Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (September 25, 2007)
ISBN-10: 042521737X
ISBN-13: 978-0425217375
Publisher: Berkley Trade (September 25, 2007)
ISBN-10: 042521737X
ISBN-13: 978-0425217375
This is my story. The tale of a normal morning in the life of a normal girl—WHO HAS A DEMON POP UP IN HER SHOWER. Yeah, that’s where the vanity comes in. While trying to get rid of a monster zit, I dropped my face lotion in the tub. And while fifty bucks’ worth of it swirled down the drain, it freed a demon from his prison portal. A mysteriously geeky looking demon. (In the movies, they’re always hot, right?)
So here I am, Kenzie Sutcliffe, saddled with a creature who looks and acts like every other guy I know. That is: ANNOYING. At least Levi has a job—if you could call it that. He has to stir up envy and jealousy in humans…or he starves. All he’s tempting me to do is crawl back into my bedroom and hide there until forever. Because believe me, no one is going to be coveting my life after this…
Kenzie Sutcliffe is your average teen, existing on the fringes of being noticed or being ignored. She has two younger siblings, fairly normal but distracted parents, and a best friend a bit cooler than she is. Nothing that would make her stand out in a crowd, or get her noticed by her hottie crush Adam Birmingham. Not until the fateful day she takes a shower with her zit cream...and opens a demon portal, and out pops Levi, your friendly, neighborhood demon of envy .
Sad thing is, he looks just like every other teenage boy Kenzie has ever come across, so he's not all that cute, and he's driving her crazy. All she wants is for him to figure out a way to close the portal so she can just use her bathroom again. But this boy has plans while he's in town: he needs to feed off the jealousy and envy of others, or he'll starve. Luckily, he showed up in the right place, because where could there be more envy and jealousy than in the pit of low self-esteem known as high school?
Erin McCarthy tries her hand at the young adult genre with this funny, sarcastic, sweet look at being a teenager in today's world. Writing as Erin Lynn, she's created a setting in the life of a young girl who struggles to be accepted by her peers, who tries to understand her parents, and to survive the day with her younger brother and sister all while hanging with her BFF and daydreaming about that one elusive boy who doesn't even know she exists. Kenzie is a likable girl, one who really doesn't want to change but rather be accepted as she already is, and I dug that about her. She has her moments of angst but for the most part is pretty okay with her life, and doesn't become a silly airhead when talking with Adam, the boy who gives her butterflies, but instead lets him see her as she really is, a klutzy, artistic girl with streaks in her hair and the occasional pimple on her chin.
And despite being a demon, Levi is a pretty cool one, and turns out to be a good friend to Kenzie and is there for her when she really needs him. Even though his job is to create envy in others, he only does it to survive. He doesn't particularly care for what he is required to do, but he does it because he has to, and tries to help Kenzie close the portal so other demons won't cross over, or worse yet, have her grabbed by a prison guard. I like how his relationship is developing with Kenzie, where he's more protective of her yet also lets her do her own thing, sort of like an older brother, but....not. Definitely not.
Reading this book brought back memories of my teen years - the incredible intensity of feelings for the boy you're crushing on. The agony of trying to fit in and the slight resentment you feel when you realize you just don't. Being embarrassed by your parents. (Some things never change). This was just a fun story, and it made me laugh, and I could definitely relate to some of the agony Kenzie faced as she just tried to make it through the day. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series, to see where Erin takes us, and what happens to the gang. Nothing like a little teenage angst to make you grateful to be an adult *g*
Labels: Erin Lynn, reviews, young adult
posted by Stacy~ at 10/08/2007 09:23:00 AM
Interesting. I've never read an Erin McCarthy book before. I'm glad you liked it, Stacy!
byGreat review!
byDev, Erin's books are the best.
Dev, I love anything Erin writes, whether it's funny and sexy, or hot and dark. This series is no different, just written for a younger age range. I liked it a lot.
byKelley, I totally agree with you :)
Hi all! Thanks for the fab review, Stacy, I'm really glad you liked Demon Envy. :-) I'm having so much fun with Kenzie and Levi... I think I'm still just a teenage girl at heart. LOL.
byErin
aka Erin Lynn
Erin, you look like a teenager - I hate you LOL. Yep, I loved the book, but you've never written anything I haven't enjoyed. I also read "Charlotte's Web". Another sexy novella that I adored...sigh...
by