Reviews

In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones

thebookishnarwhal's review

5.0

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of the mystical, this book is a delightful choice. In the Wick of Time is a captivating addition to the Magic Candle Shop Mystery series, where ordinary objects hold extraordinary secrets.

December brings not only festive celebrations but also a magical mystery to test the bonds of sisterhood in the enchanting city of Savannah, Georgia. Meet twin sisters Tabby and Sage Winslow. They are busy preparing for the traditional riverfront luminary display during the boat parade. Their holiday cheer takes a dark turn when their boss is found murdered. The Winslow sisters burn the candle at both ends as they race against time to clear Sage's name and keep their friends safe.

Jones weaves a delightful tale of mystery, magic, and sisterly love. The cozy setting provides the perfect backdrop for this intriguing whodunit, and blends supernatural elements and suspense whimsically. She invites readers to immerse themselves in a world where magic intertwines with everyday life, and where family bonds are stronger than any spell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

protagonistspub's review

Unlikable characters and nonsense premise

jmbq_reads's review

4.0

Tabby and Sage Winslow, owners of the Book and Candle Shop in Savannah, are preparing for the holidays, but Sage's part-time work at the local nursery has suddenly become more stressful. Her boss Loren Lee has died after what seemed like a lingering illness, and Sage comes under suspicion after the autopsy reveals poison. On top of that, Sage has lost the assistant manager opening to the snide Mary Nicole, who has started bossing Sage around. And if that weren't enough, Sage catches her boyfriend Brindle cozied up to his office assistant at home late one night. Something strange is going on, and since Sage is too overwrought to see things clearly, Tabby steps in to investigate once more.

This second book in the Magic Candle Shop series is a more captivating read than the first. A few seemingly unrelated incidents soon prove to have a common thread, and the pacing picks up as Tabby puts the pieces together. I appreciated the deeper character development here: Sage is still problematic in her use of her magic, but I think the ending left some hope for her redemption. Other character details, like Quig's affinity for Tabby's energy work as well as Frankie's past and future with Auntie O, were left open-ended enough for them to become more well-developed in future books.

I look forward to seeing this series develop further. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you, Crooked Lane and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

sue_from_stack_those_books's review

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No

4.0

This book was an arc received via NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sage and Tabby are back again. This time they are on the hunt for the murder of Sages manager. He wasn’t really like by his employees but surely no one disliked him enough to kill him. 

The police of course question Sage. What really surprised them was when the police wanted to question their grandmother’s boyfriend. They aren’t sure why, when he had never even meet Sage’s boss. 

This leads to some questions and the girls decide to take action to clear his name but with things being so busy at work, will they have the time?

This book has so much more magic in it than the first book. I really enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone who loves magical cozy mysteries. These girls are always working through something, including their love life. 

auntbopp's review

The plot was ridiculously annoying. 
I enjoy paranormal cozies, but the whole energy surges/twin link idea was not enjoyable to read.
Plus the cops were over the time blatantly prejudiced for no apparent reason.

chymerra's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 

Christmas time in Savannah, Georgia, is a magical time. But for Sage and Tabby Winslow, this Christmas is becoming a nightmare. Sage is accused of murdering her boss. Her boyfriend is caught with another woman and then suffers a breakdown which causes him to be committed. Meanwhile, Tabby and Sage’s aunt’s companion’s past has finally caught up to him. That leads their aunt and her companion to leave without telling them where they are going. It also leads an energy vampire into their midst, and someone puts a spell on Tabby that causes her to go invisible whenever she hiccups. But, never the less, Tabby and Sage are determined to find out who killed Sage’s boss and why. Will they find out who the killer is? Will they find out who is targeting their family and friends?

When I saw this book’s cover, I decided to read it. I love books with cats on the cover. Throw in a holiday theme (this book is Christmas), and I was sold. But I was slightly disappointed by this book.

In the Wick of Time is the second book in the Magic Candle Shop Mystery. It will help if you read the first book to understand what is happening in this one. I didn’t, and I needed clarification about Tabby and Sage’s relationships (friendships and otherwise). There was almost no mention of what happened in book one besides a brief description of why the police were so focused on Sage.

In the Wick of Time is a medium-paced book. The author could have amped up the pace of this book. I attribute a little lag in the middle of the book to the speed.

The main storyline of In the Wick of Time is centered on Sage, Tabby, and the murder of Loren Lee. While this storyline was straightforward, it was in the middle of a chaotic book. The author had numerous secondary storylines that overshadowed the main one. I couldn’t keep them straight and was glad the author started merging them with the main storyline.

The storyline with Sage, Tabby, Loren Lee’s murder, and their investigation was interesting. It was a twisty storyline that did surprise me several times. Sage didn’t endear herself to me with this storyline. She came across as a brat. Sage wasn’t as well-liked as Tabby. Tabby did 90% of the investigating while Sage did whatever she did.

The storyline with Sage, Brindle, and the magical issues was interesting. At first, I was with Sage about Brindle. He cheated, and good riddance!! But, I started to doubt what Sage saw when Brindle tried suicide and ended up in the hospital. That was cemented by him telling Tabby that he thought it was Sage. I liked how the author resolved this storyline, and I still felt terrible for Brindle. He deserves better than a brat like Sage.

The storyline with Tabby, the energy vampire, her aunt, Frank, and Frank’s past was fascinating. This storyline interested me more than the main one. I liked how the energy vampire and Frank were connected, and it made sense with Frank having the powers that he did. Frank’s backstory was interesting. The author kept it vague enough that I couldn’t figure out precisely what Frank did. I wish that he and Tabby’s aunt hadn’t jetted, though. Frank seemed like a character, and I would have loved to see more of him. As for the energy vampire, he was a sleaze, and he wanted Tabby and Sage. I liked that Tabby was more powerful than him, and how she made him go away did make me laugh. This storyline was left open, and I hope it is continued in the following books.

The mystery angle of In the Wick of Time was well written. I was shocked at who the killer was and what the motive was. I didn’t see it coming, and that scene in the alley took me by surprise. Of course, how will the police handle everything?

The end of In the Wick of Time was good. The author wrapped up the main storyline and most of the secondary ones but left a couple open. That left enough for me to question if there will be a third book.

I would recommend In the Wick of Time to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and some mild sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Valona Jones for allowing me to read and review In the Wick of Time. All opinions stated in this review are mine. 

cgonya1's review

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

3.5

In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones is the second in the Magic Candle Shop Mystery series. It is the first for me in the series as well as by this particular author. It is December in Savannah, GA where Tabby Winslow and her twin Sage are working hard at their respective jobs. Tabby is at the familial shop while Sage is working part-time at the local green nursery. When Sage’s boss appears to be getting sicker and sicker, Sage and he have an argument about getting healthcare. Later, when he is found dead, Sage’s rival points the police in her direction. Both Winslow girls must work hard to keep their business afloat, their magic secret, and keep Sage out of jail for crime she didn’t commit.

I enjoyed the idea of twins working at their familial shop. I also liked Sage, because while some think she’s dramatic, the reality is that people are dramatic. I can think of quite a few people who have hair trigger tempers. Auntie O and Frankie’s relationship was interesting, as well as the side story with Frank’s past. I’m interested in seeing how far the author takes it.

I was very confused as to the premise of the twins’ magic. When Tabby was getting her hiccups which made her blink visible to invisible, she was trying to hide. But then she would tell people about her magic. Was it meant to be a secret or not? If so, then does the whole town know about it, or just a select group? Then there is the magic itself. Someone would say that something is “spelled” but the twins talked more of energy. So, are they witches or empaths? I just really felt a loose connection between characters and audience.

This novel does have one of my pet peeves in regard to the policeman’s attitude. I usually do not care for angry, close-minded detectives. In this case, I wasn’t even sure if the second detective was also close-minded or just kind of there. The conclusion, though, threw me off. While the explanation was perfectly clear, the actual motive didn’t really make much common sense. 

Overall, I rate this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

jen_baroness_mom's review

4.0

In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones is wonderfully written and captures the sister bond perfectly. I love the entire package. 

Will Tabby figure out what is going on in Savannah before she loses her sister? 

Sage and Tabby Winslow 

Our sleuths are fraternal twins, Sage and Tabby Winslow. However, our point of view is Tabby. Tabby is younger by a few minutes and shorter than Sage. They can use energy to do some really cool paranormal things. Tabby is still figuring out how her powers work, either through her candle and soap making or how she interacts with the people in her life. She can also read auras. Tabby has a beau who has waited for her to accept him for a long time. The intimacy feels right, but Sage is jealous of Tabby's relationship and the time that Tabby spends with Quig. Tabby is learning more about herself, and she is starting to place boundaries for other people. 

I like Tabby. She has a sweet heart and wants to help others. However, she isn't good at asking for help, which I can understand. I think there is more to her boyfriend than meets the eye. I look forward to learning about that and why it is vital for Tabby's well-being. 

Sage, the older sister, is a bit taller and needs more energy than she seems to be able to create on her own. Sage automatically starts pulling energy from Tabby as soon as they are together. Sage is happier with plants around, suggesting that has something to do with her magical power. To me, Sage seems like a hot mess. She isn't as nice as Tabby and sometimes lets her anger get the best of her. Sage also makes snap decisions and isn't easy to sway afterward. I like Sage, but I don't think she is entirely self-aware of how much her sister does for her. Also, Sage always thinks of herself first and then others. 

The Mystery 

We have a few things going on. First, we have the death of Sage's boss at the nursery, which, of course, Sage is a suspect. Then we have Aunt O's boyfriend's past, that seems to have jumped up and is biting everyone near them. Then we have Sage's boyfriend, possibly spelled or hexed. Sage is messed up with their break up and dealing with her feelings. Add in a few new people, some high school acquaintances with a grudge, and Ms. Jones has a fantastic mystery that kept me guessing. 

Four Stars 

I truly enjoyed this story. The mystery, the sister's bond, the paranormal aspect of the story, the grouchy police detectives, and the setting are all superb. My rating for In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones is four stars, and I recommend that you check it out. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to read the first book in the series, Snuffed Out. 

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones. 

Until the next time, 

~Jen 

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

booknallnight's review

slow-paced

3.0

In the Wick of Time is a decent cozy mystery. I was hoping for more of a Christmas feel and was a tad disappointed with the lack thereof. At times, this was hard to get through as it felt repetitive and slow.

I also had a hard time with the twins. Their interactions with each other, and their surroundings, didn't vibe or mesh well for me. I did enjoy the supernatural/magical part of the story, but even that at times was sluggish.

Overall, not a bad one, but not great either. I probably won't continue the series or go back and read book 1. Don't let that discourage you though if this sounds like a book you would enjoy.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.