High Jinx (Cursed Luck, #2)

by Kelley Armstrong

Curse weaver Kennedy Bennett has re-settled into her beloved hometown and opened a shop selling previously hexed antiques. When she fails to win an online auction for a notorious cursed painting, Aiden Connolly-the wealthy and swoon-worthy luck worker she is not dating-swoops in to buy it for her.

Crying Girl is one of a quartet of haunted legendary paintings. Kennedy knows that the "ghosts" are actually curses-fatal ones. The paintings have been missing for years, and Kennedy is thrilled at the chance to uncurse one...until Crying Girl disappears before they can collect it.

Kennedy and Aiden soon discover that the painting hasn't been randomly whisked out of their reach. Someone used it to lure them in, and now that they've snatched the bait, they've been snared in a trap. Either the thief gets what they want...or the four paintings are going to find their way back into the world, and Kennedy and Aiden will be responsible for the deadly chaos the cursed portraits wreak.

• ISBN10: 1989046444
• ISBN13: 9781989046449
• Publish Date: 7 December 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Kla Fricke Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 294
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

4.5 stars
Once again, I really enjoyed the way the quirkiness of paranormal cozies comes together with mythology and urban fantasy in this series! I've read somewhere that this is the conclusion to the series (duology?), but I certainly hope that's not the case! In my opinion, it's far from concluded.

I think my favorite part of High Jinx was the character/relationship development. Kennedy and Aiden especially learn so much about each other and grow a lot closer in this book. I really enjoyed better understanding his family situation and felt exasperated on his behalf because of his parents - especially his father who I might just say is evil.

The mystery was also great. It involved some cursed paintings and once again the gods/immortals (Mercury and Athene -- and one other, but that would be a spoiler -- took center stage). I feel like we're gradually learning even more about the magical world through the mysteries, which is fun.

In the audiobook there's also a short novella - Goddess of Summer Love - included at the end. The placement is unfortunate as it falls before the events of this book (which is accurately displayed on Goodreads), but since I didn't know it was there, I read it after. I still enjoyed it quite a bit and it was fun getting the perspective of Venus/Vanessa - an immortal/god - on the relationships of all the key characters. And I also enjoyed the mystery. I just really wish it had been at the start of the audio book (or at the end of the first book).

The narration of High Jinx was done been Carly Robins and I think she does a great job of bringing the characters to life, complete with the snarky tone I've come to expect in my paranormal cozies. I listened at 2x speed (as I normally do) very comfortably.

The narration of Goddess of Summer Love was done by Emily Durante, a narrator I've listened to several times and enjoy. I think it was an appropriate narration change, as she has more of the urban fantasy voice than the paranormal cozy... if that makes any sense to anyone but me. I also was able to listen at 2x speed comfortably.