Book Review: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

7/10   

    I've been taking lots of books out of the library lately that have to do with witchcraft, and why should I keep fiction out of my bookbag? Juliet Blackwell's book Secondhand Spirits was just what I needed to get some magical inspiration! 

    Written in 2009, the story follows Lily Ivory, a witch who has moved to San Francisco to start a vintage clothing store. Lily can (among other things) sense the imprints that previous owners have left on their vintage clothes, and then match her customers with their perfect garments. She is looking to make some friends, and finds them in Bronwyn, the Wiccan Herbalist who shares the Aunt Cora's Closet, and Maya, a lovely young lady who finds clothes for Lily to purchase from the homes of elderly pack rats. I won't surprise you with who else you'll meet (gotta have some surprises, this is a mystery after all!), but of course there will be romance too. When tragedy strikes in multiple forms, it is up to Lily and her special gifts to solve an otherwise unsolvable mystery. Multiple suspects with secrets and motives will pull your attention in many directions, and you won't know who to believe. Can Lily save poor Jessica before it's too late?

    This book admittedly only took me one day to read, but I honestly read it the ENTIRE day, so long in fact, that my boyfriend began complaining about how absorbed I was :) At 313 pages long, it was an easy read. The author managed to seep magic into every page of this book, and it was very enjoyable to feel so immersed. She also incorporated some Mexican and other South American culture into the storyline, and I think she is probably quite accurate, given that she has a degree in Latin American Studies from UC Santa Cruz, and a Masters in Anthropology and Social Work from New York State University. I have a few pet peeves when reading mass market fiction, so while this isn't Jane Austen or Agatha Christie, it isn't bad either. It is a fun book to get your mind off your life, and it is an interesting mystery, made cooler by the fact that you can mix up the story more when magic is involved! Also, it is fun to get a little inspiration, and Juliet used a lot of different sources (human witches and other magic practitioners) to get inspiration for the book. I liked the fact that Lily hinted at her previous life, but didn't go into any monologues, and left some mystery for the next books. I was genuinely surprised at the end of the mystery, so I count that as a success!

    The bonus for me is that she had some really cool magic moments, and it definitely left me wanting to brew a potion and find myself a familiar! I'm really looking forward to reading the next installment, A Cast-Off Coven. 

    All in all, if you are looking for a fun read, and maybe looking to get inspired, then read this book. 

-Sarah