A Hiss-tory of Magic

I got this book for free, during a special offer I found on the author's Facebook pageI've heard that in the original version, this book was filled with typos and other mistakes. Luckily, it has been edited, so for me, it was a smooth read.This was different than everything else I've read by Harper Lin. Actually, I don't think I've ever read a cozy mystery with magic. And the best thing is, I liked it. The most interesting thing were the cats' voices. Every cat (Treacle, Marshmallow and Peanut B [...]

An absolutely gorgeous cover and the kernel of a good cozy mystery plot with a solid puzzle behind it. But too many copyediting errors to ignore and the writing itself would have benefitted from some professional editing. Full review: jennoklikes/post/112982

I only gave this book two stars because although it was an OK read, it needed quite a bit of work in the editing. Quite often I was unsure from which character's point of view the chapter was being told. It looks like it'll be part of a series and so many wonderful series (The Dark Tower, The Dresden Files) got off to wobbly starts. I love the premise, it was not a bad cozy mystery, just needed polish.

I just can't even with this book. The good things? Concept had possibilities and the cover is gorgeous. The bad things? Everything else.The first chapter right off the bat was poorly done. It came off as babbling - which was supposed to have the character come off distraught and would have been fine if it also didn't come off a little pretentious. Supposedly we are supposed to believe this is a journal entry but it's painfully obvious it's mostly an out the author took as a short cut into explai [...]

Treacle, Marshmallow and Peanut Butter star as the cats in this series, along with their people Cath, Bea, and Astrid, who just happen to be witches. As is the "norm" for witches, it's getting more and more difficult to keep their secret for the townsfolk, especially when someone slips up in a moment of weakness. This first book in the series focuses on a fire in their Brew-Ha-Ha café and the murder of their baker. While they wait for the insurance to sort things out and reopen their café, the [...]

Wow. I've finally met a cozy mystery I didn't like! And it's about cats too!This has been on my to-read for ages, so when I saw the first three books going cheap on Kindle I knew I had to buy it. Unfortunately I got to around 75% of book one and just couldn't continue. The writing is poor, the plot is either weak or poorly presented and the reasoning behind why the characters say and do was kind of pathetic.Not a good book for me, one star.

Modern witches have to be very careful and hide their magical abilities--remember the Salem Witch Trials? Better to hide then to start that up again even if you no longer live in Massachusetts! So this family of witches live a normal life-well mostly. Of course Cath can literally talk to cats through thought transference and the three cats have a lot to say-not to mention having to save their humans from themselves and others and literally solve mysteries for them!This is a cute cozy mystery and [...]

I'm stretching by giving this 2 stars. I hate to give it 1 start because it did have an interesting plot but was just done all wrong. What could have been a cute little mystery got bogged down in little to no editing. By that I mean run on sentences, bad grammar, misspelled words, and just plain confusing sentences that had to be re-read to understood. It also go bogged down with different pov's including the pov's of a couple cats! Overall it tended to be a really confusing read that had a dank [...]

I'm not sure what it was about this book that just didn't click with me. It had everything I like cats, magic, witches and mystery but I came away from it feeling meh. It wasn't the writing, that was fine, I just didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. I think too many characters were introduced all at once and it was somewhat confusing to figure out when the cats were talking. Very cool concept. If I had cared one bit about any one character I would have rated higher but they felt fl [...]

An OK paranormal book on witches and cats. The focus was on white witches and their cats, so there are some chapters on the cats' POVs too. The transition between human and cat POV is smooth and does not hamper the flow of reading. The suspense was also not identifiable till the end so it was yet another bonus point to the book. It was interesting to read, but not every engaging to say that I loved it. Just an OK addition to the cozy mystery list

I have terrible news. I didn't think I had read this book and so I started it on my Kindle only to realize I had read it about two weeks ago. It is not a good thing to have a book be so forgettable. I gave it a quick scan to apprise myself of the details before writing the review.1- I did not care for the voice used. 2-The cats were too cutsie.3-I didn't like any of the characters.For a more detailed review and other suggestions go to talesuntangled.wordpress

Good story. Needs some work to be even betterThis got 3stars because I liked the story in general. It needs more detailed continuity and a clean flow of facts. But this is just book #1. Give Harper Lin time. She can create an interesting story. The rest is improving her craftsmanship. That takes more books.

A fun book filled with lots of cat conversations and magic. I enjoyed the family and their cats. It was a fun mystery.

It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. I don't know really what to say about it, but it was one of those that I had to see how it ended.

I think this was a good intro to a series. I like Cath and her relationship to her Aunt and Cousin. She mentioned her parent's a few times but you don't really get a grip on what happened to them. The ending was a bit eh to me. I wish I had a better word, but that is the only one that came to mind. It wasn't bad, the final scene with the baddie was mostly good, but then there is a wrap it all up scene which makes sense in the story and needed to be there I guess, but something about it didn't fe [...]

Starting with book #1, I found the story confusing in its attempt to explain magic - which I assumed was based on an incomplete understanding of multiverses/quantum physics. And the denouement and ‘big’ ending were a damp squid [pardon the pun as it was all about water].I never finished book 1 completely and had no urge to read books #2 and #3. 2 stars

Undercover witches and psychic cats? YES. Random cults and unresolved high school drama? MAYBE. Big props for Marshmallow the all-powerful witch cat, who has possibly ascended to a higher, genderless plane of existence. Listen to our full review in Episode 4 of Purrder, She Wrote!

Cool cats ??? Thought the story line was really well conceived, loved the way the cats played a big part.Plenty of spellbinding characters and a good story which was easily followed.Can not wait to read the next book

"Only those who have lived forever and know the meaning of the word 'never' should be allowed to say it.""Beside, what's a hospital but a vet for people? And you never hear at a vet's that it's not hygienic to have people running around."A family of witches who have hidden their secret for generations help to solve murder and arson in their small home town.This is a well written book with plenty of quirky situations and characters. The plot is strong and well developed. There is lots of action, [...]

This is the first book in the Wonder Cats series. I like the setting of the story, and the main character's abilities as a witcth are different.

So maybe I liked the cats the best, but the other characters were enjoyable as were the plot and setting. I'm hoping the Maid of the Mists appears again later in the series, as it intrigues me.

This series has potential but this book was confusing. I hope the next one is a clearer read.

not bad. some nice ideas and characters, although it got a bit confusing at times.

Did no enjoy this book.Explanations were hard to follow. I assume as this writer continues this series this will improve, but I will move on to something else.

3-/2+

Love this Author and this is another enjoyable read! I try to read all her series.

Once I got into this one I had a hard time putting it down. Really enjoyed the characters and storyline.

A Hiss-Tory of Magic by Harper Lin is the first book in A Wonder Cats Mystery series. Cath Greenstone is thirty-three and a witch. So is her cousin, Bea (and soul sister) and her Aunt Astrid. Together they run the Brew-Ha-Ha in town. Cath has the power to speak with animals. She seems to have a special affinity for cats. Cath “owns” (as much as you can own a cat) named Treacle. Treacle was a street cat who stills likes to roam about the town (he can open the cat door). They live in Wonder Fa [...]

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of witchcraft, murder, cats that can communicate with humans, and more. Against the backdrop of Niagara Falls, two cousins and their aunt/mother run a small cafe. However the cafe is destroyed by fire at the beginning of the book. Much of the story is trying to find out who was responsible not only for the fire, but for the theft of a family magic book that was removed before the fire was set. I was fascinated by the way the cats could communicate with Cath (one of [...]

Did not finish. I couldn't get into the book. I've enjoyed some of her other books but this ones not for me.