Girl's Guide to Witchcraft

By: Mindy Klasky

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Jane Madison has a problem. Or two. Or three. She’s unhappily working as a librarian. She has a crush on her oblivious Imaginary Boyfriend. And she just learned she won’t receive a well-deserved raise; instead, she can live for free in a cottage on the library grounds. When Jane settles into her new home, she discovers a hidden chamber lined with ancient books about witchcraft. Her first spell awakens a feline familiar. Her second makes her irresistible to men. Those magical workings attract a sexy magical warder, and Jane’s life is quickly turned upside down. Does Jane have what it takes to become a real witch?

©2006, 2011, 2012 Mindy Klasky (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Fans of Shanna Swendson's Enchanted, Inc. series will find much to love in Klasky's zesty blend of fantasy and romance as well as in her winsome heroine." ( Booklist)

Narration is Terrible

What would have made Girl's Guide to Witchcraft better?

Another reader. I had to abandon the story within the first 15 minutes because the narration was so bad.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Emma Galvin?

Almost anyone. Her style was practically monotonic and she paused after every second or third word regardless of natural phrasing. I'll NEVER listen to any book narrated by this individual again!

Cute

Nice little cozy. Had a bedroom scene but nothing too graphic (thank you). Good quirky characters. Fun read. Think I'll try the next one.

Cute story, awful narrator!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This was a light, entertaining book. The story flowed well and kept my interest.

What didn’t you like about Emma Galvin’s performance?

The narrator doesn't seem to understand the purpose of periods and commas. There were many times that the end of one sentence became part of the next sentence, changing the meaning. If you record the next book in the series, please use a different narrator.

okay story---horrible narrator

What disappointed you about Girl's Guide to Witchcraft?

The story had promise but the narrator was horrible! She paused every three words. Placed emphasis on the wrong words or phrases, had no concept of conversation flow or even sentence structure. Made it extremely hard to keep listening.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

A different narrator!

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Emma Galvin?

Amanda Ronconi would have done a great job with this one.

Any additional comments?

Not worth the credit. Can I have mine back?

listen to the reviews

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No! The story was alright but the reader sucked big time....

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I knew the ending..... before half way.....through.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Emma Galvin?

Anyone would have done better. I will never buy another that she reads.

Cute if you can stand the horrible narrator

Would you try another book from Mindy Klasky and/or Emma Galvin?

Not if narrated by Emma Galvin

What was one of the most memorable moments of Girl's Guide to Witchcraft?

Trying to listen to the story with the narrator ruining it

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Horrible narration that made it hard to pay attention to the story

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story is cute

What is wrong with the narrator?

Who on earth decided that the narrator should pause every three words? I don’t understand how this got through post production.

The story could probably be cute enough but the narration just hosed it. Who earth was the director, the person in charge of making sure that this recording was done professionally?

Love the story… However…

The story is wonderfully fun and the “reader” has a pleasant voice… However, she reads monotonously in staccato bursts of phrases that aren’t even connected much of the time so that I had to spend more time figuring out what she said than enjoying the story she was narrating.

It’s a shame how often a poor narrator can sabotage a good story. I’m not sure if I will buy the further books… Maybe by the end of this one I will have become accustomed to her awful reading style and entranced by the story enough to buy the next one.

quality of the recording is less than great

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Listening to this book provides a poor experience, even for the cost. There were bits that were left out, parts that played multiple times or that were out of place. I am giving the Narrator the benefit of the doubt in saying that this must be one of her earlier recordings. The Narrator was flat and akward. This Narrator has recorded other books and provided a better, less stilted performance. I enjoyed her performance of the Divergent book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Honestly, I have not yet made it to the ending. I listened to the bulk of this on a cross country car trip, but will complete the book reading, instead of listening.

Any additional comments?

When listening to a story, I hope to immersed in the characters and plot. When the recording doesn't flow or the delivery is flat, it pulls you right out of the story. It becomes difficult to really evaluate if you even like the story.

What an awful narrator!!!!

Would you try another book from Mindy Klasky and/or Emma Galvin?

Not by any chance I would listen to another book that Emma Galvin is the narratator.

How could the performance have been better?

A narritator that could rwad proparlly

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger

Good Story, sadly narrator not great.

A story about a women's path to self love and acceptance with the help of a bit of magic.
characters are endearing and varied. Good story about bringing magic to daily life. Rather than a good versus evil, heroine discovers magic kind of story. I was forever waiting for the catch or a twist, a hidden witch hunter.. No one appeared. I will read the next one to see how this story develops.

The really disappointing part which made it difficult to finish was the narrator, most of the time ok, but kept pausing in the wrong places stopping at end of lines rather than sentences.