Skip to main content

Book Review: American Monsters

AMERICAN MONSTERS (Demon Road #3) by Derek Landy
5 Stars
Verdict
: A brilliant end to the trilogy.
#1 - Demon Road
#2 - Desolation


Amber struggles between her confident but demonic skin, and her average-but-caring human side in her newly acquired position as the ‘Devils Lapdog’. Between her morally questionable tasks, she’s on the hunt for her parents who once tried to eat her, but learns that embracing her demonic instincts doesn’t always leave her feeling satisfied.

It’s an easy read, entertaining from start to finish, and always speeding forwards. A creepy house, then an old friend, and all of a sudden Amber finally gets to face her parent’s head on, and that’s only the first few chapters. What I love about the series is not having to trudge through a momentous build up for something exciting to happen – not to have to wait for the finale to feel a sense of danger or solving a mystery.

It starts off in a very strange place that I’m going to swiftly pretend never happened (teddy bears will never look the same), but that’s almost part of its charm. So much happens – ghost attacks, escapes, hostage dependent deadlines – it’s hard to predict how everything will work out. I couldn’t guess how all the pieces came together but found the ending satisfying, even if some stuff happened that I really hoped wouldn’t…

As much as I loved it, I can see its flaws. Some parts sounded rambly or dialogue heavy. I didn’t really feel the romantic connection, but I think that’s because I struggled to care about anyone who wasn’t Amber, Milo, or Glen. It also had the same issue as the previous books, where every character is full of personality but they’re only a slight variation on the last person they bumped into. I enjoyed reading it enough not to care about these things, but I couldn’t ignore them here.

Now for something I usually ignore: the cover. Ah, it’s just so bad to look at, and the name is a pants all round. The final product wouldn’t attract me to the series, but the actual story itself is exactly what I love, so there’s a real mismatch between audience and design that I do not hold against the author in any way. I just hope it doesn’t scare off too many potential readers, as I’d love to see this series really take off.

Source: Publisher via NetGalley.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I took my book for a walk

I know what you're thinking...or actually, I don't.  It's easy to picture that anyone who reads your work will only see the negatives. They have every right to, after all, and I'm a big critic myself. I find things to improve in most books, even when I give them five star reviews. This is why solidifying one of my novels into print was a big step for me, and because of Sod's Law, it coincided with one of the hardest times of my life to date. When my book published, I struggled to market it. Besides being crippled with morning sickness, followed by a decent into depression and anxiety (coupled with friends not really liking my book - only softened slightly by the fact they don't like YA/reading), I didn't have the energy - emotionally or physically - to give my book the launch it deserved.  It deserved better.  Because no matter what, I put a lot of work into The Clearing. Over several years and iterations, too. I'm proud of the twists, and I enjoy hearin

Book Review: Threads That Bind

THREADS THAT BIND by Kika Hatzopolou Disclaimer time: As always, the following is just my opinion. Other opinions are available.  THREADS THAT BIND is an epic fantasy with an urban feel. It has a fascinating magic system inspired by Greek mythology, and a story that explores the bonds of sibling relationships. Overall, it's a fast-paced book about fate, choices, and forgiving yourself, so prepare for morally grey moments and difficult sibling relationships.  Io and her sisters are descendants of the Fates, which means they're able to see and manipulate the threads that connect people to the things they love. Io is the third sister, and therefore she is able to cut threads. The story kicks off when Io is hired by the 'mobqueen' to investigate murders linked to vengeful wraiths. To top it off, she has to work with the very person she's been avoiding for years, a boy she's fated to love - except he already has a girlfriend. If you think that the above sounds like t

Indie Book Review: The City of Snow and Stars

THE CITY OF SNOW AND STARS by S.D. Howard 4 Stars Verdict: A dark fantasy with a wholesome cast.  Trigger warning for rape/abuse.  'I'm not wanted for me, only what I can give, and there is nothing left.' I don't usually quote books, but this is a very quotable story! The dialogue was powerful in places, and the way the characters bonded together was the strength of this Christian fantasy adventure.   It's written in third person with a narrative that I personally found a little distant at times. That said, the characters are easy to root for. Runaways Trinia and Jayden team up with a wizard to take down Trinia's abusive father before he can take over the kingdom. They're joined by a talking wolf and a shapeshifter called Batanny, who in many ways seems like an older version of Trinia. Threads of pain run through this book and pull the characters together in a way that makes this dark read still feel wholesome at times.  It soon became an easy to enjoy fant