Kate Williams
Series: The Babysitters Coven, #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.REVIEW
Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it's kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she's good at it.
And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let's just say she owes some people a new tree.
Enter Cassandra Heaven. She's Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme's babysitters club?
The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra's mother left her: "Find the babysitters. Love, Mom."
Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they're about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.
Esme was content with her babysitting gigs and planning her daily fashion statements, but the tides were a-changing. First, there were the inexplicable babysitting events, as well as a chain of strange accidents that occurred in Esme's presence. With the arrival of a mysterious new girl, Cassandra, she began to discover more and more about her mother's past and how it affected her present. Together, Esme and Cassandra assumed their roles as babysitters, but would they be able to fulfill their destiny?
I have a thing for books featuring present-day witches. Maybe it's all the episodes of Charmed I watched back in the day or it could be my love for The Craft, but I always tend to enjoy these witchy stories, and I can say, I had a fun time reading about Esme's adventures.
Initial Impressions
I adored Esme. I am all for the snark (as long as it's not directed at me), and Esme was well-versed in the art. Her observations and musings were quite amusing. I laughed a LOT as I was being introduced to her and her world.
What I Liked
- I had a great time getting to know the ins and outs of Esme's daily life. Her dad and her dog were top-notch. Her father had a lot on his plate, but he tried to be as present as possible for Esme, which was a challenge, given their situation. And, you know, the way to my heart is via the pet. Piggy was a great sidekick, and Williams let the dog shine quite a bit.
- Janis was a delight. She was a good friend, and she really surprised me later in the story.
- Esme and Janis' passion for fashion was too much fun. I loved waiting to hear about their daily outfits, which were so outrageous, and I had the best time shopping with them.
- The spells used to activate their kinesis were rather amusing. They often had to gather quite an interesting array of items, and I got a hoot of trying to figure out the connection to the power.
- There were a few interesting reveals, and I thought the idea of the babysitters, the lore, and their mission was pretty cool.
- I liked that Williams acknowledged the Buffy vibes head-on, and the story did seem to go for the camp of the original film. I remember reading a part, and thinking, "This reminds me of Buffy," and on the next page, Esme directly drew the comparison. I am a huge Buffy fan and was not sad to see those allusions, though there were these "vibes, I felt like this was still very much its own story.
- When I read a series, I like when there is an overarching story arc, and one that is exclusive to each book. That was how this story was structured, and I am always grateful for any amount of closure I can get.
I wouldn't say there was much I didn't like. As far as criticism goes, it did take quite a while for the whole idea of the babysitters to be revealed, but once we delved into that world, things really took off.
Overall
I think it's important to understand, that this is the first book in a series, and I didn't expect to learn each and everything about the babysitters in this book. With that said, I am looking forward to learning more about Esme and the other sitters and seeing them restore order to their world.
You can read an excerpt HERE.
* ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
This song seems to be closely associated with witchy programming. It was actually a cover used for both Charmed and The Craft, but since my favorite band of all-time did it best, I give you the original version.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I've written for Cosmopolitan, NYLON and Seventeen, amongst other magazines, and worked with brands including Urban Outfitters, Vans and Calvin Klein.
The Babysitters Coven is my first novel, but fingers crossed it won't be my last.
Did you read The Babysitters Club books?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
This sounds like a fun one. :) I haven't read anything witchy in a long time. And kudos for your song pick. I always thought it had such a creepy vibe.
ReplyDeleteIt's not perfect, hence the 4/5, but it was really fun, and I see the potential. I can't take all the credit for the song, since a cover was the theme song for Charmed and a different cover was on The Craft soundtrack, but it's always been a fave of mine way before that.
DeleteI enjoyed this one too, Sam. I thought that Esme was a great character and it was really a lot of fun to learn what was really going on with the babysitters. I also think that they did a fantastic job with this cover - it's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI would say the strength was Esme, but I think there is a lot of room for Williams to grow the story, and I thought it was a great start.
DeleteThis sounds so fun!! Will definitely be adding this to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteI was there for the campy fun, and I am interested in seeing where Williams goes from here.
DeleteI'm glad to hear this was a 4-star for you Sam. I've been so intrigued about this book! You make the character sound so much fun! :) And I always like books that have a way to explain how they create magic or where the magic comes from!
ReplyDeleteEsme was, by far, one of the favorite parts of this book, which is a good thing, since she is the center of it all (my second favorite was Pig, her dog, who was fabulous).
DeleteI am always up for a witchy type read and this sounds like it would be a good one!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun change of pace for me, and I am eager to see where it goes
DeleteGood review. I've been seeing mixed reviews on it. I think I'll probably wait to see what everyone thinks about the series when it's finished.
ReplyDeleteThe chief complaint I keep seeing, is that it took too long to get into the action, which I agree with, but I enjoyed the parts before, so I was ok with it. I think, if you are not a fan of Esme, it's a problem too, and being ok with campy humor as well.
DeleteSo excited for Halloweeen books! And I did like Esme a lot too. And I agree with you that it took a very very long time for the witchy part to kick in, which made the ending a little rushed.
ReplyDeleteI am usually a big critic of endings, but because this is a series, I was more lenient than I normally would be. Had it been a standalone, we would be having a very different conversation, because I would have been frustrated. Still, I had a lot of fun reading this book, and I am interested to see what happens next.
DeleteOh I didn't realize this was a series!! HAHA and it's my co. doing the tour for it 🤦🏻♀️. I am really excited to read it though-- In my head it's BSC + The Craft. I hope my expectations aren't too high. I will definitely keep in mind that this is a series, so some set up is needed. Great review & thanks for being on the tour and being an awesome host as always :)
ReplyDeleteI felt Buffy more than The Craft, because they were protectors with witchy powers versus being bratty little witches. But, hey, I loved all that stuff, so I was here for it.
DeleteI didn't realize it would be a series, so good to know. I do want to read this one; it sounds like fun, and I love a good snarky character.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
It supposed to be a series. Book 2 is already listed on GR, so, hopefully, we get more.
DeleteGreat review! I can't wait to read this one! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it!
DeleteI love witchy books so this series sounds really good to me. I hadn't heard of it before so thanks for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteIt's on the campy fun side, which I enjoy, and I had fun reading it.
DeleteIt sounds like this was a solid beginning. Maybe you wanted a bit more from it, but overall it was a good introduction to the characters and the storyline. Maybe a bit slow in getting there but it makes it! I love the cover and have been seeing lots of reviews for it cropping up lately.
ReplyDeleteI think more readers would have been happier had Williams gotten into the action sooner, but as a contemporary reader, I enjoyed getting to know Esme as I waited for the action to start. I wasn't disappointed at the end either, because it's a series, and you always have to wait for more with a series. I definitely see myself continuing this series.
DeleteI'd not actually seen a review for this but remember seeing the cover and being a little intrigued. Love there are Buffy vibes to it and they're acknowledged too. It's good to hear that even with those vibes it's very much it's own story and doesn't try to be too like anything else instead.
ReplyDeleteIt was campy fun, like the original Buffy movie, and I enjoyed it. I agree with everyone, who complained that the unveiling of all the babysitter stuff came late in the story, but I was entertained all the way.
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