Review: A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 2) by Shannon Mae

Rating: 4.5🌈

I love it when the author improves upon the original themes and world building they originate in the first novel of the series. In A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 2), Mae continues with the humor of humans and demons finding each other their eternal soulmate, and all that entails.

But here in Mistakenly Summoned Demons, she ups the heart factor, emphasizing the importance of emotional connections and the depth of their relationship to each other and ones family. Whatever that means.

The humor and laughter is still here, but the serious topics and larger issues are always present. Not to pull down or burden the characters or storylines, but to underline their various roles, or themes within the plot.

Gabe is a perfect example. Having his marvelous grandmother summon a lust demon for his birthday, it’s not going according to plan. Gabe’s newest companion is asking Gabe to explore his sexuality, to think about how and why he’s not had a fulfilling sexual relationship or any at all. How this is done, by letting human Gabe and the Infernal King of Hell, Prince of Lust, Asmodeus, get to know each other as friends, gradually becoming more deeply acquainted (yes, it’s not just any ol’ demon).

They do start to work on Gabe’s idea of what he finds sexually attractive (there’s some kink) and it’s very hot! However, it’s also character driven with a sharp focus on plot growth and series world building. Mae throws in some fabulous plot twists and great new character developments . She’s building a group of characters who will eventually find their soulmates too. And by doing that, add to a greater pattern.

I am so enamored of Gabe and As that I’m thrilled to hear from the author they will be popping up again in the other books. They are simply amazing and too good to contain to one story.

So far there’s three ready and more planned. I’m so excited to see what happens next.

Absolutely recommending the series. Read them in the order they are written.

Check out the great covers and dates for book three to drop!

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures:

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2

◦ A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades #3-Oct 5,2023

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A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 2)

Description:

Gabriel:

Mistakenly summoning a lust demon was not on Gabe’s to-do list, but with a meddling grandmother, he’s gotten used to the unexpected. The real trouble begins when Gabe realizes exactly who he’s summoned. What’s a guy supposed to do when an Infernal King of Hell has decided he’s staying and wants to follow Gabe around like a stray puppy? Add having a job as a teacher, living in a family of meddlers, and dealing with a bureaucratic underworld, and Gabe is about ready to lose his patience. When the Prince of Lust decides he’s going to help Gabe figure out his sexuality, though, things really start to get interesting. Maybe mistakenly summoning a demon wasn’t the worst thing to happen after all.

Asmodeus:

Asmodeus has dealt with humans and their lust since they were first created, and he has never met someone immune to his powers. So when he’s forcibly summoned (which should be impossible), and he realizes he has no power whatsoever over the human (which hasn’t happened before), he’s more than a little intrigued. No way is he going back to hell when he’s found such a mystery. When he realizes that Gabe is confused about his own sexuality, Az happily decides to help him figure it out. Who better than a lust demon for the job, after all? If Az happens to get slightly obsessed with his human in the process, who’s going to tell him he can’t keep the guy? Now Az just needs to convince Gabe that keeping a lust demon around forever is the perfect plan.

Tags: A lust demon meets his match in a human who experiences limited sexual attraction; Grams cannot be trusted when she’s in the kitchen; siblings are annoying; Az doesn’t understand why Gabe thinks a demon shouldn’t pretend to be a high school teacher; sexuality is not always clear cut; Az likes to watch, and maybe Gabe does too; exploring what checks your boxes can be tons of fun with the right person (or demon).