"Demonology for Overachievers" by Lily Anderson

 

"Demonology for Overachievers" by Lily Anderson wears many hats. It is a YA paranormal dark academia novel with Poe and Mary Shelley's vibes. It takes the classic deal-with-the-devil motif (think Faust) to another level.

Told in the first person, the story follows Merritt Maldonado, a seventeen-year-old introverted girl who, in her own words, is "a fat goth Afro-Latina orphan." Raised by her grandmother after losing her parents, Merritt is a loner with social anxiety and only one good friend, Fancy. Determined to win the Lexington Scholarship and secure a place at a good college, she creates bogus clubs to pad her résumé.

Her fiercest competition comes from her academic nemesis, Linus Lexington, who is charismatic and outgoing. Afraid of failure, she strikes a bargain with a demon in the hope of securing the scholarship. Little does she know that Linus has the same idea. The plot thickens when other scholarship applicants start dropping dead in bizarre accidents, forcing the two rivals to work together to break their pacts before more people die.

I enjoyed the book immensely and found it a quick read. It is well written, with an engaging storyline and well-rounded characters. I loved the concept, the way the demon's name is marked with dashes, and the representation. I loved both protagonists. They're both overachievers, but I especially appreciated that Merritt isn't the typical heroine. At the same time, I felt that she made some very stupid choices for someone so smart. Every time she made a dumb decision, I wanted to shake her. 

The story was largely believable, well, as believable as a paranormal novel can be, but one scene felt particularly ridiculous. In the middle of trying not to get caught in a dorm room, the protagonists somehow found time to kiss instead of running away. The scene that followed that was brillant, though.  

The horror leans more toward an eerie atmosphere than outright terror, although there are a couple of graphic deaths that made me wince. The author also gives enough detail to make the side characters memorable. I liked Fancy's personality, a transgender girl who is accepted by everyone, and disliked one of the other side characters. I also found the nickname Merritt is given rather cruel. But then, kids can be cruel. 

The book explores themes of found family, learning from mistakes, choices and their consequences, not judging people by appearance or lineage, and how far one will go to succeed. Merritt learns that there is no such thing as a free lunch and that everything comes at a price. If I were to sum up the message in one sentence, it would be: be careful what you wish for.
 
Overall, I loved the book. I came for the demons and stayed for the plot. If you love dark academia, rivals to lovers, a strong heroine, and light horror vibes, this is the book for you. The romance is a subplot and never overshadows the mystery. There is no spice, making it appropriate for YA readers. I definitely recommend it. Full stars from me!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Demonology for Overachievers" by Lily Anderson


 

"I'll Be Waiting" by Kelley Armstrong

 

I don't believe in ghosts, but I always love to read great ghost stories, and this book didn't disappoint. "I'll Be Waiting" by Kelley Armstrong is a fantastic paranormal tale involving a haunted house, séances, and murders.

Nicola Laughton was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child and wasn't expected to live long. Medical advances extended her life. A few months after her marriage, her husband died in a freak car accident, and his dying words were, "I’ll be waiting for you." She never expected to outlive her husband. Devastated, she seeks to contact him via mediums and séances, which turn out to be charlatans.

When her family finds a reputable medium—a professor of parapsychology—and proposes a séance at a secluded place, she agrees and decides to give it one last chance. The plot thickens when strange occurrences take place at the Lake Erie beach house they rented, reawakening old nightmares from her past.

I loved the book! There is nothing like a good spooky paranormal/ghost-hunting story to get your juices going. This is not your typical ghost story either! It is a creepy tale full of twists and shocking revelations with a spooky atmosphere. The book is written from Nicola's first-person point of view and combines flashbacks into her past. It explores themes of loss, grief, depression, trust, and family.

The book is well written with an engaging storyline, well-rounded characters, and a unique plot. The dark atmosphere was well sketched and convincing, with the creaking of an old dumbwaiter, creepy porcelain dolls, and eerie voices. The tense atmosphere and freaky supernatural occurrences get into your head and make you begin to doubt your own grip on sanity, along with that of the character, but it wasn't too scary if you get my drift.

The author takes the paranormal and adds it to real, normal life. She makes the unreal believable. The feeling of dread in this book grows with one incident after another. I did feel that the heroine took some unnecessary risks and acted recklessly. There were times I wanted to shake her, and I was afraid for her.

Overall, it was a great tale that kept me in suspense right up to the last page. I loved that we didn't know what was real and what wasn't, and the way the author combined past and present, real and unreal. I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to those who enjoy ghost tales with secrets, intricate relationships, and chilling paranormal activity.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "I'll Be Waiting" by Kelley Armstrong