Iris and Marigold and the rest of her family have deep roots in Moon ridge. There is something very special about their winery and the locals know it. Their magic imbues the vines and the wine with only positive but this All Hallows Eve, Iris feels there is something negative lurking around her ancestral home. She has found dark talismans that she and Marigold have been able to ward off. They are not able to keep all bad things away when a visiting academic is found dead in the vineyard clutching a black stone that throbs with menace and power.

Iris knows the future of her family hinges on her discovering the meaning of the stone and discovering the identity of whomever wishes them ill. What she does not anticipate is some dark secrets about her family and some unexpected talents that are ready to blossom. This witchy family makes for enjoyable reading and the little twists add to that. Four purrs and two paws up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nancy Stewart for the ARC of "All Hallows Hex" in exchange for an honest review.

This a splendid fall read! A lovely family of witches, a winery, a Samhain festival, a possible budding romance, AND murder mystery all in one? SIGN. ME. UP! I enjoyed the banter among family members as well as the witchy references and spells. Everything about this was cozy.

I wish it were longer and more time was spent building the atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed it, however it just left me wanting more. I wanted to spend more time in Moonridge. Which perhaps is a good thing since I will definitely be anticipating the sequel! The murderer reveal, although predictable and believable, felt like it came really fast, almost to the point of being anticlimactic. I wish there had been more development of the other suspects.

Even so, this was a cute, quick, sweet read that satisfied my mystery-loving heart and love of witchy, fall vibes. I will be recommending to patrons as well as to my friends!

Overall, this book was definitely cozy. However, I would have been more interested if this book had focused on the characters and their lives rather than the mystery. The pacing was sometimes too slow, but most of the time, it felt like it was on fast forward. This book struggled to keep my attention, and despite it being a short length, it took me several days to read it. The mystery was a bit too easy to solve while also leaving plot holes that were never explained. The smaller side conflicts were solved so quickly it made me wonder why they were even mentioned. I was not a huge fan of this book, but I know others will enjoy it.

4.25⭐
Well-done witchy cozy with a particular twist where Iris is dealing with perimenopause and widowhood. The Winterthornes are known for their wines and the yearly festival at Samhain is soon. Most in the town may suspect their success is augmented by magic, but it's not out in the open. However, it seems someone wants their winery to fail. While I really enjoyed this book, I loved how it ended setting up for the next books in a series. And I can't wait to read them.

In the small town of Woodridge, California, the Windthorne family manages a winery. Towards Halloween they make the finishing touches on Moonshadow Reserve, a witchy wine that helps bridge the gap during the night of Halloween with family members who have passed. The Windthorne family manages the winery using a lot of druidic/witchy practices to manage their wine. Many of these are very similar to the biodynamically made wines of today. A professor comes in to learn of these practices but there seems to be something else dark going on. This is a great Halloween/fall book. I look forward to more in this series.

Follows the Windthorne Family & their magical ties to their wine farm. I picked up on the plot from the beginning. So for me this read was just okay.

Overall, it was quick witchy read that matched for the month of October. However, there isnt much development of characters and the plot was predictable.

Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to arc read this cute cozy witchy small town mystery story.. This book has witches wine and mystery mixed with a little bit of romance.. The story follows a family who owns a vineyard and they make magical wine.. They are preparing for their festival when they find signs of dark magic and a murder happens.. One of the sisters takes the investigation, a step further to try and figure out what happened who done it doing her research she finds more than she bargained for.. this was a quick easy read ,a good pallet cleanser. If you love cute cozy witchy mystery’s, you will like this . 3.5 stars from me .

A witchy book in October? Yes please! This was the cozy witchy mystery I was craving. If you like witches, solving a puzzle and halloween ish vibes, this book is for you. I read it in one sitting and I'm glad I did. Very cute.

When historian is murdered during the Samhain festival, Iris can’t ignore that something isn’t quite right at the winery. someone has been leaving curses and trying to hex the vineyard. But who and why? That’s exactly what Iris and Marigold need to figure out. But they figure it out where is the one yielding the dark magic going to succeed and put an end to the Windthorne witches?

The first entry in this series really establish the characters even more. I cannot wait for the century in the series! There’s so much that can be done between the paranormal, the wine, and the family aspects. I think my favorite character is actually the family matriarch. I want to be her when I grow up!

All Hallows Hex about the Windthorne family of witches is a charming, easy read perfect for October time.
It’s a small town murder mystery with a magical twist, based around the Samhain festival at the Windthorne family’s vineyard.

The story is easily read in a couple of sittings & is a perfect cosy Autumn book.

Such a cute witchy story perfect for Halloween! I loved the characters and the family vibes. It wasn't anything that wowed me or changed my world but it was definitely cute and a fun read!!

Book Review: All Hallows Hex: A Witchy Cozy Midlife Mystery by Nancy Stewart

Rating: 4 Stars

First off, let me just say that I had a blast reading All Hallows Hex—it’s like a warm cup of herbal tea on a chilly autumn day! This cozy mystery has everything you could want: witches, wine, and a sprinkle of the weird. Set in the charming wine town of Moonridge, California, we meet the Windthorne sisters, Iris and Marigold. They’re not just any sisters; they’re witches who whip up the most magical wine in the region—Moonshadow Reserve! Just when they think they’re about to enjoy the annual Samhain festival, things take a dark turn when a historian turns up dead in their vineyard. Talk about a buzzkill!

As Iris dives into the whodunit, she uncovers some seriously dark magic that threatens not only her family but also the festival they’ve been working so hard to prepare for. With the veil between worlds thinning, Iris races against time to piece together the clues and protect her loved ones from sinister forces. The journey is packed with family drama, a touch of chaos, and plenty of midlife musings that really resonate with us middle aged ladies.

What I loved how this book is how it strikes that perfect balance between witchy vibes and small-town charm. The world-building is delightful—the atmosphere feels just right for getting into the Halloween spirit. Stewart's writing style easy to read. The characters have this warm familiarity that makes you feel like you’re hanging out with friends rather than just reading about them.

Sure, the plot isn’t super complex. It’s a cozy mystery after all! That said, it's overflowing with coziness, and plenty of intrigue to keep you hooked as you turn the pages.. If you’re anything like me and love stories that weave together themes of sisterhood, midlife challenges, and just the right amount of paranormal fun, then All Hallows Hex is definitely worth checking out.

Overall, I’d give it four stars! If you're in the mood for a cute and enjoyable read that captures the essence of cozy mysteries with a magical twist, you absolutely need to grab this one—it's a spellbinding good time! Plus, don’t forget to look up Nancy Stewart’s other cozy mysteries; they’re always a treat. 🍷✨

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Thank you Nancy Stewart ( @nancystewartmysteries ), Victory Editing NetGalley( @victoryeditingngc ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read All Hallows Hex early (publishes October 29, 2024).

The first in a new series, we meet the Windthorne family, local vintners and witches! Someone is trying to sabotage the vineyard with black magic and a visiting historian ends up dead on Halloween during the winery’s Samhain festival. Oldest sister Iris must find out what is going on both in the vineyards and with the rest of her family members before more harm is unleashed.

This was the perfect book to read right before Halloween. Cozy and witchy—with a tight knit family in a small town. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!

#AllHallowsHex #NetGalley #NancyStewart #Victoryeditingngc

All Hallows Hex is book one in the new Windthorne Witches series by Nancy Stewart.
I need to keep my eyes peeled for the next book in this amazing series.
A phenomenal cozy mystery and paranormal intrigue.
With witchy vibes, midlife magic, and small-town charm this book was unputdownable.
The perfect book for the upcoming fall evenings.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

‘the Windthorne Witches were all together and we were happy.’

This looks to be a promising start to a new series and I found it highly entertaining and intriguing after a slightly dry start. The story focuses on 40 something Iris, a green witch, running a vineyard with her family as Samhain approaches. Things turn ugly when someone sets out to sabotage the winery and the festival and a dead body is found at the heart of the vineyard. While the murder mystery is interesting the real story is the Windthorne family who are all at crossroads in their lives: Iris is approaching menopause while rediscovering that her life didn’t end when her husband died, grandmother Hazel’s magic is evolving into something softer, brother Jasper is finally showing signs of magical ability for the first time, sister Mari is going through a tumultuous time with her not so ex husband while their daughter Emmy and niece Sophie are struggling to control their powers. I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: October 29, 2024
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I read this in one chilly weekend curled up with a hot cup of tea and a warm blanket by the fire and literally the vibe was vibing with this book. I thought this was such a fun cozy read. I love a good cozy witchy mystery.

This was a fast paced read with very likable characters and a great backdrop and storyline. You have a small town setting with magic, witches, a dash of romance and a good mystery and ending as well.

This is definitely a great one to put on your tbr if you love these types of reads. So cute and will be sharing about this book with my bookish friends.

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op

Nancy Stewart is a new author for me, and I literally could not put this book down! This is a magical cozy mystery, and I had to know how it all ended.

Iris and her sister Marigold, along with their grandmother, run the winery with a little hint of magic mixed in. They're all getting ready for a Samhain festival and a historian, looking to learn more about Druidic arts, shows up dead on the night of the festival. What Iris starts to figure out is that someone is placing bits of dark magic around their winery, and something odd is found with the historian's body. What ensues is Iris trying to get to the bottom of this mystery.

In terms of character development, it was a bit lighter than I normally see within the books I read, but it was no less enjoyable for it. It was a bit of a lighter read, though it did hold my interest well!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this.

🧙‍♀️🎃Witchy Read 🧙‍♀️🧡

This was an ARC read from Net Gallery that I thought would be fitting for the Halloween theme and the perfect book to end October!

It is a quirky, quaint, cozy mystery that is filled with magic, mystery, and murder!!
It was a quick read that flowed smoothly, and the chapters brought the story to life in a smooth and entertaining way.

It is a light read perfect for spooky and sweater season. I enjoyed reading this book after a long day at work as it was something I could just use unwind to without having to keep track of toomsn twists and turns.

It is time for the Windthorne family's vineyard to host their annual Samhain festival in Moonridge, California. Iris, a midlife green witch, works alongside her younger sister Marigold to produce the region's most magical wine, the Moonshadow Reserve ,But when a renowned historian is found dead in their vineyard, the sisters’ peaceful routine turns upside down. As Iris digs deeper into the mystery, she uncovers dark magic at play—magic that threatens her family and the festival they’ve worked so hard to prepare for. With the veil between worlds growing thinner by the day, Iris must race to unravel the clues, clear her family’s name, and stop a malevolent force from wreaking havoc in Moonridge.

This cozy, witchy mystery was a fun, quick read. Although the culprit seemed obvious from the start, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. This book was just as much about sisterhood, embracing your magical powers, and family as it was the mystery itself. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries of the witchy variety, then you should definitely check this out!

The absolute perfect book to get in the October/Halloween mood, witchy and fabulous, the plot felt a little predictable at times but I really enjoyed this, definitely a comforting cozy read, want to read more in this series!