Hex on the Beach by Gina Lamanna

Lily Locke is living the daily grind in Minneapolis when one day she meets her two eccentric Aunts after passing “a magical assessment for normal folks” test that had been left on her desk. They whisk her away to “The Isle” a magical island in the middle of Lake Superior. There Lily learns that she has inherited the duties of “The Mixologist” from her grandfather. A non-related wizard had taken over duties after her grandfather’s death, but had ended up dead. Once Lily arrives on the Isle, new mysterious deaths start to occur. Will Lily be able to fulfill her destiny? Who is responsible for the mysterious deaths?

I was intrigued by this novel as it promised a mix of Harry Potter and Stephanie Plum. I agree with both, although it was more heavily Stephanie Plum in a magical world. Several elements rang familiar such as Lily’s eccentric Grandma and a mysterious guard of the island named “Ranger X” that seemed brooding and magnetic just like Ranger in the Stephanie Plum series.

I liked this book – it was light hearted fun, just like the beginning of the Stephanie Plum series. Quirky characters, light romance, mystery, all of these helped to make the book compelling and fun. I’ve already purchased the next book in the series!

I highly recommend this book looking for a light escape read for the summer!

Favorite Quotes:

“A rising star at a hotshot marketing agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, all Lily knows is she’s a PowerPoint guru, an Excel ninja, and a coffee-maker extraordinaire. Not to mention she’s next in line for a huge promotion.”

“Lake Superior spanned as far as I could see, and I understood why it might be called a great lake. The water sparkled and glittered under the sun, the blue so deep and dark it mesmerized me in a dangerous way.” – I love this description of Lake Superior!

“My reputation is the fault of nobody except myself. And if people want to think I’m bonkers, so be it. I’d rather be underestimated than overestimated, ain’t that right?” – Lily’s Grandma Hettie.

“He left the room, the door closing on his way out, and took a piece of my smile with him.”

What novel is your favorite escape read?

Book Source: I purchased this e-book from Amazon.com for my kindle.