Caffeinated Reviewer

Witchwood by Willa Blackmore is the first audiobook in the Carolina Files, narrated by Sarah Sampino. In this cozy urban fantasy series, we meet the Whitlow witches. They own an inn, which acts as a magical safe house. Tula Whitlow must help an FBI agent and protect her small town and family in this fast-paced first in series.

My family, the Whitlows, are basically the supernatural Corleones of the Carolinas. We run a magical safe house disguised as a quaint inn, backed by more old money than sense. My sisters are more likely to start an apocalypse than prevent one—Alafair's never met a margarita she didn't like, and if Emmery had to choose between her spellbook and her heels, I'm pretty sure the stiletto sling-backs would win.

So who gets stuck with the messes? That would be me, Tula Whitlow, because I'm competent enough to be useful and way too lazy to argue.

I'm not the most powerful witch in town (that'd be my aunt Ruby, who treats dark magic like a contact sport), but I'm the only one who bothers to show up.

Now there's an FBI agent on my doorstep with a case that's way above my pay grade. His sister's life is on the line, and all signs point to an upscale vineyard with some dark secrets. Ancient curses, old gods, and the kind of magic that makes even my aunt Ruby nervous. I'm going to have to wrangle my family into helping.

Look, I know what you're thinking—why not call in the magical equivalent of SWAT? Trust me, in this town, my family IS the nuclear option. Heaven help us all.

If you are looking to start a cozy urban fantasy filled with mystery and humor, the Carolina Files aren’t a bad place to start. We meet Tula Whitlow and her sisters, Alafair and Emmery. Her sisters aren’t really embracing their supernatural side. However, Tula is a witch and often helps law enforcement when paranormals are involved. The girl’s mother is abroad, but Aunt Ruby is around when Tula needs aid.

The story that unfolds has Ancient curses, old gods and dark magic. It all begins when an FBI agent knocks on Tula’s door looking for help in locating his missing sister. All signs point to the Vineyard in town. Blackmore fleshes out her characters, giving us a sense of their personality and the fact that their mother has left them clueless on some important magic, in particular the thing in the basement under lock and key.

The story has suspense, danger, an angry villain and a dark god. The author lightens the story with a helpful vampire that Tula denies being attracted to, angry plants, kidnappings and double crosses. I was very entertained. Tula is forced to stretch her wings and admit she should have read the reading material her mother provided. We see character growth and plenty of kickassary.

The thread involving the FBI agent wraps up, and we see hints of trouble on the horizon. I look forward to the next audiobook in the series; Undertow, available in December. Currently, there are five books available in kindleunlimited.

Sarah Sampino did a splendid job giving voice to both the male and female characters, capturing the tension, snark and chemistry along with the troubles only siblings can get into. The story is ideal for audio; I suggest giving it a listen.

Amazon* | Audible | Libro.fm

*KindleUnlimited

About Willa Blackmore

Willa Blackmore is a native of southern Appalachia, where she still makes her home. Her books draw deeply from the folklore and eerie legends of the region, weaving together small-town horror, high-stakes adventure, and characters that feel like old friends. Known for blending humor with chills, Blackmore has reached bestseller status across multiple categories, earning a loyal readership who return for her mix of spine-tingling suspense and heart.

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About Sarah Sampino

Sarah Sampino graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where she was trained specifically in voice acting and audiobook narration by the top narrators and producers in the business. Sarah also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, which has helped her master all kinds of British dialects. The fact that her fiancé is British doesn't hurt either! The two of them now record dual and duet narrations together. On the occasion that Sarah is not being actor-y, she can be found procrastinating everything by burying her face into a fantasy novel. She loves fantasies, especially with enemies-to-lovers, or a strong and badass heroine. Romance, fantasy, YA thrillers, LitRPG—you name it!

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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