readwithchey's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Another great Krewe novel! As someone who just went to Salem in October it was so fun to be back in that sphere! Loved the past murder and the future mystery and the addition of a pet bird. This little trilogy in this series so far is so good!!
kait_sixcrowsbooks's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Well that was…quite a waste of my time, tbh. Going into it, I tried, really. I did. But the longer I read…yeesh.
It just wasn’t good. The writing often repeated itself (like, the characters would ask each other questions…and then ask them again mere pages later), and it was simply basic. Nothing conjured up emotion for me, I was never really given a chance to connect with any of the characters outside of knowing that Rocky was just so haunted by his friend dying back in high school. If I was smart, I would’ve started a tally of how many times that was mentioned because, frankly, it was getting ridiculous after five.
And for a book that centers around Wicca and witchcraft, it seems really kinda slimy for both the narrative itself and the characters in general to constantly throw satanism under the bus. The whole book surrounds how Wiccans don’t hurt people, but the same grace can’t be given to Satanists? Hm.
And don’t even get me started on the romance and the out of the blue first sex scene. What even was that??? Truly did not make sense to me at all (and the whole “we passionately make love multiple times a night because we’re so in love and oh look at that we’re cured of our past because of our love”? Bro STOP, my god).
Anyway…what a dud of a book, lol. And for it to be my first finished book of the year? Man…lmao.
It just wasn’t good. The writing often repeated itself (like, the characters would ask each other questions…and then ask them again mere pages later), and it was simply basic. Nothing conjured up emotion for me, I was never really given a chance to connect with any of the characters outside of knowing that Rocky was just so haunted by his friend dying back in high school. If I was smart, I would’ve started a tally of how many times that was mentioned because, frankly, it was getting ridiculous after five.
And for a book that centers around Wicca and witchcraft, it seems really kinda slimy for both the narrative itself and the characters in general to constantly throw satanism under the bus. The whole book surrounds how Wiccans don’t hurt people, but the same grace can’t be given to Satanists? Hm.
And don’t even get me started on the romance and the out of the blue first sex scene. What even was that??? Truly did not make sense to me at all (and the whole “we passionately make love multiple times a night because we’re so in love and oh look at that we’re cured of our past because of our love”? Bro STOP, my god).
Anyway…what a dud of a book, lol. And for it to be my first finished book of the year? Man…lmao.
jasmine256's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
jazzrizz's review against another edition
5.0
This was was MUCH better than the last one. I love Rocky and Devin.
The storyline was more engaging too. I tend to love storylines that revolve around the Salem witch trials.
I have to say, the whodunnit kind of threw me this time. I initally considered who it turned out to be, but wasn't sold on it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be who it was.
I love that Jane, Jenna, Sam, and Angela are working the case too. I think that was part of my hang up on the past couple of books. I much prefer the team working together on cases instead of mainly focusing on the "couple" working the bulk of the case.
The storyline was more engaging too. I tend to love storylines that revolve around the Salem witch trials.
I have to say, the whodunnit kind of threw me this time. I initally considered who it turned out to be, but wasn't sold on it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be who it was.
I love that Jane, Jenna, Sam, and Angela are working the case too. I think that was part of my hang up on the past couple of books. I much prefer the team working together on cases instead of mainly focusing on the "couple" working the bulk of the case.
wondernikel's review
3.0
3! I wanted this book to be good! I mean I started reading it...Salem and witch trial legends...right up my alley BUT it was almost like the other novel in this series...Where the young man was accused of killing his family! I mean even the killers were practically the same, they just had different names...WTH? Total let down for me!
brandilovesbooks's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thesassybookworm's review
4.0
Excellent cover on this one. Great use of graphics. Great representation on the story found within. It loses a star for the author's name being more prominent than the title.
Enjoyed this one. Loved the setting. Loved the history. The mystery kept me guessing right until the end. What I wasn't a fan of was how we are left hanging in the romance department. It seemed a little abrupt and with no resolution of whether they were even a couple of just fuck buddies.
That said, I don't read these books for the romance, so c'est la vie.
literaryfeline's review
4.0
My favorite kind of cozy mysteries are those with a paranormal element. There is just something about adding a bit (okay, sometimes a lot) of supernatural to a story that appeals to me most. Despite The Hexed being the thirteenth book in the Krewe Hunters series, it is my first. Fortunately for me, The Hexed is very much a stand alone novel. There is so little (nothing really) about characters that may have appeared in earlier books, that a reader jumping in now should not feel lost or feel like he or she missed out on a minor continuing story line.
In The Hexed, readers are introduced to Craig "Rocky" Rockwell, an FBI agent who asks to be assigned to the an elite division of the FBI called the Krewe Hunters. The Krewe Hunters, once a private detection agency, was adopted by the FBI because of their special abilities in dealing with the supernatural, namely ghosts. Rocky is haunted by the ritualistic murder of a friend when they were teenagers and when another body is found in the same area and in the same manner over a decade later, he requests to be involved in the investigation.
Devin Lyle, once reporter now children's book author, has only recently returned home to Salem, taking up residence in her deceased aunt's home. One night she hears a cry for help and runs outside into the woods by her house only to find the body of a woman.
Devin is pulled into the investigation of the murders due to her ability to see and talk to ghosts, one of which Rocky and Devin are sure has the key who is behind the murders and why someone would want the women dead. Add in an eccentric great-aunt who is a ghost, a black raven named Poe, and a budding love story, and you have an entertaining novel.
I really liked the character of Rocky. He is such a sweetheart, maybe a little too perfect. I found it interesting how the Krewe team gave him lead upon their arrival to town to help with the murder investigation, especially given how new he was to the unit. It made sense in some ways, I suppose: this was the area he had grown up in, one of his childhood friend's was the local lead on the case, and he was the first on the scene. It wasn't something that bothered me at all, just something I noticed.
Devin was no slouch, that's for sure. She's smart as a whip, especially when it comes to the history of the area. Sometimes when a civilian character gets involved with a police investigation it seems too unbelievable to buy into, but not so in Devin's case. At least I did not think so. In part, keeping her close was to protect her, but she was also the person the ghost from long ago wanted to talk to.
I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Devin and Rocky's relationship, but admit the moment they made their feelings known seemed forced somehow and so sudden. It wasn't how I imagined either character acting except maybe in their heads. Still, it was not a bad thing. Given how stressful the situation was, how dangerous, I should not be completely surprised.
The Hexed was an enjoyable read. I suspected just about everyone in the book at one point or another of being the killer, but it was not until closer to the end that I had it figured out. Somewhat. The investigation was slow going at times, but rightfully so given the amount of research and foot work the characters had to do. There is a bit of a need to suspend one's disbelief (and I'm not referring to the ghosts) in how Rocky came to some of his conclusions, but it was easy to look past as much fun as I was having reading to see what would happen next.
Will I read more by this author? Absolutely. I'm curious to learn more about the other members of the Krewe Hunters team and see what mysteries they encounter.
Copy provided by publisher for an honest review.
In The Hexed, readers are introduced to Craig "Rocky" Rockwell, an FBI agent who asks to be assigned to the an elite division of the FBI called the Krewe Hunters. The Krewe Hunters, once a private detection agency, was adopted by the FBI because of their special abilities in dealing with the supernatural, namely ghosts. Rocky is haunted by the ritualistic murder of a friend when they were teenagers and when another body is found in the same area and in the same manner over a decade later, he requests to be involved in the investigation.
Devin Lyle, once reporter now children's book author, has only recently returned home to Salem, taking up residence in her deceased aunt's home. One night she hears a cry for help and runs outside into the woods by her house only to find the body of a woman.
Devin is pulled into the investigation of the murders due to her ability to see and talk to ghosts, one of which Rocky and Devin are sure has the key who is behind the murders and why someone would want the women dead. Add in an eccentric great-aunt who is a ghost, a black raven named Poe, and a budding love story, and you have an entertaining novel.
I really liked the character of Rocky. He is such a sweetheart, maybe a little too perfect. I found it interesting how the Krewe team gave him lead upon their arrival to town to help with the murder investigation, especially given how new he was to the unit. It made sense in some ways, I suppose: this was the area he had grown up in, one of his childhood friend's was the local lead on the case, and he was the first on the scene. It wasn't something that bothered me at all, just something I noticed.
Devin was no slouch, that's for sure. She's smart as a whip, especially when it comes to the history of the area. Sometimes when a civilian character gets involved with a police investigation it seems too unbelievable to buy into, but not so in Devin's case. At least I did not think so. In part, keeping her close was to protect her, but she was also the person the ghost from long ago wanted to talk to.
I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Devin and Rocky's relationship, but admit the moment they made their feelings known seemed forced somehow and so sudden. It wasn't how I imagined either character acting except maybe in their heads. Still, it was not a bad thing. Given how stressful the situation was, how dangerous, I should not be completely surprised.
The Hexed was an enjoyable read. I suspected just about everyone in the book at one point or another of being the killer, but it was not until closer to the end that I had it figured out. Somewhat. The investigation was slow going at times, but rightfully so given the amount of research and foot work the characters had to do. There is a bit of a need to suspend one's disbelief (and I'm not referring to the ghosts) in how Rocky came to some of his conclusions, but it was easy to look past as much fun as I was having reading to see what would happen next.
Will I read more by this author? Absolutely. I'm curious to learn more about the other members of the Krewe Hunters team and see what mysteries they encounter.
Copy provided by publisher for an honest review.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Yeah loved this book, it's another fantastic book in this series, and yeah, I can't wait to read more!