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Yard Birds #1
Crazy as a Loon
Ellie Gleason has protected the town of Samford, Alabama for decades. It’s not as glamourous as her glory days as the WitchLight Hub, but it keeps her active during her golden years.
Life is good.
Well, it’s okay.
Fine.
It could be bloodier with a smidge more gore, but retirement is meant to be low-key. It’s not like her fragile bones could handle the strenuous hunt for monsters anymore, even if her current duties are dull as dishwater.
But when her great-nephew shows up on her doorstep in tears—or is he her great-great nephew?—begging for help, Ellie straps on her beloved shotgun Bam-Bam and gets the coven back together.
Sure, Betty just had a hip replacement, and Flo would rather flirt than fight, and Ida is busy with her anniversary plans, and Joan is…Joan. But Ellie is certain she can whip the girls into shape in time to defeat the creature preying on kids at a nearby summer camp. She might even have them home in time for dinner.
Life is good.
Well, it’s okay.
Fine.
It could be bloodier with a smidge more gore, but retirement is meant to be low-key. It’s not like her fragile bones could handle the strenuous hunt for monsters anymore, even if her current duties are dull as dishwater.
But when her great-nephew shows up on her doorstep in tears—or is he her great-great nephew?—begging for help, Ellie straps on her beloved shotgun Bam-Bam and gets the coven back together.
Sure, Betty just had a hip replacement, and Flo would rather flirt than fight, and Ida is busy with her anniversary plans, and Joan is…Joan. But Ellie is certain she can whip the girls into shape in time to defeat the creature preying on kids at a nearby summer camp. She might even have them home in time for dinner.
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2023
871 people are currently reading
618 people want to read
About the author
Hailey Edwards
104 books2,851 followersHailey Edwards writes about questionable applications of otherwise perfectly good magic, the transformative power of love, the family you choose for yourself, and blowing stuff up. Not necessarily all at once. That could get messy.
Hailey isn't on Goodreads.
Please email her via her website:
https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/
Hailey isn't on Goodreads.
Please email her via her website:
https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
June 23, 2023
Crazy as a Loon
By Hailey Edwards
This is a fun story about a coven of elderly witches and their antics. They call themselves Yardbirds. One has a deceased husband that lives in a plastic fish that hangs on the wall due to a curse. Another one adopted shifter children. One is a very prissy gal and likes to be flirtatious. One is getting forgetful.
It's a great story and I loved the characters! Can't wait for the next book!
By Hailey Edwards
This is a fun story about a coven of elderly witches and their antics. They call themselves Yardbirds. One has a deceased husband that lives in a plastic fish that hangs on the wall due to a curse. Another one adopted shifter children. One is a very prissy gal and likes to be flirtatious. One is getting forgetful.
It's a great story and I loved the characters! Can't wait for the next book!
January 6, 2025
At first when I finished it I tought it was a 3 stars as I expected going into it to be more romance then it was. But after thinking of it, it deserves 4 stars as it was a fun, some serious topic, hilarious quotes and overall a good time. Sometimes when I find a book in a section that ist necessarily right it can take away from my enjoyment. There is very light hints of romance but I think it's my cozy mystery.
July 17, 2023
so fun and funny!
Right away, this brings the humor. you have retired monster hunters in their golden years taking on menial tasks when a mystery involving one of the ladies' grandson's comes into play. The comedy is strongest in the beginning then hits hard with the supernatural mystery with a big monster finish. This might be my new favorite friend group and I can't wait to see what adventures these ladies get into next. If you want Supernatural, but instead of Sam and Dean, you get the Golden Girls, read this.
Right away, this brings the humor. you have retired monster hunters in their golden years taking on menial tasks when a mystery involving one of the ladies' grandson's comes into play. The comedy is strongest in the beginning then hits hard with the supernatural mystery with a big monster finish. This might be my new favorite friend group and I can't wait to see what adventures these ladies get into next. If you want Supernatural, but instead of Sam and Dean, you get the Golden Girls, read this.
January 29, 2024
This was such a fun start to the Yard Birds series featuring retired witch, Ellie Gleason. Ellie lives in and protects the town of Samford, Alabama. It’s not as exciting as her position in the WitchLight Hub. She’d be the first to admit she is bored. All that changes when her great nephew arrives on her doorstep. The tale that unfolds mixes magic, mystery, humor and suspense.
I loved Ellie and her posse. From cursed husbands to forgetfulness, these gals were fun and all business with the mission. I laughed and devoured this in a single evening. While just four hours long, the story did a great job of introducing us to the characters and delivered an interesting mystery affecting the children at a local camp.
With an urban fantasy vibe, lots of snark and elderly characters, this tale will delight fans of humorous fantasy, cozy mysteries, and paranormal women’s fiction.
For fans of Hailey Edwards, you’ll be familiar with Samford, Alabama. These stories took place before Rue, the protagonists in the Black Hat Bureau series, moved there!
Stephanie Richardson narrates and does a lovely job of capturing the characters and tone of the story. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
I loved Ellie and her posse. From cursed husbands to forgetfulness, these gals were fun and all business with the mission. I laughed and devoured this in a single evening. While just four hours long, the story did a great job of introducing us to the characters and delivered an interesting mystery affecting the children at a local camp.
With an urban fantasy vibe, lots of snark and elderly characters, this tale will delight fans of humorous fantasy, cozy mysteries, and paranormal women’s fiction.
For fans of Hailey Edwards, you’ll be familiar with Samford, Alabama. These stories took place before Rue, the protagonists in the Black Hat Bureau series, moved there!
Stephanie Richardson narrates and does a lovely job of capturing the characters and tone of the story. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 12, 2023
It feels like this one is set in the same magical world as a couple of the author's other series. While there weren't shared characters, the talk about things made it seem the same.
I loved the idea of these senior witches still causing havoc and doing what needed to be done to keep those they loved safe! It was fun to see how the younger set knew how they could manipulate the women for help and not breaking promises they made to each other. The women were a hoot, didn't stop at all to do the hard things and showed the youngsters how things were done.
I look forward to reading more in this series!
I loved the idea of these senior witches still causing havoc and doing what needed to be done to keep those they loved safe! It was fun to see how the younger set knew how they could manipulate the women for help and not breaking promises they made to each other. The women were a hoot, didn't stop at all to do the hard things and showed the youngsters how things were done.
I look forward to reading more in this series!
May 9, 2023
HA! Samford is just a hotbed for supernatural goings on. We're talking even before Rue set up shop (literally) in it. In the pre-Rue days, we have an elderly coven who use their wits and stored magic (and the occasional strong shifter) to keep people safe.
So. Ellie. She's got a lot going on. All the coven members do, but Ellie has a complicated romance...thing to deal with. So when one of Betty's adopted kids shows up looking for help with his nephew, Ellie is ready and willing to jump into action. Well, jump might not be quite right. And really, the coven needs to host a quick margarita party to top off their magic, but once that's done, she's ready.
Some covert sneaking, a strong group of women (who all happen to be getting up there in years), some nasty magic, and a bunch of kids who need protecting in the worst way. This coven might be getting older, but they know how to get the job done. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
So. Ellie. She's got a lot going on. All the coven members do, but Ellie has a complicated romance...thing to deal with. So when one of Betty's adopted kids shows up looking for help with his nephew, Ellie is ready and willing to jump into action. Well, jump might not be quite right. And really, the coven needs to host a quick margarita party to top off their magic, but once that's done, she's ready.
Some covert sneaking, a strong group of women (who all happen to be getting up there in years), some nasty magic, and a bunch of kids who need protecting in the worst way. This coven might be getting older, but they know how to get the job done. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 29, 2024
Ellie and her retired friends are a coven of witches that once worked for WitchLight Hub, and now spend their golden years protecting the residents of Sanford from the mythical and paranormal. When her grandnephew runs into a scare at a camp for shifters, Ellie rallies the troops to save the innocent children.
Crazy as a Loon, the first title in the Yard Birds series, is set in the Black Hat Bureau world a few months or years before Rue moves into the home next to Ellie. We find out that Rue isn’t the only magic-user in town and that Sanford has a bit darker history than Rue knows.
The storyline is interesting, and I like the idea of bad-ass geriatric witches. Having read the Black Hat Bureau books, I am interested in finding out how the worlds tie together. I liked learning about Ellie and her husband Wally’s history and would love to understand more about his curse (her husband’s soul resides in a mounted toy bass).
While the witches and family work to figure out what’s happening at the camp, we also get glimpses of their everyday lives, to include being local matchmakers and busy-bodies. I am not a big fan of the forced romance between Ellie and the pastor, and I’m positive we are going to find out he’s not what he appears to be. I don’t like how hard her friends are pushing it, but I do understand the reasoning behind it.
Having been close friends for years, the group finds ways to pick on one another out of love. However, I didn’t enjoy all of the bickering, both the playful banter between the coven and the more directed barbs between Betty’s family. It was uncomfortable being around so much squabbling. I also had a tough time following the different coven members’ backgrounds. And finally, I’m not really a fan of how the coven use locals as fuel for their magic.
Narration: The story is shared via first person POV of Ellie. Ms. Richardson uses a strong, confident feminine voice, that is altered for age by deepening it. Richardson uses a consistent narrator voice for Ellie while altering the dialogue, giving each character a somewhat unique voice, suited to the age, gender, species, etc. Unfortunately, I found myself confused as to who was speaking at times when coven was together and talking all at once. Additionally, at times I was also reminded of characters from the sister series, which added to my confusion.
In the end, Crazy as a Loon was okay, but not sure I’ll keep up with the series.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B/B-
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher
Crazy as a Loon, the first title in the Yard Birds series, is set in the Black Hat Bureau world a few months or years before Rue moves into the home next to Ellie. We find out that Rue isn’t the only magic-user in town and that Sanford has a bit darker history than Rue knows.
The storyline is interesting, and I like the idea of bad-ass geriatric witches. Having read the Black Hat Bureau books, I am interested in finding out how the worlds tie together. I liked learning about Ellie and her husband Wally’s history and would love to understand more about his curse (her husband’s soul resides in a mounted toy bass).
While the witches and family work to figure out what’s happening at the camp, we also get glimpses of their everyday lives, to include being local matchmakers and busy-bodies. I am not a big fan of the forced romance between Ellie and the pastor, and I’m positive we are going to find out he’s not what he appears to be. I don’t like how hard her friends are pushing it, but I do understand the reasoning behind it.
Having been close friends for years, the group finds ways to pick on one another out of love. However, I didn’t enjoy all of the bickering, both the playful banter between the coven and the more directed barbs between Betty’s family. It was uncomfortable being around so much squabbling. I also had a tough time following the different coven members’ backgrounds. And finally, I’m not really a fan of how the coven use locals as fuel for their magic.
Narration: The story is shared via first person POV of Ellie. Ms. Richardson uses a strong, confident feminine voice, that is altered for age by deepening it. Richardson uses a consistent narrator voice for Ellie while altering the dialogue, giving each character a somewhat unique voice, suited to the age, gender, species, etc. Unfortunately, I found myself confused as to who was speaking at times when coven was together and talking all at once. Additionally, at times I was also reminded of characters from the sister series, which added to my confusion.
In the end, Crazy as a Loon was okay, but not sure I’ll keep up with the series.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B/B-
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher
May 5, 2023
Yard Birds
These ladies are awesome!! I love Ellie!! If you’re worried that the older crowd is boring don’t be! These ladies are hilarious. I can’t wait for the next one that comes out.
These ladies are awesome!! I love Ellie!! If you’re worried that the older crowd is boring don’t be! These ladies are hilarious. I can’t wait for the next one that comes out.
May 9, 2023
disappointed
This does not read like it was written byHailey Edwards. I loved her undead series and the potentate of Atlanta. This book could have been good but felt like it was rushed.
This does not read like it was written byHailey Edwards. I loved her undead series and the potentate of Atlanta. This book could have been good but felt like it was rushed.
May 17, 2023
Welcome to Samford!
So this is set before Rue arrives in this backwater, and I can't wait for Rue to figure out who her neighbor actually is in the future. I mean, it has to happen right? Anyway, this is a story of our favorite neighbor and her friends who miss the good old days and rescue a camp full of kids. What could go wrong, right? Oops.
So this is set before Rue arrives in this backwater, and I can't wait for Rue to figure out who her neighbor actually is in the future. I mean, it has to happen right? Anyway, this is a story of our favorite neighbor and her friends who miss the good old days and rescue a camp full of kids. What could go wrong, right? Oops.
May 18, 2023
I loved this!!!
If you have ever wondered about Samford, pre Rue, this is a delightful and delicious little story that 100% delivered. Ellie and the girls were awesome and I really hope we'll see more of the Yard Birds. If you've read Rue's books and remember her interactions with Ellie, it's a wink-wink, nudge-nudge to the reader too!
If you have ever wondered about Samford, pre Rue, this is a delightful and delicious little story that 100% delivered. Ellie and the girls were awesome and I really hope we'll see more of the Yard Birds. If you've read Rue's books and remember her interactions with Ellie, it's a wink-wink, nudge-nudge to the reader too!
August 30, 2023
How refreshing to read about a bunch of geriatric heroines kicking ass! Betty with her walker at the end was hilarious.
So intrigued about the history of Ellie and Wally, and all the ladies really. I would devour a series written about their exploits in their prime.
Disappointed to see that there are no more titles listed as of yet. Anxiously awaiting another installment of the Yard Birds.
So intrigued about the history of Ellie and Wally, and all the ladies really. I would devour a series written about their exploits in their prime.
Disappointed to see that there are no more titles listed as of yet. Anxiously awaiting another installment of the Yard Birds.
October 28, 2024
"Crazy as a Loon" by Hailey Edwards is book one in "The Yard Birds" series. It was a great read with an amazing storyline, and the characters were hilarious. I enjoyed Ellie and Joan's characters the most. Retired from being a WitchLight Hub, she is living a regular life, well as regular as it can be. Her great-nephew, Zeke, shows up from being attacked by something while attending summer camp. Her and the crew do their thing and go to the camp to figure out what is going on. My favorite part is how serious Joan is and how she is always spewing facts. The part where she was collecting mouse droppings had me laughing so hard. I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series.
March 29, 2024
This was a good start to the series. It was fun to uncover how a coven of geriatric witches were going to battle the evil coming their way. Between a dead husband still lingering a round, shifters, magic and more, not bad
May 5, 2023
Wow
I love the characters in this book! I hope as I get older, I can be crazy as a loon!
Hailey is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are so personable that you can easily imagine them in real life. Hailey is very personable as well, and her followers...we rock!
I love the characters in this book! I hope as I get older, I can be crazy as a loon!
Hailey is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are so personable that you can easily imagine them in real life. Hailey is very personable as well, and her followers...we rock!
May 28, 2023
Romance:
May 13, 2023
Ellie and the Yard Birds are a hoot!
It was great to have backstory on Ellie and the Yard Birds. I can’t wait to read more and hopefully finally see from Ellie’s point of view on meeting Rue and her crew. Now, excuse me while I go get a housecoat and some slippers to wear around town.
It was great to have backstory on Ellie and the Yard Birds. I can’t wait to read more and hopefully finally see from Ellie’s point of view on meeting Rue and her crew. Now, excuse me while I go get a housecoat and some slippers to wear around town.
January 4, 2026
The world is interesting but the characters fell flat. Which is sad, because you have old grandma’s protecting the town with their magic and they could be so much more!!
February 8, 2025
Ellie is a bit restless now that she has retired. The white witch is used to a bit more excitement than she is currently getting. When her best friend’s son comes to her to help his nephew she jumps at the chance. Something strange is going on at a camp for young shifter children. Ellie and her coven come together to figure it out. The story is fun with a few sad moments. Crazy as a Loon is a great start to a series and I look forward to reading the rest. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, quick urban fantasy read.
I listened to the audiobook. Narrator Stephanie Richardson does a good job bringing the action to life. I recommend this version of the book.
I listened to the audiobook. Narrator Stephanie Richardson does a good job bringing the action to life. I recommend this version of the book.
Read
May 14, 2023Yea for the Yard Birds!
Ellie has been fascinating to me since the start of the Gray series. She is the person I would like to emulate as I continue to age (horror!). There are so many truly fantastic opportunities for future adventures and maybe a chance for an operation with the Gray Team? My only complaint is I wish the story had been longer. It was, however, an entertaining introduction and I will be looking forward to the next Yard Bird adventure!
Ellie has been fascinating to me since the start of the Gray series. She is the person I would like to emulate as I continue to age (horror!). There are so many truly fantastic opportunities for future adventures and maybe a chance for an operation with the Gray Team? My only complaint is I wish the story had been longer. It was, however, an entertaining introduction and I will be looking forward to the next Yard Bird adventure!
November 15, 2024
Ellie Gleason isn’t, really, and neither are the rest of her friends. Well, maybe Joan is just a bit. Crazy as a loon, I mean. None of them are crazy, loony or otherwise, no matter how much Ellie might fake it by running around the tiny town of Samford, Alabama in her housecoat with ‘Bam-Bam’ strapped to her back.
Bam-Bam is her shotgun. And nope, still not crazy.
Because when you’re still patrolling as a working member of Witchlight – even if you are in your second century – it’s better to be armed as well as dangerous. Which Ellie and the rest of her coven certainly are. Even if it takes them a little longer to get to the scene of the crime.
Or, for that matter, to the point of any discussion, because they’ve been together so damn long that there are plenty of times when the pointed barbs and the old grudges take over the planning of any and every op.
It’s mostly small town stuff – because they’re not the top tier of Witchlight operators no matter how much they all still wish they were kicking ass and taking names and riding monsters to the rescue. So when this case literally crawls into their laps, they’re all a bit giddy with the adrenaline of the chase.
Even if the person at the heart of the mess is a child under their protection. Particularly because another member of their family is doing their damndest to keep it from them.
They may not be what they used to be – but when one of their cubs is threatened it brings out the mama bear in every single one of them. Even if not one of them shifts into an actual bear. That’s okay. After all, one of their sons is bear-shifter enough to handle THAT part of the job.
Escape Rating A-: I picked up this book and audiobook, in fact this whole, entire series, on a recommendation from Caffeinated Reviewer. I caught her review of the third book in the series, Free as a Bird, and had to ask myself where had this been all my life and how had I missed it?
Based on this first book, this series is an absolute hoot from beginning to end. It was also the perfect book for this week as it is a hilarious pick-me-up with a heart wrapped around found family and lifelong sisterhood.
The combination of elements got me from the opening paragraphs. Because this takes off from the same premise as one of my favorite urban fantasies, A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark, but goes about it differently.
That book, and I still mourn that it was only ever the one, took off from a question about what happens to all those young, limber, kickass urban fantasy protagonists if they survive to middle age and even older. Marley Jacob got herself a kickass sidekick and went about her own personal kickassery through negotiation and mediation once the years caught up with her.
Ellie and her coven have just kept on kicking – even as they also kick against the inevitable slowing down of age. They use magic to slow down slowing down – and then they do too much and pay the price later. But they all refuse to quit even as they are forced to change gears.
They’re a LOT like the sisterhood of retired spies turned assassins in Killers of a Certain Age – complete with the sharply pointed banter and the lifelong grudges. So if you liked that and want to give urban fantasy a try, you’ll love Ellie and her Yard Birds.
The case here, and there certainly is one, does a great job of introducing Ellie and her sisters and setting up their family situation – which is just a bit complicated – while giving them a case that is close to their hearts even as it shines a light on just what sorts of things can go wrong in a world where the paranormal exists but still has to keep itself under wraps.
And then the case managed to tie itself back into the reason they all got involved in the first place, as both the evil they fight and the reason they’re fighting it come from the same place – a mother’s love.
The story is told from inside Ellie’s snarky head – and I loved every minute of it. The narrator, Stephanie Richardson, captured the essence of Ellie perfectly, so I’m very happy that she is the narrator for the whole series so far.
I only have two quibbles about this whole experience. One is that I wish there were more. Which there is, of course, as the second and third books, Dead as a Dodo and Free as a Bird, are already out and I already have them.
But the second is that I hope those later books resolve a niggle left over from this one. They did solve the case. They absolutely did. But there was a dangling potential co-conspirator left in their midst. I may be wrong about their co-conspirator status, but there was something rotten left in the heart of the family that got a rug pulled over it. I hope that rug gets pulled back in the books ahead.
I’m certainly there for it. I definitely want to hear as much more from Ellie as I can get!
Originally published at Reading Reality
Bam-Bam is her shotgun. And nope, still not crazy.
Because when you’re still patrolling as a working member of Witchlight – even if you are in your second century – it’s better to be armed as well as dangerous. Which Ellie and the rest of her coven certainly are. Even if it takes them a little longer to get to the scene of the crime.
Or, for that matter, to the point of any discussion, because they’ve been together so damn long that there are plenty of times when the pointed barbs and the old grudges take over the planning of any and every op.
It’s mostly small town stuff – because they’re not the top tier of Witchlight operators no matter how much they all still wish they were kicking ass and taking names and riding monsters to the rescue. So when this case literally crawls into their laps, they’re all a bit giddy with the adrenaline of the chase.
Even if the person at the heart of the mess is a child under their protection. Particularly because another member of their family is doing their damndest to keep it from them.
They may not be what they used to be – but when one of their cubs is threatened it brings out the mama bear in every single one of them. Even if not one of them shifts into an actual bear. That’s okay. After all, one of their sons is bear-shifter enough to handle THAT part of the job.
Escape Rating A-: I picked up this book and audiobook, in fact this whole, entire series, on a recommendation from Caffeinated Reviewer. I caught her review of the third book in the series, Free as a Bird, and had to ask myself where had this been all my life and how had I missed it?
Based on this first book, this series is an absolute hoot from beginning to end. It was also the perfect book for this week as it is a hilarious pick-me-up with a heart wrapped around found family and lifelong sisterhood.
The combination of elements got me from the opening paragraphs. Because this takes off from the same premise as one of my favorite urban fantasies, A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark, but goes about it differently.
That book, and I still mourn that it was only ever the one, took off from a question about what happens to all those young, limber, kickass urban fantasy protagonists if they survive to middle age and even older. Marley Jacob got herself a kickass sidekick and went about her own personal kickassery through negotiation and mediation once the years caught up with her.
Ellie and her coven have just kept on kicking – even as they also kick against the inevitable slowing down of age. They use magic to slow down slowing down – and then they do too much and pay the price later. But they all refuse to quit even as they are forced to change gears.
They’re a LOT like the sisterhood of retired spies turned assassins in Killers of a Certain Age – complete with the sharply pointed banter and the lifelong grudges. So if you liked that and want to give urban fantasy a try, you’ll love Ellie and her Yard Birds.
The case here, and there certainly is one, does a great job of introducing Ellie and her sisters and setting up their family situation – which is just a bit complicated – while giving them a case that is close to their hearts even as it shines a light on just what sorts of things can go wrong in a world where the paranormal exists but still has to keep itself under wraps.
And then the case managed to tie itself back into the reason they all got involved in the first place, as both the evil they fight and the reason they’re fighting it come from the same place – a mother’s love.
The story is told from inside Ellie’s snarky head – and I loved every minute of it. The narrator, Stephanie Richardson, captured the essence of Ellie perfectly, so I’m very happy that she is the narrator for the whole series so far.
I only have two quibbles about this whole experience. One is that I wish there were more. Which there is, of course, as the second and third books, Dead as a Dodo and Free as a Bird, are already out and I already have them.
But the second is that I hope those later books resolve a niggle left over from this one. They did solve the case. They absolutely did. But there was a dangling potential co-conspirator left in their midst. I may be wrong about their co-conspirator status, but there was something rotten left in the heart of the family that got a rug pulled over it. I hope that rug gets pulled back in the books ahead.
I’m certainly there for it. I definitely want to hear as much more from Ellie as I can get!
Originally published at Reading Reality
February 17, 2024
This is the first book in Edwards new Yard Birds series which is a prequel to her Black Hats series which she just completed with Gray Dawn its tenth book. I know this because if you’ve read the Black Hat series, you’ll remember from the first few books while Rue was still living in Stamford her crazy old lady neighbor who threw wild parties and walked the perimeter of her property carrying a shotgun. She’s Ellie, the female protagonist in this story who happens to be a White Witch and semi-retired leader of a coven of witches who worked for an agency known as Witchlight that protected people from bad paranormal creatures. And she’s not nearly as crazy as a loon as she wants people to believe she is. Early in this book Ellie looks at the empty neighboring house closest to her property which later became Rue’s and muses how a powerful young white witch needs to move into it. Of course, since this series was written after the start of the Black Hat series there’s no way to explain how Rue didn’t know her neighbor and many of her party guests were also witches. I found this book highly entertaining but then I’m not far behind in age to the octogenarian witches who will serve as the protagonists in this series. I have to wonder how stories featuring a bunch of elderly witches dealing with joint replacements and discussing all the aches and pains that come with aging will appeal to the majority of Edwards regular readers whom I’ll assume are much, much younger? Will they be as entertained as I was or will they not want to be reminded of what the future holds in store for them? Unlike with Rue Hollis this coven of witches all are dependent upon each other to capture and share magic. Ellie as the “Hub” is the leader and each of the other witches have different responsibilities within the coven and all have very distinct personalities. Being the first book in the series we get a brief introduction to all the other members of the coven.
The main story is Ellie’s BFF and coven member Betty’s ten year old grandson is attacked while attending a summer camp for shifters and is so frightened he reverts to his animal form and is afraid to shift back. There's a real danger that if he doesn’t shift back to his human form soon, he won’t be able to and will be stuck in his wolf form. At the request of her grandson’s uncle who is a favorite of both Betty and Ellie the coven agrees to investigate the camp to discover who or what twice attacked the boy and deal with it. The secondary story here is that Ellie’s late husband Wally who passed away five years ago was cursed and now his spirit is living in a Billy the Bass animated toy which she takes from room to room using Velcro to attach him to different walls. We don’t know why he was cursed or by whom but the only way to break the curse is for Ellie to tell Wally she no longer loves him and has found someone else to replace him. Ellie is torn because Wally is the love of her life. She still enjoys being able to converse with him and she doesn’t want to hurt him but she isn’t sure leaving him in his current state isn’t being more cruel to him. Her friends all encourage her to find someone new and do the kind thing and release Wally from his curse so his spirit can be free. To make matters worse the church’s new widowed pastor has a thing for Ellie and keeps asking her out.
As I said, I found this book highly entertaining. The other witches and Betty’s family all had well developed characters with some depth to them. The mystery of who or what was attacking the campers and how to stop it had enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. I’m just not certain how well received a series based around a bunch of geriatric witches is going to be received by most readers?
The main story is Ellie’s BFF and coven member Betty’s ten year old grandson is attacked while attending a summer camp for shifters and is so frightened he reverts to his animal form and is afraid to shift back. There's a real danger that if he doesn’t shift back to his human form soon, he won’t be able to and will be stuck in his wolf form. At the request of her grandson’s uncle who is a favorite of both Betty and Ellie the coven agrees to investigate the camp to discover who or what twice attacked the boy and deal with it. The secondary story here is that Ellie’s late husband Wally who passed away five years ago was cursed and now his spirit is living in a Billy the Bass animated toy which she takes from room to room using Velcro to attach him to different walls. We don’t know why he was cursed or by whom but the only way to break the curse is for Ellie to tell Wally she no longer loves him and has found someone else to replace him. Ellie is torn because Wally is the love of her life. She still enjoys being able to converse with him and she doesn’t want to hurt him but she isn’t sure leaving him in his current state isn’t being more cruel to him. Her friends all encourage her to find someone new and do the kind thing and release Wally from his curse so his spirit can be free. To make matters worse the church’s new widowed pastor has a thing for Ellie and keeps asking her out.
As I said, I found this book highly entertaining. The other witches and Betty’s family all had well developed characters with some depth to them. The mystery of who or what was attacking the campers and how to stop it had enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. I’m just not certain how well received a series based around a bunch of geriatric witches is going to be received by most readers?
November 15, 2024
Really, I found no reason to like this book.
The idea was great. And, I was looking forward to reading about a thought-out, mature heroine who had years of experience and was stepping up to save her nephew. I imagined it sort of like Code Name: Mockingbird but with a heroine who actually made sense.
Not only was it not better, though, it was even worse. Forget about the story, I couldn't even understand the relationship between the characters. Much less why Ellie was the only one who could help her nephew. And, the details that might've seemed cute or endearing to other readers only made dislike the story more. I mean, the subplot of the pastor persuing Ellie but Ellie considering herself a married woman was odd. And, Ellie's husband stuck in a battery-operated fish toy, which Ellie somehow thinks is her fault, was even weirder. (I thought the girl-in-a-moth in Black Hat, White Witch was bad, but this was a whole new level.) And then, to make matters worse, apparently Ellie and her fellow witches regularly drug the women around them without anyone realizing, all so that they can siphon off their magical powers and use them themselves? I mean, yeah, they might be trying to help the world, but that just seems wrong. And then, the ending, where ? Just... no.
I'm still looking for a decent read featuring an older woman fighting paranormal threats but I'm becoming less and less sure that such a book exists.
Maybe I'll write one myself after I retire.
Alternatives:
Three Mages and a Margarita
Next of Twin
Dragon Chained
Content:
Nightmarish scenes. Animating sticks to look like bodies, fighting, death/killing in self-defense, injury, betrayal, near-eating of children. Ellie and her friends routinely drug the women around them. A few mature references (including the bulge in Ellie's dead husband's pants after a scandelous incident with a kelpie and Ellie's great nephew caught with a girl, both wearing nothing). Some cursing.
The idea was great. And, I was looking forward to reading about a thought-out, mature heroine who had years of experience and was stepping up to save her nephew. I imagined it sort of like Code Name: Mockingbird but with a heroine who actually made sense.
Not only was it not better, though, it was even worse. Forget about the story, I couldn't even understand the relationship between the characters. Much less why Ellie was the only one who could help her nephew. And, the details that might've seemed cute or endearing to other readers only made dislike the story more. I mean, the subplot of the pastor persuing Ellie but Ellie considering herself a married woman was odd. And, Ellie's husband stuck in a battery-operated fish toy, which Ellie somehow thinks is her fault, was even weirder. (I thought the girl-in-a-moth in Black Hat, White Witch was bad, but this was a whole new level.) And then, to make matters worse, apparently Ellie and her fellow witches regularly drug the women around them without anyone realizing, all so that they can siphon off their magical powers and use them themselves? I mean, yeah, they might be trying to help the world, but that just seems wrong. And then, the ending, where ? Just... no.
I'm still looking for a decent read featuring an older woman fighting paranormal threats but I'm becoming less and less sure that such a book exists.
Maybe I'll write one myself after I retire.
Alternatives:
Three Mages and a Margarita
Next of Twin
Dragon Chained
Content:
Nightmarish scenes. Animating sticks to look like bodies, fighting, death/killing in self-defense, injury, betrayal, near-eating of children. Ellie and her friends routinely drug the women around them. A few mature references (including the bulge in Ellie's dead husband's pants after a scandelous incident with a kelpie and Ellie's great nephew caught with a girl, both wearing nothing). Some cursing.
April 5, 2025
Another winner, fantastic content and cover. More please. Especially of books with main characters of different generations
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Hailey Edwards has quickly become another author who’s an auto read. So when I saw this amazing cover ( yes, an absolute classic) I was hooked.
Yard Birds is an urban fantasy series about a group of retired coven of witches, once a part of powerful undercover force ,WitchLight Hub.
Now down to five, Ellie Gleason and what’s left of the coven, Flo, Betty, Joan and Ida, have protected the town of Samford, Alabama for decades.
I love that Edwards has these wonderful women as both realistically worn down by their lives as past magical agents and by life itself. They are widowed in some cases, had hip replacements, suffering various ailments, hardened by their previous employment, trying to hide their past and get by as old women. Who they are and aren’t, in a community that hasn’t a clue as to what they are.
Then Elle’s great-nephew comes to her in need of help. And the old coven is reassembled to go investigate and solve the mystery of what is attacking the paranormal youth in a summer camp.
The author has created many questions within the story and given the readers many curious elements and aspects of certain character histories that require further exploration. The one that immediately comes to mind is the curse and mystery of Wally, Ellie’s dead husband. He’s or his soul is been stuffed into one of those mounted talking fish that you see on tv. You know, the talking Bass?
Why and who has cursed Wally isn’t revealed here. Just what the curse entails, what it takes to break it. A heartbreaking element for this couple.
It’s one of those things going forward that I hope the author will resolve this for them both.
The investigation was short but satisfactory. The fight scene involved a walker, which was also amazing.
And there’s a recipe for a Yard Bird Margarita at the very beginning that I intend to try out this weekend.
This is a book that keeps on giving.
Another winner, fantastic content and cover. More please. Especially of books with main characters of different generations. Not everyone needs FMC or MMC in their 20’s consistently.
Cover by Damonza. Great cover design and artwork.
Yard Birds series:
Crazy as a Loon #1
Dead as a Dodo #2
Free as a Bird #3
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Hailey Edwards has quickly become another author who’s an auto read. So when I saw this amazing cover ( yes, an absolute classic) I was hooked.
Yard Birds is an urban fantasy series about a group of retired coven of witches, once a part of powerful undercover force ,WitchLight Hub.
Now down to five, Ellie Gleason and what’s left of the coven, Flo, Betty, Joan and Ida, have protected the town of Samford, Alabama for decades.
I love that Edwards has these wonderful women as both realistically worn down by their lives as past magical agents and by life itself. They are widowed in some cases, had hip replacements, suffering various ailments, hardened by their previous employment, trying to hide their past and get by as old women. Who they are and aren’t, in a community that hasn’t a clue as to what they are.
Then Elle’s great-nephew comes to her in need of help. And the old coven is reassembled to go investigate and solve the mystery of what is attacking the paranormal youth in a summer camp.
The author has created many questions within the story and given the readers many curious elements and aspects of certain character histories that require further exploration. The one that immediately comes to mind is the curse and mystery of Wally, Ellie’s dead husband. He’s or his soul is been stuffed into one of those mounted talking fish that you see on tv. You know, the talking Bass?
Why and who has cursed Wally isn’t revealed here. Just what the curse entails, what it takes to break it. A heartbreaking element for this couple.
It’s one of those things going forward that I hope the author will resolve this for them both.
The investigation was short but satisfactory. The fight scene involved a walker, which was also amazing.
And there’s a recipe for a Yard Bird Margarita at the very beginning that I intend to try out this weekend.
This is a book that keeps on giving.
Another winner, fantastic content and cover. More please. Especially of books with main characters of different generations. Not everyone needs FMC or MMC in their 20’s consistently.
Cover by Damonza. Great cover design and artwork.
Yard Birds series:
Crazy as a Loon #1
Dead as a Dodo #2
Free as a Bird #3
September 11, 2024
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Yard Birds series . I borrowed this ebook from Kindle Unlimited.
Thoughts: This was a quick and cute paranormal read that I enjoyed. There are strong themes about getting older and family throughout and a lot of humor as well.
Ellie Gleason and her coven protect Samford, Alabama from the paranormal. It's not as exciting as being a full-time monster hunter, but it's a job that needs to be done. Her coven is quirky and old as dirt (Betty's walker that she has to use to recover from her hip replacement surgery is really putting a wedge in her getting around). When one of Betty's shape-shifting grandsons gets stuck permanently in his wolf form it's time to figure out what's going down at the summer camp. It's a summer camp for paranormal kids, and numerous kids are turning up traumatized and injured.
This wasn't anything super special, but it was fun and quick to read. I struggled a bit in the beginning to keep all the characters straight; they are introduced quickly and hard to separate initially, but this was remedied as we got deeper into the story.
It's always fun to read about older characters, and I enjoyed the quirky elderly cast here. There is a big focus on supporting family, getting older, and coping with abilities that decrease with age.
The plot is straightforward and well thought out; everything is resolved neatly. There are some broader story lines that will carry into the second book in this series. The writing was easy to read and flowed well. The world-building was a bit vague...kind of general paranormal world vibes, but there are hints of a larger structure outside this town.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this, it was a fun, quick, easy-to-read paranormal book that was entertaining. I have been reading a lot of longer, more complex books lately, and I enjoyed this light break from those. This is full of older, quirky characters that are fun to read about and also has a decent mystery. There is a lot about family and coping with growing older which added some deeper sincerity to the story. I would recommend if you are looking for a quick, humorous, general paranormal read. This is light and fun.
Thoughts: This was a quick and cute paranormal read that I enjoyed. There are strong themes about getting older and family throughout and a lot of humor as well.
Ellie Gleason and her coven protect Samford, Alabama from the paranormal. It's not as exciting as being a full-time monster hunter, but it's a job that needs to be done. Her coven is quirky and old as dirt (Betty's walker that she has to use to recover from her hip replacement surgery is really putting a wedge in her getting around). When one of Betty's shape-shifting grandsons gets stuck permanently in his wolf form it's time to figure out what's going down at the summer camp. It's a summer camp for paranormal kids, and numerous kids are turning up traumatized and injured.
This wasn't anything super special, but it was fun and quick to read. I struggled a bit in the beginning to keep all the characters straight; they are introduced quickly and hard to separate initially, but this was remedied as we got deeper into the story.
It's always fun to read about older characters, and I enjoyed the quirky elderly cast here. There is a big focus on supporting family, getting older, and coping with abilities that decrease with age.
The plot is straightforward and well thought out; everything is resolved neatly. There are some broader story lines that will carry into the second book in this series. The writing was easy to read and flowed well. The world-building was a bit vague...kind of general paranormal world vibes, but there are hints of a larger structure outside this town.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this, it was a fun, quick, easy-to-read paranormal book that was entertaining. I have been reading a lot of longer, more complex books lately, and I enjoyed this light break from those. This is full of older, quirky characters that are fun to read about and also has a decent mystery. There is a lot about family and coping with growing older which added some deeper sincerity to the story. I would recommend if you are looking for a quick, humorous, general paranormal read. This is light and fun.
January 18, 2025
Crazy as a Loon is book one in the Yard Bird series by Hailey Edwards and narrated by Stephanie Richardson.
The storyline is interesting and I like the idea of bad-ass geriatric witches. It’s a fun start to the series featuring Ellie Gleason, a retired witch. Being retired isn’t as exciting as the good old days in the WitchLight Hub. Our main character Ellie reminisces on the old days and misses them. She's bored.
Things change when her great nephew shows up on her doorstep with a mystery that needs solving. The tale that unfolds mixes magic, mystery, humor and suspense. It’s a cute and fun listen that flows well and has plenty of action and silly old lady humor.
Besides the mystery we get to see these ladies and their families in their everyday lives. The ladies are busy-bodies. Now we do have a matchmaking scheme going on for Ellie and the pastor. I’m not a fan of this. I don’t like to see them force a love interest on her when she’s not ready to move on and her husband is currently cursed and around, but not (can’t wait to learn more on this.)
Audio: Just around four hours long this audio was fun. The story did a great job of introducing us to the characters and delivered an interesting mystery affecting the children at a local camp. I will say I did have a few issues with the voices in that when I started listening I felt like the ladies were in their 60’s not 80’s. Richardson had wonderful voices for the ladies, they just felt younger than they are in the story. My main issue was at times when all the ladies were together I had trouble figuring out who was talking in the group.
Other reviews have pointed out that this series takes place before Rue, the protagonist in the Black Hat Bureau series, arrives in Samford, Alabama. I will bow to their judgement. I have started the Black Hat Bureau, but have yet to finish it.
Overall, Crazy as a Loon was a fun and quick listen. I plan to listen on.
Rated: 3 Stars
The storyline is interesting and I like the idea of bad-ass geriatric witches. It’s a fun start to the series featuring Ellie Gleason, a retired witch. Being retired isn’t as exciting as the good old days in the WitchLight Hub. Our main character Ellie reminisces on the old days and misses them. She's bored.
Things change when her great nephew shows up on her doorstep with a mystery that needs solving. The tale that unfolds mixes magic, mystery, humor and suspense. It’s a cute and fun listen that flows well and has plenty of action and silly old lady humor.
Besides the mystery we get to see these ladies and their families in their everyday lives. The ladies are busy-bodies. Now we do have a matchmaking scheme going on for Ellie and the pastor. I’m not a fan of this. I don’t like to see them force a love interest on her when she’s not ready to move on and her husband is currently cursed and around, but not (can’t wait to learn more on this.)
Audio: Just around four hours long this audio was fun. The story did a great job of introducing us to the characters and delivered an interesting mystery affecting the children at a local camp. I will say I did have a few issues with the voices in that when I started listening I felt like the ladies were in their 60’s not 80’s. Richardson had wonderful voices for the ladies, they just felt younger than they are in the story. My main issue was at times when all the ladies were together I had trouble figuring out who was talking in the group.
Other reviews have pointed out that this series takes place before Rue, the protagonist in the Black Hat Bureau series, arrives in Samford, Alabama. I will bow to their judgement. I have started the Black Hat Bureau, but have yet to finish it.
Overall, Crazy as a Loon was a fun and quick listen. I plan to listen on.
Rated: 3 Stars
February 17, 2024
Well, I'm kinda at a loss with this one, though it may be just me. I do like several series from Ms. Edwards so I was looking forward to this new series. Sometimes things just do not hit right with me and this might be one of those times. The book did grow on me as time went on, and I guess that is what we want as a reader.
So, about the book. We get to meet Ellie, she is the leader of a group of elderly (or maybe "retired" is a better word) witches who are doing their best to defend the mythical town of Samford. A grand nephew or something like that comes to tell Ellie about some paranormal trouble at a nearby camp. That is all the group needs to jump in to try to save the kids.
I didn't find out until afterwards that this new series is connected to the Black Hat series (which I really like). It is a bit convoluted how the two tie together - I think the witches were there before Rue moves in....maybe in a nearby town? I'm really not sure. I would be interested in finding out HOW the two actually tie together.
There are many similarities to other series by Ms. Edwards, but the amount of squabbling between the characters got to be a bit much for me. Also, I listened to this on audio and when everyone was talking (arguing) it got confusing as to who was who.
As I mentioned before, the dynamics did begin to grow on me and by the end I was feeling better about the series. There is the requisite zaniness (Ellie's husband's soul is somehow trapped in a wooden bass/fish that hangs on a wall) that we've come to expect and there seems to be lots of room for this series to grow into.
Will I continue with this series? Honestly, at this point, I'm not sure.
So, about the book. We get to meet Ellie, she is the leader of a group of elderly (or maybe "retired" is a better word) witches who are doing their best to defend the mythical town of Samford. A grand nephew or something like that comes to tell Ellie about some paranormal trouble at a nearby camp. That is all the group needs to jump in to try to save the kids.
I didn't find out until afterwards that this new series is connected to the Black Hat series (which I really like). It is a bit convoluted how the two tie together - I think the witches were there before Rue moves in....maybe in a nearby town? I'm really not sure. I would be interested in finding out HOW the two actually tie together.
There are many similarities to other series by Ms. Edwards, but the amount of squabbling between the characters got to be a bit much for me. Also, I listened to this on audio and when everyone was talking (arguing) it got confusing as to who was who.
As I mentioned before, the dynamics did begin to grow on me and by the end I was feeling better about the series. There is the requisite zaniness (Ellie's husband's soul is somehow trapped in a wooden bass/fish that hangs on a wall) that we've come to expect and there seems to be lots of room for this series to grow into.
Will I continue with this series? Honestly, at this point, I'm not sure.
June 5, 2023
We need more paranormals with older lead characters! This was so much fun to read, with a coven of elderly witches who’ve been “retired” from their jobs as supernatural protection agents and now amuse themselves by stamping out the occasional pesky paranormal visitor in the small town southern town they live in. These days, since their magic is fading, they have to harvest small amounts of energy from unsuspecting townspeople by hosting the occasional margarita night with drinks laced with a mild hallucinogenic agent that ensures everyone has a good time. When one of the coven’s grandsons is preyed upon by an unknown creature at the shifter summer camp he is attending, the ladies swing into action to confront this new threat.
Apparently this book is a prequel of sorts to an earlier series by the author. You definitely don’t need to have read that series first to enjoy this book, but I’m definitely going to go back to it now.
Apparently this book is a prequel of sorts to an earlier series by the author. You definitely don’t need to have read that series first to enjoy this book, but I’m definitely going to go back to it now.
June 24, 2023
Old, but strong
A spin-off of Black Hat Bureau, we are introduced to a new agency taking care of paranormal problems: Whitchlight Hub. While Black Hat Bureau uses black witches, the Whitchlight uses covens of white witches. The book is about a group of former Whitchlight agents that are supposed to be retired but are still doing as much work as they can.
We were first introduced to Ellie as Rue's eccentric neighbor in Black Hat, White Witch, but now we get to know her as she was even before Rue came into the picture.
The book follows a group of grandmas, led by Ellie, who investigate a paranormal attack on a camp where the grandson of one of them was attending.
It's refreshing to read a book where the protagonists worry about breaking a hip.
The book is a good introduction to the characters and what they do. It also introduces a couple of interesting things that I'm sure will be explored in other books in the series.
A spin-off of Black Hat Bureau, we are introduced to a new agency taking care of paranormal problems: Whitchlight Hub. While Black Hat Bureau uses black witches, the Whitchlight uses covens of white witches. The book is about a group of former Whitchlight agents that are supposed to be retired but are still doing as much work as they can.
We were first introduced to Ellie as Rue's eccentric neighbor in Black Hat, White Witch, but now we get to know her as she was even before Rue came into the picture.
The book follows a group of grandmas, led by Ellie, who investigate a paranormal attack on a camp where the grandson of one of them was attending.
It's refreshing to read a book where the protagonists worry about breaking a hip.
The book is a good introduction to the characters and what they do. It also introduces a couple of interesting things that I'm sure will be explored in other books in the series.
December 18, 2023
Ellie Gleason misses the years she protected her town. Now she and her fellow witches are gray and not as spry as they once were. Yet when something is hurting the kids at a local summer camp, they're not going to sit back and let the monster terrorize the poor children. The coven prepares to take on the terror, and Ellie must risk herself to do so. It almost feels like the good ole days.
This was a fun read about witchy grandmas. They let everyone in town think they're loony, but they're much more together than many younger adults. The witches might not have as much power as they once did, but they still aren't to be messed with. They have decades of experience under their belts. Ellie is the no nonsense and sensible one, but she can't let go of her deceased husband and he resides in a talking toy fish. Lots of magic and shifters and dodging the local preacher. The cover totally represents what's in this fun urban granny fantasy!
This was a fun read about witchy grandmas. They let everyone in town think they're loony, but they're much more together than many younger adults. The witches might not have as much power as they once did, but they still aren't to be messed with. They have decades of experience under their belts. Ellie is the no nonsense and sensible one, but she can't let go of her deceased husband and he resides in a talking toy fish. Lots of magic and shifters and dodging the local preacher. The cover totally represents what's in this fun urban granny fantasy!
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