I just could NOT get into this one... It looked like a cute, fun, easy read. I wasn't familiar with the author, but a little investigation showed her to be a prolific crowd-favorite, just not my personal cup of tea. I found the protagonist irritating rather than endearing, which made connection to the story difficult for me. She seemed petty and childish, and despite a cute concept, I just could not find my way into the story. This one wasn't for me.

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC via NetGalley!

I was SO excited to read this, as I loved Love at First Book and really enjoyed Summer Reading, but unfortunately this was a DNF @ 40% for me.

The premise was fantastic and I was really excited to learn more about these books of dubious origin and see what happened. But unfortunately, I am having a very hard time vibing with the MFC, Zoe. She's a researcher in a library - which requires a certain level of curiosity to excel at - and knows all these random facts off the top of her head. But her reaction to magic, which she grew up with knowledge of, and her lack of curiosity to discover more about this particular book and how it interacts with her, is completely throwing me. After learning about her past, I could understand if she felt anger towards magic, but instead she says she feels fear, and then acts like she's a normal person who's suddenly been thrust into the world of magic and witches without prior knowledge... and it feels really off to me and doesn't quite make sense? Maybe it's just me but its making it a struggle to keep reading.

Also, this book is partially marketed as a fantasy romance... but we only get one sighting of the MMC, Jasper, in the entire first third of the book. By the time I put it down at 40%, we are just starting the romance thread, but it's still very awkward and one-sided.

It's also marketed as a cozy fantasy, but with all the MFC's thoughts and fears and just overall personality, its giving off too much anxiety to feel cozy right now.

If Zoe Ziakas had to sum up her perfect life in a few words it would be: quiet, predictable, and magic free. Which is why, when a mysterious black book shows up and all her attempts to get rid of it fail, she ends up at the Museum of Literature, home of the BODO—books of dubious origin—and its crew of magical librarians.

Turns out, the book is Zoe’s family grimoire, and the more she tries to translate it, the deeper she gets pulled into her family’s secrets—including the suspicious deaths of her grandmother and mother. As Zoe unravels the mysteries of the book, dark forces become drawn to its power, and she must decide between clinging to her quiet life or stepping fully into her magical legacy

Everything about this book screamed fun cozy fantasy. A reluctant witchy hero, a library full of magical books, and a series of oddball adventures. What’s not to love?

The writing, apparently. I felt like the author struggled to find Zoe’s true voice, which made me struggle to get into the storytelling. This was also true for the dialogue, which often felt forced and unnatural. The quirky premise had so much potential, but the execution just didn’t click for me.

That’s not to say the story wasn’t cute—it was. Or that the adventures weren’t fun—they were. It’s just that I never really clicked with this book, so for me, at best, it was just okay. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub date: October 27, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley publishing for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm such a fangirl fro Jenn McKinlay, and was so excited to see Witches of Dubious Origin available to request! Zoe’s journey into her family’s witchy past is both heartwarming and hilarious. The Museum of Literature setting is pure catnip for book lovers, and McKinlay’s writing sparkles with charm. A must-read if you enjoy witches with humor and heart.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with necromancers, angry vikings, and a strange library and the people employee there, then this is the book for you.

I actually laughed out loud a couple times while reading this book. I loved the side characters a bit more than the FMC, but otherwise really enjoyed this one.

Book Review
Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay

Genre: Cozy fantasy
PUB: October 28 2025

What Its Got
✅ Undead/walking dead
✅ Witches and Mages
✅ Repressed magic
✅ Librarians
✅ a book thats a cat
✅ spellbinding, necromancy,& curses
✅ found family

MCs
Zoe- librarian with a wicked memory
Jasper/Miles/Olive/Claire- librarians , BODO (books of dubious origins)
Agatha- Zoe’s aunt

Thoughts
📕 Have you ever watched The Librarians- this felt exactly like an episode of that show
📕 Enjoyed the riddle of the crow- while
predictable it added another layer to the
Mystery if the librarians
📕 I really liked Olive’s character- her cool bitchy, direct, “tell it like is attitude” was refreshing, her fellow librarians appreciated her for her strengths
📕 You could feel the connection between Zoe and Jasper but talk about slow burn… all we get is a kiss with a promise for more

Overall
👻A perfect escape for spooky season with guaranteed witchy vibes

Thanks to the author, @netgalley and the publisher for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Big fan of Jenn McKinlay's library cosy series and we loved her take on fantasy and magic. Can't wait to see more fantasy from her!

Review of uncorrected eBook file

Wessex Public Library’s reference librarian, Zoanne Ziakas, receives a strange book in the mail. But she cannot open it and, ultimately, she drops it into the desk drawer. But the book refuses to stay there and unexpectedly appears on her doorstep. But the strange lock keeps it tightly closed.

Zoe goes to her aunt, Agatha Lively, a kitchen witch who proclaims the book to have tremendous power. Zoe knows about witches and witchcraft . . . both her mother, Juliet, and her grandmother, Toni, were witches. But Zoe promised her mother that she would never use her magic and, true to her word, Zoe has kept her distance from all magic.

But in her dreams, the book whispers to Zoe.

Agatha persuades Zoe to take the book to New York City, to the Museum of Literature where she meets with the director, Claire Carpenter. After some discussion with Claire and the Special Collections staff, Zoe decides to leave the book at the Museum of Literature. But she experiences a blinding headache and passes out.

What is the book? And why has it been sent to Zoe?

=========

Readers will find themselves transported to a world in which fantasy, witchcraft, and magic exist and, along with Zoe, learn about the magical realm. Interesting characters, impressive world-building, an intriguing premise, and a plot filled with surprises all work together to keep those pages turning as fast as possible.

There are portents and unexpected revelations in the unfolding story; readers are kept guessing as to whether or not Zoe will accept the legacy of her family. Although much of the adventure here is unsettling for Zoe, she [along with the reader] slowly discovers the secrets of her family’s past as events force her into making decisions.

There’s a strong family element here; in addition to Zoe’s family, she’s created a family with Agatha. And, as she discovers her past, she also discovers another family within the Museum of Literature.

Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, a bit of magic, and a dash of the supernatural will find much to appreciate in this difficult-to-set-aside this magical story of discovery.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Berkley Publishing Group / Ace and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#WitchesofDubiousOrigin #NetGalley

A charming cozy fantasy, perfect for readers who love a library setting, a curious mystery, and a clever heroine. Zoe is a librarian who is comfortable with her quiet life, but is swept up into an action filled mystery. After her mother dies, a grimoire presents itself and Zoe and her new acquaintances race to discover the secrets of the book and of Zoe’s witchy lineage, before whoever (or whatever) killed her mom and grandma takes her, too.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ace for the ARC!

Zoe lives a quiet life as a librarian in a small town. Her mother and grandmother were powerful witches, but she had promised her mom to never use magic. Her family’s grimoire appears on her doorstep and now she is being hunted by dark forces. She is thrust into a life filled with magic, danger, and even a little romance as she must learn to believe in her magic.
I enjoyed the characters and the touch of humor throughout the book. The story is fast-paced and I was drawn into the tale from the very beginning.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for hte ARC.

I started this book like oh I’m gonna get a super cozy little fantasy book about a Librarian and books and I did but it was also full of the funnest and spookiest action! I loooove Zoe! 😂 She’s an introverted, junk food loving queen of a librarian witch. She’s also 36! Thank you for writing an adult character! Jasper is the tall, dark, and handsome (but with blue eyes 😍) Brit of my dreams. Zoe has to fight some undead, run from some ghosts, and more with the help of her new found family as she tries to uncover the mystery behind her mother and grandmothers deaths. She’s also coming into her own magic and learning so much. I loved their little group so so much. Olive is definitely my favorite. What a badass! This book was so fun and definitely had elements and settings that are “cozy fantasy”, but it’s so much more. Some parts of this read like watching scooby doo and I mean they in the best way possible. Spooky mystery solving is my jam! Absolutely loved this story and I think everyone should check it out!

Book: Witches of Dubious Origin
Series: Standalone?
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Completed Series: Not sure if it’s a series or a standalone
# of Books in Series: See above
Genre: Paranormal
Format: eBook ARC

Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

First Thoughts/Summary:
It was a lovely ride.

Storyline/Plot:
This is about as tame as I can get. It was a nice read. I liked it. It was a great concept, and I think that there will be more books centered around these characters, but it was left more open-ended than anything else. I like the idea behind the library itself, and it felt like the witch version of a TV (The Librarians) that I used to watch, which was fun for me. I wish the FMC felt like she was in her mid-thirties more. There was a nice twist at the end, but it was pretty predictable (which is okay because it was cozy).

Favorite Characters:
Olive was the most dynamic character, although her personality was the driest. She had the best presence, and I found her compelling.

Spice:
You get kissing. And hand holding. It’s all very tame and almost juvenile because the FMC doesn’t handle people in a normal fashion because of her neuro.

Triggers:
Loss of family members, feelings of abandonment, feelings of otherness, zombies.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Descended from a long line of powerful witches, Zoe Ziakas is a librarian in a small town in Connecticut. She likes her quiet life and loves her job until a mysterious book arrives on her desk. The envelope containing the book is addressed to her - in what looks like her mother's handwriting. But her mom has been dead for a month - so how could that be? The baffling book is obviously old and has a latch that Zoe cannot open. She places it into her desk drawer and leaves for the day. At home and enjoying her box mac and cheese dinner, she is surprised when she hears banging at her door. When she opens it, there's the envelope with the book. She opens the envelope yet again only this time it disappears in a burst of green flame. She decides it is time to consult Agatha - her adopted aunt and guardian - who also happens to be a witch. Agatha thinks it best that Zoe visit the Museum of Literature in New York City and speak with Claire. Zoe herself has not performed magic in years. She promised her mother that she would not explore that side of her heritage and she is determined to keep her promise -- and so our story begins.

Zoe is stubborn, has dubious nutritional habits, and not a lot of confidence in her own looks. She is, however, extremely confident in her abilities as a librarian, researcher, and fact finder. Also fact retainer - she has an incredible memory. Over the course of the book, she alters some of her self-confidence issues though not her nutritional intake unless forced. Her motto is definitely eat dessert first. Or possible only eat dessert...

There are a lot of encounters with the undead. And ghosts. And the magical world of the Museum of Literature and the Books of Dubious Origin is quite enchanting. I would like to learn more about the other librarians that work there.

I found the first few chapters to be a bit confusing, timeline wise. Zoe's age seems to fluctuate a bit and references to the time between her father's death and her mom dropping her off at boarding school also seemed a bit conflicting. I think it would be good if the author created a timeline of Zoe's life and then went back and double checked what she wrote in the first few chapters. By the time you get to the last quarter of the book, things seem to make more sense. But initially I was confused. There are, as always, also a few dropped words here and there. They don't detract from the meaning of the book - they just were overlooked by the editor.

This was so cute! I'm a suck for books about books/libraries, and with its sentient grimoire, museum full of mysterious and magical texts, and eccentric librarian witches, this was perfect for that. I wish a little more time had been spent at BODO, but I'm hoping this is the start of a series so that we can learn more about the museum and the staff.

Cozy fantasy with a library setting. Throw in a bit of mystery and a little romance, and this was a great read! Loved the main and secondary characters. Had a bit of a found family feel to it. Wondering if it’s the start of a new series???

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Witches of Dubious Origin to come out October 28, 2025.

Zoanne Ziakas, bibliotecaria en el tranquilo pueblo de Wessex, lleva una vida organizada y alejada de cualquier tipo de magia… hasta que un misterioso paquete llega a su escritorio. Un libro negro cerrado con un broche metálico y sin remitente despierta su curiosidad y sus sospechas. Lo que comienza como un enigma bibliotecario pronto se convierte en un asunto personal cuando extraños sueños, objetos en llamas y sus propios recuerdos enterrados apuntan a un oscuro legado familiar: la brujería.

Empujada por los acontecimientos, Zoanne se ve obligada a enfrentarse a una verdad que lleva años rechazando. Junto a un enigmático británico, un grupo de expertos en objetos mágicos y su tía Agatha, una bruja de cocina obstinada, se embarcará en una búsqueda para descubrir los orígenes del libro y, quizás, los suyos propios.



____


La historia tiene personajes simpáticos y un estilo ligero que hace que se lea rápido. Sin embargo, sentí que algo faltaba y me costó conectar con la historia. Aun así, puede ser una buena opción para quienes buscan un cozy fantasy con brujas, bibliotecas y secretos familiares.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This one isn't for me. The main character is a librarian who seems to be nearly all of the most offensive stereotypes of the profession (aka *my* profession). Extremely introverted, afraid to leave her small town, prone to panicking, and just generally weird it was hard to tolerate, much less be interested in her fate. The side characters at least seemed somewhat interesting even if they were very stereotypical, but I couldn't bear reading beyond the 25% mark so I don't know if that remained true. Arguably a cozy magic mystery, but not a highlight of the genre in my opinion.

I love a book that surprises me. The magical research library and team were fun and Zoe's path from grief and denial of her magical skills to making them part of her new reality, gaining a new family in the process, was very satisfying. As McKinlay is known for multiple series, I'm hoping that this is only the first in a number of books that are as much fun to read.

I'm already a lover of cozy mysteries with a supernatural element. This book was exactly what I expected. Yes, there were predictable events, but that's also what I expect in cozy mysteries. The joy is in the journey, even though I can predict who did it in the first few chapters. I will be recommending this book to library patrons who are looking for a light read.

This was an interesting read and I really enjoyed the world building and the library of dubious origin. The whole staff from the library were great and each of them was so interesting. I liked Zoe but I disliked how much she pushed back against her magic to her detriment and how bad she was at doing anything with it. The story was pretty fast paced and I enjoyed figuring out what happened with her mother and grandmother. I really enjoyed the romance between Zoe and Jasper, they had great chemistry.
Thanks to Ace and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.