Marais was born in South Africa and now teaches creative writing both through a podcast and at The University of Toronto. Her previous books include "Hum If You Don't Know the Words" and "If You Want to Make God Laugh". This new release features and household of five elderly witches who are facing eviction due to large debts. There hope lies in a sixth witch who is due to return after an absence of thirty-three years. Ruby's return does not go as planned and a " feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy" befriends the group. This book is a tribute to older women and the power of friendship and is a good recommendation for readers looking for something lighter but uplifting.

The idea of modern day witches and a magical heist gone wrong appealed to me. I dove into The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais, with high expectations, and I was not disappointed. Marais delivered an engaging tale with diverse characters and a suspenseful mystery. Check out my thoughts and read an excerpt for yourself.

We meet five octogenarian witches living in Moonshyne Manor. A series of mishaps and issues have them behind on their mortgage payments. Only Queenie, their leader, hasn’t told the others. She has plans to fix it when Ruby, one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years, returns. But an angry town mob and a precocious twelve-year-old soon reveal to the others that there is a problem.

I plunged into this story and loved the manor and the quirky happens within. The witches run a distillery and sell to the locals. Queenie loves to experiment, Jezebel is a seductress, Ivy is magic with plants, Ursula is clairvoyant and Tabby connects with animals, particularly her crow named Widget. All use magic and found their way to the manor as children.

Their backstory was fascinating, as were their friendships and history. Imagine five sisters living under the same roof, all with very different personalities. It reminded me of Practical Magic and the TV series Golden Girls…lol

They are under pressure to pay their mortgage and have a hard deadline. To do that, they must confront the past and unravel a mystery. It was fun seeing all of their unique personalities work together. Queenie is a fixer who lugs around baggage in the form of guilt. She’ll do anything to right wrongs and save the manor.

Lots of magic from storms to tea leaves fed my love of all things witchy. Their game room was the stuff of Harry Potter. Clever, like quidditch, but I will leave you to discover the details for yourself.

The book embraces diversity with its rich flawed characters. Fans of magical houses, witches and mysteries will want to add this delightful tale to their fall reading list.

For me, this book is all about sisterhood, feminism, loving yourself and making the most of your talents. It’s a very unique book but it’s such fun to read and I really enjoyed it.
I will admit the unusual writing style took me a while to get into but once I did it became familiar and comfortable. It’s mostly written in the present tense which isn’t common in the books I usually read. Each chapter was really short and they were told from different character’s perspectives which kept the story flowing and allowed me to develop a really strong sense of each woman. At the end of each chapter is a cute recipe/spell which I thought was really fun too.
I loved the shenanigans and attitudes of the 5 women who live in Moonshyne Manor and I enjoyed exploring them all and learning more about each one. They all had their own strengths and vulnerabilities/worries and at times I completely forgot they were in their 80s as they were so forward thinking and vibrant. My favourite was Queenie I think as she often seemed as though she needed to protect the group and was sometimes more of a mother figure than a sister. I also loved the character of Persephone too – a very clever and amusing young lady.
The story is told through past and present and I enjoyed both aspects thoroughly. The past delves into how the sisterhood came together and their upbringing and troubles whilst the present goes into their fight to keep their beloved home and to be treat as equals and part of the community. This book provoked such a variety of emotion in me I found myself angered by the treatment of the women past and present and also chuckling away at their antics as well as warmed by their friendship and loyalty.
I have a feeling this book may mean something different to each person who reads it and that makes it really special. Such a unique book and a joy to read.

Heist gone wrong with elderly, modern day witches sets the stage for this fun book! I loved the characters in this book and made me wish to one day be an elderly witch!

"Why we were taught to fear witches, and not the men who burned them?"

This is a fun entertaining read and I think it's a perfect read for halloween, it's so atmospheric.
It has hocus pocus and pratical magic vibes. Quirky powerful witches, strong sisterhood and lots of fun naughty wonderful magic stuff. I adore each main characters and that little darling Persephone is just so awesome, I admire her bravery dan inteligence. Each sister has their unique power, each has tragic background that bonded them together since child, so yeah the sisterhood story here is heartwarming and heartbreaking. There's also mystery and secrets, each chapter revealed something that got me excited for the next chapter, that's what makes this book a page-turner one. Lots of presentations here too and some social commentary about heavy topics that really close to home. I got all the feelings, from sadness to happiness, I got the suspense too, I laugh a lot and I really enjoy those witches in action. Bottom line is I love this book.

Definitely highly recommended, a perfect read for halloween, a fun entertaining atmospheric witches story with a lot of love and laughter.

Bianca Marais is a talented writer and I have loved her previous work so I was very excited for the opportunity to read The Witches of Moonshyne Manor. In this latest novel, a sisterhood of witches learns they may lose their home if they don't pay a large sum of money to the local bank. Several male townspeople are eager for the witches to move on as they have big plans to demolish the manor and bring in a new male-dominated business. In order to make the payment, the witches must sell an ancient artifact in their possession to the Dark Wizard, Charon. The only problem? They don't know the location of that ancient artifact and the only witch who does is in jail. As the sisters come to terms with actions from their past, they must band together to find this ancient artifact and save their manor.

What I liked about this book:
There were several moments of humor in this book and I appreciate how Marais writes about the witches' friendships and the bond these women shared. Perhaps one of my favorite characters is Persephone along with her dog, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the italian greyhound, and I loved how the witches embraced Persephone and welcomed her into their group. Lastly, I appreciated the overall tone of accepting all people for who they are and who they are meant to be.

What didn't work for me:
I struggled with keeping track of all the characters for awhile and really getting to know each witch. I needed a summary of characters to keep track of everyone. Additionally, the story felt jumbled at times and the pace felt slow. More editing would have been useful for this story.

Overall, I still love this author and will continue to read what she writes but this was not as well done as her previous work.

I might have stewed over how to rate this book, but have finally decided that the entertainment value and the adorably fun old women made this book an experience I'll remember...

Reading about witches in their eighties was incredible fun. In alternating pov's we follow Ursula, Ruby, Tabitha, Queenie, and Jezebel as they get ready for Ruby to return home after being away for years. We then start learning about the heist thirty-three years before, that went horribly wrong and changed the course of all of their lives.

"One day, not too long ago, she was sugar and spice, and all things nice, and now she's hot peppers and sass, blowing smoke up your ass."

There were a lot of quirky, fun and downright hilarious moments in this book. Bianca gives you so many variations of the grandmother vibes, with steal-your-heart and laugh-out-loud moments. The mystery of what actually happened to Tabitha (Tabby), had me hooked til the big reveal, it was really interesting.

P.S. There are some hilarious spells at the end of a lot of these chapters, like 'Jezebel's Full Bush Care'.

I loved it!! It's a different experience... Also, thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a copy of the book to read and review..

I absolutely loved the author’s last two novels, and both were five star reads for me. So naturally, my hopes were high for her latest. It honestly pains me to say that I simply was not a fan. I wanted to love this book so much, but sadly just couldn’t get into it. It started off strong. I loved the quirky, witty, sassy, and spicy witches. I was getting some major Hocus Pocus vibes, and I was excited to see where the story would go. About halfway through, things took a major turn for me. With too many characters, and a confusing plot, it was difficult for me to form any kind of connection to the story. Unfortunately, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor just couldn’t hold my interest, and was a bit of a letdown for me. I’ll still read anything Marais writes, and will hopefully be completely wowed by her next novel.

I already know that The Witches of Moonshyne Manor will be one of my favorite books for the fall. Beyond its witchy story, the characters are simply magical. Someone online said that The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is akin to Practical Magic meets The Golden Girls, and quite honestly, the comparison couldn’t be more accurate.

Each of the ladies in The Witches of Moonshyne Manor have distinct personalities, but they come together to create this wonderful chosen family. They love each other like sisters and its so much fun to read. Like the Golden Girls and Practical Magic, these women push the boundaries of societal norms, creating space and love within the manor for everyone regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or beliefs.

The feminist vibes are extraordinary. So much strong womanhood it almost bursts from the page. Everything, even the smallest details, are so wonderfully quirky from the dog named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the potion for a beautiful lady bush. I cant get enough of these characters, I kind of hope there’s a sequel just so that I can go back to the manor.

Conclusion
The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is easily one of my favorite magical realism novels.

This is a highly entertaining book but it’s also a book that deals with topics like misogyny, power plays, aging, sex positivity and inclusivity.
All these topics are woven into the plot but never push the urban fantasy plot in the background or make this book a political essay.
I loved these women, I love the old and the young. Each of them plays a part in the disaster and in the solution.
The world building and the plot are excellent and I liked the fun part. I laughed, rooted for these women and had a lot of fun.
This one of those books which can cause sleep deprivation due to keeping reading till late in the night. It’s also high on fun scale.
I would be happy to read other stories featuring these characters as I loved them.
I strongly recommend this book because it’s compelling, gripping, and well written.
Many thanks to MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marias
Paranormal witch mystery with older characters and telling a story that happened in the past but has impacted current day. Includes a magical transgender character.
The witches in the manor are a made family. They are elderly and are waiting for one of their own to come home. The local men’s counsel wants the witches out and is calling the debt. The witches have only until midnight on All Hallows’ Eve to pay the debt or the house will be bulldozed.

Last names of the men and families in the town are clearly descendants of the time of the Salem Witch Trials. Young Persephone is a delight. She’s smart and creative and I felt bad for her home situation. The witches themselves are amusing with their quirks and idiosyncrasies. Secrets are slowly revealed as the story unfolds. A few twists I could see coming but they were integral and revealed with effective writing techniques.

I enjoyed this magical witches story.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

A great read for fall! Reminds me a lot of Practical Magic which is one of my favorite movies. I loved the themes of feminism and sisterhood combined with the magical element

Unfortunately this book was not for me.. i honestly just could not get into it. I never felt a connection to the main characters. Soo this was a pass for me

#TheWitchesOfMoonshyneManor: ⁣
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“that’s what doubt does; it slips through the chinks in our defenses, eroding all sense of self until the only voice that should matter becomes the one that we don’t recognize anymore.” ⁣
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The Witches of Moonshyne Manor was such a treat! It was such a sex positive, empowering, celebration of friendship. There’s a heist, a quirky older/younger generation friendship, a capuchin w/sticky fingers, and a grimoire I’m jealous isn’t real. ⁣
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We follow Queenie, Ursula, Jezebel, Ruby, and Tabby as their home of Moonshyne Manor is about to be demolished. They’re behind on their mortgage and the bitties of their town can’t wait to take over. But, Ruby knows the secret location of something that will make all their troubles go away. She’s just.. not there yet to help. With time running out, they have to devise a plan to save the manor. ⁣
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I really enjoyed their friendship. They were all different in their own way and gave so much to the story. Some of the alternating timeline was a bit confusing, but the characters and their personalities helped grasp the timeline. An older generation befriending a younger person is one of my favorite things. So when Persephone came along with RBG, my heart went soft with glee. This book is a very sex positive book and the women are getting pleasure in their 70s/80s. (Starts prayer circle all my friends have the same luck 50 years from now) ⁣
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I did an audio/reading combo and loved the audio. Amy Landon did a great job! What I liked most about the audio is that it gave us the characters in the very beginning as a guide, I didn’t have that in my ARC (it may be in the finished copy?) The audio was always a chapter ahead, so that threw me off when I picked up the book. The grimoire pages were so cool! The different potions and ingredients were so different and neat. I love recipes in books, so obviously I’m going to love a spell or potion recipe. ⁣
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It gave me Practical Magic for 2022. I feel like this would be a perfect fall read with while you’re sipping your PSL. Thank you so much @_mira_books_ @harperaudio for the gifted copies! TWOMM is out the 23rd! ⁣
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QOTD: Who is your favorite witch?

Bianca Marais is one of my must-read authors. Born in South Africa, she now lives in Toronto and Canadian readers have whole-heartedly embraced this talented author as one of our own.

I have been a big fan of Bianca's since reading her first book many years ago. The Witches of Moonshyne Manor has a different feel compared to her earlier books (Hum If You Don't Know The Words, If You Want To Make God Laugh & The Prynne Viper) - all of which I highly recommend reading. I enjoyed this fun romp through the lives and tribulations of a quirky coven of octogenarian witches who find themselves floundering when a heist goes sideways and their only recourse is to smash the patriarchy that threatens them and their livelihood.

Two of the things that stood out for me were the story's focus on the strength and power that comes from female relationships and Marais' wonderful attention to gender and all its beautiful and diverse fluidity. Admittedly, it took me a bit to get into the story and meet all of the characters, but once this Practical Magic meets The Golden Girls story takes off, I found myself pulled into the lives of these feisty women and the social themes Marais weaves into her story gave me much to think about.

This is a spellbinding tale about the power of women who live life on their own terms (thank you very much!), identity and family in all its many forms. It is a entertaining read that includes humour, intrigue, important social commentary, a gaggle of witchy recipes and a cluster of cool old dames who would be a hoot and a half to hang out with.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to MIRA for my complimentary advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

A mob is coming after Moonshyne Manor. The mayor and the city members want to tear it down for commercial real estate. But, the coven of witches that live there are not giving up easily. This is their home and they will fight till the death…oops…it may come down to that in the end!

This book started strong and had me laughing out loud. It did slow down a bit in the middle and could have been a good bit shorter. But, I found it creative and engaging, especially where Persephone is concerned. I mean…she has a dog named Ruth Bader Ginsburg for goodness sakes! It goes around with a crocheted collar. What’s not to love!?!

This is more than fun novel…it is that, but it touches on a lot of todays issues. So, it has some serious situations which just add to this fantastical tale.

Need a good story about friendship with strong feminist feelings which will have you laughing out loud…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I made it! Happy book birthday to Bianca Marais!

The witches of Moonshyne Manor are getting up in years. They may not have quite the zip and sass they had when they were younger. Their magic may not be as strong as once it was. But when the men of Critchley Hackle – the same men who’ve been enjoying the fruits of the witches’ labor in the form of liquor from the Moonshyne Manor Distillery – come as an angry mob to take the Manor away from the witches, they aren’t going to take that lying down.

Sure, they’re behind on their mortgage payments. A lot behind. But Queenie, the leader of the coven, has a plan. All they have to do is find a magical artifact that’s been lost for decades before Charon comes to collect it. They give him the artifact, he gives them a pile of cash sufficient to get their mortgage caught up. No problem. But when it becomes clear that Ruby – who’s been away from the coven for decades and who was their last, best hope for finding the missing artifact – is in no shape to help them find what’s been lost, things are looking bleak.

This is a delightful read! The “sisters” of Moonshyne Manor are a found family, not a family created by birth. Bianca Marais introduces us to them and unveils each of their personalities through current events and flashbacks. Each sister has her own magical style, as well as her own secret that has been kept for many years. They’ve got to use all resources at their disposal to have a chance of saving their home. Will they have to reveal their secrets? And will those secrets tear their family apart even if they save their home?

You might think a book with a bunch of elderly heroines isn’t your jam. Enter Persephone. Persephone is the precocious teenage daughter of the town’s mayor (you know, the mayor who’s heavily invested in the witches losing their home so his big development can move forward). She shows up determined to help the witches smash the patriarchy, and she’ll use every tool at her disposal to do it, including a TikTok livestream. I love her and her aging greyhound, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There are some hilarious moments as young and old try to bridge the technological and cultural gaps, and they manage pretty well.

Even with the flashbacks, I found the story pretty easy to follow. It took me a bit getting into it, but once I did, it was hard to put down. The heist scenes are hilarious and nail-bitingly stressful all at the same time. I waited with bated breath to see how the revealing of each secret would affect the group. And there were some tense moments reading to see if the sisters would be able to keep their deal with the devil and save their home from the bank. It all wrapped up pretty neatly (a little too neatly, maybe?), but the big push to the reveal was a lot of fun.

There are some instances of nudity and some intimate situations. If those aren’t your jam, this might not be the book for you. They weren’t dealbreakers for me. Mayhem, skullduggery, a generations-old grudge, a quest to find what was lost, secrets kept and revealed, found family, and the healing, redeeming power of sisterhood. All these things combine to make it a solid four-star read for me. I’d like to read some of Marais’ other works now!

This book hooked me with “five octogenarian witches” and “magical heist-gone-wrong”. It was just too tempting, and I was in the mood for a change of pace in my reading. It certainly didn’t disappoint.

I’ve seen several comparisons to The Golden Girls and Practical Magic, and they’re pretty accurate. These five witches may not be blood-related, but they’re most definitely a family and have been together since they were children. With five different personalities, a couple of them very strong ones, the women occasionally clash and go head to head, but love each other unconditionally. Their quips and banter (especially Jezebel’s comments and antics) kept me laughing throughout the book. With multiple POVs, I was never confused, and the recipes for potions at the end of some chapters are nice additions and cleverly written.

When the women are on the verge of losing their home, a magical heist and a dangerous deal seem to be their only solutions to staying off the streets, but it may be more than they bargained for. I was enthralled by the descriptions of their quirky house that included so many rooms – a lab, greenhouse, and very unusual fireproof gameroom among them. Persephone, teen daughter of the mayor and an ambitious young feminist, is a wonderful addition to the story and teaches the witches about the wonders of the internet and social media. She’s accompanied by her Italian Greyhound, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I loved the way the witches bring her into their circle and become kind of surrogate grandmothers.

This is a light-hearted read I thoroughly enjoyed that also contains a bit of a mystery. I adored each of these women, and this quote from the novel describes them perfectly – “Aging Gracefuly is a bore. Aging disgracefully is something to be proud of.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After several decades together, the witches of Moonshyne Manor have gotten used to their comfortable rhythm of routine incantations and cocktail hours. But when forces beyond their control threaten their beloved home and the very existence of their coven, they'll have to dredge up the most painful parts of their shared past. Can they find a way to forge a new future and still keep their sisterhood intact?

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is a whimsical tale of sisterhood, identity, belonging, and finding power in the wisdom of old age. Each of the witches is imbued with delightful personality, from Jezebel's scandalous antics to Queenie's stoic self-reliance, and their deep and enduring love for one another is palpable from the first page. Best of all, these witches are funny as all heck, always armed with a witty retort or snarky comeback for those who wish them harm. It's all set against a backdrop of wonder and magic and the fascinating ways their powers intertwine with the natural world. I have just one question about the manor: When can I move in?

This one was not for me. The content in the beginning made me uncomfortable and the plot was slow moving, so I didn’t finish. Thanks for the opportunity!