Tippi has no wish to remain in the magical realm where she was taken against her will, but when her own magic stirs, an unexpected sense of belonging begins to grow. The Tale of Xest delivers a thrilling adventure with a badass heroine.
Title: Tales of Xest
Author: Donna Augustine
Genres: Fantasy > Paranormal > Magic
Read Format: Kindle Edition
Total Pages: 1,173
Reading Date: 07th September 2025 – 02nd October 2025
The reading order – How to Read Tales of Xest Series by Donna Augustine
- 1 The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn’t
- 2 The Nowhere Witch
- 3 The Most Wanted Witch
- 4 Witch of All Witches
The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn’t
Everybody has bad days, stories of horror and woe. Unless they have the wind calling their name and ghosts telling them they have bad debts, I don’t have time to listen. I’m too busy with the hot guy who yelled at me because of some stupid feather, and the strange people jumping through puddles and kidnapping me to Xest.
If you don’t know where Xest is, join the club. They say it’s somewhere north of North, and east of East. It sure doesn’t look like any place I’ve ever seen.
So yeah, top that day and maybe I’ll hear you out. Right now, though, I’ve got to help the hot guy keep the darkness at bay over by the Unsettled Lands, while trying not to blow things up. It’s the only way I’ll ever get back to Salem.
My thoughts…
Abducted and sold into Xest, a place where magic reigns supreme, Tippi has no idea what power she possesses or who she can trust. Her only goal is to return to Salem, but Hawk, a formidable warlock in Xest, offers her a deal: complete a task for him, and he’ll send her home.
During her time in Xest, Tippi forms a friendship with Rabbit, a Whimsy witch of the same magic rank. But as the book’s title hints, Tippi isn’t what she seems or what anyone expects.
This story gave me strong Ollie Wit series vibes. Fans of that series might enjoy this one too, with its familiar dynamics: Hawk mirrors Kane’s commanding presence, while Belinda plays the role of Isabelle, the petty, boss-obsessed antagonist who delights in dressing Tippi in absurd outfits.
What kept me hooked were the mysteries. What does Hawk truly want from Tippi? Will she ever make it back home? And most intriguing, what kind of power does she hold? Could she become the most powerful witch of all?
The Nowhere Witch
Getting back to Xest was the easy part. It’s staying here that seems to be the problem.
I have three hags, also known as Xest Immigration, hot on my tail, trying to deport me back to Salem. The wall I built in the Unsettled Lands is in jeopardy. Hawk, a man who was once my ally, can’t decide if he wants to lead the horde trying to drive me out or kiss me. Not to mention, everyone keeps calling me the Nowhere witch, and I’ve got a bad feeling it’s not a compliment.
But when the betrayals start rolling in, I realise I’ve got bigger problems. Staying alive becomes the most important issue of the day.
My thoughts…
At first, it seems like a happy ending in the first book. Tippi gets her wish and returns to where she originally came from. But something’s changed. Xest, the land she once longed to escape, now feels more like home than Salem ever did. Trouble is, she has no way back. Until ‘someone’ hires her to be kidnapped straight to Xest, again.
Now that she’s in Xest, things aren’t as easy as she hoped. Gone is her title of “Whimsy Witch”. Instead, she’s labelled as a “Nowhere Witch,” putting her at risk of deportation if she fails to meet Xest’s strict immigration conditions.
What I love most is how Tippi rises to the challenge, determined to prove herself. Her new companions, a crew of mischievous monkeys and a quirky dust bunny, add humour to the story. Meanwhile, the mysteries behind her kidnapping and the unfolding events kept me hooked until the very end.
If I had one wish, it’d be for Tippi and Hawk to communicate better and move past their drama. I’d love to see them team up against a greater threat rather than getting caught in personal conflicts. That said, the story remains engaging, and I’m excited to see where it goes next!
The Most Wanted Witch
A darkness has settled over Xest, as roaming hordes of grouslies prey on the vulnerable. Witches and warlocks fear walking the streets, as lines are being drawn and sides are taken. There’s only one way to stop the destruction coming, but tracking down an evil that doesn’t want to be found isn’t easy.
When a demon from hell shows, threatening to take over a Xest on the brink of destruction, I only have one option: get in the way. My sacrifice, offering myself as collateral to buy us time, is driving a larger divide between me and a furious Hawk.
Meanwhile, finding the origin of the evil destroying our world means delving into my own inner demons. The closer I get to the truth, the closer I get to losing Hawk, my newfound family and everything I’ve fought for.
My thoughts…
Tippi’s journey has carried her from Salem to Xest. From a Whimsy witch to a Nowhere witch, and now to the most wanted witch in the land. But the very magic that once defined her has become her greatest liability. The townsfolk are beginning to see the chilling truth: her powers bear an unsettling resemblance to the dark force she’s been fighting to keep at bay.
Now, with the stakes higher than ever, Tippi must set aside her grudge against Hawk and step into maturity. Her new home is unravelling, and time is running out. If she doesn’t act fast, the same people who once feared the forest’s evil may turn on her instead.
Yet the real mystery runs deeper. Why does Tippi possess this unique magic? What hidden ties bind her to the very darkness she loathes? And can she stop the evil breaking loose, known as the Dread, before time runs out and another power claims both her and Xest for good?
So many questions, so little time. I’m really enjoying this one. Tippi gets under my skin sometimes, though. Just like Hawk said, her stubbornness borders on stupidity!
Witch of All Witches
I went from being an outcast in Salem to living in Xest, a world existing solely on magic. I have a good job brokering hopes and wishes, a hot boss, and a cool place to live. My life is a witch’s dream.
Except there are a couple of teensy little problems. I might’ve accidentally gotten infused with some magic that didn’t belong to me. The hot boss? I might be falling in love with him, to my detriment. If that isn’t enough, heaven and hell have finally caught up to me, demanding I return the extra magic or else. Too bad I don’t know how to do that.
My thoughts…
After trapping the Dread inside the hill, Tippi thought the nightmare was finally over. But the entity that had guided her, offering advice and aid, turned out to have a hidden agenda.
Tippi must not only get her addiction sorted out, but also confront the being and find a way to save herself, Hawk and restore balance to the magic in Xest.
I’m happy with how the story played out, and I also like the conclusion compared to the other series. It wrapped up beautifully, giving Tippi a well-earned HEA with an ending that felt both meaningful and made sense.
Still, out of sheer curiosity, I wish a few things had been clarified, such as where Hawk kept disappearing to, and what exactly Tippi did to Bibbi in that final chapter.😉
