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.

This is a wonderfully cozy little adventure with a small, magical town, a talking cat, a woman who may or may not turn her B&B guests into frogs … and a lot of fun. The plot is fairly straightforward and, as the first book in a series, has a lot of setup, introducing this person and that, this shop, that road, this witch, that witch and the witch way over there, which leaves little time for romance. There are hints of it, though, here and there, with three possible candidates — the mysterious police chief who comes out after dark, the quiet librarian, and the human barista boy, and as yet no indication which way the witch will go.

I enjoyed this for what it was, a pleasant evening’s read with some snacks, some music, and some tea. It’s comfortable, charming, and a good start. I’m off to read the next book, now!

I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for granting me access to an advanced reader copy