Rating: 4.5🌈
This is probably my favorite of Shannon Mae’s Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures series. A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades picks up after the traumatic events that almost destroyed soulmates demon Az and nephelilim Gabe.
Now older brother Michael is dealing with the emotional fallout from his part in those events. And the author ‘s ability to make the reader feel Michael’s turmoil and anguish is a turning point for this character and hook for the story.
Michael beforehand wasn’t a particularly likable person. But we didn’t know him. Now, through some quiet, poignant scenes , we not only understand what’s been the motivations driving his entire life, but the price this life has cost him in terms of emotional isolation and separation from everyone around him. He’s so lonely. And he’s only now realizing how he got here.
Immediately Mae pulls the reader into sorrowful plight that’s Michael’s story and invests us with the touching journey ahead. That it involves a merrymaking chaos revenge demon, Ari, a paranormal force we met before, makes it fantastically delightful.
Michael and Ari are the quintessential opposites couple that we absolutely adore. Chaos on one side, order on the other. One musses up the need for total control , one helps bring a bit of manageability to utter pandemonium. And we get to be a part of the journey.
It’s a process that happens to also involve a mystery as their relationship develops. It’s a terrific element because it allows Michael to reconnect with his family and become the best person he was meant to be. Along with Ari at his side as his soulmate.
I was just thinking about how much I was connected to these characters, their relationship, and those around them. Mae has done a fantastic job in expanding her universe and overall theme while keeping the reader focused on the particular narrative at hand.
Plus there’s still so many great characters that need their own romantic stories told. Two more are definitely in the works, one coming out in December.
Shannon Mae is an author to put on your list if you’re a fan of paranormal fiction and romantic adventures. Make sure to include this series on the TBR list ! I’m definitely recommending it. Read them in the order that they are written.
Cute covers!
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
◦ A Beginner’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Demons: A Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Novella – Dec 18, 2023
Buy Link
Blurb:
Arioch:
Arioch loves his job; creating chaos and encouraging revenge is fun, and if he pranks a few demons, angels, and humans along the way, all the better. When an archangel shows up with a message from god, Arioch knows he ought to take it seriously, but what’s the fun in that? Michael, the human he’s supposed to help, takes everything seriously enough for both of them, and Arioch is determined to teach the guy how to have a little fun with life. If he starts to fall for the human along the way, well, another human-demon pairing can only cause more chaos, which is definitely Ari’s specialty. Now he just has to convince Michael that although the two of them are polar opposites, they actually work perfectly together.
Michael:
Michael has been the dependable, practical older brother his entire life; he took the weight of the world on his shoulders when he was too young to realize how heavy the burden would be. If he can guarantee happiness for his siblings, that will be enough for him, even if all he can see in his own future is loneliness. However, when Michael realizes that someone from the afterlife lied to him and attempted to cause his family harm, he is determined to do something about it. With the help of a certain demon, maybe he can figure out who targeted his family and get a little revenge. He’ll just have to refrain from killing the demon that is messing up his perfectly ordered existence. When the cheerful prankster actually starts looking attractive to Michael, maybe he’ll finally step out of his comfort zone and find out how fun chaos can actually be.
Tags: Michael is serious about revenge, and Arioch isn’t serious about anything; opposites attract; maybe being impractical for once in his life won’t kill Michael (and if it does, at least he’ll have a demon to keep him company in the afterlife); meddling families are annoying; Michael has never done that before, but Arioch would be happy to show him how it all works.
• Publication date: October 30, 2023
• Print length: 246 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 