Demon Hunting In Dixie

by Lexi George

A Rollicking Farce

Reviewed:   May 16, 2011

Genre:   Paranormal Romance

Series:   Demon Hunting, Book 1

Rating:   4.5 Stars

Length:   384 Pages

Formats:   Print, eBook

What I Read...

In a little town called Hannah, Alabama, Addy Corwin went for a run with her dog and ended up marked by a demon and protected by a gorgeous demon hunter from another dimension. Oh, and she's not quite human any more, either. Just goes to show, sometimes sitting at home munching on MoonPies and watching the boob tube is a safer way to live.

Now the boring small town, a town where nothing interesting ever happens, is revealed as a demon hot spot and Dalvahni warriors such as Brand are coming out of the woodwork. Well, okay, less wood, more glowing portals from their dimension to ours, but still. Ten thousand years old, immortal, these emotionless fighters are on an eternal quest to catch or kill the djegrali, the demons. But Brand had never met anyone like Addy before, and emotionless just doesn't cut it when faced with a mighty southern female who throws herself into every tetchy situation she finds even as she avoids the most perplexing things, like the female known as the mama.

As Addy's world expands to include talking dogs and flying cats, walking corpses missing their dangly bits, and big hulking warriors with entitlement issues, Brand and his warrior brother Ansgar have to learn to adjust to more than just a human town, they have to adjust to the South. And there just ain't no way that's going to end well.

What I Thought...

This hysterical romp of a paranormal romance was such a fun read! Yeah, sure, I wanted to poke my eyes out at the cliched and hackneyed first chapter...or two...but when I realized that one should only read Demon Hunting In Dixie with their tongue firmly planted in their cheek, I settled back and enjoyed one of the funniest books I've read recently. It was a riot.

There isn't much in the way of thorough world building or complex character definition, the plot is a bit simple, just about every southern colloquialism that exists is bandied around as dialogue, and the stereotypes and cliche are rapid-fire punchlines to decadently sophomoric jokes, but it made me snort, giggle, and guffaw at regular intervals. It got to the point where all I had to read was Brand saying, "This I can not allow," and I was snickering.

Definitely a book that will be either loved or hated, there just isn't much room for ambivalence here. Sure, the plot was simple, but it was solid enough, and honestly, I've never read anything quite like it before, so it has originality going for it. Addy and Brand were completely likable, and the adjustments they have to make to deal with one another were some of the funniest parts of the book. There was a pleasant amount of sexual chemistry between them and a few deliciously seductive sex scenes. The romance plot thread was the more heavily featured part of the book, and though it started fast and was based far more on lust than emotion or mutual admiration, it was definitely a nice change from many of the paranormal romances I've read of late that seem to forget that there's actually supposed to be a romance developing amidst all the other threads.

True, the secondary characters were mostly caricatures and stereotypes, but I'm sorry, I wouldn't have missed the weenie in a bag and the slap down at the funeral home for anything! I was near rolling on the floor at that scene! In fact, I think this is the only book I've ever read where I was annoyed when the threat of the demon threat started to play a larger part because the hilarity was, as one would expect, considerably toned down.

Sure, the humor was mostly regional and very sophomoric, and okay, I suppose if I look at it clinically it probably wasn't the most surprising book I've ever read. Maybe it speaks volumes that I enjoyed it as much as I did, or calls my taste into question. I don't care. I'm southern. I know mamas like Addy's (not my own, thankfully). I've been to small towns like Hannah, and eaten at places like the Sweet Shop (though with considerably less topiary and dancing in the dining area). I related to all those cliches, just about every one of those stereotypes, and reveled in them all. In short, I just had a real nice time while reading. I can't wait to get my hands on more.

...and You?

Do you have any thoughts, feelings, and/or questions about this review?
This is your chance to express yourself. I would love to hear from you!