Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell’Antonia – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / BAM / Bookbub

Description:
She gave up on magic. But magic didn’t give up on her.

Two exes. One misbehaving mother. Surprising magic. The perfect recipe for Halloween chaos.

Flair Hardwicke knows the deal: Magic is real, love isn’t, and relying on either ends in disaster. She’s seen the havoc romance and witchcraft wreaked on her mother’s life, and Flair swore off all of it long ago, after the boy she thought was her destiny ditched her. But then her strictly no-magic life falls apart, and Flair inherits her grandmother’s home and bakery in Rattleboro, Kansas.

When the cookies Flair decorates as Tarot cards unleash the magic of the family deck she stole as a child, luring Flair’s mother to town, tempting Flair’s magic-obsessed daughter, ensnaring Flair’s ex in a curse she can’t break, and bringing Flair’s first love back to town, Flair has to accept that while she may have given up on magic, it refuses to give up on her.

As Flair’s attempts to control the Tarot cards play into the hands of a powerful witch, Flair must find a way to accept her magical heritage in order to save those she loves from a danger she’d never anticipated.

Review:

Playing the Witch Card by K.J. Dell’Antonia is a stand-alone paranormal novel revolving around magic and witches. Flair Hardwicke, our heroine, returns home to Rattleboro, Kansas after many years away; taking her 13-year-old daughter, and leaving her husband who cheated on her for the last time. Flair left home all those years ago because she did not want to be part of the magic from her grandmother and mother. Her decease grandmother left her the house and bakery, but she is determined not to accept the family’s legacy of magic, including a special deck of tarot cards, which she hides. Flair also has issues with her daughter, who wants to go back home where her father is; not knowing the truth of why Flair left.

With business poor at the bakery, Flair is asked to make cookies for Halloween, and as she makes them, she doesn’t remember how she made them, as they were wonderful tarot card cookies. Immediately, her bakery becomes a hit, with business blooming, and even when asked by customers what do some of the cookies mean, Flair finds herself automatically telling each of the customers.  Is Flair finding that even though she does not want magic, it seems magic wants her.

To make matters worse, Flair’s mother, a famous author who writes about magic, comes to visit, and brings Flair’s husband to town, as he has been bespelled by the mother.  What is Flair to do? She needs to hide him from the daughter, since Flair does not want the daughter to go with the father. 

Rattleboro was founded by a coven of witches years ago, and Halloween always has a meaning; with all the shops decorated, scary, fun, treats all through the night; helping to raise money for charity. Loretta and her daughter, Renee are witches, and Loretta with Flair’s friend, Josie, will try to find a way to break the spell; but Loretta convinces Flair that she has to be part of the annual Halloween Trail, and she needs to create more of the magical tarot cookies. They will all gather near the end of the trail and free the spell.

What follows is an exciting mind-blowing last third of the book, as the characters get together to stop the spell and solve the issue with Flair’s husband.   But a plot twist that no one expected changes everything, and despite Flair’s wanting to burn the tarot cards, she knows she needs to use the magical cards to help save everyone; especially dealing with a powerful witch. Who will survive?

I did enjoy Flair meeting her childhood boyfriend, Jude (his mother is Loretta and sister, Renee), and really rooted for them to be together.  I also loved Josie, who was a great friend to Flair, always helping her.  The daughter Lucie was a bit annoying, but that was due to Flair not telling her all the truths. Flair’s mother was not a great mother, but as we move toward the end, she does get better.

Playing the Witch Card was an entertaining, fun and exciting read, that deals with magic, romance, family, tarot cards, and witches in a small town.  I did enjoy this book, which was very well written by K.J. Dell’Antonia.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher