Witches of Dubious Origin

I’ve been enjoying Jenn McKinlay‘s romance novels for the past few years, but I was excited to see that she’s trying out another genre now: fantasy. Her new book, Witches of Dubious Origin, is the first in a cozy series about books, magic, and a found family united against dark forces.

Zoe has spent the last two decades not practicing any magic, despite both her mother and grandmother having been witches. But when a grimoire arrives on her doorstep, Zoe is forced to seek answers from a group of witch librarians who manages the Books of Dubious Origin. As Zoe and her new friends work on deciphering the code inside the grimoire, it becomes increasingly clear that Zoe is in danger. Who is after her? And how can she defeat such powerful magic when her own skills have been dormant for so long?

What I Liked:

• Various forms of magic. This is a book centered on witches and magical books (like the grimoire Zoe receives), and I enjoyed the sheer variety of magics we get to see. There a different types of witches, necromancy, potions, spells, curses, and more. And at the heart of it all is Zoe frantically trying to learn how to use her own magic. It’s been decades and there’s a sense of urgency with all the dangers following her around. Does she have what it takes?
• Family mysteries. Zoe’s family history is somewhat fraught, but her perspective shifts when she learns that her mom and grandmother’s deaths may not have been natural. And not only were they apparently murdered, it was via dark magic. Whoever killed them is probably after Zoe now!
• Zoe knows everything. She’s a librarian with exceptional memory, and it’s fun to see her randomly know all kinds of tidbits of information. Whatever the subject, she seems to know something about it! Zoe is like my sister in that regard.
• Kind of bonkers story that goes in unexpected directions. While this novel starts off normally enough, before long, characters are losing ears, Viking zombies are breaking in, and ghost pirates are giving chase. Be prepared for a wild ride!
• Little side romance. Keeping continuity with the romances I’ve read from Jenn McKinlay, Zoe and Jasper have a little something going on. They keep it cute here, but I’m curious to see if their relationship will develop further in future books.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

• Zoe has the worst eating habits! I have a sweet tooth myself, but girl, eat something that’s not candy!

Final Thoughts

Witches of Dubious Origin was a fun change of pace for Jenn McKinlay. I enjoyed the magical world and the love of books and libraries. Silly as this story sometimes was, it still offered the kind of characterization and subtle romance present in her other books. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Witches of Questionable Intent, and seeing what these characters get up to next.

Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Ace, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Witches of Dubious Origin here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay
Series	Witches of Dubious Origin (#1)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Fantasy
Setting	New York; Connecticut; Massachusetts; Rhode Island
Number of Pages	384
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	October 28, 2025
Publisher	Ace

Official Summary

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 dark magic that must be guarded.

Here, among their most dangerous collection, the Books of Dubious Origin, 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 department—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 whether or not she’s ready to embrace her destiny.