Audio Book Review: Witch for Hire

Witch for Hire

By:  N.E. Conneely

Publish Date:  January 11, 2014

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 14 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st in Witch's Path series

First Impression:  Magic aware world where a witch works with police to help in magical ways to solve magic cases.

Synopsis:
Most witches don’t work for police departments, but Michelle isn’t your average witch. She’s clanless, looking for a warlock who isn’t offended by her lack of family connections, and in danger of losing her job if she can’t find the escaped trolls before they start eating the local residents.

Trolls, angry police, and misbehaving spells are the least of her problems. Statues attacking homeowners might be problematic for your average witch, but to Michelle it’s another day at the office. Her real concern is the wizard suddenly interested in dating her and an old elf set on pestering her. When her happy family is rocked by a long kept secret her stable life falls apart faster than she can pick up the pieces.

And she still hasn’t found those trolls.

First Sentence:
Phone. That had to be my phone waking me up.

Purchase At:
Amazon 

*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

My Thoughts and Summary:
At her home, and a bed and breakfast run by a brownie couple, Michelle learns a tip that there is someone experimenting with the magical beings of the world. This could explain why Michelle received the three AM phone call from the sheriff's office and had to capture the strange chihuahua type creatures fling around the mayor's house. Michelle sees banners for a group publicly demanding that the trolls need to be free. Trolls that are known for eating all living things.There are even spelled household items that were sold at a family yard sale around causing troubles among people. All this and the frustrating attraction Michelle feels for a beautiful elf staying at the bed and breakfast has her reflecting on questions in her own life. Elron is also struggling with his own life traumas and feels a draw to the young witch.

I listened to this book and was pleasantly surprised with all the voices! I am impressed with the variety of voices to go with each character here. I'm thinking Jeff, the narrator, used a system to modify his voices for different tones and pitch for each character. And I highly approve! Female and male, all sounding different to differentiate between different people (magical or not). This made it fun to listen to.

Hmm. I'm impressed. Nice, quick beginning that had me smiling but then slowed as we got to see into Michelle's history and surroundings, even Elron's too. But when I started to think it was to much into personal life, the story took off with the cases she's running between...the magic she crafts to help the police with, I was taken away with the story as she tried her hardest to track trolls and work tips for other troubles in the areas around her. There are hints of troubles and promises that could be used in future books. I find that I'm curious to read/listen to those stories.

This world is magic filled and all know of the magic and magical "people" that are present in it. There are so many magical beings here. From fey to elves, witches, vampires, brownies, unicorns, dwarfs, and oh so many more.

Michelle lives at a brownies bed and breakfast. It's interesting all the beings that pass through and stay here as it's close to wooded lands and peaceful area. But with others passing through it's a nice way to meet different beings and being a kind home, get tips of things in the supernatural world.

The chapters are primarily divided between two character's POV's. Michelle and Elron. Most of the story is Michelle's POV with short chapters from Elron's POV. Elron is an 1500 year old elf recently trying to find his way in the world again. Though he's not part of the investigations that Michelle works on. He's more a view of a potential suitor and one that wants to see her safe. Michelle is a clanless witch, which is a hidden secret by her mother and the father she's never meet. They were worried that she would be in great danger from the clans. Or something more? I'm looking forward to learning what they are hiding her from and why. She works in different counties for the police helping on different cases with her knowledge of the magical world and how to help solve problems and mysteries with spells.

I found I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next stories to come. There are many things that could happen in a magical world this big. And I'm curious as to her father and the deal with the clans. Also that nice young man she had coffee with. I'm thinking that this book has given us the ground work for the world and the stories will take off from here.