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author, book, book reviews, books, characters, Demons at Deadnight, Divinicus Nex, fantasy, fiction, Hex Boys, literature, novel, plot, read, reader, review, stories, story, write, writer, writing, YA, young adult
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Demons, Powers
Pages: 404
Point of View: First (Aurora)
Released: January 5, 2012
Series: Divinicus Nex Chronicles
Predictability: 5 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
Source: Choosy Bookworm (I found a new place to find free to review books!)
Warning: Some icky-ness and one character wears flip-flops. (This warning is for Jess. 🙂 )
My Rating: 7/10 Stars
My Summary:
Aurora can see demons, and sense when they’re near. They’ve never bothered her before, but now the demons have stopped ignoring her. After an incident that left Aurora scared, her family moved back to Gossamer Falls. Aurora hasn’t been here since she was eight, but she vaguely remembers her old friends. When she meets them again, they’ve grown up into six cute young men with secrets of their own.
My Review:
I realize this sounds like a female harem, (and yes of course all six of the guys are extremely good looking) but it’s not and although more than one of the boys flirts with Aurora only one of them might like like her. (This is a reference to a funny conversation in the book where the boys actually discussed this.)
I liked her interactions with Ayden (the like like boy) but I’m not a fan of the shivers went down my spine, I got hot when he touched me style of romance. (So I skimmed those parts)
The Good:
While not perfect, Demons at Deadnight was a cute, fun, lighter book, and I really enjoyed it. Aurora had a great voice, but I’m always a fan of funny sarcastic protagonists.
The book alternates between demon attacks and Hex Boys scenes. (What the boys are called by their fellow high schoolers) Both the action and the boys’ scenes were well done and shockingly I found myself preferring scenes with the boys. (I know, what’s wrong we me preferring non actions scenes?) It’s just that the interactions and joking between the characters was so well done.
I image it was hard to create six unique teenage boys and have them all feel different and stand out while not becoming clichés, but the authors did it. Their arguing and joking felt authentic and they came off like real guys. (Which is always good in a male character.)
I LOVED Aurora’s family. So often in young adult the family is nonexistent or horrible, but her family really felt real and while it wasn’t perfect, it was nice. I liked all of her annoying little siblings and her overprotective parents. Since so much of what Aurora does is to protect her family, it was really important for us to fall for her family and I so did. (I actually teared up at a sweet father daughter moment)
Everything was described well, and I could picture the characters, school and houses perfectly. The world building was simple, but I liked it and though the powers were nothing special, they managed to make them unique. (And look really cool)
Most of my questions were answered with enough lose threads to make me want to read the sequel. I liked how the secrets were handled. The characters didn’t just confess everything, which makes sense, because in real life people wouldn’t. When they realized Aurora had to know some things they explained only what they felt she needed to know, still holding back their personal secrets. (Which also prevented information overload.)
The Bad:
Yes, Aurora occasionally acts stupid. Demons are trying to kill you, so you run from your protectors? But at the time her actions made sense being inside her head, because she wasn’t sure who she could trust.
The characters were so clueless! I figured out their secrets from the get go and they should’ve figured out Aurora’s too, but they never did. (I realize it’s probably realistic for someone to assume people don’t have powers, but come on! How many times do you have to have hints of them before you get it!)
Will I read the next one? Yes.
How do you feel about perfectly attractive characters?
I prefer not all of the characters looking like gods, but that’s me. I might be the oddball here (what else is new) but, I’d rather flawed or quirky characters.
Woven Magic Books 
Love those Hex Boys!!! They are so fun 🙂 I love these books and can’t wait for book 3.
I agree. I’m glad the second book was good too. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
Hmmm…there are way too many YA books that have characters that are beautiful. That drives me nuts. And TSTL puts me off too, but the story does sound like it was fleshed out well..hmm..
I’ve noticed that too. I don’t know why they feel the need to make the characters perfect. I agree with TSTL, but this was only almost, because she really didn’t know if she could trust them, so I understood where she was coming from. It was still a fun story. 🙂
Reblogged this on booksarelifeblog.
Thank you for the reblog. 🙂
I adore funny and sarcastic! I think this would be a great read for those times when you just need something fun and light.
Me too! All of my favorite books are funny and sarcastic. It was perfect for this week, and just what I needed. 🙂
Yeah, characters that are al perfectly attractive detract from the realistic element of a book for me. I prefer flaws.
I agree. I’d rather realistic, average or even a character with big ears or a big nose or something.
To be honest, in real life, it would be awesome for all guys to be super attractive. I’m not going to say no to that! LOL… But, in fiction, if I came across a group of guys who were all stunningly handsome, I think I’d probably be rolling my eyes a little bit. Especially if they’re teenagers. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember a lot of particularly attractive teenage guys in high school; they tended to grow into their good looks a few years later.)
haha. Actually I don’t like ‘perfect’ looking guys. I prefer interesting faces. (Yep I’m strange) I agree I roll my eyes at those authors who feel the need to make all their characters look like movie stars. Yeah real teenagers are more awkward.
I don’t necessarily like “perfect” guys, either. That would be kind of boring. I guess what I meant to say is that I’d like to live in a world where all the guys seemed attractive to me. I mean, they might be downright ugly to everybody else. 😀
I like the comment from shannonmiz about the acne. Seriously… I still struggle with that as an adult. It’s kind of ridiculous to read about all these dewy-faced teenagers with perfect skin… especially if they’re running for their lives from demons or eating half-rotten scraps of food. Stress and bad nutrition are not your skin’s friend…
haha even better, the kind of guys that no one else is attracted to but me!
I totally agree about the acne. There are some teenagers that have none, and I hate them, but the occasional pimple would be more accurate. I know what you mean, stress is so not good for my face. (or hormones once a month)
I wish that for once a heroine would not run from their protectors
I know, heroines are so good at putting themselves into danger. She thought her protectors were dangerous, but still she was safer with them than running from them.
I actually get frustrated when books show just perfect characters. Like I even read one where the characters were “normal” but they got superpowers and became “more beautiful” as well…it really sucked. It defines beauty (and that shouldn’t be allowed) and it also kind of indicates to be awesome you must be gorgeous. SO NOT TRUE. I do understand why authors do it, but I guess that’s purely for the “i want everything to be perfect” isn’t it? If you’re going to write a fantasy, might as well make everything eye-candy 😉 XD But yes. I’d rather not.
I’m curious about this one!!
Yeah me too, perfection overload. I don’t mind characters getting a makeover, but when it’s magic and they’re ‘fixed’ is also annoying. Grisha I think is the one exception because she just looks healthier not different. Yeah, perfect seems to be more prevalent in love interests. *sigh* I’m glad I made this one sound good. 🙂
Yes, I agree. I don’t like all the “perfect” characters. I don’t know about you, but in my high school, there were a lot of awkward looking kids. And a whole lot of acne. Why does no one in YA have acne these days? I didn’t know they were selling Proactiv in dystopian societies these days.
This book sounds fun though, I like that it is a bit lighter, and sarcastic. Great review 🙂
lol I noticed that too! No teenagers in books ever have acne! It’s just not realistic. Yeah there needs to be more awkwardness and less perfection in my opinion.
I agree, I like lighter fun sarcastic books. Thank you! 🙂
It’s always so interesting to have a demons book, I really like that. I remember when the book was released and I know I still need to try it but I don’t know why I haven’t yet. I’m glad that in a whole it was a good one. It’s jus annying about the acts of the heroine….
I’m a big fan of demon books. (Angels not so much) Yeah I somehow missed it too, but when I saw it up for review I clicked so fast. Yes, it was a good book even if it wasn’t perfect. I’m hoping the heroine learned her lesson for the sequel, but at least her actions made sense, instead of just she wanted to help people so she ran into danger.
I always wanted to read this series. It sounds so fun. Happy it was mostly good.
You should read it! I always like a fun sarcastic read. Even if it wasn’t perfect I still enjoyed it.
I’m not a fan of extremely attractive characters as well. It’s just not realistic. Besides, don’t we all have different ideas of what’s attractive and what’s not? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say.
The question makes me think back to my WIP. When the protagonist meets the man who eventually becomes her love interest, she doesn’t consider him attractive at all. I might have even used the word “ugly,” now that I think about it… *lol*
I’m glad I’m not the only one who is annoyed by all of these perfect movie star characters. I’d rather more variety and some weak points in their appearance. Someone can still be hot with a large nose!
haha! I love that! Does he look more attractive to her as she falls for him?
Agreed! As long as it’s realistic, not something out of the author’s wildest fantasies.
Ha ha! And yes, she does find him more attractive as she falls for him. I wanted it to be an example of liking / loving someone for who they are, not for their appearance. It may not be a very YA-ish thing to do, but that’s what I want. 🙂
I think that’s cool when she finds the guy unattractive until she starts falling for him, because that’s so how it works in real life. It might not be common, but I think more people will like it than you’d expect.
I missed this one 😦 Thank goodness for libraries. This looks really good. I don’t mind attractive characters as long as it doesn’t dwell too much on their physical attributes.
I’ve missed so many good books. Good news is it’s only like $4 for Kindle and $5 for the sequel, which isn’t bad for newer books if your library doesn’t have it. Yeah, when every other scene they’re describing how good looking everyone is it gets annoying. Here it’s only the character she’s attracted to that she repeats his good looking-ness.
I would have expected this book to have more of a horror, or at the very least dark feel to it, but you mentioned sarcastic protagonists, and that’s my second fictional weakness (after werewolves). I’m also a sucker for a girl in a pretty dress on the cover. Happy Friday!
Carmel @ Rabid Reads
Yeah the topic could’ve easily gone horror, but being in a sarcastic person’s head even the icky parts were made lighter. haha I’m the same way, I love sarcasm! The cover might have been what attracted me to the book first! Thanks! Have a nice weekend! 🙂
Sarcastic protagonists rock! I totally agree. Great to read your honest review of this book 🙂
Yeah, they just make the whole novel lighter and more fun. Thank you! 🙂
Characters should be quirky and not perfect in my opinion. Not a giant land of models.
I agree, I’d rather someone who looked unique and quirky rather than the standard mold of perfect. So many young adult books go for perfect though, especially in the love interest.
I like the characters to have some realistic looks mixed in with the beautiful. 🙂 That is a cover that grabs you and makes you look twice! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
The cover’s what caught my attention first too. I prefer characters who have personality in their looks. (If that makes sense) Thank you! 🙂
I prefer characters with flaws and quirks too, but the main character sounds like she would make me laugh, I also like a sarcastic protagonist. At least all the males have their own personalities, that would definitely be hard to pull off. Nice review!
I’m happy, it seems I’m not so odd after all, other people like flawed characters too. I think she would, she’s funny and sarcastic. The sample of the first chapter on amazon shows her voice nicely. Yeah, because there wasn’t time to show much of the guys, so I was impressed that they were all unique without being stereotypes. Thanks!
I LOVE A BIT OF SARCASM. So I’m super intrigued by this one. Stupid decision? Eh, not so much. BUT I’m intrigued. Especially since you mentioned that her family was present in this book. YA always forgets the family WHICH IS BEYOND ME because who’s supporting these teens, huh? Who pays for housing, food etc. Fantastic review, Molly! ❤ x
Sarcasm can only make a book better. I know, YA main characters never have a present family. (It’s like that rule of Disney to kill the parents) Thanks! 🙂 I hope you like this one.