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seekerxr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry
exlibrismira's review against another edition
3.0
"Like I said, passing through on a sunny afternoon, you wouldn’t see anything was wrong with this place. You have to live here to know it. You have to have spent your whole life drinking its water and breathing its air, taking all the badness and rottenness into yourself, making it a part of you, before you’d ever know anything was wrong at all."
Okay, I must admit I was a little taken aback by the turn [b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] took about halfway through. I'm one of those people who aggressively avoid blurbs (a.k.a. the little treacherous bodies of text that look all innocent but end up giving away half of the plot line in less then five sentences). Up until then, it was a fairly wholesome book. Well, it did have an exorcism and an abusive stepfather orbiting the narrative but it was a journey of saving a friendship and finding new ones along the way. Or at least I thought so. When the book hit the 50-percent point, it was like all hell broke loose and out of sudden it was substantially more interesting. You'd have to be blind not to see certain plot twists coming from a mile off. However, and this is an achievement worth nothing because I feel like I've seen all turns YA books can put on the table, there were some moments that genuinely surprised me - not necessarily the-ending-of-Fight-Club-worthy surprise, but it was there. I don't know, sometimes I wonder if reading too many book changes the way your brain is wired and you end up making all the connections long before the book comes with the big reveal. Perhaps the books I keep picking up are just too obvious. Anyway, if are not yet all that acquainted with this genre, I do think this could provide some thrills.
[b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] was a decent effort. Clare wasn't the two dimensional basic bitch character, that's true. The minor characters were done well enough. Unfortunately, there's a but. The one character that had the most room to grow and expand and morph, was the character that was the least believable. Roy is a sheltered Christian boy, son of the preacher, with innocence forced onto him but with a little bit of a rebel heart deep down, that much is clear. And, in all seriousness, there probably couldn't have been a better choice for the romantic interest. As good as it sounds, he felt more like a 13-year-old kid than a guy in his late teens. At first, I regarded as a character trait that would gradually dissipate as the story progressed and Clare's influence would take root. It didn't. And it was annoying. Roy was just a mere pawn in the story which is the biggest regret I have with [b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304]. I demand one more minute of silence for the wasted opportunities.
If someone asked me to name a book similar to this, I supposed I'd hand over [b:Anna Dressed in Blood|9378297|Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)|Kendare Blake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398637405s/9378297.jpg|14261925] and [b:The Price Guide to the Occult|35879387|The Price Guide to the Occult|Leslye Walton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516995207s/35879387.jpg|57396159]. I'd liken them to each other the same way I'd liken Lucifer to Supernatural. They are just that kind of books - they the same feel to them. And I undeniably like that kind of books. For some reason, I'm always lured in by the promise of something dark and twisted that takes a long time to uncoil but once it does, it's goosebump-inducing. I enjoy the buildup.
[b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] does seem like a 4-star read as I'm rereading this review. But something's irking me about it and I can't shake it off. I simply can't bring myself to mark the rating up so I'm keeping it at the middle ground of a three. Just know that it's the better kind of three, the kind that's almost a four but not quite. The Halloween season is round the corner, spooks are in the air - I'd say go for it. Oh, and it has illustrations! Sparse but nice ones. I liked that touch.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: attempted rape, abusive stepfather, drug abuse, overdose, animal sacrifices, gore (all sort of minor, but I thought you should know)
Okay, I must admit I was a little taken aback by the turn [b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] took about halfway through. I'm one of those people who aggressively avoid blurbs (a.k.a. the little treacherous bodies of text that look all innocent but end up giving away half of the plot line in less then five sentences). Up until then, it was a fairly wholesome book. Well, it did have an exorcism and an abusive stepfather orbiting the narrative but it was a journey of saving a friendship and finding new ones along the way. Or at least I thought so. When the book hit the 50-percent point, it was like all hell broke loose and out of sudden it was substantially more interesting. You'd have to be blind not to see certain plot twists coming from a mile off. However, and this is an achievement worth nothing because I feel like I've seen all turns YA books can put on the table, there were some moments that genuinely surprised me - not necessarily the-ending-of-Fight-Club-worthy surprise, but it was there. I don't know, sometimes I wonder if reading too many book changes the way your brain is wired and you end up making all the connections long before the book comes with the big reveal. Perhaps the books I keep picking up are just too obvious. Anyway, if are not yet all that acquainted with this genre, I do think this could provide some thrills.
[b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] was a decent effort. Clare wasn't the two dimensional basic bitch character, that's true. The minor characters were done well enough. Unfortunately, there's a but. The one character that had the most room to grow and expand and morph, was the character that was the least believable. Roy is a sheltered Christian boy, son of the preacher, with innocence forced onto him but with a little bit of a rebel heart deep down, that much is clear. And, in all seriousness, there probably couldn't have been a better choice for the romantic interest. As good as it sounds, he felt more like a 13-year-old kid than a guy in his late teens. At first, I regarded as a character trait that would gradually dissipate as the story progressed and Clare's influence would take root. It didn't. And it was annoying. Roy was just a mere pawn in the story which is the biggest regret I have with [b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304]. I demand one more minute of silence for the wasted opportunities.
Spoiler
Also, please tell me since when is having sex with the preachers son a reason to send someone to a mental institution for insanity? Just... C'mon.If someone asked me to name a book similar to this, I supposed I'd hand over [b:Anna Dressed in Blood|9378297|Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)|Kendare Blake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398637405s/9378297.jpg|14261925] and [b:The Price Guide to the Occult|35879387|The Price Guide to the Occult|Leslye Walton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516995207s/35879387.jpg|57396159]. I'd liken them to each other the same way I'd liken Lucifer to Supernatural. They are just that kind of books - they the same feel to them. And I undeniably like that kind of books. For some reason, I'm always lured in by the promise of something dark and twisted that takes a long time to uncoil but once it does, it's goosebump-inducing. I enjoy the buildup.
[b:The Good Demon|38945097|The Good Demon|Jimmy Cajoleas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520205869s/38945097.jpg|60523304] does seem like a 4-star read as I'm rereading this review. But something's irking me about it and I can't shake it off. I simply can't bring myself to mark the rating up so I'm keeping it at the middle ground of a three. Just know that it's the better kind of three, the kind that's almost a four but not quite. The Halloween season is round the corner, spooks are in the air - I'd say go for it. Oh, and it has illustrations! Sparse but nice ones. I liked that touch.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: attempted rape, abusive stepfather, drug abuse, overdose, animal sacrifices, gore (all sort of minor, but I thought you should know)
awesomelybadbooks's review against another edition
4.0
She (aka Her) has been with Clare ever since she was a little girl. When Reverend Sanders and his son Roy exorcise "Her", Clare is left feeling heartbroken and alone. She is downright resentful of the Reverend for ripping "her only" away from her, of taking away her only friend. Now, she is alone with a mother that seems broken, a step-father who drinks too much, and the memory of her father lingering in the house. But "She" has left clues for Clare. A trail of clues on how to reunite with one another. A puzzle whose pieces include a secret society, magic, and an ancient evil that leads her to the deep, dark woods and to a man named Gaspar or "The One Wish Man". Now that I finished this story, I'm not entirely certain which audience that this is intended for! Glancing at Amazon, it tells me it's for readers 14 and up. I guess I could see that? It does focus on a teenage young woman (and a teenage young man in Roy) as she transitions from childhood to a teenager, from teenager to a soon-to-be adult. It definitely hits upon the confusion of those years. Growing up Trying to find yourself. Some of the subject matter is heavy, too. Drug use. Alcohol abuse. Sexual assault. Good and Evil. So while it does say that it is catered to a young audience, I can see older individuals finding this story interesting! Especially since we've already been through those transitions! It's a solid, fast-paced read. I would recommend it for an Autumn read on either a long weekend or as you're curling up at night with the cooler weather! It definitely keeps you hooked!
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
What happens when you have been part of an exorcism but you want your demon back? The answer is you enlist the help of the son of the preacher who did the exorcism to help you find her and get her back.
The voice in this book is what makes it stand out, though.
Readers who love YA horror will enjoy this. I'm excited to see Cajoleas write more.
The voice in this book is what makes it stand out, though
Spoiler
in the end, when Clara walks away from her Demon AND her mother walks away from her demon -- Clara's horrible step father -- the fact two women walked away hand-in-hand as the winners really worked for meReaders who love YA horror will enjoy this. I'm excited to see Cajoleas write more.
tlande's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
conjurerachel's review against another edition
3.0
In the heart of the south, a girl’s best friend is torn away from her as a reverend and his son calls down divine power for an exorcism. The result: an angry teenager ready to crawl into the darkest secrets of her home to bring the demon back. In a twisty story about friendship, faith, and free will, Clare’s life is shattered and only the secret messages from the demon can help put herself back together again, even if it means teaming up with the reverend’s son.
The prose is true to its genre, emphasizing the blood in starlit woods and ancient evil that lurks in every corner. Clare is a fascinating character of her own, someone angry and vicious at the world, and Cajoleas seems aware of the genre conventions when it comes to gender. This pays off spectacularly and particularly after she and the Roy become more involved with each other. I love religious horror, but I hate the sexism that is association with the genre – as seen with possession scenes. It was a relief to see the bond Clare and Her had as more of an even dynamic than a mwa ha ha flesh puppet schtick.
Other characters, Uncle Mike and Miss. Mathis, have some of the best scenes in the book as they reveal some of the darker strange things in their town.
Gothic atmosphere and starving characters aside, what made this book go down a star would be his attempt of writing a Major Conspiracy. The second half delves into it, a cult created by the typical founders of the town and etc., but execution was lacking and so was any foreshadowing. This made the ending rushed because it felt like there was more to say.
Lovely writing and gothic feeling, weak second half, but a fun story about how we all crave to feel connected to someone and want companionship.
I've received the arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The prose is true to its genre, emphasizing the blood in starlit woods and ancient evil that lurks in every corner. Clare is a fascinating character of her own, someone angry and vicious at the world, and Cajoleas seems aware of the genre conventions when it comes to gender. This pays off spectacularly and particularly after she and the Roy become more involved with each other. I love religious horror, but I hate the sexism that is association with the genre – as seen with possession scenes. It was a relief to see the bond Clare and Her had as more of an even dynamic than a mwa ha ha flesh puppet schtick.
Other characters, Uncle Mike and Miss. Mathis, have some of the best scenes in the book as they reveal some of the darker strange things in their town.
Gothic atmosphere and starving characters aside, what made this book go down a star would be his attempt of writing a Major Conspiracy. The second half delves into it, a cult created by the typical founders of the town and etc., but execution was lacking and so was any foreshadowing. This made the ending rushed because it felt like there was more to say.
Lovely writing and gothic feeling, weak second half, but a fun story about how we all crave to feel connected to someone and want companionship.
I've received the arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
jessiemunro's review against another edition
4.0
Not at all what I expected from the synopsis, but still enjoyed it very much.
kthiess's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
demimancy's review against another edition
3.0
This was fine! A good, creepy horror story for October. UNFORTUNATELY, I convinced myself it was going to be more queer than it was, so I ended up let down by the plot. But that’s a case of expectations vs. reality, not the fault of the book. Solid writing, a few great twists and turns. Perfect for the fall.