This series keeps getting more and more fun. I continue to enjoy the brand of magic Josie has and how she continues to use and grow her powers. More hijinks and sticking noses where they shouldn't, along with a little sister in town creates conundrums and more stress in this fourth book of a series where a small town librarian helps solve murders while providing the best book recommendations possible. The family dynamic of a sibling wanting to protect their sister while simultaneously letting them make their own mistakes adds depth and frankly gets an understanding nod from me. If you are looking for some development in relationships, family, and magic with a side of solving crimes this one is for you.

In Witch Upon a Star we meet Josie’s sister Jean. I have enjoyed each of the Witch Way Librarian mysteries. I enjoyed Witch Upon a Star as well.
Josie is a fun character. I love the library setting. I like how Josie is learning to be a witch and how she interacts with books.
Jean comes to Wilfred for a life coach workshop. Cookie, the leader of the workshop, is charismatic and seems to have a talent for persuasion. The mystery centers around the workshop and murders that happen at the beginning of the workshop.
There were some good suspects. The author does a good job of obscuring the root of what is behind the unrest.
I happily recommend Witch Upon a Star. I read it in just a couple of days, staying up late to finish when I got to a critical point.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Cozies for the opportunity to review this book.

Josie is one of those characters that readers either love or hate. This time around, they will definitely love her! After all, what’s not to love about a murder mystery that involves spellbound books at the library, a sister who comes to visit and attend a life coach workshop, and not one but two murders within a few hours?

The assembled cast of characters brings together fans who love the regular players right alongside new and exciting characters that keep them guessing. The library’s books are spellbound and give Josie hints about the nature of the murders; they also do their best to protect her from harm. The workshop aspect is not new to the cozy genre, but in this case, it gives readers a way to look inside the suspects' minds without giving away the ending. The murderer is elusive, while the evidence can be challenging to figure out. But in the end, Josie finds the killer and manages not to get herself killed in the process.

I got a kick out of Josie’s sister. I understand her need to find her way in the world or within her family while another sibling gets all the attention. The life coaching workshop seems to be custom-made for Jean, who doesn’t know about Josie’s magic and the spellbound books that help her solve crimes. The story unfolds in a way that will make readers happy. The plot is easy to understand without too much detail that would bog down the pace. The author knows what she is doing, and Witch Upon a Star proves that she has a bit of magic of her own.

Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders has Jean coming to Wilfred for a workshop and staying with Josie at the library.

How is Josie going to keep Jean safe?

Josie and Jean Way
Josie is happy to have her baby sister staying with her for as long as the life coach workshop occurs. It's been quite a while since the last book ended to the beginning of this one. Josie is happy with the way life is going for her. Of course, Josie is having an extra hard time with her grandma's magic lessons letter. I can see it being an ongoing trouble game for her not to be butting into other people's business.

Jean Way, the youngest of the Way sisters, is here to take this once-in-a-lifetime small life coach workshop in Wilford by this renowned life coach expert Cookie Masterson with the "Ready-Set-Go" formula that has helped Cookie with everything in life. She is excited to take the workshop even though both her mom and Josie think she drank the Kool-Aid, making it seem like Cookie is running a cult with all her crumbs just falling in line. I at first thought she did too, but part of me was like, let's see how Jean does.

I have to say that Jean started to become one of my favorite characters, as I loved how she ended up helping Josie.

The Mystery
Josie finds a dead body in the cafe that just recently reopened, and Jean, along with the other workshop attendees, finds the dead body of a workshop participant in a separate room. Josie's dead body also has written "Ready-Set-Go" in blood on one of the paper placemats. Josie, Sam, and Jean are on the case to determine if the two deaths are connected and have something to do with the workshop. In Jean's case, she ensures that her sister doesn't railroad Cookie as Cookie couldn't be responsible for the deaths. I got who did it, but I was shocked at the why and how that person excepted to get away with it.

Five Stars
Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders lets us see Josie's dynamic with at least one of her sisters. I absolutely loved Jean and how her little magical touch of healing works. Jean will go far, and I hope she won't keep spouting off the Ready-Set-Go method for much longer. Josie being with Jean definitely helped her out even though she was the mother hen with Jean. Another character I missed was Darla, so I'm glad she is back and running her cafe.

I am giving five stars to Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders and a recommendation to anyone who loves a good, Cozy Paranormal Holiday Mystery. Granted, it is set in December, but who knows when so I'm still calling it a Holiday Mystery. Now to wait to see how the many things in this installment affect what will play out in the next one.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders is another fantastic book in the Witch Way Librarian Cozy Mysteries and one of my favorite Paranormal Cozy Series!

I am enchanted with Josie being able to hear books talk to her and to have them help her figure things out and stand as sentinels to protect her and the library. Sometimes they get her in trouble when they make her suggest a book on acne when the library patron comes in looking for a completely different book… which I find amusing. As a book lover and library worker for over 14 years, I would love to have this ability.

And, Rodney, her black cat familiar, is fantastic. He actually helps her out with magical things, when he is not being sassy or snuggling up to a warm fire. I really like this because oftentimes in paranormal cozies the familiar is just there and really doesn't do anything.
Besides Rodney, this series is filled with lots of other great characters, and we get to meet Josie’s sister, Jean. Although Jean doesn’t seem to have any magical powers, you can tell they are just beneath the surface, and I’m interested to see how Sanders will reveal them in a future book.

Whew! Josie must do her job as a librarian, persuade her sister Jean to focus, hide her abilities from Jean, and......figure out who is murdering people in her small town and protect Jean from that villain! Luckily, she's working with Sheriff Sam and her cat Rodney (never discount the cat). This latest in the series retains the charm of Josie, a woman struggling to understand her witchy powers, and adds a little excitement to the mix. In many ways it's classic kinda paranormal cozy and that's a good thing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read that will be fine as a standalone.

Wading through this disjointed mess of a story was honestly a struggle. Even set in world that has magical elements in it, this entire plot had completely unbelievable scenarios.

It’s a shame this series has been gradually getting less enjoyable. I don’t think I’m going to be continuing going forward.

I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end

This is the 4th book in the Witch Way Librarian Cozy Mystery series, but it was the first I had read. Overall I really liked it and will definitely have to check out the previous books. I didn’t have any trouble following the story despite not having read the others so I do believe like most cozy mysteries it can be read as a standalone. I really liked the unique take on magic in this one. Josie has a talent with books int hat they talk to her and give her information if it relates to what they have when she needs it. As I am a book lover it seems like the perfect magic talent that I had never even thought of. Josie’s sister Jean is visiting and taking part in an expensive life coach training retreat with Cookie. Jean is trying to get her family, Josie included, to see her as an adult making her own choices, but when it appears that some murders are connected to the retreat Josie can’t help but worry. This was a good mystery with some decent twists.

Witch Upon A Star
Fourth book in the Witch Way Librarian Mysteries
Librarian Josie Way tries to hide her magic from younger sister Jean who is in town to attend a
workshop at the retreat center with the goal of becoming a life coach. When an unidentified man is
found murdered in the town café, followed by the death of a workshop attendee, Josie becomes
concerned about her sister's safety. Who is the murdered man? Is he connected to the people at the
workshop? Why was the workshop attendee killed? Josie will do whatever it takes to uncover the
murderer to ensure her sister's safety.
#Witchuponastar #NetGalley

Title: Witch Upon A Star
Author: Angela M. Sanders
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Release date: May 23, 2023
***

What a wonderful book! It features an amateur sleuth/witch/librarian with the powers of bibliomancy, a black cat (familiar?), an empowerment retreat, a visiting sister who doesn't know about anything witchy, but could be in danger, a murder, and a cutie sheriff who's trying to find a killer....and keep the librarian next door (and her sister) safe. What more could you possibly need?

I love Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, and this series is fast becoming my favorite in the sub-genre. In fun and fast-paced and interesting. I can't wait to read what's next.

Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

A fun and quirky fantasy cozy mystery, this book is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. The pleasantly wacky town and the book-specific magic than the MC manifests make this novel outshine others in this subgenre. The MCs and supporting characters are endearing and affable. There's a little repetition and some wild sisterly sleuthing, but overall it's a decent rainy day or lunchbreak read.

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The librarian was always my favorite educator. I love this series and how books give Josie her magic and help her solve mysteries. The family dynamic of having her sister visit added much to her background. The budding romance with Sam added to her future. I found myself attempting to turn the page repeatedly because I wasn't ready for the book to end.

A cozy mystery set in the background of the beautiful Pacific Northwest with the premise of books and magic, it truly is as delightful as it sounds. Josie is a librarian with some "magical" abilities that unfold, much like the mystery itself as the novel progresses. Every question and suspicion in my head, the author is one step ahead. I loved the feeling of being kept on my toes and second guessing my guessing, lol. The beginning of a little slow to start but CHAPTER 13! That changed everything for me. The true GOLD is Josie's magic and what it allows her to do. Can't wait for another book in the series!

This is #4 in the Witch Way Librarian Mysteries Series. This is an another cute cozy mystery with Josie our witch librarian. I love that the books talk to her and help out with solving the murders.

These books are pretty stand alone but it’s better in order to build that relationship with the characters and seeing how the townsfolk side stories come about.
I never thought I would say this but I missed Roz and Lyndon since were on their honeymoon.

Man sometimes Josie is frustrating cause if she just slowed down she would really think things through and not do some of the silly things she does.
I do love all the magic with the books and so glad can share with her sister.
I did guess who the surprise murderer was but the other twists were fun and of course at the end I audibly said…. Finally!!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Cozies and Angela Sanders for a eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders is book #4 in the Witch Way Librarian Mysteries series. Josie Way is a witch. I find it fascinating that books give her clues to help solve mysteries when needed. They come in handy for protection too. In this book Josie needs to protect her sister Jean. Jean is pretty good at assisting Josie in this mystery. I really like the characters in this book. Josie and Jean have a good relationship. Then there's Sam Wilson - Josie realizes something very important about their relationship in this book. How Josie and Jean react when faced with danger really added to this storyline. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Been sick, so this book and others kept me entertained during recovery. Loved the interaction between the sisters, even as Josie has to keep her witch secret. Enjoy visiting this little kooky town and look foward to more

I loved Witch Upon a Star so much I’ve got my hands on the first 2 books in the series and have the 3rd on library request! I chose this book solely on the cover and the blurb and was not let down in any way. Even though it was the 4th in the series I found there was sufficient information to understand the connections and how the past effected this story.

Josie has only just discovered she is a witch and is still learning the ropes. She has a job as a librarian and can communicate with the books - they give her advice whether she wants it or not. Her youngest sister turns up on her doorstep as she is attending a wellness coaching workshop at the newly Wellness centre. The family is concerned as Jean has history of jumping from one job to another, usually on a whim, and always ending up in trouble. Josie’s mother has asked Josie to try and talk Jean out of this latest career move, whilst not revealing that she has magical powers.

Josie has her doubts about Workshop coach and two murders before the sessions start convinces her that things are not as they seem. Jean may be in danger but convincing her is difficult as she thinks her family is picking on her and are not taking her seriously. Josie is inclined to let Jean get on with it - but then Jean gets a threatening note so Josie decides to use her powers to help Sheriff Sam Wilfred work out who the murderer is.

They mystery is well written and had a few twists and turns. I did not work out who it was and why until all was revealed. I loved Josie, the books and the quirky characters. They all came alive on the pages as I read.

As I mentioned I have gone back and started reading the previous books in the series - which are just as good. Looking forwards to reading more!

First, the main character lives in a library! An actual magical library! (And who hasn't dreamed of this? Belle, I blame you.)

And the magic! Not since Charmed have I been so caught up in the lives of magical sisters!

Oh, and a cat that comes with the lodgings. 🐈‍⬛

"I silently bid good morning to the books, stopped again at the banister to take on the view." (Seriously, Angela Sanders, your writing has me well and truly enchanted.)

Throw in a cozy little mystery, and I'm all in.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This was the first of this series I read, and I absolutely loved it. It contained all of the things I love the most. mystery, romance, and magic.. If you love cozy mysteries, than you will enjoy this book.