Betwixt by Darynda Jones

Betwixt (Betwixt & Between, #1)

by Darynda Jones

Forty-something Defiance Dayne only recently discovered she comes from a long line of powerful witches. Added to that was the teensy, infinitesimal fact that she is what’s called a charmling. One of three on the entire planet. And there are other witches who will stop at nothing to steal her immense power, which would basically involve her unfortunate and untimely death.

No one told her life after forty would mean having to learn new lifeskills—such as how to dodge supernatural assassins while casting from a moving vehicle—or that the sexiest man alive would be living in her basement.

Whoever said life begins at forty was clearly a master of the underappreciated and oft maligned understatement.

Reviewed by Berls on

4 of 5 stars

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Not at all surprised that I loved Betwixt - after the Charley Davidson series I had high expectations for humor, friendships, and a magical plot - Darynda Jones did not disappoint.

In fact, while being a completely different story, it feels very similar to Charley Davidson:
- The chapters begin with the humorous headings I came to adore in Charley Davidson.
- Defiance (what a unique name!) is a fantastic character, with a very familiar sarcastic sense of humor. I love that she's recently divorced, living paycheck to paycheck (or more accurately etsy sale to etsy sale), and in her 40s. It made her very relatable - minus the magic, of course.
- Her relationship with her good friend, whose name I've forgotten, has all the promise of Charley and Cookie. They're hilarious together and clearly love the hell out of each other.
- SEXY mysterious male - check! I don't want to say too much about Roan, but I look forward to seeing his story unfold.
- And of course the magic that slowly develops and reveals through a twisty plot... very Darynda Jones.

It basically has all the things I loved about Charley Davidson, but feels fresh and different. I don't really know what genre to place it in - it has a cozy mystery meets urban fantasy feel.

I enjoyed the narration and I think as the series progresses I'll probably get attached to Traci Odom. I think she delivered the voices well and brought out the personalities well. I'll definitely continue listening.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 March, 2021: Finished reading
  • 2 March, 2021: Reviewed