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The Guild Codex: Demonized #1
Taming Demons for Beginners
Rule one: Don't look at the demon.
When I arrived at my uncle's house, I expected my relatives to be like me—outcast sorcerers who don't practice magic. I was right about the sorcery, but wrong about everything else.
Rule two: Don't listen to the demon.
My uncle chose a far deadlier power. He calls creatures of darkness into our world, binds them into service contracts, and sells them to the highest bidder. And I'm supposed to act like I don't know how illegal and dangerous it is.
Rule three: Don't talk to the demon.
All I had to do was keep my nose out of it. Pretend I didn't find the summoning circle in the basement. Pretend I didn't notice the shadowy being trapped inside it. Pretend I didn't break the rules.
But I did, and now it's too late.
--
From the author of The Guild Codex: Spellbound comes a new series that will plunge an unprepared young woman into the darkest magic of the mythic world.
--
THE GUILD CODEX: DEMONIZED
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)
When I arrived at my uncle's house, I expected my relatives to be like me—outcast sorcerers who don't practice magic. I was right about the sorcery, but wrong about everything else.
Rule two: Don't listen to the demon.
My uncle chose a far deadlier power. He calls creatures of darkness into our world, binds them into service contracts, and sells them to the highest bidder. And I'm supposed to act like I don't know how illegal and dangerous it is.
Rule three: Don't talk to the demon.
All I had to do was keep my nose out of it. Pretend I didn't find the summoning circle in the basement. Pretend I didn't notice the shadowy being trapped inside it. Pretend I didn't break the rules.
But I did, and now it's too late.
--
From the author of The Guild Codex: Spellbound comes a new series that will plunge an unprepared young woman into the darkest magic of the mythic world.
--
THE GUILD CODEX: DEMONIZED
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)
315 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2019
2,985 people are currently reading
14.1k people want to read
About the author
Annette Marie
51books7,033followersAnnette Marie is the author of YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, romantic fantasy Red Winter, and sassy UF series The Guild Codex.
Her first love is fantasy, while fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
Find out more about Annette and her books at .
Her first love is fantasy, while fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
Find out more about Annette and her books at .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,734 reviews
December 26, 2019
4AM screaming aside, hello! I’m about to jump into this again for a more normal read instead of tempting a zombie state in the morning lol
Ugh I love this book. I really, really love this book. It’s different from Tori’s Spellbound books in many ways, but it has Annette Marie’s signature writing style that reels you in regardless.
And listen I’ll try to be objective because, at this point, everyone already knows I’m here for the demon love interest. But I can’t promise that lmao
Starting with what I didn’t like because it was like two things. First, the beginning. I wasn’t actually hooked in RIGHT away because i couldn’t really pick up on Robin’s voice just yet. It didn’t feel like she had one for a time? I can’t help but compare her story to Tori’s, who’s a literal firecracker of a person. I wasn’t expecting the same spunk or attitude—just something that makes Robin sound like Robin. It came after, so it was so much easier to enjoy her character.
I felt the beginning was a bit rushed. I could see why because around the first 30% is before Demon Magic and I know that these series would definitely overlap. Afterwards, when all the action came in, it felt more well paced!
NOW FOR THE DEMON. Guys. Guys I LOVE HIM. Ugh. He’s just??? So good. So demon-y. Has absolutely no regard to personal space or whatever and could probably kill me with a look and my ghost would gleefully send my regards. I loved how Marie introduced him and how his interactions with Robin were in the beginning. And later because there was so much banter! She really gave us SO MUCH HERE I need several moments.
Once I found Robin’s voice, I couldn’t help but adore her! She’s the character I relate to most of all of Marie’s—hating confrontation and preferring books and hating the spotlight. She really didn’t want to get into the mess she’s in and I loved how she felt so strongly about making it right! I can definitely see her growth in this book alone and I’m so excited to see more of it. I love when meek characters learn to stand up for themselves!
I will not be talking about romance. Pls experience everything for yourself. I am eagerly awaiting book two [eye emoji]
One last thing: I LOVE AMALIA. I hope she continues to play a role in the books! I’d love to see her and Robin have a close friendship!
OVERALL: pls, I am begging. Give me book two. I need more of the demon and Robin. 4 stars!
•Ģ�
KAJDJFHDKSLS YAAAALLLLL IM DEAD I LOVE THEM
•Ģ�
So uhhhhh who else is hoping for a demon love interest here?
Ugh I love this book. I really, really love this book. It’s different from Tori’s Spellbound books in many ways, but it has Annette Marie’s signature writing style that reels you in regardless.
And listen I’ll try to be objective because, at this point, everyone already knows I’m here for the demon love interest. But I can’t promise that lmao
Starting with what I didn’t like because it was like two things. First, the beginning. I wasn’t actually hooked in RIGHT away because i couldn’t really pick up on Robin’s voice just yet. It didn’t feel like she had one for a time? I can’t help but compare her story to Tori’s, who’s a literal firecracker of a person. I wasn’t expecting the same spunk or attitude—just something that makes Robin sound like Robin. It came after, so it was so much easier to enjoy her character.
I felt the beginning was a bit rushed. I could see why because around the first 30% is before Demon Magic and I know that these series would definitely overlap. Afterwards, when all the action came in, it felt more well paced!
NOW FOR THE DEMON. Guys. Guys I LOVE HIM. Ugh. He’s just??? So good. So demon-y. Has absolutely no regard to personal space or whatever and could probably kill me with a look and my ghost would gleefully send my regards. I loved how Marie introduced him and how his interactions with Robin were in the beginning. And later because there was so much banter! She really gave us SO MUCH HERE I need several moments.
Once I found Robin’s voice, I couldn’t help but adore her! She’s the character I relate to most of all of Marie’s—hating confrontation and preferring books and hating the spotlight. She really didn’t want to get into the mess she’s in and I loved how she felt so strongly about making it right! I can definitely see her growth in this book alone and I’m so excited to see more of it. I love when meek characters learn to stand up for themselves!
I will not be talking about romance. Pls experience everything for yourself. I am eagerly awaiting book two [eye emoji]
One last thing: I LOVE AMALIA. I hope she continues to play a role in the books! I’d love to see her and Robin have a close friendship!
OVERALL: pls, I am begging. Give me book two. I need more of the demon and Robin. 4 stars!
•Ģ�
KAJDJFHDKSLS YAAAALLLLL IM DEAD I LOVE THEM
•Ģ�
So uhhhhh who else is hoping for a demon love interest here?
May 5, 2020
One of the best New Adult Urban Fantasy books I’ve ever read!
Oooooh boy do I struggle with NA!! It’s extremely frustrating when all I want is something only slightly more explicit than YA, with college age characters, slow burn and tastefully done romance.
But noooooo! 95% of the time I venture into NA from YA and it goes straight to raunchy like those child Disney stars as soon as they turn 18.
(And I’m not a prude. I even prefer a character with dirty mouth and I love smut! Just not overly explicit and dumb smut (don’t even get me started on 50 shades).)
Anyway imagine my surprise when I randomly came across Taming Demons for Beginners on a weird ad somewhere and thought, oh no it’s one of those self published books, pass (no offense! there’s some amazing self published books out there but you know what I mean) for basically free that I’m getting stuped into but actually it was freaking amazing?!!!
What really drew me in was this amazing close up of the cover art I then came across in another ad on IG and boyo caught my attention like oh damn—hot
This series is, in a way, somewhat like Shadowhunters but not close enough that it feels like a knockoff or fanfiction-y and also it’s not boy/girl-piney or romance-heavy like the Shadowhunters series.
Taming Demons for Beginners is a NA urban fantasy set in modern times with demon summoners, contractors, and mythics. Demons are summoned and forced into contracts where they become bound to the contractor to do their bidding.
There’s a guild and a magical police task force, sort of like the Shadowhunter’s Clave, that governs and sets order and does damage control and keeps the demon world under wraps from unsuspecting humans in daily life.
(I keep making references to Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series but honestly while reading Taming Demons for Beginners, Shadowhunters was the last thing I thought of as this does not have enough similarities and that’s a huge plus for me! It’s definitely it’s own thing!)
The main character, Robin is so relatable it hurts! I love her! She is a smol, bookworm—described as short and struggles with social anxiety. I love that she is not an “insta-badass� like most YA characters because I just can’t relate. Yeah girl-power is awesome and but i definitely don’t have the muscle to pick up a big heavy sword and the nerve to go save the world.
I just know I’m going to love her character growth!
And Zylas, the demon that Robin happens upon with her sheer dumb-luck is also a great character. He’s a demon of few words and I love his stoic, narcissistic yet curious and observational nature.
And I love Robin and Zylas� camaraderie! I find myself smiling at my kindle most when they are together being dorks and bickering. And I hope hope hope this is a slow burn! Romance is not listed as a sub genre and honestly I thing that’s what makes this such a great New Adult, where romance is commonly the hyper-focus and it gets ridiculous.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the fact that Zylas is never described as oh-so-inhumanly-gorgeous and that Robin never falters or loses her train of thought to tell us how hot he is!! *cheers* *applause*
The plot drew me in immediately and is perfectly paced, if not fast. I devoured it in 3 days.
This one is being added to my “New-Adult-Gems� shelf here on GR and I’m so glad I came across and gave it a try!
4/29/2020
All I know is that this is NEW ADULT, and demons and the MC is a short girl with social anxiety who lives to read *basically me lol*, and boi is hot and this is currently $0.99 on Kindle
Oooooh boy do I struggle with NA!! It’s extremely frustrating when all I want is something only slightly more explicit than YA, with college age characters, slow burn and tastefully done romance.
But noooooo! 95% of the time I venture into NA from YA and it goes straight to raunchy like those child Disney stars as soon as they turn 18.
(And I’m not a prude. I even prefer a character with dirty mouth and I love smut! Just not overly explicit and dumb smut (don’t even get me started on 50 shades).)
Anyway imagine my surprise when I randomly came across Taming Demons for Beginners on a weird ad somewhere and thought, oh no it’s one of those self published books, pass (no offense! there’s some amazing self published books out there but you know what I mean) for basically free that I’m getting stuped into but actually it was freaking amazing?!!!
What really drew me in was this amazing close up of the cover art I then came across in another ad on IG and boyo caught my attention like oh damn—hot
This series is, in a way, somewhat like Shadowhunters but not close enough that it feels like a knockoff or fanfiction-y and also it’s not boy/girl-piney or romance-heavy like the Shadowhunters series.
Taming Demons for Beginners is a NA urban fantasy set in modern times with demon summoners, contractors, and mythics. Demons are summoned and forced into contracts where they become bound to the contractor to do their bidding.
There’s a guild and a magical police task force, sort of like the Shadowhunter’s Clave, that governs and sets order and does damage control and keeps the demon world under wraps from unsuspecting humans in daily life.
(I keep making references to Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series but honestly while reading Taming Demons for Beginners, Shadowhunters was the last thing I thought of as this does not have enough similarities and that’s a huge plus for me! It’s definitely it’s own thing!)
The main character, Robin is so relatable it hurts! I love her! She is a smol, bookworm—described as short and struggles with social anxiety. I love that she is not an “insta-badass� like most YA characters because I just can’t relate. Yeah girl-power is awesome and but i definitely don’t have the muscle to pick up a big heavy sword and the nerve to go save the world.
I just know I’m going to love her character growth!
And Zylas, the demon that Robin happens upon with her sheer dumb-luck is also a great character. He’s a demon of few words and I love his stoic, narcissistic yet curious and observational nature.
And I love Robin and Zylas� camaraderie! I find myself smiling at my kindle most when they are together being dorks and bickering. And I hope hope hope this is a slow burn! Romance is not listed as a sub genre and honestly I thing that’s what makes this such a great New Adult, where romance is commonly the hyper-focus and it gets ridiculous.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the fact that Zylas is never described as oh-so-inhumanly-gorgeous and that Robin never falters or loses her train of thought to tell us how hot he is!! *cheers* *applause*
The plot drew me in immediately and is perfectly paced, if not fast. I devoured it in 3 days.
This one is being added to my “New-Adult-Gems� shelf here on GR and I’m so glad I came across and gave it a try!
4/29/2020
All I know is that this is NEW ADULT, and demons and the MC is a short girl with social anxiety who lives to read *basically me lol*, and boi is hot and this is currently $0.99 on Kindle
July 11, 2023
I love this. I LOVE THIS!
Already, Demonized is my favorite of the Guild Codex series, and Zylas & Robin are my favorite couple and main character duo by far. They make slowburn worth it.
I’ll come back with a series review soon, since I’m sure to blow right through this series.
Already, Demonized is my favorite of the Guild Codex series, and Zylas & Robin are my favorite couple and main character duo by far. They make slowburn worth it.
I’ll come back with a series review soon, since I’m sure to blow right through this series.
August 27, 2021
Star Rating: �> 5 [gleaming] Stars
I generously received an ARC of this book from the author/ publisher in exchange for an honest review- all opinions are my own.
HOLY MOLY, WO-OW. This was everything I could’ve ever hoped for. Truly. Fantastic read that I recommend to anyone and everyone.
Annette Marie is an absolute FORCE.
I love the CodexVerse (A nickname is needed with Spellbound, and now Demonized, as well. I just happen to have one 😉). SO; naturally, I was a bit nervous to meet the Demonized newbie leading lady Robin, but buckle up! Because she is absolutely incredible.
And fear not Guild Codex fans! She is EVERY BIT as lovable as Tori (the spitfire, fearless, outspokenly witty heroine from the sister series, Spellbound).
I’ve only known Robin for one book, and I already love her just as much as the main character/ heroine in this series.
Robin is a mythic of the Arcana Class� technically a sorceress�
but she only ever studies magic (with an intense passion), never practices it�
Her family motto was “Stay away from magic... and magic will stay away from you.�
Her mother vehemently implemented this rule, and Robin has only practiced the most common of spells.
Personality wise, I love that she is relatable for a lot of people (I know that she reminds me of me to a scary-close-to-exact degree, haha)� her number one attribute is her number one problem; a SERIOUS case of “curiosity killed the cat� syndrome- curious & impulsive- that gets her in trouble quite consistently. She is extremely smart & bookish, anxious, quiet, and shy, and dislikes confrontation... which ends up with her being taken advantage of, a lot. She’s also witty, yet humble, & kind, but you do have to get to know her a bit for her to open up...
When we are introduced to Robin, she has just moved in with her (horrid little man of an) Uncle, as it has been 6 months since her parents died in a car crash, and she has still not received what is owed to her- specifically, her mother’s Grimoire (which are passed on from mother to daughter over generations), and her inheritance, from her parents� will, of which her uncle is the executor.
Robin accidentally stumbles upon her uncle, along with his business partner, Claude, dealing in illegal demon activity during a business meeting in the basement/ library (which by the way she didn’t even know he was a summoner until she moved in... her mother left that part out, her whole life. why? )... when her intent was to grab a book. In that encounter- her uncle develops an outward hostility toward her & tells her NEVER to come into the basement again... aaand her curiosity is thrown into overdrive. Needless to say, this curiosity, through a domino effect, completely upends her world & the world around her, causing complete and total chaos all over the Mythic board- not to mention ends up forcing her into the magical world, now holding a contract with an unbound demon (mhm, highly illegal).
These events are what catapult us into the true ACTION of the novel, if you can believe it! This is where the events of Demon Magic & a Martini start as well (Spellbound #4). As she tries to fix the trouble she has (sort of) started, she discovers things about her demon she would have never thought possible, and ends up in endless dangerous situations... but also wants to find her mothers grimoire, and uncover family secrets. She’s develops a friendship with her cousin, Amalia, sort of by accident... which she never thought possible.
This book is a lot of “Robin never thought possible� scenarios, lol.
So, yes, then we have the (drool-worthy) demon, Zylas, who, by the way, is apparently one of the most deadly demons ever summoned...
...and really, REALLY loves baked goods?
Tell you more, you say?
Oh, Zylas � What an absolutely fascinating, utterly brilliant new male lead we are introduced to through this amazing new series in the Guild Codex Universe. Robin’s demon, who I must note, agrees to a contract with Robin to protect her, in exchange for her baking.Yes, he seriously agrees to this (the normal contract would ensure the Demon would receive her soul in exchange). No, really!
Hey- they were in peril and in danger of certain death! 😆
Demons are supposed to be cruel, wicked, and evil... but Zylas seems to be none of these things...
Is it his contract? Or is it something more?
I feel we have much to learn about his character and I LOVE IT/ CAN’T WAIT TO.
I love the relationship developing between Robin & Zylas! Their dynamic is so consistently clever, yet cautious & all hate/love... all the while, learning to trust each other at the exact same time� it’s just great. Wonderful dynamic that had me absolutely captivated!
Raise your hand if you’re hoping for ROMANCE between Robin & Zylas. *raises hand shamelessly*
I absolutely cannot wait to see how things progress between them!
(They have a bit of an early Buff & Angel relationship vibe if you ask me- I’m lovin� it!)
I LOVE Amalia! What a surprise. She’s one of my favorite characters, actually... I think she has promise 😉
...and boy did I LOVE seeing Darius in this novel, and seeing why he actually made the decisions he did. He’s like a father figure in the CodexVerse, and I love him so very much!
Beyond that though, it truly is Marie’s writing that makes the book unforgettable. She could make me fall in love with anything she wanted to.
She’s got such a beautiful flow to her writing; with no detail left unexplained, everything so brilliantly imaginative, with imagery and world building so vivid you feel like you’re actually there, character development so thorough that you feel you *actually* KNOW the characters & plots that are so incredibly inventive & unique.
...and she does it all so smoothly! She can truly do it all; She’s the Ryan Gosling of writers. And let me tell you, that is the utmost compliment coming from me ;-).
*insert Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl...� meme here*
So; If you haven’t heard of Annette Marie, or If you just haven’t read the sister series, The Guild Codex: Spellbound, stop contemplating and just do yourself a favor and get reading whichever series you’d like to start with!
**You can read my opinion of the two series� reading order in brackets below !**
[ You CAN read this completely separate from Spellbound & enjoy it in its entirety, but IMO you will get the most out of this, and the CodexVerse as a whole, if you start with Spellbound. As I said above, this book takes place at the same time that book #4 of Spellbound, Demon Magic and a Martini unfolds, so as the two intersect a bit in this first book of Demonized, and are obviously inevitably going to intersect quite a bit in the future. Given the ending of both this book AND Spellbound #4... I’d give Spellbound a go first for the best experience! Either way, BOY are the easter eggs, and the places that the two stories intersect so incredibly fun! 😂
It is TOTALLY up to you, though! ]
But, I have to say that- coming into this as a lover of the CodexVerse already... I absolutely loved reading the scene where Robin joins the Crow and Hammer for multiple reasons- one, because we get to see it from Robin’s point of view this time, and two- now I know that she truly belongs there- another wonderful magical misfit, it warmed my heart to see that scene all over again from this side of the story ♥️.
I’m so, so, so EXCITED to read The Alchemist and an Amaretto (Spellbound) after the ending of Demonized #1!! Right?! I absolutely CAN. NOT. WAIT. For everyone to meet Robin, and her demon. Trouble will ensue, as usual, I’m sure. Tori’s POV in terms of Robin is one I am DYING to read!
SO; GO! GO get reading, kiddos! Why are you still reading THIS ol� thang?! :-P
PS: Demonized #2: Slaying Monsters for the Feeble is WAY TOO FAR AWAY! Ahhh I’m just so excited for all of this. Haha.
Fantastic. *sighs contentedly*
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
09/13/2019 :
RTC, as soon as soon as I sort my thoughts, because HOLY WOW. I would’ve finished this all in one go, too, were I not sick lol... staying up at all was difficult. I kept getting so mad! Yesterday, when I felt a bit better, I scarfed that story down like Zylas with a batch of Robin’s cookies ;-).
For those of you who have already read this ... AMIRIGHT?!
For those of you who haven’t read yet, will explain soon...
you’re in for a treat in so. many. ways. !!!
[See what I did there? The WIT, my God, I’m so (tacky) hilarious! 😉]
Whole review ASAP!
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
09/08/2019 :
ARCCCC (very first one I’ve ever applied for & very first one I’ve ever received 😊). WooHooo! Been waiting too long to return to The Guild Codex world!
Can’t wait to be... Demonized 😈
I generously received an ARC of this book from the author/ publisher in exchange for an honest review- all opinions are my own.
HOLY MOLY, WO-OW. This was everything I could’ve ever hoped for. Truly. Fantastic read that I recommend to anyone and everyone.
Annette Marie is an absolute FORCE.
I love the CodexVerse (A nickname is needed with Spellbound, and now Demonized, as well. I just happen to have one 😉). SO; naturally, I was a bit nervous to meet the Demonized newbie leading lady Robin, but buckle up! Because she is absolutely incredible.
And fear not Guild Codex fans! She is EVERY BIT as lovable as Tori (the spitfire, fearless, outspokenly witty heroine from the sister series, Spellbound).
I’ve only known Robin for one book, and I already love her just as much as the main character/ heroine in this series.
Robin is a mythic of the Arcana Class� technically a sorceress�
but she only ever studies magic (with an intense passion), never practices it�
Her family motto was “Stay away from magic... and magic will stay away from you.�
Her mother vehemently implemented this rule, and Robin has only practiced the most common of spells.
Personality wise, I love that she is relatable for a lot of people (I know that she reminds me of me to a scary-close-to-exact degree, haha)� her number one attribute is her number one problem; a SERIOUS case of “curiosity killed the cat� syndrome- curious & impulsive- that gets her in trouble quite consistently. She is extremely smart & bookish, anxious, quiet, and shy, and dislikes confrontation... which ends up with her being taken advantage of, a lot. She’s also witty, yet humble, & kind, but you do have to get to know her a bit for her to open up...
When we are introduced to Robin, she has just moved in with her (horrid little man of an) Uncle, as it has been 6 months since her parents died in a car crash, and she has still not received what is owed to her- specifically, her mother’s Grimoire (which are passed on from mother to daughter over generations), and her inheritance, from her parents� will, of which her uncle is the executor.
Robin accidentally stumbles upon her uncle, along with his business partner, Claude, dealing in illegal demon activity during a business meeting in the basement/ library (which by the way she didn’t even know he was a summoner until she moved in... her mother left that part out, her whole life. why? )... when her intent was to grab a book. In that encounter- her uncle develops an outward hostility toward her & tells her NEVER to come into the basement again... aaand her curiosity is thrown into overdrive. Needless to say, this curiosity, through a domino effect, completely upends her world & the world around her, causing complete and total chaos all over the Mythic board- not to mention ends up forcing her into the magical world, now holding a contract with an unbound demon (mhm, highly illegal).
These events are what catapult us into the true ACTION of the novel, if you can believe it! This is where the events of Demon Magic & a Martini start as well (Spellbound #4). As she tries to fix the trouble she has (sort of) started, she discovers things about her demon she would have never thought possible, and ends up in endless dangerous situations... but also wants to find her mothers grimoire, and uncover family secrets. She’s develops a friendship with her cousin, Amalia, sort of by accident... which she never thought possible.
This book is a lot of “Robin never thought possible� scenarios, lol.
So, yes, then we have the (drool-worthy) demon, Zylas, who, by the way, is apparently one of the most deadly demons ever summoned...
...and really, REALLY loves baked goods?
Tell you more, you say?
Oh, Zylas � What an absolutely fascinating, utterly brilliant new male lead we are introduced to through this amazing new series in the Guild Codex Universe. Robin’s demon, who I must note, agrees to a contract with Robin to protect her, in exchange for her baking.Yes, he seriously agrees to this (the normal contract would ensure the Demon would receive her soul in exchange). No, really!
Hey- they were in peril and in danger of certain death! 😆
Demons are supposed to be cruel, wicked, and evil... but Zylas seems to be none of these things...
Is it his contract? Or is it something more?
I feel we have much to learn about his character and I LOVE IT/ CAN’T WAIT TO.
I love the relationship developing between Robin & Zylas! Their dynamic is so consistently clever, yet cautious & all hate/love... all the while, learning to trust each other at the exact same time� it’s just great. Wonderful dynamic that had me absolutely captivated!
Raise your hand if you’re hoping for ROMANCE between Robin & Zylas. *raises hand shamelessly*
I absolutely cannot wait to see how things progress between them!
(They have a bit of an early Buff & Angel relationship vibe if you ask me- I’m lovin� it!)
I LOVE Amalia! What a surprise. She’s one of my favorite characters, actually... I think she has promise 😉
...and boy did I LOVE seeing Darius in this novel, and seeing why he actually made the decisions he did. He’s like a father figure in the CodexVerse, and I love him so very much!
Beyond that though, it truly is Marie’s writing that makes the book unforgettable. She could make me fall in love with anything she wanted to.
She’s got such a beautiful flow to her writing; with no detail left unexplained, everything so brilliantly imaginative, with imagery and world building so vivid you feel like you’re actually there, character development so thorough that you feel you *actually* KNOW the characters & plots that are so incredibly inventive & unique.
...and she does it all so smoothly! She can truly do it all; She’s the Ryan Gosling of writers. And let me tell you, that is the utmost compliment coming from me ;-).
*insert Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl...� meme here*
So; If you haven’t heard of Annette Marie, or If you just haven’t read the sister series, The Guild Codex: Spellbound, stop contemplating and just do yourself a favor and get reading whichever series you’d like to start with!
**You can read my opinion of the two series� reading order in brackets below !**
[ You CAN read this completely separate from Spellbound & enjoy it in its entirety, but IMO you will get the most out of this, and the CodexVerse as a whole, if you start with Spellbound. As I said above, this book takes place at the same time that book #4 of Spellbound, Demon Magic and a Martini unfolds, so as the two intersect a bit in this first book of Demonized, and are obviously inevitably going to intersect quite a bit in the future. Given the ending of both this book AND Spellbound #4... I’d give Spellbound a go first for the best experience! Either way, BOY are the easter eggs, and the places that the two stories intersect so incredibly fun! 😂
It is TOTALLY up to you, though! ]
But, I have to say that- coming into this as a lover of the CodexVerse already... I absolutely loved reading the scene where Robin joins the Crow and Hammer for multiple reasons- one, because we get to see it from Robin’s point of view this time, and two- now I know that she truly belongs there- another wonderful magical misfit, it warmed my heart to see that scene all over again from this side of the story ♥️.
I’m so, so, so EXCITED to read The Alchemist and an Amaretto (Spellbound) after the ending of Demonized #1!! Right?! I absolutely CAN. NOT. WAIT. For everyone to meet Robin, and her demon. Trouble will ensue, as usual, I’m sure. Tori’s POV in terms of Robin is one I am DYING to read!
SO; GO! GO get reading, kiddos! Why are you still reading THIS ol� thang?! :-P
PS: Demonized #2: Slaying Monsters for the Feeble is WAY TOO FAR AWAY! Ahhh I’m just so excited for all of this. Haha.
Fantastic. *sighs contentedly*
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
09/13/2019 :
RTC, as soon as soon as I sort my thoughts, because HOLY WOW. I would’ve finished this all in one go, too, were I not sick lol... staying up at all was difficult. I kept getting so mad! Yesterday, when I felt a bit better, I scarfed that story down like Zylas with a batch of Robin’s cookies ;-).
For those of you who have already read this ... AMIRIGHT?!
For those of you who haven’t read yet, will explain soon...
you’re in for a treat in so. many. ways. !!!
[See what I did there? The WIT, my God, I’m so (tacky) hilarious! 😉]
Whole review ASAP!
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
09/08/2019 :
ARCCCC (very first one I’ve ever applied for & very first one I’ve ever received 😊). WooHooo! Been waiting too long to return to The Guild Codex world!
Can’t wait to be... Demonized 😈
January 15, 2020
In this new spin-off/side-series, I think Robin is actually a little more interesting than Tori, even if Robin is 'weaker' despite the fact that Tori is just a human and Robin is not.
I really enjoyed the slow development of Robin and the demon's 'relationship' in the beginning of this book. Howeer, once the storyline crossed over to the same storyline/timeline as the other series featuring Tori, my interest did lower a little bit. Luckily it picked back up at the very end.
I think it's very interesting that these two series are being written at the same time and are to be read at the same time by switching back and forth between them. Which series will I end up liking better? Right now it's a toss up, which is a nice problem to have.
I really enjoyed the slow development of Robin and the demon's 'relationship' in the beginning of this book. Howeer, once the storyline crossed over to the same storyline/timeline as the other series featuring Tori, my interest did lower a little bit. Luckily it picked back up at the very end.
I think it's very interesting that these two series are being written at the same time and are to be read at the same time by switching back and forth between them. Which series will I end up liking better? Right now it's a toss up, which is a nice problem to have.
December 31, 2019
Joint review with Anne posted at
I’ve had a few misses and some meh experiences in trying out new authors in the UF genre so I’m a little excited about new to me author Annette Marie’s Taming Demon’s for beginners. This seems like one of the more promising first books in a series that I’ve read lately. So far there are interesting characters, nice conflict, mysteries to be uncovered and a pretty cool world.
Robin grew up with some loving parents that always taught her to stay away from magic and it will stay away from you. So, imagine her surprise when she learns that her family line was one of the premier demon summoners and that her uncle is trying to do it illegally from the house she is staying in.
First off, I really like that Robin isn’t your typical kick-ass I’m great at absolutely everything kind of heroine. She reads books, loves to bake and hates confrontation of any kind. She knows about magic and has studied it, but is not a practitioner, well wasn’t a practitioner anyway. I like that she is a bit sheltered, naïve and kind without being TSTL. Sure, she is thrown into a lot of learn fast or die situations, but that was the fun of this story.
The second thing that I really liked is that this has witches and demons. I think there are going to be some pretty cool reveals down the line about the ‘known things� both on the human side and demon side of the veil. The world set up is working very well for me and I like the slow trickle of information that we are getting as things progress.
Lastly the plot set up is going well in this story. Not to be a KU snob, but I’ve found that some of the stories on that bypass plot for a plethora of action scenes. There were action scenes for sure but there is also the character development of Robin and the Demon Zylas that made this such a good read. I loved the dynamic between Robin and the demon, most of their banter was great and funny. I really enjoyed the relationship they currently have and I do have some high hopes that down the line it might turn romantic.
Overall is was a really fun read for me. I’d never read this author before so I didn’t realize until after that this is set in the same world as another series written by Ammette Marie. So before I can continue into this series I’ll need to read series.
I’ve had a few misses and some meh experiences in trying out new authors in the UF genre so I’m a little excited about new to me author Annette Marie’s Taming Demon’s for beginners. This seems like one of the more promising first books in a series that I’ve read lately. So far there are interesting characters, nice conflict, mysteries to be uncovered and a pretty cool world.
Robin grew up with some loving parents that always taught her to stay away from magic and it will stay away from you. So, imagine her surprise when she learns that her family line was one of the premier demon summoners and that her uncle is trying to do it illegally from the house she is staying in.
First off, I really like that Robin isn’t your typical kick-ass I’m great at absolutely everything kind of heroine. She reads books, loves to bake and hates confrontation of any kind. She knows about magic and has studied it, but is not a practitioner, well wasn’t a practitioner anyway. I like that she is a bit sheltered, naïve and kind without being TSTL. Sure, she is thrown into a lot of learn fast or die situations, but that was the fun of this story.
The second thing that I really liked is that this has witches and demons. I think there are going to be some pretty cool reveals down the line about the ‘known things� both on the human side and demon side of the veil. The world set up is working very well for me and I like the slow trickle of information that we are getting as things progress.
Lastly the plot set up is going well in this story. Not to be a KU snob, but I’ve found that some of the stories on that bypass plot for a plethora of action scenes. There were action scenes for sure but there is also the character development of Robin and the Demon Zylas that made this such a good read. I loved the dynamic between Robin and the demon, most of their banter was great and funny. I really enjoyed the relationship they currently have and I do have some high hopes that down the line it might turn romantic.
Overall is was a really fun read for me. I’d never read this author before so I didn’t realize until after that this is set in the same world as another series written by Ammette Marie. So before I can continue into this series I’ll need to read series.
September 21, 2019
If the TV show Supernatural has taught me anything, it is that over time, you would be surprised what you can grow on you until even their evilness is cute and you adore them.
I absolutely loved this. From shy timid Robin that secretly wants to be a BA but is far braver and closer to it than she thinks, to Z, Amalia and of course my beloved Crow and Hammer members.
I loved loved that we see more of Darius in this! I loved him after the last book and he has always seemed mysterious but so darn lovable that I loved seeing more of him and what he does outside of the guild that we don't get to see in the other series. I seriously want more of him, in fact I want a story just for him!
Having said that, back to this story and how it coincides with Tori's, I loved it! So much fun. A slightly different take than we have seen so far with this Codex series and just...addicting. I gobbled this up and not only wished I had half the cookie recipes it talked about, but also had book two in my hot little hand. I can't wait for book five of the other series and book two of this. They both promise to be so much fun and just so much more. I love that the author is choosing to do, something I never thought I would say.
If you haven't tried this series yet, do IT! What are you waiting for. I can (almost) guarantee it will quickly become a favorite for you just like it has for me and oh so addicting with it's snarky feisty characters and witty one liners, action, adventure, and a little bit of hidden and forbidden romance always right on the surface.
I absolutely loved this. From shy timid Robin that secretly wants to be a BA but is far braver and closer to it than she thinks, to Z, Amalia and of course my beloved Crow and Hammer members.
I loved loved that we see more of Darius in this! I loved him after the last book and he has always seemed mysterious but so darn lovable that I loved seeing more of him and what he does outside of the guild that we don't get to see in the other series. I seriously want more of him, in fact I want a story just for him!
Having said that, back to this story and how it coincides with Tori's, I loved it! So much fun. A slightly different take than we have seen so far with this Codex series and just...addicting. I gobbled this up and not only wished I had half the cookie recipes it talked about, but also had book two in my hot little hand. I can't wait for book five of the other series and book two of this. They both promise to be so much fun and just so much more. I love that the author is choosing to do, something I never thought I would say.
If you haven't tried this series yet, do IT! What are you waiting for. I can (almost) guarantee it will quickly become a favorite for you just like it has for me and oh so addicting with it's snarky feisty characters and witty one liners, action, adventure, and a little bit of hidden and forbidden romance always right on the surface.
September 9, 2020
Annette Marie has done it again!
You should definitely read this book, whoever you are, because this is a book for everyone! Our MC is sweet but strong enough to admit when she makes a mistake, and I really loved reading the story from her point of view. Add in the gorgeous, sexy, badass, hilarious (though his humour develops more as the series continues), wonderful demon, and this book is crazy loveable!
With Annette’s addictive writing making sure that no one can put this book down, you’ll be eager for book 2 about 0.5 seconds after finishing book one! Read this book!!
Plus, for those of you who’ve read Guild Codex: Spellbound, it’s really cute seeing the moments we all remember from Spellbound but from Robin’s POV ;)
Ok, now I need to read book 5 of Spellbound before book 2 of Demonized (yep, there’s a whole order to read them in) so goodbye and read this series!
You should definitely read this book, whoever you are, because this is a book for everyone! Our MC is sweet but strong enough to admit when she makes a mistake, and I really loved reading the story from her point of view. Add in the gorgeous, sexy, badass, hilarious (though his humour develops more as the series continues), wonderful demon, and this book is crazy loveable!
With Annette’s addictive writing making sure that no one can put this book down, you’ll be eager for book 2 about 0.5 seconds after finishing book one! Read this book!!
Plus, for those of you who’ve read Guild Codex: Spellbound, it’s really cute seeing the moments we all remember from Spellbound but from Robin’s POV ;)
Ok, now I need to read book 5 of Spellbound before book 2 of Demonized (yep, there’s a whole order to read them in) so goodbye and read this series!
September 21, 2019
A monster before me. Monsters of a different sort behind me. I had seconds to choose my executioner.
Meet Robin Page:
A 20 year old sorceress that swore to her mother she would never use magic. 6 months prior, her parents met their untimely end. Now Robin is living with her uncle and his family. Unfortunately, her uncle has withheld her inheritance, sold her parent's home out from underneath her, and refuses to give her the priceless heirloom that is more important to her than anything else - her mother's grimoire. Not to mention her uncle is running an obviously illegal demon summoning operation. (Shady, right?) So, what is a girl to do? Kill some time studying in the basement library.
Most people couldn't have ignored a demon sharing a library with them, but most people didn't love books as much as I did.
Or so she thought. What starts out as an innocent curiosity, turns into a somewhat strange understanding between a human and a demon trapped in a summoning circle. A bond forming over the exchange of information for - and this is fucking fantastic - baked goods. So, maybe the old adage is true. Maybe the key to a man's (or in this case, a demon's) heart really is through their stomach? I don't know for sure, but "seeing" it happen in this instance was goddamn magical!
Beginning: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - That first chapter really hooks you. Robin has to choose between possibly being murdered by some unknown assailants, or probably being murdered by a demon in a summoning circle. Following that is a two week journey leading up to that point. There's some info dumping, but totally necessary for peeps that aren't already familiar with the Guild Codex world. You don't have to read Spellbound, but I highly recommend that you do. It's just that good.
Middle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - Straight up adventure, action, and some gore. Loved it.
End: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - More action! More gore! More magic! And character crossovers! Eeeeeek!
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - Great characters. Robin was meek, but strong in her own right. The demon was awesome! I have a feeling his character will impact some very important aspects of the series going forward.
Steam: � - Taming Demons was very tame in this regard. Totally YA.
Final rating: 4.5 � Super fun, loads of action, with some dark elements to this Paranormal Urban Fantasy. I'll be going stir crazy waiting for the next book!
I really really enjoyed this book. Plowed through in half a day. I swear that everything this author writes is magical, in my opinion, and I'm so fortunate to have been able to join her ARC team early on. This however does not affect my reviews.
Meet Robin Page:
A 20 year old sorceress that swore to her mother she would never use magic. 6 months prior, her parents met their untimely end. Now Robin is living with her uncle and his family. Unfortunately, her uncle has withheld her inheritance, sold her parent's home out from underneath her, and refuses to give her the priceless heirloom that is more important to her than anything else - her mother's grimoire. Not to mention her uncle is running an obviously illegal demon summoning operation. (Shady, right?) So, what is a girl to do? Kill some time studying in the basement library.
Most people couldn't have ignored a demon sharing a library with them, but most people didn't love books as much as I did.
Or so she thought. What starts out as an innocent curiosity, turns into a somewhat strange understanding between a human and a demon trapped in a summoning circle. A bond forming over the exchange of information for - and this is fucking fantastic - baked goods. So, maybe the old adage is true. Maybe the key to a man's (or in this case, a demon's) heart really is through their stomach? I don't know for sure, but "seeing" it happen in this instance was goddamn magical!
Beginning: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - That first chapter really hooks you. Robin has to choose between possibly being murdered by some unknown assailants, or probably being murdered by a demon in a summoning circle. Following that is a two week journey leading up to that point. There's some info dumping, but totally necessary for peeps that aren't already familiar with the Guild Codex world. You don't have to read Spellbound, but I highly recommend that you do. It's just that good.
Middle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - Straight up adventure, action, and some gore. Loved it.
End: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - More action! More gore! More magic! And character crossovers! Eeeeeek!
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐� - Great characters. Robin was meek, but strong in her own right. The demon was awesome! I have a feeling his character will impact some very important aspects of the series going forward.
Steam: � - Taming Demons was very tame in this regard. Totally YA.
Final rating: 4.5 � Super fun, loads of action, with some dark elements to this Paranormal Urban Fantasy. I'll be going stir crazy waiting for the next book!
I really really enjoyed this book. Plowed through in half a day. I swear that everything this author writes is magical, in my opinion, and I'm so fortunate to have been able to join her ARC team early on. This however does not affect my reviews.
October 12, 2021
Classic case of ‘it’s me, not the book�. I’m personally not a fan of Urban Fantasy, but I’m a sucker for pretty book covers, so here we are. Unfortunately, I still haven’t changed my mind about the genre, so keep that in mind if you plan on reading on...
Plot wise, Taming Demons for Beginners was intriguing enough but if you’re already familiar with deal-with-the-devil/contracting-demon tropes, it’s probably not going to be anything new to you. Everything I expected to happen, happened. Thankfully this book was fast paced and had a good amount of mystery, so even when I wasn’t fully invested, I never felt bored.
Robin was an interesting character� I feel like readers will either love or hate her. She’s not your typical badass heroine � she’s timid, shy and way out of her depth. And normally I love heroines like her because there's an element of relatableness there, but I found it hard to root for her because she doesn't do much to warrant support. I’m assuming her character development occurs later in the series, so I won’t go on about it.
As for our demon boy Zylas� he was okay. He’s everything you would expect from a hot demon.
Overall, I can definitely appreciate this book for what it is, but alas, it just really wasn’t for me. I know readers who’ve loved this series, so if you like UF and don’t mind an extreme (and I mean EXTREME) lack of romance, this book might be worth a read.
Note: Taming Demons for Beginners is a spin-off and while it can be read as a standalone, many other reviewers have pointed out that this series is far more enjoyable having read the Guild Codex Universe series first.
Rating: 3/5
Plot wise, Taming Demons for Beginners was intriguing enough but if you’re already familiar with deal-with-the-devil/contracting-demon tropes, it’s probably not going to be anything new to you. Everything I expected to happen, happened. Thankfully this book was fast paced and had a good amount of mystery, so even when I wasn’t fully invested, I never felt bored.
Robin was an interesting character� I feel like readers will either love or hate her. She’s not your typical badass heroine � she’s timid, shy and way out of her depth. And normally I love heroines like her because there's an element of relatableness there, but I found it hard to root for her because she doesn't do much to warrant support. I’m assuming her character development occurs later in the series, so I won’t go on about it.
As for our demon boy Zylas� he was okay. He’s everything you would expect from a hot demon.
Overall, I can definitely appreciate this book for what it is, but alas, it just really wasn’t for me. I know readers who’ve loved this series, so if you like UF and don’t mind an extreme (and I mean EXTREME) lack of romance, this book might be worth a read.
Note: Taming Demons for Beginners is a spin-off and while it can be read as a standalone, many other reviewers have pointed out that this series is far more enjoyable having read the Guild Codex Universe series first.
Rating: 3/5
September 14, 2019
5 stars
^^^ me after finishing this book
I LOVE ROBIN
From the get go too, which hardly ever happens. It took me a little while to warm up to Tori (from The Guild Codex), but I had an instant connection with Robin....probably because I've had similiar thoughts as her. Word of warning...this book will make you hungry. Robin is an avid cookie baker.
I LOVE ZYLAS
I can't say much more without being spoiler-y, but his sass just works. I can't wait to see more of him in future books.
Seriously, if you're all caught up on The Guild Codex, this book adds so much more depth. If you haven't read any of The Guild Codex, I don't know what you're doing with your life. I have an extremely needy 3 month old and I'm all caught up so there's no excuses. Do yourself a favor and immerse your imagination into this AMAZING series by this incredibly talented author! (also you should read all her books anyway)
------
ARC!
I’ve only been waiting FOREVER to go back into this world 😁
^^^ me after finishing this book
I LOVE ROBIN
From the get go too, which hardly ever happens. It took me a little while to warm up to Tori (from The Guild Codex), but I had an instant connection with Robin....probably because I've had similiar thoughts as her. Word of warning...this book will make you hungry. Robin is an avid cookie baker.
I LOVE ZYLAS
I can't say much more without being spoiler-y, but his sass just works. I can't wait to see more of him in future books.
Seriously, if you're all caught up on The Guild Codex, this book adds so much more depth. If you haven't read any of The Guild Codex, I don't know what you're doing with your life. I have an extremely needy 3 month old and I'm all caught up so there's no excuses. Do yourself a favor and immerse your imagination into this AMAZING series by this incredibly talented author! (also you should read all her books anyway)
------
ARC!
I’ve only been waiting FOREVER to go back into this world 😁
April 29, 2024
Okay, this was so so SO good. I really, really, REALLY hope the author continues many books with this character, Robin. Fascinating, I love her and Zyla. Perfection! :)
November 8, 2019
Taming Demons for Beginners was a ton of fun, action packed and impossible to put down. Just from that first chapter I was hooked and I screamed out loud best chapter ever! Oh my gosh you guys, Annette Marie knows how to pull you in and continually have you begging for more. The storyline was addictive, the characters lept from the pages and she created a world I never wanted to leave. This book is for everyone out there that loves to say just one more chapter, and then before you know it you've finished the whole book. In one day.
I loved Robin. She always seemed to be baking or have her nose in a book, and those are my two favorite things! Robin was such a sweet girl with a huge heart. But she could be shy and timid, and my heart hurt for for her. Robin had moved in with her Uncle, after her parents passed away. She was told to avoid magic, but her Uncle was swirling in it. He summoned demons and created contacts with them. That was extremely illegal. All Robin had to do was mind her own business and stay away from the demon that was trapped in his library. But who knew just how impossible that would become.
The demon, ohhhhh I was obsessed with him right away. I probably shouldn't like someone who was supposed to be a killer, but Zylas had me deep in his clutches. I was fascinated learning everything I could about him. His words and mannerisms cracked me up, even though he wasn't trying to be funny. He didn't understand so many things like what a tv was to blushing. So it felt like he was from a different world, but at the same time, there was so much Robin didn't understand either.
I loved watching Robin and Zylas learn about each other. They were worlds apart and their misunderstandings had me laughing out loud. Even when it was a serious moment, you couldn't knock the smile off of my face at times. But Robin grew so much in this story, and it felt like it was because of Zylas. And Zylas, well I can't talk much about him, but I loved watching them both evolve as the story unfolded.
Hold on because this book had heart pounding action that had me on the edge of my seat. There were intense moments that were life or death. Some of them I never even saw coming, so I gasped or screamed out loud. And when the pieces to the puzzle finally started to fall into place, it was terrifying. Deadly. This book truly had it all.
There were side characters I desperately want to talk about, but it's best not knowing anything about them. All I can say is I somehow got attached to one of them and I'm happily shocked I did. And while I didn't read this one is linked to, you don't need to, it stood on it's own. But I'll definitely be picking it up! So yes, I recommend this book! With magic swirling through the pages and characters that I absolutely loved, I can't wait to see what happens next.
PS I'd love to know the recipes Robin made, they sound delicious! Especially the marshmallow-stuffed s’more cookies! YUM!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Adrenaline flooded my body. Panic screeched in my head, but I couldn’t move. Frozen like a rabbit in the wolf’s teeth, I stared at him in horror.
He held my fingers in a tight grip, then pulled.
I loved Robin. She always seemed to be baking or have her nose in a book, and those are my two favorite things! Robin was such a sweet girl with a huge heart. But she could be shy and timid, and my heart hurt for for her. Robin had moved in with her Uncle, after her parents passed away. She was told to avoid magic, but her Uncle was swirling in it. He summoned demons and created contacts with them. That was extremely illegal. All Robin had to do was mind her own business and stay away from the demon that was trapped in his library. But who knew just how impossible that would become.
�Payilas.� His whisper demanded my answer.
“Protect me.�
The demon, ohhhhh I was obsessed with him right away. I probably shouldn't like someone who was supposed to be a killer, but Zylas had me deep in his clutches. I was fascinated learning everything I could about him. His words and mannerisms cracked me up, even though he wasn't trying to be funny. He didn't understand so many things like what a tv was to blushing. So it felt like he was from a different world, but at the same time, there was so much Robin didn't understand either.
“What do you want?� My arm was on fire, blazing with agony, and I didn’t understand his question. My crumbling composure gave way.
“I don’t want to die,� I sobbed, shaking and gasping.
I loved watching Robin and Zylas learn about each other. They were worlds apart and their misunderstandings had me laughing out loud. Even when it was a serious moment, you couldn't knock the smile off of my face at times. But Robin grew so much in this story, and it felt like it was because of Zylas. And Zylas, well I can't talk much about him, but I loved watching them both evolve as the story unfolded.
I’d known full well that Zylas was a risk to everyone around me.
I’d known, and I’d ignored the danger.
Hold on because this book had heart pounding action that had me on the edge of my seat. There were intense moments that were life or death. Some of them I never even saw coming, so I gasped or screamed out loud. And when the pieces to the puzzle finally started to fall into place, it was terrifying. Deadly. This book truly had it all.
Kill them all , I thought as clearly as I could. The first chance you get.
His tail twitched, his stare boring into mine. The connection between us burned hot, an invisible thread that bound our fates together. Crimson light glowed across his fingers and the semi-transparent talons that tipped them. His tail slid slowly across the pavement. The twenty yards between us yawned even wider.
There were side characters I desperately want to talk about, but it's best not knowing anything about them. All I can say is I somehow got attached to one of them and I'm happily shocked I did. And while I didn't read this one is linked to, you don't need to, it stood on it's own. But I'll definitely be picking it up! So yes, I recommend this book! With magic swirling through the pages and characters that I absolutely loved, I can't wait to see what happens next.
“In my world,� he said unexpectedly, “there is a type of � tree.�
I faced him again, my brow furrowed in puzzlement.
“On the tree, it grows small …� He cupped his hands as though holding something. “� small fruits. The outside is poisonous, deadly, but inside is juicy and sweet. We fight over these trees. I have killed to take the fruit when it is ripe.�
He picked up another s’more cookie. “These are better.�
PS I'd love to know the recipes Robin made, they sound delicious! Especially the marshmallow-stuffed s’more cookies! YUM!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
January 6, 2020
Originally posted at:
This book was worth the time I waited for the audio book to release and SO much more! This is the kind of book I want to read all year round! It was suspenseful and action-packed with quirky characters who shouldn't fit together but still find a way to make it work!
Robin was such a good character! She's the last thing you expect when you think of a demon contractor but her dynamic with Zylas is incredible! I love that she's an introvert who has a hard time standing up for herself. Her love of baking is adorable and made my mouth water multiple times throughout the novel.
Zylas was an interesting and mysterious character. His motives are still up in the air but the author still found ways to showcase his soft spot for Robin. There were quite a few times that I found myself grinning like a fool during the audio book because of those scenes.
What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of Annette Marie's mind right now! This was the best book to start the year off with! The universe this series is set in has proven itself to be fantastic and I can't wait for all the other books to come!
The Audio Book:
Cris Dukehart does a great job with the narration! I was surprised she even enunciated the alien language Zylas speaks. She seems to be expanding her range of female and male voices. I liked this audio book very much!
This book was worth the time I waited for the audio book to release and SO much more! This is the kind of book I want to read all year round! It was suspenseful and action-packed with quirky characters who shouldn't fit together but still find a way to make it work!
Robin was such a good character! She's the last thing you expect when you think of a demon contractor but her dynamic with Zylas is incredible! I love that she's an introvert who has a hard time standing up for herself. Her love of baking is adorable and made my mouth water multiple times throughout the novel.
Zylas was an interesting and mysterious character. His motives are still up in the air but the author still found ways to showcase his soft spot for Robin. There were quite a few times that I found myself grinning like a fool during the audio book because of those scenes.
What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of Annette Marie's mind right now! This was the best book to start the year off with! The universe this series is set in has proven itself to be fantastic and I can't wait for all the other books to come!
The Audio Book:
Cris Dukehart does a great job with the narration! I was surprised she even enunciated the alien language Zylas speaks. She seems to be expanding her range of female and male voices. I liked this audio book very much!
September 15, 2019
I can’t wait! This cover 😍 -- Edit September 15th, 2019 now that I actually read it.
I loved this fresh start of a spin off! Spin offs have their own obstacles to face. Yeah sure the main series lovers will give you a shot 70% of the time because of the love they have for the first one and a bit of obligation nibbling at their fingers. But their expectations are going to be higher. You have to start strong in order to keep he momentum from where the main series left off. And did Annette deliver or WHAT!?!
The writing was impeccable as usual. I’ve got another series to fawn over. I was transported back to this world with new eyes and a new flavor of perspective. Vivid, and ready for next month to read about the sister series spellbound team in . Well done Annette.
I adored Robin.
Heroines at first thought for me supposed to brash, gutsy, reckless, but overall their undying need for justice or revenge clings to us all. So when I come across a timid, doubtful, meek character I need to see some growth. Robin definitely grows through the story and I’m sure will continue to do so throughout the series. The POV we get from her is eye opening and makes me feel all those moments with her. You can see all those other qualities come out and you can see the pressure of her situation refine her. I don’t want to spoil anything so I will just say, I want more. & from here it is kinda spoilery not overly but enough from the true anti-spoilist.
Why is Zylas everything. His surprising actions, (I am really thinking hard on this nature vs nurture thing now.) His pretty logical idealogy/mantra. I saw some things in him and I wonder how our duo’s journey will unfold when they reach their end goal? *chants* We want Zylas. We want Zylas. We want Zylas.
Seeing Darius King, GM, in a new light was all that I wanted and more. Please give me more.
Overall I am enamored with the book. Can’t wait for November. <3
I loved this fresh start of a spin off! Spin offs have their own obstacles to face. Yeah sure the main series lovers will give you a shot 70% of the time because of the love they have for the first one and a bit of obligation nibbling at their fingers. But their expectations are going to be higher. You have to start strong in order to keep he momentum from where the main series left off. And did Annette deliver or WHAT!?!
The writing was impeccable as usual. I’ve got another series to fawn over. I was transported back to this world with new eyes and a new flavor of perspective. Vivid, and ready for next month to read about the sister series spellbound team in . Well done Annette.
I adored Robin.
Heroines at first thought for me supposed to brash, gutsy, reckless, but overall their undying need for justice or revenge clings to us all. So when I come across a timid, doubtful, meek character I need to see some growth. Robin definitely grows through the story and I’m sure will continue to do so throughout the series. The POV we get from her is eye opening and makes me feel all those moments with her. You can see all those other qualities come out and you can see the pressure of her situation refine her. I don’t want to spoil anything so I will just say, I want more. & from here it is kinda spoilery not overly but enough from the true anti-spoilist.
Why is Zylas everything. His surprising actions, (I am really thinking hard on this nature vs nurture thing now.) His pretty logical idealogy/mantra. I saw some things in him and I wonder how our duo’s journey will unfold when they reach their end goal? *chants* We want Zylas. We want Zylas. We want Zylas.
Seeing Darius King, GM, in a new light was all that I wanted and more. Please give me more.
Overall I am enamored with the book. Can’t wait for November. <3
December 28, 2021
YA isn't my cuppa, but this one
Isn't overpriced
Isn't lame PG13, it's not afraid of going dark
and it's ANETTE MARIE!!!
Seriously she's an amazing writer!!!
Guys!! If you haven't read anything by Anette Marie you're missing out!!!
Isn't overpriced
Isn't lame PG13, it's not afraid of going dark
and it's ANETTE MARIE!!!
Seriously she's an amazing writer!!!
Guys!! If you haven't read anything by Anette Marie you're missing out!!!
May 17, 2024
05/17/2024: Reread. (Audiobook.)
12/22/2022: Reread. (Audiobook.)
06/16/2021: Reread. (Audiobook.)
09/20/2020: Reread. (Audiobook.)
08/08/2020: Reread! (Read to my son, Maddox.)
07/18/2020: Reread!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
I am fairly certain that there are not any spoilers in my review, but I am posting under spoiler tags just in case.
More reviews on my blog:
12/22/2022: Reread. (Audiobook.)
06/16/2021: Reread. (Audiobook.)
09/20/2020: Reread. (Audiobook.)
08/08/2020: Reread! (Read to my son, Maddox.)
07/18/2020: Reread!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
I am fairly certain that there are not any spoilers in my review, but I am posting under spoiler tags just in case.
More reviews on my blog:
March 3, 2021
When your friends recommend the best books of the Kindle Unlimited selection
It was already on my list but Kenziey chan is a great friend and sent a rec my way. I have the coolest friends!!!
GUUUYSS, If you haven't read anything by Annette Marie sensei you're really missing out!!! Who are your so-called "friends" that don't recommend the best books out there?
If this is half as good as all the other books by Annette Marie sensei Taming demons is gonna be AMYZING!!!
Love you Kenziey
It was already on my list but Kenziey chan is a great friend and sent a rec my way. I have the coolest friends!!!
GUUUYSS, If you haven't read anything by Annette Marie sensei you're really missing out!!! Who are your so-called "friends" that don't recommend the best books out there?
If this is half as good as all the other books by Annette Marie sensei Taming demons is gonna be AMYZING!!!
Love you Kenziey
January 21, 2023
4.5
This book was a whole lot of fun and so dang cute! I really enjoyed the characters, the magic system, and the mystery of demon summoning all wrapped up in a solid new UF series that is a crossover to the books (which I ~may~ need to catch up on)
Also, love me a snarky bad boy demon and fluffy h combo.
“He protects me in exchange for baked goods. That’s � that’s the whole contract.�
This book was a whole lot of fun and so dang cute! I really enjoyed the characters, the magic system, and the mystery of demon summoning all wrapped up in a solid new UF series that is a crossover to the books (which I ~may~ need to catch up on)
Also, love me a snarky bad boy demon and fluffy h combo.
January 23, 2020
Taming Demons for Beginners
Guild Codex: Demonized Series, Book 1
By: Annette Marie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
This is an awesome start to a new series! Robin's parents die and she has to live with her uncle, but he doesn't seem so honest. She finds out he has a demon trapped in the library. He tells her never to go in the library again! Well, you know she did! That's when things go crazy! Exciting, suspenseful, thrilling, and funny! Can't wait for the next book!
Narration was terrific!
Guild Codex: Demonized Series, Book 1
By: Annette Marie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
This is an awesome start to a new series! Robin's parents die and she has to live with her uncle, but he doesn't seem so honest. She finds out he has a demon trapped in the library. He tells her never to go in the library again! Well, you know she did! That's when things go crazy! Exciting, suspenseful, thrilling, and funny! Can't wait for the next book!
Narration was terrific!
August 25, 2020
I didn't like the beginning much, tbh, because Robin was such a doormat. I was shocked when we found out she was 20, because frankly she seemed like she was 15. This is an adult, who is somehow incapable of showing some spine, hiring a lawyer, and getting the shit her uncle is stealing from her. She cowers in front of him and everyone else, and I came pretty close to DNF.
But it got better. Basically, as soon as she got away from her uncle, it got better. She still is a bit of a doormat though. Her fucking cousin I need to see Robin develop a spine. Stop trying to make friends with people who betray her, and start using her skills and tools (hello, demon!) to get back what belongs to her.
But it got better. Basically, as soon as she got away from her uncle, it got better. She still is a bit of a doormat though. Her fucking cousin I need to see Robin develop a spine. Stop trying to make friends with people who betray her, and start using her skills and tools (hello, demon!) to get back what belongs to her.
Read
August 19, 2020DNF at 52%
I gave this book a solid chance, but ultimately this was just not for me. I've seen a few people say good things about this series recently, but I couldn't get into it. It wasn't any one thing that stood out, it was pretty much everything that I didn't vibe with.
I gave this book a solid chance, but ultimately this was just not for me. I've seen a few people say good things about this series recently, but I couldn't get into it. It wasn't any one thing that stood out, it was pretty much everything that I didn't vibe with.
March 19, 2021
This YA style UF turned out to be a super enjoyable read. Annette Marie had an engaging writing style that sucked me into the story from the start and held my attention the whole way through! We got a nice blend of action, drama, humour, and even some small hints of romance in this one. We also got magic and cool exotic demons!
I took a chance on this YA/UF as I'm always open to stories about demon summoning. It is just a cool fantasy ploy especially if the demons are more talkative than your average horror story demons. I did get caught out a bit as for some reason I read the blurb and expected the lead character to be a male in his teens. What we actually got was a 20 year old female lead character. Not that this hurt the story at all as Robin, out accidental demon summoner, was a fantastic lead character and a real plus for the story. From the blurb I was also expecting this to be a fairly light and humorous read and while it did have some humour I was a bit surprised by the fact that the humour was a lesser factor than the drama. It ended up being a deeper story than I was expecting and, again, I think that worked to this tales advantage as it made it even easier to get invested in the story and characters.
I loved the premise. Robin's parents have recently died and she is staying with her Uncle, who has an iron grip over her inheritance. Her uncle is also experimenting with some illegal demon summoning using knowledge he may or may not have stolen from one of Robin's parents secret magic books. Not that Robin knew anything about demons as her parents had always told her to avoid magic! Avoiding magic got a lot more complicated when she found her Uncle had summoned a mysterious demon and bound it in a circle in the most inconvenient of places: the basement library! The demon was refusing to as much as speak with her Uncle and his cronies which made it all the worse when it started getting chatty with her as she was sneaking in at night to pilfer some reading material.
I ended up loving the tale. Robin was not your typical female UF action lead but she was super likeable and easy to root for. The demon was equally fun and cool. I loved their interactions throughout the story.
I was initially worried that the tale would decline in quality once the fun early interactions between Robin and the demon wore off but my worries turned out to be unfounded as Annette Marie found ways to keep things fun, engaging, and exciting even as the story developed.
All in all this is one of the more enjoyable UF series I've discovered in years. The story had plenty of action and humour but it also had a lot of deeper more emotionally engaging moments that helped give the characters and story that bit of extra depth and helped suck me more into this world.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
After I finished reading this one I discovered it was actually a spin-off from Annette Marie's Guild Codex: Spellbound series. I felt like this series stood on its own two feet really well as I never felt like I was missing anything I needed to know. I'll read the sequel to this Guild Codex: Demonized series and also read the books from the Spellbound series as well if they are half as much fun as this one.
Rating: 4 stars
Audio Note: Cris Dukehart did a good job with the audio.
I took a chance on this YA/UF as I'm always open to stories about demon summoning. It is just a cool fantasy ploy especially if the demons are more talkative than your average horror story demons. I did get caught out a bit as for some reason I read the blurb and expected the lead character to be a male in his teens. What we actually got was a 20 year old female lead character. Not that this hurt the story at all as Robin, out accidental demon summoner, was a fantastic lead character and a real plus for the story. From the blurb I was also expecting this to be a fairly light and humorous read and while it did have some humour I was a bit surprised by the fact that the humour was a lesser factor than the drama. It ended up being a deeper story than I was expecting and, again, I think that worked to this tales advantage as it made it even easier to get invested in the story and characters.
I loved the premise. Robin's parents have recently died and she is staying with her Uncle, who has an iron grip over her inheritance. Her uncle is also experimenting with some illegal demon summoning using knowledge he may or may not have stolen from one of Robin's parents secret magic books. Not that Robin knew anything about demons as her parents had always told her to avoid magic! Avoiding magic got a lot more complicated when she found her Uncle had summoned a mysterious demon and bound it in a circle in the most inconvenient of places: the basement library! The demon was refusing to as much as speak with her Uncle and his cronies which made it all the worse when it started getting chatty with her as she was sneaking in at night to pilfer some reading material.
I ended up loving the tale. Robin was not your typical female UF action lead but she was super likeable and easy to root for. The demon was equally fun and cool. I loved their interactions throughout the story.
I was initially worried that the tale would decline in quality once the fun early interactions between Robin and the demon wore off but my worries turned out to be unfounded as Annette Marie found ways to keep things fun, engaging, and exciting even as the story developed.
All in all this is one of the more enjoyable UF series I've discovered in years. The story had plenty of action and humour but it also had a lot of deeper more emotionally engaging moments that helped give the characters and story that bit of extra depth and helped suck me more into this world.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
After I finished reading this one I discovered it was actually a spin-off from Annette Marie's Guild Codex: Spellbound series. I felt like this series stood on its own two feet really well as I never felt like I was missing anything I needed to know. I'll read the sequel to this Guild Codex: Demonized series and also read the books from the Spellbound series as well if they are half as much fun as this one.
Rating: 4 stars
Audio Note: Cris Dukehart did a good job with the audio.
January 24, 2025
This was an easy read and a good introduction to a new series.
�I WAS HOOKED from the beginning and I thought the pacing was really good. There is enough mystery to keep you interested, but you still get answers sprinkled throughout the book, which I really appreciate.
�ROBIN IS A FUN and distinct main character. She's nerdy, unconfident, always second-guesses herself, and loves to bake... normally I prefer badass and overpowered FMCs, but it was nice to read something a bit different for a change! She is much more relatable than the typical fantasy FMC 😆
� ANNETTE MARIE IS always a reliable author for an interesting and unique world, a good story, and solid characters. If you enjoyed her series, then there's a good chance you will enjoy this as well.
� THE ROMANCE IS off to a good start. Zylas is super fascinating. He is written well - i.e., he actually acts like a demon instead of an angsty/horny teenager (which is wayyy too common for these supposedly 100-year old fae and vampire characters you usually get 😅)
Overall, I definitely recommend this if you're looking for an easy, well-written read. It's definitely old-school YA, meaning there isn't anything too serious/dark and it's not smutty at all, but it's still entertaining and the romance has promise for a good slow burn ❤️❤️
�I WAS HOOKED from the beginning and I thought the pacing was really good. There is enough mystery to keep you interested, but you still get answers sprinkled throughout the book, which I really appreciate.
�ROBIN IS A FUN and distinct main character. She's nerdy, unconfident, always second-guesses herself, and loves to bake... normally I prefer badass and overpowered FMCs, but it was nice to read something a bit different for a change! She is much more relatable than the typical fantasy FMC 😆
� ANNETTE MARIE IS always a reliable author for an interesting and unique world, a good story, and solid characters. If you enjoyed her series, then there's a good chance you will enjoy this as well.
� THE ROMANCE IS off to a good start. Zylas is super fascinating. He is written well - i.e., he actually acts like a demon instead of an angsty/horny teenager (which is wayyy too common for these supposedly 100-year old fae and vampire characters you usually get 😅)
Overall, I definitely recommend this if you're looking for an easy, well-written read. It's definitely old-school YA, meaning there isn't anything too serious/dark and it's not smutty at all, but it's still entertaining and the romance has promise for a good slow burn ❤️❤️
Read
February 26, 2020This is first in a UF series, but it's the same setting as the author's Spellbound series and has some of the same characters and places. I would definitely recommend reading these in combined order, but that may just be because I like Tori more and wouldn't want to skip her. The events of this story actually overlap with and frankly, I think it'd be better to read this one before that one as it'd support the dramatic tension of both books better.
I had a much harder time engaging with Robin. She's an emotional coward, practically afraid of her own shadow and lets her uncle (and everybody else, really) walk all over her. This made for a pretty slow beginning as we see her abandon every attempt to push for what she wants. She's old enough that this is very frustrating. Which is probably why I kept trying to read her as younger.
I also wasn't thrilled with how quick she is to trust obviously compromised people—with the exception of her (eventual) demon. It makes her look clueless and naïve and adding that on top of coward was a bit much, I think. Offsetting that is her working things out with the believably alien Zylas. His utilitarian, sometimes brutal, assessments are, er, "usefully predictive" often enough that Robin has to start altering her assumptions and goals. Which is frankly what'll keep me interested in following the combined series order, most likely. It's early days, yet, but I'm definitely interested in Zylas and Robin continuing to find common ground amidst their very-alien differences.
Interestingly, the worldbuilding actually feels stronger with this book because it's so focused on the "Demonica". So it ends up feeling flavorful and multi-variant in ways that make sense and hint at broader details in interesting ways.
No rating on this one for . . . . It's complicated. Which is why there's a link...
A note about Chaste: There's really no hint of a romance and nobody for Robin to attach to. There's some (very small) hint of awareness between Robin and Zylas, but they're miles away from that being a possibility. So yeah, very chaste.
I had a much harder time engaging with Robin. She's an emotional coward, practically afraid of her own shadow and lets her uncle (and everybody else, really) walk all over her. This made for a pretty slow beginning as we see her abandon every attempt to push for what she wants. She's old enough that this is very frustrating. Which is probably why I kept trying to read her as younger.
I also wasn't thrilled with how quick she is to trust obviously compromised people—with the exception of her (eventual) demon. It makes her look clueless and naïve and adding that on top of coward was a bit much, I think. Offsetting that is her working things out with the believably alien Zylas. His utilitarian, sometimes brutal, assessments are, er, "usefully predictive" often enough that Robin has to start altering her assumptions and goals. Which is frankly what'll keep me interested in following the combined series order, most likely. It's early days, yet, but I'm definitely interested in Zylas and Robin continuing to find common ground amidst their very-alien differences.
Interestingly, the worldbuilding actually feels stronger with this book because it's so focused on the "Demonica". So it ends up feeling flavorful and multi-variant in ways that make sense and hint at broader details in interesting ways.
No rating on this one for . . . . It's complicated. Which is why there's a link...
A note about Chaste: There's really no hint of a romance and nobody for Robin to attach to. There's some (very small) hint of awareness between Robin and Zylas, but they're miles away from that being a possibility. So yeah, very chaste.
April 6, 2021
I loved this story of demons and sorcerers. It was engaging, well-written, and has fun characters. Starting the next book, I can't wait to see how things develop with Robin. Robin is putting her trust in her cousin Amalia and her contracted demon Zylas. I suppose she doesn't have much choice until she obtains her inheritance.
April 20, 2020
* Read under POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE 2020 for - A book with a made up language *
This book was everything I had thought it would be and so much more.
Okay, so before I begin my review, I'd like to clear some things.
Yes, this is a spin-off series to Spellbound series and can be read as a standalone series, in the sense that you don't need to read Spellbound in order to understand it. Though I would advise against it.
So even though both the series are independent and can be read separately, there are certain events that overlap. This book ( Demonized 1 ) goes parallelly with Demon Magic and a Martini ( Spellbound 4 ). So, it's like, the events in both the books take place within the same time frame. It revolves around the same unbound demon that is on loose. Two very different stories take place at the same time in the same setting.
Now what I personally recommend is reading the books in the order of their release. So rather than reading them as two separate series, which is also fine, I feel like reading them together as an interconnected saga instead makes the story much more whole and the way both Tori and Robin's stories intertwine with the overlapping of the events also seem to make much more sense that way. That's why I am following the order in which Annette Marie released her books in CodexVerse.
Okay, now about the book.
Taming Demons for Beginners was such a cute yet very intense book. I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoyed it. It was so, so good, that I finished it in less than a day.
Right from the beginning, I was invested. And I found myself liking it more than the Spellbound series, which I love now but it took some time for it to grow on me. It wasn't until Book 3 that I started truly enjoying the series. But this one was brilliant right from the start and had me hooked until the very end.
I absolutely adore our protagonist, Robin. She is so cute and precious. I love how we get a character who is realistic and normal. She is a sorcerer but a dormant one. She has barely practiced any magic and has never fought anyone. She has led a normal life like other humans, with her nose buried in books all the time, baking for her parents. But all of this changes when her parents die and she has to shift in with her uncle and there she discovers some dark secrets that she wasn't surprised to.
So when she is suddenly pushed into this world of deadly demons and murderers, you can't expect her to out of nowhere turn all badass and start kicking butt. So she is shy, weak, helpless and scared. Which is realistic for someone who has led an absolutely normal human life until now.
But she has a strong will power and she is extremely smart. She might not be physically strong, but we slowly get to see a lot of growth and how she learns to confront her lack of confidence.
Then coming to our beloved demon, Zylas. It's impossible not to love this bastard. He is not nice, obviously, because he is a demon. Demons are anything but nice. But he loves Robin's baking and doesn't want to be a slave to any human. So here comes the contract.
That, in exchange for cookies.
Yup, that's the pact.
Anyways, talking about Zylas. Did I mention that I loved him? First of all, he is hilarious. Mostly because he is never trying to be funny. It's just his dialogue is so straightforward, it's hilarious. His confusion about a lot of human stuff is so endearing. He is unreadable and we do not know what's going on in his head. It's too early to say he cares about Robin beyond selfish reasons but he has certainly warmed up to her a little and might also genuinely care for her? A little bit? It's impossible to tell. Because he is a demon and there is nothing genuine about a demon.
But a girl can hope. Because am I trying to ship our precious human protagonist with a deadly, selfish demon incapable of love and sympathy?
Yes. Yes, I am.
I am trash, thank you.
P.S. I love the cover. It's so much better than the Spellbound series'.
This book was everything I had thought it would be and so much more.
Okay, so before I begin my review, I'd like to clear some things.
Yes, this is a spin-off series to Spellbound series and can be read as a standalone series, in the sense that you don't need to read Spellbound in order to understand it. Though I would advise against it.
So even though both the series are independent and can be read separately, there are certain events that overlap. This book ( Demonized 1 ) goes parallelly with Demon Magic and a Martini ( Spellbound 4 ). So, it's like, the events in both the books take place within the same time frame. It revolves around the same unbound demon that is on loose. Two very different stories take place at the same time in the same setting.
Now what I personally recommend is reading the books in the order of their release. So rather than reading them as two separate series, which is also fine, I feel like reading them together as an interconnected saga instead makes the story much more whole and the way both Tori and Robin's stories intertwine with the overlapping of the events also seem to make much more sense that way. That's why I am following the order in which Annette Marie released her books in CodexVerse.
Okay, now about the book.
Taming Demons for Beginners was such a cute yet very intense book. I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoyed it. It was so, so good, that I finished it in less than a day.
Right from the beginning, I was invested. And I found myself liking it more than the Spellbound series, which I love now but it took some time for it to grow on me. It wasn't until Book 3 that I started truly enjoying the series. But this one was brilliant right from the start and had me hooked until the very end.
I absolutely adore our protagonist, Robin. She is so cute and precious. I love how we get a character who is realistic and normal. She is a sorcerer but a dormant one. She has barely practiced any magic and has never fought anyone. She has led a normal life like other humans, with her nose buried in books all the time, baking for her parents. But all of this changes when her parents die and she has to shift in with her uncle and there she discovers some dark secrets that she wasn't surprised to.
So when she is suddenly pushed into this world of deadly demons and murderers, you can't expect her to out of nowhere turn all badass and start kicking butt. So she is shy, weak, helpless and scared. Which is realistic for someone who has led an absolutely normal human life until now.
But she has a strong will power and she is extremely smart. She might not be physically strong, but we slowly get to see a lot of growth and how she learns to confront her lack of confidence.
Then coming to our beloved demon, Zylas. It's impossible not to love this bastard. He is not nice, obviously, because he is a demon. Demons are anything but nice. But he loves Robin's baking and doesn't want to be a slave to any human. So here comes the contract.
"Payilas?
"Protect me."
That, in exchange for cookies.
Yup, that's the pact.
Anyways, talking about Zylas. Did I mention that I loved him? First of all, he is hilarious. Mostly because he is never trying to be funny. It's just his dialogue is so straightforward, it's hilarious. His confusion about a lot of human stuff is so endearing. He is unreadable and we do not know what's going on in his head. It's too early to say he cares about Robin beyond selfish reasons but he has certainly warmed up to her a little and might also genuinely care for her? A little bit? It's impossible to tell. Because he is a demon and there is nothing genuine about a demon.
But a girl can hope. Because am I trying to ship our precious human protagonist with a deadly, selfish demon incapable of love and sympathy?
Yes. Yes, I am.
I am trash, thank you.
P.S. I love the cover. It's so much better than the Spellbound series'.
February 11, 2020
Robin Page, recently lost both of her parents. She moved into her uncle’s home with his wife, stepson and daughter. Her Uncle is the executor of her late parent� will and hasn’t released their things to her including funds. However, she is more interested in a family heirloom. While looking for it she discovers her Uncle is summoning demons. Robin doesn’t practice magic, neither did her parents� but there is so much Robin doesn’t know.
The tale that unfolds was insanely addictive. I loved the familiarity of the world, but enjoyed the uniqueness of the heroine and our demon. If you are a fan of Dannika Dark and her different series set in the same verse, you will know exactly what I mean.
Robin is timid, although she is trying to be more assertive. She loves to bake and read which is how she ends up in the basement looking for a book and talking to a demon.
Danger, humor, summons, rituals, bonding and bargains. Fair warning, don’t start this late at night, I one-more chaptered myself into the next morning. I regret nothing!
We learn about demons, sorcerers and meet a demon named Zylas (Zuh-yee-las). I loved the interaction between Robin and Zylas. It felt natural and was a mix of fear, discovery and back-and-forth banter. Their chemistry and partnership works.
We see Robin bond, make a friend, deal with betrayal and find acceptance. Before the story ends, we will meet characters from the Claw and Hammer, but not before we battle for our lives.
The Audio�.
Cris Dukehart narrates, and it thrilled me to see her taking on this series. I love urban fantasy on audio and Annette Marie’s stories pop in this format. Her characters and action-packed storylines filled with snark, danger and banter are all enhanced by Dukehart’s voices and tone.
The tale that unfolds was insanely addictive. I loved the familiarity of the world, but enjoyed the uniqueness of the heroine and our demon. If you are a fan of Dannika Dark and her different series set in the same verse, you will know exactly what I mean.
Robin is timid, although she is trying to be more assertive. She loves to bake and read which is how she ends up in the basement looking for a book and talking to a demon.
Danger, humor, summons, rituals, bonding and bargains. Fair warning, don’t start this late at night, I one-more chaptered myself into the next morning. I regret nothing!
We learn about demons, sorcerers and meet a demon named Zylas (Zuh-yee-las). I loved the interaction between Robin and Zylas. It felt natural and was a mix of fear, discovery and back-and-forth banter. Their chemistry and partnership works.
We see Robin bond, make a friend, deal with betrayal and find acceptance. Before the story ends, we will meet characters from the Claw and Hammer, but not before we battle for our lives.
The Audio�.
Cris Dukehart narrates, and it thrilled me to see her taking on this series. I love urban fantasy on audio and Annette Marie’s stories pop in this format. Her characters and action-packed storylines filled with snark, danger and banter are all enhanced by Dukehart’s voices and tone.
November 11, 2019
“Mercy is for the weak, payilas.�
“The weak can’t afford mercy.� I met his eyes.
“I think we can.
This quote describes Robin and Zylas’s relationship perfectly. She is his moral compas because azulas, a demon, doesn’t have one. What he does have is a fondness for small creatures to protect and cookies. Which works out perfectly for Robin in her time of need.
I’m not going to lie in the beginning I wanted to DNF this book. I was so frustrated with Robin and her self help books and cowardice. But as the book continued I realized poor girl had no choice. Her crazy uncle was well, crazy. And all of the events in her life left her broken and defenseless.
Back to the story. This story was a little crazy. Wizards and Witches found a way to It’s awful. No wonder the demons hate humans.
I enjoyed the crazy and want more! I loved how Zylas made Robin stronger. And I loved how Robin made Zylas kinder. They balanced each other very well.
“The weak can’t afford mercy.� I met his eyes.
“I think we can.
This quote describes Robin and Zylas’s relationship perfectly. She is his moral compas because azulas, a demon, doesn’t have one. What he does have is a fondness for small creatures to protect and cookies. Which works out perfectly for Robin in her time of need.
I’m not going to lie in the beginning I wanted to DNF this book. I was so frustrated with Robin and her self help books and cowardice. But as the book continued I realized poor girl had no choice. Her crazy uncle was well, crazy. And all of the events in her life left her broken and defenseless.
Back to the story. This story was a little crazy. Wizards and Witches found a way to It’s awful. No wonder the demons hate humans.
I enjoyed the crazy and want more! I loved how Zylas made Robin stronger. And I loved how Robin made Zylas kinder. They balanced each other very well.
February 20, 2022
2.5� the couple was such a bore after emi&shiro
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