I stumbled upon Demon Summer by J.J. Buffet (which, by the way, is a pen name). I mean, I think you pronounce it “buf-fey” since their main theme is food.
Anyway, I’m getting off topic. Demon Summer caught me with its fantastic cover page and intrigued me. It seemed they were going for a Stranger Things, Goosebumps mash-up vibe, but set in the present.
So, what is Demon Summer about? And what are my opinions on it? Well, let me tell you.
Here is their cartoony book trailer. It’s a lot better than what this trailer is showing you, trust me.
Demon Summer Review
I thoroughly enjoyed Demon Summer. It was a fun light read with bouncy characters, fun twists and turns, and a good pace. So if you’re looking for horror-lite, check out Demon Summer.
This book definitely falls under the YA category, which I don’t usually mind. As long as the story is good, I’m okay with it.
Demon Summer features humor, darkness, blood and gore, action, and some lighthearted scenarios. It definitely made me feel like this is a book you should read during the summertime.
If that’s what you’re looking for. You’ll love Demon Summer by J.J. Buffet.
Demon Summer Plotline
So, what’s Demon Summer about?
The book is about Zane. He recently inherited a house in Paradise Falls from an uncle he doesn’t know. Zane now believes it would be the fresh start he needs. He has a job lined up at Snaxtime, a popular fast-food chain.
When he arrives, he becomes best friends with his coworkers, especially Star and Dexter.
While they are having fun, passing the time, and looking for things to keep the day going, they stumble upon an old book filled with bizarre recipes.
They try a couple that create an addictive sauce the entire town loves. But when they try doing it again, they add extra ingredients which cause an ancient succubus with a craving for male flesh to waken from the dead. Now, she’s on the loose, wreaking havoc throughout the town!
Demon summer characters
I loved all the characters. Zane, Star, Dexter, and Hunter (who arrives late in the book) are well thought out. They feel bubbly and fun.
The dialogue is witty and funny. It doesn’t feel forced like other books. The scenes flow. And it’s also a page-turner.
I got through it in two days, and I’m a slow reader.
We need to talk about Zane and Hunter
Spoiler alert: Skip this section if you don’t want to read spoilers about Demon Summer.
Okay. So, back to my review. I loved that Zane was so in love with Hunter. It introduced a sense of unexpected homoeroticism that shocked me. I seriously thought more was going to happen between the two.
The sexual tension was there in every conversation. The fact that he stops having a crush on Star because he can’t wait to hang out with Hunter thrilled me.
It made me feel like the first time I read Twilight, and Bella meets Edward, and she completely falls head over heels for him. It was a totally innocent love. So pure, and I wanted to see where it went.
Ultimately, I’m glad things evolved the way they did, because I enjoyed reading about the succubus and the town’s history and how the characters are bound (in specific ways) by it.
Although I saw some of the twists coming, I enjoyed them anyway.
What I Didn’t Like
I think it’s a double-edged sword when you read a light book that’s easy to get through. On one hand, it goes by fast. On the other hand, light by definition means there’s no depth to it. It’s not a complicated book. I don’t want to use the word superficial because it’s not. But in a sense, it was very “surfacy.” The topics covered, as well as the action, horror, and plotline, although fun, didn’t strike me as particularly deep in any way.
When I read Twilight (I am by no means comparing the two, this is just an example), it had depth and soul that you could feel. I only got that from Zane and Hunter, but the rest didn’t feel like that. I hope that makes sense.
Another thing I didn’t like so much is that the succubus was somewhat absent. The author should’ve fleshed out the succubus character a little more. She wasn’t around much, and we love some scary succubus demon chick that eats men.
Final Verdict
I liked Demon Summer, but I didn’t love it. And that’s not a criticism. Not everything is for everyone. I’m simply trying to offer you, my fellow reader, a well-rounded perspective, in case you’re wondering if you should buy it.
Am I glad I read it? Yes. It was a nice ride. I felt like I went on vacation to a nice lakeside town called Paradise Falls. Ultimately, in my opinion, I feel that every book should transport you somewhere. And I’m glad Demon Summer did that for me.
If you want to check out their website, I’ll leave it here: https://snaxtime.com
How am I rating Demon Summer? I’m giving it 3 out 5.
How many stars would you give Demon Summer? Leave your review in the comments below.
