a good start to a series. Kendall and Myles team up to find out what is the curse of antiques. A lot of characters that at times got a bit overwhelming, but the author does a fair job of keeping the information up front. The reader gets to follow the two as they follow clues. Set in New Orleans, and found it fun to see streets and images that I remember. Would recommend.

Miles had paid for the charter and wanted to dive where they were. He told Vanessa there was a WWII plane sunk in the water and he saw the plane and it was down in the water in this location. Myles told Vanessa and Charlie they had agreed to come with him and he said if there was nothing down there they would spend the next day diving wherever Vanessa and Charlie wanted to. Kendell reread the article in the alumni paper. She didn’t care about the story but recognized the guy with the couple in the picture. He had shared a class with Kendall. He too had fallen for a made up college class. The class had been the dumbest mistake a music student could make. Kendall loved her guitar and could play from classical music to david Bowie. Kendall decided to call Myles. Myles sat in the funky coffee shop lined with books. Frenchman’s Street wasn’t one of Myles’s usual New Orleans hangouts. Myles tried to place the spunky girl behind the counter-Kendall. Apparently they had went to college together. It had taken all Myles’s time and energy to get his Archaeology degree. Kendall thanked Myles for meeting with her. Myles said it was no problem as he worked in the Quarter as a bartender. Myles said he had always been lucky finding things. Kendall said “if you can’t explain what you did could you show me”? Myles told her he didn't know if that would work. Kendall said they could take it on as a scientific experiment. For someone that was just learning about how energy affects them kendall was remarkably perceptive. Kendall had a gig that night she was in a band called Polly Urethane and The Strippers. Kendall adores her elderly dog named Cheesecake but then she’s dognapped and Kendall was determined to get her dog back. Then there is a murder that looks like a tragic accident because of the cursed object Kendall and Myles had found. There are a lot of mysteries and curses around the Voodoo Shops in New Orleans.
I wasn’t crazy about this book. I thought from the cover it would be more light hearted. There were a lot of twists and turns.This book dragged for me. It just didn’t give me what I was looking for at the time. I will say the second half was a little better than the first half as far as reading this went. I just found this a little boring for me and had problems keeping my attention on what I was reading unfortunately. I am sure other will enjoy this a lot more than I did this book just wasn’t meant for me.

Dog Days of Voodoo is the first book in the Malveaux Curse Mystery series by G.A. Chase. Absolutely nothing stands between a woman and her beloved dog, not even the malevolent force of a voodoo curse. Kendell Summer, lead guitarist for Polly Urethane and the Strippers, has always been interested in the unexplained. So when she sets off on a paranormal research romp with Myles, a former classmate, to explore his skills in psychometry, she’s ready for a little adventure. But she gets more than she bargained for when her Lhasa apso, Cheesecake, is dognapped. Kendell will do whatever it takes to get her dog back. While rescuing the pup, Kendell and Myles learn that the touristy glitz of New Orleans’ voodoo shops hides a dark history few understand—a truth that some in the city plan to use for their own gain. Soon they uncover more than they ever wanted to know about New Orleans’ unsavory past and a curse that threatens to change everything. Only Kendell can prevent the evil they’ve uncovered from doing more damage, but she’ll need Myles’s support and psychometric abilities—and the vigilance of the ever-watchful Cheesecake.

Dog Days of Voodoo is not a cozy mystery, it is not too heavy but it is certainly more in depth than a traditional cozy. I feel like readers get a good understanding of the main players, and the city. However, I do feel like we could have gotten a bit more about Kendell, she seems just a little too understanding and perspective, almost perfect, for the situations she finds herself in. Myles was a little more fleshed out in my mind, I feel like i came to understand him a little bit more. I found the mystery surrounding the curse, and the family ancestry was well developed, and believable with the type of power some families still wield in certain areas. I found the danger and adventure that Myles and Kendell dealt with the be well done and entertaining. I do think it started off a little slow, but once things got going it stayed fairly well paced. I liked the fact that while friendship developed between the main characters, they hinted at the possibility of more but romance never became the main focus of the story, but remained a background thread that occasionally came through inner thoughts but never overwhelmed te rest of the story.

Dog Days of Voodoo is a good start to a new series. There was a slow start, and the series promise some series political and family dynasty drama alongside the mystical mysteries. I think there are many people that are looking for mysteries with this combination of magic and danger, but without the cozy feel.

I found this book difficult to read from the beginning. The story began in a rather choppy way; and did not improve with time. Both the characters, and the plot, were annoying and that makes it difficult to root for anyone. I usually enjoy a good paranormal mystery/romance, but I would not read this author again, nor would I purchase this book for our library.

It took a while for me to get into this one. It had the things that usually capture my interest- a mystery and a cute dog- but initially I wondered if I was going to stick with it. However I did & I'm glad. It turned out to be an interesting tale which moved along quite nicely. . The characters were engaging and the story,once it got going was an interesting one. Would I read more in this series? Maybe.

Thanks to Netgallery and the publishers for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

I liked this story. It was so starting but improved very quickly into a nice little mystery with likable characters. Anyone who is willing to do the unthinkable to get their dog napped pup back is a good person in my opinion. This appears to be book one in the Malvequx Curse Mystery series and the setting in New Orleans is perfect for the paranormal fun that ensues during their search. Kendell and Myles are likable and I'm looking forward to revisiting with them.

Dog Days of Voodoo by G.A. Chase is a fun mystery with a cursed object involved. A crazy caper with lots of fun twists and a funny little doggie too. A cute book, good mystery, and I will certainly be looking for book 2. Lighthearted enough to be semi-cozy mystery, suspenseful enough to be a serial mystery, cursed object/psychic and other paranormal stuff to be great for the fantasy I love to make it just the right kind of read for me. NO romance, so that made it even better! I get so tired of romance having to be in every paranormal book! UGH! This was nice to leave it out! Just the paranormal mystery with people working together without jumping into bed together! Thank you! Thanks NetGalley for letting me read this great book!

This is a great book; this is the first book in the Malveaux Curse Mystery series written by G.A. Chase. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I was not sure I would enjoy this book when I began it, but I did. I asked for and got this from NetGalley to read and review, mostly because it looked like there was a dog as a central character, and I love reading about dogs. In this book, the dog provides a good third “person” to the pair who are the main characters, as well as helping ease through the tale. Kendell Summer is very interested in and enjoys the unexplained, so sets off with a former friend from school, to explore his psychometric abilities. The pair stumbles on a mystery that involves one of New Orleans’ esteemed families, who will stop at nothing to prevent disclosure of family secrets that can ruin or seriously hurt them. Kendell and Myles find an old artifact with a mysterious, unknown story in one of the city’s voodoo shops, and end up trying to figure out how it is involved in an age-old curse. In fact, Kendell has a history with/connection to the artifact, which she only finds after some interesting and different paranormal interaction on the part of herself and Myles. How they figure out what exactly the curse is and their role provides a fascinating, fast-moving story.

This book started off slowly but picked up speed a bit into it. The interaction and emerging chemistry between Kendell and Myles is interesting to watch. A relationship between the two never really develops, just a partnership, but I can see their relationship growing and growing as the series continues. As I said, I love reading about dogs, and, in this book, Cheesecake, was the real winner among the characters. Her antics and smarts were a solid relief, and one more reason why we love dogs. One thing I did find confusing was the inclusion of many New Orleans families and their inter-relationships, which, I think, could have been explained more clearly. The book definitely gave me a good idea of New Orleans and how the paranormal fits into and is a good part of its culture. The book is a fast read, once you get into it, as I said. There is not a lot of down or dead time. Again, my only confusion came with all the families and their convoluted inter-relationships. I think most mystery lovers would enjoy this, especially any who also are interested in the paranormal.

In this book, we first meet Myles. I wasn't sure this was a book that I was going to like, based on the opening pages of the book, but as soon as I realized what I was reading and why, I was engrossed! Having lived in Metairie, LA, right outside of New Orleans for five years, I really got into the book. I recognized street names for some of the streets, and the whole Mardi Gras thing really floated my boat (pun intended). There is so much true mystery behind everything going on, including a death and a break-in for Kendell's home and the snatching of Cheesecake. You'll have to read to find out what that is about. This was such a fun book for my first read of something from this Author. I now need to work on picking up the next book in the series. I am captivated!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

I give Dog Days 3.5 stars, it was rough going in the beginning but picked up as it went along.

I was surprised when I started reading the book, I would not have requested Dog Days from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review based on how it started. However, the first chapter was compellingly written and I was really getting into it's rather macabre subject. Then BAM, we're switched to something else getting no further information on what went on in the first chapter. That is my first big negative especially at the beginning of the book, scenes cut so abruptly I had to go back and read the end of the previous scene to see if I missed something. I also felt the author didn't clearly set up Kendell's situation and what/why she wants from Myles.

When the actual story line started it didn't really thrill me, but as I mention in the title of the review the writing smoothed out, more details were given and I liked how the story line was developing.

I would only recommend this book with reservations (normally 3 stars), but I liked it so much more by the end making the last half closer to 4 stars, so I'm splitting the difference. If you do decide to pick this one up, and have the same initial reaction as I did, I'd recommend giving it a little more time. Because of my mixed response, I would consider reading the next book in the series if available on Netgalley, but wouldn't spend $4.99.

BTW, if you're expecting a light, fluffy possibly funny cozy type of PNR based on the cover, I think you'll be a little disappointed. It's not really dark, but more mainstream than light and fluffy and very minimal on romance.