Consuming Worlds: Review: Courage and Other Demons by Jill Daughtery

*Cover and Synopsis from Goodreads

Synopsis:

“It occurred to me as I stared into the darkness that it was probably a good thing it had taken so long for me to see Simon for who he truly was. If I hadn’t fallen in love with that sweet and kind boy, I wouldn’t have gotten on a plane with him to fly halfway across the world; I wouldn’t have trusted him enough to do what he was asking me to do. And as angry as I was, as much as I hated what my life had become, I knew I had to do what Simon and the others were asking me to do. It all came down to one inescapable belief. I would have to kill or be killed. There were certainly other pieces of the puzzle that were more complex and harder to understand, but that one piece was very clear and unrelenting and it drove me forward, even in those moments when giving up seemed like the most sensible choice I could make.”

The end of the world will start in the suburbs of Denver with a faery transfer student from Ireland. If you think that’s totally ridiculous, then you understand how Maggie O’Neill feels. In all of her sixteen years, faeries were something you read about in children’s books. They didn’t actually show up on your doorstep. They didn’t kiss you and make your knees go weak and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Until Simon Brady, that is. Simon changed everything. He makes her heart race and her skin burn with excitement, but he has also changed her core beliefs about the world and made her see it as a dark and dangerous place filled with monsters that belong only in the lines of faery tales. There is no doubt in Maggie’s mind that she loves Simon, but can she see past who he is and find a place for him in her heart?

*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

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My Review:

Maggie thinks that she may be falling in love, but when the object of her affection reveals that he belongs to the world of Fey and is indeed a faery, Maggie begins to rethink all that she knows and feels. But it is not just that he is a Faery, but her role in his world that really has Maggie questioning everything.

I have to admit, the story of Maggie O'Neill figuratively swept me off my feet. I was hooked from the prologue and as I read through Courage and Other Demons I was constantly wondering when Jill Daughtery was going to break my heart. I knew it was going to happen, it was spelled out for me in the prologue, I just didn't know when. But that's okay, because I really loved the journey there.

First and foremost Courage and Other Demons is a love story, with some fantasy thrown in, but I'm not complaining, too much! I really did enjoy the way that Jill Daughtery wrote the story of Maggie and Simon. I love the way things grew between them and how their relationship seemed genuine. The problems for me come when the world of Fey enters the story. And it's not any serious problems either. I actually enjoyed the spin that Jill Daughtery put on the feary, but I felt like the world was lacking. I just wanted more. I would have loved it, if she introduced it a little earlier in the book. But I can say, if there is going to be a part 2 then, it should definitely start off with a bang!

So much time was spent on developing the relationship between Maggie and Simon that I felt like the faery took a back burner. But it was nothing that ruined the story for me. In fact this could have been just a love story and I probably would have been happy. I really loved the characters that Jill Daughtery created in Courage and Other Demons. Especially Simon. I really enjoyed his character. He was very well written and easy to fall in love with, thanks to Simon and Jill Daughtery "pulse of my heart" has definitely cemented its place in my heart as one of hell of a heart melting saying! I think I melted every time Simon said it.

I loved Maggie too and really enjoyed watching her grow throughout the story. I know why the book is called Courage and Other Demons! I love it when a character ends the book a different person than when they started. But I didn't like her reaction to the world of Fey. I have to say that I thought she was a bit childish and I felt rather let down by her. Granted she makes me like her again later!

The relationships that Jill Daughtery built in Courage and Other Demons were very realistic. I especially enjoyed the banter between Maggie and her brother and Maggie and her best friend. There banter really added a realistic element to the story. Plus it added some humor to the story. And I love humor!

Overall Courage and Other Demons was a well written story that definitely delivered. It had humor, love, great characters, and a touch of fantasy that left me wanting more. I for one hope there is a book 2! It was a quick and fun read that I devoured in one sitting.