A witch with unruly magic, a demon gone good, lava-hot passion and a tornado of emotions–just another night in Strange Hollow.
For Bryanna, a witch from the Asheville Coven, magic is on the fritz. Shunned by her coven and her boyfriend Layton for her unruly magic, she seeks a new life for herself. It just so happens, fate steps in and brings her to Strange Hollow–a place where being different is not only acceptable, but encouraged.
When Bryanna arrives in Strange Hollow, Zeke, a demon gone good, is burning with Hell’s fire over her. Not only has she set his world ablaze, but he’s found one soul he can save. He’s determined to free her from the insecurities that have damaged her soul.
Together they experience lava-hot passion as they weave their way through a tornado of emotions. But when Layton returns for her, will Zeke’s attempts to break the unworthy cage woven around her be enough to keep her in Strange Hollow forever?
Stacey Kennedy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romances full of heat, heart, and happily ever afters. With over 50 titles published, her books have hit Amazon, B&N, and Apple Books bestseller lists.
Stacey lives with her husband and two children in southwestern Ontario—in a city that’s just as charming as any of the small towns she creates. Most days, you’ll find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or venturing into the forest with her horse, Priya. Stacey’s just as happy curled up indoors, where she writes surrounded by her lazy dogs. She believes that sexy books about hot cowboys or alpha heroes can fix any bad day. But wine and chocolate help too.
Stacey absolutely loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at stacey@staceykennedy.com.
Whatnots & Doodads is a sexy little tale about a witch who's Earth elemental powers are a bit wonky and a demon who's chosen to be good. Bryanna has had it. She's sick of her magic, her crap boyfriend, and she's taken off for who knows where. One thing after another goes wrong along the way and she finds herself stranded until Zeke, a demon and Jacinda, a fae show up and offer her a ride. Bryanna, feeling she has nothing left to lose, hops in. They take her to Strange Hollow, which turns out to be kinda like the 'Island of Misfit Toys' for a wide range of supes. There she finds a true home.
I love reading Stacey's stories - short or full-length. They always make me smile while reading them and leave me with that contented just-ate-a-yummy-piece-of-chocolate (with none of the guilt) feeling.
If this is the beginning of a series, I will definitely continue on.
Whatnots & Doodads is a cute and sexy story, but then again who wouldn’t want to read about a demon gone good and falling for a witch whose magic is on the fritz. I enjoyed the characters along with the town set up. Stacey could turn this into a series if she wishes later on. It would be neat to see what kind of misfits she could put together in this town.
I liked both Zeke and Bryanna; I just wish they had a little bit more time together. I recommend this to anyone who needs a quick hot novella read.
Teaser “I’ve never … been with a demon.” Bryanna looked at the bulge in his pants. “Are … is everything the same?” Who knew what he had in his jeans? Zeke’s deep chuckle sent shivers down her spine. “My body is human in every sense–you won’t find a devil’s pitchfork in my pants.”
One of my pet peeves with the paranormal romance genre isn’t the fact that the darkest, most sinister monsters from mythology are so often defanged, but that the domestication is done so casually, and without comment. That’s where my love for Whatnots and Doodads – and, by extension, the shared world of Strange Hollow – begins.
Here, Stacey presents us with a paranormal romance full of mythological monsters, all of whom are fully aware of their outcast nature. In fact, the lovely little town of Strange Hollow exists solely to give these outcasts a home, a refuge from others of their kind who look down upon them for their domestication. With Whatnots and Doodads, she introduces us to the romantic pairing of an outcast witch who can’t control her magic, and an outcast demon who would rather save souls than steal them.
What makes this work so well is the fact that Bryanna is fully aware of what a mythological demon should be. Her initial reaction to Zeke is precisely what you would expect from someone, especially a witch, upon encountering a “spawn of Satan” – she demands he stop the car, afraid he’s going to eat her! It’s this reaction that so naturally opens the door for Jacinda, outcast Fae and founder of the town, to explain the paranormal sanctuary that is Strange Hollow.
The love story that follows is sweet, seductive, and oh-so-hot. Zeke may be a demon, but he may as well be a knight in shining armour. He takes Bryanna under his wing, helps her get settled, and makes it his mission to make her see that she’s different, not damaged. He wants her to love him more than anything else in the world, but only if he can first make her accept that she is as worthy of love and respect as any other witch. He is patient, kind, and gentle when he needs to be, but also completely capable of taking charge and ravishing his love.
As for Bryanna, she’s a delightful young woman, as different and as wondrous as the whatnots and doodads so eccentrically produced by her magic. Part of her revels in her outcast nature, as evidenced by her gothic manner of dress (which leads to a steamy scene in the dressing room involving a new corset and a black lace thong, all chosen for her by Zeke!), but she’s been raised to believe she’s damaged, an embarrassment to her family and her coven. When she makes the decision to give in to Zeke’s seduction, it’s initially as an act of rebellion, but she soon comes to revel in the feeling of being loved, rather than possessed.
The romance and the seduction here is just breathtaking, the kind of story that makes you feel warm and content all over. It takes a while for the spark of attraction to kindle into flames of passion – as it should – but when it does, the sex is absolutely magical. It’s light-hearted and fun, like first loves should be, and never takes advantage of Bryanna’s fragile emotional state.
A fun, sexy, altogether enjoyable read, Whatnots and Doodads is a book I’ve already insisted several friends read. I loved it, and I suspect you will too.
Bryanna is a witch with a unique problem. Her magical powers don’t seem to work in the way she wants it to. When she wants to conjure up a change of clothes she gets a jar of skin cream instead. Her attempt at making a flower grow yields a cheetah-print chair instead. “Whatnots & doodads” is what she calls the odd objects that appear when she calls forth her earth magic. Cast out by her wealthy family for her magical deficiency, she finds herself a little lost and in a bad relationship with a selfish warlock. When she realizes he is only with her for her money, she flees eager to start a new chapter in her life away from the harsh judgments of her coven.
After driving aimlessly for days her car breaks down near a mysterious town called Strange Hollow. She is picked up by the town’s founder, Jacinda and her driver, Zeke. It seems Strange Hollow is a town made up of misfits and outcasts from the supernatural world. Jacinda is a fae who was ostracized by her family and Zeke is a demon who has decided to forsake his demonic side in favor or being good. Zeke is drawn to Bryanna as he senses that she is a lost soul that he can heal. Bryanna wants nothing more than to forget about her ex and though her attraction to Zeke scares her the two soon begin a steamy love affair.
This paranormal romance had a lost self-doubting heroine and a sexy demon hero who was more than willing to help his witch overcome her insecurities and see the positive in her unique magical abilities. This was a novella so the two fell in love very quickly but Stacey Kennedy did a good job in conveying both Zeke’s and Bryanna’s emotions throughout their courtship. It had a couple of steamy sex scenes and Bryanna’s magical attempts added some comic relief to the story. I really liked Strange Hollow and could easily picture the town with its distinct buildings, homes, and gardens. The idea of the different supernaturals; vampires, goblins, ghosts, and were-animals living and working together in peace was nice. It made me want to learn more about the town and its inhabitants. Whatnots & Doodads was an enjoyable paranormal romance and gets 3.5 stars.
Whatnots & Doodads is a little story by Stacey Kennedy and it is super cute. Bryanna is an Earth Witch, but her magic is broken. When she calls upon her element to try to conjure something, what she actually gets is nothing like what she wanted. Not even close. She gets what she calls whatnots and doodads. When she runs away from her coven, she ends up in Strange Hollow. This is a little village that welcomes everyone who is “damaged” without passing judgement. This is where Bryanna meets Zeke, the good demon.
I loved the idea of Strange Hollow. We often read of places filled with super strong and powerful beings, but rarely is there anything about misfit magicians. Be it magical beings or magic users, if you do not quite fit into the mould your community want you to fit in, you can find a safe haven in Strange Hollow. It’s like the island of misfit toys but for the supernatural!
Bryanna was just fine for me at first, but then she grew on me. She’s a cutie. When Zeke had her standing in the middle of the field and having her use her magic, I giggled out loud. What she conjures really is a bunch of doodads – but fun and unexpected ones!
Zeke was great. He’s going against his nature because he can’t stand what he is meant to do. He decides that he wants to save a soul as opposed to steal one. He wants to help Bryanna realize that she is not a useless witch and that she can be an important part of Strange Hollow. There is definite chemistry between them and their ‘special scenes’ together are hot! Did I mention that Zeke is sexy. Yeah…he is. I liked him and Bryanna together. They were sweet.
This is a romance story but there wasn’t a clear ‘Oh my god I love you so much’ at the end – and I LOVED that about this book! This story happens in one day so if that was what was said by the end, it would have lost me. I mean c’mon! But even though there isn’t a defined ‘I love you’, the way it ends is wonderful.
All in all, I enjoyed reading Whatnots & Doodads. I liked the concept and the characters were fun to read. I like this author – her work is solid – and I am anxious to see what she comes out with next.
Title Thoughts: Fits the novella so perfectly. Cover Thoughts: I really like it. I'm going to take the SH in the left corner for Strange Hollow, where it's set. I love what she's wearing because it's exactly like an outfit she wears. WARNINGS: Three words: Very. Hot. Sex.
This may have been only 52 pages, but it felt like a full-fledged book. Kennedy did a fantastic job with all of the characters. They were fully developed and I loved all of them. Whatnots and Doodads holds some laugh-out-loud moments. There is one particular part that had me laughing for five minutes, no lie. My mom just shook her head. She knew better than to ask.
I would share that particular part, but you have to read this and know the character to get the full impact of the hilarious moment. I loved every word of this novella. Bryanna is a woman where every single person she knew pushed her down. Her magic is flimsy and instead of being accepted, they ban and cut her down.
Zeke, who happens to be a demon, just happens to be the one to enlighten her. He shows her she does have self worth. He shows her that what others called a burden is a gift. Something that makes her unique and most importantly, something that makes Bryanna Bryanna.
Addict's Last Words: I only wish that their love didn't progress so fast. But hey, it's 52 pages. That small thing doesn't take away from how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. To Buy or To Borrow: I'm not sure how you could not like this novella.
Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided for me by the author. No payment was recieved by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Bryanna is an earth witch whose magic never quite works the ways she wants. She has been living a life of sorrow. Her parents wrote her off when she turned 18 and her "ex" boyfriend, Layton, lied to her and was only after her money. Bryanna decides its better to just leave and start over someplace new. But when that starts in disaster Zeke comes to her rescue.
Zeke is a demon, a "good" demon. He gave up his old life, taking souls for Satan, because he wanted to save souls instead. Zeke takes Bryanna back to Strange Hollow, a community tha is made up of supernatural creatures who don't fit in anywhere else. It's perfect for a good demon and a witch whose powers go wonky.
When Zeke meets Bryanna, its lust at first site. He feels the need to protect her from getting hurt, even from himself. Zeke has been trying to make up for his early life as a soul taker. Neither are looking for love but they don't deny their attraction to each other.
When Layton shows up to get Bryanna back things get crazy. Will she finally see him for the liar he is or will she leave with him and go back to a life full of lies and dissapproval???
Whatnots and Doodads is the perfect short story. It has just enough action, romance and background info to awnser all your questions. It has the perfect balance and does not overstress one area of the story and leave the rest lacking with tons of questions like other short stories and some full length novels do.
The characters are well thought out and come together to make this story one of the best I have ever read. It really pulls you in from the beginning of the story and leaves you wanting more at the end. I do not usually read short stories because they always leave unawnsered questions or the balance is wrong but I am THRILLED to say that isn't the case with Whatnots and Doodads. I truly hope to hear more from Bryanna and Zeke and the small community of Strange Hallow.
Whatnots & Doodads by Stacey Kennedy I am not familiar with Stacey Kennedy's work but if Whatnots & Doodads are an example of it, then I can say "where do I get more?" I absolutely LOVED this book! And to be honest, it was way too short, it should have been probably another two hundred pages or so! When I started it, I could not put it down, and when it hit me it was only 47 pages long, I felt my heart sink! I never want the story of the 'broken' witch Bryanna and the 'mushy' demon Zeke to end! I could see so many possibilities for this story to continue, I wanted to contact Stacey and ask her to make a part two of the book. *smile*
I am a huge fan of the paranormal, but have yet to read a novel with witches in it. For me, a story with witches in it, they'd have powers to fight demons, vampires, werewolves etc..and would probably become boring to me. But when I read Bryanna conjuring up things she called 'whatnots and doodads', it held my interest. I guess because I grew up watching Bewitched and how I'd dream of what it would be like to be able to twitch your nose and make things appear at command. Being able to have anything you could possibly want in life.
This book is for ADULTS ONLY. It is a fun book to read and I enjoyed it tremendously, but the sex scenes in it are very graphic and I would not recommend it for anyone under the age of 30! Just joking! But seriously, it is for adults only and would be nice to have your partner near by. *wink*wink* Even though it is a short read, I highly recommend it! And I can bet you are going to feel like me afterwords, wanting more.
Bryanna is an Earth Witch whose magic never works properly. She’s used to people – particularly her controlling boyfriend – looking down on her for the whatnots and doodads that pop up whenever she tries to conjure something. Then Bryanna finds herself in Strange Hollow, a town where the unusual is the norm. That strangeness includes Zeke, a demon who has renounced evil. The sexy demon seems determined to convince Bryanna that her magic isn’t broken, merely different. But can a flesh and blood demon defeat the spectral demons of Bryanna’s past?
Stacey Kennedy brings the delightfully odd world of Strange Hollow to life in Whatnots & Doodads. Bryanna’s journey is one filled with sensuality and magic as she learns that being different isn’t a bad thing. It takes her a while to believe in herself and the life she can carve out for herself in Strange Hollow, but the trip is well worth the obstacles Bryanna have to overcome. As for the other half of the romantic pairing in Whatnots & Doodads, Zeke is a too-sexy-for-his-own-good demon who will have you swooning.
Whatnots & Doodads is part of the multi-author Strange Hollow series, but it can be read as a standalone. Ms. Kennedy definitely makes me want to pick up more Strange Hollow stories, for the town is too fun to resist. All in all, Whatnots & Doodads is an enjoyable read that is sure to please.
My Review Byanna has been an outcast all of her life. A witch whose magic only leads to whatnots and doodads (aka: odds and ends) leaves her the black sheep in not just her coven, but life. She makes peace with it because she has one person she can rely on, her boyfriend Layton. But when she realizes that he is only after her money, she makes the biggest decision of her life - to run away from it all. All alone, she doesn't know what to do until a chance encounter brings her to Strange Hollow where others like her (Unique Supernaturals) have escaped their tormented fates and live happy lives. Here she meets Zeke, a demon with a heart of gold and the looks of a god. Suddenly her lonely life is turned upside down by this incredible angel of a demon who makes it his mission to save her from the torment that was her life. But when Layton comes to retrieve her, will she succumb to the man she once loved, or will she be able to escape her past and break free of her cage of insecurities with Zeke by her side?
This book in three words: Witty, Original, and Hot! The love between Bryanna and Zeke is both sweet and incredibly steamy. The challenges they face will have your heart-pumping, while you laugh, cry, and rapidly turn the pages for more.
Mmmmmm....Zeke......wanna talk about a seriously hot demon?! Damn!
Tall, dark & dangerous?! Yes please! Though he is a demon who has turned his life around, Bryanna is still not sure about him. She's been pushed aside & cast out her entire life, so when Zeke actual wants her you can see their passion grow & become something RED HOT!
There are so many elements that I loved about this novella! Mainly how it was an erotica piece, but they story & characters had depth to them. I can't tell you how many erotica books I've read that have just been so-so, due to the fact that the author didn't spend time developing all the aspects of the story. I understand it's about the sex, foreplay & more sex, but show case your talent as a writer too.
In Whatnots & Doodads, that's exactly what Stacey did. I've always been a fan of hers, ever since I read Willow, but seeing her steamier side is awesome! She's able to create the perfect environment for Bryanna & Zeke in this book, and they certainly make the best of it! I was able to finish the whole thing in 1 sitting & was fanning myself by the end! (actually by about 40% in) Amazing job, and a must read for lovers of paranormal AND erotica!
The cover defiantly depicts whats inside this read. Bryanna is a witch and an outcast by her kind. Instead of weaving magic of the magical kind she creates Whatnot and Doodads.
In the town of Sleepy Hollow where the outcasts all live, from Vampires, to Goblins, ghosts and a world of the Paranormal Byranna meets Demon Zeke.
Zeke convinces Bryanna she is worthwhile and shows her in which direction her life could take her, live with her magic or hide away. This story is filled with humours moments where I'm sure you will be laughing out loud and sexy steamy moments where the steam will be wafting off your pages. Stacey has created like able characters, and a short but intriguing storyline to boot.
At only 52 pages long, Stacey has woven all emotions well throughout, a steady paced storyline with intriguing and funny concepts throughout.
The relationship between Zeke and Bryanna did take off like a jet plane, but I'm sure you will enjoy the steamy, sexy scenes non the less. !!!
An enjoyable quickie to read, filled with humour, romance, steamy sex scenes, and the world of the paranormal I'm sure you will all enjoy.
I have never read anything by Stacey Kennedy, but after reading this novella, I will be seeking out her other offerings. I really enjoyed Whatnots and Doodads. This little story has a lot packed into it: sexy supernatural beings, hot steamy loves scenes and laugh out loud humor. Strange Hollow is a place I would love to visit. What would be better than a place with misfit supernatural beings, where you are not judged and can be yourself? The chemistry between Zeke and Bryanna leaps off the pages and grabs hold. Ms. Kennedy's erotic scenes are well written and tastefully done. My only complaint is that I wanted more! I hope that Ms. Kennedy will do more stories about Strange Hollow. With a town full of misfits, there have to be dozens of stories waiting to be told!
I definitely recommend this one. I think any lover of erotica will like this novella. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Kennedy in the future!
I liked this book although it was short, it tells us Bryanna's story, Bryanna is an insecure witch who's powers just don't work in the way she wants them to (they actually work in a great way in my opinion) running away from her past she meets Jacinda and Zeke both of who live in Strange Hollow, a really cool town for outcasts (I could totally see myself living there) and of course it helps that Zeke is unavailably hot and sweet with Bryanna even if he is a demon, but acts like a knight in a shinning armour to Bryanna as he helps her adapt to her new life at Strange Hollow and saves her when she's in big danger. But of course Bryanna's happiness can't last forever as someone from her past comes for her. This is a book for adults with pretty hot sex scenes, sighs I love those ^^ It's a short and easy read. Stacey is a great writer and I hope to read more from her soon.
Stacey sent me another book to review and I swear all her books are just completely awesome!!! I was sorry to this one so short. It had an amazing story with a witch who doesn't fit in and runs away only to find a place of all sorts of other paranormal misfits. And here she finds a man who actually seems to accept her as she is. And I am super glad she did. We have a witch who makes whatnots and doodads and a soul sucking demon gone good, and together they make sparks fly like whoa!!
If you are looking for a quick paranormal romance (heavy on the romance) then this is it!! Its a quick read and will leave you wanting more!!
This was a really charming short story. Bryanna had no self esteem thanks to her butt munch boyfriend Layton, and her snarky fellow witches from the powerful Asheville coven. Giving it all up for Lent, she takes off for parts unknown. With her luck running true to form, she ends up broken down on the side of the road in the high reaches of the Appalachins.Zeke is a demon turned good who wants to help Bryanna find her true worth. Together in Strange Hollow, an isolated enclave for outcast paranormals, they try to see if Bryanna can gain control of her magic and her life.Smart and sexy this is a very enjoyable quick read.
A wickedly good read. I loved it. It contains a solid message of accepting and caring about yourself. It does contain some awesomely written erotica so it is a novella for adults. A more complete review may be found on my blog. *I was given the book to review. I was not compensated for it. All opinions expressed are my own.*
A very sweet & sexy novella. I won this at Bitten by Paranormal Romance Blog, and was so happy I did! I've been wanting to read Stacey Kennedy's books, this is a great taste of her writing. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books!
I absolutely love this book! It is a very quick read but the story is wonderful. If you ever need a pick me up from a bad day or feel the need to be perfect and normal like everyone else, read this book. The message of loving yourself for who is are can never been mentioned enough.