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Mirror Witch

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After being kidnapped and tortured by a brutal werewolf pack, ordinary New Age witch Jo Murphy hasn’t known a day of peace. With the help of the goddess Hecate, she escapes—or so she thinks. Nightmares haunt her as paranoia remains her constant companion. And now, she’s developed a new power she doesn’t understand. With the pack gone, apparently by her hand, Jo should be safe, but she’s not taking any chances.

When Ezekiel Booker answers the Council’s call to hunt down Josephine Murphy, he thought it would be his last job before becoming the alpha of the St. Louis pack. However, Booker didn’t account for the effect she’d have on him—or how easily she’d escape him. As he tracks her once more, he discovers she’s created a magical sanctuary and occult shop out of an old building in his territory. And it’s entirely warded against werewolves.

Will Booker be able to earn her trust and uncover the mystery of her powers—and their connection? Or will Jo face the new threat of a necromancer alone?

Werewolves, witches, and magic combine in this powerful enemies to lovers urban fantasy romance.

411 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

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Phoebe Walker

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5 stars
38 (62%)
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19 (31%)
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4 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Penny.
2,458 reviews69 followers
April 16, 2023
I was excited to read this book, and I dived in, not really sure what to expect. What I didn’t expect was how much I loved I book. Jo is a wounded witch with a past that is very dark and is afraid of werewolves. In comes Booker, a werewolf, to break down those barriers. This is just the tip of the iceberg about what this book is about. It’s about family, overcoming past traumas, fighting evil, finding love, safety, and just so much more. While I do wish that the book was a tad shorter, I still enjoyed every page. This is a well-written, paranormal romance/urban fantasy, and I can’t wait to see which witch is next. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
Profile Image for Laura Moher.
Author 4 books104 followers
May 2, 2023
Mirror Witch was such a surprise to me!

It should, by all rights, be grim and dark, set as it is against a backdrop of horrific violence and cruelty.
But the story of Jo, the witch who uses her powers to create a sanctuary for herself and others in need, and Booker, the werewolf sent by the Council to track her down, is full of warmth and love and humanity, with glints of wacky, snarky humor and interesting bits of information about tarot and witchcraft.

The characters are wonderful. Jo, despite her past trauma, is brave and strong and funny and always uses her powers for good (despite the occasional and completely understandable desire to poison the more obnoxious customers of her occult shop). She has a loyal and equally strong and likeable friend and ally in Kate, another witch she's known since they were teens.

Booker is the wolf who falls hard for Jo and quickly turns from bounty hunter to partner, bent on protecting Jo at all costs from whatever/whoever is trying to kill her. Booker is tall and strong and knows he's attractive, but in the hands of Phoebe Walker, he's not obnoxiously cocky. He recognizes and respects Jo's strengths and abilities every bit as much as her...other assets. Walker draws Booker with a deft hand, giving him especially endearing qualities like the curiosity of a pup, the desire to pace or shake himself when emotions are strong, and the ability to smell/sense fear and distress in the woman he loves.

Together Jo and Booker are a swoon-worthy team and a formidable pair, fiercely protective of each other and the ones they love..

5 stars.
NOTES:
Those who have triggers should check Phoebe Walker's website for content warnings. Parts of this story are harrowing.
I read an earlier draft of Jo & Booker's story. When ARCs became available, I requested one in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for The Queen of Swords.
62 reviews20 followers
May 3, 2023
I'm not always a fan of books that have a changing perspective, going from main character to different character, chapter to chapter. Less adept writers use it as a crutch, and it can even be confusing at times. However, when done right, it is a marvelous way to get a relationship with both (all) main characters, and to add excitement instead of taking it away. In the case of Mirror Witch that's exactly what happened. It made the first chapter one of those very informative ones, where you're immediately engaged in the story, get a feel for the people and know what's at stake. It also made me grin, because I like it when underestimated characters come out on top...

Booker, a werewolf working for the almighty Supernatural Council, is an Alpha-to-be bountyhunter tasked with finding the elusive Josephine “Jo” Murphy. While Jo is but a simple New Age witch, earning her money as a tarot reader, her nasty past with the Fenris – a wolf clan & pack that disappeared off the face of the earth after torturing & violating several people, including Josephine – has put her on the Council's radar. A radar that hasn't worked properly, if all the years Jo has been able to stay out of their clutches is any indication.
Booker, together with his team, manages to find her within a month and assumes he'll take her in, just like that. At the last minute Jo manages to escape from him though and the witchhunt starts anew.

Of course, with this being called an enemy -to – lovers urban fantasy slash para-romance, I expected to know upfront that the hunter would fall for the hunted despite huge odds and perhaps giant misunderstandings, with hours on the road during the hunt. Because the first chapter was fun I only hoped all the cliche's and standard enemy-to-lovers tropes wouldn't be too bad.

What I got was beyond anything l expected based on the description and classification (which might simply be wrong). Phoebe Walker changes the game already in the second chapter, directly after Jo makes her escape.
Surprisingly, not only lies the concept of the 'Enemy' more in Josephine's trauma than in positioning Booker as a true initial enemy, but the author lets the two meet again when Jo is in a position of power & stability.

What's more: the council's interest into Jo's powers and position in the supe world might still linger – and after reading the entire book I'm certain some councilmembers are going to be an issue down the road – but they have little choice but to divert their efforts from zeroing in on “The Witch That Made a Clan Disappear” (did she though?), to the new enemy in town. A necromancer with a penchant for creating violent zombies has it out for Jo for some reason & this Big Bad pushes Booker and Jo together fast – and in unexpected ways.

The author uses mythology in Mirror Witch. Jo is, for example, beholden to the Greek goddess of the crossroads Hecate and it turns out more gods and goddesses take a vested interest in supes. Walker makes sure that the use of gods and mythology is not applied in a 'been there, done that' way, but is slightly different from other series I've read where they/it play(s) a role. Much appreciated!

However, the one flaw in – or maybe downside to – the plot is that if you know your Greek & Norse mythology, you might figure out the motive of (and!) the true Big Bad a little sooner than the author intends. There were a few other things I saw coming (and I don't mean the romance bit), but that's pretty much the only negative I could find when it comes to this book. Plus, the ending still remained rather exciting.

I also really applauded Walker's way of describing Tarot, both the reading and tarot decks. Up to the point where she picked the correct (single) cards to support her storyline – not the other way around -, didn't use that age old Gypsy woman trope, nor the annoying Death card trope (it means change, people) -, and mentioned only accurate things about card placement and the elemental application of the minor arcana. She even complains about the card stock of her deck collection! For someone who is aware of the fact this is often a number one complaint amongst collectors and pro readers, that's a minor but worthwhile detail.

More importantly, it made me appreciate this book on a whole other level. Actually, it should be a point in the author's favour, regardless of tarot (deck art) interest. It shows that Walker has respect for a group that's often (and unnecessarily) ridiculed, and that she – if she doesn't “dabble” in Tarot herself – did a decent amount of research before using this type of cartomancy in her plot. It's a sign of a good writer, and makes me automatically assume she's done similar research on subjects I personally don't know much about.

Walker manages to get you invested in the story pretty fast, but she also creates likeable characters for whom you'll be rooting faster than you can say love interest. That's on top of the fact the book is simply well written, entertaining and fast paced. I was supposed to sleep but ended up finishing Mirror Witch around 4am in typical “one more chapter” fashion.

The new common enemy and Jo & Booker's "pact” also give us ample insight into Josephine the New Age Witch's blossoming powers. Spoiler: they're awesome and life-altering. She is much more than a simple tarot reader with a few spells up her sleeve. Besides, seeing an author create a badass character out of a damaged person is always fun, and Walker does it well. Hecate saved Jo for a reason, and it is already quite clear in Mirror Witch – that title becomes obvious very fast to any reader- that our witch is a force to be reckoned with. And that we can expect more powerful sisters around the corner. I can't wait for more Jo & Booker, aswell as more daughters of the crossroads goddess.

If you like the type of Urban Fantasy where chosen family is important, where the main character builds herself up out of the ashes of her past, where there'll be powerstruggles involved, and where evil is stamped out fast and hard – with a good dose of romance sprinkled on top – this new series is just your thing! Mirror Witch is already available on Amazon, so...RUN! (As Jo would think.)

Triggers
NB. The e- book links to a page for trigger warning info, but you can't see that now. Important to know: if mentions of rape, and a few details regarding a specific violation, trigger you, better leave this book alone. While it isn't constantly mentioned, the main character does describe in short what happens to her to Booker, and she has a few nightmares that hint towards her past.
NB. Despite her past Jo has been (since), and will be, sexually active with Booker. If you prefer so called "Clean Romance" where a chaste kiss is all you'll see, then Mirror Witch isn't your thing. Sex is used appropriately and not written for the heck of it, but one scene in particularly is typical PNR/UF detailed. I've read much more graphic scenes, but clean it is not.

Disclaimer: I was able to get an ARC through Booksprout, but am leaving this honest review of my own volition.
Profile Image for Theladyraven.
62 reviews2 followers
May 3, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

This book was intense, sweet, and romantic.
I really liked Jo and her journey to coping with what happened to her and learning more about her abilities and strength. She is very strong and independent but is smart when making decisions.
Booker is super cute and a great pairing for Jo. I liked that throughout the first half of the story he let Jo get to know him and gave her space as needed but gradually became more protective of her.

Pacing wise the story is definitely slower paced with a relatively slow burn romance. There is spice but it comes a lot later in the book which gave it a more slice of life and day to day feel. It made for a more comfortable and cozy read, considering all the dark aspects of the story ( included in trigger warnings ).

Overall it was a good read for those looking for their next werewolf /witch romance that has zombies, evil warlocks, gods and goddesses ,and a council of magical creatures all set within a modern urban St. Louis.
I am super excited for the next book to see where Jo and Booker’s story goes.

Trigger warnings:
Non consensual acts
Kidnapping
PTSD
Death
Profile Image for Jessica.
290 reviews15 followers
May 22, 2023
An interesting premise, but this book feels very much like a debut and would benefit from editing.

There are entire sections that are over written and others that aren't examined at all. Since it's dual POV there are times when both characters monologue for pages about the exact same thing, but that Jasper dislikes a witch on the Council - just because. The pacing is all over, with somehow an entire renovation happening before the Plot A resuming, but is also only a few weeks? I also have an issue with there being a fairly large magical community but two extremely strong witches go undetected their whole lives AND then both purchase major magical strongholds without ever interacting with other magical beings? How?

I think the last third of the book showcases what the book could be with editing, and as the writer grows. I do think this series reminds me a lot of Seana Kelly's Sam Quinn series so maybe that put this book on the back foot for me. I do think this has kernels of what can become a great series, and unique author with some more work and growth.
Profile Image for Blake.
594 reviews35 followers
June 24, 2023
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

3.5*

First time read the author's work?: Yes

Will you be reading more?: Yes

Would you recommend?: Yes


------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
5,540 reviews29 followers
May 24, 2023
To escape her past, our heroine builds her own sanctuary, but it may not be enough to protect her from all that is out there. Our hero might be able to help, but first they have to learn to trust each other. That is not going to be easy for multiple reasons.

This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.

This is an urban fantasy story featuring witches and werewolves, plus a bit more. The story is well written and easy to read with a style that draws you in from the beginning. The characters are well developed and I quickly found myself liking both of our leads. The story moves at a good pace with a nice dose of mystery and action which keeps you turning pages. Overall, I found this to be a great start to the series and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes
860 reviews14 followers
July 27, 2023
This was one of those little gem finds from a completely new to me (and looks to be debut as well) author that has definitely captured my attention. I was kept reading from the first page, the set up was exciting and original, I loved some of the magic concepts. Jo was an interesting and sympathetic protagonist and as someone who reads a lot of urban fantasy, I found her to stand out and sit well with some of my favourites. Even though I am writing this review months later, I can still take myself back to her world and find myself eagerly waiting a new book in the series. I really hope there is something coming!
A great debut urban fantasy that can definitely hold it's own in the genre. An author to watch.
Profile Image for Debbie Eyre.
4,850 reviews96 followers
May 7, 2023
Werewolves, witches, and magic with a bit of action and a whole lotta mystery and romance and you have a fantastic start to this series. Jo is a witch with a dark, dark past full of trauma and yet she is such a great character, strong, honest and compassionate and her journey has been one of self healing and facing evil. Booker is our werewolf who has been sent to find Jo, only to find that she has warded herself from werewolves. It’s an interesting and fascinating start to this series and I’m an intrigued to read more.
Profile Image for Emily.
199 reviews23 followers
August 28, 2023
While I’m always a huge fan of fantasy, urban fantasy can be somewhat of a hit or miss for me. And Mirror Witch was definitely a huge hit. I loved the enemies to allies to lovers aspect that we get with our two main characters. I love the different personalities of each of the wolves, specifically watching Ethan open up yo being friends with Jo. I love having both POVs. I also really enjoyed the mythology aspect of this story. Overall, very, very well done, and I can’t wait to read more!

Profile Image for Barbara.
17.7k reviews8 followers
May 4, 2023
The first book in the Daughters of Hecate series. This is a new Author to me and after reading this book I know I want to read more of this series. New Age witch Jo Murphy's start to her and Ezekiel Booker's story. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as I read. A great start to series. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
11 reviews4 followers
May 11, 2023
It had been a long while since an author made such an impression on me. A fantastic urban fantasy ❤️ I'm a big fan of Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs only to cite them. This book was as satisfying a read. The universe is riffed with possibilities, loved the storyline, great cast of characters. A freakin' win all around.
352 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2023
This is a great story. The plot is twisty and keeps throwing enough to make your heart race and tug on the heart strings. I love how detailed the author is. I appreciate this because it help me build the best picture in my head. The characters are amazing. Overall just a fantastic story and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Profile Image for Brigid Finn.
Author 15 books31 followers
July 19, 2023
This is an unbelievably good paranormal romance. A slow, suspenseful cozy murder mystery wrapped up in a tender, heart-melting wolfy-witchy romance. This is a complete story (no cliff hanger), but the little dangling threads and teasers of what's to come have me desperate to get my hands on the sequel.
6 reviews11 followers
May 4, 2023
Wonderful book

I barely moved out of my chair until I finished this book. I loved it. Mirror witch is highly recommended and I can't wait till the next in the series comes out😍😍😍😍🤗🤗🤗
Profile Image for Amber.
2,017 reviews61 followers
May 4, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a very interesting start to this new series. I really enjoyed the story and the fresh take on wolves and witches. I am looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
5,088 reviews33 followers
May 5, 2023
a one time orphan manages to survive the unthinkable

through her own suffering and pain, she finds a chance for healing and opportunities to help others and face dark forces

intense and steamy action, drama, romance and other connections, gains and losses

Profile Image for Rebel.
1,007 reviews
May 8, 2023
Could not put it down. The story grabbed you right from the start. Great chemistry between Booker and Jo. I am definitely looking forward to the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Gail Williams.
420 reviews15 followers
May 15, 2023
Action packed from start to finish. The first chapter drew me in and kept me glued until the last word. Brilliantly written with so much detail. Loved the slow burn relationship between the main characters. Can’t wait for the next book
Profile Image for Marilyn Stewart.
48 reviews4 followers
January 17, 2024
Urban fantasy romance is not my usual genre, but once I started reading Mirror Witch, it was hard to out down. The story was fast-paced, intriguing, exciting & suspenseful. Kept you guessing as to what will happen next. The chapter titles were clever. Looking forward to #2 in the series.
695 reviews7 followers
May 5, 2023
great book

Great book dealing with difficult topics. I want to see Jo change the entire world

I can’t wait for the next book in the series
210 reviews3 followers
May 7, 2023
Excellent writing, fascinating world building, engrossing story arc and absolutely wonderful characters. Complex and intelligent. Who could ask for anything more?!?
5 reviews
May 10, 2023
Really enjoyed this! Great pace. Loved the humor. Overall great story. Can’t wait for more
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