I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
“Hotel Hex”
by
Linda Wisdom
It is part of the Hex #4.5, Jazz Tremaine #4.5 series and is a horror, cozy mystery, paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by Joyride Books on October 30, 2012 and has 85 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hex Appeal, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, Wicked By Any Other Name, Hex in High Heels, Demons are a Girl's Best Friend, A Demon Does It Better
A standalone short story, 4.5 in the Hex / Jazz Tremaine paranormal romance mystery with a shot at horror, focusing on Jazz and Nick Gregory, a vampire PI.
My Take
Ho, ho, Jazz is so not impressed with this “romantic getaway”, and I can not blame her one tint bit. I think I’d’ve gone screaming!
The wallpaper, the doorknobs, carpeting, and more are so incredibly disgusting. It’d give me nightmares! Of course, it gets worse when Jazz encounters the alternate kitchen. *shudder* Wisdom does enhance these feelings through her use of third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Jazz’s and Nick’s perspectives. Ick.
I can think of at least one theme weekend, based on Jazz and Nick’s experiences this weekend. And it wouldn’t encourage return guests! That Laird Manfred would seem to provide great inspiration for those themes Babbington is considering.
I do adore Jazz, she’s such a feisty lady! Combine that with the usual image of a lady who shops and you’ll be needing chocolates too.
I do love Fluff and Puff, but this is the first time their speaking has been readable. It’s previously been Jazz’s interpretation of them. And it was irritating. They sounded like the average couple of kids. As for Jazz and Nick, they’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship for decades, and it seems as if this one might last a bit.
Whoa, the two lady guests are nasty! Full of tacky insults and too full of themselves. So far, anyway. Luckily, Jazz is good with a response, lol.
It’s a bit of Pandora’s box combined with “Zeus and the Jar of Good Things” in that a container is a valuable “weapon” that one must struggle to reach.
The Story
It’s the hotel’s opening weekend with only six, invited, guests in which the management will consider possible theme weekends in the future.
It’s a house in a constant state of change, from cozy to gory, from inviting to horrifying. A promise of great threat awaiting its guests at the end.
The Characters
Jazz Tremaine is a witch who specializes in curses, mostly eliminating them. Fluff and Puff are Jazz’s animated, fluffy omnivorous bunny slippers. Irma is the ghost who has haunted Jazz’s T-Bird for decades. Some of the other thirteen exiled witches include the butt-kicking Maggie and Thea, who is the romance writer.
Nick Gregory, a.k.a. Nikolai Gregorivich, is a vampire and a private investigator. He had been with the Protectorate, a policing organization for vampires.
Stonefield Manor had been . . .
. . . built by Randolph Perry in the late 1800s and has been revived as a hotel managed by Mrs Babbington. Zorak, a seven-foot zombie, is the bellman. Puck is the most lascivious pen.
Guests include Derwood Grantham, a travel writer; Beatrice Fairfield, an opera singer; and, Sylvie Vandemeer, a psychic.
Jazz’s curse eliminating background includes Raymond Carruthers and Leon Aaron and his office desk. Dweezil is, um, something. Something nasty and Jazz’s boss at All Creatures Limo Service.
Back in Scotland
The manor had once been in Scotland as Manfred’s Keep and belonged to an evil Laird Manfred.
Back in the day
Amira had been a sorceress originating in Babylon, created by her father.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a mostly black background with splashes of gray from the wavering old-fashioned post lamp whose light reveals the trunk of the leafless tree behind it. There’s a full moon on the left that helps silhouette the wicked looking old house up on a hill with bats flying around the roof. The red-haired Jazz herself is in a purple witch’s hat and scoop-necked dress with puffy capped sleeves. Her head tilted to the left, her right arm cocked on her hip, Jazz’s left hand appears to be holding a carved jack-o-lantern filled with goodies and a black cat. I think the brown shape behind the pumpkin with its glowing eyes might be Fluff or Puff. The title is to the right of Jazz’s head with the first word in a deep pink-to-red gradient and the second word in red. The author’s name is at the bottom below Jazz’s waist in white.
The title is truly about “Hotel Hex” and its unholy magic.
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