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Petty Magic: Being the Memoirs and Confessions of Miss Evelyn Harbinger, Temptress and Troublemaker [Hardcover]

Camille DeAngelis
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)


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Book Description

October 5, 2010
Evelyn Harbinger sees nothing wrong with a one-night stand. At 149 years old, Eve may look like she bakes oatmeal cookies in the afternoon and dozes in her rocking chair in the evening, but once the gray hair and wrinkles are traded for jet-black tresses and porcelain skin, she can still turn heads as the beautiful girl she once was. Can’t fault a girl for having a little fun, can you?
 
This is all fine and well until Eve meets Justin, who reminds her so much of a former lover that one night is no longer enough. Eve’s coven has always turned a blind eye to her nighttime mischief, but this time they think she’s gone too far—and they certainly don’t hesitate to tell her so. Dodging the warnings of family and friends, Eve must also defend her sister, Helena, when another beldame accuses Helena of killing her own husband sixty years before.
 
As the evidence against Helena begins to pile up, Eve distracts herself by spending more and more nights—and days—romancing Justin as her former self.  There are so many peculiar ways in which Justin is like Jonah, her partner behind enemy lines in World War II and the one true love of her life.  Experts in espionage, Jonah and Eve advanced the allied cause at great personal sacrifice.  Now Eve suspects that her Jonah has returned to her, and despite the disapproval of her coven and the knowledge that love with a mortal man can only end in sorrow, she can’t give him up.  But can she prove it’s really him?
 
In this captivating tale of adventure and timeless romance, novelist Camille DeAngelis blends World War II heroics with witchcraft and wit, conjuring a fabulously rich world where beldames and mortal men dare to fall in love.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers who endure the extensive Lake Wobegon–style exposition that launches DeAngelis's second novel (where every witch is above average) will be rewarded with a moving and witty love story. Evelyn is a randy old witch who uses her powers to appear young and pick up men at bars. When she meets Justin, the new proprietor of a local antique shop, she believes that he may be the reincarnation of her long-lost love, Jonah. Eve's narration alternates between the present-day romance and WWII spy stories as members of her coven come out with a shocking accusation against her sister, Helena. DeAngelis (Mary Modern) gives Eve an engaging narrative voice, though the frequent use of British terms like "loo," "gent," and "mobile" is jarring given Eve's supposed American origins. These minor flaws detract only slightly from the core stories of love and deceit, enhanced by DeAngelis's charming prose.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Evelyn Harbinger is a witch, but not one of those sinister ones with gnarled fingers and warts on her nose. She uses her extraordinary powers for good, healing the injured and helping people fall in love. At age 149, she has enjoyed a life span nearly twice that of mere mortals. Though her typical appearance is grandmotherly and sweet, if Evelyn is attracted to a man, she can transform herself, albeit temporarily, into a voluptuous, thirtysomething siren. That’s just what she does when she meets Justin, who works at an antique shop near her sister’s bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York. Bright, handsome Justin bears an eerie resemblance to Jonah, Evelyn’s partner in espionage (and romance) when the two served the Allies during WWII. Evelyn begins to wonder whether Justin may be an incarnation of her late beau, who was killed during a raid. Critics have compared novelist DeAngelis (whose works include the acclaimed Mary Modern, 2007) to a modern-day Mary Shelley, but this latest entry, while an amusing romp, is only mildly bewitching. --Allison Block

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Crown (October 5, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307454231
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307454232
  • Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,293,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

A great read, a pick me up when you need a book that will pull you into the journey. Donna M. Swindells  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
Evelyn Harbinger is as feisty as ever, even at 149 years old! misplaced cajun  |  9 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Delightful and Magical Read October 6, 2010
Format:Hardcover
Evelyn Harbinger is as feisty as ever, even at 149 years old! She's known just one true love in all that time, but it could just be that she's fallen again. Unfortunately, he's over 100 years her junior. Complicating things more is the fact that her sister has just been accused of murder (for the decades old death of her first husband) and proving her innocence after so long is something of a challenge. As Evelyn recalls her younger years and her long ago love affair, the reader is treated to a wonderful history of witches and Harbingers.

Evelyn is quite simply one of the most enchanting heroines ever. This is a book that reaches beyond simple genre labels and will appeal to fans of paranormal reads, lighthearted lit fic, and even historical fiction.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, Magical - Don't Miss this One!!! December 4, 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
An extraordinarily appealing book, "Petty Magic" jumps between the present (where Evelyn is 149 and, having fallen in love with the young Justin is going through some crazy stunts to try to keep him from seeing the "real" her while maintaining her youthful disguise as long as possible) and the past - especially during World War II, where she worked with OSE as a spy and where she met her first great love, Jonah - of whom she believes Justin is a reincarnation.

There are other elements to the story, including inter-coven rivalries and accusations. Understand that these women are not witches and that they sneer at the term - it is used by "dabblers" and "frooty-toots," as they call normals who engage in New Age escapades. They are called beldames and their power is very real.

Written in a style that is warm, wry and often laugh-out-loud funny, I really can't recommend this book enough for anyone who enjoys reading a good book. I don't even know how to typify this one - it has elements of romance, obviously, but they don't overwhelm. It is magical reality, aspects of fantasy, women's fiction, action/adventure ... there is just a lot to love in this little book. Definitely pick it up and give it a read - you won't regret it!! You will only regret (like I did) that you didn't get it sooner.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Changes everything you thought you knew about witches... September 29, 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is a lovely book about 149-year-old beldame Evelyn Harbinger, a witch who uses her power exactly as prescribed and allowed by her coven --"By magic I shall do no harm, except in defense of myself or another." Eve uses her abilities to transform herself into a young woman each night and then goes about using her charms and wiles on unsuspecting human men. She's adventurous, lonely -- and greedy!

Told in the second person, Eve takes "you" on a journey into her world. She plies you with tidbits about being a witch in the modern world and explains how she travels and what she eats. In short, she shows you what witches are and aren't. Eve is about her business when she meets a young man, Justin, who reminds her of her long lost love -- a man she met and fell in love with during World War II, in Europe, where they worked together in the French Resistance to defeat the Nazi regime. Typically, witch-mortal romances are disastrous -- after all, he ages normally while she retains her youth and lives a very long life. She can't say no to this chance to reconnect with the spirit of her dead lover, Jonah. She must have Justin.

A fun novel dealing with World War II history, magic and love. What more could a reader want on a cool autumn night -- read it for a warm feeling!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Why Isn't This Available on Kindle!?
This was one of the most intelligent, witty and entertaining books I've ever read about witches (even though they don't call themselves 'witches,' they refer to themselves as... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Vittoria de Artemisia
5.0 out of 5 stars A witch recalls her life and love and wonders about reincarnation
Evelyn comes from a long line of witches. While they appear human, their aging process is much slower, and at 149, Evelyn looks younger. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michelle Boytim
3.0 out of 5 stars Loved the concept, needed more from the main character
"Petty Magic" tells the story of Evelyn Harbinger, a 149 year old witch who uses magic to transform herself into a beautiful young woman and seduce young men. Read more
Published 14 months ago by SweetHappyLife-com
3.0 out of 5 stars pretty darn cute
Miss Evelyn Harbinger is a witch. But she's not a gross ugly kind of witch. She's plain Jane with self doubt in bucket loads. But at night she's something else!! Read more
Published 18 months ago by K. Cade
3.0 out of 5 stars Humorous and Fun, But Nothing Profound
In Petty Magic, Camille DeAngelis has combined a historical romance, a murder mystery, and a witch's how-to guide into one humorous and enjoyable novel. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Richard Szponder
2.0 out of 5 stars A bit of restraint (or stronger editing) would have served the author...
"Petty Magic" is a bit of a hodgepodge that is, ultimately, quite a bit of a mess. The novel contains, among other things, descriptions of magic that is best suited for a YA novel... Read more
Published 20 months ago by bert1761
4.0 out of 5 stars No ordinary love story
It took me a little while to get into Petty Magic because I was put off by the first chapter, elderly witch uses magic to seduce young men leaving a chain of one night stands in... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Kay Hayes
3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Detailed and Enchanting Read!
I adore revisionist history. When I picked this book up on a whim and read the description, I was tickled. This book combined revisionist history, witches, magic, and true love. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Kelly Houser
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
I really enjoyed this book. Stories about witches, although childlike in nature, can be very enjoyable for adults. Camille DeAngelis is a terrific writer. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Theresa S.
4.0 out of 5 stars cute, beach read sort of book
I enjoyed the book. This gave me a much needed brain massage. The plot was simple and the characters were interesting. Read more
Published 23 months ago by J. Aragon
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