Demons are Forever: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 3)
by Julie Kenner
Jove
2008
What do you do when your daughter has learned your secret and wants to grow up to be just like you? Not so bad if your secret is that you are Batman's tailor. It’s very bad if you are in the dangerous biz of hunting demons. Kate Connor, a Level Four Demon Hunter, is right in the middle of this nightmare. Thanks to a couple of human pets kidnapping her daughter Allie and Kate's daring rescue plan, Allie now knows that Kate isn't your typical soccer mom. Of course, since Allie is a teenager, being forbidden to do something means that that's the first thing she's going to do.
It doesn't help that Kate's late husband, Eric, has somehow managed to use dark powers to take over the body of another human. She's so confused - does she stick with her new husband or does she want Eric back enough to rip her new family apart.
This is book is more emotional in a lot of ways, thanks to Allie and Eric. Allie, being an emotional, hormone-driven teenager, provides plenty of angst. She reminds me a lot of Dawn in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series - lots of emo tears and wailing and screaming (probably). That part I didn't care for - I thought she needed a good smack - but at least I didn't have to listen to it. The triangle with Eric, Kate, and Stuart was interestingly played - I honestly wasn't sure which way Kate was going to go. True, she loves Stuart and he doesn't deserve to be hurt like that but when it's your soul mate in the equation, the waters tend to get muddied. I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series - I have to know what happens next!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Book Review
California Demon: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 2)
by Julie Kenner
Jove
2007
Kate Connor spent the first two decades of her life fighting demons and saving the world from the darkness. All she ever wanted after that was to retire with her husband, Eric, and raise their daughter in peace. So they relocated to San Diablo, California - demon-free thanks to the large Catholic cathedral that is the focal point for the town. Fifteen years later, Eric is gone - murdered in a mugging gone wrong - and Kate is remarried to Stuart. They have a son together and life is slowly coming back together. Or so Kate thinks. Demons come to San Diablo and Kate is once again thrust into the role of Level 4 Demon Hunter. However, she still has to keep up with her role as stay-at-home mom and super-wife to a political candidate. And she's got a new houseguest to keep up with in Eddie, a retired Demon Hunter who knows more than he wants to say.
Kate's daughter, Allie, has started high school and is quickly enveloped in all the extracurricular activities: cheerleading, working with the surf club to put on a fundraiser, and potentially dating. Fantastic! There's a new teacher at the school that seems entirely too familiar to Kate - David Long's mannerisms cut too close to Kate's late husband's for comfort. And Kate's best friend Laura thinks her husband is having an affair. Is David actually Eric? Is Allie dating a demon? Did Timmy just flush the goldfish down the toilet?
Nothing is ever simple in the life of a demon-hunting soccer mom!
Kenner's second installment in the series picks up just a few months after the second book left off. A lot of the characters are back for this second installment and Kenner does a good job reminding us that they've changed due to the events in the first book. One thing that I didn't mention before is that I absolutely love the titles of these books. Carpe Demon, California Demon - clever and catchy. California Demon is a great read that I recommend to any fan of the supernatural!
by Julie Kenner
Jove
2007
Kate Connor spent the first two decades of her life fighting demons and saving the world from the darkness. All she ever wanted after that was to retire with her husband, Eric, and raise their daughter in peace. So they relocated to San Diablo, California - demon-free thanks to the large Catholic cathedral that is the focal point for the town. Fifteen years later, Eric is gone - murdered in a mugging gone wrong - and Kate is remarried to Stuart. They have a son together and life is slowly coming back together. Or so Kate thinks. Demons come to San Diablo and Kate is once again thrust into the role of Level 4 Demon Hunter. However, she still has to keep up with her role as stay-at-home mom and super-wife to a political candidate. And she's got a new houseguest to keep up with in Eddie, a retired Demon Hunter who knows more than he wants to say.
Kate's daughter, Allie, has started high school and is quickly enveloped in all the extracurricular activities: cheerleading, working with the surf club to put on a fundraiser, and potentially dating. Fantastic! There's a new teacher at the school that seems entirely too familiar to Kate - David Long's mannerisms cut too close to Kate's late husband's for comfort. And Kate's best friend Laura thinks her husband is having an affair. Is David actually Eric? Is Allie dating a demon? Did Timmy just flush the goldfish down the toilet?
Nothing is ever simple in the life of a demon-hunting soccer mom!
Kenner's second installment in the series picks up just a few months after the second book left off. A lot of the characters are back for this second installment and Kenner does a good job reminding us that they've changed due to the events in the first book. One thing that I didn't mention before is that I absolutely love the titles of these books. Carpe Demon, California Demon - clever and catchy. California Demon is a great read that I recommend to any fan of the supernatural!
Book Review
Carpe Demon: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (book 1)
by Julie Kenner
Jove
2006
Life may not be completely roses and sunshine for Kate Connor - after all, raising a teenager and a toddler isn't a walk in the park - but at least she hasn't had to slay a demon in years. San Diablo has never been a hotbed of demonic activity. That's what drew Kate and her late husband to the area in the first place - a nice safe place to settle in and raise a family. Until today. On a shopping trip with her children, Kate catches a whiff of demonic bad breath and the next thing she knows, she's got a dead demon in her kitchen, a broken picture window, two kids that can't know anything about what just happened, and a husband who's bringing people over for a "small dinner party" in hopes of garnering support for his bid to be County Attorney.
Peachy.
Now Kate finds herself in a situation she's never been in before - balancing being thrown back into the wonderful world of Hunting with being a stay-at-home mom and superwife to a political candidate. The demon Goramesh has come to town and he wants something. But what? To make matters worse, she's not sure who she can trust - is her husband working with the forces of darkness? What about Cutter, the handsome but nosy martial arts expert who's trying to help her get back into shape? Just like the Transformers, there is more to this little town than meets the eye.
And how on Earth is she supposed to hunt demons with a toddler on her hip?
Kenner's opening book in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series is like what would happen if Buffy grew up, had a family, and had to start slaying again. Being a fan of Buffy, that's what drew me to the series in the first place. Kenner does a wonderful job explaining who her characters are and how they all tie together. As I was reading the story, I was able to get a mental picture of the characters and the setting. In parts, the flow of the story lagged just a bit but Kenner was able to bring it back on track and recapture my interest.
by Julie Kenner
Jove
2006
Life may not be completely roses and sunshine for Kate Connor - after all, raising a teenager and a toddler isn't a walk in the park - but at least she hasn't had to slay a demon in years. San Diablo has never been a hotbed of demonic activity. That's what drew Kate and her late husband to the area in the first place - a nice safe place to settle in and raise a family. Until today. On a shopping trip with her children, Kate catches a whiff of demonic bad breath and the next thing she knows, she's got a dead demon in her kitchen, a broken picture window, two kids that can't know anything about what just happened, and a husband who's bringing people over for a "small dinner party" in hopes of garnering support for his bid to be County Attorney.
Peachy.
Now Kate finds herself in a situation she's never been in before - balancing being thrown back into the wonderful world of Hunting with being a stay-at-home mom and superwife to a political candidate. The demon Goramesh has come to town and he wants something. But what? To make matters worse, she's not sure who she can trust - is her husband working with the forces of darkness? What about Cutter, the handsome but nosy martial arts expert who's trying to help her get back into shape? Just like the Transformers, there is more to this little town than meets the eye.
And how on Earth is she supposed to hunt demons with a toddler on her hip?
Kenner's opening book in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series is like what would happen if Buffy grew up, had a family, and had to start slaying again. Being a fan of Buffy, that's what drew me to the series in the first place. Kenner does a wonderful job explaining who her characters are and how they all tie together. As I was reading the story, I was able to get a mental picture of the characters and the setting. In parts, the flow of the story lagged just a bit but Kenner was able to bring it back on track and recapture my interest.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Ahh, that's better!
I went to Water Moves class tonight for the first time since January and man did that feel GREAT!! The water was warm even! Bliss! It felt so good to get back in the water again. For those of you who don't know, I can't swim at all but, with the flotation belt, I'm able to workout in the deep end with the rest of the big kids *grin* I figured it would take me a while to get comfortable with the water again, after having been out of it for so long but it only took about 5 minutes.
It was just me, the instructor, and one other lady tonight but we got a great workout. I must've really needed the endorphin rush cause I've been in a fantastic mood ever since I crawled out of the pool. I cranked the radio up and sang along all the way home.
I stopped at Wendy's to grab a grilled chicken BLT salad since the kids had already been fed and it was so late. Usually, especially in my town, going to Wendy's (or any other fast food) is a frustrating experience. The order is wrong 10 times of 11 - you really have to remember to check every bit of your order before you leave the driveway. Tonight though, I pulled up to the window and the manager was working the window. The little cashier girl took my card and the manager said "Hi! How're you doing?" And she sounded like she actually cared! It kinda took me aback for a moment - you never get that! And, to cap it all, my order was right, right down to the dressing and croutons. Hells yes! I was so pleased and in such a good mood that when I got home, I ate and then I called the store to tell them that they did a great job and I appreciated it. I figure that they hear "You didn't do this or that" often enough but not "hey, y'all did a great job" anywhere near often enough. So I figured why not. And I'm telling you, you hear feel the relief when I told her that I was pleased with my service and was calling to say thanks instead of complain. :o) And that, in turn, made me feel good all over again.
It's the little things, I suppose :o)
It was just me, the instructor, and one other lady tonight but we got a great workout. I must've really needed the endorphin rush cause I've been in a fantastic mood ever since I crawled out of the pool. I cranked the radio up and sang along all the way home.
I stopped at Wendy's to grab a grilled chicken BLT salad since the kids had already been fed and it was so late. Usually, especially in my town, going to Wendy's (or any other fast food) is a frustrating experience. The order is wrong 10 times of 11 - you really have to remember to check every bit of your order before you leave the driveway. Tonight though, I pulled up to the window and the manager was working the window. The little cashier girl took my card and the manager said "Hi! How're you doing?" And she sounded like she actually cared! It kinda took me aback for a moment - you never get that! And, to cap it all, my order was right, right down to the dressing and croutons. Hells yes! I was so pleased and in such a good mood that when I got home, I ate and then I called the store to tell them that they did a great job and I appreciated it. I figure that they hear "You didn't do this or that" often enough but not "hey, y'all did a great job" anywhere near often enough. So I figured why not. And I'm telling you, you hear feel the relief when I told her that I was pleased with my service and was calling to say thanks instead of complain. :o) And that, in turn, made me feel good all over again.
It's the little things, I suppose :o)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Making friends
Isn't it funny how thoughts progress? One minute I'm thinking about reality tv and the next I'm thinking about making friends.
I started out thinking about the Jersey Shore and wondering why that show is so damn popular with some people. I don't get it, which is ok. I don't have to get it. Something about "The Situation" skeeves me though. *shudder* Anyway, the thought-train progressed to American Idol and making friends.
Years ago, I worked as a receptionist at a surgical office and most of the girls in the office LOVED American Idol. So, in an effort to make friends and have something to talk to them about, I started watching the show and tried so hard to give a damn about it.
I've never cared about this show or the people on it because it seems like such a sham. Very few, if any, of the contestants are actual musicians. I'm not saying that they don't have talent - they do. But I just have a hard time giving a damn if they get a recording contract when so many people who have talent don't have a shot because they don't "look good for the tv". But I watched anyway and went to work the following days and tried to make conversation. Unfortunately, with that bunch nothing I did was going to make any difference. We were never going to be friends, no matter what I did! I didn't belong in that office and we didn't get along from day damn one. I still can't figure out why the office manager hired me. I must've been way more qualified than their other applicant.
So my question to you, if anyone is actually out there reading this - what have you done in an attempt to make friends?
I started out thinking about the Jersey Shore and wondering why that show is so damn popular with some people. I don't get it, which is ok. I don't have to get it. Something about "The Situation" skeeves me though. *shudder* Anyway, the thought-train progressed to American Idol and making friends.
Years ago, I worked as a receptionist at a surgical office and most of the girls in the office LOVED American Idol. So, in an effort to make friends and have something to talk to them about, I started watching the show and tried so hard to give a damn about it.
I've never cared about this show or the people on it because it seems like such a sham. Very few, if any, of the contestants are actual musicians. I'm not saying that they don't have talent - they do. But I just have a hard time giving a damn if they get a recording contract when so many people who have talent don't have a shot because they don't "look good for the tv". But I watched anyway and went to work the following days and tried to make conversation. Unfortunately, with that bunch nothing I did was going to make any difference. We were never going to be friends, no matter what I did! I didn't belong in that office and we didn't get along from day damn one. I still can't figure out why the office manager hired me. I must've been way more qualified than their other applicant.
So my question to you, if anyone is actually out there reading this - what have you done in an attempt to make friends?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
I almost made it! I almost got all the laundry done in time for me to go to bed at the regular time. I was so close! One load in the dryer and one in the washer. As soon as the one in the dryer is done, I'm switching out and crashing - I'm exhausted!
Raven and I are watching Anonymous Rex right now - he wanted to watch it so I told him to go ahead and pop it in. There's just a few minutes left on it.
Thrilling I know. Maybe life will be more exciting tomorrow.
Raven and I are watching Anonymous Rex right now - he wanted to watch it so I told him to go ahead and pop it in. There's just a few minutes left on it.
Thrilling I know. Maybe life will be more exciting tomorrow.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Star Wars
Somehow, my kids convinced me to let them watch Star Wars Episode II tonight. I love the Holy Trilogy but I really can't stand Episodes I or II and I hate Episode III with a passion. That's the movie that did me in in the theater and made me cry buckets. Embarrassed the hell out of my late fiance too. I couldn't help it though - you know something really bad went down to make Anakin go all the way to the Dark Side but my mommy-heart just can't cope with the slaughter of young ones.
Oddly enough, I love Cartoon Network's Clone Wars. Captain Rex is the man! First in, last standing - that's my boy! That Anakin is a lot more likable. Better acting too. I hate to say it but I've never seen Hayden Christensen in anything that he didn't suck in. Jumper, anyone? *shudder*
Episode III is on next - I've got my finger on the kill-switch already.
Oddly enough, I love Cartoon Network's Clone Wars. Captain Rex is the man! First in, last standing - that's my boy! That Anakin is a lot more likable. Better acting too. I hate to say it but I've never seen Hayden Christensen in anything that he didn't suck in. Jumper, anyone? *shudder*
Episode III is on next - I've got my finger on the kill-switch already.
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