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A Slice of Christmas Magic (The Magic Pie Shop, Book 2) by A.G. Mayes
A Slice of Christmas Magic
The Magic Pie Shop, Book 2
YA, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
HarperImpulse
Digital original edition (December 12, 2019)
Kindle, Paperback
240
With Aunt Erma back in charge of her magical pie shop Susanna Daniels thought life would return to normal. But there is no normal in Hocus Hills and as the most magical time of year approaches Susie finds herself in a race to stop a magic revolution. Add in the unexpected arrival of the one that got away and a mysterious dog named Duncan, and its clear that this will be one Christmas that Susie will never forget!
Did not wet my appetite…
A Slice of Christmas Magic is the second book in The Magic Pie Shop series. I did not read the first book, A Slice of Magic, and even though A.G. does a good job of quickly reintroducing characters or adding commentary that helps fill in the gaps, I could tell that there was a backstory that would have helped me better understand both the characters and plot. Basically, in the first book, Susie left her job in the city and temporarily moved to Hocus Hills to run her Aunt Erma’s pie shop after Erma’s sudden disappearance. Susie had not seen her Aunt in twenty years and had no idea how to make pies, let alone knowledge of her magic heritage that was the special ingredient in all the highly sought after deserts.
A Slice of Christmas Magic finds Susie still working at the pie shop now that her Aunt Erma has been unbound from the magic curse that had turned her into a cat. Susie is still trying to come to grips with the knowledge that magic exists in Hocus Hills and that she is also a witch. Aunt Erma’s nemesis is still on the loose and is trying to steal the pie spices that make the pies so special. Susie does all she can to try and stop the evil magic, while navigating a developing love triangle between her new boyfriend in Hocus Hills and her close friend, who is a boy, from back in the city. The true spirit of Christmas is in jeopardy, both for the town and herself, if she fails.
I really believe that pies are a great analogy for books; there is a huge variety of flavors and not everyone
has the same favorite taste. It is not that A Slice of Christmas Magic was unpalatable, it is just that from the first taste it was never able to grab my attention and keep me wanting more. A.G. is a solid writer and produces a light and easy to read story. Like special foods that have a history with us (my grandma made it for me when I was little or this is what my significant other and I ate on our first date) developing a connection with a book series from the first book can impact how you read all the others. I did not have that connection with this series and A Slice of Christmas Magic was never able to get me hooked on it.
Tanya’s love for books has been a lifelong passion that she likes sharing with others. Reading is also the thing that relaxes her after a day of juggling the many responsibilities that come with being being wife to an amazing man, mother to four great kids spread around the world, business manager, and farm hand on their place in southwest Missouri; home to Akaushi cattle and a menagerie of pygmy goats, horses, chickens, dogs and cats.
