Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Series #1) [NOOK Book]

Ugh.

I bought this book from the bargain table. I find so many good reads there! This wasn't one of them.

The characters are flat. The story is ok but no more than that. I would find my mind wandering at times while reading.

For me the writing lacks sophistication. The author is not without talent, but everything seemed really "dumbed down" for some reason.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fun read...

This book is a fun read for everyone. A mom with a secret past as a Demon Hunter trying to save the world and make a great dinner party makes this a funny but interesting story. The only issue I had is that the major action or climax occurs right at the end of the book in two pages and then the story is over. The author makes this huge effort to build a story line and once you hit the action part, it seems the author runs out of ideas or just wants to end it right away.
I still recommnd this book as a fun read...

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Jennifer Wardrip - Personal Read

There is nothing better than a romantic comedy that incorporates the paranormal, and Julie Kenner has penned a jackpot winner with CARPE DEMON. At times laugh-out-loud funny, once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down until I finished the last page-and then I wished it wasn't the end.

Kate Connor, on the surface, appears to be a pretty normal suburban mom. Mother to fourteen-year-old Alison and two-year-old Timmy, wife of Stuart, an assistant county attorney, and all-around chauffeur, nanny, housekeeper, and family pep squad rolled into one. It wasn't always that way, though. Kate was once a Level Four Demon Hunter, although no one knows it. It's the secret of secrets, and for the most part, Kate's pretty happy keeping it that way. Until one day, while shopping with the kids at the local Wal-Mart in San Diablo , California , she spots a demon.

Immediately, all sorts of questions are raised. Why would a demon willingly come to San Diablo? And, in fact, was it a demon at all? And does it have anything at all to do with her?

Sadly, Kate realizes way too soon that she's going to be forced out of demon-hunting retirement. Incorporeal demon Goramesh has come to California with one goal in mind, and it's up to Kate to figure out what he wants, find it before he does, rescue it, and send Goramesh back where he belongs.

Sounds easy, right? Not really, especially when you can't tell anyone what you're doing, including your husband, best friend, or children. Balancing home life has always been tricky enough, but now that there are murderous demons following her around, dodging her every step, life has become even more complicated.

I've heard that some readers have compared this story to a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer read, but I didn't get that feeling at all. What I read was a hilarious story of a stay-at-home-mom whose past comes back to bite her on the butt, with the risks being even higher than ever. For anyone who has ever been bored with their life, or has secrets from the past that they just wish would stay there, this book is for you.

Not to mention that it's just an all-around enjoyable story from a very talented author. Pick up a copy of CARPE DEMON today-you won't be disappointed.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

I have read an assortment of laugh out loud funny books like Charlaine Harris. But i Have to tell you, this one is at the top of the game. Little two year olds just add up to all of the humor.WHat a great book. California Demon here I come!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Somewhere amid the picket fences and well manicured lawns is not exactly where you expect to find a butt kicking demon hunter. Which sets the stage for a unique adventure that will have Moms from coast to coast occasionally day dreaming about turning in the diaper bag for some holy water and a sharp object! Kate Connor is certainly not the average stay-at-home Mother of two she appears to be. Keeping her past a secret from her husband and children became a lot harder on the eve of an all important dinner party. As a retired demon hunter, she should have paid more attention to her senses, when she noticed the strong stench of the undead while running through the local Wal-Mart. Much to her chagrin, the senior citizen demon would crash through the kitchen window as she prepared dinner for a group of eight that could easily make or break her husbands future political aspirations. While the perfect wine and proper table setting are essential to a successful dinner engagement - disposing of the body in the kitchen quickly became priority number one. Julie Kenner does an excellent job bringing the reader into the world of Kate Connor. With a great deal of personality we come to understand Kate on a deeper level. Examining her hopes and dreams, as well as, the regrets and inner turmoil created by the death of her first husband, it is easy to see that even butt-kicking demon hunters feel fear. Surrounded by secrets and concerned for the safety of her family, Kate worries that her carefully constructed cocoon cannot withstand an onslaught of demon assaults. I found a few minor glitches with the book. At times the plot line seems at odds with the characters. For example, the fact that Kate is a super-demon-slayer but was caught off guard by the demons that have infested San Diablo. The family¿s all too easy acceptance of a stranger into their lives, introduced as Kate¿s father-in-law from her first marriage, although she had previously stated that Eric had been an orphan And while not detracting from the story, the few typographical errors could easily be remedied. Julie Kenner is a talented writer that has taken the mundane daily to-do list of Mom¿s everywhere and spiced it up! After all is said and done the most important aspect of any book is the entertainment value - and Carpe Demon certainly has that! Filled with genuine laugh out loud moments, I enjoyed the book immensely and look forward to the second installment - ¿California Demon¿. I am anxious to be reunited with this cast of characters. On a personal note, I haven¿t laughed out loud so many times while reading a book, in a very long time! This book is a lot of fun and I feel sure the adventures will only get better from here!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Mindful of Geena Davis¿ Long Kiss Goodnight and Buffy

Trained in the Vatican, Kate became a Level Four demon hunter. Her kill rate one of the top until she met her match. Kate fell in love with her slaying peer Eric who returned her deepest feelings. They married, retired, and relocated to San Diablo, California. A demon hunter retiring is rare, but they do the unheard of; they even have a child Allie................ Allie is fourteen and Eric is dead while Kate has remarried and has a terrible two Timmy that is a result of her second marriage to attorney Stuart Connor, who is running for a County seat. Kate is a contented suburban soccer mom whose slayer days seem like a childhood dream. That changes when High Demon Goramesh ¿the decimator¿ visits her town. Now Kate is battling a demon horde that senses she is a hunter. Goramesh knows hunters kill if not killed............... Mindful of Geena Davis¿ Long Kiss Goodnight and Buffy, CARPE DEMON: ADVENTURES OF A DEMON-HUNTING SOCCER MOM is an amusing horror romance that grips the audience once the first demon arrives in the supermarket. Kate is a terrific heroine who is contented with the PTA, but soon has to use her latent skills to battle demon invaders who assault her house and threaten her children even while her spouse wonders what is going on. Amusing at times, Julie Kenner provides a fun otherworldly thriller that readers will treasure as they root for the soccer mom to defeat the demon horde.............. Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not badly written but not my thing and did not hold my interest.

Not badly written but not my thing and did not hold my interest. Not sure I accurately starred and do not want to slam what other readers might find a perfectly good read; but, the demon/paranormal portion very miniscule.

So basically a soccer mom tale including riding along with main character on stuff like picking up milk, finding a daycare, dealing with merged family. Not sure why another reviewer called it "romantic comedy" as current husband a bit on the cardboard side and except for one morning encounter that was apparently so out of the norm for their romance she started suspecting him--nothing really romantic. I am kinda suspicious that at one time was a regular fiction book that added some paranormal stuff to get published. And if it wanted to be romance or comedy or chick-lit or women's fiction -- it just should have. At my advanced middle age, a bit hard to accept that a woman who retired at least 15 years ago and never worked out since was immediately back in shape.

Dealing with teenagers and toddlers rang true; unfortunately, seen enough in real life to not be interested in reading so much of it in a fiction book I picked it up thinking that while likely silly would have some paranormal, comedy, romance type of plots that would hold up to being in a series I was hearing so much about. *ack* who wants to read carpool scheduling difficulties?

Fun story...

I love it when I get a good suggestion from a Nookbook. I decided to read this based on most the reviews and I must say it was great to read about her secret life and swing it all together with being the best mom & wife she can. Overall, its a good book. Lots of fun and good characters.

Highly recommended

I absolutely loved this book. The entire series was so full of humor, action, love... great reads! I was sad when the series ended. I will definitely read other books by this author.

Hilarious take on an Ex-Demon Hunter's Life

I really enjoyed this book. It was hilarious and full of action! A must-read book.

Nice fun read

This book was fun and easy to read. I found it funny and am going to pick up the next book in the series.

Demon series is terrific!!!!!!

Julie Kenner is superb--I read the first book and this one is even better--very exciting. Can't wait to start number 3. Being a mom with a teen daughter, I can relate to her character, Kate. Hope this series goes on and on.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Originally Posted on Romance Junkies

There is nothing better than a romantic comedy that incorporates the paranormal, and Julie Kenner has penned a jackpot winner with CARPE DEMON. At times laugh-out-loud funny, once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down until I finished the last page-and then I wished it wasn't the end. Kate Connor, on the surface, appears to be a pretty normal suburban mom. Mother to fourteen-year-old Alison and two-year-old Timmy, wife of Stuart, an assistant county attorney, and all-around chauffeur, nanny, housekeeper, and family pep squad rolled into one. It wasn't always that way, though. Kate was once a Level Four Demon Hunter, although no one knows it. It's the secret of secrets, and for the most part, Kate's pretty happy keeping it that way. Until one day, while shopping with the kids at the local Wal-Mart in San Diablo , California , she spots a demon. Immediately, all sorts of questions are raised. Why would a demon willingly come to San Diablo? And, in fact, was it a demon at all? And does it have anything at all to do with her? Sadly, Kate realizes way too soon that she's going to be forced out of demon-hunting retirement. Incorporeal demon Goramesh has come to California with one goal in mind, and it's up to Kate to figure out what he wants, find it before he does, rescue it, and send Goramesh back where he belongs. Sounds easy, right? Not really, especially when you can't tell anyone what you're doing, including your husband, best friend, or children. Balancing home life has always been tricky enough, but now that there are murderous demons following her around, dodging her every step, life has become even more complicated. I've heard that some readers have compared this story to a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer read, but I didn't get that feeling at all. What I read was a hilarious story of a stay-at-home-mom whose past comes back to bite her on the butt, with the risks being even higher than ever. For anyone who has ever been bored with their life, or has secrets from the past that they just wish would stay there, this book is for you. Not to mention that it's just an all-around enjoyable story from a very talented author. Pick up a copy of CARPE DEMON today-you won't be disappointed.

Courtesy of Romance Junkies

There is nothing better than a romantic comedy that incorporates the paranormal, and Julie Kenner has penned a jackpot winner with CARPE DEMON. At times laugh-out-loud funny, once I started reading this book I couldn¿t put it down until I finished the last page¿and then I wished it wasn¿t the end. Kate Connor, on the surface, appears to be a pretty normal suburban mom. Mother to fourteen-year-old Alison and two-year-old Timmy, wife of Stuart, an assistant county attorney, and all-around chauffeur, nanny, housekeeper, and family pep squad rolled into one. It wasn¿t always that way, though. Kate was once a Level Four Demon Hunter, although no one knows it. It¿s the secret of secrets, and for the most part, Kate¿s pretty happy keeping it that way. Until one day, while shopping with the kids at the local Wal-Mart in San Diablo, California, she spots a demon. Immediately, all sorts of questions are raised. Why would a demon willingly come to San Diablo? And, in fact, was it a demon at all? And does it have anything at all to do with her? Sadly, Kate realizes way too soon that she¿s going to be forced out of demon-hunting retirement. Incorporeal demon Goramesh has come to California with one goal in mind, and it¿s up to Kate to figure out what he wants, find it before he does, rescue it, and send Goramesh back where he belongs. Sounds easy, right? Not really, especially when you can¿t tell anyone what you¿re doing, including your husband, best friend, or children. Balancing home life has always been tricky enough, but now that there are murderous demons following her around, dodging her every step, life has become even more complicated. I¿ve heard that some readers have compared this story to a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer read, but I didn¿t get that feeling at all. What I read was a hilarious story of a stay-at-home-mom whose past comes back to bite her on the butt, with the risks being even higher than ever. For anyone who has ever been bored with their life, or has secrets from the past that they just wish would stay there, this book is for you. Not to mention that it¿s just an all-around enjoyable story from a very talented author. Pick up a copy of CARPE DEMON today¿you won¿t be disappointed.

It's Buffy AFTER 30!!!!

Loved it. Page turner, didn't want to put it down, and i didn't. I could feel Kate's frustation and paranoia seep out of the pages. Totally wanted to punch out that mom with the little girl, negotiating with a two year old, when will they learn?

Discover your inner demon slayer with Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-hunting Soccer Mom

Booster Seat: Check Diaper Bag: Check Holy Water and Super-size Pack of Wooden Stakes: Check Kate Connor¿s life is pretty much what you¿d expect for a desperate housewife holed up in suburbia if you don¿t look too closely behind that white picket fence. Like many suburban housewives, Kate¿s got two kids (pre-teen Alison and toddler Timmy), a second husband, an endless errand list and a past she¿d rather leave behind. But Kate doesn¿t have just any ordinary secret¿the skeletons in her closet come reeking of demon breath and are hell-bent on revenge. Meet Kate Conner, a San Diablo, CA soccer mom and former Level Four Demon Hunter¿think Buffy, fifteen years after annihilating the demon-infested town of Sunnydale¿who has hung up her wooden stakes and Holy Water to live a quasi-normal life in the peaceful realm of San Diablo, a peaceful slice of suburban California. But Kate is jolted out of her self-imposed demon-busting retirement when she fails to notice a stray demon stalking her in the pet food aisle of Wal-Mart. No big deal, until said demon comes crashing through her kitchen window, interrupting her attempts at a last minute, gourmet dinner party that will help her second husband, Stuart, in his run for County Attorney. And the worst news is yet to come. It seems the demon didn¿t come alone, and Goramesh, the high demon and supreme baddie, is out for the soul of San Diablo. With her family threatened and dinner ruined, Kate has no choice but to dust off her demon-hunting gear, dispose of a dead demon, clean up the kitchen and pull together a dinner party. Where is Martha Stewart when you need her? With the fate of her family, San Diablo and the world at stake, Kate accepts the help of some friends who rise to the tasks in spite of themselves, and her daughter, Alison, who is more responsible than her years and always second in command. Kate and her unlikely band of defenders must find the big baddie, Goramesh, figure out what he¿s after and end his takeover of peaceful San Diablo, all the while keeping Kate¿s secret. In a world dominated by male superheroes masked in form-fitting Lycra, Kate Connor comes crashing onto the scene dressed as a suburban housewife and in full demon butt-kicking, party crashing mode. Now, we¿re waiting for Allie¿s story¿could she be the next in line for Buffy¿s job? When reading Carpe Demon, you¿ll laugh. You¿ll scream. You¿ll want to kick some demon butt. Film rights have been sold to 1942 Pictures and Warner Brothers. Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom By Julie Kenner Berkley Books, July 5, 2005 Trade Paperback Original

Carpe Demon Rocks

Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner is a fast paced, hysterically funny book.___ Kate Connor is a typical suburban mom, she has a loving husband, a teenager and a toddler. Her life is filled to the max. Kate thought she had left her former demon hunting life behind her when she retired. Strange things are happening in her quite town of San Diablo, Ca. Kate is thrust back into her old life when the demons are hunting her. ___ Besides keeping this little secret from her friends and family, she needs to get back in demon fighting shape. Watching Kate trying to juggle all of this is a riot. She enlists her neighbor to help her research what the demons are looking to find. Laura is the perfect sidekick, she will take payment in desert. _____ This book was a blast to read. I wasn¿t sure if it would be the book for me since I never watched Buffy and the like. Boy was I wrong, I just loved it, it made me laugh out loud so many times. The wit and charm of Carpe Demon is delightful. I really enjoyed everything about this book. I will be looking for more from this author.___

You will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one.

Once upon a time Kate had grown up and trained at the Vatican. She was a Level Four Demon Hunter. She fell in love with another Hunter, Eric. They destroyed more than their share of demons, zombies ... you name it. Eventually they married and had a baby, Alison 'Allie'. Thus they retired. (Few lived long enough to retire.) They chose to live in San Diablo, California, a town famous for its holy relics. ............................................. Years have passed. Allie is now fourteen-years-old with all the normal teen troubles. Eric is dead. Kate has married Stuart Connor and they have a two-year-old son, Timmy. Stuart is going to run for the County Attorney seat. Kate has a normal family in a normal town with normal suburban problems. For over fourteen years her days have been filled with diapers, bake sales, and PTA meetings. Her nights have been filled with more diapers, taxi service for Allie and her friends, and trying to be the perfect wife of a man with political aspirations. If not for her best friend and neighbor, Laura Dupont, to support her emotionally and help out with the kids, Kate would no longer have any hair to pull out. During all that time Kate has not seen, smelled, heard of, or killed any demons. NO ONE knew about her past career. But that is about to change. ............................................. One of the High Demons, Goramesh 'the decimator', is in town. Kate has demons coming through her kitchen windows and attacking her at the trash can outside. Somehow, the demons knew she had once been a Hunter. Kate's reflexes are still there, but not nearly sharp enough to deal with a demon invasion! Kate has no choice. It is time to go back to work. .................................................................... ...................... ***** If you like Charlaine Harris's 'Sookie Stackhouse' series and the 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' TV series, then you going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one! Kate has lots of dry sarcasm and hilarious wit that kept me alternating between laughing aloud and biting my nail down to the quick. I feel sorry for anyone who misses out on this priceless gem. *****

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