Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie – That’s What I’m Talking About…

Audiobook review: Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie

Two Witches and a Whiskey is the fourth book in the Guild Codex universe. For the read-along, we are following the author’s recommended reading order, found HERE. 

It’s been about four weeks since the end of the previous book. Tori continues her work as a bartender for the Hammer and Crow guild despite not being a mage or a human registered with the MPD. Everyone is having a good time until the MPD arrives, and Tori needs to go into hiding. Sidelined from work and stuck at home, Tori is surprised when a pair of witches approach her and ask for her help investigating some missing fae. Unfortunately, the witches aren’t honest about their intentions, and Tori ends up in the crosshairs of a nasty guild filled with immoral mages. 

Two Witches and a Whiskey continues the adventures of Tori, a human who accidentally falls into the world of magic. When we first met Tori, I was drawn to her ability to fit into the magic world while remaining human. I appreciated that she is quick on her feet and stands up for herself, but relies on her friends, a trio of mages, to do the heavy lifting. I like that she has a big heart and cares for others. However, I feel my love for Tori waning. 

Tori is desperate to fit into the magical world and is fearful she’ll be shut out. She has terrible abandonment issues, so I empathize with her. She’s becoming obsessed, looking for signs and reasons she is part of the greater magical community. While understandable, it appears to drive her to do some stupid things. This time around, Tori comes off overly bossy and controlling and sometimes acts like a petulant child. She makes some terrible TSTL choices. She’s keeping secrets. (Yes, I know everyone has secret secrets in this series…) but she’s using her friends at times and she’s not honest with them, which aggravated me. 

That said, I liked the story and learning more about some of the supporting characters. The author is really opening up the world for some exciting adventures based on the secrets starting to come out. The action is exciting, and the clock on saving Tori’s life adds suspense. The author also closes some of the open doors and solidifies certain aspects of the series. Two Witches and a Whiskey feels like a transition from introducing the Guild Codex world to a new (hopefully) exciting story arc.

Narration: the story is shared via the first person POV of Tori Dawson. Dukehart uses a perky, upbeat feminine voice for Tori. She captures the whip smart, takes-no-crap attitude of the twenty-one year old. Dukehart alters character dialogue based on gender and age with moderate success, making each character fairly distinguishable. Dukehart keeps the story moving forward in a lively manner. 

Despite not loving this book, mostly due to my issues with the main character, there are still several great things that happen in Two Witches and a Whiskey. The author has created an interesting world with a solid foundation, I am excited to see where Marie takes the series.

My Ratings
Story: B-
Narration: B+

Jen

About the Book:

Three months ago, I landed a job as a bartender. But not at a bar—at a guild. Yeah, the magic kind.

I’m not a badass mage like my three smokin’ hot best friends. I’m not a sorcerer or an alchemist, or even a wussy witch. I’m just a human, slinging drinks like a pro and keeping my non-magical nose out of mythic business. Seriously, I know my limits.

So why am I currently standing in a black-magic ritual circle across from a fae lord?

Somewhere behind me, my three mage friends are battling for their lives. Somewhere near my feet is the rogue witch I just knocked out with a stolen spell. And I have about five seconds to convince this very angry sea god not to shmoosh me like a bug.

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t part of the job description.

Author: Annette Marie
Narrator: Cris Dukehart
Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound #3; Guild Codex Universe #4
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audiobook Release Date: February 28, 2019
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
Source: Library
Audio Speed: 1.25x