Photo credits: OpenClipart-Vectors (pixabay), tienhoang1199 (pixabay), stux (pixabay), AlexZel (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali Title: What the Hex Author: Alexis Daria Publisher: Self Published Year of Publication: 2022 Format: EBOOK copy Genre/Themes: Adult Fiction, Contemporary romance, Paranormal romance, romantic comedy, Novella, witches Review...
As a story that had its origins rooted as an audible original audiobook, I feel just a little bit lucky that I got to read it in its later formatted ebook composition. A reading friend of mine inspired this author onto my romance reading wishlist for some very big (and exciting) reasons. This reading friend was so very enthusiastically complimentary of the author's novelistic style that it would have been remiss of me to miss out on the novelty. I quickly bought the first two standalone instalments in Daria's Primas of Power series but decided I'd try this fun taster for a swift, refreshing experience for some December reading. I had a fun, spirited time with What the Hex and this little proudly paranormal reading excursion only served as a pointed imperative to promptly sit myself through any one of the author's fuller length Latinx pieces. Let 2024 be that year! Some backstory: The eldest of the Cartagena sisters is about to get married in the coming days, and with the arrival of impending matrimony Cat's expected on arrival for maid of honour duties. Flying from her high octane life of New York fashion back to her supernatural stomping ground near Miami that populates the largest tribe of high society Latinx alchemists, Isla Bruja, and she's in anxious anticipation of a revisit that reminds her why she upped and left when she did. Where wanton witchery and the glad rags of the supernatural make quite the performance of power and familial importance. But coming back to a home inhabited by an eerie line-up of silent videomakers tracking every movement of the Cartagena household (or mansion-hold? Mega mansion? Energetically sentient abode?) and family members who seem less like themselves and she quickly comes face to demon with a power thirsty demonic presence in possession of the groom. Also immune to the malevolent spirit's influence is Diego Paz, younger brother to the groom and high school nemesis to Cat. Rather than performing against each other, they have to use their wits, witchery and paranormal prowess (of which Cat is ashamed to admit is practically null and void within her) to work in alliance to remedy the situation and get this arranged marriage back on track. Alexis Daria conquers a fun paranormal rom com novella with What the Hex, fragrant with flavour, finery and a dash of some wicked witchery. With tastes and textures of the spiritedly paranormal, it embraced the theme of the disincarnate with an adequate seed of dramatic conflict. An invisible Latinx island, glamorous witches, flamboyant elders, a disastrous nuptials, generational family systems, witchery, wars and the wandering hands of two high school adversaries turned paranormal mages and there's a touch, a trace and a tidbit of everything. It did admittedly have some novella quirks that hastened the plot events (and the romance) of the story forth with a brisker pace but the story held its threads and themes with a pleasant - and very readable - consistency. The added dramatic conflict of a groom under proprietorship of a greedy force of the undead was a well managed plot force that held the story strong, and enables this sweet and spicy romance to earn some legs. Diego and Cat reconnect in an entirely different way, and all it takes is some meddling, some magic, an entirely grown up Diego Paz, a vampire suite and the challenging task of demon removal. For what was present of the magic system was creative but I wouldn't have scorned a longer write up just to enjoy more evolved world building, and character building, and everything-else-building. Actually, this would have been creatively unique as a fuller length piece. Though I specifically chose it for its short length so I had no trouble enjoying it for its brevity. Not one bit. The magical burnout thread pertaining to our go-getting, perfectionistic heroine was a really nice touch and pulled together the narrative and angle of familial pressure quite nicely, swift little experience that this was. And of course, I can't not credit the graphic cover art; which is a piece of talent in itself. Light, modern, spicy, spooky, spirited, witchy, affectionately dramatic with some culture, and I'd say this is one for your contemporary novella reading catalogue. I gave this book 3/3.5 stars - Content Warning/Listing: Some profanity. Bedroom scenes. Mentions drinking. ___________________________ M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read ___________________________ I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk about |
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February 2024
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