Review: Misfit by Jon Skovron

Release Date: August 1, 2011
Publisher: Amulet Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 384
Source: Netgalley ARC
Overall: 4/5 stars

Summary from Amazon: Jael Thompson has never really fit in. She's changed schools too many times to count. The only family she's ever known is her father, a bitter ex-priest who never lets her date and insists she attend the strictest Catholic school in Seattle. And her mother--well, she was a five thousand year old demon. That doesn't exactly help.

But on her sixteenth birthday, her father gives her a present that brings about some unexpected changes. Some of the changes, like strange and wonderful powers and the cute skater boy with a knack for science, are awesome. But others, like the homicidal demon seeking revenge on her family? Not so much.

I hadn't heard much about Misfit by Jon Skovron, but I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it. I thought Misfit was an interesting take on the ever-so-popular demon theme in books. Misfit had an excellent blend of action, urban fantasy, teen issues, and romance. It centers around Jael, a misfit not only because she never lives in a place for long but also because she is a half-demon going to a Catholic school. Jael's issues in this book were excellently portrayed. Skovron did a fantastic job of portraying Jael's complicated relationships with her father and friends, and recording her journey as she discovered what it meant to be half-human and half-demon. Jael constantly goes through ups and downs as she learns to control her demon powers, fights with her dad, and explores a new romance with Rob. Skovron did a fantastic job of providing background information that covered all the demon, Hell, and religion related topics in the story. It may be a bit heavy on the religion side for some people, but I think most people, religious or not, will like seeing the little connections Skovron and his characters make. His characters were also all very well developed. I liked Jael's little tifts with her father, her budding romance with Rob, and her strong friendship with Britt. However, I did have a few gripes with the characters. First, sometimes I found Jael would do things a bit out-of-character for her, like being really gutsy at times (with average girl situations, not the demon ones). Also, although Rob was adorable, I found that he was just a bit too nerdy and likeable, making him a bit unrealistic at times. However, I did enjoy the adventures the characters went through. There was plenty of action as Jael explored her demon powers and fought evil demons from Hell. However, I must warn you that some of the action scenes and scenes with creatures from Hell are a bit gory/graphic. Most of the demons do behave how you'd expect them to behave: like bloodthirsty, selfish, brutal monsters. Be warned, there is lots of blood and swearing where the demons are involved. If you're not squeamish though, you will thoroughly enjoy every part of this book, especially the action packed ones. Overall, the whole story was well thought out and had several shining moments (especially towards the end between Jael and Britt), and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a new take on demons and likes lots of action.

Writing: 4/5 stars
Characters: 4/5 stars
Plot/Setting: 4.5/5 stars
Ending: 4.5/5 star
Cover: 3.5/5 stars

Love always,

Amanda