Undercover Paranormal

West Side Witches #1

by Kate Moseman

Witches, vampires, and fae in New York. What could go wrong?

I spent half a lifetime pretending my magic didn’t exist, until a vampire begged me to repair the magical Seal holding together a fragile peace between the vampires and the fae. Without the Seal, Manhattan will descend into all-out war.

When I said I was going to revamp my grandma’s restaurant, this wasn’t what I had in mind. I’m neither witch, vampire, or fae—I can mimic any magic, and now I have a powerful mask that allows me to look like anyone, too—but as an outsider I don’t fit into the established order. Coming home doesn’t always mean fitting in.

Now I have a sandwich shop to open and a mysterious mirror to fix, all while my ex-boyfriend looks too fine for my own good and this new guy helping me renovate is the kind of hands-on I’d like to experience personally. Sure, my only allies are a murderous lady vampire, a mind-reading fire witch, and my ridiculous rescue dog, but I’ll manage. Right?

The stakes are higher than New York prices, and there’s one thing I know for damn sure...

You better not mess with my little black poodle.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Audiobook, Witches, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Vampires

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2022

About the author

Author of cozy fantasy and romance about women who discover that life is magical.

Reviews

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spells and Sandwiches by Kate Moseman
West Side Witches series #1. Paranormal women’s fiction. Previously published as Undercover Paranormal.
Zelda Hawkins came to Manhattan to open a deli. She gave up her magic a long time ago, so she’s surprised when a vampire offers free rent at her family’s old restaurant in exchange for a little magic repair. Zelda’s life goes from staid to zany in seconds with her poodle, her brother, an ex-boyfriend and a mind-reading roommate along for the ride.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook of this story performed by Hollie Jackson who did a wonderful job with humor, sarcasm, and disbelief. There were distinct voices for different characters with their own personalities. This narrator is super popular among the paranormal authors and there is a reason: a phenomenal performance. It is a bit on the faster side so if you read above 2.0, you may need to slow it down a smidge. I personally listened at 1.5 which is equivalent to local patterns in my area.

Entertaining, amusing, and a few laugh-out-loud comments.
I will absolutely be continuing this slightly snarky witch series.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
4.25

[BookishKB · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars.

While I really enjoyed the premise, I can't say I liked Zelda that much. I had difficulties imagining her.

Hardly a favourite, it's true, but I'll give the following book a chance. I'm kind of curious to see how the story continues.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spells and Sandwitches by Kate Moseman is the first book in the cozy fantasy series, The West Side Witches.
Zelda moves to Manhattan to reopen her grandmother's sandwich shop. Soon, she is offered a deal she can't refuse by a mysterious vampire, one who clearly had history with her grandmother... Forced to use her magic again, Zelda and crew set out to repair a magical mirror, renovate the shop, and end up entering a world of witches, vampires, and fae...
Thank you, NetGalley, Fortunella Press, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for advanced readers copies of Spells and Sandwitches in exchange for an honest review. One of my favorite ways to enjoy a book is to read it while I listen to the audiobook, and this made for a delightful experience! Hollie Jackson does a wonderful job narrating, and her voice has so much character! Narrators can make or break an audiobook, and I will definitely be looking up what else Hollie narrates and adding books to by TBR.

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny cosy fantasy story featuring vampires, fire magic, a request to repair a magical mirror, fae, and witches.

Keen to read the next story in the series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars.

The first time I tried this book, I was immediately bored and DNF'd it. But, I don't remember that.

This time, I was intrigued enough to keep going and the story caught me enough that I'm tempted to read the 2nd book.

This has a lot of intriguing elements. Our heroine is 47 and has fascinating powers. She is surrounded by lovely friends and family.

But there's just a little bit missing. I'm not a fan of the love triangle being setup.

But I may try the 2nd book.

[TheYALibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4 Stars

I just happened to come across this when I was looking for a witchy read with romance like The Ex Hex, Boss Witch, or Paybacks a Witch., which I all enjoyed. This did have a similar formula of a snarky MC witch and love interests but it wasn’t as well executed. I felt like I was just kind of thrown in right into the story without any explanation on how magic works in this version of modern day New York. It just seemed like there were elemental witches and somehow the MC can copy other witches powers as well as borrow vampires abilities like strength and the ability to grow fangs which thoroughly confused me it made it sound like she was a vampire too for a second. It’s also established that there are other creatures like vampires and fae called The Blessed and The Gentry for some reason since that is never explained. As much as I like when there isn’t any exposition dumps this was too into far in the other direction when it’s so vague that it feels like the reader was expected to figure it out themselves.

As for romance, there really isn’t any. The MC Zelda has an ex boyfriend named Daniel that she has on and off flings with (with no smut scenes) and Baron who turns out to be the prince of the fae who seems obsessed with Zelda but she doesn’t seem into him like that. I’m fine with no steamy sex scenes or smut so it’s much cleaner then the other books mentioned but I feel like this story could have benefited from a romance that wasn’t of the furry kind since Zelda seemed obsessed with her dog Jester and there’s Poppy’s dog Georgiana named after Georgiana Darcy from Pride and Prejudice who also played a big part in the story which could be cute at times but didn’t scratch that romance itch I was looking for.

Speaking of characters the MC Zelda was definitely likeable and dimensional. As a 40 something year old she has already had a lot of life experience and it’s made her confident in her own skin but not to the point of vain and also emotionally and mentally mature. I hope to be like her someday. As for side characters I liked them like Daniel was charming and cute and it made me care when he almost dies and has to be turned into a vampire in order to live and Baron also had a charm to him. Victorine a typical vampire with wealth and unflappable demeanor but could still could tear out your throat if you cross her. James kind of just a lost puppy that you wanted to give a hug with him being a 40 something year old vampire stuck in a teenagers body. Poppy was my favorite of all of them with her sad backstory and her witch ability that seems helpful at times but also a curse as well.

With Zelda being the protagonist I will definitely continue on with this series as I would like to see if a romance brews (no pun intended) and get to see more of her running her late grandmothers sandwich shop that was a small part of the story despite being part of the book title.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new cozy fantasy/paranormal series that is fast paced, character driven and fun to read or listen to as in my case. The narrator did a good job of bringing the story to life. Zelda, our quirky main character, is a middle aged, formerly non-practicing witch who has come to New York to revive her grandmother's old sandwich shop. Unfortunately, she finds that not only do witches exist, vampires and other paranormal creatures are wondering about NYC as well. In the process of getting the sandwich shop up and running, Zelda finds that her magic is coming to life and maybe not fast enough for all the various beings she is being surrounded by. The plot is quite detailed and moves quickly. You will meet many characters and some aren't as well developed as others, but this is the first book, so it is setting up the series to continue as well as plots to pick up later. I smiled a ton and laughed out loud as I was listening and honestly look forward to more fun from our quirky main character who doesn't want to be a hero, but kind of is. I'm particularly interested to see how things develop with Daniel, Baron and Zelda. Could be quite interesting things coming for us in the future! I'll definitely be looking for the next audiobook to pick up and check out!

[kase]

Returning to the library today and I have no desire to renew

[Monet Daffodil · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spells and Sandwhiches
Author: Kate Moseman

Cute Halloween read. Thank you Netgalley and Fortunella Press for the ARC! This had all the adorable pieces of a perfect spooky season cozy read. Vampires, witches, spells and cute food references! I enjoyed it. There was something missing for me though that left me not giving it five stars. Maybe I just wanted a touch more romance. Also it was definitely a light fluffy brain candy type read, not super in depth or anything. Zero spice either. Brief description is that Zelda is offered to live rent free if she repairs this magical mirror for a vampire. There was a fun cast of side characters, and it was overall an enjoyable read if just wasn’t anything super special to me. If you are looking for something easy, with spooky season themes pick it up.

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zelda comes to run her family’s restaurant and make some sandwiches. She uses her magic to help a vampire and he decides to help her in return. She’s back to using her magic again and has a fun cast of characters to help her along the way!

This was a cute magic filled story. I found the side characters endearing and fun but felt like the story was lacking some depth. I will continue the series though, it was a fun read!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a genre I have ever picked up on my own but this fantasy was light, enjoyable, and a bit whimsical, with still some tension among the dwellers in the world of magic. I enjoyed it.

[Irishbookmammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spells and Sandwiches by Kate Moseman is an absolute delight! From the very first page, I was hooked by the charming world Moseman creates, blending magic, quirky characters, and a touch of humor. The protagonist is relatable and lovable, balancing the chaos of everyday life with her newfound magical abilities.

The storyline is fast-paced, filled with unexpected twists and turns, but always light-hearted and fun. The addition of a magical sandwich shop adds a unique and whimsical flavor to the book, making it stand out in the genre. The author’s writing is witty and engaging, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Overall, "Spells and Sandwiches" is a perfect read for anyone looking for a heartwarming, magical escape. It's full of charm, fun, and just the right amount of enchantment to keep you entertained until the very end. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, feel-good read!

[Amélia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that the idea of an unwilling 40-something hero was nice. I liked the premise, I liked her magical power. I wasn't a fan of the love interest, though. He was a bit too cookie cutter for me, and I'd more or less speed up the audiobook whenever he was on page. I'm not against romance, though I found myself wishing there would be less time spent on it in favor of the plot. It was still a fun read, though, and I have to admit that I still really want to find out what happens next.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Zelda arrives in Manhattan to take over her grandma’s bakery, she finds herself making a deal with the landlord for free rent on the place. All she needs to do is repair a magical mirror. Oh, and also the landlord happens to be a feared and powerful vampire, the mirror poses real dangers to multiple worlds, and the mission will test Zelda’s own magical abilities to their limits. Aided by a cast of colorful and interesting allies, Zelda must find a solution to this magical problem before time is up.

A main character who is older than the typical fantasy heroine was fun to see, and the variety of magical races in the book was a fun change from only fae, or only vampires. The awareness of what immortality would realistically entail was a very interesting point in the book’s favor, and one that I felt was explored well. The book also plants the seeds of a love triangle, and though that is not a trope I personally love, I actually think it was done pretty well, without it being obvious from the start who the main character will end up with.

This book is quite short and fast-paced, with a lot going on and a lot being set up for future books in the series. I can forgive a slight excess of characters and not enough pages to get to know them, as I assume we will see more of them in future installments. That said, the author did a good job of establishing the characters’ personalities and motivations, and hints of an overarching plot were cemented early on. I would recommend this to fans of cozy contemporary fantasy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Fortunella Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3.5/5 I’m struggling not to make a landlord/vampire joke.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!


3.75 stars ✨✨✨


I liked this whimsical book a lot. It’s a story of finding yourself, your “family”, and cute dogs.

As a lover of witchy & fall like books filled with magic this was a cute little read.

The only honest input I have is that I felt that the beginning was off & rushed. I felt like a lot of information was thrown at the reader in so little time.

I also feel that the story jumped around a bit from topic to topic. I almost feel that the book could have been longer, but broken down differently. I felt that we would be so deeply focused on one topic, then jump right to the next.

This may be an unpopular opinion but the age of the characters didn’t make a lot of sense to me, maybe because i am so used to reading young 20s aged characters but I felt that Zelda, Poppy & Daniel acted younger than they were aged in the book.

Overall i really did like this book & it was a cozy read! Thank you to Kate Moseman for letting me read it!!

[Lila Lumbrazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the West Side Witches series and it was a very enjoyable read. I admired a lot of parts of this book.
Zelda, is a witch moves to New York City to help restore and reopen her grandmothers old sandwich shop after she passes away.
While in NYC, Zelda is surrounded by two other magical groups of creatures and is tasked to do something to save their worlds
This book is filled with tons of magic, humor, suspenseful, and heartwarming moments. And a plus? Zelda has the cutest dog named Jester! Who doesn’t love a good dog in a book. There’s even some romance mixed in! This book has a sprinkle of it all.
This series is coming out renamed to this and the West Side Witches Series in December!
I absolutely loved this book. I wish it focused a little bit more on her grandmothers sandwich shop, but potentially it will the rest of the series! I definitely will be reading.

[Sam Metcalfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Audio ARC for allowing me to listen to an Audio copy of Spells and Sandwiches (West Side Witches #1) by Kate Moseman (Narrated by Hollie Jackson).

This was a great story and only the second audiobook I've ever listened to! Main Character Zelda a 47-year-old witch from Florida came to New York to fix up and run her late grandmother’s sandwich shop. She finds herself mixed up with Vampires. Dealing with a spell her grandma had cast to end a war 50 years ago which saw the Gentry cast into a mirror that had cracked and needed to be resealed. Zelda chose good magic and broke the seal to free them - who knows if this will start a new war??

This book is filled with a ton of magic, humour, suspenseful, and heartwarming moments.

[Lynessa Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No spice
5⭐️ narrator

This was a sweet short book that was a perfect palette cleanser for in between longer, heavier series. The characters are fun and the world building was straightforward, light, and easy.

I did go into this book thinking it was a romance, which it most definitely is not (there are potential love interests, but the romantic relationship with them is almost non existent) so if you’re hoping for a witchy romcom, this is not it. It’s still super fun though!

I liked that the FMC was a little older so she actually had life experience compared to the 19/20 year old FMCs you usually see in these types of books. I also think changing the title was a good choice.

The narrator was perfect and I will definitely be looking for more audiobooks narrated by her. Overall, enjoyed the book.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spells and Sandwiches is the first book in Kate Moseman's West Side Witches series, and it is a fun and cozy urban paranormal fantasy.
Zelda Hawkins, a 47 year old witch, finds herself moving from Orlando to New York to reopen her grandmother's sandwich shop. She expected some difficulties, but what she did not expect was to run into vampires and other witches, with one asking her to repair a mirror seal that her grandmother helped cast. This book is a fun, magical read, with lots of laughs and humor! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had a great time listening to the narrator. 4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Moseman for such a fun ARC!

[Cassie Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spells and sandwiches is the first in a new cozy paranormal series and it certainly did not disappoint.

Zelda, a non practicing witch, moves to a new town to reopen her late grandmothers sandwich shop and finds herself surrounded by witches, vampires and fae.

This story is more character driven and definitely sets you up for the rest of the series very well. I’m looking forward to continuing on!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, the publisher and victory editing netgalley coop for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review. The narrator Hollie Jackson did a phenomenal job with this story!

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024 bk 14. Originally published under the title of Undercover Paranormal. I admit that I did not purchase the book under the original title - it didn't interest me then. Spells and Sandwiches does a much better job of describing the book. While it has its lighthearted moments, there was some pretty heavy stuff going on that Moseman deftly handles. My favorite scene, climbing down from the bell tower. I enjoyed this book and will most likely get the second to see if the characters continue to hold up.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me especially with the fabulous narrator, Hollie Jackson. I absolutely enjoyed listening to her portray Zelda along with other characters. I enjoyed how every character had their own unique voice and I was able to discern who was speaking. Zelda has found herself in the middle of a supernatural battle so to speak without even realizing. I really enjoyed her relationship with her brother and her roommate. I found the roommate and brother hilarious and loved seeing their characters and banter in the story. This story is perfect for fans of paranormal women’s fiction. It is on the cozy side but it was fun getting lost in Manhattan with witches and vampires.

A very special thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ALC.

[Mandy Veer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Over het algemeen is dit een vermakelijk verhaal. Echter vind ik het hoofdpersonage niet zo leuk en – ik ga het toch zeggen – een beetje dom. Voor iemand van 46 jaar heeft ze nogal tienerachtige trekjes.

Misschien ben ik een beetje teleurgesteld, omdat ik een 'cozy fantasy' had verwacht. Het boek probeerde echter meer een actierijk verhaal te zijn, maar zonder succes. Zodra je een spannend, cruciaal moment verwacht, eindigt de situatie in een sisser waarbij het probleem veel te snel en te makkelijk wordt opgelost.

[Una · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and the descriptions of the characters and the setting in NYC were great. It seemed like just as the story was getting going it ended. The ending was a bit of a let down for me but I probably will go ahead and read book two.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, witchy, “scooby doo” mystery. Complete with a magical mask and doggo companion! A quick and captivating read from cover to cover. Thanks to NetGalley, Kate Moseman and Fortunella Press for an ARC of the audiobook!

[Tiny Dragon Books~ Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute urban paranormal story about a witch reopening her grandmothers sandwich shop. While a little light on the worldbuilding and a choppy pace, I enjoyed the story of friendship, bravery and wholesome characters we meet. With plenty to explore in future books, this was the perfect palate cleanser between intricate fantasy stories.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.75

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and light urban fantasy!

More to come.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Cute and funny story, easy and quick read