Hilarious, heartfelt, and delightfully chaotic—K. Valentine’s debut is a queer urban fantasy full of botched spells, demonic possession, and accidental romance. Mateo’s magical side hustle spirals into a deadly (and oddly charming) mess involving a cursed rich boy, a snarky astral-projected best friend, and a demon with a hunger problem.

Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and T.J. Klune, this is a cozy-macabre romp with big laughs, bigger feelings, and just the right touch of evil.

I enjoyed this immensely! Funny, dark, gory, and full of surprising twists, this is a super entertaining debut with a fantastic cast of characters and a dash of queer romance. It's a standalone but there's definitely potential for a fun sequel. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

AN AMATEUR WITCH'S GUIDE TO MURDER was a fun time. It was quick and charming and had all the makings of an excellent story.

I had such a good time with this book, I didn't want it to end. It was a quick, easy and fun read that made me laugh out loud several times. I loved the characters and the writing is engaging. I also ADORE the front cover

4.25 stars

This is fun, ridiculous, and just a bit dark (Mateo's demon speaks graphically about eating people). I loved the banter so much. Mateo is sarcastic, Ophelia has a no-nonsense dry delivery, and Topher is sweet and absolutely clueless. This is an absolute romp of a paranormal adventure. Mateo is messy. He has a lot going on, so that's fair. He pretty much lucks his way by accident through every obstacle he encounters, which was a fun experience. The magic in this story is interesting, so im curious to see if this will just be a standalone or maybe the beginning of a series. Either way, I had a lot of fun.

My favourite part of this book was probably the characters. Mateo was an interesting and witty main character to follow along with. I liked the friendship and deep love between Mateo and Ophelia and the dynamic of their relationship throughout the book.

I absolutely loved sweet, awkward, charming Topher and would’ve loved a few more moments with just him and Mateo, I really enjoyed the parts of the book developing that relationship.

I liked the mystery aspect to the book and the magic component was interesting, however this could’ve been given more detail in some areas. More world building/explanation of the magic system could’ve made this book even more compelling as some interesting ideas were touched on.

Overall, a fun read with a unique story and characters.

Mateo desperately needs money. His awful mother trapped a demon in his body when he was a baby, which is slowly trying to take him over. Exorcisms aren't free so Mateo starts making money as an Occult Specialist, helping (scamming?) people out of money to help solve their problems magically. Problem is, his mother wouldn't let him use magic and now that she's been missing for years he doesn't really now what he's doing and have yet to book any clients.

Enter Topher, son of a wealthy, asshole businessman. Poor Topher seems to have a bad luck curse following him around, everyone who gets near him seems to end up dead. He's offering a lot of money so Mateo and his best friend Ophelia agree to help. This sets off a serious of events that seem to unlock a magical conspiracy.

This book had a lot humor, a lot of dark, that I really appreciated. Mateo is going through it, the demon in him is trying to take over and he's afraid of losing Ophelia if she projects and doesn't return.

I loved Mateo and Ophelia's relationship. Both dealing with tragedy they are co dependent and obviously love each other.

Both Ophelia and Mateo cannot resist Topher's charms for long. Topher is sweet and unassuming. The burn between Mateo and Topher is SO SLOW you're not sure if you'll ever get there.

Yes there are some dark themes and a bit of violence. These are broken people who find love and family with each other. But the humor and charm is never too far away.

I really enjoyed these characters and this book was a lot of fun!

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Mateo’s charming, witty voice and his deep love for his best friend, it made their friendship feel like the heart of the story. Topher was hands down my favorite character: soft, sincere, and funny, but I wish we had more time with him and Mateo together. Unfortunately, the love triangle angle and the flirty dynamic with multiple characters made the romance feel underdeveloped and distracted from their connection. The plot itself, battling possession, witch-for-hire life, and a deadly curse, had great potential and a solid mix of humor and darker themes, but the villain was predictable and the final showdown felt oddly unserious for such high stakes. While there were parts I really enjoyed, the overall experience left me feeling a bit mixed.

3.75 stars - the core mystery was really good, it took me a little bit to get into it, but once i was in i was hooked. the characters were interesting and enjoyable. i did feel there were a few things that were left unexplained, and if they were always meant to be unknown i think it could have been made clearer (ie ophelia’s backstory).
if i’m honest, the romance felt a bit forced. not in the characters not having chemistry, because they did have some - it just felt like the romance was more of an afterthought to the main plot, and i think it could have been completely omitted and the book woild have been the same.

I really tried to get into this story but it just wasn’t for me. I was bored. And didn’t care for any of the characters.

This debut novel was utter chaos, a bit morbid and highly entertaining. I had a really great time while reading.

The main characters were a bunch of clueless, but lovable dorks.
There is Matteo, who is demon-possessed and the son of an evil witch. His humour is as dark as his attire. The story is written from his POV and his snarky, sarcastic inner commentary is delightful (if you find down-on-their-luck, slightly desperate weirdos delightful). Then there‘s his best friend Ophelia, who can astral-project and whose mind is miles away most of the time. She‘s a badass, but also kind of offish. The third in the league is the innocent and doe-eyed Topher, who’s followed by a heap of dead bodies and most of the time you want to pinch his cheeks and tell him how cute he is. Throw in a mysterious lady with a dagger, a drifting driver and an overconfident investment banker and you get a semi-functional mix of characters, destined to make you laugh.

To say it with the words of the author:
„This had been… fun. Confusing. Ultra weird. No small amount of traumatizing.“

Thank you to K. Valentin, NetGalley, and Alcove Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Absolutely unhinged in the best way, An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder is chaotic, hilarious, and full of heart—with sharp magic, a demon problem, and a queer romance that somehow works perfectly amid all the nonsense.

3,5, actually.

This has been a pleasant read. Although, and I want to put this beforehand, I believe the tags are wrong: This is not an adult novel. It´s VERY YA.

That doesn´t have to be particularly bad but, in my case, because I usually prefer to read adult stories, it actually is. So yeah, take my score with a grain of salt: The narration and pacing was good, I enjoyed the story for most part, it´s just the genre is not my cup of tea.

This one was a funny read about Mateo, a witch who´s got a demon inside and his friend Ophelia, who has also occult powers. Together they must help Topher, a clumsy rich kid who´s apparently been cursed with bad luck... and shenanigans ensue. There is a lot of humor in this one and, in many parts, it looks like the story doesn´t take itself seriously (this was a good thing, I believe).

As for things I didn´t like so much and thus I don´t give it a higher score...

The villain was pretty obvious from the beginning, and the motivations behind it all were... Well, they were there. Still, very much of a fan of how Mateo was exorcized (it was nonsense, but just as so many things with this plot, so that´s okay).
The romance wasn´t very developed at all. In fact, I could have used more of Topher´s scenes (just a thought, then again).

Overall, I recomend if you´re looking for a YA parody that leans heavily in fantasy and light horror.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book.

This was a fun read with mystery, magic and a little romance.

I really liked how the characters interacted with each other and getting to explore the different types of magic within the book.

If this becomes a series I would be interested in picking it up.

Fast-paced read filled with chaos, messy kids, a sprinkle of magic, and a dash of demonic activity (lol).
It was pretty fun to read! Mateo, Ophelia, and Topher were just trying their best navigating their powers and (angsty) feelings.

hilarious. a very fun book to read, with impeccable characters in Mateo, Ophelia, and Topher and amazing setting details. 5 stars. tysm for the arc, would recommend.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

This was a really fun read. Mateo's point of view was fantastic. He was funny, witty, and unapologetic. Topher was so sweet and gentle, I loved how although he was going through a lot, he was so soft in his grief, and never once treated Mateo or Ophelia badly.

The world-building was cool, but I would've liked a bit more detail. There was a lot that felt unexplored, such as witch groups and who they're loyal to. What we got was very unique and interesting, I loved the inclusion of blood magic, and how different people's magic manifested.

The dynamic between Ophelia and Mateo was great. I loved their psuedo-sibling relationship, and I really liked how they were always there for each other, saying what needed to be said.

Topher ended up being my favourite character and I would've liked to maybe see things from his point of view, or even just have him be a bit more present.

Overall, a really fun witchy read!

Rating: 3.75/5 stars.

Thank you yo Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Damn am I conflicted on this on. Through the first third of the book, I really thought it was going to be a 5 star read. There was so much that I loved, but some things that tripped up my brain enough to make my enjoyment stumble here and there.

First off, I adored Mateo's narrative. It was charming and fun and witty. Getting to see just how much he thoroughly loved his best friend was also incredible to witness. Their friendship is everything.

My favorite, though, was Topher. He was my favorite character, and I didn't get nearly enough of him. He was so soft and kind and sincere, but also playful and funny. Nor did I get enough of Topher and Mateo together. In came my first hiccup. I reeaallly don't love the best-friends-having-feelings-for-the-same-person dynamic. It just got in the way too much and left the growing relationship feeling stunted and half baked by the end. As did the other dynamic I didn't like, which was a guy flirting with two people at once. It just added unnecessary halting to a growing bond that was the obvious outcome of the book. This may not be a problem for some, but it really trips me up and pulls me out of a story.

As for the plot, I loved the idea of Mateo's posession and battling that while also battling real life adulthood, while also trying to juggle being a witch for hire and attempting to break a deadly curse on a boy. This was all so fun, while also mixed with dark an desperate undertones to give the whole ordeal complexity. Which all would have been so great. IF the bad guy hadn't been so obvious and I hadn't clocked them from the very first meeting. This already deflated the anticipating for the story a bit. But then the whole ending felt a bit weird and unserious, despite the very serious circumstances, simply because the bad guy and Mateo's handling of them felt so unserious. It was a really odd reading experience.

Take that all how you will. I'm left feeling a bit odd over it all. Knowing there were so many aspects I thoroughly enjoyed, yet all that being shadowed by the negative or disatisfied feelings I'm left with due to those few frustrating things.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this story early for an honest review.

This book was compulsively readable. I picked it up and read it straight through. Mateo was funny, sarcastic, no-nonsense, and spontaneous. It was enjoyable to watch him as he muddled his way through helping Topher and his curse, with Ophelia at his side. Saying too much about the plot will get spoilery and I don’t want to spoil this fresh and engaging story for anyone.

I’m not sure if this is a standalone or the beginning of a series, but I would definitely tune in for the further adventures of Mateo, Ophelia, and Topher.