult that means to kill all human life. Can she find the detective? Will she make sense of it all? Will she have to use the time spell again and if so will she receive another ghost?
August 6, 2019
I enjoy Constance Barker's books as light relief from other 'heavier' books which I read. However she does have a tendency in the first books in her series to leap right into complicated plots and situations with very little introduction, which can make them rather confusing. This book is no exception, there are a lot of characters and a rather confusing plot. However it is worth persevering as things become clearer towards the end of the book.
I also had a problem with the way that spells are presented, they are written backwards, which I found very distracting and spoiled the rhythm of the writing, a minor complaint, but quite frustrating when a lot of spells are used.
Despite these criticisms, I still think that this series has a lot of promise and I am looking forward to the next in series.
I received an advance copy of this book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.
I also had a problem with the way that spells are presented, they are written backwards, which I found very distracting and spoiled the rhythm of the writing, a minor complaint, but quite frustrating when a lot of spells are used.
Despite these criticisms, I still think that this series has a lot of promise and I am looking forward to the next in series.
I received an advance copy of this book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.
October 19, 2019
What the Hex is the first book in a new series about a young witch named Lilith Blackward. Lilith is extraordinarily bright and accomplished for her age, yet when she performs a complicated spell for her sixteenth birthday things go wrong and she see's her possible death.
Fast forward a few years and Lilith is making her own life when she is asked to investigate a cult, but something is fishy about it from the get go. Around every turn something new is revealed and life as Lilith has known it is turned up side down.
This is a wonderful start to a new novel, there is none of the typical boy-meets-girl romance, it's all about Lilith and her desire to make something of herself in this world. I am really excited to read the next book and see what happens!
Fast forward a few years and Lilith is making her own life when she is asked to investigate a cult, but something is fishy about it from the get go. Around every turn something new is revealed and life as Lilith has known it is turned up side down.
This is a wonderful start to a new novel, there is none of the typical boy-meets-girl romance, it's all about Lilith and her desire to make something of herself in this world. I am really excited to read the next book and see what happens!
July 18, 2019
Think you know witches and how their society works. Guess again. Drawn into a PI case, find a possible conspiracy? interesting magic, carrying around your older self as a ghost. Also add in family dynamics.
This might be one of my next favorite series by this author.
Definitely will want to read more. Need to figure out what is going on.
Can see some prequels in the future. Never said how she failed her exam except for maybe the spell she did? How does the magic work?
Just read it for yourself, trust me you will be just as intrigued as I am.
This is my honest and freely given review . I did receive an ARC book.
This might be one of my next favorite series by this author.
Definitely will want to read more. Need to figure out what is going on.
Can see some prequels in the future. Never said how she failed her exam except for maybe the spell she did? How does the magic work?
Just read it for yourself, trust me you will be just as intrigued as I am.
This is my honest and freely given review . I did receive an ARC book.
August 1, 2019
Fasten your seatbelt for a fascinating new series that will keep you on your toes. Lots of characters to get to know and a plot that starts out complicated but once you get into it, easy to figure out and follow. A paranormal that is sure to entertain and way different from anything you've read before. No spoilers in this review, just get the book! If this is your first dabble into paranormal, this will hook you and reel you in! Plus, you get a cult, family betrayal, a missing detective and a glimpse 20 years into the future! Get this! I received an ARC and am supplying my own, honest, unsolicited review.
September 19, 2019
Talented writer needs an editor.
I got about 30 pages in when I had to stop because the punctuation errors just got to me. For as far in as I got, the author was at least consistent in using "it's" when it should be "its." The apostrophe signifies that there is a contraction, it is, just as "there's is short for "there is." There were also a spelling error and once I saw that, I knew the lack of editing would drive me nuts. Hopefully the author fixes it and I can enjoy it in a few months. It seems like the author has created some fresh and new ideas.
I got about 30 pages in when I had to stop because the punctuation errors just got to me. For as far in as I got, the author was at least consistent in using "it's" when it should be "its." The apostrophe signifies that there is a contraction, it is, just as "there's is short for "there is." There were also a spelling error and once I saw that, I knew the lack of editing would drive me nuts. Hopefully the author fixes it and I can enjoy it in a few months. It seems like the author has created some fresh and new ideas.
August 23, 2019
Family Secrets
Every family has secrets, but the worst ones are the ones you hide from your own family. That what Lilith’s family is like.
The book was good. I didn’t like the spells being recited backwards; spelled backwards and recited totally backwards. It made things hard to read and understand until I realized exactly what was going on. Personally, I found it completely unnecessary, but there is no going back to fix it. The spell for that is highly dangerous to use!
Every family has secrets, but the worst ones are the ones you hide from your own family. That what Lilith’s family is like.
The book was good. I didn’t like the spells being recited backwards; spelled backwards and recited totally backwards. It made things hard to read and understand until I realized exactly what was going on. Personally, I found it completely unnecessary, but there is no going back to fix it. The spell for that is highly dangerous to use!
September 6, 2019
Unique!
It’s hard to find a truly original story line in the “cozy” mystery books, and quite a few that I have tried to read are very poorly written. Not this one! It’s a very engaging story and keeps the reader wanting to know more! My one complaint is the author has totally over used the phrase “living stone”. We get it! Sir Kain is “living stone”, you don’t have to belabor the Point!
It’s hard to find a truly original story line in the “cozy” mystery books, and quite a few that I have tried to read are very poorly written. Not this one! It’s a very engaging story and keeps the reader wanting to know more! My one complaint is the author has totally over used the phrase “living stone”. We get it! Sir Kain is “living stone”, you don’t have to belabor the Point!
September 25, 2019
A bit confusing
Have to keep going back to reread. Love the author and all her other series, but only on the 5th chapter in this book, I am
having to force my self to read, but I will read ...I’ve never not finish a book. Maybe not so confusing later in book...hopefully will be able to do the other two books in series.
Have to keep going back to reread. Love the author and all her other series, but only on the 5th chapter in this book, I am
having to force my self to read, but I will read ...I’ve never not finish a book. Maybe not so confusing later in book...hopefully will be able to do the other two books in series.
October 9, 2019
In the beginning...
Not bad for a thin slice of cake as lilith Blackwood finds herself in the midst of a mystery involving her parents and a potential event.it ends in the middle of something,which in not surprised of considering the cost of the book.If you enjoy,be prepared...
Not bad for a thin slice of cake as lilith Blackwood finds herself in the midst of a mystery involving her parents and a potential event.it ends in the middle of something,which in not surprised of considering the cost of the book.If you enjoy,be prepared...
July 19, 2019
An exciting beginning to what promises to be an interesting new paranormal cozy mystery series! Lilith has her hands full right off the bat! I really had fun reading this!
July 26, 2019
Enjoyed
I have enjoyed your latest book and looking forward for your next one to be published I also have read your other series.
I have enjoyed your latest book and looking forward for your next one to be published I also have read your other series.
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October 1, 2019Awesome
Well written, fast paced, magical beings, New worlds. Interesting idea, new and innovative, love when something is new. Read and enjoy!
Well written, fast paced, magical beings, New worlds. Interesting idea, new and innovative, love when something is new. Read and enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews