Book Review: Witch Upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders

Small town librarian Josie Way is thrilled her younger sister Jean is coming to visit her in her newly adopted home of Wilfred, Oregon. But Jean isn’t there just to catch up with family. Wilfred’s recently opened retreat center has booked a life-coaching seminar she’s incredibly enthusiastic about attending, too. The seminar promises to teach attendees not only how to better their circumstances, but also how to make a profit while teaching others the same thing. Unsurprisingly, enrollment costs a substantial sum of money. 

Josie and Jean’s mom was so alarmed at exactly how much money, she’s convinced Jean is being suckered into a cult, and asks that Josie do her best to save Jean from its clutches. While Mom certainly has a reputation for being overly protective, for once Josie might actually take her side.

It isn’t only that the Way women all have magic running through their veins, and that their mom’s sense of intuition is usually spot on. And it definitely isn’t, as Jean complains, because she’s seen as the screw-up baby of the family who must be coddled and protected at all costs. Josie just has a very rational skepticism of the seminar’s claims and quasi-pyramidal profit model, one that’s compounded by her initial run-in with the workshop’s leader, Cookie Masterson herself.

Cookie is a self-made self-help guru whose Ready-Set-Go model has helped thousands of people achieve the successes they desire. Josie, however, is put off by Cookie’s seeming prioritization of money over everything else. While Josie’s instincts are to protect her little sister from what she’s sure is merely an expensive scam, a posthumous letter from her grandmother reminds her that sometimes it’s better to let people make their own mistakes:

That went for letting Jean learn her own lessons, too. She was enthusiastic about Cookie’s workshop. If it was a rip-off, then it was a lesson for Jean. If Grandma was right and my interference could tip destiny, by keeping Jean from the workshop I might prevent her from meeting someone or learning something–even something incidental–that could change the course of her life for the better.

Josie’s resolve to not get involved is sorely tested when not one but two bodies linked to the seminar are found dead in separate places around town. Her neighbor and long-term crush Sheriff Sam Wilfred warns her to stay out of the investigation, but relents a little when she admits her fears for her sister’s safety. Jean insists that she’ll be fine, but the more secrets are unearthed about the workshop and its participants, the more uneasy Josie becomes about her sister’s continued participation. Will she be able to balance her desire to help her sister grow as a person with her desire to keep Jean safe from harm, or will their relationship be irrevocably damaged as danger looms ever closer?

I love how thoughtful this paranormal series has become regarding the ethics of everyday life, witchy or otherwise. I could absolutely empathize with Josie’s reactions, while also appreciating how hard she worked to give Jean the independence and support her younger sister needed. I also adored the developments in Josie’s love-life in this installment. The romance felt natural and inevitable and swoon-worthy all at once.

Of course, another large part of this series’ charm is the humor. While I was sad not to see any of the enterprising Buffy and Thor in this book, it was a delight to read of the knitting club’s decision to lean into the recent spate of murders in order to draw tourism to their town:

“For a slogan, how about, ‘People are dying to come to Wilfred’?” Neil asked. “We have folks kicking the bucket left and right. Let’s take our greatest asset and run with it.”

 

“I love it,” Gloria said.

 

“You don’t think it’s too gruesome?” Mona asked.

 

“Nah. People really go for stuff like that. Check out the TV listings. Look at true crime podcasts. I bet Josie would tell us that murder mysteries are popular.”

 

“Super popular,” I admitted.

 

“Then why not make the most of it?” Neil said. “It’ll get Wilfred a lot further than bragging about scenery and fresh air.”

This paranormal cozy series is delightfully modern, with complicated murder mysteries and one of the most charming casts of characters in contemporary fiction. I love how real all the characters feel, even in the most surreal of circumstances. It’s a lovely juxtaposition that only serves to underscore the quality of Angela M Sanders’ storytelling.