Rating: 3.5⭐️
Witch At Odds picks up shortly after the ending of the first novel. Jinx has solved her first mystery, and her best friend since childhood has come to be partners with her in the sentient store left to her by her magical aunt.
I like the mystery here, and the addition of several magical beings. Jinx and her best friend, Tori, do come across as two people who have long time relationship dynamics. That’s nicely illustrated here.
And the ghost of the cemetery, especially Beau, the Confederate Colonel. He’s genuinely a great person and developing into a major figure here.
Now for the issues. The author has almost all the important characters,with the exception of Tori, withholding if not outright lying to Jinx about who they are, what they are, and their relationship with her and the town’s history and secrets. So yeah, so many huge enormous hidden secrets here.
Ones that adversely impact Jinx, her actions, and the town. Those around her are aware of the fact, and still argue about telling her.
As a reader, I find this irritating and frankly toxic. Especially as one of the characters lying to her about his identity and her relationship to him and his family is the one “courting” her. Her supposed boyfriend.
Another is her ghostly aunt Fiona, who keeps up with the poor excuses as to why she has or doesn’t give Jinx the knowledge or support she needs. As in “I didn’t think she would do anything that magical yet with her powers “. Then aunt Fiona pops out to vacation somewhere else.
All feel incredibly lame or what I refer to as “Narratively lazy”. Awful for the characters but the author needs it down in her series arc so there you go.
She does sorta solve the problem here but it ends on a cliffhanger. And with both “girls” going to see their mothers to discuss their past histories.
So it looks like the revelations are going to happen next book unless a drama pops up again. I’ll check with it.
I’m going to see where this goes next.
The Jinx Hamilton Series (16 book series): complete and all released.
Witch At Heart #1
Witch At Odds #2
Buy link
Witch At Odds (The Jinx Hamilton Series Book 2)
Blurb
Resigned to her new life as a witch and determined to make a success of both that and her business, Jinx has a lot to learn. She sets out to both study her craft and get a true direction for her aunt’s haphazard approach to inventory. Not to mention the fact that she wouldn’t mind getting to know neighboring business owner Chase McGregor much better. Although Jinx can call on Aunt Fiona’s ghost for help, the old lady is far too busy living a jet set afterlife to be worried about her niece’s learning curve. That sets Jinx up to make a major mistake and to figure out how to set things right again.
*Note: This is a republished version of Witch At Odds.
Cabot Publishing Group
Publication date
September 8, 2025
Edition
2nd
Language
English
Print length
235 pages
Book 2 of 16
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 