New Review! That Voodoo That You Do (Chateau Rouge #1) by Jolie St Amant 4 Cranky Stars

That Voodoo That You Do by Jolie St. Amant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Cranky Stars


"It was all a dream brought on by absinthe, that Green Fairy, and the overall mystique of the French Quarter."


"The town's motto was Laissez le bon temps rouler. Let the good times roll."

I love Vampire novels and love New Orleans, so this book seemed like a natural choice for me. I didn't realize that it is actually three short novellas rolled into one book, with each story being connected by the Chateau Rouge Hotel.


The Hotel was once a bordello in the French Quarter and the atmosphere is just what you would expect from an old building in that area: full of ghosts, weird sounds, strange occurrences and romance.

Josey, the owner, appears to be a beautiful young woman who is the descendant of the madam who ran the bordello. But, is she actually what she seems or it there more to her than meets the eye? When the handsome Archer Grayson, a rock star in town for the Voodoo Fest, shows up in the hotel's bar, memories of her love for him soon overtake her.


Meanwhile, the bar seems to be haunted by a couple of ghosts, one of whom is provided with a fresh mug of beer as often as needed. Patrons are told the story of Tobias and his love for Lucy, another of the original "girls" who worked in the bordello. The bartender, Ivy, and the security man, Alcide, are two more colorful characters who are much, much older than they appear.

This was an enjoyable book for me and the author obviously has a true knowledge and love for New Orleans. Her descriptions of the French Quarter, its history, the food, the bars, Cafe du Monde, and the atmosphere of Jackson Square with its artists and tarot card readers all add a lot to making the reader feel like they are there along with the characters, not just reading about it. You can almost taste the beignets and chicory coffee as you read.


The book is full of romance, a little bit of sex, some Halloween fun, a rock concert, and tarot card readings in an antique shop full of old photos that appear to be of present day characters instead of people from the past.

In the other two novellas, visitors to the Hotel are brought together by the ghosts and the Hotel employees, along with some help by a tarot card reader. "New Orleans has been known to work a bit of magic on its visitors."


I would love to know more about these characters, especially the employees of the Hotel. I am sure that their backgrounds and stories would make for wonderful reading. I could see a whole series of stories about these main characters as well as other visitors to the Hotel.

If you love Vampire stories and you love New Orleans, you will definitely enjoy this book. I look forward to seeing what Ms. St. Amant has in store for her readers in future books.

View all my reviews