Juliet BlackwellSynchronized Sorcery (Witchcraft Mystery)

An interesting mystery and an intriguing new character highlight Lily and Sailor’s recently married lives. There’s so much that Blackwell continues to do very well: Great settings, intriguing storylines, characters (both human and otherwise) diverse enough to reflect the Bay Area they inhabit, evolvement of her cast of regulars, and historical lore tied into the plot in ways that keep the readers’ attention.Overall I adore this series, but this book and the last were not as enjoyable. I think it’s because these two books had way too many characters crowding the pages so I was left with little interest in or sympathy for the victims. I also didn’t enjoy Lily’s grandmother and her coven the way I thought I would. For me they were a distraction, creating background noise but not contributing much of use to either plot. I know that’s not the intention and they were important to both books, but their presence made it more difficult for me to navigate these stories. Given that this series is already rich with regulars (Lily, Sailor, Oscar, Aidan, Maya, Patience, Carlos, Selena, Conrad, Bronwyn) and semi-regulars, I think Lily and her mom, and Lily and her grandmother are deserving of their own storylines, sans coven. I do hope they visit again soon, either separately or together.It also felt awkward to have one of the Treasure Island characters foisted on us the way that she was. For me it would’ve felt more balanced and evenly wrought without the grandmother’s coven. While I was happy for the special guest star from another Blackwell series - again, too many characters. I do appreciate Maya’s ongoing oral history project, so the inclusion of the interview with that elderly character and her mermaid experience was great. I was pleasantly surprised to discover who the “bad guy” was, but the Nazi subplot felt like too much. Something that serious was more deserving of being fleshed out and explored. My final criticism is the bit about gender-neutral pronouns. My eyes are still rolling from that.I do look forward to the next book, with Aidan’s return, Oscar’s ongoing search for his mom, Patience’s dating life and the expansion of Lily’s apartment so that she, Oscar and Sailor have more room.

I’ve enjoyed the Witchcraft Mystery series from book 1. The books can be complicated to follow but I’ve grown fond of the characters. Book 11 begins with Lily and Sailor’s return from their honeymoon in Europe. Minimal details on their travels but nice to have them home. Upon her return, Lily tries to catch up with her duties as head of San Francisco’s metaphysical community but, of course, gets immediately caught up in a murder. The circumstances of the murder were secondary to the addition of new characters and the return others. Many bridges (literally) were crossed and it felt to me as if this book was an ending and beginning for Lily, friends and family. I had a time keeping up with everyone although the plot was simple. Look forward to seeing where the next book takes them.Addition: It’s taken me days to process, but, transitional! This book felt like all of the characters have gone through transitions and are starting new phases in their lives.

No one would ever call me conservative, but when I read that Lily and Sailor felt that the word “spouse” wasn’t gender neutral enough I was DONE. Hardest eye roll of my life. Beside the fact that “spouse” is literally the most gender neutral of all words, this is not what I want to be bogged down with. I read these books for a fun escape, not to have this junk bs heaped on me. I’m trying but this book is bad. I never don’t finish books but it’s a real effort. I’m so sad but this is the end for me with this series and this author.

Juliet Blackwell hit it out of the park with Synchronized Sorcery, possibly the best in the ongoing series about vintage clothing shop owner and witch Lily Ivory.With Aidan Rhodes out of the picture, recuperating from injuries sustained in the previous book, Lily once again finds herself in charge of San Francisco's magical community when things ramp up for yet another mystical showdown. As the defacto magical mayor of San Francisco's subculture, the question is, will Lily be up to the task of maintaining order amongst the practitioners of the mystical arts while running her business and solving another murder?Lily and Sailor are just home from their whirlwind honeymoon; Oscar is still searching for his gargoyle mother; and Lily finds a dead body in Aidan's office. Wouldn't be a Witchcraft mystery without that dead body and the whodunit.Add some reclusive island dwellers, an artist, a get-rich scheme, some Nazis, Lily's grandmother and her coven, and Lily's alleged brother to the cauldron, stir and see what mayhem brews.Blackwell once again combined history with creativity and came up with a winner in this installment of her magical series. Blackwell managed to weave the 1939 San Francisco World's Fair, historical and modern Nazis, mermaids, and the construction of the Bay and Golden Gate bridges into a page-turning tale worthy of the highest praise. Easily a two-evening read, if you can put it down! This is the first book I've ever given five stars.

There is nothing sacred in our world today, you can't vote the way you want because the other side says your wrong, you can't be comfortable if you're white because it's "white privilege", there's no more he or she, and so on and so on. I stopped watching TV because of the bombardment of all of this and more and this is why I read to escape all of this. The first few pages and chapters in Ms. Blackwell's characters are looking for "gender neutral pronouns" to call each other, I stopped reading the book and deleted it out of my library. Sadly I won't see the rest of Lily's and Sailors story as I will not buy anymore of her books.

This series just gets better and better. Pleased that Lily and her Mum are repairing their relationship. Hilarious manoeuvring between Oscar and Sailor and looks like a new big problem may be on the horizon. Already looking forward to the next book!

Although very well written with enough twists and turns to keep a good pace, it was not quite to my liking. I have no doubt, however, that many others will find this an enthralling story.

Did not disappoint - have read all of the the witchcraft mysteries by Juliet Blackwell and have loved every one of them. Please keep them coming!