Hex Appeal
Spirited curse-breaker Jazz is a witch who knows what she wants and how to get it. But two new wrinkles in her life stump her completely. There’s no way she believes the accusations that her beloved, if voracious, bunny slippers ate a wereweasel working at the local carnival, but proving their innocence will be difficult. It will take her best effort and a sharp mind, which require a good night’s sleep. But she hasn’t gotten many of those lately as nightmares plague her, and she suspects they’re caused by some form of wicked magic. Jazz and vampire detective Nick are back in their second imaginative and enjoyable adventure, following Wisdom’s 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover (2008). Jazz is as irascible, high-maintenance, and quick-tempered as ever, and Nick is the kind of vampire who loves her just the way she is. Though some of the cases they work on seem to not serve the story, the main tale is an intriguing look beneath the bravado of Wisdom’s characters to their inner fears and vulnerabilities. --Nina C. Davis