What more could I want in a read , well this book met the criteria - a cosy mystery , witches , humour
and snarky banter
The vibe and banter between brother (the Ruiner !) and sister , Morgan , made me smile at times
and want to strangle him at others .
The extremely strange characters in Hollowbeck where they sought help to change him back
to a man were unusual to say the least , but also fun at the same time
But I did find the fact he was turned into a cat and her reaction to him was a little out of place initially ,
I found the storyline a little confusing at times , the connections between characters and places
left me struggling to put events together - that being said it was a fun , unpredictable read

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I knew by the title that I was probably going to like this one. I'm a sucker for a good, punny cozy mystery title, and this one certainly delivered. I enjoyed the brother/sister dynamic between Ruiner and Morgan. Ruiner honestly made a great cat. The town itself gave me a bit of a Once Upon a Time vibe, which was cool. This book was silly, fun and easy to read. Sure it was a little predictable at times and sometimes I was a bit confused trying to figure out how things connected and what exactly was happening. But I kind of feel like that's a part of cozy mysteries in general. I had a lot of fun while reading it, and that's what mattered to me. I think that readers that enjoy this genre will likely enjoy this one.

Witch Slap by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt is the first in a new series about Morgan Winters and her brother, who just happens to have been turned into a talking cat. While the two go to Hallowbeck, a village with some very strange people and vibes, in search of the witch who cursed him, they find her dead in her cauldron. And, the book gets crazier and more fun from there on. A very different and good cozy mystery, I would recommend this and it's sequel to anyone looking for a fun read.

4.5/5

I started the book thinking it's going to be similar to what I always read (but love), but it was not.

The whole setting of a magical town you can't find on a map was so weird but oddly refreshing. The town which is not like the cozy towns of other books, and is actually devoid of phones and internet seems like a dream, but then bad people exist everywhere.

I somehow also liked the main characters and their banters, but I think that they do need to have a good character growth after going through everything in the book.

This book is a collaboration of 2 authors, but I have not read any other books by them, however rhe next part of this book is definitely on my radar now.

I received a free copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

This was such a fun read. A light fantasy cozy mystery, a little slice of Halloween in the middle of summer!

There were a few spelling mistakes near the end, but I loved this book.

I utterly enjoyed the witchy atmosphere and the cozy mystery and horror behind this book.
The story never loses its grip, and all the characters are so well outlined, and I never got bored following Morgan and her cat - pardon, brother! - throught their several adventures in Hollowbeck (where I definitely want to go living, anybody can suggest me how to go there?).

I think the author knows well what her public wants to read. Somehow this book reminded me of Sabrina and True Blood book collection (without the spicy parts) and spoke to that part of me that wants to believe in magic and little magic towns. I couldn't ask for more!

Cute paranormal cozy. Really took off for me about a third of the way through. Morgan's life already at a real low...divorce, yucky job and crappy apartment...when her neer-do-well brother nicknamed Ruiner shows up asking for help as he has been turned into a cat. Without explaining who did this to him, he convinced her to take him to an odd little village searching for some magical assistance. Hollowbeck is charming with everyone friendly, yet somewhat strange. But once you're there, can you ever leave again. Rounding up from 3.5⭐s.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Morgan does not think her life can get much worse. She is living in a hovel and working a dead end job after her divorce from her two timing husband. That is until her brother shows up at her window. He has been the bane of her existence to the degree that she has nicknamed him Ruiner. This time his dilemma tops them all. Ruiner is a cat. What is more he wants her to travel with him to an unknown location where he thinks he can undo the spell that changed him.

After a very creepy drive in her ancient Volvo, they arrive in Hollowbeck. While outwardly it looks like a fantasy, there are some very deep and dark things going on in this mystical spot. Morgan realizes she has stumbled into something very weird when the first resident she meets is a dead witch half stuffed in her own caldron. Things are not going to get any less strange as she meets the citizens. Considering she never believed in magic, she takes it all in her stride. Might there be a reason she was led here. She is not going to know until she solves the murder and mystery that surrounds a book owned by the deceased. In the process she is going to face some great danger but in the end she is going to learn a lot about herself and those around her.

It was a fun story where it was impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. No wonder Morgan struggled. Looking forward to seeing where this tale will go next. Four purrs and two paws up.

I was giggling throughout the entire book. The banter between ruiner and Morgan is absolutely hilarious. The ending was not at all predictable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I would definitely recommend this for those who like cozy paranormals


This was an ARC which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 😊

The cover is beautiful and enticing, the blurb is intriguing. And all the vibes (characters, atmosphere) are whimsical and fun, but for some reason, I couldn't quite get very excited about it all. I think I'll try and return to it some other time.

Witch Slap Introduces us to the Magical town of Hollowbeck. Morgan is ready to start her new life until her brother shows up. He just needs a small favor. Nothing big. Just help him become human again. Oh, I forgot to mention, he's a cat. How does that lead to her becoming the number one suspect in a murder? How does she keep from becoming a frog? Why does the Detective in town only come out after dark? It looks like you need to read Witch Slap to find out. I loved this book. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Authors for letting me read an ARC copy.

I recieved a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I mostly review books for kids, but a rather high percentage of my pleasure reading consists of cozy mysteries with cats on the cover and supernatural mysteries where the narrator discovers she has magic and moves into a magical world, so this one was a natural.

Like most first books in such series, there's a lot of world building which tends to make the story lag a bit. I have to be honest-I rarely reread first books in ANY such series for that reason. But, the world created is compelling and I look forward to the second book, and it's worth picking this one up if you're a fan of the genre.

As is typical of cozy mysteries, while this is an "adult" fiction book, it contains absolutely nothing objectionable and would be a better fit for tween advanced readers than most YA labeled books, and would definitely be a fun read for teens who enjoy mysteries with supernatural elements and cats.

Witch Slap by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt is worth all five stars and more - never in a million haunted years have I expected myself to finish all 290 pages in less than an hour. You will too, I am certain.

Morgan Winters and Rainier Winters (aka The Ruiner) are on the adventure of a lifetime - but it isn’t all chamomile tea and good biscuits. Morgan is adjusting to life as a newly divorced woman when her brother shows up as a…. wait for it… T A L K I N G CAT!!!! How stellar? Morgan doesn’t think it’s very stellar. The Ruiner and their “Never Gives Up” sister, Morgan, navigate into the world of magic while they try to play detective with the murder of the only witch who can help them.

The characters in this book are well thought out. You see the development in the brother's role as you go about the stories. Morgan is a relatable individual who has this moment of strength toward about 80% of the book that is in itself worth the read. I loved all the non main characters and their back stories. The world building in this book was also so smooth, I found myself feeling like I was standing in the Cosy Cauldron looking for newly needed items.

The plot was not at all predictable. There were subtle twist and turns with “who was it?” that kept me fully engaged. As mentioned, I devoured this 290 page book in merely 45-50 minutes! I was left immediately needing more!

This would be a great book for someone who adores cozy paranormal and witchy mystery’s.

Morgan’s brother turns into a cat. They go to the magical town Hollowbeck to see if a witch can reverse the spell but find her dead body. This is a good paranormal story. I love witches. I like the writing style, the characters and the twist. A real recommendation. I’m already looking forward to the next book.
I received a review copy for free via Netgalley and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

An ok start to a cozy magical mystery series. The beginning was rather dreary, but main characters often have to get out of their previous living conditions before becoming immersed in the magical world, so I can get past that. I didn't like the constant bickering between Morgan and Rainer/Ruiner. The book was also a bit darker than I was expecting out of a cozy, and lacked the whimsical feel that I prefer. I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Trying to live a quiet mundane life, Morgan’s brother shows up and asks for help. Agreeing to go to Hollowbeck to find the witch who can help turn her brother back to his human form was the plan. Plans change.

Morgan finds the witch dead and her name is also found at the scene. There’s no other choice for Morgan than to find the killer and clear her name…and maybe get her brother squared away. While a cat may have nine lives, Morgan may Not be so lucky if she can’t figure things out before the killer gets to her.

A great start to a cute and cozy new series. I’m definitely down for the next book in this series!

This book has a good bit of potential and the premise definitely is a winner. It fell a bit short of living up fully to said potential but it is still an intriguing paranormal cozy mystery. Morgan gets a rather rude introduction to magic which perfectly caps off a life more or less in tatters. When Morgan's brother, Rainer, or Ruiner which may be more appropriate gets turned into a cat, Morgan must help him fix things. Again, she must help him fix things as his nickname somewhat alludes. Perhaps, though, he hasn't really ruined everything for Morgan as the life she was living was a half life and life in a magical town fully of quirky characters may be the perfect fresh start. Morgan was a bit of a challenge for me to understand. She is in her thirties but sometime red younger with her snarky at her brother and he attitude that things happened to her. At first, she was content to life as she did and I felt she needed to grow a backbone and start fighting for what she wanted. Again, I thought this was something the town could offer her. Yes, the characters were quirky and a mix of paranormal creatures which she glimpsed almost immediately with the woman tucking the snakes back in her bat. We also had a vampire, maybe, and a werewolf and of course, there were witches. There was also a mysterious book at the center of things that seemed to keep the mystery rolling. All of this zaniness was wrapped up in a town that on the surface look like a great small town but something darker lurked within.
I see a lot of potential for future books with a town full of characters to draw from. Morgan and her brother are rebuilding their relationship a bit and Morgan has found a home as the town witch. In the end when asked if she was staying you nearly felt a sense of peace settle over her when she said yes. But peace is overrated and I expect more drama for Morgan and her crew in Hollowbeck if the Ruiner doesn't ruin her chance. I am giving this book 3 stars but if i could i would give it 3.35 to 3.5.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I thought this was a delightful book. It was engaging and whimsical. The premise was unusual and the writing style was very good. I would definitely recommend this as a wonderful beach read or anytime read.

"Witch Slap (The Hollowbeck Paranormal Cozy Mysteries #1)" by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt has some good potential for a paranormal cozy mystery series. My main issue is that the main character seems a bit too immature for her age. I'm hoping she grows and matures some more as the books go on as it seems that maybe what is hinted at in the last paragraph of the book. She's just very abrasive and nothing is her fault, it's because of someone else. It'd be nice to see some bonding or relationship building between her and her brother (turned cat) as well. The constant arguing and threats to each other got a bit old quick.

Despite those character flaws the setting was quite interesting and very witchy paranormal. The cop maybe some sort of vampire. There may be a werewolf bar where owner. Nothing out and out confirmed but very much hinted at. The town itself has to be found because you have the ability to, been invited to or it's the very set time span of tourist season. There's witches and other types of magical beings too.

The mystery part kept me guessing. Though a good chunk of it was over just trying to find the magical book that everyone seemed to want. Since it became more about the book it ended up throwing me off a bit about who the culprit who started all the problems was. In the end, it made sense who did it. It also made sense what had happened to the book.

#WitchSlap #NetGalley is a fun, colorful cozy mystery that kept me laughing throughout the story.
Morgan Winters has a boring life in her mind, but when her brother Rainier, aka as Ruiner, turns up as a cat, her life spins out of control and she does her best to get through the bizarre things she sees.
Her brother needs her to find a spell book that will hopefully return him to human form, but it won't be as easy as it seems.
This is a fun spin on a paranormal book and I enjoyed every page.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.