jenbsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this ... I am afraid it won't really stick in my memory though (which is a problem as far as reading the sequels goes). The tone and voice was fun, as was the narration in the audio edition. There were spots that made me smile.
I'm not a huge fan of witches - this had a lot of paranormal in it though. The search to free a ghost, running into werewolves and vampires, all in a contemporary (while back-woodish) setting.
I enjoyed it while I was listening to it, but even just a few days later coming to review, I'm struggling to remember what it was all about.
I'm not a huge fan of witches - this had a lot of paranormal in it though. The search to free a ghost, running into werewolves and vampires, all in a contemporary (while back-woodish) setting.
I enjoyed it while I was listening to it, but even just a few days later coming to review, I'm struggling to remember what it was all about.
crystalm17's review against another edition
3.0
I will admit that the main reason I read this book is because the author, Terry Maggert, approached me on Twitter and offered a free copy of the second book in the series if i reviewed it. After reading the blurb on Goodreads I immediately accepted but first I had to read this, the first book in the series. And I'm actually very glad that I accepted his offered.
Halfway Dead was a very interesting book, combining a couple of things I really like such as magic, mentions of yummy food, and a pet cat (familiar) with an attitude. At first Halfway Dead had a little bit of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing going on with the main character Carlie doing part of her witchy duty by taking out a creepy monster creature using her powers and a little bit of snark just like Buffy. And then it turned into more of an adventure mystery.
Carlie gets dragged into a magical adventure involving ghosts from the past, a vampire, and a helpful wisp. The characters are interesting, especially the Viking vampire who actually wasn't as tropey as one might think based on the other vampires in popular fiction lately. And they were written in such a way that I really did care about what happened to them, which is a good thing.
The only thing I really had a problem with, and it wasn't even much of a problem, was some of the ways Carlie's magic worked. I'm still not entirely sure of how her powers worked. But other than that I really liked the book and look forward to reading the second one.
Halfway Dead was a very interesting book, combining a couple of things I really like such as magic, mentions of yummy food, and a pet cat (familiar) with an attitude. At first Halfway Dead had a little bit of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing going on with the main character Carlie doing part of her witchy duty by taking out a creepy monster creature using her powers and a little bit of snark just like Buffy. And then it turned into more of an adventure mystery.
Carlie gets dragged into a magical adventure involving ghosts from the past, a vampire, and a helpful wisp. The characters are interesting, especially the Viking vampire who actually wasn't as tropey as one might think based on the other vampires in popular fiction lately. And they were written in such a way that I really did care about what happened to them, which is a good thing.
The only thing I really had a problem with, and it wasn't even much of a problem, was some of the ways Carlie's magic worked. I'm still not entirely sure of how her powers worked. But other than that I really liked the book and look forward to reading the second one.
daniellecalifornia's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
It’s very anticlimactic
chelsjulian's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up.
The plot and environment were interesting, but the characters were 2D. Carly's personality was annoying and abrasive and as a heroine, she leaves a lot to be desired. I will not continue the series.
The plot and environment were interesting, but the characters were 2D. Carly's personality was annoying and abrasive and as a heroine, she leaves a lot to be desired. I will not continue the series.
itsallaboutthebooksuk's review against another edition
4.0
First off I would like to say how much I love this cover. It just jumps out and says “read me”.
In Halfway Dead we are introduced to Carlie, a cook who’s speciality is waffles but she’s also a white witch. The opening chapter sets the scene, and we find Carlie fighting a beast in the forest. This petite witch shows she’s no push over and I found myself drawn into the story straight away and liking Carlie as a character. She’s passionate about her hometown Halfway, she’s humorous, caring and also a witch. What more could you ask for?
The story itself was intriguing and I found myself turning the pages quickly. Told from Carlie’s point of view I found I could easily just slip right into Carlie’s world and forget what was happening around me. I really liked Carlie’s sense of humour and found myself laughing out loud a few times. I enjoyed the scenes with Carlie’s Gran and big cat Gus and I’m hoping we find out a bit more about them in future books. The author does a fantastic job in writing a story that just flows, it pulls you in and without realising you are in another world.
This isn’t my normal genre but I like to get out of my comfort zone now and again and I was thoroughly pleased this was the book I chose. Full of witch craft, ghosts, and other worldly creatures this was a really good read. I’m lucky enough to have the next two books in the series to read so I’m looking forward to getting to them soon.
In Halfway Dead we are introduced to Carlie, a cook who’s speciality is waffles but she’s also a white witch. The opening chapter sets the scene, and we find Carlie fighting a beast in the forest. This petite witch shows she’s no push over and I found myself drawn into the story straight away and liking Carlie as a character. She’s passionate about her hometown Halfway, she’s humorous, caring and also a witch. What more could you ask for?
The story itself was intriguing and I found myself turning the pages quickly. Told from Carlie’s point of view I found I could easily just slip right into Carlie’s world and forget what was happening around me. I really liked Carlie’s sense of humour and found myself laughing out loud a few times. I enjoyed the scenes with Carlie’s Gran and big cat Gus and I’m hoping we find out a bit more about them in future books. The author does a fantastic job in writing a story that just flows, it pulls you in and without realising you are in another world.
This isn’t my normal genre but I like to get out of my comfort zone now and again and I was thoroughly pleased this was the book I chose. Full of witch craft, ghosts, and other worldly creatures this was a really good read. I’m lucky enough to have the next two books in the series to read so I’m looking forward to getting to them soon.
briarsreviews's review against another edition
4.0
Book Title: Halfway Dead
Book Author: Terry Maggert
Introduction: Terry Maggert asked me to review his book, so I was more than happy to give an honest review!! It's always a pleasure when authors actually ask me to read their books. It makes me feel all kinds of special, like they think I'm a good enough reviewer or reader to read it. Maybe that's just me though!
All of my thoughts/opinions are my own. I am under no obligation to write a nice or good review.
Review:
Paranormal.
Witches.
Magic.
Monsters.
So many incredible topics and themes thrown into an incredible book.
At first glance, I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in this novel. I had been slowly moving away from YA/Fantasy fictional realms slowly and the plot synopsis seemed like my old interests. But when I actually got into reading the book, I realized it wasn't just some typical, super common fantasy novel. Was there fantasy and witches? Yes. But, was it the same old plot, the same old setting that you find in every witch novel? Nope. That was the great initial aspect of this novel. It started off in a different manner, and I loved that.
The magic in this novel is definitely interesting, and readers need to pay attention to understand what's happening. It's not some ooey gooey romance novel that requires no thought. I enjoyed this aspect of the novel, seeing as many magical novels these days require no thought or mental effort.
The book is original, and as I continue to type about how different this novel is, I want to make sure readers understand that. I love an original novel that isn't by the book. It's neat, interesting, and really cool! In my opinion, I wish more books were outside of the box like this one!
Our main character is hilarious and reading from her point of view is excellent. I rarely like reading First Person POV but when your main character is funny and intelligent, my opinion instantly changes on this form of writing. Carlie is also a very happy person, and not depressing like some characters who have narrated other books I have read. This makes the book more interesting, to hear from a nicer, happier point of view. The background and side characters are also equally as amazing (and sassy in some situations!).
This book features a strong, independent female lead, a witty sense of humour, an intelligent choice of wording and an engaging plot. What more can a reader ask for? Reading Terry Maggert's writing was a nice change from all the cookie cutter authors out there. I really appreciate his style and how he words his thoughts and splashes them onto the page. I will definitely be continuing on with this series.
The cover (which I know we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover), is beautiful. I find books that are well written that also have an incredible cover always seem to spike my interest more than well written books with boring covers. Superficial? Probably. But sometimes the little extra beauty makes the book one step higher than all the others!
Now for the negatives. There are always negatives in every book, but the positives outweigh these negatives. There was a slow pace, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. But, this slow pace was not constant. It happened only a few times and for short periods of time, which made this book bearable.
Overall, this was an incredible introduction to a new series for me to sink my fangs into (haha...fangs...get it? Monsters? Vampires...ah, nevermind). This breathtaking series is a must read for fantasy readers who want an out of the box, original title!
Four out of five stars!
Book Author: Terry Maggert
Introduction: Terry Maggert asked me to review his book, so I was more than happy to give an honest review!! It's always a pleasure when authors actually ask me to read their books. It makes me feel all kinds of special, like they think I'm a good enough reviewer or reader to read it. Maybe that's just me though!
All of my thoughts/opinions are my own. I am under no obligation to write a nice or good review.
Review:
Paranormal.
Witches.
Magic.
Monsters.
So many incredible topics and themes thrown into an incredible book.
At first glance, I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in this novel. I had been slowly moving away from YA/Fantasy fictional realms slowly and the plot synopsis seemed like my old interests. But when I actually got into reading the book, I realized it wasn't just some typical, super common fantasy novel. Was there fantasy and witches? Yes. But, was it the same old plot, the same old setting that you find in every witch novel? Nope. That was the great initial aspect of this novel. It started off in a different manner, and I loved that.
The magic in this novel is definitely interesting, and readers need to pay attention to understand what's happening. It's not some ooey gooey romance novel that requires no thought. I enjoyed this aspect of the novel, seeing as many magical novels these days require no thought or mental effort.
The book is original, and as I continue to type about how different this novel is, I want to make sure readers understand that. I love an original novel that isn't by the book. It's neat, interesting, and really cool! In my opinion, I wish more books were outside of the box like this one!
Our main character is hilarious and reading from her point of view is excellent. I rarely like reading First Person POV but when your main character is funny and intelligent, my opinion instantly changes on this form of writing. Carlie is also a very happy person, and not depressing like some characters who have narrated other books I have read. This makes the book more interesting, to hear from a nicer, happier point of view. The background and side characters are also equally as amazing (and sassy in some situations!).
This book features a strong, independent female lead, a witty sense of humour, an intelligent choice of wording and an engaging plot. What more can a reader ask for? Reading Terry Maggert's writing was a nice change from all the cookie cutter authors out there. I really appreciate his style and how he words his thoughts and splashes them onto the page. I will definitely be continuing on with this series.
The cover (which I know we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover), is beautiful. I find books that are well written that also have an incredible cover always seem to spike my interest more than well written books with boring covers. Superficial? Probably. But sometimes the little extra beauty makes the book one step higher than all the others!
Now for the negatives. There are always negatives in every book, but the positives outweigh these negatives. There was a slow pace, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. But, this slow pace was not constant. It happened only a few times and for short periods of time, which made this book bearable.
Overall, this was an incredible introduction to a new series for me to sink my fangs into (haha...fangs...get it? Monsters? Vampires...ah, nevermind). This breathtaking series is a must read for fantasy readers who want an out of the box, original title!
Four out of five stars!
dani_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Halfway Dead was an unexpected delight, a taste of something a little bit different in what I’ve been reading recently. It was told from the first person perspective of Carlie McEwan, a white witch (as in white magic) who lives in the small town of Halfway, New York, working as a diner cook during the day and fulfilling spell requests at night.
This book was… different. It was not as dramatic as YA and even NA can be, but it was still interesting. It had an easy tone while still adding mystery and intrigue.
On the whole, Maggert has a talent for fleshing out people and worlds. I had such a full sense of the Adirondacks that I almost felt like I was there; in fact, I really want to visit now. I could imagine the diner, Carlie’s house, the woods, Wulfric’s (awesome) cabin and the gradually introduced beasties. The magical creatures were a mix of ones we see frequently (e.g. vampires) and ones that are less common (e.g. wisps, wyrms and wights).
Carlie struck me as a combination of Sookie Stackhouse, Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg. Badass with a cheerful, down-to-earth disposition. I loved that she was confident, and in a settled, sure way, not arrogant. Well, maybe there was a touch of arrogance here and there, but that can’t be helped. She seemed genuinely clever and mature while still retaining youth and relatability. She enjoyed drinking wine and shopping online!
I also loved how she was not a morning person. I CAN RELATE. She was not self-conscious in the slightest, but she hated short jokes. I felt like she was a real person, with positive and relatable negative traits.
The relationships were a bit two steps forward, one step back for me. Forward: there were two lead male characters for Carlie’s one female lead. Other authors may have gone for the love triangle, but it was great to see Maggert exercise restraint in this. Forward: Carlie was not clueless. She noted one guy’s interest, interest which she returned; instead of being all shy and coy, she was brilliantly direct with her “I see you seeing me, so let’s explore this” attitude. Back: The slower pace and build of the story and familiarity between the various characters did not prepare me for the sudden jump in the relationship towards the end. What was a realistic development seemed to take a turn for the insta-love. (Well, not quite love, but still a change in tone and pace.)
Now about that pace. I already mentioned that it was a slower pace. This wasn’t a high-paced, action-filled read. All conjuring the world and people, Maggert had to sacrifice speed. What resulted was a lazy day read, not one that you stay up until 3am reading with your heart beating fast. In fact, they didn’t even go into the woods until around the halfway mark. Then, towards the end, things sped up drastically, and I had to flick back pages here and there because I got a little confused. I also expected a bit more at the end, and I felt a little disappointed.
Another thing that perturbed me a little was the lack of emotional reaction to what I saw as a big loss at the end. Given Carlie’s emotional reactions to nameless people dying peacefully at the beginning, when bad things happened to good people that she actually did know towards the end (and in a rather shocking and confusing manner), I expected her to react a lot more strongly. But no, nothing. And this repeated at the end when a note was left that should have resulted in a lot of anger and panic from a certain someone, but date night was more important?
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I’ll be reading the next book, Halfway Bitten, soon! This is a great paranormal indie if you like witches and Viking vampires. ;)
Halfway Dead was an unexpected delight, a taste of something a little bit different in what I’ve been reading recently. It was told from the first person perspective of Carlie McEwan, a white witch (as in white magic) who lives in the small town of Halfway, New York, working as a diner cook during the day and fulfilling spell requests at night.
This book was… different. It was not as dramatic as YA and even NA can be, but it was still interesting. It had an easy tone while still adding mystery and intrigue.
On the whole, Maggert has a talent for fleshing out people and worlds. I had such a full sense of the Adirondacks that I almost felt like I was there; in fact, I really want to visit now. I could imagine the diner, Carlie’s house, the woods, Wulfric’s (awesome) cabin and the gradually introduced beasties. The magical creatures were a mix of ones we see frequently (e.g. vampires) and ones that are less common (e.g. wisps, wyrms and wights).
Carlie struck me as a combination of Sookie Stackhouse, Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg. Badass with a cheerful, down-to-earth disposition. I loved that she was confident, and in a settled, sure way, not arrogant. Well, maybe there was a touch of arrogance here and there, but that can’t be helped. She seemed genuinely clever and mature while still retaining youth and relatability. She enjoyed drinking wine and shopping online!
One night a few months ago, after a few glasses of wine, I sat down and scrawled a manifesto defending my choice to shop online whenever possible. It looked something like this: Nearest good store is sixty miles away. Pants are required. Stores don’t serve wine. They don’t serve pizza, either.
I also loved how she was not a morning person. I CAN RELATE. She was not self-conscious in the slightest, but she hated short jokes. I felt like she was a real person, with positive and relatable negative traits.
“Ugh. Could you quit smiling, please? It’s offensive.”
The relationships were a bit two steps forward, one step back for me. Forward: there were two lead male characters for Carlie’s one female lead. Other authors may have gone for the love triangle, but it was great to see Maggert exercise restraint in this. Forward: Carlie was not clueless. She noted one guy’s interest, interest which she returned; instead of being all shy and coy, she was brilliantly direct with her “I see you seeing me, so let’s explore this” attitude. Back: The slower pace and build of the story and familiarity between the various characters did not prepare me for the sudden jump in the relationship towards the end. What was a realistic development seemed to take a turn for the insta-love. (Well, not quite love, but still a change in tone and pace.)
Now about that pace. I already mentioned that it was a slower pace. This wasn’t a high-paced, action-filled read. All conjuring the world and people, Maggert had to sacrifice speed. What resulted was a lazy day read, not one that you stay up until 3am reading with your heart beating fast. In fact, they didn’t even go into the woods until around the halfway mark. Then, towards the end, things sped up drastically, and I had to flick back pages here and there because I got a little confused. I also expected a bit more at the end, and I felt a little disappointed.
Another thing that perturbed me a little was the lack of emotional reaction to what I saw as a big loss at the end. Given Carlie’s emotional reactions to nameless people dying peacefully at the beginning, when bad things happened to good people that she actually did know towards the end (and in a rather shocking and confusing manner), I expected her to react a lot more strongly. But no, nothing. And this repeated at the end when a note was left that should have resulted in a lot of anger and panic from a certain someone, but date night was more important?
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I’ll be reading the next book, Halfway Bitten, soon! This is a great paranormal indie if you like witches and Viking vampires. ;)
See this review in its natural environment, Dani Reviews Things.