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fkshg8465's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So much fun with great characters - even the two dimensional villains. A nice allegory for young people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Torture, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Grief, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
olliebolen's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Stalking, and Car accident
spaghettii's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, and Abandonment
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a book described as Queer Buffy about a stage manager, I was going to enjoy this book. I think this is a fun little romp and I would love to see more of the series in a monster of the week format. I liked the worldbuilding, characters, and emotional stakes a lot. I would kill for these kids. I am a notable friends to lovers hater so I was stressed a lot for the romance but it was quite cute. I was wondering why the stage manager is calling the show from backstage?? I also think there is better comparisons than Buffy but it is incredibly effective at finding the audience since I bought it immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexism, Racism, and Outing
e_liz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident and Grief
fionamatilda's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Minor: Grief
sitreadsip's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Damned If You Do Audiobook Review✨
First off I would like to thank Netgalley for this gifted audiobook!
Read if you…
• like YA Horror
• are looking for a diverse book with lgbtq+ representation & cultural representation.
• are looking for a book about a bunch of kids fighting demons
The blurb (and I think it’s spot on!): “Queer Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Filipino folklore in this horror comedy about a high school stage manager who accidentally sells her soul to a demon.”
My dad is from the Philippines but never really shared much of the culture with us. Besides the food and calling his Filipino friends Uncle and Auntie. Everything else I’ve learned from… can you guess it? Yup, Books! So reading this really helped me see things I’m familiar with (the food was a happy little surprise for me). I also learned a little bit about Filipino folklore that I didn’t know about. And I love learning new things about my culture. Thank you Alex Brown for sharing this story!
The audiobook was so fun! I loved all the different personalities that were shown through the narrator, Amielynn Abellera. Fred was probably one of my favorite characters, he brought comedy relief and a weird comfort to the story. There was so much emotion that shines through the story. My only complaint was that the high schoolers sounded like 10 year olds and not seniors in high school (in the audiobook). Other than that I loved Cordelia and her group of friends. I had fun trying to figure out who the Aswang was! Overall such a good story to listen to!
First off I would like to thank Netgalley for this gifted audiobook!
Read if you…
• like YA Horror
• are looking for a diverse book with lgbtq+ representation & cultural representation.
• are looking for a book about a bunch of kids fighting demons
The blurb (and I think it’s spot on!): “Queer Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Filipino folklore in this horror comedy about a high school stage manager who accidentally sells her soul to a demon.”
My dad is from the Philippines but never really shared much of the culture with us. Besides the food and calling his Filipino friends Uncle and Auntie. Everything else I’ve learned from… can you guess it? Yup, Books! So reading this really helped me see things I’m familiar with (the food was a happy little surprise for me). I also learned a little bit about Filipino folklore that I didn’t know about. And I love learning new things about my culture. Thank you Alex Brown for sharing this story!
The audiobook was so fun! I loved all the different personalities that were shown through the narrator, Amielynn Abellera. Fred was probably one of my favorite characters, he brought comedy relief and a weird comfort to the story. There was so much emotion that shines through the story. My only complaint was that the high schoolers sounded like 10 year olds and not seniors in high school (in the audiobook). Other than that I loved Cordelia and her group of friends. I had fun trying to figure out who the Aswang was! Overall such a good story to listen to!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Child abuse
jenniahw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
From the start of the story to the very end Damned If You Do is a wonderful book. It takes you on the journey of Cordelia who has lived for year with what feels like a whole in who she is after making a deal with Fred, everyone's favorite guidance counselor and demon, to send her abusive father to Hell. She also asks to forget, but when the demon who founded the town is close to becoming bigger and badder with his 100th deal Fred gives her a chance to fill that hole. But from the start it's clear that having that piece of her soul back won't free Cordy from the fear of being just like her father and the guilt for what she's done.
We get to see Cordy navigate this major task of trapping a powerful demon, coming to terms with the choice that saved her in the moment and her and her mother in the long term, and being pushed into really addressing her feelings for her best friend Veronica. And though there are many moments where one or more of these things feel like they're going to be solved, they happen when they should. Taking on the burden over the town makes way for Cordy to handle her personal demon aka her father. And she does that while knowing she has people in her corner and that Veronica, someone she feared would turn their back on her, supports what she needs to do in order to be at peace. And navigating a new romance with your best friend in the world is hard to do when you have life threatening things going on, so it being right after she handles everything else just fits. And yet again it shows her and us that as she goes about dealing with the strained relationship with her mother - and the new possible threat to the town - Veronica will be there by her side in a role that doesn't have her panicking about who has her back.
I would happily take so many more books about this group of people and how they take on things like what they're rushing off to handle at the end of the book. I love them all so much and I think that anyone who gives them a chance will too.
We get to see Cordy navigate this major task of trapping a powerful demon, coming to terms with the choice that saved her in the moment and her and her mother in the long term, and being pushed into really addressing her feelings for her best friend Veronica. And though there are many moments where one or more of these things feel like they're going to be solved, they happen when they should. Taking on the burden over the town makes way for Cordy to handle her personal demon aka her father. And she does that while knowing she has people in her corner and that Veronica, someone she feared would turn their back on her, supports what she needs to do in order to be at peace. And navigating a new romance with your best friend in the world is hard to do when you have life threatening things going on, so it being right after she handles everything else just fits. And yet again it shows her and us that as she goes about dealing with the strained relationship with her mother - and the new possible threat to the town - Veronica will be there by her side in a role that doesn't have her panicking about who has her back.
I would happily take so many more books about this group of people and how they take on things like what they're rushing off to handle at the end of the book. I love them all so much and I think that anyone who gives them a chance will too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Physical abuse
megansoetaert's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Loved this book!! It was SO fast paced and exciting. I loved the character growth that we were able to see as Cordelia trusted herself & allowed herself to be loved.
There was so much action packed into this book. The fight scenes flew by- I wanted more! I think the reviews are correct that it’s definitely reminiscent of Buffy (beyond the MC being named Cordelia!!)—monsters, teen girls saving the world, dad figures… ❤️ But make it queer + Filipino!
Can’t wait for this to be released! Will definitely be recommending.
Thank you to the publisher, Page Street Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC.
There was so much action packed into this book. The fight scenes flew by- I wanted more! I think the reviews are correct that it’s definitely reminiscent of Buffy (beyond the MC being named Cordelia!!)—monsters, teen girls saving the world, dad figures… ❤️ But make it queer + Filipino!
Can’t wait for this to be released! Will definitely be recommending.
Thank you to the publisher, Page Street Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
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