Girl's Guide To Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky

2.5 Stars

I'm at a bit of a loss with this review, this is the second time I've read this book and I must have loved it the first time around as I have all 5 in the series and have read them all.  Unfortunately, on this read through I'm not quite sure why that is.  I could just about remember the basics - librarian Jane gets her wage slashed but free accommodation to make up for it, discovers secret basement full of Witchy goodies and awakens her familiar, Neko, by accident which leads her Warder, David to turn up on the doorstep berating her; all mixed up with her family relationships changing, her crush on an academic who turns out to be a bit of a prat and her friendship with the baker.

Everything that happens in the book is narrated by Jane and she is annoying - whether it is her constant ramblings about the academic or worrying that people are only nice to her because she inadvertently cast a love spell - her voice soon began to grate on me.  No wonder her grandmother keeps asking her to make promises not to do weird stuff (like "promise me you won't kiss a toad") as she is just dumb enough to do anything someone tells her too.  The humour in the book comes from laughing AT Jane rather than WITH Jane and leaves you feeling a little bit less than you thought you were; not that there is much humour to be entirely honest.

My favourite character is Neko - he is the king of snark and completely fabulous (yes, in the Ru Paul sense of the word).  Unfortunately, he doesn't make enough appearances in the book for my money. 

I am so not sure why I loved this one the first time through and I am now wondering if it is worth re-reading the rest of the series but I've dug them out now so I guess I will.