3.5 STARS

I am a shallow person, so as soon as I read this book’s title, I wanted to read it. It’s as simple as that. I am pretty satisfied with the end result because I enjoyed this one quite a lot. Sure, I am not so happy with a couple of the choices the author made here, but all in all, I had a good time with this one, and I am quite happy with the book as a whole.

First things first, our MCs are old ladies! And okay, they are quite old, but try to not say that in their faces, please. Babs and Aggie are two great protagonists, and their relationship is just so good. I am always so happy to see friendships like this one in books. I think we need more of them!
And that’s not all. Because Babs is one of the best retellings of Baba Yaga ever. You just need to meet her. (Mind me, I am not saying that Aggie is a less good character; she is amazing too, but I don’t know a lot about the character who is inspiring her, and all in all, she is great, but Babs is Babs.) And House!!
Oh my, you need to read this book just to meet them! (I don’t really know which pronouns to use here, so I will go with they/them).
And we also have some good secondary characters around, that help the book feel more wholesome. Babs and Aggie stole the scene, that’s true, but the secondary characters are really good too. And it is nice to see good people trying their best, even when they have problems (and their biggest problem is a despicable being who is a waste of oxygen more than a man).

The book is quite cozy, but it is, at the same time, so sad and heartwrenching in some moments (and here is where I wasn’t so happy with the author’s choices. I mean, I can understand the reasons behind them. I am not saying that they don’t make sense, but I think that they weren’t really necessary. We already have quite a lot of emotional impact as it is. And I know that this sounds pretty vague, but I don’t want to give any spoilers, so if you want to know what I am talking about, you have to read the book. Sorry, not sorry!). But this hurt is well-balanced with humour and kindness. There were some scenes that were hilarious, and all in all, I think that we have a bit of everything in this book.
It is not so long, and it is a really fast read. Once started, I was totally captivated and my feelings were all over the place, and I didn’t want to put it down. Because yes, sometimes I was so mad at it (the Vegan is really a waste of oxygen, there is no gentle way around it), but it is also heartwarming; it gives off some really heartwarming community vibes, and some parts are really, really fun!

So… if you are in the mood for something cozy, with a great emotional impact, some older protagonists (and just saying here, but we have other mythical beings made an appearance, and one of them made me crack up so bad!! It may be because one of them is from Italian folklore, but still… It’s worth mentioning, even if I won’t say more), hilarious scenes and some heartwarming moments, and a beaufiul feeling of community, you should give this one a try.
Just keep in mind that it has more sad moments than other cozy books around!

I absolutely loved this book! It was such a delightful surprise, and truly a story for the soul. The blend of magic, real life, and deep emotion was perfectly executed, making it an enchanting read that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Aggie, the main character, is so relatable—her centuries of experience and current small-town café life create a unique, grounding contrast. Watching her navigate challenges, especially with the scheming vegan across the street, was both entertaining and heartwarming. But the real star of the show is Babs! Hilariously funny, full of life, and surprisingly empathetic, Babs brought so much energy and love to the story. Her magical House-on-chicken-legs and witty antics were a true highlight.

Hazel did an incredible job blending the old with the modern, making every character’s journey feel real and meaningful. The way the story explores hidden secrets and personal growth really resonated with me.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series—this one left me eagerly anticipating more adventures with Aggie and Babs! If you're looking for a magical, heartwarming read, this is it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Troubador Publishing for a copy of this book!


Babs and Aggie: the Good, the Bad, and the Vegan (Babs and Aggie) is a heart wrenching, laugh out loud tale of two grandmother-aged witches who have a problem. A Vegan problem, that is. Aggie runs a cafe and the man across the street (lovingly referred to as the Vegan) wants her - and the rest of the store owners - out. But Aggie, with the help of Babs, isn’t going down without a fight. This book will have you asking: how many witches does it take to stop a Vegan villain?

Babs and Aggie is a little outside of my usual genre but I was intrigued by the book’s description and I was not disappointed. The plot and characters read like a cozy British crime/mystery show but has the heart of a phoenix. I laughed, cried, and wanted to throw my iPad against the wall while reading. I really felt immersed in the story and was quite sad when it ended. Babs and Aggie have the making for a cozy series - like Agatha Christie’s Poirot - and luckily GoodReads does have this book ticked as the first in a series.

Hazel Hitchins’ ability to craft very real, very distinct characters is phenomenal. I could perfectly imagine how Babs spoke and could feel the depths of Aggie’s distress. The book definitely falls under the cozy fantasy category, but don’t let it fool you! Babs and Aggie grapple with guilt, loss, domestic violence, and finding hope in the muck.

In the interest of balance, I should say that my only criticism was that I felt the middle of the story dragged a bit. This may have been because of how slowly I was reading it, but I thought I should at least mention it. Regardless, it did not detract from my overall enjoyment nor from the book’s emotional impact.

Something a bit different, this book is funny as well as clever in the mystery which forms the core of its plot. The strength lies in the characters, who are unbelievable but also seem very real - it was fun getting to know them. The author writes dialogue well, which it’s important if you are going to buy into the fantasy of it. I’m interested to see where the author takes this series.

So, I think writing cozy fantasy--fantasy with a low stakes plot focused on domesticity and interpersonal relationships up to and including romance--is probably pretty hard to write. I say this because a lot of the cozy fantasy I've seen is cute and kind of fluffy. The worldbuilding is light, airy and sugary. This is not a negative assessment, sometimes light and airy is just the thing you need.
Babs & Aggie is cozy fantasy, but the fluffy pastry conceals dark chocolate mousse. Our protagonists are Aggie, an immortal witch who used to be known as Black Aggie. She currently owns a cafe and is having to deal with a "Vegan" who has been causing trouble for her business, as well as causing trouble for other businesses in the same marketplace. After the death of her familiar Misty, she ends up contacting her friend Babs (who is better known as "Baba Yaga") to ask for help.

Together, Babs and Aggie get to work finding out what the Vegan (who is not a Vegan at all) is up to, and foiling his various attempts to ruin Aggie's business and the businesses of her neighbors. There are some interesting twists and turns of plot, and revelations about Aggie's past and a deadly mistake she made. The pacing is a little loose due to the cozy nature of the story, but the eventual revelation of what the Vegan is up to and the escalating series of events that leads to said fake-Vegan's defeat successfully builds tension and suspense. Then there are several cool down chapters where it's clear that things have turned out for the better despite everything.

This was an engaging book, with fun interpretations of characters from mythology and fairy tales. Hitchins' writes both witch characters sympathetically--re-spinning backstories, while not taking out any of the 'scary fairytale witch' out of the equation-- and creates a fascinating "old girl's club" of immortal witches having complicated lives and relationships.This review was based on a galley copy received from NetGalley.

Babs & Aggie: The Good, the Bad and the Vegan is a whimsical and heartfelt tale brimming with humor, magic, and emotional depth. Aggie’s centuries of life experience make her a unique and relatable protagonist as she faces unexpected challenges in her small-town life. The arrival of Babs, with her chaotic charm and hilarious antics, adds a delightful touch of mischief to the story. The novel beautifully balances its eccentric, magical elements with poignant explorations of human struggles—loneliness, grief, and the need for redemption. It’s ultimately a story of friendship, resilience, and the power of food and laughter to heal wounds. With its rowdy humor and heartwarming moments, this book promises an enchanting and unforgettable read.

A little disjointed at times but a fun read overall. The word vegan is used kinda in a strange way. The characters were fun and the ending was satisfying. Witches, curses, familiars, etc.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Babs & Aggie The Good, the Bad & The Vegan' by Hazel Hitchins

This is Hazel's DEBUT novel, not that you would ever think that!!! It is also the first book in Hazel's 'The Slippers and Sorcery Chronicles' series and I hope to the witches that she is busy writing her next book as I type this as I NEED it in my life yesterday!!

'Babs & Aggie The Good, the Bad & The Vegan' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Hazel discusses/includes domestic abuse although no violent scenes are written about.


OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE ,LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, LAUGH OUT LOUD AND PAGE TURNING MUST READ!! MY FAVOURITE READ OF 2025

The first thing I have got to say is an absolutely HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing author Hazel Hitchins!! I was absolutely mind blown when I had finished this stunning page turner, went to add the rest of her books to my wish list and realised that it is actually her debut book!! What an absolutely EPIC debut novel it is and if THIS is what you can create for your very first book then I just cannot wait to see what on Earth you will come out with next!! You seriously have to grab your copy of this absolutely gorgeous page turner today!! The descriptions, the characters and the absolutely brilliant and hilarious storyline!!! I mean seriously I cannot describe just how funny and heart warming this book is!!! There are just no words. I mean I'll try but my advice is stop reading this review and GET YOUR COPY NOW!!! If you love romance, humour, feel good books, fake vegans, ice cream, borscht, slivovica, comedy, witches, familiars… Do you know what...whatever you like to read just give this a go and you will NOT regret it!!! As you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed this addictive and stunning page turner!!! I mean I have read loads of books this year but THIS book has just shot to my favourite book of 2025 and I will be very surprised if anyone manages to knock it off that spot!! I have got to admit that my main reason for picking this book up, and this is going to make you laugh, is because of the title including 'and the vegan'. Well, the fact that I am vegan made me just need to read this book and that is without taking into the gorgeous cover and the wonderful synopsis! In this absolutely gorgeous book we meet witches Babs and Aggie. Aggie runs a café but when she loses her familiar Misty she is struggling. However, her close friend Bab's comes to help turning up with her familiar House on Chicken Legs. Babs helps Aggie out at the café but when the bully and horrid 'vegan' who runs the health shop opposite with his wife starts causing problems Babs doesn't understand why Aggie hasn't already taken care of him. However, when his girlfriend Sarah turns up upset and they follow the Vegan into a meeting things start taking a dramatic turn for the worse. Will Babs & Aggie be able to teach the Vegan a lesson before anyone else gets hurt? Will Sarah discover Aggie's secret from the past? Well, if you want to more then you will just have to grab your copy of this absolutely fabulous page turner today and I can absolutely GUARANTEE you will not regret it! With a storyline ram packed with friendship, humour, witches, magic, walking houses, alcohol, food and so much more what on Earth are you waiting for??? I must admit I am not typically a fan of "witch" books but I absolutely LOVED this one which I think is helped by the fact that although Babs and Aggie are witches Aggie lives an everyday life running a café and i found it to be more of a cosy read than a mythical one. There is some heartbreak and domestic abuse is mentioned but Hazel weaves the heartache and difficult topics into this beautiful storyline and nothing is mentioned more than it needs to be for the storyline. This book is a real genuine pick me up and will definitely turn any frown upside down!! It captured my attention from the very first page and kept me glued to the pages until the very last word and definitely left me wanting more!! Hazel's fantastic writing skills and vivid descriptions will transport the reader into Aggie's café where they will see everything that is going on around them, taste the borscht and slivovica (is vegan) and fall in love with Babs, Aggie, House and most of the amazing and larger than life characters! I know I did! I was genuinely absolutely mind blown when I realised that this is actually Hazel's DEBUT novel as it is written as if it is her 100th!! If this is what she came up with for her debut then I cannot wait to see how this series continues on!! This is one of those fantastic books that is perfect to read anywhere and everywhere from curled up next to a roaring fire to sunning yourself on a beach as regardless of where you are Hazel will whisk you away with the storyline!! I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting as there was no way I could put it down!! Each and every time I even thought about it to get some actual house work done the characters called me back to demand their attention!! The chapters are quite short which is ideal to pick up and read a few here and there whether on a break or on a bus, the problem is trying to put it down!! Be warned to stay away from hot drinks while reading this as there are so many laugh out loud moments that, if you are anything like me, you will actually end up with a coffee fountain after making the mistake of drinking it while reading and coming across an absolutely hilarious moment!! One of the things I really enjoyed about this storyline is that it is unique to me as I had never read a storyline like it which always makes a lovely change after reading so many books as it is getting harder and harder to find something new. An absolutely brilliant read that will make your day brighter!

Clear your schedules and grab the tissues as you get lost in this laugh out loud, addictive page turner!!

I absolutely loved the larger than life, unique and just fantastic characters that Hazel has created for this book!! Thanks to her fantastic descriptions it truly feels like you are right next to Babs and Aggie throughout. I absolutely loved meeting them and was rooting for them throughout. I loved watching the personalities and confidence change and develop from the start to the finish as well as friendships and relationships. All of the characters are unique with their own personalities, weaknesses, flaws and strengths and I loved meeting and getting to know them all, well, almost all. The only downfall with the characters is that they are entirely fictional even though Hazel brings them to life unfortunately, no matter how much I would love to, I am unable to meet up with them in the real world!! I was completely invested in them all throughout and I was gutted when the time came to say Goodbye! Hazel truly does an absolutely amazing job of bringing the story to life and the characters leap out of the pages as your turning them thanks to her evocative writing skills and I enjoyed getting to meet them all!! It really goes to show how talented she is creating such a wonderful storyline and all these brilliant characters in her debut book and cannot wait for the next book

Clear your schedules as this is one gorgeous, hilarious and unputdownable stunner ❤️ Hazel welcome to my favourite author list as well as for writing my FAVOURITE READ OF 2025!!! I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT GUARANTEED SUCCESS!!!

Overall an absolutely gorgeous book that will sweep you away, make you laugh out loud and fall in love with Babs & Aggie!!

#BabsAndAggieTheGoodTheBadAndTheVegan #TheSlippersAndSorceryChronicles #HazelHitchins #Troubador #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources

@HazelHitchins @Troubador @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhitlock86/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34299953-kirsty-bookworm86

https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFZ2XZBSFHIHXBXGZLBQ666XVK4A?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_mb_l_prf

I loved this story!! Babs and Aggie is a riotous, heartwarming tale that blends folklore, humor, and deep emotional resonance into a delightful read. At its core, it’s a story about aging, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship, wrapped up in a world where magic and the mundane coexist in the most charmingly chaotic way.

Aggie, a thousand-year-old force to be reckoned with, has swapped her days of bending rulers to her will for a more modest existence running a small-town café. But old habits—and old acquaintances—die hard. The sudden reappearance of her old friend Babs, in her unmistakable House-on-chicken-legs, upends Aggie’s carefully maintained routine. Babs is as brash and unfiltered as ever, dispensing tough love and even tougher liquor while dragging Aggie into a whirlwind of trouble. Meanwhile, a suspiciously zealous "false vegan" threatens Aggie’s business, and the small-town residents, each carrying burdens of their own, remind her that she’s not the only one with ghosts to confront.

What makes Babs and Aggie truly shine is its perfect balance of humor and depth. The dialogue crackles with wit, the magical elements are seamlessly interwoven into the everyday, and the characters—flawed, fierce, and utterly human (even when they’re not entirely human)—leave a lasting impression. The novel’s exploration of aging, grief, and self-acceptance never feels heavy-handed; instead, it’s delivered with the same warmth and spice as Babs’ cooking and Aggie’s sharp-tongued wisdom.

Fans of Pratchett-esque storytelling will revel in this novel’s irreverent humor and sharp social commentary, while those who enjoy emotionally rich narratives will find plenty to savor in the novel’s themes of love, loss, and resilience.

This new adult fantasy book is a charming story about a witchy old woman named Aggie, who's being targeted by the grumpy boyfriend of a shop owner across from her cafe. When her old friend Babs comes to help her, they set their sights on bringing this grumpy vegan down. The story is filled with colourful characters, humour, heartfelt moment and a lightheartedness that make for a perfect cozy fantasy story.

I found this story unique, unpredictable, comforting, whimsical and endearing. Cozy fantasy isn’t always up my alley, often I find them predictable and leaning more YA/immature but this one was quite enjoyable.

Haha I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did. Especially when I looked up the "babs" premise behind this book. I didn't know how the author would help this be palatable. But it so was! And so much more. So much more. It had wit. It had characters of all facets to both love and hate. It had love and moments to cherish and moment to e angry over.
I can't say too much but you'll love this set of characters and dislike some too! But it might not be what you expect or perhaps fear so read it anyway because you won't regret it for one minute.
Surely this has got to be a series. Because excuse meee do I need more BAbs in my life please.