Witch Slapped

Witchless in Seattle, Book 1

By: Dakota Cassidy

Narrated by: Hollie Jackson

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hello. My name is Stevie Cartwright, and I've been witchless for 30 days. If only there was a support group for down-on-their-luck ex-witches who've had their powers slapped right out of them (literally). Just as I was licking my wounds after returning to my hometown of Ebenezer Falls, Washington, and navigating my suddenly nonmagical existence with the help of my familiar, Belfry, things got sticky. Enter an ex-spy and newly departed spirit named Winterbottom, who's infiltrated my life with his sexy British accent and a couple of requests....

Thanks to Belfry's successful attempt to use me as a human antenna to the afterlife, I can somehow hear Win. I should be ecstatic; helping departed souls used to be my witch specialty. It's like I got the teensiest piece of my old life back. Except Win's dropped me right at a dead woman's feet....

©2016 Dakota Cassidy (P)2016 Tantor

Enjoyed this cozy tremendously!

I love this authors humor and writing style, but her other books just have so much sex and sex talk that it I feel it) takes away from her stories But, this series is just right!!! Great characters, fun world building, great paranormal additions, romance but with the details left to the readers imagination and so funny!

A little disappointing

What did you like best about Witch Slapped? What did you like least?

I love Dakota Cassidy. I'm not sure if I was just not in the mood or what but this book was not my favorite. It was a little boring and slow. The idea was good but I just didn't get much out of it. I will probably get the sequel from the library because I still LOVE Cassidy and will will always read her stuff.

Would you recommend Witch Slapped to your friends? Why or why not?

No - I like Dakota Cassidy and would recommend any of her other stories before this one.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Meh.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Would be a straight to video movie (do they still do that?)

Great cozy story!

This was the most delightfully entertaining book that I have read in long time. It is a fun, sarcastic, small-town mystery novel. Stevie, Win, and Belfry were all great characters. Stevie is a witch who lost her powers when she was slapped by a warlock. Win is a spirit, former spy, and Stevie’s generous benefactor. He is the only spirit that Stevie can still communicate with. Belfry is her cotton ball bat familiar.

Once Stevie becomes powerless, she must leave the supernatural town. She returns to her childhood home town and that is where all the action takes place. Outside of witches, warlocks, familiars and spirits there are no other supernatural characters in the story. No gratuitous sex or swearing makes it refreshing reading material and it is not a teen story!

Do not expect an involved mystery with twist and turns. This is fun read with entertaining dialog with banter that is witty and snark .

slow but did pick up

This was a pretty good story, a little slow at first but it got interesting. My only real negative is I positively hate the voice used for Bel the bat. I will probably read the next book because that voice annoys me so much.

Ok story, terrible narration!

I felt like I was sitting in an elementary school class being read to by a student helper. Many long and unnecessary pauses, annoyingly high pitched voice for Belfry, and the sometimes monotone quality of her voice made for a very difficult time sticking with this book to the end. I found myself drifting off on my own thoughts and even put me to sleep a time or two. The storyline was just ok. There isn't much motivation to keep me going with this series especially if the same narrator is used.

CORNEY

When I saw this cozy I thought I’d try it because of the change of genre for Ms. Cassidy but “no cigar”. I’ve tried some of her other paranormal stories and did not enjoy them. This book sadly did not deliver either and I will not be reading the next one. They all fall into the same category, CORNEY.

A fantastic start to a series!

I love the characters, and the plot, and can hardly wait to start the next one. The only downer is that whoever edited the narration left huge (3-4) second gaps when Holle changed voices. It really interrupts the flow of the story. Holle's voices are great, and fit the characters very well.

NARRATOR SOUND LIKE SHE IS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHIN

I have not been able to get past the 1st half hour of this because the narrator sounds like she is reading the newspaper. I don't care what happens to these characters. I have tried at least 5 times to get thru it and to not avail.

SEVERE disappointment!!

I was ready to enjoy this book. I wanted VERY much to LOVE this book. I was really looking forward to finding a new series with fun characters, great premise, and a world that would swallow me up. I couldn't get very far into the book at all. Why do so many women authors make "kick ass" women sound like petulant teenagers?? The writing sounded like the author thought she was hilarious and quite proud of it!! The narrator had that lilt younger teen girls have especially with they are trying to be funny. There were these unnecessary pauses in the dialog that I can only assume were present because the speaker was "holding for the laughs!" I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except perhaps tween to 14 year old girls.

constructive criticism

the story is good and I really like it. I will listen to Others like it by the same author. The part I STRONGLY dislike, is the narration. I wanted to scream it was so annoying. Maybe she could practice by reading and listening back or something. Her timing is way off. Also, even though there is some distinction between characters voices, it's still a bit monotone. I hope she will practice, improve, and keep narrating. Best of luck!