Book Review for Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay

 

Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay

Published:  October 28, 2025 by Ace

Genre:  Cozy Mystery, Witches, Fantasy, Paranormal

Taken from Goodreads:  When a librarian discovers she’s descended from a long line of powerful witches, she’ll need all of her bookish knowledge to harness her family’s magic, in this enchanting cozy fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.

Zoe Ziakas enjoys a quiet life, working as a librarian in her quaint New England town. When a mysterious black book with an unbreakable latch is delivered to the library, Zoe has a strange feeling the tome is somehow calling to her. She decides to consult the Museum of Literature, home to volumes of indecipherable secrets, some possessing magic that must be guarded. The collection is known as the of Books of Dubious Origin.

Here, Zoe discovers that she is the last descendant of a family of witches and this little black book is their grimoire. Zoe knows she must decode the family’s spell book and solve the mystery of what happened to her mother and her grandmother. However, the book's potential power draws all things magical to it, and Zoe finds herself under the constant watch of a pesky raven, while being chased by undead Vikings, ghost pirates, and assorted ghouls.

With assistance from the eccentric staff of the Books of Dubious Origin—including their annoyingly smart and handsome containment specialist, Jasper Griffin—Zoe must confront her past and the legacy of her family. But as their adventure unfolds, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready to embrace her destiny.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book from the very first paragraph until the very final paragraph.  I liked that Zoe just wanted a quiet life as a librarian.   She respected her mother’s request to not practice magic, but circumstances are pushing her to embrace the magic. 

I was invested in Zoe’s present and future.   I wanted to know about her past.  I had hopes that she would embrace her past, her present, and her future.   I enjoyed seeing her interact with the other characters and like that the characters all had quirky personalities.   The secondary characters all had skills that worked with Zoe’s and gave her the support she needed. 

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

Author Bio (taken fromher website):  Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.