Book Reviews

Book Blurb

The path to temptation is paved with a hellish amount of paperwork.

Soul acquisition is a drag, but if Abaddon doesn’t catch up on his quota, he could be demoted to scooping poop for the Hounds of Hell. With a deadline hanging over him, he heads for the Bible Belt, looking for the perfect combination of sweetness and challenge.

Seth is a blind musician, part of a traveling tent revival. He’s cute, mystically talented, and quotes the Bible at every turn. His soul is pure enough to fill Abaddon’s quota for months to come, and Abaddon is determined to claim it.

The problem? There’s the revival foreman who watches Abaddon’s every move. Then there’s the mystery of Seth’s many unusual talents. Lastly, there’s Abaddon himself. He’s beginning to like Seth a bit too much. Maybe Seth deserves something better than damnation.

But Hell’s agenda isn’t negotiable, and time is running out. If Abaddon doesn’t play his cards right, he could condemn both of them to the worst fate of all—an eternity apart.

Warning: Contains a Bible-quoting twink and an irreverent devil. Also, snakes. Lots and lots of snakes.

First Edition published by Samhain Publishing, 2016.

Book Review

It feels like forever since I read anything by Marie Sexton so it was utter joy to experience her writing again. I knew I was in for a hellish treat, pun intended, based not only on the description, but this author has dry wit and quirky humor in spades. I wasn't wrong, and believe me when I tell you 'Damned If You Do' was exactly what I needed.

The fact that right off the bat the story began with Abaddon getting a memo from Satan that ended with "Also: get a haircut" pretty much told me I was in for a wild ride. Abaddon has two weeks to acquire a soul or he'll be demoted and his traveling to Earth privileges will be revoked. I was beginning to get the feeling that Abaddon might not be the greatest devil in Hell seeing as he found tricking someone out of their soul depressing. Apparently he's the only devil in Hell with a conscience.

"He liked his souls devout. No Unitarians for him. Hardly any flavor there at all. He found Mormons a bit salty, and Catholics too bitter, but Southern Baptists were like butterscotch, Methodists like caramel, and a Pentecostal—oh, those were his favorite—their souls tasted like pink cotton candy, sticky and sugary sweet."

Seth is a true believer and someone I can honestly admit, I don't understand. His sight was taken from him at nineteen for no reason, seemingly, but he's sure God will restore it in his own time. Seth and Abaddon make a wager. A fiddle contest, but not for a fiddle made of gold (which Seth just laughs at), but a soul for a soul. An unusual wager, no doubt, since Abaddon lost his soul years ago, but Seth wants to have Abaddon come to the tent revival that night, so the deal is struck. Abaddon loses, as I'm sure you can imagine, and the devil ends up at a tent revival in Kentucky.

In the evenings that pass, Abaddon is at every revival as Seth's soul is so pure he can't stay away. Zed, the foreman, is not happy and does everything he can to keep Abaddon away from Seth. The time spent with Seth begins to change Abaddon in small ways that grow larger until he no longer wants Seth's soul for Hell, but Abaddon's time is growing short. It's more than Seth's soul that has Abaddon mystified, though. There are strange things that happen around Seth. Unexplainable things. Unbelievable things.

As I fully expected the author blew me out of the water with this latest release. There was humor, irony, and satire, but there was so much more. There was emotion I wasn't expecting and a storyline that hit me right in the heart, and tore it open. I may have said I didn't understand Seth and his boundless faith, but I surely respected him and it.

Beautiful and funny in ways I'm entirely unable to really explain.

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novella, 172 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	15-March-2017
Price	$2.99 ebook, $8.49 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Damned-If-You-Marie-Sexton-ebook/dp/B06XP7QZJ9