BevL’s of No Rest for the Witches by MaryJanice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray & Christine Warren
Paranormal romance anthology published October 2, 2007 by St. Martins Paperback

BevL from Cubie’s Confections  has written this guest review for TGTBTU.  Thanks BEV!!!!  And if you go visit Bev’s luscious site, remember, she’s not always work safe, but she IS always entertaining!

The Majicka by MaryJanice Davidson

What’s a girl to do? Ireland can’t just walk away from that forlorn zombie huddled next to the headstone in the graveyard, can she? Well, according to her constantly complaining housemates– a vampire, a fairy, a werewolf, and even a cursed Ford Escape– she most certainly should! And who is this nummy guy who shows up claiming that he’s there to teach her how to fulfill her destiny?

Wacky and over the top (this IS MJD, after all), The Majicka could easily have been a longer novella or even a novel. Instead, Davidson gives us a crisp, honed, highly enjoyable story. My only problem is the constant berating from the other characters makes Ireland come off as a bit of a doormat. If you’ve ever wondered what Davidson is like in person, or if you’ve already met her and found her a hoot like I did, this story is especially notable. Her voice is so strong in this one that I could almost hear her extemporizing the story out loud.
Grade: B+

Voodoo Moon by Lori Handeland 

FBI Special Agent Dana (do NOT call me Scully) Duran is sent to Devil’s Fork, Louisiana to investigate a serial killer. What she finds there eventually makes her realize there’s a whole lot more to this world than what her Joe Friday (just the facts, ma’am) mind could ever have comprehended before. Who knew that teaming up with sexy voodoo king to find a supernatural killer would make her realize what she’d spent her whole life unknowingly waiting for?

Loosely connected to Handeland’s Nightcreatures series, Voodoo Moon is peppered with some laugh out loud humor and tension filled steamy scenes. However, no matter how sexy Dana found Julian Portier, this professional FBI agent allowing her prime suspect to kiss her within minutes of meeting him felt disconcertingly rushed. Overall though, Handeland has written a light, entertaining story.
Grade: B-

Breath of Magic by Cheyenne McCray

Determined to continue the war against the ancient god Balor, his evil wife Ceithlenn, and their Fomorii demon minions, San Francisco D’Anu witch Sydney refuses to give up. But in the midst of this epic battle, can Sydney afford to be distracted by Tuatha D’Danann winged warrior, Conlan?

Although it can easily be read as a standalone, Breath of Magic is part of McCray’s Magic series and takes place after the events of Wicked Magic (reviewed 08/23/07). This Urban Fantasy Lite with sizzling erotic scenes, condenses the basic concept of that series and would be an excellent way to determine if McCray’s stories and writing style appeal enough to invest in the rest of the series.
Grade: B-

Any Witch Way She Can by Christine Warren

Even though Miranda’s a human in a family full of Others, casting a spell as a sort of cosmic personal ad so she can meet the love of her life should be as easy as baking a cake, right? And the ingredients she creatively substitutes when casting that spell shouldn’t effect it too much, should they? After her dangerous concoction produces some unexpected side effects, Miranda finds out that she just might have stumbled onto the perfect recipe for happiness.

Taking place in the paranormal world created in Warren’s Fixed series for Ellora’s Cave and her The Others series for St. Martin’s Paperbacks, this story brings back a few familiar faces from the previous books but, as with most of Warren’s stories, easily stands on its own. Although the relationship between the leads heats up far too quickly, I finished this playful paranormal romance with a big smile on my face.
Grade: B+

If you are already a fan of these authors, then No Rest for the Witches is a must-read. If you’ve not read their work before, or you shy away from the dark drama of many paranormal romances, you’ll find that all four of these stories are fun, sexy, and a perfect introduction to these authors.

Composite grade: B