Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance--even her closest friends--and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions--for Hell--and she possesses a unique skill set that has the king of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he's as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn't stand a chance.
Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn't get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.
When I first read the premise for Personal Demons I was quite impressed with its originality. Unfortunately, after reading the book, I was more than a little disappointed.
The first half of the book took everything I had to get through it. I found the set up tedious, and the narration boring. I also had a difficult time making any real connection to Frannie or Luc, and Gabe was about as one-dimensional as a character gets. Frannie’s indecision about which guy was the one she wanted also irritated me. The only characters I actually liked turned out to be Frannie’s grandpa, and her mother and father and their role in the story is quite limited.
Once Frannie finds out who Luc and Gabe actually are, and why both of these guys are into her, the action picks up. With a some tense moments where demon deceptions place Frannie and Luc in harms way, plus a few steamy kissing and petting scenes I did manage to finish the book. The ending was better than the beginning thankfully, and it tried to pass along the message that learning to forgive one’s self is a necessary part of life. Unlike most first books in a series, it doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, so the book can stand alone.
While I still feel the premise was original, I just never felt engaged with the story or the characters. I would also hesitate to recommend this book to a lot of younger YA readers because of the sexual nature of Frannie's and Luc's relationship. All in all, Personal Demons was not the enjoyable read I was hoping to find.
Source: ARC copy received from Dark Faerie Tales ARC Tours
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7 comments:
It's rather sad when a book has a really good, original premise, but then it fails to deliver. Your review is good and I really like your honesty. Not all books can be great. Thanks for sharing!
Oh no! I've been really looking forward to reading this one, and yours is the first review I've read. Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy it. I hate it when I can't connect with characters.
i prob wasnt going to read this one anyway (the cover just doesnt look like my thing, I know, how shallow am i?). i loved reading your review of it anyway and congrats for making it all the way through the book :)
Oh, it's a let down to know you dont like it..i'm looking forward to read the book and see how it goes for me. but really, i cant be satisfied if i can't connect with the characters either..
I have to admit that I was going to read it, but your review is making me think twice. There is nothing more that disappoints me when one just cannot connect with the actual characters. Great and very honest review though - I do always enjoy reading your reviews!
It's such s bummer when the book doesn't live up to it's premise! :( Thanks for the honest review!
Wow. I've heard some good stuff about this book, so I was quite surprised by your review. I know one thing, the cover doesn't seem to suit the premise at all! It doesn't look YA in the least to me. It reminds me more of the adult paranormals (the kind with erotic elements).
The girl on the cover looks like she's in her twenties, not a teenager. That alone threw me off. Now to hear your take on it...Maybe I'll wait and get it from the library. Thanks for your honesty.
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