Damned If You Do
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
Queer Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Filipino folklore in this horror comedy about a high school stage manager who accidentally sells her soul to a demon. Seven years ago, Cordelia Scott’s abusive father left without a word, and life has been normal ever since. The seventeen-year-old spends her days stage managing the school play (which is going great, if anyone asks), pining over her best friend, Veronica, and failing one too many pop quizzes. She’s never been sad that her father left, but she knows something is...missing. When her school guidance counselor, Fred, reveals during a session that he’s actually a demon, she learns that something is indeed missing: a piece of her actual soul. Why? She unwittingly made a deal with him to make her father disappear – then bargained to have the memory erased. To make matters worse, Fred is here to make another bargain: Help him with a “little” demonic problem, or she’s doomed to spend eternity in Hell with her father. The deal? Help Fred neutralize a rival demon, who means to do more harm in her hometown than your average demon deal.
Reviews with the most likes.
This is a YA Horror Comedy novel following Filipino-American teen Cordelia Scott. Cordelia is focused on her role as stage manager of the school play while neglecting her grades. Her teachers stage an intervention by the new guidance counselor Fred. Cordelia doesn't know that Fred is the demon who sent her father to hell seven years ago. Fred tells Cordelia that when they made the deal to send her father to hell, it also sent a part of Cordelia's soul to hell. She must complete her end of the deal to get the missing piece back, performing a favor for Fred. Fred wants her to help him trap the demon who created the town in a Maleficent figurine to prevent demon capitalism.
I enjoyed this book! I'm not a horror girly, so I was hesitant to read this ARC, but once I started reading, I could not put this novel down. Cordelia's pining for Veronica and her struggle with her perception of herself as a monster like her father for sending him to hell created an interesting tension throughout the plot. I liked the elements of Filipino folklore that were included. Cordelia's motley crew of friends was also interesting, and it would be cool to see what happens next. I would love to see Cordelia and her crew tackle the issue of Veronica being able to transform into an aswang.
I received a free copy of this book via Turn the Page Tours and am voluntarily leaving a review.
