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Welcome to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken.
Ember Rose is working hard to smooth the path for her relationship with the stoic vampire Alec Hale. She hits a massive bump, however, when a body is discovered drained of blood and Alec is one of the key suspects. Sheriff Nash insists that his interest in Alec isn't personal, but Ember isn't convinced. Unfortunately, it isn't just Alec that needs her help. Ember also finds herself trying to disentangle a vacationing couple from the mortal mess--Emma and Daniel from Spellbound. It doesn't help that Marley is having a crisis of her own and Raoul comes down with a mysterious illness that no healer is able to cure. Can Ember identify the real murderer and absolve the accused or will she encounter a permanent blockade on the road to happiness?

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2019

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About the author

Annabel Chase

174 books1,264 followers
Annabel Chase is the author of urban fantasy and cozy mystery novels. She would love to live in a magical town where she can shop at Ready-to-Were for the the perfect outfit, flirt with hot angels and vampires, and cook gourmet meals without exerting any effort. Visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Annabel-Chas... or on her website at www.annabelchase.com.

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5 stars
1,337 (59%)
4 stars
680 (30%)
3 stars
214 (9%)
2 stars
24 (1%)
1 star
9 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
Profile Image for Regina De Los Reyes.
336 reviews3 followers
September 23, 2020
9 books in and I was hoping to have changed my mind about the main character Ember. Nope, I still do not like her. I keep reading the series because I enjoy the story lines, the town of Starry Hollow and most of the other characters in the series. Ember is snarky and sarcastic, two characteristics that I normally enjoy and identify with. Unfortunately for her, she just comes off as immature and annoying. She is 29 years old and is less mature than her 11 year old daughter. She makes the excuse that she had her daughter young, ok that is fine for when you are 18-25 but now you are 29, time to grow up and be more serious. I also do not understand the pairing the author made between her and Alec the stuffy vampire. Where she is uncouth, he is refined, classy and boring. I felt Sheriff Nash was a better fit for her, he is down to earth, casual and loyal. Ember's daughter Marley was more taken with Alec and I feel it was because he is a vampire and mysterious, plus he is more of an intellectual which Marley identifies with completely. He writes books, Marley's joy. Nash is more fun and down and dirty, a man's man if you will (he is a shifter), Marley is not used to that. Marley's 11th birthday arrives and presents were presented by both men, Alec dedicates his latest book to Marley and Nash gives her a locket with the picture of her mom and dad in the locket and yet Ember finds Alec's gift more endearing and causes her to melt more. She appreciated the gift that the Sheriff gave Marley but she was more keen to Alec, I believe Ember chose Alec because of her daughter. For me, the deal would have been sealed with Nash, that was a personal gift and took thought and heart. Ember ends up breaking Nash's heart, she strung him along and used him until Alec came around to tell her he felt the same. Now that they are together she is more pretentious and keeps thinking that Nash is doing things to sabotage their relationship. She gets indignant and starts to threaten with the fact that she is a Rose, everything she at first abhorred. Then she gets upset because her aunt sends her lawyer to have them sign a paper declaring their relationship at the business, this is normal practice any time there are relationships between bosses and subordinates, and yet she feels it was wrong and gets angered about it. Insert big eye roll here. Marley has been having issues with her magic as well and starts to doubt herself, Ember knows that it is something to do with the wand, but rather than tell her daughter she continues to allow her daughter to feel depressed and doubt her magical abilities. She found out that the wand harbored negative energy from the previous owner who was an ancestor. The simple solution was to speak to her aunt about the history and to tell her daughter it needs to be checked and get her a loaner wand in the meantime. Instead she decides to do her own research and come up with nothing. If she invested more time in her daughter's needs and her own magical training, she would be a more likeable character, instead she spends time getting involved in the Sherriff's investigations where again she is almost killed and trying to find a therapist for couple's therapy for her and Alec so they can start out on the right foot of the relationship. It seems to me that if you need to start out with couple's therapy, maybe you should take a step back from being a couple work on individual therapy and then try being in a relationship. The whole thing is odd. There also was a couple that appeared that apparently Alec and Ember met somewhere before on a trip, I don't know what story they first appeared in, I couldn't find a short story that I had missed so that was out of left field for me. There could be a story somewhere, but I did not find one. I liked this book the least of the series, I will continue because I do like most of the other characters and I hope that Sheriff Nash finds someone who appreciates him for his roughness, I have lost hope that Ember will become likeable.
55 reviews
June 1, 2020
How long till alec is a murder victim ?????

Alec is one character that is so boring!!! Either kill him off or get him a long list vampire girl friend to show up and steal him away.
Profile Image for Jana Gundy.
1,919 reviews17 followers
May 17, 2019
Such a funny and entertaining book!

I’m so in love with Ember, Marley and their pack of pets/familiars. Raoul the raccoon has to be the most entertaining animal in a series I’ve ever read. I love the sarcasm, wit and banter this book and the entire series has. I look forward to more.
Profile Image for Lucinda Race.
Author 55 books589 followers
January 19, 2023
When a vampire is a suspect in the more recent murder in Starry Hollow Ember Rose has to investigate not just because her boyfriend is a suspect but the murder happened in her cousin's B & B.
I have to slow down reading these books are they're fun and keep me reading long past bed time.
Profile Image for Mari.
2,468 reviews2 followers
March 3, 2024
I love the characters in this series, but the story wasn’t quite up to my expectations this time around.
Profile Image for Vivian.
769 reviews12 followers
May 25, 2019
This one seemed to be stuck in neutral as far as the plot went - was just an OK read for me - gave it four stars only because I like the series and hope the next one is more exciting!
May 11, 2019
Fun series!

I'm a fan of all Anabel Chase's cozy witch series. She continuously moves the characters to new challenges and growth. I love how she brought in the history and genealogy of Ember and Marley Rose. At times, Ember is a wee bit questionable with her personality. You'll learn all of her quirks and wonder why Anabel chose to make two adoring, kind, accomplished love interests for her. She's created to be a sassy New Jersey girl,who worked re-poing cars to support her and her daughter, and yet she's more attracted to the meticulously famous author, who wears suits every day and has perfectly coiffed, slicked back hair, than the adorably handsome, curly haired, warm hearted, loving sheriff, Granger, who she has formed a deep friendship with,but who's safe. He gets her. It makes me want to pop her and say, "wake up"! Yet, you can see her dilemma and understand her angst. If i could improve anything about this series, it would be to make the heroine, Ember, to be a bit more likable. She has a lot of help, with the other characters calling her out for a questionable attitude,but I haven't seen much of a change. I'll continue, though, to read through the series as new books become available. So far, I've read 9 of these. Overall, it's an easy read that takes you on a journey to Starry Hollow. That, in itself, is appreciated, especially after reading the news these days.
Profile Image for Imjussayin.
525 reviews8 followers
July 7, 2024
Magic & Mishaps: Starry Hollow Witches 09
Chronological order is not necessary but recommended.
Three solid stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a Nutshell:

Ember Rose, a descendant of the one true witch, works as a journalist at her aunt’s paper, Vox Populi. She becomes embroiled in the investigation of Bonnie’s death, which occurred from exsanguination in a room left by Ember’s cousin Linnea. Alex, Ember’s beau and a vampire, is a prime suspect. Meanwhile, Rhoul falls ill due to a potion concocted by the young witch Marley, who finds that being a witch is not something she excels at immediately. Marley takes exceptional care of Rhoul, nursing him back to recovery in part because she feels guilty.

The Protagonists:

I love the character of Ember Rose. Finding out she has magical powers and wealth has not dented her New Jersey feisty attitude. She will not conform or allow her aunt to spoil her daughter, Marley. Ember also carries the issues of mistrust from her past, and her dedication to solving mysteries often affects her personal life and relationships. Feisty, impulsive, loyal, with a sense of justice—what’s not to love? Ember Rose is relatable—flawed yet determined. Her curiosity and resourcefulness make her a captivating lead.

Why Read It?:

This series offers light and laughter. There are so many delightful aspects: the banter, wit, sarcasm, feisty characters, quick exchanges, and the quaint town of Starry Hollow. The book creates a cozy and enchanting ambiance.

My reservations are around the character Rhoul, a familiar trash panda. He has not been written and created as much entertainment as I had expected. That said, I have enjoyed the series—well-written and entertaining.

Need a lift? Grab one of the books in the series; they are entertaining.

Book Rating

Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one or reread ?: Definitely

My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.
Profile Image for Amanda Jane.
1,331 reviews8 followers
October 13, 2020
Disaster after dinner..

Linnea invites Ember and Alec for dinner with her guests at the Inn.. there's a crossover point here as two of the guests, Emma and Daniel, Ember has apparently met before on a trip but no trip has been mentioned in this series which is quite irritating.. anyway..

The other guest is Bonnie who is staying while her apartment is redecorated.. Bonnie is quite brash and appears quite anti relationships belonging to a support group for cheated upon and mistreated women.

The next morning Linnea discovers Bonnie's body exsanguinated in her room. Sheriff Nash immediately fixes on the vampire who was in the Inn, questioning Alec.. Ember is incensed at the injustice and goes off on another mission to find the truth.

Meanwhile Raoul is I'll and lapping up the attention of Marley who believes it's her fault and is having a crisis of confidence over her magic.. Ember is trying to find out more about the previous owner of Marley's wand, gifted her by Aunt Hyacinth, but it's not easy to find out about the mysterious Ivy Rose.

The crossover lost me because I haven't read the other series and there's been no mention of a trip.. I don't like crossovers when this happens.. it's counter productive to just drop characters in.. this is the second time as Raoul was introduced similarly in an irritating "only downloadable by registering" short story that I then had to go back and read before continuing.. I hope this isn't going to be a regular occurrence.
Profile Image for Megan.
3,399 reviews45 followers
April 9, 2020
Quick Info
Standalone/Cliffhanger?: Standalone
Part of a Series?: Yes
----------------------------------
Meeting the Characters
Ember Rose
Alec Hale
Emma
Daniel
----------------------------------
What happens?
Ember meets Bonnie at her cousin's inn. The next morning her cousin finds Bonnie drained of blood in bed, and a vampire is assumed to have killed her. Due to Alec being at the party the night before Sheriff Nash tries to prove he had a reason to do so.
Ember wants to prove Alec didn't do anything, and also find out for herself who killed Bonnie. Meeting a group of Bonnie's friends, formed from their bad luck in choosing partners, Ember is shown a different side of Bonnie.
Also a side plot of Marley losing confidence in herself and Ember trying to find out more about the first owner of Marley's new wand.
Final thoughts
This was a decent read. I liked the side plot of Marley and the wand. I'm curious about what will happen with that.
A side note. Alec and Ember need a baby - it needs to happen. PLEASE
Would I read again?: Yes
Would I read this author again?: Yes
Would I continue on with the series?: Yes
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews50 followers
May 7, 2019
Wands and their secrets

A good read but possibly not as good as the others. The plot regarding the murder was overshadowed by her and her daughter's life. Although that was as good as ever, I felt that she should have told her her thoughts and fears about the wand. Perhaps get her another whilst they get to the bottom of the story.
A dinner out with her cousin at the Inn with Alec and her daughter plus three guests staying there (Emma and Daniel from Spellbound) and a nymph. However next day the nymph is found dead, drained of blood and all vampires are now suspects. Can she find who? Plus her daughter has her problems too. Her magic is going haywire. Is it the wand? Secrets and broken hearts abound.
310 reviews2 followers
May 28, 2019
Ember and Marley have their hands full with magic and murder.

Marley is having trouble with her magic and Ember thinks it's her wand. When Ember used it she felt a lot of negative energy, so she sets out to find more info on it. Ember is also going to counseling with Alec to get their relationship off on a good start. While in therapy Ember gets a call from Linnea saying one of her guest has been murdered. Sheriff Nash reveals that the victim was drained of all her blood, so that puts Alex as a suspect. Ember is having none of that. She sets out to find the real killer, and she finds out the killer is a lot closer than she thinks.
218 reviews
July 22, 2024
Okay

I have been enjoying this quick read with fun characters and a simple murder mystery each book has. Alas, when I began the series I wasn’t a fan of the love triangle, and with the last book switching love interests, the book isn’t as interesting. Ember and Alec have no chemistry, their interactions are stilted and it isn’t fun to read. Ember and Granger were engaging, humerus and had a spark. Also, I am not a fan of Marley’s wand. I don’t know why Ember doesn’t just talk to her and get her a new one. I will continue to read the next books as it is a fun, clean, quick read.
1,572 reviews
December 13, 2019
Magic & Mishaps is the ninth book in the Starry Hollow Witches paranormal cozy mystery series.

Another fun read from Annabel Chase. Characters are further developed. It's interesting to see Ember's daughter start to grow up and amusing to see Ember's aunt have dating problems!

recap from Amazon: Ember Rose is working hard to smooth the path for her relationship with the stoic vampire Alec Hale. She hits a massive bump, however, when a body is discovered drained of blood and Alec is one of the key suspects. Sheriff Nash insists that his interest in Alec isn't personal, but Ember isn't convinced. Unfortunately, it isn't just Alec that needs her help. Ember also finds herself trying to disentangle a vacationing couple from the mortal mess--Emma and Daniel from Spellbound. It doesn't help that Marley is having a crisis of her own and Raoul comes down with a mysterious illness that no healer is able to cure.
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews6 followers
May 8, 2019
Extraordinarily entertaining

An extraordinary entertaining series. A great cast of characters in a witchy cozy mystery series. One of a multitude of Series in a magical universe that has many crossovers where characters will bounce from Series to Series on occasion and keep you entertained. Always a fun and entertaining mystery to be solved a little bit of it sarcastic with lots of mystery intrigue to go along with it. Check them out
Profile Image for Marissa.
2,206 reviews6 followers
November 13, 2019
We finally get to delve a bit into more of the history of the family. I've been curious from book 1 about the One True Witch concept. While we don't go back quite that far, Ember does uncover another family mystery. While we don't get resolution within the confines of the book, I am excited to learn more about the family. And, of course, Ember finds herself embroiled in an another murder mystery because she looks out for her own!
5,731 reviews32 followers
November 12, 2022
Well, let's see. There's an exploding microwave, an angel, a nymph, a sorceress, a woman killed by a vampire, an ill familiar, a merman, a fake crystal ball psychic, a dirty wand that might be evil and a murder.

I'm beginning to get rather tired of Raoul, the raccoon familiar. He reminds me too much of Winky, a cat from another series. Each has some good moments but these I think are outweighed by their personalities.

Still, overall, it's another decent book in this series.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
401 reviews
April 11, 2023
Magic or not.?

Another great story in this series. Ember and her daughter Marley are involved in their efforts to be witches. They have made many friends since they found themselves to be witches. Marley struggles at school with her spells and Ember struggles with HER efforts to throw spells.
Of course a murder makes Ember investigate to the annoyance of the police
Great series....looking forwardto the next book.
May 8, 2019
Another good story

I love this series and it was nice to have Emma and Daniel appear in this series but not take over, they are a nice addition. This follows the mystery but also Ember's daily life and the struggles of a single, dating, newly magical mom. She had a fun and interesting life to follow. Read all the books. Enjoy
414 reviews3 followers
September 21, 2019
Can't wait

The next book in this series isn't out yet and I think I'm going to have Starry Hallow withdrawal. This series is rich and engrossing. The characters are wonderful, and the storylines grab the reader's attention every time. I just hope there will be several more books before the series wraps up. I HIGHLY recommend this series for adults and young readers alike.
193 reviews
November 10, 2019
The adventures of Ember And Marley continues. As usual they get involved in a murder.

This book has many twists and turns and is a very enjoyable read. Romantically Alec continues To show his concern for the little family. Sheriff Nash plays his part as well. So put down everything else and enjoy your reading
175 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2021
Dying Is a Pain in the Neck

One of the guests at Ember’s cousin’s inn has died under mysterious circumstances. She has fang marks on her neck, and has been exsanguinated. Granger likes Alec as his prime suspect. Can Ember find the real killer? Look forward to a surprise guest appearance from one of Ms Chase’s other series. Another must read from Annabel Chase!
76 reviews1 follower
September 5, 2021
Better and Better

The author has kept me interested from her first book. The stories are interesting and exciting. The characters are well described and believable. The storylines are well thought out. Her books are hard to put down, because the stories are present day and they include names of people you have heard about. Excellent writing, funny parts and enjoyable.
104 reviews
December 16, 2021
Really Great!

Ember and Marley have a great relationship! Exactly what all loving mothers want. Then there's the great relationship between Alex and Marley as well. Despite the fixes in which they find themselves they find a way to survive and hopefully learn lessons. Awesome, well constructed mysteries.
94 reviews
March 9, 2023
jealousy and murder

Death causes too many abrupt endings even when people aren’t expecting a lot, they sometimes find less.

And sometimes not.

Still reeling from her relationship difficulties, Ember finds a group of women, Wonder Women, to join to talk about men.

Things of course go off the rails which they often do when investigating deaths.

Profile Image for Angela.
335 reviews5 followers
May 6, 2019
Didn’t see it coming!

One of the best things I can say about a cozy novel is that I didn’t see it coming. And once again, this is true for Annabelle Chase and Starry Hollow. I love the back ground stories and I eagerly await the next book!
Profile Image for Bonnie Turner.
10 reviews
May 9, 2019
Better than shopping at Target.

No... seriously. I stayed in the car when my husband and kids went into Target mid-roadtrip, so I could finish the book in peace. I do love shopping at Target, so that should tell you how much I have enjoy this series!
Profile Image for Laura Witte.
262 reviews5 followers
May 11, 2019
Lovely

I’m such a fan of all Annabel Chase’s series. I especially enjoy when characters cross over into other series. It’s fun to see how they act and interact with the other characters.
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