Title: Luck of the Devil
Series: Speak of the Devil Book 1
Author(s): Patricia Eimer
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher/Year: Entangled Publishing/2011
-Webpage/blog: Patricia Eimer Home

Synopsis:  Being the youngest daughter of the Devil isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Teenage rebellions and vows of chastity made just to upset dear old Dad are long in the past, and now all Faith wants is a nice, quiet life and a week-long vacation spent watching reruns. Unfortunately, thanks to the unexpected arrival of her demonically-downsized sister, a ditzy succubus roommate, and a surprise visit from dear old dad, those hopes seems to be going up in flames.

Now it’s all Faith can do to keep the family reunion from Hell (literally) under wraps and the angelically-inclined hottie across the hall from realizing there’s something weird about his neighbor. And, thankfully, it’s working. Until an angelic stalker shows up in a bid to steal her powers and take over the world. Forget watching reruns, with the way things are going, Faith will need the luck of the Devil just to survive until work next Monday.

Rating:

Review:  Oh my.  I heard about Entangled Publishing on twitter first and checked out their line up of upcoming novels.  As a new publisher they have a nice assorted of books with more in the future looking rocking (check out Inara Scott's Radiant Desire!). If LUCK OF THE DEVIL, the first in the "Speak of the Devil" series is any indication then I think I found a new publisher love of life.

At first the book begins kind of shaky--it tosses information, snark and pithy commentary at us at fast speeds that only go faster with the introduction of Faith's siblings (Tolliver - Archdemon of Gluttony, Hope - Archdemoness of Lust and Boris Hope's Incubus husband) and friends (Lisa - misfit Succubus roommate, Matt - hot new neighbor) dysfunction.  There's only one way to really describe her siblings and parents--High Functioning Dysfuncionals.  They kind of toss things at the wind and hope it all comes out okay.  Faith is more practical, but she's also the baby of the family and (as far as I can tell) the only one who wants a normal life.  They are a rock solid family unit however--fiercely loyal to each other and willing to go to great lengths to protect their family.

I described this to a friend as if Satan decided to do a sitcom--God (or Alpha) is the older brother, Jesus is the do-gooder cousin, Roisin is the dippy mother and they all just kind of...work.  Eimer is basically doing to the Chrisitian mythos what countless other writers have done to Greek, Roman, etc mythologies.  And I kind of love it like all get.

There are some problems with pacing--when the plot is on, its ON and doesn't stop until a slow moment (Faith failing at flirting with her neighbor Matt, bickering with her siblings or oddly sweet moments with her father Satan) literally pushes it out of the way.  This kind of stop and go action made it hard for me to read at length, but made for very good reading short term commuter wise.

The characters are also lively and set themselves apart easily.  Eimer catches a different tone for each, making them fun to read and watch Faith's more than down to Earth attitude interact with.  Whereas in some books I've read recently I couldn't stand the internal commentary about everything, I loved Faith's.  It would kind of be like 'No really.  Seriously? Stop already.' which is more or less how I often respond to idiots and family.

As I read an electronic-ARC of this novel I can't speak for the length or quality of the paperback edition, but I do like the cover (even though its slightly spoiler-ish) and the electronic edition is smooth as can be. Some plots are left dangling (I'd love to know more about the ex-hockey player bakery dude from the beginning) as the narrative focused on the threat plaguing Faith and Co. and truly if you don't like your religious views messed with I wouldn't read this book. This isn't a criticism, but a warning that if you take offense to Christianity being questioned or outright disregarded do no not read this book.

In the end this book was enjoyable, had some very funny moments and made me eager to know what's next for Faith and Co.  And that's all you really ask for from a novel right?

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