Review: The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoles

Title: The Good Demon

Author: Jimmy Cajoles

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publishing Date: September 18th, 2018

Pages: 320
Audio Length: 7 Hours and 36 Minutes

Genre: YA Supernatural Mystery
TW: Being possessed?

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

True Detective meets The Exorcist in this gripping YA mystery debut about one girl’s exorcism—and her desperate quest to reunite with her demon
Clare has been miserable since her exorcism. The preacher that rid her of evil didn’t understand that her demon—simply known as Her—was like a sister to Clare. Now, Clare will do almost anything to get Her back. After a chance encounter with the son of the preacher who exorcised her, Clare goes on an adventure through the dark underbelly of her small Southern town, discovering its deep-seated occult roots. As she searches for Her, she must question the fine lines between good and evil, love and hate, and religion and free will. Vivid and sharp, The Good Demon tells the unusual story of friendship amid dark Gothic horror

What made me pick this book up: 

Mostly the title. You never see much about good demons. 

What did I like about the cover: 

I actually don't like this cover much. It looks like someone's art project. And not in a good way. 

What made me read this book: 

I honestly thought it was going to be a funny dark comedy about a girl who lost her demon. So I wanted to read it to laugh and find out more about the demon and what made her so great. 

What did I like the most: 

This book was just kinda meh to me. Which I'll talk about more in the "what didn't I like".

This is a really unique story. Most of the time when someone is possessed they want the demon out. But you never see someone who was actually friends with and loved the demon inside of them. 

I found it really interesting reading about the magic in this book and it definitely was a mystery trying to figure out why.

I think that's really it. It was a unique story. That's about all. 

What didn't I like: 

The characters, the demon, the other parts of the story.

I felt like the characters were all either naive or whiny.

The demon didn't feel like she really fit into the story too much.

It feels like the rest of the story just didn't fit. It was weird and didn't make sense. 

The ending was just weird.

I think I should've rated this one more of a 2.5 or even a 2. But I'll be nice and say it's a 3. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I think so, he has two others that sound pretty good.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting. It wasn't bad. Just meh. I felt almost nothing for this book.

“...Not many people care much about the past. We don’t get folks your age in here. It’s either the elderly, or parents come in with their hollering little devil kids. Feel more like a social worker than a librarian most days. But that’s life, ain’t it?” 
“I guess so.” 
“Sure it is. You’ll find out soon enough,” she said. “It don’t go the way you think it should, but it goes alright. I’ll be up front if you need anything.” 
― Jimmy Cajoleas, The Good Demon

Jimmy Cajoleas was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He spent years traveling the
country playing music before earning his MFA from the University of Mississippi. He lives in New York.

Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered

Author: A.G. Howard

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publishing Date: January 1st, 2013

Pages: 371
Audio Length: 12 Hours and 46 Minutes

Genre: YA Retelling

Series: Splintered

Source: Audio

 

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

What made me pick this book up: 

This was my second time reading this book. The first time I think Jenn might have suggested it? Because it's an Alice retelling. 

If Jenn didn't suggest it, the cover definitely would have caught my eye.

What did I like about the cover: 

Oh many where to start? It's a beautiful portrait. I love all of the bright colors. I love how beautiful she is. Her eye(s) are absolutely beautiful. I love all of the bugs. I feel like it matches the book perfectly.

And y'all know what a sucker I am for faces on the cover. I think I have zero imagination without them.

What made me read this book: 

Alice retelling. That right there makes me want to read it. But also the story sounded interesting and honestly that cover though.

What did I like the most: 

I love almost any Alice retelling because even though they're different, it's still Alice. It's still crazy and completely illogical.

That being said, Splintered is one of the best Alice retellings I've read.

The story is really unique, even though it is a retelling. The author really turned it into something different while keeping the original Alice story. 

I love how she took what Lewis Carroll wrote and put an almost creepy twist to it. Like with Chessy and the white rabbit (Rabbid white) It just makes it so much better and creepier to me.

The characters for the most part are pretty great, I love how they're written, especially the characters from Wonderland. 

I don't have too much to say about this book, except it's unique, well written, and has a great story.

What didn't I like: 

Love. Triangle. And the worst part is I can't pick between Jeb and Morpheus and I want to love both of them.

Alyssa can be a bit whiny too, but she has a lot she's going through, and it's all very crazy and confusing. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Most definitely.

Well written and unique take on Alice.

“Little blossom in peach and red
Trapping boys with your pretty head;
Tease and play, be coy and smart
For you will one day break his heart” 
― A.G. Howard, Splintered

#1 New York Times and International bestselling Author of Gothic / Fantasy & Paranormal tales. Mystical & romantic with a side of horror. YA, NA, and Literary Romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.
A.G. was inspired to write the Splintered Series, her tribute to Carroll's Wonderland, while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.
How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:
"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.
I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.
If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.
Happy book hunting!"

(Author photo by pamlaryphotography.com)