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Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom #1
Carpe Demon
Lots of women put their careers aside once the kids come along. Kate Connor, for instance, hasn't hunted a demon in ages. That must be why she missed the one wandering through the San Diablo Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, he managed to catch her attention an hour later--when he crashed into the Connor house, intent on killing her. Now Kate has to dispose of a dead demon and pull together a dinner party--all without arousing her family's suspicion. Worse yet, it seems the dead demon didn't come alone. It's time for Kate Connor to go back to work.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2005
About the author
Julie Kenner
176 books1,232 followersJ. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit.
Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swopn for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy).
Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit.
Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swopn for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy).
Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 758 reviews
April 30, 2019
Demons in the suburbs?
A happily married mother of two must come out of retirement to once more save the world from Evil
Home, sweet home
San Diablo had been demon-free for years. That’s why I lived here, after all.
After fighting with a demon
I let out a little sigh of relief and glanced at the clock. I had exactly forty-three minutes to clean up the mess in my kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party. After that, I could turn my attention to figuring out what a demon was doing in San Diablo. And, more important, why he had attacked me.
But first, the rigatoni.
Did I have my priorities straight, or what?
Stepfather and daughter bonding
“What’s wrong with Allie? We get along great.” His brow wrinkled. “Don’t we?”
“Sure,” I said. “Now you do. But she’s fourteen. Do you remember fourteen?”
“Not very well.”
“Well, I’m a girl, and I do. Fourteen’s a hard age.” Not that my fourteen had been anything like Allie’s. I’d impaled my first demon at fourteen. That isn’t something a girl is likely to forget. “She needs father-daughter time.”
Kate Conner has a busy life raising her two year old son, guiding her teenage daughter to adulthood and responsible choices, being the perfect hostess for her husbands political dinners - and
- killing demons!
Enjoy!
A happily married mother of two must come out of retirement to once more save the world from Evil
Home, sweet home
San Diablo had been demon-free for years. That’s why I lived here, after all.
After fighting with a demon
I let out a little sigh of relief and glanced at the clock. I had exactly forty-three minutes to clean up the mess in my kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party. After that, I could turn my attention to figuring out what a demon was doing in San Diablo. And, more important, why he had attacked me.
But first, the rigatoni.
Did I have my priorities straight, or what?
Stepfather and daughter bonding
“What’s wrong with Allie? We get along great.” His brow wrinkled. “Don’t we?”
“Sure,” I said. “Now you do. But she’s fourteen. Do you remember fourteen?”
“Not very well.”
“Well, I’m a girl, and I do. Fourteen’s a hard age.” Not that my fourteen had been anything like Allie’s. I’d impaled my first demon at fourteen. That isn’t something a girl is likely to forget. “She needs father-daughter time.”
Kate Conner has a busy life raising her two year old son, guiding her teenage daughter to adulthood and responsible choices, being the perfect hostess for her husbands political dinners - and
- killing demons!
Enjoy!
April 7, 2020
I loved this story so much. It is a retired demon hunter that is now a stay at home mom, but she is being made to come out of retirement. I found this fun mystery funny and fast pace. It is everything I wanted right now.
November 14, 2012
There is nothing better than a romantic comedy that incorporates the paranormal, and Julie Kenner has penned a jackpot winner with CARPE DEMON. At times laugh-out-loud funny, once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down until I finished the last page-and then I wished it wasn't the end.
Kate Connor, on the surface, appears to be a pretty normal suburban mom. Mother to fourteen-year-old Alison and two-year-old Timmy, wife of Stuart, an assistant county attorney, and all-around chauffeur, nanny, housekeeper, and family pep squad rolled into one. It wasn't always that way, though. Kate was once a Level Four Demon Hunter, although no one knows it. It's the secret of secrets, and for the most part, Kate's pretty happy keeping it that way. Until one day, while shopping with the kids at the local Wal-Mart in San Diablo , California , she spots a demon.
Immediately, all sorts of questions are raised. Why would a demon willingly come to San Diablo? And, in fact, was it a demon at all? And does it have anything at all to do with her?
Sadly, Kate realizes way too soon that she's going to be forced out of demon-hunting retirement. Incorporeal demon Goramesh has come to California with one goal in mind, and it's up to Kate to figure out what he wants, find it before he does, rescue it, and send Goramesh back where he belongs.
Sounds easy, right? Not really, especially when you can't tell anyone what you're doing, including your husband, best friend, or children. Balancing home life has always been tricky enough, but now that there are murderous demons following her around, dodging her every step, life has become even more complicated.
I've heard that some readers have compared this story to a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer read, but I didn't get that feeling at all. What I read was a hilarious story of a stay-at-home-mom whose past comes back to bite her on the butt, with the risks being even higher than ever. For anyone who has ever been bored with their life, or has secrets from the past that they just wish would stay there, this book is for you.
Not to mention that it's just an all-around enjoyable story from a very talented author. Pick up a copy of CARPE DEMON today-you won't be disappointed.
Kate Connor, on the surface, appears to be a pretty normal suburban mom. Mother to fourteen-year-old Alison and two-year-old Timmy, wife of Stuart, an assistant county attorney, and all-around chauffeur, nanny, housekeeper, and family pep squad rolled into one. It wasn't always that way, though. Kate was once a Level Four Demon Hunter, although no one knows it. It's the secret of secrets, and for the most part, Kate's pretty happy keeping it that way. Until one day, while shopping with the kids at the local Wal-Mart in San Diablo , California , she spots a demon.
Immediately, all sorts of questions are raised. Why would a demon willingly come to San Diablo? And, in fact, was it a demon at all? And does it have anything at all to do with her?
Sadly, Kate realizes way too soon that she's going to be forced out of demon-hunting retirement. Incorporeal demon Goramesh has come to California with one goal in mind, and it's up to Kate to figure out what he wants, find it before he does, rescue it, and send Goramesh back where he belongs.
Sounds easy, right? Not really, especially when you can't tell anyone what you're doing, including your husband, best friend, or children. Balancing home life has always been tricky enough, but now that there are murderous demons following her around, dodging her every step, life has become even more complicated.
I've heard that some readers have compared this story to a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer read, but I didn't get that feeling at all. What I read was a hilarious story of a stay-at-home-mom whose past comes back to bite her on the butt, with the risks being even higher than ever. For anyone who has ever been bored with their life, or has secrets from the past that they just wish would stay there, this book is for you.
Not to mention that it's just an all-around enjoyable story from a very talented author. Pick up a copy of CARPE DEMON today-you won't be disappointed.
August 13, 2013
I tried. I really did.
My book club wanted something fluffy for summer. We read a string of heavyweight selections back to back. And, we wanted to turn more towards featherweight for June. Carpe Demon fit the bill, but left me unenthused.
Carpe Demon is the story of Kate Conner, a retired demon hunter turned stay-at-home mom who is called back into duty when a new crop of demons invade her town. Kate's husband, children and best friend are clueless about her demon hunting credentials. Forced to confront the dark forces, Kate must balance her household duties while figuring out what the foul smelling demons seek in her quiet California town.
The idea of the book is to exploit the irony between domesticity and demon hunting. In Chapter 1, Kate fends off an elderly beast that flies through her kitchen window as she is whipping up an impromptu dinner party for her politically inclined husband. She is able to stuff the slayed beast in her pantry and serve rigatoni in style.
The irony is there, but the writing is sorely lacking. The author's creative voice is flat and uninspiring. The dialog is clunkish. I was so bored that after 3 or 4 nights slogging through the book, I skipped to the last 50 pages just so I could just be done with it. I never do that.
I've gotten a reputation in my book club for preferring hard hitting, emotional books and that I "don't do fluff." I am afraid that when we get together tonight to discuss Carpe Demon this perception will be reinforced. But, I think what it boils down to is I like good writing. Without it, I can't engage in the story or characters.
My book club wanted something fluffy for summer. We read a string of heavyweight selections back to back. And, we wanted to turn more towards featherweight for June. Carpe Demon fit the bill, but left me unenthused.
Carpe Demon is the story of Kate Conner, a retired demon hunter turned stay-at-home mom who is called back into duty when a new crop of demons invade her town. Kate's husband, children and best friend are clueless about her demon hunting credentials. Forced to confront the dark forces, Kate must balance her household duties while figuring out what the foul smelling demons seek in her quiet California town.
The idea of the book is to exploit the irony between domesticity and demon hunting. In Chapter 1, Kate fends off an elderly beast that flies through her kitchen window as she is whipping up an impromptu dinner party for her politically inclined husband. She is able to stuff the slayed beast in her pantry and serve rigatoni in style.
The irony is there, but the writing is sorely lacking. The author's creative voice is flat and uninspiring. The dialog is clunkish. I was so bored that after 3 or 4 nights slogging through the book, I skipped to the last 50 pages just so I could just be done with it. I never do that.
I've gotten a reputation in my book club for preferring hard hitting, emotional books and that I "don't do fluff." I am afraid that when we get together tonight to discuss Carpe Demon this perception will be reinforced. But, I think what it boils down to is I like good writing. Without it, I can't engage in the story or characters.
July 17, 2017
This is exactly what the series says; Demon- hunting Soccer Mom. Let me take it further though and let you know that the entire time I was reading I kept thinking "Omg! This is Buffy the vampire slayer grown up, married with kids, and trying to keep her ass kicking past a secret but having it catch up with her!"
Kate is an ex demon hunter who hung up her spike for the cliche life. Mini van and all. But it seems the demons didn't get the memo. After getting attacked before a dinner party she was hosting she dusts off her old gear and starts training again.
It's just a really fun book. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Kate is an ex demon hunter who hung up her spike for the cliche life. Mini van and all. But it seems the demons didn't get the memo. After getting attacked before a dinner party she was hosting she dusts off her old gear and starts training again.
It's just a really fun book. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
February 8, 2010
This is a fun, frothy little read about a retired demon slayer who is now a stay-at-home mom and more at ease juggling dinner parties and car pools. But, alas, you can't escape those demons forever. She's called back into active duty at the ripe old age of 38 and this story follows her attempts to keep a teenager, a two year old and a politically ambitious and slightly clueless husband happy all the while secretly hunting demons on the sly. It's cute and entertaining but not at all gory (darn) and there's too much focus on boring domesticity and not enough action for me.
September 19, 2012
when i first saw this book on Amazon i was like WHT?! i thought it would be really funny and not much of anything else so i decided to order it since i had nothing better to read at the time. All i have to say is I loved it from page one. Julie got me hooked and I wanted to keep reading it . yeah its funny, has action, and has a little bit of horror mixed in they are a great quick read
October 23, 2014
It was an OK, fun read, but I'm not in a rush to get another. The busy soccer mom - demon hunter thing was cute & amusing - once. The next book could go either way, but I doubt it will get much better. The base she has to work from seems a bit too static. The writing was mildly amusing, but never made me chuckle out loud. Not bad, but I could easily put it down.
The characters were pretty well done & interesting. She certainly has the whole suburban house wife thing down well from what I could tell. I got the sarcasm when her 2 year old 'helped' her clean up, but she wrote that it was sarcastic. Redundant & typical of the book.
The plot was neither original nor particularly imaginative. Figuring out who the bad guy was & how the book would end was easy. It was just a matter of waiting around for her to go the long way round the block to get there.
The characters were pretty well done & interesting. She certainly has the whole suburban house wife thing down well from what I could tell. I got the sarcasm when her 2 year old 'helped' her clean up, but she wrote that it was sarcastic. Redundant & typical of the book.
The plot was neither original nor particularly imaginative. Figuring out who the bad guy was & how the book would end was easy. It was just a matter of waiting around for her to go the long way round the block to get there.
November 12, 2016
I found this book in the paranormal romance section of my bookstore, but it's not really romance at all. Still, no better place to shelf it at the moment. It's not a general story about demons; there really is a decent plot here.
I wasn't sure what to expect. The cover needs some serious help (at least, my copy does) as the artwork is beginner at best. The back cover blurb promised a very interesting read. When I skimmed over the first few pages, I was mildly surprised at the writing style.
You see, it's written in first person past tense, with entertaining details. It doesn't have that annoying, extraneous detail that bores us down completely. This book is written from the mindset of a full-time mother/housewife. That is what I found so entertaining! Finally, a book where the heroine isn't some dimwit who can't do something intelligent or an over-ego woman who thinks the man should suck it. No, this story is about a typical woman (albeit a woman with a past) with a 2 year old son and a teenage daughter. It connects to our normal lives with the thoughts running through her head. Quite literally, each thought is described perfectly to help you FEEL what she's feeling and EXPERIENCE what she's going through. There is no "she did this and it made her feel like this", and no "she was upset over that". This book is an amazing rendition of SHOW, DON'T TELL. The author was spectacular at it.
As for the grammatical errors, I think I only found one near the beginning, possibly two, but I don't recall where. It wasn't so bad that it deterred from the story. I barely even caught it.
Now I will admit that I jumped right into the story with no problem because of the life-like thoughts and the painted details. However, soon after I began, the fire burned out of me a little and I sorta got off track. The suspense wasn't what I'd expected; the cliffhangers didn't keep me going. But because I don't believe in dropping a book for long, I forced myself to keep reading a little at a time to work through the story and once I hit the middle--BAM!!! It got juicy.
And I mean JUICY!
When the other characters start making her question things she hadn't wanted to consider before, and the fear factor kicked in surrounding her children, THAT'S when the story when from mild candle to campfire out of control.
As far as the biblical side of the story goes, it doesn't really adhere to any scripted passages of demons and hell. Needless to say, if you're looking for a book that follows real demonic studies, this isn't it. It does put a new light on demonic possessions and the creatures that follow, but it's not fact-driven. Or if it were, I certainly couldn't make any connections.
From what I gathered of the other reviews, everyone says it's like Buffy grows up and retires. You see, I wouldn't know. I never watched Buffy. In fact, the most knowledge I have of Buffy is the ORIGINAL version of BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER from 1992, the one I grew up with. THE MOVIE THAT STARTED IT ALL. The show that aired was some cheesy piece of crap slotted as filler that everyone took a fancy too. So yeah, my Buffy was the original, not the TV series so I don't get this whole "Carpe-Demon is like Buffy Retired" bullshit.
Either way, I gave it 5 stars because of everything put together. I lucked out that it's the first of the series and I'd picked it up in a bargain bin of resale books. Now I'm really interested in ordering the rest of the series so I can see what else happens to this family.
I wasn't sure what to expect. The cover needs some serious help (at least, my copy does) as the artwork is beginner at best. The back cover blurb promised a very interesting read. When I skimmed over the first few pages, I was mildly surprised at the writing style.
You see, it's written in first person past tense, with entertaining details. It doesn't have that annoying, extraneous detail that bores us down completely. This book is written from the mindset of a full-time mother/housewife. That is what I found so entertaining! Finally, a book where the heroine isn't some dimwit who can't do something intelligent or an over-ego woman who thinks the man should suck it. No, this story is about a typical woman (albeit a woman with a past) with a 2 year old son and a teenage daughter. It connects to our normal lives with the thoughts running through her head. Quite literally, each thought is described perfectly to help you FEEL what she's feeling and EXPERIENCE what she's going through. There is no "she did this and it made her feel like this", and no "she was upset over that". This book is an amazing rendition of SHOW, DON'T TELL. The author was spectacular at it.
As for the grammatical errors, I think I only found one near the beginning, possibly two, but I don't recall where. It wasn't so bad that it deterred from the story. I barely even caught it.
Now I will admit that I jumped right into the story with no problem because of the life-like thoughts and the painted details. However, soon after I began, the fire burned out of me a little and I sorta got off track. The suspense wasn't what I'd expected; the cliffhangers didn't keep me going. But because I don't believe in dropping a book for long, I forced myself to keep reading a little at a time to work through the story and once I hit the middle--BAM!!! It got juicy.
And I mean JUICY!
When the other characters start making her question things she hadn't wanted to consider before, and the fear factor kicked in surrounding her children, THAT'S when the story when from mild candle to campfire out of control.
As far as the biblical side of the story goes, it doesn't really adhere to any scripted passages of demons and hell. Needless to say, if you're looking for a book that follows real demonic studies, this isn't it. It does put a new light on demonic possessions and the creatures that follow, but it's not fact-driven. Or if it were, I certainly couldn't make any connections.
From what I gathered of the other reviews, everyone says it's like Buffy grows up and retires. You see, I wouldn't know. I never watched Buffy. In fact, the most knowledge I have of Buffy is the ORIGINAL version of BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER from 1992, the one I grew up with. THE MOVIE THAT STARTED IT ALL. The show that aired was some cheesy piece of crap slotted as filler that everyone took a fancy too. So yeah, my Buffy was the original, not the TV series so I don't get this whole "Carpe-Demon is like Buffy Retired" bullshit.
Either way, I gave it 5 stars because of everything put together. I lucked out that it's the first of the series and I'd picked it up in a bargain bin of resale books. Now I'm really interested in ordering the rest of the series so I can see what else happens to this family.
August 15, 2014
CARPE DEMON
Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book One)
JULIE KENNER
Berkley
July 2005
Kate Connor is living a normal wife as a wife, and mom to fourteen-year-old Allie and two-year-old Timmy. Her husband Stuart is entering the political ring, running for county attorney. Kate has a secret that no one knows, not even her best friend -- until she and her first husband Eric moved to San Diablo, California fifteen years ago, their life prior to the move was spent slaying demons, hunting vampires, and killing zombies. They moved to this quiet, coastal town because it was demon-free --the Catholic cathedral was built on holy ground, and evil was not welcomed -- retired and started their family. Sad to say, Eric died when Allie was about six. Years later, Kate remarried.
While Kate is rushing around preparing for an impromptu dinner party for several influential, prospective backers of Stuart's campaign, a demon crashes through her kitchen window, attacks her, and tells her that she will die when "my Master's army rises to claim victory in his name." Kate manages to kill the fiend, and stuffs his body in her pantry until she can dispose of it properly. After the dinner party she calls Father Corletti at the Vatican to apprise him of the situation and to request that hunters be sent to San Diablo. Kate and Eric were both orphans raised by Father Corletti and trained by the Forza Scora for their jobs. She is informed she is the only hunter available and that Goramesh, one of the high demons and known as the decimator, is seeking something in San Diablo. Father Corletti further tells Kate there is an alimentatore, or mentor, in her town that will advise her.
When Kate meets her guide she is surprised to know that he is Federal Circuit Judge Larson, new to town, and one of the guests she met at her dinner party -- a man she suspected of being a demon because of a distinct odor he emitted.
Now you know why Kate is forced out of retirement to embark on a hilarious, madcap mission to destroy monsters, protect her family, and find whatever it is that Goramesh is hunting. Sleep is a rare commodity in her life, and lying to her family and friends become the norm. But never fear, out kick-butt heroine will protect mankind from evil with the help of a senile senior citizen and her two-year old toddler!
CARPE DEMON is Julie Kenner at her very best -- so good that this story has been optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures for Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan's 1492 Pictures (producers of the "Harry Potter" movies), and Kevin and Dan Hageman have been hired to adapt the screenplay. How is that for cool? Don't miss this terrific, fast-paced, page-turning, fun, fun, fun book!
Betty Cox, Reader To Reader
Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book One)
JULIE KENNER
Berkley
July 2005
Kate Connor is living a normal wife as a wife, and mom to fourteen-year-old Allie and two-year-old Timmy. Her husband Stuart is entering the political ring, running for county attorney. Kate has a secret that no one knows, not even her best friend -- until she and her first husband Eric moved to San Diablo, California fifteen years ago, their life prior to the move was spent slaying demons, hunting vampires, and killing zombies. They moved to this quiet, coastal town because it was demon-free --the Catholic cathedral was built on holy ground, and evil was not welcomed -- retired and started their family. Sad to say, Eric died when Allie was about six. Years later, Kate remarried.
While Kate is rushing around preparing for an impromptu dinner party for several influential, prospective backers of Stuart's campaign, a demon crashes through her kitchen window, attacks her, and tells her that she will die when "my Master's army rises to claim victory in his name." Kate manages to kill the fiend, and stuffs his body in her pantry until she can dispose of it properly. After the dinner party she calls Father Corletti at the Vatican to apprise him of the situation and to request that hunters be sent to San Diablo. Kate and Eric were both orphans raised by Father Corletti and trained by the Forza Scora for their jobs. She is informed she is the only hunter available and that Goramesh, one of the high demons and known as the decimator, is seeking something in San Diablo. Father Corletti further tells Kate there is an alimentatore, or mentor, in her town that will advise her.
When Kate meets her guide she is surprised to know that he is Federal Circuit Judge Larson, new to town, and one of the guests she met at her dinner party -- a man she suspected of being a demon because of a distinct odor he emitted.
Now you know why Kate is forced out of retirement to embark on a hilarious, madcap mission to destroy monsters, protect her family, and find whatever it is that Goramesh is hunting. Sleep is a rare commodity in her life, and lying to her family and friends become the norm. But never fear, out kick-butt heroine will protect mankind from evil with the help of a senile senior citizen and her two-year old toddler!
CARPE DEMON is Julie Kenner at her very best -- so good that this story has been optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures for Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan's 1492 Pictures (producers of the "Harry Potter" movies), and Kevin and Dan Hageman have been hired to adapt the screenplay. How is that for cool? Don't miss this terrific, fast-paced, page-turning, fun, fun, fun book!
Betty Cox, Reader To Reader
April 30, 2011
The Book Report: Retired demon hunter, remarried widow, and mother of a teen and a toddler Kate Conner is forced out of her 'burbsy life by The Call of Duty: San Diablo, her hitherto peaceful adopted hometown, has attracted the attention of major baddie demon Goramesh, who wants something that he can't get because it's hidden within the sacred ground of the town's amazingly well-protected cathedral. Goramesh has targeted Our Heroine because she, as a Hunter, must be neutralized, thinks Kate's Vatican handler. She is sent a new handler, whose arrival in her home coincides with a demon attack and a cocktail party in aid of her new husband's political ambitions...and the handler happens to be showing signs of demonhood hisownself....
Hijinks ensue, Good (or Catholicism, anyway) triumphs over Evil, and middle-aged mama Kate unretires because, as TV has taught us, once a target for demons, always a target for demons.
My Review: Many points off for homophobia p15, "...realized {her son} had been completely mesmerized by four gyrating Australian men. If he were fifteen, I'd worry. At twenty-five months, I figured we were okay." That might be funny to the author's straight-mommy readership, but it shouldn't be. Having a gay son is grounds to worry? Really? And why is that, exactly?
Many points off for assuming the world is Catholic in multiple places around the text. Many points off for out-and-out lifting the structure of her demon-world and its fighters from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." And lastly, a minor deduction for the main character's use and abuse of a long-suffering, and I do mean suffering, best friend. Why that lady puts up with this self-involved fool is beyond me.
I started this book with very high hopes. I lost most of them on p15, as mentioned above. Then it was down to "finish or abandon?" debate...the only reason I review the book is that, in the end, I did finish it, and the ending was reasonably not-sucky. Go ahead and read it if you're an insensitive straight-supremacist man-hater. You'll laugh your socks off.
Hijinks ensue, Good (or Catholicism, anyway) triumphs over Evil, and middle-aged mama Kate unretires because, as TV has taught us, once a target for demons, always a target for demons.
My Review: Many points off for homophobia p15, "...realized {her son} had been completely mesmerized by four gyrating Australian men. If he were fifteen, I'd worry. At twenty-five months, I figured we were okay." That might be funny to the author's straight-mommy readership, but it shouldn't be. Having a gay son is grounds to worry? Really? And why is that, exactly?
Many points off for assuming the world is Catholic in multiple places around the text. Many points off for out-and-out lifting the structure of her demon-world and its fighters from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." And lastly, a minor deduction for the main character's use and abuse of a long-suffering, and I do mean suffering, best friend. Why that lady puts up with this self-involved fool is beyond me.
I started this book with very high hopes. I lost most of them on p15, as mentioned above. Then it was down to "finish or abandon?" debate...the only reason I review the book is that, in the end, I did finish it, and the ending was reasonably not-sucky. Go ahead and read it if you're an insensitive straight-supremacist man-hater. You'll laugh your socks off.
February 1, 2009
Imagine Buffy the Vampire Slayer grew up and got out of the stalking-and-staking game. She met a nice guy, settled down in suburbia and had a couple of kids. And then one day, the former-slayer-turned-soccer-mom spots a demon in her home-town Walmart.
That's the premise posed by Carpe Demon, the first of Julie Kenner's Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series. To avoid copyright infringement, Kenner's heroine, Kate Connor, is a Hunter, NOT a Slayer and her advisor/mentor is her Alimentore, not her Watcher, but you get the drift. The similarities are pretty strong.
The book is hysterical. I could go into details about the plot and the character development, but that's the most important thing to note. It's a lighter foray into a genre that's often dark and broody, and a welcome change. There are scenes in Carpe Demon that are laugh-out-loud funny -- like when Kate, rusty from years of driving carpool and in need of weapons training, improvises by fencing with Swisher mop handles in her backyard.
The heroine deals with issues all working moms deal with, trying to juggle home and work life -- although her work life is a bit more demanding, what with the demons crashing through her kitchen window and all. Nonetheless, I think most women will relate to this character -- and like her. She's got both a toddler and a teenager, so moms at both ends of the parenting spectrum can shake their heads and laugh. Its a quick, fun read, and I look forward to getting my hands on the next book, California Demon, soon.
That's the premise posed by Carpe Demon, the first of Julie Kenner's Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series. To avoid copyright infringement, Kenner's heroine, Kate Connor, is a Hunter, NOT a Slayer and her advisor/mentor is her Alimentore, not her Watcher, but you get the drift. The similarities are pretty strong.
The book is hysterical. I could go into details about the plot and the character development, but that's the most important thing to note. It's a lighter foray into a genre that's often dark and broody, and a welcome change. There are scenes in Carpe Demon that are laugh-out-loud funny -- like when Kate, rusty from years of driving carpool and in need of weapons training, improvises by fencing with Swisher mop handles in her backyard.
The heroine deals with issues all working moms deal with, trying to juggle home and work life -- although her work life is a bit more demanding, what with the demons crashing through her kitchen window and all. Nonetheless, I think most women will relate to this character -- and like her. She's got both a toddler and a teenager, so moms at both ends of the parenting spectrum can shake their heads and laugh. Its a quick, fun read, and I look forward to getting my hands on the next book, California Demon, soon.
October 8, 2010
As if a Stay-At-Home Mom doesn't have enough to do, try also being a retired Demon-Hunter! Can you imagine putting together a last minute dinner party for your politically ambitious husband, taking care of a teenage girl and a 2-year old toddler and then being forced out of retirement when you end up having to dispose of the carcass of the demon you had to kill after he crashed into your kitchen window between letting the bottles of wine breathe and placing the appetizers into the oven!! Welcome to the hectic, oftentimes hilarious and completely complicated world of Kate Connor, the Super Mom of the Demon Hunting world! This is the first in Julie Kenner's series and was a fun, quick read, and one which being a Stay-At-Home Mom myself, I could totally relate to, sans the demon part of course! I look forward to eventually reading the other books that continue Kate Connor's adventures of saving the world from evil, one demon at a time, between diaper changes and car pools!!
October 8, 2014
Está bueno. Es bastante original y muy divertido.
Me gusta como mezcla la vida cotidiana de un ama de casa con hijos con el tema de tener que lidiar con demonios, creo que es eso lo que lo hace original y divertido.
Es principio de saga, lo que no me encanta, pero también autoconclusivo, lo que es un golazo.
Por último, es un libro sencillo y amenos, pero cuenta con un señor plot-twist que me tomó por sorpresa.
Me gustó.
Me gusta como mezcla la vida cotidiana de un ama de casa con hijos con el tema de tener que lidiar con demonios, creo que es eso lo que lo hace original y divertido.
Es principio de saga, lo que no me encanta, pero también autoconclusivo, lo que es un golazo.
Por último, es un libro sencillo y amenos, pero cuenta con un señor plot-twist que me tomó por sorpresa.
Me gustó.
October 25, 2023
I just adore this story! Kenner provides a new twist on demon hunting with a heavy dose of homeyness. You can't help but love her and enjoy her soccer-mom days. This one's a buy!
July 12, 2020
Notes:
Need to look up Laura Hicks and see what else she has worked on. Her narration is pretty good and she has great character voices.
Need to look up Laura Hicks and see what else she has worked on. Her narration is pretty good and she has great character voices.
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June 8, 2021Hey!!! Did you know that the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series has new covers ... AND that Book SEVEN is on its way! Day of the Demons!
Check out the new cover for Carpe Demon
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And be sure to visit my website for links to ALL the books including a pre-order link to Day of the Demon! juliekenner.com
Check out the new cover for Carpe Demon
And be sure to visit my website for links to ALL the books including a pre-order link to Day of the Demon! juliekenner.com
June 15, 2014
Liked All The Action and Believable situations,Because As A Demon Hunter And not anticipated Vatican Tidbits... Kate Kept me very interested.. I needed that Dark/Light Series...Well written..
February 22, 2019
This was a fun book. I kept picturing Buffy the vampire slayer as a 38-year-old soccer mom. There were some definite similarities.
January 23, 2017
Really 3.5 Stars
Kate, a retired demon hunter, who grew up at the Vatican, is now a typical soccer mom with a 14yr old teenage daughter and a 2yr old toddler son with her second husband, the first one having died.
Stuart is a lawyer with political ambitions with a penchant for asking Kate to throw dinner parties with less than a day's notice. Which would have been OK if a demon hadn't decided to jump through her kitchen window and attack her.
Turns out that she is out of retirement, and no-one but her knows who she used to be, not the kids, not the new husband, not her best friend Laura. She is less than thrilled as you can imagine.
Turns out that a major demon is searching for something and she is the only one able to stop him.
Really enjoyed the way the story was written, it flowed really well, but I picked out the baddie very quickly and despite the writers attempt to sidetrack, I wasn't sidetracked.
Having grown up Catholic, I thought that the use of 'saints bones' in the mortar of the church was ludicrous but still funny. And I could see a lot of the behinds the scenes church stuff happening.
I'll read more of this series now I've had a taste :)
Kate, a retired demon hunter, who grew up at the Vatican, is now a typical soccer mom with a 14yr old teenage daughter and a 2yr old toddler son with her second husband, the first one having died.
Stuart is a lawyer with political ambitions with a penchant for asking Kate to throw dinner parties with less than a day's notice. Which would have been OK if a demon hadn't decided to jump through her kitchen window and attack her.
Turns out that she is out of retirement, and no-one but her knows who she used to be, not the kids, not the new husband, not her best friend Laura. She is less than thrilled as you can imagine.
Turns out that a major demon is searching for something and she is the only one able to stop him.
Really enjoyed the way the story was written, it flowed really well, but I picked out the baddie very quickly and despite the writers attempt to sidetrack, I wasn't sidetracked.
Having grown up Catholic, I thought that the use of 'saints bones' in the mortar of the church was ludicrous but still funny. And I could see a lot of the behinds the scenes church stuff happening.
I'll read more of this series now I've had a taste :)
March 20, 2009
I was walking by the shelves when I spotted this book again. I remember when it came out, and I thought it sounded like a fun read. But being a librarian, I always have so much that I want to read that many things that look interesting are quite often forgotten about. So I picked it up last week and read it, and it was great! Funny, and kick-ass, and mysterious. Kate is a mom to a 14-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy. She has a husband who is gearing up to run for County Attorney, and she is trying hard to be a good mother, a good wife, and a passable hostess. So when she is preparing for a dinner party and a demon comes crashing through her kitchen window, she manages to dispatch him even though it has been a while. You see, Kate is a Hunter. Basically she is Buffy the Vampire Slayer turned soccer mom. And even though she has been retired since her daughter Allie was born, a new wave of demons have come to town with a mission. And she has to figure it out and stop them before all hell breaks loose. Literally.
April 3, 2009
It was silly, easy and light... I didn't hate it, even though the narration repeated itself far, far too often and the author used stupid words like 'snarfed' over and over. There were moments when she was trying far too hard to be funny/clever/cute/whatever... but still. I didn't hate it.
I have a hard time seriously bitching about this kind of book, because one knows exactly what they are in for when one picks it up. It's not surprising that it's not the best written book, it's not surprising when it's cheesy, it's not surprising when it makes one wrinkle their nose with distaste at an especially horribly written cliche scene.
And I read them. I know what I'm in for, and I read them anyway. So yeah.
It was fine.
I have a hard time seriously bitching about this kind of book, because one knows exactly what they are in for when one picks it up. It's not surprising that it's not the best written book, it's not surprising when it's cheesy, it's not surprising when it makes one wrinkle their nose with distaste at an especially horribly written cliche scene.
And I read them. I know what I'm in for, and I read them anyway. So yeah.
It was fine.
November 6, 2009
The premise of this book is: Kate is a stay-at-home mom who is also a retired demon hunter (like a more religious Buffy), who has to return to her old hunting ways when demons infiltrate her town. I got the book-on-cd from the library, and listened to it while laying in bed with a common cold. It was pretty good for that purpose. The main conflict is less Kate v. Demons and more about Kate fighting the demons without her family finding out that she's a hunter. Also, Kate struggles a lot with feelings of guilt over not being a good enough wife/mother. Like when her husband gives her 2 hours' notice that they're hosting a dinner party, she simply can't order takeout, because then she would be a less-than-perfect wife. Seriously? Get the takeout.
December 4, 2009
The author strikes just the right notes with her suburban mom/demon hunter character Kate Conner. Kate is a lot of fun, and though the demon hunting business is scary a suburban mom/demon hunter has got to do what she has got to do. All in a day's work you might say, while shlepping around town doing errands with her teen daughter and 2 year old son. After all, we raise our kids and protect them, we can all relate even if we aren't staking demons through the eyeball. Lots of great scenes, characters and conversations.
May 30, 2018
This book was just plain fun. Yes, it's a light, comedic paranormal about a stay at home mom. Note: no one actually plays soccer in this one. In fact, I think the only place soccer is mentioned is the series title. I actually prefer that :), but I found it interesting given the series title.
This book suffers a bit from repetition about how long it's been, about the main character's previous husband, about how much she loves her family. But I was willing to put that all aside for a pretty fun story that fit what I needed at the time.
This book suffers a bit from repetition about how long it's been, about the main character's previous husband, about how much she loves her family. But I was willing to put that all aside for a pretty fun story that fit what I needed at the time.
October 12, 2016
With a Demon-hunting soccer mom as the main character, the novel plays with the comparisons of raising a tw0-year old and a teenager, and demon hunting. The author does this with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, which is occasionally overused in the novel.
The characters are well-drawn out, and the world-building is quite successful. The only real issue I have with the novel is I expected more action than what the author provides.
The characters are well-drawn out, and the world-building is quite successful. The only real issue I have with the novel is I expected more action than what the author provides.
December 30, 2008
I read this back in 2006 or 2007. It was a light, entertaining read. Imagine Buffy the Vampire Slayer all grown up as a suburban homemaker and you'll get the idea. I liked that it had a sense of humor, it wasn't all serious and/or sex-oriented.
February 9, 2009
One syllable sums it up:
Eh.
A mediocre contribution to the genre. Now, if the author wanted to write a prequel, explaining how a group of young orphans come to live at the Vatican and be trained in the art of demon-hunting...that I might take a shine to.
Eh.
A mediocre contribution to the genre. Now, if the author wanted to write a prequel, explaining how a group of young orphans come to live at the Vatican and be trained in the art of demon-hunting...that I might take a shine to.
June 4, 2010
What a fun book! Love the authors easy prose and snarky sense of humor. Enjoyed the characters and storyline, though I didn't see where the 'soccer mom' came into the story from the title. First in a series and have already ordered the next. Perfect summer reading.
March 17, 2021
Much better than I had expected. I plan to read more by this author and continue with this series. Fun read, lots of action, interesting characters. This is a series but the book had an ending and could be read as a stand-alone - thank you!
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