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eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I liked the book. The liked the way the main story with the demon was concluded. It has good characters, and it sets up a future series without having that take over the current story. The romance was rushed though, and kinda dull. I can understand not having enough time for it with the world potentially ending soon, in which case I wish things had been happening in the backgroud in previous books. Or maybe they could've been an established couple dealing with this dangerous situation. I would've liked either more than what we got. I didn't hate it, and the two are sweet together, there just wasn't much story to it.
Overall, still a good conclusion. The demon was fun and I'm looking forward to exploring more of that part of the world. Fingers crossed for a trip to the Otherworld.
I liked the book. The liked the way the main story with the demon was concluded. It has good characters, and it sets up a future series without having that take over the current story. The romance was rushed though, and kinda dull. I can understand not having enough time for it with the world potentially ending soon, in which case I wish things had been happening in the backgroud in previous books. Or maybe they could've been an established couple dealing with this dangerous situation. I would've liked either more than what we got. I didn't hate it, and the two are sweet together, there just wasn't much story to it.
Overall, still a good conclusion. The demon was fun and I'm looking forward to exploring more of that part of the world. Fingers crossed for a trip to the Otherworld.
fishreads's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Tom, just like his best friend Skye, has lived in their small town all his life. He works in his family's Italian restaurant and as a ride-share driver and still struggles with his family's homophobia after coming out to them in his twenties. Apart from discovering a year ago that his dead grandmother decided to stick around as a ghost and he can talk to her when he drives out to Mannix Estate, Tom's life hasn't been particularly exciting. That all changes when his latest ride-share client turns out to be a demon who calls himself Marc, and Tom gets a crash course introduction to the existence of demons and the otherworld. He decides to stay and help his Mannix Estate friends in any way he can.
One of those people is Gabe, who Tom felt attracted to when they first met, but things turned sour when his dead grandmother insulted Gabe. With the impending end of the world as they know it, while everybody is scrambling trying to find a way to defeat the demons, Tom and Gabe decide not to waste any more time.
One of those people is Gabe, who Tom felt attracted to when they first met, but things turned sour when his dead grandmother insulted Gabe. With the impending end of the world as they know it, while everybody is scrambling trying to find a way to defeat the demons, Tom and Gabe decide not to waste any more time.
Similar to the rest of the series, Tom and Gabe's story had the same hurry-up-and-wait quality. There was a lot of scrambling around trying to come up with a plan on how to defeat the demons, who had the upper hand in numbers and power. The demon, Marc, unsurprisingly made for an amusing secondary character (whose story continues in 'Higher Demon,' the first installment of the new connected series). Tom and Gabe's romance was serviceable but not particularly exciting. I expected to like Gabe a lot more as a character; he seemed levelheaded, competent, and smart, but instead, he didn't particularly blow my mind.
This was a relatively satisfying conclusion to the series, which left an overall flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants impression. It made for interesting and amusing ride, I enjoyed the overall idea but the execution of the supernatural plot and chosen romance tropes did leave a few things to be desired.
Themes: dual POV, ghosts, demons, small town
Themes: dual POV, ghosts, demons, small town
sunnysideup's review
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
aubreysmith9412's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
When a very, very handsome demon arrives at Mannix Estate and offers to team up in order to stop the end of the world, things get tense. But when that same demon drops the bomb that certain families within the Collective - the organization that Gabe and Connor have been a part of their whole lives - have conspired with the demons intent on bringing on the end of the world. Well. Things become a little catastrophic.
As they try to come up with a plan to stop the Collective and demons plotting destruction, Tom and Gabe grow closer together. While the timing is a little bad, they do work well together. They support each other, but acknowledge that coming up with a plan of action comes first. But that definitely doesn't stop them from getting a little action for themselves.
The stronger their relationship becomes, the stronger the Mannix family becomes, too. They're determined to stop the end of the world, and will accomplish this task by any means necessary. Which they do. Completely.
And while this series comes to an end, with very happy endings for our Mannix family, there's still shit to take care of at the Collective. And with a new series on the horizon - featuring a very handsome, and helpful, demon - I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next.
As they try to come up with a plan to stop the Collective and demons plotting destruction, Tom and Gabe grow closer together. While the timing is a little bad, they do work well together. They support each other, but acknowledge that coming up with a plan of action comes first. But that definitely doesn't stop them from getting a little action for themselves.
The stronger their relationship becomes, the stronger the Mannix family becomes, too. They're determined to stop the end of the world, and will accomplish this task by any means necessary. Which they do. Completely.
And while this series comes to an end, with very happy endings for our Mannix family, there's still shit to take care of at the Collective. And with a new series on the horizon - featuring a very handsome, and helpful, demon - I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next.
kates_currently_reading's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sus_would_rather_be_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This entire series was fire. No complaints. All perfection. This last book does a brilliant job wrapping up the series and opening the door for the spinoff.
Nick Russo does a brilliant job with this narration. Highly recommend hitting the audiobook format for this series.
Nick Russo does a brilliant job with this narration. Highly recommend hitting the audiobook format for this series.
sickler13's review
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bookpimpfairy's review against another edition
5.0
We have reached the end of the Ghostly guardians series, and wow, was it a wild ride. T
Anywho... back to Tom & Gabe, this story is not as much about the couple but all the events leading to the battle of control and guess what that's needed for this tale to work. This one is more about the stolen moments to find happiness when all around you is chaos. Tom & Gabe get their second chance after a disaster of a first meeting (thanks nonna) and with the help of the Mannix Estate staff along with Matt & Ian and Marc (he's helpful ish) they put a plan together to solve the gateway issues and live their lives the best way possible.
Great conclusion to a fun series. Cannot wait to see what's next.
Anywho... back to Tom & Gabe, this story is not as much about the couple but all the events leading to the battle of control and guess what that's needed for this tale to work. This one is more about the stolen moments to find happiness when all around you is chaos. Tom & Gabe get their second chance after a disaster of a first meeting (thanks nonna) and with the help of the Mannix Estate staff along with Matt & Ian and Marc (he's helpful ish) they put a plan together to solve the gateway issues and live their lives the best way possible.
Great conclusion to a fun series. Cannot wait to see what's next.
so_many_books's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Disclaimer: I binged the whole series as audiobooks in like three days, so my reviews might be a bit mushed together (just like my memories).
The last book is always a tad bittersweet in a series, because you have to say goodbye to the beloved characters. And it is definitely the case with Gateway Catastrophe.
Here comes the big bang we moved towards in the other books, the last hurray of this supernatural mystery. And the saving-the-world vibes are very strong with this one.
Gabe, out resident gatekeeper, takes on the challenge of saving the world after some shocking revelations about a higher demon plotting to take over the human world. And the shocking revelations don't stop with way more drama coming in this book.
The little demon hunter team of Mannix Estate gets a new member in Tom, who ferried the drama himself to the estate in his uber. Of course, Tom didn't know who his passenger is.
Gabe and Tom's whirlwind of a romance is definitely the fastest out of all we saw in this series and... I didn't like it. I just can't get on board with the characters falling in love in the matter of days. So the romance part of this book was definitely a miss for me.
In this book the focus is definitely on the plot which definitely nears its peak. Family drama, the threat of demon invasion, a solution that is impossible to find, an unexpected ally who's not easy to trust. I ate up the excitement. It's larger scale than the excitement of the previous books, and the stakes are much higher.
We also get new characters, Ian and Matt who are actually the whole reason I was drawn to the series. (Which I didn't realize at the beginning, just after they were mentioned like the third time.) They are Connor and Gabe's little brothers who go to Franklin U (IYKYK). They are an essential part of the story and I loved to get to know them.
The peak of the series, and this book is actually really well executed. I think the whole series with the drawn out plot and all the mystery is really well built. I was undeniably hooked from the beginning, and I am happy with how everything turned out.
The series is getting a spin-off, and I can't wait.
In the meantime, let's binge some more stuff from the author.
The last book is always a tad bittersweet in a series, because you have to say goodbye to the beloved characters. And it is definitely the case with Gateway Catastrophe.
Here comes the big bang we moved towards in the other books, the last hurray of this supernatural mystery. And the saving-the-world vibes are very strong with this one.
Gabe, out resident gatekeeper, takes on the challenge of saving the world after some shocking revelations about a higher demon plotting to take over the human world. And the shocking revelations don't stop with way more drama coming in this book.
The little demon hunter team of Mannix Estate gets a new member in Tom, who ferried the drama himself to the estate in his uber. Of course, Tom didn't know who his passenger is.
Gabe and Tom's whirlwind of a romance is definitely the fastest out of all we saw in this series and... I didn't like it. I just can't get on board with the characters falling in love in the matter of days. So the romance part of this book was definitely a miss for me.
In this book the focus is definitely on the plot which definitely nears its peak. Family drama, the threat of demon invasion, a solution that is impossible to find, an unexpected ally who's not easy to trust. I ate up the excitement. It's larger scale than the excitement of the previous books, and the stakes are much higher.
We also get new characters, Ian and Matt who are actually the whole reason I was drawn to the series. (Which I didn't realize at the beginning, just after they were mentioned like the third time.) They are Connor and Gabe's little brothers who go to Franklin U (IYKYK). They are an essential part of the story and I loved to get to know them.
The peak of the series, and this book is actually really well executed. I think the whole series with the drawn out plot and all the mystery is really well built. I was undeniably hooked from the beginning, and I am happy with how everything turned out.
The series is getting a spin-off, and I can't wait.
In the meantime, let's binge some more stuff from the author.
zie22214's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75