Black Issues Book Review, Jan-Feb 2006
Pretty Evil by Lexi Davis
Pocket Books, October 2005 $14, ISBN 1-416-50525-3
This is a notable first novel with outrageous and sometimes impossible antics of four mismatched friends that has the makings of a television sitcom. Their friendship has had its challenges over the years, but no one was ready for what happens at an abandoned property tucked away from Hollywood's famous Rodeo Drive. Pretty Evil has a complex, hysterical and progressive plot that will take the reader on a pleasurable joy ride. It proves to be original in its content and very well written. --Reviewed by Nicole Shaw, Books For Thought, Tampa, FL
Romantic Times Book Club, October 2005
Paranormal - Pretty Evil by Lexi Davis / Pocket REVIEW RATING: Four and A Half Stars ****1/2, Fantastic! A Keeper!!
This book may surprise many a reader. Davis is a first-time novelist, yet she pens a terrific story that contains humor, spicy sex and a great spin on the paranormal genre.
Rice, Coach and Geffen are three men who don't take much seriously, except for their idea to open an exclusive club. They just need a place that's big enough. Their best friend Sunnie, a real estate agent and a very superstitious young woman, doesn't feel right about a house she shows them. She can smell evil right from the start and tries to discourage the guys from buying it.
But all they see are dollar signs, so they ignore Sunnie's warnings. She prays for them, which proves to be their protection. A demoness who lives in the basement is trying to kill the men. When that doesn't work, she turns into the type of woman each man finds attractive. Sunnie, meanwhile, is in love with one of the guys, but he is blinded by the woman the demoness has turned into and doesn't see her attraction.
Readers will no doubt have a hard time putting this book down. The witch is crafty, and the book's humor is contagious. If Davis continues to write like this, she'll have a long career. - Reviewed by Robin Taylor
A Romance Review
Rating: 4 1/2 STARS!
A slice of ghoul, a pinch of fools and stir-in some dark humor - what comes out is something Pretty Evil…
When Sunnie takes her three foolish and self-absorbed male friends to see a piece of property they are interested in, the sparks will fly. This rundown mansion used to be an brothel, if only those walls could talk! If they could, they would say, run for your life, because a bad ass she-devil named Vixx and her sidekick ghoul, Cre’p, owns this place. Their hundred-year sentence is just about up and Vixx will stop at nothing to keep the three hunks from inhabiting her place. If Vixx has to sex-them-up and kill them, so be it! Now Sunnie is another story, that girl has God and some special mojo on her side. Sunnie has moxie and game, so Vixx, bring it on…girlfriend!
Pretty Evil, is the debut novel, by Lexi Davis. From the moment you open this book, the characters are all over you! Ms. Davis has a cutting-edge voice that is saturated with sharp wit, originality and just plain down-home appeal. The premise screams of freshness and spectral humor! The dialogues and thought sequences are what make this story zing with life and are laugh-out-loud funny! Ms. Davis’ writing is vibrant – filled with spirit, love and realism. What will Ms. Davis come up with next? This reader can hardly wait!
Sunnie and her three friends Rice, Coach, and Geffen grew up together. Rice, is a successful author that hides behind his writing persona. Coach, a professional, but injured football player. Then there is Geffen, a sharp-dressing businessman. What do these three men all have in common, other than Sunnie, they all need to grow-up and get the sinning out of their lives. Sunnie’s three male friends might be self-absorbed nincompoops, but to them, she is their “amira,” (in Swahilli it means princess).
Now if Sunnie can just get the fear of God into these fools and change their womanizing ways, her job is done – well almost. Sunnie is touched – no not crazy, but she has a gift and just knows things. Can Sunnie keep these three stud-muffins from Vixx’s clutches? Will she be able to redeem her friends? Sunnie’s faith will be sorely tested, her friendships will be on the line and much more…
If you are looking for a hilarious paranormal, then look no further! Pretty Evil fits the bill! Get your copy when it hits the shelves October 11, 2005!
Book-Remarks.com
Pretty Evil by Lexi Davis
Sunnie, Coach, Geffen, and Rice have been devoted friends since they were young. Coach is a grumpy athlete who's recovering from an injury. Geffen is a money-driven business man, and Rice is an author whose privacy means everything. As different as they appear, two key things the guys have in common are (1) their player mentalities driven by their sexual desires, and (2) the sensibility and protectiveness of Sunnie, the female member of their circle, and a woman that has a gift for discerning what goes on in the spiritual realm.
Sunnie also works as a real estate agent in the Los Angeles area. And when the guys decide they want to buy a huge abandoned mansion, they expect their good pal Sunnie to make the deal happen. But Sunnie senses something about the house just isn't right; that evil lurks inside the mansion which could endanger her friends. In spite of Sunnie's impassioned warning, her headstrong friends don't believe a word she says. And the drama really unfolds when Vixx enters the picture, an alluring she-devil who dwells in the mansion. By using her supernatural powers to transform into each man's fantasy woman, Vixx causes the guys to get into trouble as their lust for her overtakes their common sense.
Combining romance, spirituality, and suspense, author Lexi Davis delivers an admirable debut with much aplomb. She explores the goings-on of the underworld with good-natured humor that elicits numerous chuckles. Her hip portrayal of the characters and heartwarming message of friendship, love, and faith are inspiring. And certain elements may serve as a reminder that we should examine our hearts, and perhaps watch our backs, because everything isn't as it always appears.
Readers will fall in love with Sunnie, a sweet and likeable character that makes you want to root for her and for Pretty Evil. Reviewed by Cydney Rax, author of My Daughter's Boyfriend
Women-Together.com, Sharon, Author/Expert Chat Coordinator
PRETTY EVIL is a fast paced, humorous, sexually explicit romp! Outrageous anachronisms abound in Vixx's language and the history of the house, which contribute to the laughs in this story. It's ready made to be turned into a TV movie for cable. All the ingredients needed to make it a hit are here: a fight between good and evil, sexy men, gorgeous women, sizzling sex and plenty of fast flying laughs. PRETTY EVIL is a lot of fun!
RomanceReaderAtHeart.com
by Julie Kornhausl
PRETTY EVIL is one of those stories that from the beginning you know it’s going to be a fun ride! I had a good time reading PRETTY EVIL. Lexi Davis not only wrote a fun and sexy book with PRETTY EVIL, but also a book about the bonds of friendship.
FreshFiction.com
"A campy supernatural twist on sexy urban black businessmen."
Reviewed by Lissa Staley
Posted September 7, 2005
As individuals, Rice, Geffen and Coach are each handsome, hardworking and ambitious. But working together in a real estate investment deal that could make them multi- millionaires, these gorgeous black men are a force to be reckoned with, and nothing on this earth can stand in their way. An introspective writer, Rice is also the author of bestselling novels that have black women around the country clamoring to meet him, greet him and more. He tries not to let it bother him, though, that in the bedroom his fans scream the name of his charming leading character instead of his own. Geffen is the mastermind of their plans, determined to get big money and make good on his mother's deathbed wish. Coach is sidelined with injuries this season from the NFL, and besides pushing his leg to heal in workouts, he has plenty of free time for this big project.
The men plan to purchase a property and transform it into a rental resort and bed and breakfast so that their customers can party in exquisite style and ultimate privacy. Of course, these sexy bachelors don't anticipate Vixx, a man- hating demoness from hell, to be the current inhabitant of the decrepit mansion they purchase. Against the advice of their best girl friend, Sunnie, who has a bad feeling about this house, they bribe, sleep around, call in favors and scheme in the manner of the best businessmen in L.A. to speed up the renovations. When their first crew walks out after a series of accidents caused by interference from the furious she-devil, they persevere and the demoness heads to Hades to regroup. Rice, Geffen and Coach move into the house to help finance the construction and finish their renovations in time for a huge party to celebrate. Sunnie continues to worry about her guys, especially when she bumps into the evil Vixx on her way into the party. When Vixx realizes that Sunnie's spiritual gifts and prayers have been protecting the men she's been trying to kill... well, all hell breaks loose as she tries to seduce each man in order to destroy them.
The supernatural characters, including Vixx the hell vamp, her minion ghoul and their other-worldly pals, are a fun addition to an otherwise intriguing cast. While the three men, who call themselves "playas," seem sleazy in their treatment of the women they bed, their motivations to not be trapped into relationships while they're aspiring for greater business successes are understandable. And although Sunnie loves these men like brothers, and often bribes them to attend church with her, she has to acknowledge her preternatural gifts and find her own happiness.
This first novel from Lexi Davis may be a revenge fulfillment fantasy, with the womanizing bachelors up against a campy man-hating demoness, but even drawing on core clichés in some scenes can't detract from the well- developed characters who give this story deeper significance. I admit, I was a bit skeptical when I read the premise of this book, but once I got comfortable with the complex characters, I was hooked. With outlandish scenarios and creative plot twists, Davis uses supernatural elements to draw readers into a terrific story!
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAW Rating: 4.5) - A spooky good time..., November 14, 2005
When three friends agree to go to church with their friend in exchange for the hook-up on real-estate property, little do they know that the end result will challenge not only their friendship, but bring to the surface all of their fears. Newcomer Lexi Davis presents PRETTY EVIL, a paranormal, suspenseful, comedic, and inspiring adventure sure to appeal to most readers. It boils down to being a good versus evil celebration where you will root for the main characters and also want to knock them around a bit because they don't "see" what the reader knows is happening.
Alison "Sunnie" Clark is a fun-loving, loyal friend, religious, and blessed with a "gift" in which she can feel the presence of evil. Her best friends are three womanizing men (Coach, an injured pro football player; Rice, a writer; and Geffen, a bonafide playboy) who have no intentions of settling down or getting "right" with the man upstairs, despite Sunnie's lectures. As agreed, in exchange for their attendance at church and to keep her promise, she shows them some real estate, but deep down, she has reservations about the place. Unfortunately, the guys see the potential of the Beverly Hills mansion and plan to fix it up, turning it into an up-scale spot to rent out to the rich who want to throw parties in a secluded, yet safe environment. Little do they know the place isn't really safe and it's already inhabited by a supernatural force, a sexy, sultry nymphomaniac who has a weakness for human men.
Vixx, the rightful owner, is a she-devil on confinement in the cellar along with her sidekick Crep, an old ghoul who shows all of his 100+ years. Vixx isn't too happy about someone else moving into her territory. They are approaching the end of their 100 year term and in order to reclaim the mansion, which was a brothel when she reigned over it, she has to get the guys out of the house. She finds it a bit harder than planned because of Sunnie and the power of prayer she uses to protect the guys, so Vixx goes another route since she can't just outright kill them. She molds herself into the perfect woman for each of the guys and attacks them through the emotional and physical levels, using their thoughts to bind them to her so that she can destroy them.
PRETTY EVIL was refreshingly different. With the exception of the repetitive mentions of Sunnie's "yellow SAAB" and some of her drawn out monologues, I enjoyed this read. Though unexpected, what stands out most is how Davis mixed in a few genres to make it more than the typical fiction book. Though I felt Vixx's language was "off" to be as old as she was, the abundance of love and friendship, the paranormal aspects, the spiritual themes, as well as the humor in this book make it a well-rounded read; one I would definitely recommend for those who want to have a spooky good time.
Reviewed by Tee C. Royal of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
Heather Covington comments on PRETTY EVIL by Lexi Davis:
"Lexi Davis - She's the author of Pretty Evil, has a fresh website over at www.lexidavis.com sure to grab the attention of book fans as a fresh face in the industry with a dynamic writing style to match.
The main character of this humorous thriller is Sunny Clark, a Christian women the fellas like to stick around and the women would love to hate. After all, her boyfriends, Geffen, Rice and Coach are three men who know what they want in life and Sunny gives it to them. She leads them to invest in some property with the hopes of launching an entertainment resort, but there's one very big problem. A devil temptress, lives downstairs in the cellar.
She's got a nasty rotten attitude, and her name is VIXX. She's supernatural, wicked, evil and dangerous. She's got a 100 year spell she needs to break, but her recent guests at her estate from many she has tried to ward off such as Realtors are now the target of her prey. Sunny epitomizes GOOD, and Vixx; the BAD. Which one of these two women's forces will prevail? Vixx is determined to free herself from a curse.
Overall, the plot of Pretty Evil is highly well constructed, engages the reader in one of the most hippest and original story plots of the season, possesses a savvy, intelligent and purely energy theme from beginning to end. Lexi's writing style is on point, and characters clearly developed and well researched. Her writing style flows with confidence all should take note. A gifted writer is born. Visit her site at www.LexiDavis.com."
ReviewCentre.com: Informed Choices
http://www.reviewcentre.com/review167787.html
Review of Lexi Davis Pretty Evil1 of 1 reviews By Harriet Klausner from USA on 19th Aug 2005
User Ratings Value for money 10/10
Overall rating 10/10
Recommended Yes !
Good Points
