The entertaining start of an epic supernatural series.
A witty urban-fantasy debut.
Demonic Enforcement Agent Max, along with his Personal Spiritual Assistant, Kate, works in the demonic-intervention industry: They find and destroy dangerous supernatural artifacts, for which they’re paid in karma. Kate is known as a demi—a half demon indentured to Max, a full demon, as punishment for her sins against him before she died. Luckily for Kate, Max is as ethical and kind as demons come, and after more than 300 years, he’s managed to adjust to their partnership. Max has been tasked with finding and destroying another important icon—the Minsk Homunculus—that for generations has bound the Woodsen witches to the evil archdemon Roxashael. Now that Roxashael’s consort, Rose Woodsen, has died, her legacy will pass on to her daughter, Felicity. But, as with all the Woodsen women before Felicity, Roxashael has been waiting for the day he can claim her and the Minsk Homunculus for himself. Now the only question is who will get there first. Despite the author’s straightforward writing style, a few of the plot twists are a bit too twisty, occasionally causing some confusion. Loebel’s reliance on dialogue can be distracting at times, and it can be difficult to keep track of the myriad of spells, curses, rules and double crossings as well as the complex demon hierarchy. Though Felicity Woodsen is at the novel’s center, the vile archdemon Roxashael shines brightest, especially when his villainy goes a bit overboard due to his abhorrent habit of having sex with toddlers. Despite Loebel’s tendency to hover too long in one place, which bogs down the plot’s tempo, she commendably weaves together an engaging urban fantasy.
The entertaining start of an epic supernatural series.Pub Date: Nov. 26, 2012
ISBN: 978-1479308361
Page Count: 360
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A pulpy, entertaining throwback about bad men and real monsters.
The unlikeliest of monster hunters teams up with her uncle, a burned-out Vietnam vet, seeking revenge.
Feeling his oats after the knockout twofer of Fever House (2023) and its sequel, The Devil by Name (2024), Rosson returns with an even grungier throwback, dressed up as a vampire-infested road novel. In December 1975, just outside Portland, Oregon, roughneck bartender Duane Minor knows he’s on thin ice. His wife, Heidi, a college student who dreams of becoming a writer, is none too pleased with his PTSD and burgeoning drinking problem. Duane is managing to just hold down his in-laws’ bar, the Last Call Tavern, but he knows something funny is going on with the business. Meanwhile, Heidi and Duane are both trying to connect with Heidi’s 13-year-old niece, Julia, who was reluctantly sent to them after her mother murdered her stepfather. It’s a rough scene made worse when Duane has a bad run-in at the bar one night with a bunch of bikers led by one John Varley. After the century-old Varley viciously dismembers both Heidi and her parents, Duane and Julia hit the road seeking vengeance. For horror fans, this is closer to crime fiction than loftier vampire fare—think Richard Lange’s terrific outlier Rovers (2021) or From Dusk Till Dawn in lieu of tortured immortals in velvet capes. Julia’s character takes a dramatic turn after they encounter a sanctuary dubbed the Children’s Museum, led by an ancient, lonely creature called Adeline. Even as he and Julia navigate this bizarre subculture, Duane’s defining characteristic remains the conflict between his inner demons and his outer ones. “You want that man to come forward, that killer I was, but I’ll drown if I do it. I’ll die,” he swears. Meanwhile, John Varley and his psychotic “thrall” leave a bloody trail across the country, chased by one broken man and a little girl with nothing but half a dozen silver bullets to their names.
A pulpy, entertaining throwback about bad men and real monsters.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780593733400
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
Enjoyable for Buffy fans and general paranormal enthusiasts.
Sunnydale has a new slayer.
Set in the world of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this first installment in a new series focuses on a new generation. Frankie Rosenberg’s mom is the powerful witch Willow, friend to famed slayer Buffy. Frankie’s own minimal powers are mostly used for ecological purposes until there’s an explosion at a slayers’ meeting, leading Frankie to become the first ever slayer-witch. A slayer needs her crew of Scoobies, and under the guidance of Watcher Spike, Frankie is assisted by Hailey, half sister of missing slayer Vi; werewolf lacrosse player Jake; and Sigmund, a Sage demon. Frankie may be new to the gig, but she has to learn quickly because there’s a new Big Bad in Sunnydale who is out for blood. The book provides enough information for patient newcomers to the Buffyverse to enjoy the story, but it will be most appealing to those with at least some background knowledge who will appreciate the references. Though the pacing is inconsistent, exciting action scenes abound, and the villain is intriguing and delightfully vicious. The characters’ banter and observations are often cheeky and funny but sometimes fall flat, as when they are based on gender stereotypes. The abrupt ending satisfyingly wraps up some plots, but there are plenty left open for future entries. Most characters are White; Hailey’s mom was Saulteaux First Nations, and Sigmund is Black.
Enjoyable for Buffy fans and general paranormal enthusiasts. (Paranormal. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-07502-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
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