Rags to Witches
Westwick Witches, Book 2

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series

Media Type: Audiobook
Source:Hoopla via HPCL
Dates Read: 5/1/23 - 5/2/23
Stars: 3
Narrator(s): Petrea Burchard

The Characters:

Cendrine West:
Aunt Pearl:
The Sheriff (Tyler?), Rocco Racatelli, Cendrine’s Mom Ruby

The Story:

I know I should not start a review with a negative but OMG I dislike Aunt Pearl so much. Like enough to stop reading the series. I can’t take her lies and manipulative ways, I do like the way Cendrine and Tyler(?)’s relationship is unfolding. The realizations at the end of the book felt special and if I do continue the series it will be because of this relationship alone.

The Random Thoughts: ( )

Synopsis: 'Cendrine West can't catch a break. She's close to landing a new job, and things are getting cozy with sexy sheriff Tyler Gates. All that changes when she is kidnapped by renegade witch Aunt Pearl, who is hell bent on avenging a friend's untimely death. It's Vegas or bust...for all the wrong reasons.
Rocco Racatelli is a hunky Las Vegas kingpin—and the next mob target. Lady Luck has dealt him a losing hand and he wants revenge. When Aunt Pearl is a little too eager to help, project Vegas Vendetta quickly escalates into an all-out mob turf war. As the witches are thrust into Sin City's seamy underworld, bodies pile up and secrets are exposed.
It's not just the Las Vegas heat that's scorching...Rocco is intent on winning Cen's heart. But she only wants the man she left behind in Westwick Corners. All she has to do is solve a murder, out-magic her ornery aunt, and take down the Las Vegas mafia. What could possibly go wrong?
When organized crime meets unorganized magic, anything can happen! As the body count climbs, it's clear that Cen needs more than a miracle in the desert to set things right.'

Review: Yep, it's a cozy mystery, but there are issues that are annoying. First, standard English, or lack of good editing is distracting. Also, Aunt Pearl plays the same song, over and over. She is simply annoying. The story is interesting, with a few good twists. ( )

situational-humor, verbal-humor, mob, family-dynamics, farce, mystery, audiobook --------
If you like your mysteries full of laughs, twists, and characters who really are, you'll love this one as much as I do! Without going all spoiler, there's the 18 hour drive to Vegas with a lunatic driving a large RV, the crazy Aunt Pearl who is a witch without filters, Cen dropping the casket at a mob funeral. Recapping the plot wouldn't really be capable of doing justice to the humor or the truly imaginative plot twists, besides, you wouldn't believe me anyway.
I was lucky enough to receive a free audio copy in a giveaway and think that Petrea Burchard is marvelous as narrator. ( )

Rags to Witches: A Westwick Witches Cozy Mystery
By: Colleen Cross
Narrated by: Petrea Burchard
This is an audible book and the review is voluntary.
I love this cozy witch series. It is a fun mystery with twists and silly situations. It is a family of witches except the main gal isn't very good at spells. This lack of magic ability gets her in to trouble. But the magic ability of her Aunt gets her into a lot of trouble! Her Aunt drives me crazy but it makes for fun stories.
The narrator is awesome and keeps the voices straight and despite having a pretty voice is able to make a gruff voice for men. Great performance. ( )