Halfway Dead (Halfway Witchy, #1)

by Terry Maggert

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4 ★ Audiobook⎮ I've been wanting to get into more paranormal/"witchy" books for a while now. The last couple have disappointed slightly, but this one was definitely closer to the mark. It was light, fun, and extremely easy to get through. The Adirondack setting was new to me and I enjoyed its uniqueness, as well as the way it was incorporated into the plot. Halfway Dead was definitely more on the all-inclusive side of things, with vampires, ghosts, and various sorts of undead creatures thrown in. In that respect, it reminded me of Ilona Andrew's Innkeeper Chronicles series, without being nearly as graphic (and without aliens, thankfully). I'll admit to cringing a bit when the vampire character was introduced, just because vampires are so overdone these days, but the romance was very minimal (even if a bit sudden). It may take a larger spotlight in the following installments, but given the way it was approached in Halfway Dead, I'm not too worried about it.

For a first installment, I think Mr. Maggert is off to a promising start. I like the way he is pacing the series. I never felt overwhelmed with information during this installment, which was a primary complaint I voiced when reviewing the first installment of the Innkeeper Chronicles. If developed properly in the next installments, I think this series could become even more delightful. I'm especially hoping to see much more character and world development, since both of those things seemed just a teensy bit shallow to me in this installment. I get the feeling that there could be much more lurking beneath the surface and Maggert may simply be biding his time. In the past, I have a preferred my "witchy-woo" to be a little deeper and darker, which is probably why I was so drawn to the Hoodoo mysticism of J.D. Horn's Jilo. However, I can understand that some readers may like their coffee with cream and sugar and may like their paranormal fictions a little sweeter too. Call me crazy, but I think Halfway Dead would make an excellent "beach read" (or listen) for paranormal lovers. It is lighter and funnier than some other paranormal stuff out there and Terry Maggert's writing style is sure to put a smile on your face!

Narration review: I loved the narrator, Erin Spencer, instantly! Her voice sold me on this series almost as much as the writing. There is no doubt in my mind that a less enjoyable narrator would have significantly decreased my overall enjoyment of this listening experience. Naturally, I did my homework on her and discovered that she has narrated over 60 audiobooks on Audible.com, several of which I am itching to get my hands on now. ♣︎

➜ This audiobook was graciously gifted to me by its author, Terry Maggert, in exchange for a review containing my honest thoughts and opinions. Thanks, Terry!