Cover Image: Hexing the Ex

Hexing the Ex

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Member Reviews

The heroine's apartment gets flooded so she finds a new place to live above a magic shop. Her new neighbours seem a little strange and it turns out her boss is more than he seems as well. There's a curse that makes her wishes come true but it backfires (of course, wishes always backfire). This was very entertaining - a cozy mystery is always better if you add a few hellhounds and werewolves. It was my first book by this author but definitely made me want to read the rest of the series.

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The first issue I have with Hexing the Ex is all the plotholes and the second one is how boring this book was. It could have been enjoyable, but the writing was definitely not my cup of tea, which could probably explain my dislike on its own.

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I received a free epub copy from NetGalley.

I felt this was a slow read with just a little development, not many surprises and an expected ending.

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I absolutely loved this book, full of magic and such an easy read. This is the first in a series and character introductions and developments were great along with an interesting plot that keep me wanting to read. For anyone who is a lover of magic and mystery this is the perfect book for you. I can’t wait to read the next in series.

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This is a great start for a paranormal cozy mystery. The characters are well developed for a first in series. They are entertaining and likable. The mystery is well written with plenty of twists and turns. I am looking forward to more in this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

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The comedic story follows a normal person - Phoebe - as she's thrown into a crazy magical world that suddenly comes to life all around her. The book opens with her arriving home to discover that her friend flooded the apartment after passing out in the shower. This crazy moment turns out to be a defining one as it pushes her to seek a new place to live. The flooded apartment creates a catalyst for her to discover magic as it leads her to the House of Magic (which she has a "really good feeling" about) and sends her headfirst into magic. Her new housemates change everything for Phoebe as they create the first opportunity that draws her into this secret magical world. Her new housemates include Luca Marlowe who helps in the shop at night and has a sensitivity to sunlight, Ashley who is renting the room next to Phoebe's and works as a firefighter with her own full moon secret, the owners Amber and Giselle who are witches, and Griselda the cat who belongs to the house.

The plot focuses on Phoebe's sudden transition into this magical world that she never knew existed when she picks up a statuette sent to her boss, Archibald Kane. Now she's cursed and her "wishes" are coming true in ways that range from keeping Ashley from harm by not allowing her in dangerous situations at work to getting an opportunity that helps her friend's career. The curse was sent to Kane but she suffers the consequences and works with her newfound friends to track down who would have sent it. This creates chaotic and funny situations such as her being chased by a hellhound, uncovering the truth about her new friends, and dealing with Kane's ex-wife. Hexing the Hex is humorous, chaotic, and fun with action and twists that send Phoebe around in circles while providing a story that will have you laughing out loud and completely addicted. A zany and lighthearted ride that is worth every page.

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A fun and very easy book to read. I like when stories flow well and makes me want to not put the book down. I haven't read anything by this author before but I enjoyed this one.

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This one was a bit harder for me to get into. I do love the support and tight-knit aspect to the witches that Phoebe falls into, but just difficult to get behind her and really "root" for her to get her life sorted, figure out the hexing, etc.

The beginning with her roommate/"friend" was quite tough. How anyone can be that cavalier and irresponsible...not a great start to the book. Maybe if that bit was left out or she had a different situation that led her to the new surroundings, maybe my mindset would've been more positive.

Don't regret reading it, but not my favorite. Would be interested in seeing what else the author has out there though.

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Phoebe became a target when she erroneously activated a curse one with a reverse action. What a task Phoebe and Kane had on their hands finding the one who sent the curse to lift it. Entertaining and interesting.

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This is definitely a cute and fun read. The characters are adorable and my favorite is Phoebe. I really like how the story unfolded. It was an easy and fast read. It was very entertaining.

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Hexing the Ex is a great paranormal book to start of Susanna Shore’s series!

We all have unreliable people in our life however the FL’s roommate tops it all by letting her stranded in London. Finding a place in a magical house to accidentally hexing/cursing her ex is just the cherry on top!

The writing is also really good and it is easy to submerge into the story!

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I love paranormal reads (they are my comfort food) and this is the season to celebrate this love! Hexing the Ex is the first book in Susanna Shore's new series of paranormal cozy mysteries set in London.

The protagonist of the book Phoebe Thorpe needs a new place to live- all thanks to her rather irresponsible flatmate. Only it isn't so easy to find one in Central London if you have to rely on your salary of a shop assistant. Phoebe has a degree in History of Arts and loves her job in an antiques shop, but she can't afford anything too fancy. When she sees a notice about a room to let in a magic shop, she jumps at the chance. The landladies are very sweet, the meals are included and the flatmates seem nice. Then she happens to touch 'a cursed' statuette delivered to her boss Archibald Kane and her life becomes very interesting- just like she wished her ex's would be!

This was a really quick and enjoyable read. There are all the usual suspects- witches /mages/warlocks- good and bad, vampires, werewolves, and even a hellhound. Phoebe comes across as a bit naive, but charming and determined to act when the need arises. Loved her landladies, especially the motherly Giselle, the firefighter Ashley and the cheeky computer geek Luca.

The mystery that appeared to be very simple at the beginning had a few twists and turned out to be more complex than I'd thought. There's a bit of romantic tension, but since this is book one, I guess we'll have to wait until later in the series.

An easy and relaxing read you can get through in a couple hours to help you unwind after a stressful day. Looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crimson House Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

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I was instantly drawn to this book when I saw the title, who wouldn’t want to Hex their ex? I think most of us have that one ex in particular we wouldn’t mind hexing (they know who they are). And this book did not disappoint, it was a fun, light read. When I started this book I just felt all my worries melt away and fell into Pheobe’s world. Phoebe is an assistant at an antiques and art firm (cool job) and is down on her luck when she finds a room for let in a witchy house. But, Pheobe’s bad luck isn’t over, she becomes the victim of a curse!
Phoebe and her friends are super likeable and cute and she’s British! The whole book has a nice autumncore vibe.

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Title: Hexing the Ex: House of Magic Book One

Publisher: Crimson House Books

Author: Susanna Shore

Pages: 224pp

Price: $7.99 / $3.99

Suddenly homeless after her flatmate nearly destroys their apartment, Phoebe Thorpe lucks into a new place to live: a room over a magic shop in London. At first, her landladies and fellow renters just seem like a quirky, if friendly, group. But then things get … weird. A statue sent to her auction house turns out to be cursed, and the curse latches onto Phoebe. It turns out that, not only is magic real, but so are werewolves, vampires, mages … and hellhounds. As the effects of the curse worsen, Phoebe and her new friends team up to find the mage who originally cast it. Along the way, they uncover a conspiracy that could throw the mundane and magical worlds into chaos ….

I was in the mood for a cozy, comfortable paranormal adventure, so when Hexing the Ex popped up on netgalley, I took a chance and downloaded it. Over all, it met my expectations.

Phoebe is an appealing protagonist: a lover of antiquities and history, she also possesses a healthy skepticism and a strong sense of self; it takes a lot to convince her that the paranormal world is real, but once the evidence is presented, she accepts it; and when she discovers that her long-time boyfriend has been cheating on her, she breaks up with him immediately.

The supporting cast is fun, as well: her boss, Archibald Kane, has a strong sense of ethics when it comes to the use of magic. Her landladies, Amber and Giselle, are protective, motherly kitchen witches. Her roommates, Ashley and Luca, are (no surprise) a werewolf and a vampire, and they get along tolerably well with one another; Ashley works as a firefighter, where her werewolf strength and olfactory senses are very useful; Luca spends his days sleeping and his nights regaling Phoebe with humorous tales of life a century earlier.

Although Hexing the Ex is billed as a mystery, there really isn’t much of an investigation. They figure out who sent the cursed statue fairly quickly, though the why takes a bit longer. And, even though the curse was dangerous, I never really worried for the fate of Phoebe or the other characters. There was no sense of impending doom. I knew that everything would work out in the end.

Hexing the Ex is a quick and breezy, easy read with appealing characters, a fun little mystery, and the promise of more to come. Perfect for relaxing after a stressful day at work, or between running frantic errands.

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Hexing the Ex is the first book in a new cozy paranormal series.
This is a good start to a new cozy paranormal series.
The characters are well written and funny.
The mystery was fun too and kept me guessing.
I look forward to the next book in the series.

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Series Starter – Fun Paranormal Adventure
This book is the start of a new series. This is a fun, paranormal adventure that is set in London. Our main character is human, the supporting cast includes all sorts of paranormal entities. The plot of this story has some interesting turns as the reader follows the characters in discovery. It is well done with a decent amount of witty banter, and personal ethics. I can't wait for the next book. This is definitely a series that I want to read. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

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What a fun escape read! Can't imagine being cursed but Phoebe is caught by a bad curse. And a curse coming back to her. Luckily she is a nice gal that doesn't wish for bad things even for her ex. Finding herself living with enhanced people added to the fun. I thought the book was fun and plenty of action. Great book!

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Hexing the Ex is about Phoebe. an assistant to an art dealer. Recently broken up with her boyfriend, and evicted from her apartment, she finds refuge in a strange "House of Magic"
It also doesn't help that her incredibly hot boss is involved in something shady. Everything stays normal until she receives a strange statue delivered to her office.

Right from the very beginning, the book hooked me in. The plot is interesting and everything falls perfectly into place, to keep the story engaging.

I feel the book borrowed a lot from the mythologies. While it was interesting and exciting, it was a bit predictable.

Overall, I loved reading the book. The boss Archibald Kane is *chef's kiss*
Will recommend this to all chick-lit and fantasy lovers who would like to experiment.

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Loved it.

After Phoebe finds a mysterious package at the door of the antique’s shop / gallery where she works, she accidentally curses herself: all her wishes come true. But with magic there’s always repercussions.

Lucky for Phoebe, her boss is a mage and her two new landladies are no strangers to magic themselves. With their help, Phoebe sets out to find out who cursed her and why, but most importantly, to have the curse lifted, before she accidentally makes another wish.

Loved the story, loved the characters.

It reads as a stand-alone, but apparently it’s part of a series, so I’m curious about that.

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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC.

I found it intriguing that the main character who is non magical is cursed and the plot is about breaking the said curse. Sadly, the good points end there. The book suffers from awkward flow in writing, bland characters, grammatical and technical mistakes. I don’t think i would read the second book.

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