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Title: The Good Demon

Author: Jimmy Cajoleas

Review by: Dani Hoots

Rating: 3/5

Back cover:

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.

Review:

*I received this book from Netgalley. My review is completely my own opinions and thoughts.*

I really liked the concept of a girl being exorcised and searching for her lost demon as I haven’t come across something like it. The beginning sucked me in but I felt it fell a little short of what it could have been.

At first I liked the main character and felt for her as she was lonely and didn’t belong in the city, but as the story kept going, it got a little old and she didn’t hold on to any belief she had for that long. She was very fickle and didn’t seem consistent about it. As for Roy, he didn’t seem to have much character growth and felt like a severe stereotype of a pastor’s son. I felt like he could have had more depth in this story.

The town itself had a lot going on, but I didn’t feel like the story went in-depth enough to really understand what was going on. I barely started to understand the network the author created before it ended. I had problems with the ending as well, but I don’t want to spoil what happens.

All in all I would read other books by the author, but didn’t enjoy this one that much as I felt it wasn’t flushed out all the way.

Title: Pretty Waiter Girls

Series: A Helena Brandywine Adventure

Author: Greg Alldredge

Review by: Dani Hoots

Amazon/Goodreads

Backcover:

Some monsters are still human.

In a magical 1899 San Francisco, the new millennium is quickly approaching. Of course, new inventions happen every day, some wondrous, some mundane while the streets produce a new murder every night.

Set against this backdrop a debutante goes missing, and socialite Helena Brandywine takes it upon herself, along with her trusted manservant, to discover what happened.

Did the woman run afoul of the Tongs in Chinatown? What horrors might she have exposed? Discover this Gilded Age while Helena uncovers her family’s secrets. The good and evil, where danger lurks around every corner. Can Helena Brandywine be prepared for the monsters she will uncover? Come search for the, Pretty Waiter Girls.

Review:

*I received this book from Netgalley. My review is completely my own opinions and thoughts.*

This is the first book I have read in the A Helena Brandywine Adventure Series. I found it to be quite enjoyable and would be interested in reading more. It follows Helena as she is looking for a missing girl and friend though the dark streets of San Francisco.

The main character, Helena, is a strong independent woman. I though she was written pretty well, but wished she was a little more flushed out as a character. That is my opinion though and as this is a mystery series, I know that slowing the character’s arc is essential in keeping the series going.

For the plot, there were a few times were I was confused as to what was going on. I felt like the book should have been longer in order to give more detail in the location the character visited, especial as this is steampunk—a genre that is mostly about world building.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and give it a 3.5/5. Be sure to check it out!

~Dani

What does the fox say

random reviews by a crafty fox

Review of The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas

Review of Pretty Waiter Girls: A Helena Brandywine Adventure by Greg Alldredge