GO HEX YOURSELF by Jessica Clare (International Blog-Tour)

Hello readers!
How are you? Today's post is in English to celebrate the release of Go Hex Yorself by Jessica Clare. It's already a week the book is out, and since I've read it I was dying to talk to you about this, launching a new review format. Go Hex Yourself is an entertaing and interesting reading for everyone who loves magic, chemistry and...well, scoundrel cats.
It has been one of my favorite April reads and I have to thank Berkley Publishing Group for the free copy and the invitation to be part of the International Blog Tour. 

 

But let's focus on the book:

Title: Go Hex Yourself
Author: Jessica Clare
Publishing Date: April, 19th
Publisher:  Berkley Trade Paperback
Pages: 384
Price: 16,26 €

Plot: It’s one hex of an attraction in this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare.

When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she’s astonished to find that she’s not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she’s applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.

The new job has a few perks - great room and board, excellent pay, and she's apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer's nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.
 
Reggie absolutely hates him. He's handsome, but he's also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben's butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that's as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they're not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright...bewitching.

 

The Author:

New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare writes under three pen names. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance. As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals. Finally, as Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales.

 

Review:

4 stars ⭐

What did I appreciate about this book:

• The setting: one of my favorite kind of fantasy is the urban one. Having a story that implies that magic is here, in real life, is always something that attracts me, but I'm aware that this adds a challenge to the author's job: findind something believable and concrete. I think that Jessica did it really well. It was easy to imagine the warlocks and witches' world, and how they can live easily among humans. Plus I've find very interesting the idea of the familiar and its bond with the related witch/warlock they assist. Very good!
  
  
• The magical system: I always like the idea that magic is not only wonders but has also a sort of dark side. I really appreciate the warning that everything comes with a price, included magic, that needs a cost in terms of physical strength and focus, plus the relationship with Roman Gods, that have to give a sort of blessing so the enchantment could be completed. Very interesting indeed!
  
  
• 
  The style: it was my first book of hers, and I have to say that Jessica's style is very entertaining (and sexy without being excessive), and adds the right quantitive of descriptions without being boring. As I've said above, she gives a good amount of informations about the setting, the magic society and the enchantments, but she's never too verbose and, she doesn't take herself too seriously, and I think this is one of the points that makes the entire story works so well.
  
  
• The characters: even if there's no space for a great deepening of all the characters, except the main ones, I have to say that every figure we met in the story is very defined. With just few lines of descriptions and behaviors is easy to understand the kind of person we are reading about (a really good quality for an author). No one is similar to another and that makes them more realistic. A special mention to the main characters: I've really appreciated the double point of view, and their alternation gave the right pace to the story. Furthermore, I've really loved Reggie background, that ties perfectly with her behaviour at the beginning and in the middle of the story, not to mention Ben's story. Seeing their character developement has been so bittersweet and adorable, I couldn't help but cheering for their happiness. Not to mention the sweet unpredictable and dangerous Dru (never trust a witch, even if she seems just an adorable old, sloppy old woman).
  
  
• An enemies to lovers relationship: from the first time we met them to the ending, there was a sort of tension and spark between them impossible to ignore I don't want to spoil, so I'll be short, but besides some steamy scenes, I was very satisfied to see a real relationship growing up between them, while opening up to and support the other.
  
  

• Spellcraft: The Magicking: in this book there isn't just magic, but a real card game (like Magic -The Gathering)! That was unspected but, at the same time, well played. Without being too focused on it, Jessica added the perfect amount of informations and scenes to make it real and, I have to admit, I would have loved to play it!

What would I have expected more from?

I'm generally satisfied about this book. It was good, a light read with a little mistery to solve that really keeps you "glued" to the book, but I would appreciate a more complex resolution before the ending.

Aaaaand I hope this won't be the last book with all this characters and setting because they have a great potential to explore.

Thanks again to Berkley Publishing Group and see you soon with another review!

Chiara