Witches in the Kitchen by Danielle Garrett

Witches in the Kitchen by Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: Magic Inn Paranormal Mysteries #1
Published by Tantor Audio on May 16, 2023
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Length: 6 hrs 52 mins
Pages: 308
Format: Audiobook
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A magical inn bursting with paranormal delight. A picture-perfect seaside town filled with humans who don’t know about their witchy neighbors. This cozy fantasy series has mystery, magic, and a splash of romance!

Up until a week ago, my only knowledge of magic came from the movies. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay that way.

A bout of insomnia leads to witnessing a scene that belongs in a vampire flick—only, the fangs looked way more realistic. One second, I was running for my life, and the next, I found myself choking on a hairball in the back of an SUV.

That’s right … a hairball. See, my body's been hiding a pretty big secret, and I’m some kind of witch. One that turns into a cat when under duress.

Apparently, my choices are fight, flight, or … fur.

Overnight, I find myself thrust into a world of magic and mayhem beyond my most wild sleep-deprived delirium. Until the murderous vampire is captured, I’m placed into some kind of witch-ness protection program, and sent to live in a house full of actual monsters.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Hey, at least running for my life will help me squeeze in my cardio.

Witches in the Kitchen is the first of the in the Magic Inn Paranormal Mysteries series, which is apparently a spin-off of the Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries series. I hav never read the Harbor series and didn’t feel like I missed anything. I guess some of the secondary characters are from that series originally, but I felt like everyone was introduced well.

It’s a fun read. Our main character, Blair, discovers she’s a witch by accidentally turning into a cat when she is in a life-threatening situation. The Supernatural Protection Agency steps in and she is moved to Beechwood Inn for her safety and to learn more about controlling her powers.

I liked Blair. The life she’s been leading up to now is a bit boring and a bit lonely. But learning that magic is real has thrown her for quite a loop. She’s sweet and nice and caring. The inn’s owners, Holly and Adam, are good mentors and the other inn residents are appropriately quirky and magical.

We get a bit of a mystery for Blair to help solve and the start of a potential romance. The world building is well done and the magical people and creatures are mostly types we’re familiar with.

I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a fabulous job. The book is written in the first person from Blair’s point of view and Ronconi’s voice fit the character well.