Evenfall Witches Series

In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace

I heard a lot of buzz about In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace in the cozy mystery community and I love witchy things, so it seemed right up my alley. I had attempted to read Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue recently and couldn’t get into it, and honestly… this book reminded me a lot of that. And Gilmore Girls. It didn’t really pull me in, but it was an easy read so I stuck with it. I felt like everything came together toward the end, and that’s enough to make me want to read the second book. But I don’t think I’d really call it a cozy mystery because I don’t think it was possible to solve with the info given, and that didn’t really seem the focus - it was more on family and getting her magic back.

When the Crow's Away by Auralee Wallace

Since the feeling I came away with after finishing the first book was, "Hmm, that wasn't too bad," and my library had the second book, I checked it out to give it a shot. I wanted to like this book but, according to my Kindle, I hit 50% exactly and I just can't anymore. This one didn't feel as cozy as the first, I think because the first one seemed like it was establishing the setting and vibe, and then the second one did the same. So instead of cozy, it was just repetitive. The murder also felt very "...okay?" I wasn't sure why I should care. Usually in cozy mysteries the protagonist must solve the murder. They're compelled for some personal reason, or to save themselves or a loved one. That might have ended up being the case here, but the stakes weren't high enough by the halfway point for me to care so I'll never know. I have no problem reading a book that is just okay as long as it's entertaining, well-written, or makes me want to find out the answer, but this one was a major miss for me.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (and more!)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Herdman siblings—infamously known as the "worst kids in the world"—have hijacked the annual Christmas pageant, leaving the whole town bracing for disaster.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys are notorious for their antics: they’ve burned down Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce out of her charm bracelet, and whacked Alice Wendelken upside the head. So when they crash church for the free snacks and take over the Christmas pageant, everyone assumes chaos is inevitable.

But as the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, begin to reimagine it in their own unconventional way, something unexpected happens. This year’s pageant turns out to be unlike anything anyone expected—and maybe that’s what makes it unforgettable.

I remember reading this as a kid and have been re-reading some childhood books trying to find this scene I remember (I’ve already Googled and Reddited so it’s driving me nuts). I didn’t know this had been made into a movie but now I really want to see it. The book was better than I remembered - it never stood out to me in my memory, but I really enjoyed it this time.

The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson

At Woodrow Wilson Elementary, whenever trouble brews, you can bet a Herdman is involved. These kids aren’t just notorious; they’re practically outlaws. They smoke cigars, tell lies, and start fires—and that’s on the rare days they actually show up to school.

But when a school project challenges everyone to find something nice to say about their classmates—even the Herdmans—students begin to wonder: could there be more to this wild and unruly family than meets the eye?

I liked this even better than the Christmas Pageant because the reader really gets to know the Herdman family and it’s got a great ending. It felt really realistic and reminded me a lot of my elementary school years.

My Brother Louis Measures Worms: And Other Louis Stories by Barbara Robinson

Eight-year-old Louis has somehow been driving his mom's car around town, the family cat has gone missing to have her kittens, and a free wedding has sparked plenty of excitement. With costume parades, mysterious paint allergies, and chaotic bicycle mishaps, life with the Lawson family is always full of surprises!

I read this right after two Herdman books and kept confusing the main character and her brother in each book, but all the family stories were really funny. I wish the third book in this collection was the third Herdman book, The Best Halloween Ever, just to keep them all together and prevent the character confusion.