About the Book
Synopsis from Goodreads:
When a librarian discovers she’s descended from a long line of powerful witches, she’ll need all of her bookish knowledge to harness her family’s magic, in this enchanting cozy fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.
Zoe Ziakas enjoys a quiet life, working as a librarian in her quaint New England town. When a mysterious black book with an unbreakable latch is delivered to the library, Zoe has a strange feeling the tome is somehow calling to her. She decides to consult the Museum of Literature, home to volumes of indecipherable secrets, some possessing magic that must be guarded. The collection is known as the of Books of Dubious Origin.
Here, Zoe discovers that she is the last descendant of a family of witches and this little black book is their grimoire. Zoe knows she must decode the family’s spell book and solve the mystery of what happened to her mother and her grandmother. However, the book's potential power draws all things magical to it, and Zoe finds herself under the constant watch of a pesky raven, while being chased by undead Vikings, ghost pirates, and assorted ghouls.
With assistance from the eccentric staff of the Books of Dubious Origin—including their annoyingly smart and handsome containment specialist, Jasper Griffin—Zoe must confront her past and the legacy of her family. But as their adventure unfolds, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready to embrace her destiny.
My Review
Zoe Ziakas loves her quiet life as a librarian. Nothing exciting ever happens to her and that’s the way she likes it. Then, her life takes a strange turn when a mysterious book is delivered to her doorstep. There is a latch on it and she must find out how to open it.
She contacts the Books of Dubious Origin. If anyone can help her, they can. Zoe quickly learns that she is a descendent to a family of witches. The book is her family’s grimoire and can help her learn whatever became of her mother and grandmother. It’s not as easy as it sounds since there are many who also seek this book from an undead Viking to ghost pirates and other ghostly types. She must fight them all to learn the truth about her family. With the help of the staff at Witches of Dubious Origin, Zoe goes on the adventure of a lifetime.
This is a magical book filled with quirky characters in the oddest situations. At first Zoe tries to fight off her witchcraft background but she soon learns she has no choice.
The readers go on this journey with Zoe and her new friends. It’s one crazy thing after another with this crew. The author does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of everything Zoe is experiencing. I was easily transported to Zoe’s world. I couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out in the end.
This story had me reading into the night. I couldn’t find a place to stop. I just wanted to keep reading and I’m glad I did. I hope there will be a sequel to it. It would be fun to see what became of Zoe and her friends.
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2025
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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