ShannonC’s review of Personal Demons by Stacia Kane
Contemporary paranormal/urban fantasy romance released by Juno 1 Apr 08

I asked Stacia Kane for an ARC of her upcoming release, Personal Demons, because I read her blog and I’ve liked one of the books she wrote as December Quinn quite a lot. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, so I didn’t have much time to develop any preconceived notions about what the story would be about.

The first thing I should point out about this book is that it’s dark. It’s even scary in places, and she doesn’t skimp on the gory details. This is, after all, a story about demons, and these demons are not always the nicest people in the world. This worked really well for me, because I like horror and ghosts and ghouls and things that bump in the night, but I also know it’s not everyone’s cuppa.

As for the characters, mostly they worked for me. Megan is a likable enough heroine. She’s got her own issues, but she reacts the way I imagine most people would to finding out that they’ve gotten themselves mixed up in demons. Her reactions ranged from disbelief to anger and finally to acceptance. However, she didn’t gel for me as much as I’d have liked, given that this book is told in a tight third-person and all we ever get is her PoV.

I have a feeling a lot of readers are going to love Grayson Dante, the book’s hero. He’s enigmatic, kind of a smart-ass, and holy hell is he sexy! The sex scenes between Dante and Megan were very charged and steamy. Although, that being said, this book ends with a satisfying happy for now ending. It’s clear that Megan and Dante have quite a ways to go before they are officially happily ever after.

As for the rest? The blurb makes it sound like Brian, the reporter Megan has to deal with, is way more of a threat to her than he actually is. I liked Brian, actually, because he seemed like, again, a fairly normal guy who got caught up in weird stuff he wasn’t sure how to deal with.

The plot moves along briskly. The action never really comes to a stop, though there are quiet moments. It’s not all unremittingly dark, either. Megan’s demon protectors, Malifus, Malificarum and Spud provide some wonderful and much-needed comic relief. The only thing I would have liked is for a few scenes to have been expanded upon. There are a couple of moments where we look back on some event that’s just happen and talk about it, where I thought that we should have seen the events firsthand. It’s because of all that that I didn’t entirely feel like I was emotionally invested in the characters.

I definitely enjoyed this book. It’s not without its flaws, but I think for readers of urban fantasy who like lots of action and lots of chills, this book will work particularly well.

Grade: B

When psychological counselor Megan Chase promises listeners to her new radio call-in show she’ll slay their personal demons, they believe her. So do the personal demons.

Megan doesn’t know she’s the only human alive without a personal demon on her shoulder. This, coupled with her psychic abilities, makes her a valuable weapon for any demon mob-like “family” lucky enough to gain her allegiance. It also makes her a serious threat not just to the personal demons, but to a soul-sucking Legion of Hell known as The Accuser. The Accuser already has an old score to settle with Megan, and sees this as the perfect time to do it.

But Megan isn’t without allies as she’s plunged back into a world she forgot existed. A member of a competing demon family sees Megan as his ticket to power, and sets about both protecting and seducing her with devilish intensity.

Can Megan, her new demon lover, a witch with poor social skills, and three cockney guard demons named Malleus, Maleficarum, and Spud defeat not only The Accuser, the personal demons, and the ghosts of Megan’s past, but the reporter who threatens to destroy Megan’s career as well?

Read an excerpt.

Read more from ShannonC on her personal blog, Flight Into Fantasy.