Mateo Borrero has ninety-nine problems, and all of them hinge on the fact that his terrifying and currently-missing bruja mother trapped a demon in his body when he was born. His mother forbade him from ever using magic, but now that she’s gone, magic’s his only marketable skill, and he’d really like an exorcism—which costs money he doesn’t have. What’s the harm in making a quick buck by calling himself an Occult Specialist and chanting a few half-remembered spells in his crappy Spanish?
Enter Topher, a naive nepo baby with a curse that keeps killing people around him. Most importantly, he’s rich, and too clueless to clock that Mateo–and his (absolutely-not-the-assistant) astral-projecting best friend Ophelia–have never actually had a client before. Lifting Topher’s bad luck curse should be simple, but as luck would have it, nothing is simple, and Topher–who Mateo sort of, kind of likes–might be at the center of a deadly magical conspiracy.
To make matters worse, the more magic Mateo does, the stronger the demon inside him grows and the more he wants to eat people. But would caving to the urges of an ancient evil really be that bad if it helps him get a payday?
⤖ My Review ⬻
An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder was much darker than I had anticipated, and I loved that about it. I was expecting a slightly lighter paranormal urban fantasy vibe, but what I got instead was something moodier, twistier, and a little more brutal at times—in the best way.
I immediately rooted for Mateo and was invested in his story—I wanted a good outcome for him despite the shadier side of his character. He felt complex and flawed in a way that made sense for the world he inhabits, and I enjoyed watching him navigate things. I liked the supporting characters as well.
The mystery also kept me guessing until the reveal, which made this read even more fun. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another piece of information would come to light—I was on the edge of my seat a lot of the time!
Lastly, I wanted to note that I listened to this book completely on audiobook due to an eye condition I’m dealing with, and I wanted to say that I really liked the narrator. They did a fantastic job of not only bringing Mateo’s character to life, but the supporting characters as well. I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author for sure!
⤖ Places to Purchase the Book ⬻
⤖ Let's Chat ⬻
Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!
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