Spells and Sandwiches
West Side Witches, Book 1
by Kate Moseman
Narrated by Hollie Jackson

I received an ARC of this audiobook from Netgalley

Zelda Hawkins has moved back to Manhattan in order to open up her witch grandmother’s sandwich shop. She learned magic and how to cook from her grandmother.

Zelda quickly forms an intricate circle of friends and family.
Lily (her younger cousin)
Daniel (her upper class ex that knows about magic)
Barron (a handyman intent in helping her for mysterious reasons)
Poppy (a mind-reading fire witch and Zelda’s new roommate)
Victorine (a patron vampiress that hires Zelda for a very important side project)
James (a vampire)
Bruce (her brother who lives in D.C.)
And a couple of cute dogs

Zelda basically goes back and forth between remodeling the sandwich shop and working on the side project. There are forces helping her & forces intent on thwarting her.

The book felt very slow to me. I had to listen at 1.25x speed just for it to keep my attention. The world-building, character building, and plot were all good, just slow.

Hollie Jackson does a good job narrating if you can handle 1.25x speed.

I am iffy on recommending this book. It is good, and the story has merit, but the slow pace may put some readers off. If you’re willing to speed up the audiobook - I recommend this book.

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.

This was a short and sweet palate cleanser. Zelda, a witch who can absorb powers, moves to NYC after inheriting her grandmother’s sandwich shop. An old, powerful vampire approaches her about repairing a mirror that Zelda’s grandmother has once spelled to keep the Fae locked away.

The supporting characters brought so much to this story’s. And the narrator was great! I listened to this in one sitting.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced audio copy!

This was a pretty cute paranormal rom-com read. While there is light world building this is not a the aim of the book. I really enjoyed the story, it felt fresh.

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Kate Moseman for an ARC of Spells and Sandwiches audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick listen with vibrant characters and cozy fantasy themes with an older FMC who is trying to maintain ties to her past while finding herself and her life’s purpose. As a mood reader, this is typically the type of story I would read during the autumn months and so I found myself struggling to become really invested in the story. I believe there was a cohesiveness that was also missing between three of the main plot points within the overall story, so they didn’t feel as fleshed out as they could have been in order to bring the whole story together. Lastly, I was looking forward to a more mature heroine, however she read young to me.

Overall it was enjoyable and cozy read with an intriguing premise.

Spells and sandwiches was such a fun, cozy read! The narrator was fabulous, and I will be looking for more by her.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a cute and quick read

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advance read copy.

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.

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.

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!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity! When Zelda, a witch, gets the chance to take over her grandmother’s sandwich shop in New York City, she realizes she can only afford to fix and restart the shop with the “help” of vampires. Faced with an offer she can’t refuse, Zelda faces danger, collects a band of misfits, and uses her magic once again.
I felt that the characters were deep and well developed, the settings were well described, and the storyline was fun. Looking forward to reading more of this series!

So cute and witchy with vampires! Very easy and quick to listen to. I really enjoyed this book and I will look out for more!

Spells and Sandwiches was perfection! I downloaded this audiobook and I day later I finished it and was wishing I had the next one to binge listen to! Perfect for summerween or spooky season!

A cute, quick read with witches, vampires, and a little black poodle! Didn't particularly stand out to me, but it was enjoyable to listen to while doing other things.

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!

"Spells and Sandwiches" is a deliciously entertaining dive into the magical underbelly of Manhattan. Zelda Hawkins, an endearing and relatable heroine, finds herself swept into a whirlwind of supernatural shenanigans when she inherits her grandmother's old restaurant—and a powerful magical mirror.

Kate Moseman deftly blends the mundane with the fantastical, creating a vibrant world where vampires offer real estate deals, and witches wield magic alongside sandwiches. The diverse cast of supporting characters, including a mind-reading fire witch, a smoldering ex-boyfriend, and a hipster renovation expert, provide ample humor and charm.

While the premise of repairing a magical mirror may seem straightforward, Moseman skillfully weaves in layers of intrigue and danger, hinting at broader mysteries and higher stakes lurking beneath the surface. The inclusion of various supernatural races, from witches and vampires to fae, adds depth and richness to the worldbuilding.

With its fast-paced narrative, clever humor, and sizzling romantic undertones, "Spells and Sandwiches " is a delightful urban fantasy romp that will leave readers craving more adventures with Zelda and her quirky crew. Fans of cozy yet thrilling magical tales with a touch of romance will find plenty to enjoy in this entertaining read.

Spells and Sandwiches (West Side Witches #1) by Kate Moseman
Narrated by Hollie Jackson
Publisher: Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Sci Fi & Fantasy, Women's Fiction
Published: May 03, 2023 | Archive Date Jul 07 2024

Spells and Sandwiches is the first book in the West Side Witches series by Kate Moseman. This was such a fun read with great characters and a wonderful storyline.

The narration by Hollie Jackson was wonderful! She did such a great job bringing each of the characters to life!

I can't wait to dive into the other books in the series!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have been in the mood for cozy fantasy and this was right up my alley! I only wished I read this during the colder seasons, so I had an excuse to bundle in the covers and cozy up with the book. I highly recommend for those wanting cozy witch series!

Spells and Sandwiches is the first book in a new cozy fantasy series. I absolutely adored the FMC and all her fun quirks! I'm looking forward to reading more in this series! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator Hollie was so talented and really brought all these characters to life, I'm going to be looking for more audiobooks with her narratoring for sure! Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced audio!

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was a nice light listen. I liked how the character of Zelda developed her magic and she as well as the other characters had really interesting powers. I think I would have liked a bit more of the backstory of the characters. I liked how cute the pets in the book are. The narrator made the book entertaining to listen to too. The friendship in the book was also lovely and how helpful a lot of the characters were. It was also exciting to listen to the renovation of the sandwich restaurant and how it finally became good enough to be open. Overall a great listen with an interesting plot.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my opinion on this audiobook.