Jimmy Cajoleas

Lovely writing and old-fashioned dialogue, a right strong young woman protagonist, who admits her mistakes, but keeps on with her work of loving and protecting her desert village. With flavors of the Old West and Celtic folklore and music, and a unique earth-based message, I loved the whole of it. My favorite part was when Gussy and Angeline play fiddle and sing together, improvising and creating their own song, because they are so alive and engrossed in the moment. There is a strong and show more lovely spirituality to this novel. Thank you, Jimmy Cajoleas, for the One Who Listens.

But don't assume from this gentle introduction that this book isn't full of adventure and excitement. There is that in plenty as Gussy must face her own fears and doubts, while trying to remain strong in the face of villagers who doubt her abilities as Protector, and stand up to the Great Doom who has immense powers. Gussy, Cricket, Connor, and Angeline are a young, but persistent and strong team who use their wits and hearts to help their community, and grow in themselves. show less

I was returning five books to the library, grateful to relieve my arms from the load of hardcovers and sharp, laminated edges, when Mrs. Oliva offered me a big bag of advanced reader copies to look through. Leave it to my favourite librarian to make my monday morning more bearable.
“I don’t have time to read these,” I sang to myself, pulling five more lonely books from the pile. Part of me felt guilty for signing my precious time away to the god of books… but a larger part of me loves show more reading too much to avoid a chance to add to my ever-growing hoard of literature. So, I left the library no lighter than I arrived, welcoming my fate as a prisoner of words. Included in this lovely collection was "The Good Demon" by Jimmy Cajoleas.
"The Good Demon" inevitably sifted itself to the top of my list. Sure, I had at least four others ahead of it, but this one looked so interesting. I hate to judge a book by its cover, but this one had a crucified cardinal bird splayed across it. Sorry, everyone, I couldn’t resist the temptation to enjoy its artistic appeal. Stone me (preferably with more books).
I sat down to read it. I got through about one hundred pages before looking up and realizing it was already six o’ clock and I hadn’t eaten dinner or started my homework. Needless to say, I got on it… After one more chapter.
This really is one of those books you cannot relinquish until you absolutely have to. The characters are intriguing, the plot is complex but easy to stay on top of, and Cajoleas’ writing style is deliciously captivating. I haven’t been able to relate to a character this much since I read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Hermione used a time-turner to complete all of the extra classes she wanted to take. This time, however, it wasn’t a love of academics that helped me form a personal connection with a character; it was emotional agony.
The sobriety of Clare’s trauma is heartbreaking. Whether or not you’ve experienced the same things she has, her pain is easily felt in the deepest memories of those who hear her story. The past is real and unmoving; but so is Clare’s thirst for companionship and acceptance. As she searches for her identity, what she at first believes to be her demon, readers are taken through lanes of truth that resonate within the shadowy innards of their own minds. Everyone will be able to find a part of themselves in Clare, teenagers, adults, and seniors alike.
Every character was excellently developed and realistic, there’s no doubt about that. Clare, as the main character and narrator holds the most important job, of course, but the supporting cast is just as influential. Cajoleas captures the essence of human duality extremely well, using the framework of good versus evil to enhance this point throughout the plot. This becomes especially effective when the characters haven’t yet deciphered their own alignment. His ability to show and express the phenomena of teenage morality being extremely fragile and malleable was above and beyond my expectations.
Cajoleas was able to write a strong, realistic female character fighting for her wants and needs without falling victim to cliches or stereotypes. I feel well-represented by the author, which makes me love this book even more. I was blown away by his use of the “flawed character” archetype; each of Clare’s strength had— or contributed to— one of her weaknesses. It flowed effortlessly well with the story’s tone and thematicism. The unique character arcs of this story are colossal achievements, in my opinion.
Throughout the story, we not only uncover who Clare is, but also why she has become this way. Trauma stabbed her innocence first. As with all things, this is where pain and confusion begins. A demon was welcomed in by a broken eight-year-old girl, an entity that claimed she could soothe those wounds and protect her forever. When “She”, the demon Clare so adores, is cast out by a reverend and his son, Roy, the wounds are stripped of their coating, and her anger blossoms into a desperate urge to reclaim what they stole. What dangerous side effects remain after these damaging events?
Can a demon whose presence left warmth and love in Clare’s soul be found and adopted once again? Should She be? Through a series of clues and tasks, readers come to find that the truth is not what it seems, not even after a reality-check. Heartbreak and horror crash through the pages of this undeniably tantalizing novel. The exorcism is prehistory in this book, so what other creatures lurk to test Clare and her only friend, Roy, the reverend’s son and accomplice? Passing through these pages is like flicking through a flip book animation. Illusion, perhaps, is the best way to find the truth; that no town is without its secrets, and no person is wholly good or wholly evil. Will Clare learn to trust others? Or will she finally trust her own intuition?
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the paranormal-fantasy genre, especially if they enjoy thrillers and mystery novels. There is definitely some gore and diabolical imagery, but if that only adds to your interest, than this will definitely be a good read for you to try. It includes beautiful black-and-white illustrations that bring understanding and depth to situations within the story, which is wonderful to refer to later on. It goes on sale for $19 on September 18th, 2018, but you are currently able to pre-order it on Amazon for $13.

Trigger warnings and potential “cons” for some readers that choose to read this book include:
- Drugs
- Overdose, death
- Alcoholism
- Parent death
- Loss of a child
- Death in general
- Emotional and physical abuse
- Rape, sexual assault
- Demonic and religious themes
- Occult themes
- Symbols/imagery of occult/religious significance

ISBN-10: 1419731270
ISBN-13: 978-1419731273
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Demon-Jimmy-Cajoleas/dp/1419731270

**I was given the opportunity to read and review this novel pre-publishing date. I was not paid to do this, and do not have any affiliation with the author, his publisher, or anyone else dealing with its production.** show less

The prose in this novel was so descriptive that I not only read it one sitting, but I felt as if I were transported into the book. This is a classic horror story with a twist. The writing is evocative of either Neil Gaiman or Stephen King. Kind of YA homage to both I suppose.

A demon has lived inside Clare since childhood. Once it's discovered a local preacher is called to get it out and the story begins with Clare just desperate to get her friend (the demon) back. For a long time, her demon show more was her only friend and had proved trustworthy and loyal.

While reading, I had the same thoughts that you get watching a horror movie; I adore that anticipatory lump in my throat as you mentally prepare for a good jump scare. You know, how you start to suspect one thing and then something worse happens? That's this book- delightfully creepy.

Probably an unconventional pairing, but reading this with Good Omens, and maybe some C.S. Lewis would make for some fun discussions about how quickly we humans can be tricked into almost anything by the supernatural or other humans.

Recommending this for older kids who like horror as a genre. There is alcohol, sex, and some scary spiritual imagery. Nothing gratuitous but possibly nightmare provoking. (if you love scary books this is a plus)

I just one-clicked the author's previous book Goldeline, sight unseen. It's MG, so I'll review it here too. I'm now a big fan,

Please note that I received a free advance E ARC of this book from Edelweiss without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book. show less

I had received an advanced copy of this audiobook from NetGalley but I missed downloading this audiobook before the archive date. I was finally able to listen to the audiobook because our public library purchased a copy, hurray for public libraries! This middle-grade, fantasy novel was really interesting. I love that Gussy believes that everything Grandpa Widow tells her is the truth, you should be able to believe in your family. It is only when she opens the gates to a stranger after dark show more that things get weird and she starts questioning everything. I liked the underlying environmental theme in regards to the Great Doom. I am looking forward to reading more books from Jimmy Cajoleas in the future. show less