| Title | : | Crochet and Cauldrons (Vampire Knitting Club, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1928145523 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781928145523 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 236 |
| Publication | : | First published October 25, 2018 |
My Grandmother, Agnes Bartlett, used to own Cardinal Woolsey’s knitting shop in Oxford then died and left her shop to me, without informing me that she wasn’t actually dead. She’s a vampire and part of the world’s strangest craft circle – the Vampire Knitting Club.
As you might imagine, this means she’s free to interfere in how I run the business that used to be hers. She’s trying to teach me to knit and it’s not going well. She’s also trying to teach me how to be a witch, since it turns out I’m from a long line of witches. Another tiny detail about my family that no one ever told me, along with the long-lost witch cousins I recently discovered.
But I’m learning. I’ve got my family spell book, my black cat familiar, some powers that sometimes scare me, and an interesting new group of friends.
My archaeologist parents are coming to visit and bringing me a gift I could do without.
So, to recap, I run a knitting shop and I can’t knit. I’m a beginning witch who can’t always control her cat, never mind her magic, and my love life is as tangled as the last sock I tried to knit. Oh, and for some reason, I keep getting involved in murder investigations. Good thing I have my vampire knitters to help sniff out clues.
At least I’ve finally hired the perfect assistant, a real demon with the crochet hook. Or is she too perfect?
Crochet and Cauldrons (Vampire Knitting Club, #3) Reviews
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Crochet and Cauldrons is book three in the Vampire Knitting Club series by Nancy Warren. It was another fun cozy mystery.
Lucy has to deal with an ancient curse, an unknown demon, a cat thief, and many pretty boys. She was brave and determined. She is becoming more conformable with her life in Oxford and I like seeing her settle in.
The mystery. Unfortunately this go around it was obvious to me who the demon was. I can’t understand how Lucy didn’t figure out. They’re where a lot of give aways. Thou I did still enjoy the mystery and everyone working to keep Lucy safe.
We do get to meet a few new characters and Lucy’s group of friends expands.
Crochet and Cauldrons is an enjoyable read. Now onto the next one.
Rated: 3 Stars
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I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. If you feel anything in my review is a spoiler and is not already hidden in spoiler brackets please let me know. Thank you.
This one was a little hard to rate. While it was good. I just wasn't into it. Not the book's fault though, I'm going through a bit of a reading slump. So I'm judging it on other things, and so far this is my favorite book of the series. It had more magic and wonder than even the first book did.
The murder that cozy mysteries usually focus on though didn't happen to over half the book, but that doesn't mean this book was idle the whole time. It seemed to choose to focus on a curse this time versus the murder.
Looks like there might be 2 or 3 new characters coming into the series, which should add some interesting new elements next book. I do have to say though that I knew who the bad guy was almost instantly. I don't know if the author did a bad job hiding it or if she never might to really try this time, but I wasn't even wondering. I knew. -
Another entertaining offering that focused on the witchy and less on the vampires, thus I enjoyed it less. Let’s keep our focus on the toothy knitters please and let go of the revolving assistant trope.
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Auch wenn der Feind der offensichtlich war, mochte ich wieder die Charaktere, die Story und die gesamte Atmosphäre - Auf zu Band 4!
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This one was a little more predictable than the first two but still good fun and entertaining. I bought the next 3 in the series as a package from audible (3 books for 1 credit) which is honestly a bargain.
I'm really enjoying this series. -
3.5 stars
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First, there were far fewer errors in this book; the proofreading was greatly improved.
The story was interesting and definitely moved things along in this world. Lucy, though still a horrible knitter, is getting better at managing the knitting store, and slowly becoming more comfortable with her witch power. I did get anmoyed at her obviousness concerning the big bad. I recognized it as soon as it appeared on page early in the book.
There were intriguing developments in the story and I'm eager for the next one. I do hope Warren doesn't continue to drag out the brewing love triangle. Move it forward and move on. -
The Gist: A dang cursed mirror and a demon after our Lucy.
Crochet and Cauldrons was a fun one. Ancient curses, too many dang pretty pet-able boys, an unknown demon, a cat thief. It's just a lot for Lucy who just wants to run her little knitting shop and maybe figure out how to knit something herself.
Lucy was great this go around. Brave and determined. I enjoy spending time with her as she makes a new life for herself and settles into Oxford. And Rafe? Yes, I do wish something would happen with that sexy vampire. Maybe a little romance? Just a smidge? Come on, please!
The mystery. Hmm. Well I did figure it out before the end and there were lots of possibilities. I enjoyed the hunt and watching them all try to keep Lucy safe and figure out how to stop the demon after her. -
This mystery was so interesting! A ancient egyptian mirror, an evil sorcerer, and a cat-snatching witch, plus fall vibes. 🍂 And it's official, I ship Rafe and Lucy. Nothing's happened yet, but I feel the romance coming. They must be endgame.
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Lucy’s parents are archeologists in the Middle East, and they pay her a surprise visit in Oxford, bringing a strange gift, an old mirror which holds a deadly secret. She enlists the help of a powerful local witch to defeat the evil demon residing in the mirror. The narrator, Sarah Zimmerman, does a good job with British, American, and Aussie accents.
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3.5 rounding up. This felt like less a cozy and more a light paranormal mystery. It focused on the paranormal rather than cutesy food/crafting stuff. Fun, fast read.
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This was a cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed the fun cast of characters. I kept trying to guess who was the demon the whole time. I did briefly have it right but I was quick to nix that idea. I love that the author kept me guessing so much. Overall, a fun little story and I will definitely read more of this series.
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4.5
Book source ~ Kindle Lending Library
Lucy Swift inherited her grandmother’s wool shop in Oxford and even though she can’t knit worth a damn she decides to give running it a try since it means a lot to her grandmother. Yes, I said “means” and not “meant.” You see, her grandmother is now a vampire and even though she’s still adjusting to her new way of life and can’t be seen by anyone she knew before, she still is attached to the shop and her granddaughter. Plus, she needs to teach Lucy how to be a witch. Because that’s also something Lucy didn’t know about before her grandmother died. Let’s not forget the vampire knitting circle and the fact that murders keep happening around Lucy and she feels a need to solve them.
In this installment, Lucy’s parents make an unexpected visit even though they’re right in the middle of an exciting find in their Egyptian archaeological dig. Things are weird though and Lucy is trying to figure out how an Egyptian artifact fits into her life and whether it’s tied to the murder of a graduate student.
I love this cozy mystery series. It has humor, paranormal aspects, great characters, and quirky situations for Lucy to deal with. The vampire knitting circle is just too awesome. I love them! There’s even a possibility of some romance coming up in the future. Exciting! I’m going to continue on with this series in the hopes that Lucy will get better at magic. Because heaven knows she sucks at knitting. LOL -
I am so disappointed with the mystery in this book. I knew who the bad guy was the minute the person walked into the story. I don’t know if maybe the author did this on purpose or if she just did a terrible job hiding it. If it was on purpose then I think that’s a pretty weird thing to do because it made the other characters look silly for not figuring it out sooner. I mean, not even Rafe was suspicious. Lucy was not so “swift” in this one. Haha, get it?
Anyways, aside from that disappointment there were several things I did enjoy about this. Each star stands for the following.
First, we get to meet a ton of new characters. I hope some will stick around or return in future books because I really liked most of them. We did get less vampires in this but I felt the new characters made up for that. The knitting club’s loyalty to keeping Lucy safe and how concerned they are about her is so sweet. We also get more background on Lucy and her unique childhood.
Second, this starts with a cursed mirror. This was a different kind of cozy mystery. Not so much about a murder but more about an ancient curse and preventing a murder. I liked that change from the regular cozy murder mystery formula. Ancient curses and magical beings are so fun to read about!
The best part about this book was the fact that there is so much magic! We’re finally getting more magic and magical beings! I am so excited to continue with Lucy on her journey with magic. Nyx is proving to be a force to reckoned with too. I won’t say much more about the magic aspect of this book so I don’t spoil anything. I wish I could have given this another star because I really loved the magic and the characters. I hate having the whole mystery figured out before the main character. :(
“All the witches past and present of Oxford seemed to whisper to me,You are not alone.” -
This series is alright, but honestly, there are some weird inconsistencies that really piss me off. Firstly, Lucy is sometimes as dumb as peeled paint, and she leaps head-first into things without even an ounce of thought. In a lot of ways, her character behaves as though this is a YA, but we're told repeatedly in these first few books that she's 27.
Secondly, the thing with Nyx in this book really was infuriating. It made me hate Margaret, but that's okay because I think we're supposed to. It made me hate Rafe, because he demanded that Lucy just accept it ... and that, I think, is the problem. It made me hate Lucy, too, for accepting it. And here's the thing: when Rafe took Lucy to meet Margaret, the only advice he gives her is to not let Margaret intimidate her. But then when Margaret just informs Lucy that she's keeping Nyx, Rafe hauls her out before she can even argue, much less punch that cat-stealing bitch in the throat. But she's not supposed to be intimidated? RAFE looked intimidated by her, given how eager he was to accept Margaret's every whim without argument. It was stupid.
I really don't know why I'm reading onward. ***2.5*** -
This was another fun read in this series. I really enjoy listening to this series as the narrator does an awesome job with it. And it's a fun paranormal cozy mystery series so far. I like following Lucy along as she slowly learns more about this world of witches and vampires and other paranormal things that are out there. And every book has it's own mystery as well ofcourse.
The mystery of this one was quite different again than most cozies. There is no actual murder until quite late in the book, but the impending danger plot line starts quite early. It was an interesting way to handle it. And even though the mystery at first wasn't about who is the murderer, it was still about who is behind this. I do think it was rather obvious who the murderer was, once we got a certain clue it all fell into place for me. It was almost too obvious and it was a bit annoying how none of the characters seemed to realize what was happening until it was almost too late. The ending turned a bit dark and creepy, but I liked seeing how Lucy got through it.
This story feels like an important one for the story in a way. With the new things Lucy learns in this one and how much she has come to rely on her new vampire friends. It's like she's slowly starting to get a bit more comfortable that she's a witch. And there's another witch she meets in this book. Although she wasn't very likable at first, I do think it helped Lucy to learn more about witches.
I enjoyed listening to this book and seeing how Lucy deals with all the danger she's facing in this book. I also liked how she showed determination and kindness in this book. I like seeing how she interacts with the other characters and there are some interesting new characters she meets in this book as well as more we see from the already familiar ones. And Lucy's parents come to visit in this book. It was hard to fully like her parents, but they did feel realistically done. With the way her parents worried about her and sometimes tried to push her into a certain direction. They didn't fully understand her decision to stay in Oxford either. It was interesting to see this part of Lucy's life and her parents so I could better understand how this shaped her as a character.
I like how the world building slowly gets expended with each book. With little bits here and there we learn about witches in particular in this book. This book also touches upon other things that are out there with the powerful enemy Lucy faces in this book. It's interesting how the series still takes things slowly. While Lucy is a witch, she's still a new witch and still has a lot to learn and often doesn't have time for all the witchy stuff with her shop and the rest going on, which felt very realistic.
I really like the way Sarah Zimmerman narrates this series. I like her voices for Lucy and Rafe especially. Her older ladies voice is also very spot on. And the way she handles all the different accents and gives every character their own voice really works for me. I am really glad I decided to listen to this series.
To summarize: Another fun book in this series. I like the unique set-up this book has with the murder happening later on, but news of impending danger arriving instead early in the book. I think this approach worked well for this story. I did think it was rather obvious who was behind it all and it was a bit frustrating how no one seems to get the right clue to solve this mystery. I like Lucy as a character and I like the kindness she shows a stranger and her determination to fix this. It's interesting to see her learn more about being a witch. There are some new characters she meets in this book as well as the usual cast of recurring characters. Sarah Zimmerman does an awesome job with the narration and I like how she handles the different voices and accents. I am glad I decided to listen to this series. -
3.5 stars
This series was one of the great discoveries of this year, and I am so glad to have started it! (and since I know myself, I am also stupefied that I have read three volumes of it! I have started it in October and... Wow! I am at book three!! I have this little habit of starting a ton of new series, I am a champion at it, but then... Well, I am not so good at keeping up with them!).
It is the right book (series) to read when you want something easy and fun, and it gives you a warm feeling. Also, it makes me want to learn how to knit!
Lucy has a big heart, and in this book, we finally met her parents! Growing up with them would have been a feat, that's for sure!
Also, in this book Nyx is more active as a character, and I loved the parts with her in it!
It is true that the mystery part wasn't really so good, because it was quite obvious who the villain was this time around, but with the adittion of the Egyptian vibes and history things managed to stay far away from boring! -
This series just keeps getting better and better! If you like a cozy mystery with a paranormal twist, then this series is for you. In this installment, Lucy is being hounded by her parents about her future, once again on the search for an assistant, herding vampires to avoid said parents and being stalked by a demented demon that wants to kill her. The humor abounds and I love that Lucy has a sarcastic side that is really starting to show through! I can't wait to listen to the next audiobook in this series!
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Der Schreibstil könnte für manchmal noch besser sein. Hin und wieder ist mir Lucy etwas zu naiv aber dennoch… Ich liebe die Story, die Charaktere, die Katze 🐈⬛ und Vampire 🧛🏻♂️ den Schauplatz Oxford 🇬🇧 Ist einfach stimmig und super nett zu lesen.
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I really like this series. It's sort and simple yet oh so cozy and lighthearted.
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This series is just a good reliable listen. I get invested enough that they keep my attention when I take walks! Sometimes I guess who did it right off the bat, but usually I'm surprised. They are just fun. I'll continue on in the series for as long as I have access to them via Libby!
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31/2stars. Fun, light and engaging. Enjoy this series!
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Not a terrible book to read when high.
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An assistant is all she wants
Awesome. Loved the interplay between ancient Egypt and today's world. However just wish it was harder to spot the baddies. However the characters are a joy - all different but all rich and full bodied.
Coming from the shops, where she's again put up adverts for an assistant, she's surprised to see a middle aged couple outside her shop. Her parents! Her mother seems bespelled and once she gives an ancient artifact to her falls asleep. The artifact is a hand mirror and has a young witch trapped inside it. A witch that warns her that an ancient evil is out to kill her. Gaining the vampire's help and with a super efficient new assistant (an older woman who is seeking a job) she tries to research the evil. Throw in a powerful witch who gives her a potion to reveal the evil (but takes Nyx as payment), the death of a young wizard, a new admirer and a vampire bodyguard team she tries to reveal the evil. Will she succeed? Will the trapped witch be freed? Will she get Nyx back? Will her mother ever open her mind to the supernatural? -
To me it was painfully obvious who the bad guy was. I was expecting there to be some spell involved in no one in the book figuring it out, but nothing was mentioned.
I read the kindle unlimited version and it is desperately in need of an edit. There's a lot of typos and places where there's double words, or missing words. I enjoyed the first two books so I'm giving that a pass, but if this were the first book I might not move on to the next one. Hopefully book 4 is better edited.
At this point I'm also curious why she doesn't try crochet. She keep struggling to learn how to knit. Like I know that's one of the points of the book is "haha she can't knit" but why not try crochet? -
I was hoping i was wrong about who the villain was. I wasn't. Still a fun book.
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Crochet and Cauldrons is book 3 of the Vampire Knitting Club series. In this book, we met Lucy’s family and saw more of a relationship forming between Lucy and Ian. The “bad guy” was predictable.
I have been binging this series and haven’t been reviewing them in between each book. Some overall observations from the series so far (I have finished through book 8.5 and am partway through book 9) are that the stories are always cute and good for a short escape. I really enjoy the characters and have a vested interest in them. Something I have noticed, though, is that there isn’t continuity between books and the books really could have benefited from a proofreader. For example, in book 1, Lucy is 27 but in book 6, she has her 26th birthday. In one of the books, Rafe is at least 600 years old, but in the next book, he is only 500 years old. Occasionally there is an incorrect name used but I always know what was meant so it doesn’t confuse me or make it so that I can’t continue. Another thing that is missing, at least to the point I am at now, is any real information about the vampires. We don’t get to know anything about their abilities, only that they are vampires who feed via a blood bank. Even with the inconsistencies, I am hooked on the series and enjoy these easy-going, clean, cozy mysteries. It is a nice palette cleanser from the smutty stuff I typically enjoy.
The narrator is the same throughout the series and she does a great job. I recommend this series. -
This series gets better and better with each book.
Crochet and Cauldrons is the 3rd book in
Nancy Warren’s Vampire Knitting Club Series and it kept me glued to my proverbial reading chair. Witches, Sexy Vampires, demons and humans! What’s not to love?
Lucy Swift inherited her grandmother’s knitting shop in Oxford, England at the beginning of the series. She quickly learned that she inherited a nest of vampires along with the shop; her grandmother being the newest vampire of the group.
This book has Lucy’s archeologist parents visiting her in Oxford. They unwittingly bring an unwelcome surprise along with them that puts Lucy’s life in grave danger. Lucy needs to rely on her new found magic along with her vampire friends, including sexy vampire Rafe, to stay alive and defeat the “curse”.
This book had more paranormal events than the first two and I thought that made it more interesting and fun. I will definitely continue reading this series. -
Read as part of the advent challenge, prompt “a book with the cover model wearing a sweater”. This is book three in the series. I really enjoyed the first two. They included knitting, witches and vampires. In my mind there’s nothing not to like! But this one really dragged. I had tried reading it earlier in the year and gave up. This time I was determined to finish it as I would like to continue the series in the hope it is just the story in this one I don’t like.
Lucy was getting on my nerves in this story. I am over the helpless newbie witch thing now. I am also totally bored to the back teeth of the love triangle that isn’t progressing and the ever revolving shop assistants. Hopefully book four will progress on from these sad old tropes.
On the plus side there was more magic in this book, and what looks like could be a new and interesting character in the form of Meri 🤞
