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Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.
What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.
But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
“Fun and entertaining . . . the fight for Frannie’s soul isn’t going to be easy, and the excitement doesn’t stop. Good versus evil shouldn’t be this much fun, but it is! A hot debut.”—Maria V. Snyder, New York Times bestselling author of Fire Study
Lisa Desrochers is the author of the young adult fantasy novel Original Sin. She lives in central California with her husband and two very busy daughters. She can always be found with a book in her hand, and she adores stories that take her to new places and then take her by surprise. Growing up all over the United States inspired wanderlust and Desrochers loves to travel, which works out well since she lectures internationally on a variety of health care topics. Lisa Desrochers has a doctorate in physical therapy and maintains a full time practice.
PERSONAL DEMONS
1
Original Sin LUC
If there’s a Hell on Earth, it’s high school. And if there’s anyone distinctly qualified to make that statement, it would be me. I draw a deep breath—mostly out of habit since demons don’t have to breathe—then look up at the threatening sky, hoping it’s a good omen, and pull open the heavy security door. The dingy halls are quiet since the first bell rang almost five minutes ago. It’s just me, the metal detector, and a hunched wisp of a security guard in a rumpled blue uniform. He hauls himself out of his cracked plastic chair, looks me over, and scowls.
“You’re late. ID,” he says in a three-pack-a-day rasp.
I stare him down for a few seconds, sure I could blow him over with a whisper, and I can’t suppress a smile when beads of sweat sprout on his pasty forehead. I’m glad to see I’ve still got the touch even though I’m getting really sick of this job. Five millennia in the same gig will do that to a demon. For this trip, though, the fact that failure will result in dismemberment and the Fiery Pit is all the motivation I need.
“New,” I say.
“Put your bag on the table.”
I shrug, showing him my hands. No bag.
“Give me your belt. Studs’ll set off the detector.”
I pull off my belt and toss it at the old man as I walk through the metal detector. He hands it back and hacks, “Go straight to the office.”
“No problem,” I say, already walking away.
I slide my belt back on and push through the office door. It bangs sharply off the cracked wall and the ancient receptionist looks up, startled. “Can I help you?”
The office is just as drab and poorly lit as the halls except for the brightly colored notices that cover every inch of plaster like psychedelic wallpaper. There’s a nameplate declaring the receptionist is Marian Seagrave, and I swear I can hear her joints creak as she pulls herself out of her chair. She’s got more wrinkles than a shar-pei and the requisite short, blue, curly hair of all hundred-year-old women. Her round body is clad in the uniform of the ancients: turquoise polyester slacks and a matching floral blouse neatly tucked in.
I meander up to the counter and lean toward her. “Luc Cain. First day,” I say, flashing my winning smile—the one that always keeps mortals just a little off balance.
She stares for just a second before finding her voice. “Oh . . . welcome to Haden High, Luc. Let me pull up your schedule.”
She bangs on her computer keyboard and the printer buzzes to life. It spits out my schedule—the same schedule I’ve had for the last hundred years, since the advent of the modern education system. I do my best to feign interest as she hands it to me and says, “Here it is, and your locker number and combination too. You’ll need to collect an admit slip from each of your teachers and bring it back here at the end of the day. You’ve already missed homeroom, so you should go right to your first class. Let’s see . . . yes, senior English with Mr. Snyder. Room 616. That’s in building six, just out the door to the right.”
“Will do,” I say, smiling. It won’t hurt to stay on administration’s good side. You never know when they might be useful.
The bell rings as I make my way out the door into the now bustling halls, and the scents of the sea of teenage humanity hit me in waves. There’s the tangy citrus of fear, the bitter garlic of hate, the anise of envy, and ginger—lust. Lots of potential.
I work in Acquisitions, but it isn’t usually my job to tag them, just to sow the seeds and start them down the fiery path. I get them going on the little ones. Starter sins, if you will. Not enough to tag their souls for Hell, but enough to send them in our direction eventually. I don’t even need to use my power . . . not that I’d feel guilty if I did. Guilt isn’t in the demonic repertoire of emotions. It just feels more honest when they come to sin of their own volition. Again, not that I care about being honest. It’s just too easy the other way.
In truth, the rules are clear. Unless their souls are tagged, we can’t force mortals to do anything out of character or manipulate their actions in any way. For the most part, all I can do with my power is cloud their thoughts, blur the line between right and wrong just a little. Anyone who says the devil made them do it is feeding you a line.
I stroll the hall, taking in the scents of teenage sin, so thick in the air I can taste them. All six of my senses buzz with anticipation. Because this trip is different. I’m here for one soul in particular and, as I make my way toward building 6, a crackle of red-hot energy courses through me—a good sign. I take my time, walking slowly through the throng and scoping out prospects, and am the last to arrive in class, just at the bell.
Room 616 is no brighter than the rest of the school, but at least an attempt has been made at decorating. Prints of Shakespeare’s plays—only the tragedies, I notice—grace the walls. The desks are grouped in twos and are nearly full. I walk up the center aisle to Mr. Snyder’s desk, holding out my schedule. He turns his slender face toward me, glasses perched just at the tip of his long, straight nose.
“Luc Cain. I need an admit slip . . . or something?” I say.
“Cain . . . Cain . . .” He rakes a hand through his thinning gray hair and scans down his class roster, finding my name. “Here you are.” He hands me a yellow admit slip, a composition book, and a copy of The Grapes of Wrath and looks at his roster again. “Okay, you’ll be seated between Mr. Butler and Miss Cavanaugh.” Then he stands, pushing up his glasses and smoothing the unsmoothable creases in his white button-down and khakis. “All right, class,” he announces. “We’re shifting seats. Everyone from Miss Cavanaugh up will shift one seat to your right. You’ll all have a new essay partner for the rest of the semester.”
Many of the good little lemmings grumble, but they all do as they’re told. I sit in the seat Mr. Snyder motions to, between Mr. Butler—a tall, skinny kid with glasses, bad skin, and obvious self-esteem issues—and Miss Cavanaugh, whose sapphire-blue eyes stare straight into mine. No self-esteem issues there. I feel the play of hot electricity under my skin as I stare back, sizing her up. And her size is definitely petite, with wavy, sandy-blond hair that she’s tied in a knot at the base of her neck, fair skin, and fire. A definite prospect. Our desks are grouped together, so it looks like I’ll have plenty of opportunity to feel her . . . out.
FRANNIE
Okay, so I’m not generally the swooning type, but Holy Mother of God, I can’t believe what just walked into my English class. Tall, dark, and sorta dangerous. Mmm . . . nothing like a little eye candy in the morning to get the day off to a sweet start—and possibly rot my brain. And, bonus. Apparently we’re gonna be essay partners, ’cause obsessive-compulsive Mr. Snyder is having me move down a seat to make room for him. God forbid we should ever be out of alphabetical order.
My eyes work slowly over his black T-shirt and jeans, not to mention the body underneath—very nice—as he saunters over and sits to my left. He folds his tall frame into the attached desk and chair with the grace of a sly black cat, and I swear the temperature in here just shot up ten degrees. The dim classroom lights glint faintly off the three steel bars piercing the outside corner of his right eyebrow as he stares at me through silky black bangs with the blackest eyes I’ve ever seen.
Mr. Snyder paces the front of the room for a moment, taking silent roll, then says, “Pull out your composition books and The Grapes of Wrath. Since Mr. Steinbeck was unable to find a convenient place for a chapter break in the seventy-one pages of chapter twenty-six, you’ll recall we arbitrarily imposed one at the end of page 529. Today, we’ll be reading the rest of the chapter in class and outlining Steinbeck’s major points.”
Mystery Boy looks away, finally, and I feel like I’ve been ransacked—but not in a bad way, if that makes any sense. I feel like he just checked me out from the inside out and maybe kinda liked what he saw.
“Miss Cavanaugh, care to join us?”
Mr. Snyder’s voice is like a bucket of cold water to my face—which I probably needed, ’cause things were getting kinda steamy inside. “Um . . . what?”
“Nice write-up in the Boston Globe yesterday. I think they captured the essence of your program nicely. I especially liked the picture,” he says with a smile. “Will you start the reading off, please? Page 530.”
I look around and everyone has their books open, even Mystery Boy. Mine’s still in my book bag. So, I’m also not usually the blushing type, but I feel my cheeks burn as I pull it out, flip it open, and start reading. My mouth articulates Steinbeck’s description of the preacher Casy’s death at the hands of a pick-handle-wielding stranger as his friend, Tom, looks on. But my mind only vaguely registers any of it, ’cause I’m keenly aware of Mystery Boy, sitting only a foot away, staring at me. I stumble on the words when he leans closer and I catch a hint of cinnamon. Mmm . . .
Mr. Snyder comes to my rescue. “Thank you, Miss Cavanaugh.” His eyes scan the room.
Pick Mystery Boy.
He smiles at me, then his gaze shifts to Mystery Boy. “Mr. Cain, will you continue please.”
Mystery Boy’s still looking at me, a wry smile just turning up the corners of his lips. “Certainly,” he says, and his voice sounds like warm honey, smooth and sticky-sweet, as he starts reading. But his eyes don’t shift from mine to the book right away. “Tom looked down at the preacher. The light crossed the heavy man’s legs and the white new pick handle. Tom leaped silently. He wrenched the club free. The first time he knew he had missed and struck a shoulder, but the second time his crushing blow found the head, and as the heavy man sank down, three more blows found his head . . .”
He seems like he’s enjoying the gruesome passage. Savoring it, really. Mr. Snyder closes his eyes and looks as though he’s meditating. He lets Mystery Boy read through the end of the chapter, which is much longer than anyone else has read all year. I glance around the room and everyone—even tough guy, smart-ass Marshal Johnson—seems hypnotized.
“Would you like me to continue to chapter twenty-seven, Mr. Snyder?” Mystery Boy asks, and Mr. Snyder snaps abruptly out of his trance.
“Oh . . . no. Thank you, Mr. Cain. That will be sufficient. Beautifully done. All right, class, the chapter outline on Mr. Steinbeck’s major themes in the second half of chapter twenty-six is to be finished before class tomorrow morning. You have the rest of the period to work.”
Mystery Boy turns toward me, closing his book, and I get caught in his eyes for a second. “So, Miss Cavanaugh, do you have a first name?”
“Frannie. You?”
“Luc.”
“It’s good to meet you. That was a nice little trick.”
“What?” His eyes flash as a beautifully wicked grin spreads across his face.
“Reading without looking at the book.”
He shifts back in his seat, and his grin falters slightly. “You’re mistaken.”
“No, actually, I’m not. You didn’t even glance at the book till you were on the second sentence, and you were behind turning the pages. Why would you memorize Steinbeck?”
“I haven’t.” He’s such a liar, but before I can call him on it, he changes the subject. “Why a Globe article?”
“It’s no big deal. Just a thing where we send letters to kids in Pakistan. Kind of like pen pals, I guess. Mostly, it’s a way of helping us understand each other . . . you know, our cultures and stuff.”
There’s a cynical edge to his expression. “Really.”
“You want a name?” I shuffle through my bag and come out with a folder. “I have a few more.”
“Let me think about it. I’m assuming we’re essay partners, whatever that means?”
“Guess so.” Despite the freaky reading-without-looking thing, I’m not about to complain. He’s definitely a step or twenty up from Aaron Daly, who has taken his bad sinuses across the aisle and is now sniffling all over Jenna Davis’s composition book instead of mine. “We’re supposed to discuss the reading and come up with a chapter outline with all the major points. Mr. Snyder’s big into discussing things,” I say, rolling my eyes. That’s all for show, though, ’cause I’m seriously into discussing things with Mystery Boy. “So . . . what do you think of Tom’s conundrum?”
I write “Frannie and Luke—Chapter 26-2 outline” on the top of an empty page in my composition book.
He raises an eyebrow, slides my pen out from between my fingers, crosses out “Luke,” and writes “Luc” above it.
LUC
I watch her write “Frannie and Luke 26-2 outline” in her composition book, and for some reason it really bothers me that she spelled my name wrong. I fix it before answering her. “I think he made some choices that he’s now got to pay the consequences for.” One of which is eternity burning in the Abyss.
She looks at me, all incredulity. “Just that simple, huh? No extenuating circumstances. No second chances?”
“Nope. Don’t believe in second chances.” The Underworld’s not big on that concept.
She shifts back in her chair and folds her arms across her chest, scrutinizing me. “You’ve never made a mistake? Done something you were sorry for?”
“Nope.”
“Everybody has something they wish they could undo.”
I lean toward her and gaze into those sapphire eyes. “What do you wish you could undo, Frannie?”
She shudders when I say her name, and I realize I’m being unfair. I pushed a little power at her without really meaning or needing to. But I like the reaction.
When she replies there’s more than a hint of pain in her tone, and the faint scent of rose—sadness. I search deep in those eyes to find the root of it. “Lots of things,” she says without breaking her gaze.
For some reason, out of the blue, I don’t want her to hurt. I feel Hell-bent on making her happy. Just the tiniest push is all it would take . . .
Stop it. Where the Hell did that come from? I don’t even recognize the sensation that passed with that thought. Demons don’t have feelings. Not like that, anyway. This isn’t a charity mission . . . I’m here for a clear purpose, and Miss Frannie Cavanaugh is showing promise. Lots of promise. As a matter of fact, I’m starting to hope she’s The One. And as the bell rings I realize, to my own astonishment, that it’s her eyes holding me locked here instead of the other way around. This is going to be interesting.
She blinks as if startled from a dream and looks down at her empty composition book. “So . . . I guess we didn’t get too far.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” I push my book across the desk.
She reads the ten bullet points listed there in block print under the heading “Frannie Cavanaugh and Luc Cain, Steinbeck’s Themes—Chapter 26-2” and scowls.
“Oh . . . well, I guess these look okay.” Incredulous again. She’s fiery for sure. I like a little fire. Makes me feel at home. “Have you found your locker yet in this rat maze?” she says, throwing her books into her book bag and standing.
“Haven’t looked for it.” I hold up my only possessions: my composition book and The Grapes of Wrath.
“Well, it’ll only get worse, so unless you wanna lug all your stuff around with you, I could help you find it.”
I pull the slip of paper with the locker number and combo on it out of my back pocket as we walk together to the door. “Number . . . hmm.” I smile. The mortal world is so droll sometimes.
“What?”
“666,” I say, and she looks at me funny.
“Oh. That’s right there.” She points across the hall. “Right next to mine.”
And even though I know fate is a crock—nothing but an excuse for mortals to make choices they wouldn’t otherwise make—this is a sign. I look at her more closely. If she’s The One, which is starting to look more likely, I need to tag her soul for Hell before some filthy angel beats me to it. Which roughly translates into now. Because the fact that she’s been so difficult to locate probably means she’s being Shielded by them. If they’re Shielding her, they’re watching her. It won’t be long before they know I’ve found her. I scan the crowded hall. So many prospects, but no angels—so far.
She starts across the hall to her locker and I hang back to admire the view for a few seconds before following her. She is petite—maybe five-two. Nearly a foot shorter than my human form. But she’s no little girl. There are curves in all the right places.
I laugh at myself. Although lust is one of the seven deadly sins, it’s not the one that got me where I am and not something I’ve experienced often in the seven millennia I’ve existed—though I’ve used it to my advantage a few thousand times. This is going to be fun.
I stride across the hall and catch her just as she reaches her locker. I spin the lock on mine a few times, and it springs open.
“How’d you do that?” she asks, like she could possibly know I used my power.
“What?”
“I had that locker at the beginning of the year and switched ’cause the lock was broken.”
“Hmm. They must have fixed it.” I’ll need to be more careful. This mortal is extraordinarily observant. I slipped up in class by not keeping my eyes on the book—which she’d noticed because her eyes weren’t on the book either. And again with the locker, because as I try the real combination, I find she’s right: it is indeed broken.
She looks skeptical. “Yeah, I guess, except they never fix anything around here. Welcome to Hades High.”
What the Hell? “Excuse me? Hades High?”
“Yeah, get it? Haden High—Hades High. It’s just one letter, but it so much more accurately describes this hellhole.”
“Hmm.”
“Well, wouldn’t you agree?” She gestures to the cracking plaster, peeling paint, burned-out lightbulbs, gouged gray linoleum, and dented gray metal lockers surrounding us.
“Well, it looks like I’ve chosen just the place, then.” A grin stretches my face. How perfect is it that my target goes to a high school nicknamed Hell? This is too rich.
She looks away and reaches into her locker, but she can’t hide the smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “If your ‘just the place’ is this crappy, washed-up fishing town, then you’re more pathetic than I would have guessed.”
I laugh—I can’t help it—and then shudder when I catch a hint of Frannie’s ginger. Mmm . . . pathetic must be her type.
“How come you had to change schools a month before graduation?”
I smile inwardly. “Business.”
“Your father’s?” she presses.
“In a manner of speaking.”
She looks at me and her brow furrows as she tries to figure out what that means. Then she pushes her locker shut with a crash. “So . . . what’s your next class?”
I pull my schedule out of my back pocket and shake it open. “Looks like calculus, room 317.”
“Oooh, you have Mrs. Felch. Sooo sorry.”
“Why? What’s the deal with Mrs. Felch?”
Just then the bell rings. She cringes. “First, you get detention if you’re not in your seat at the bell—so, sorry—and, second, she bites.”
“Mmm. We’ll see about that.” I kick my locker shut and turn to head to building 3—and don’t try to hide the smile that pulls at my lips as her eyes burn a hole through my back the whole way down the hall. A good start.
Copyright © 2010 by Lisa Desrochers
All rights reserved.
Personal Demons, while it wasn't an original concept, was pretty interesting. I liked how Frannie, the M.C., thought. She was funny, and I liked her mind.
But, if I liked Frannie, I LOVED Luc (short for Lucifer). I prefer the types of novels that are written in boy/girl verse, rather than just boy or girl. Really, I can't read a guy's POV because it's harder to relate to a dude when you're a girl.
Anyways, the book, if anything, is never short of action. It seemed that something interesting was going on at all times. Be it Luc visiting his demon boss, or something else, you are sure to be sucked in.
I have little complaints, but one of them is Frannie. I know, I know, I said I liked her. But, here is my pet-peeve: She has to choose between Luc and Gabriel. One minute its, "Ohh, Luc, I LOVE YOU!", two pages later, "Gabriel kissed me and ohh I loved it." Obviously, she didn't really think that (if she did, the book would've earned a spot in my burn pit with the rest of the crappy novels I've read in weeks past), but she did seem to have a wishywashy mind about things.
The writing was brilliant, and Desrochers did a great job describing situations, places, and people. I felt like I knew the characters by the time I closed the book. And hell, I'm dying for a sequel!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.frenchy80
Posted October 28, 2010
This book is non stop from beginning to end. Until the end you don't know what to expect. My only issue here is Franny's hesitation through out the book. It gets old. We know who she picks, so why still hesitate... anyways, I still read it cover to cover in no time and enjoyed every word, so I would MOST definitely recommend this read.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.If you've been following me on twitter you've heard about my little issue with getting a copy of this. I went to 3 different book stores and 2 different libraries before finally getting Personal Demons. It was worth it with all of that Luc and Gabe though!
It all starts with a simple task for Luc as he's suppose to tag just another soul for Hell. But when things get a bit out of control with his feelings for Frannie things get hot. Hot like Hell. (Yeah, that was a bad pun) Luc is that guy that turns heads. He's arrogant, dark, as well as being really passionate. When there's one guy there's always another. This guy happens to be Gabe *swoons*, who's literally an angel. He's after Frannie for the same task to tag her soul, but for Heaven. In a way Luc and Gabe are kind of a like. It's just that Gabe is a bit more caring and gentleman-like than Luc. Either way, both guys would give up anything for Frannie.
The story was told in two points of views, Frannie's and Luc's. While in Luc's point of view I really looked at Frannie differently. I started off thinking Frannie was just going to be some kind of week gal who falls for these two guys. But when I got deeper into the story I found Frannie developing into a different person who's struggling to get out of that secret dark spot she's in.
Personal Demons was a very enjoyable book that made me laugh and scream and then repeating my strange cycle.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I guess you could say that I'm obsessed with books about "good versus evil". Personal Demons is one of the best books I have ever read! An engaging plot, fascinating characters and Lisa's ability to weave the perfect words overcame me in a way that doesn't happen too often. I absolutely adore this book and I can't wait to see what else Lisa has in store for readers!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Personal Demons pleasantly surprised me with its take on the age old battle between angels and demons. This one isn't just about good vs. evil, it's more about the fight for a soul; Catholic school reject Frannie Cavanaugh's soul, to be more specific. And Frannie's soul is worth fighting for, since there's something just a bit different about her. She has a sarcastic and fiery attitude, a no-nonsense take on love - it's not for her - and a deep-rooted belief that there is no God; that last one is with good reason though.
As much as I liked Frannie as a character, I felt the need to slap some sense into her often and with force. A pet peeve of mine is repetition in dialogue. It's different if a character has a catchphrase, but Frannie says 'whatever' all the time! It drove me crazy, but halfway through, her usage of the word dissipates. Then when the boys come around, she's a goner. For a girl who is strong-willed and independent, she tends to turn into a babbling, lovestruck girl when the dark, sexy, bad boy Luc is around and then again when the light, sweet, and gorgeous Gabe pops into her life. She's more than willing to have a 'thing' with both guys, for better or for worse. Her attitude goes from smart and spunky, to a mess of lusty emotions.
Some of it I understand, because Luc sort of forces the emotions, but most of the time Frannie can fight it off, she just chooses not to. Her flip-flopping feelings can be grating, but it's contrasted very well with steamy scenes and both the Heaven and Hell backstory, as well as Frannie's backstory regarding her disdain with God. I was more interested in some of her personal issues with religion and her family, than with her complicated feelings for both boys, but the reveal of it all is satisfying enough.
We all know that when a love triangle is present, readers pick sides and Personal Demons is no different. And even though Luc gets much more page-time than Gabe, I'm firmly on Team Gabe. There's just something about the underdog that tends to reel me in. Gabe is almost perfect too - I think it's the angel thing - so he was pretty hard for me to resist.
Personal Demons is a guilty-pleasure book with a fairly predictable plot, but stands as an addicting read nonetheless. Frannie got on my nerves some, as did Luc and a few other characters, but overall, I enjoyed how everything progressed and I'm looking forward to reading Original Sin soon.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have been meaning to get to this book for quite some time, but had put it on hold for many reasons including other reviews. However, I was sent its sequel by Tor to review so I thought it was in my best interest to read this one first. I'm glad I did.
I will go ahead and get the obvious con of this novel that I saw - the love triangle. Yes, I was a teenager once and yes, I had a lot of boyfriends... but I never led to guys on at the same time. It just seems wrong to me because, inevitably, someone is going to get hurt - either you, or one of the guys. And either way, it's something that's completely avoidable as long as you don't follow your hormones. Just sayin'....
With that out of the way, I can say that everything else I really liked in this novel. Frannie is a great character that is very much a teenage girl, which I like, but she also has some spunk that sets her apart from other YA female characters. Her wish-wash lust for both Luc and Gabe is really the only thing I can see as far as character flaws go, but that's not necessarily a character flaw for everyone - just me and my personal morals, really. Luc and Gabe are both equally swoon-worthy. I found their names (Lucifer and Gabriel) to be quite amusing considering where they're both from, but they both lived up to those names... except one little thing. Gabe, who is an angel no less, has this weird habit of saying "sh-t" on several occasions. This just seems a little out of place to me and had me scratching my head as to why the angel from Heaven was the one that had an issue with a potty mouth. But, again, it amused me more than anything. I want to talk about another character but I can't because I'm afraid that will give some unwarranted spoilers to the story, so I will just say that I'm glad he came along and I want to know more about his mysterious issues that he has with Luc. And just so you know, Frannie's grandpa rocks. The villains were pure evil and I liked that their characters didn't sway. I sometimes wish they were a little more evil and vile, but maybe that will come with the next book - or that's me just letting my mind go a little morbid for a YA series.
The story is good. The plot was well thought out, with many twists that I didn't expect and I'm excited to see where this trilogy is going. If you're a paranormal lover with a thing for angels and demons, this is definitely one you will have to pick up if you haven't already.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Hot, HOT, HOT! Personal Demons was the sexiest and most enticing book I think I've ever read and to be honest, it has moved up my list to my #1 favorite book! The story is so unique and it draws you in on the first page of the book. I couldn't stop reading it, I didn't want to stop reading it! There were no cliffhangers and honestly I was surprised by how it turned out.and that's a great book!
Gabe and Luc are here for one reason and that reason happens to be to tag Frannie's soul - for Heaven or Hell, whoever gets her first. Frannie has a special something and both sides want it desperately.
Frannie was different than what I would have expected. I liked that she wasn't 100% innocent and that she could kick butt. I enjoyed learning about her internal struggles with life as well as what's happening with Gabe and Luc, it adds something special to the book and something the reader's could possibly relate to.
Luc Cain is smokin' hot! I know I said that three times already, but the word hot just isn't enough to describe Luc Cain and his relationship with Frannie. Luc is a demon sent to complete his latest mission to tag Frannie, but he starts to question his intentions with her.
Gabe is the sweet one, he's an angel - literally! Gabe is hard to resist too, but in a completely different way. I wish I could have learned a bit more about Gabe, but I think he will show up more in the books to come, which I can't wait for!
I really enjoyed how Lisa wrote from the perspectives of Frannie and Luc. It kept the story fresh and never boring. I really loved reading from Luc's perspective, it's awesome to be in the mind of the demon! ;)
I was completely absorbed by Personal Demons and I recommend this read to anyone (older teens and up) and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.For all of you who are fans of stories about Angels and Demons without having the overwhelming ¡§religious¡¨ aspect, you have to read this book. My expectations of this book were low when I found it. Not only because it is a YA book, but I haven¡¦t had much luck with really good books about Angels and Demons. This book was AWESOME! Now when I say this is a YA book, I mean older YA, like 16 + age wise. There are a couple steamy scenes that might not be appropriate for the younger crowd, plus Frannie ¡§main character¡¨ is pretty much trying to have sex with someone most of the book. Who am I to judge? This book has a great story line that keeps you engrossed in the story. There are no areas of the book that ¡§slow down¡¨, which is good because some books start to lose you when the story gets boring. In this book, you have 3 main characters, Frannie, Luc and Gabe. Luc and Gabe are pretty much fighting for Frannie¡¦s soul and affection the entire book. I¡¦ve noticed from reviews that readers have left are picking which character is the one to beat, Team Gabe or Team Luc, I¡¦ve decided that I am Team Both! They are each too yummy for me choose. So back to the book, each character is intriguing. Frannie portrays your typical girl teen character, has all the attitude and indecisions a normal teenager has, except she¡¦s a little special º Luc and Gabe¡¦s characters both portray themselves well as Heaven and Hell, each dealing the consequences of falling for a mortal. There are some great action scenes, romantic scenes and tons of drama. This series is definitely one to follow. Enjoy!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.cubicleblindnessKM
Posted July 6, 2012
I'm always nervous about going into books knowing there is angels and demons. Because you never know which direction the author is going to go with the religious aspects. I was very pleasantly surprised at how this particular story was approached and enjoyed it.
One of the things that has been very common in romance books as of late is the love triangle. From the cover it's pretty clear there was a huge possibility this story was going to contain one as well. I think that because the chapters switch perspectives between Luc and Frannie that Gabriel was going to be overlooked emotionally through the majority of the novel as far as romance goes.
So even though Frannie may think Gabriel's hot and have a miniscule interest in him this early in the series. The triangle may develop later in the series, but really focuses just on Frannie and Luc in this first book. Luc having a huge Pro list as far as romance goes on my list because the reader really gets to know him personally. Gabriel's character is just viewed to us through Frannie and Luc's perspectives and although his character is interesting, I'd much rather see how Luc and Frannie work it out between themselves for now.
Ok enough of the romance factor! What was a constant confusion for me was who Frannie chose as friends. The relationship that she has between her friends is very unhealthy, competitive and borderline enemy status. Every time they interacted with each other, be it at lunch or hanging out I always wondered why Frannie would choose to hang out with them at all.
I enjoyed this story, I think it was handled really well and I kind of have a crush on Luc. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Laurab68
Posted June 28, 2012
Mary Frances Cavanagh aka Frannie is a senior at Haden High aka Hades High. Right from the start it should tell you something about how her year is going to be. Coming from a strict Catholic family, and who has been expelled from a Catholic school, Frannie is biding her time at Haden High.
Enter Luc Cain aka Lucifer. He's dark, gorgeous and he has a serious thing for Frannie, or does he have an ulterior motive and he needs to suck her soul to the bitter pits of hell?
Okay, my description of the book is quite lame, but as you can see, I loved this book. Lisa's debut is a fun read, her characters are fun and there is just enough of sexual innuendos that it's not all that tame. Luc is a seriously hot character and I know that I just made a very stupid metaphor as he's from hell, but how can you not love Luc.
Gabriel I had problems with. He's not overly developed and you know that he's there to foil Luc's plan for Frannie's soul. I felt no connection between Frannie and Gabe, so I couldn't see the possibility of his being a competition for Luc's affections. Frannie is hot and bothered for Luc and that is how it should be! I bought my copy and I'm so glad I did. I'm very excited for the sequel, Original Sin. Which makes me wonder what happens next!
I'm definitely Team Luc. What is it about those bad boys that are just so damn sexy?!
Anonymous
Posted May 3, 2012
really good
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 9, 2012
This book was not amazing but it was still pretty good i just fid not really connect with the characters
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Posted February 5, 2012
I loved the battle between good and evil, angels and demons, god and devil, and how love conquers all in the end. ITS A MUST READ!!!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book instantly caught my attention from only reading the 1st few pages. I love that the author gives u the views of both characters....i fell for Luc just as fast, i must say he is my 2nd fav to patch from "hush hush"...sexy, dangerous and bad a**...lol def recommend this book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.4.5 Stars
Wow. Personal Demons blew me away. I am in love with this book. Personal Demons kept me franticly turning pages and staying up way too late, but in a good way. A stunning debut from Lisa Desrochers and definitely one of my new favorite series.
What can I say about Personal Demons? I spent a day when I was sick reading this whole book. I was addicted. I love the whole concept of Personal Demons with demons and angels vying for a person's soul. I'm so glad this book focused on demons as well as angels; demons deserve some more attention in YA lit in my opinion. While I'm usually not a fan of dual point of view, having split point of between Frannie and Luc worked so well. I really enjoyed seeing the story unravel from both Frannie and Luc's point of view since they were such different characters. Frannie and Luc were also well developed characters and each had their own voice that made the dual point of view really work. I felt Luc was a strong character than Frannie and better developed but it makes sense for Frannie to be a bit less developed since Frannie is battling her own "personal demons" and very torn on who she is. Overall, I felt the book was completely spot on with narration throughout and I found myself enjoying the two different point of views more then I thought.
At first, I was worried that this book would have a religious tone since it is a battle between heaven and hell for Frannie's soul and because Frannie is from a very religious family. However, though the plot is focused on the battle for Frannie's soul, I felt the story was more focused on the characters and the characters internal struggle more then anything else. I loved that the characters and the choices they have made and make through out the book drove the plot and book. The characters were such great characters and really three dimensional it was hard for me not to like them or relate to them. While Luc is a demon, he has that cocky, bad boy attitude, but he begins to question himself and his mission throughout the book and I love seeing him battle his own "personal demons" along with Frannie battling other personal demons and real ones. Frannie was a very complex character and I loved being able to see what was going on in her head and why she felt so guilty. Lisa Desrochers did a great job writing great characters that were interesting and fun to read.
I could go on and on about my love for this book (and my love for certain characters) but I won't. This book left me wanting a lot more. While the ending of the book didn't answer all the questions I had while reading, I hope the next book in this series will answer them. I cannot wait to find out more about Frannie and her power that makes her soul such a valuable commodity, about Luc, who I loved, and his relationship with Frannie. Personal Demons is one of my favorite books published this year. I'm excited to see where Lisa Desrochers takes us next in this series with these wonderful characters.
murphyslibrary
Posted June 5, 2011
from Murphy's Library
Lucifer Cain wants Frannie's soul. But so does Gabe.
Coming in a mission, Luc needs to claim Frannie's soul because of her skills. The King of Hell himself set the mission for Luc, and he must be successful, but what will he do when Gabe, coming directly from Heaven, wants to claim the soul too? And is the soul what is really at prize between the two of them?
Frannie is a plain girl-well, not so plain-who finds herself in the hard place of choosing between the two hot new guys. And, seriously, she couldn't be more confused and undecided! We see her flirting with Luc and Gabe, thinking about one and then the other one, without deciding who she likes more. Each one of them has special characteristics that draw her attention, and she has no clue at all why they're both interested on her.
Truth be told, we don't know exactly why they're so interested on Frannie's soul for pages and more pages-so if you think that's the key on this plot, sorry to disappoint you. Personal Demons brings a battle for her soul-but also her heart. She falls for both of them, and it seems they both fall for her as well, as it's easy to predict from reading the synopsys.
We see during the pages how the characters grow to win her heart. Luc, the typical bad boy, starts to show a side that really cares about Frannie, but we need to tell that we liked bad Luc better. Gabe is the good guy, the one we would like to see with our daughter-but not so much with us. Yeah, good guys don't always win.
The narrative alternate points of view between Luc and Frannie and we thought it was a good resource used by Lisa Desrochers. Frannie, like all main characters, is often tiring and the lapses we see of Luc are a bless-if something to do with Hell can be a bless. The book is good, it is good to pass time, but don't expect a wonderful and intrincated story. It is easy to read, fast to read and fast to forget too.
The fact is, you finish reading this book and you don't know what possibily could come in a sequel-Original Sin comes out this summer-, but you want to read because you got to know these characters and want to see more of them. The battle between good and evil isn't the main plot, it gets blurred by the fact that both end up with just one reason to be on Earth: the love of Frannie.
Lisa's created a good book, but nothing we could call fantastic.
Sami_83
Posted May 18, 2011
USUALLY INTO VAMPIRE TYPE BOOKS BUT SEREN THIS AT A LOCAL STORE AND THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE IT A TRY. I HAD IT READ IN A DAY AND A HALF. AWESOME BOOK. WISH THERE WAS MORE OF IT TO READ THO :-(
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.this is a cute read and the story line is good too. It was addicting from the very begining so i highly reccomend it
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This story is about the battle between good and evil. How our lives are not always to be seen in black in white; that there are gray areas. And how love CAN really conquer all if you have faith. This story is truly inspiring and makes you take a step back and think about your own life. I loved this book and have added it to my favorites. I look forward to see what Lisa writes next:
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I got this book wondering how it would be different than all the others.. well, it was. I really really enjoyed how this author switched points of view throughout the book. It was great being able to dive into the characters' thoughts and emotions, and witness the other character through their eyes. I really loved how Lisa Desrochers crafted this book.
This has also climbed up into one of my favorite books to read! I will anxiously be awaiting the second part to this trilogy!!!
Overview
Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.
What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim ...