CW: parental abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse

This was a surprisingly good book. It wasn’t quite a favorite, but I liked it much, much more than I thought I would.

I don’t read much urban fantasy nowadays, but this one alone has made me reconsider the genre. It was really unique and interesting. The story took place in Portland, Oregon, and demons lived among humans. They were only visible to those that wanted to make a deal; a deal meant trading a body part to get one wish. Small wishes meant an arm or a leg, while bigger ones like Dee’s meant her heart. It was unlike anything I’d read before, and kept me hooked despite the slower pacing.

I didn’t love Dee, but I really admired her. She had anxiety and started the book blaming herself for everything, believing she didn’t deserve anything, and that what happened was her fault. Over the course of the novel she slowly overcame that, and she got stronger because of it. She was determined and dedicated, and her character arc is one that I’ll remember.

I loved the side characters. They were all flawed but dealt in their own ways, and I admired them as well. James was so sweet, easily my favorite of the bunch; he was an artist and everything I didn’t know I wanted in a character. Gremma was a free-spirited aspiring scientist, a loyal friend, and honestly just a badass. She vivisected teddy bears in her free time, so that’s fun. As for Riley, although she came in near the end, I ended up liking her too. Together, the three of them and Dee made quite the group. Oh, and Cora wasn’t too bad. She was probably my least favorite, though.

I have a thing for books that aren’t action-packed but still intrigue me, still make me flip through the pages. This was one of those books. In addition to wish-granting demons, there’s also alternate worlds, a looming apocalypse, homunculi, and slow-burn romances.

While on the subject of romances, let me just say that Dee and James are one of the sweetest couples I’ve read in recent months. They understand each other and build one another up, and James never cures Dee. I also really liked Gremma and Riley together. Both were out and happy, and they just clicked.

I want to mention the casual diversity in this book. I didn’t know about any of it prior to reading. Dee has anxiety and is half-Latinx, Gremma is gay, and Riley is a trans girl. I can’t speak on any of the rep, but I was happy to see it included.

I’m avoiding discussion of the ending on purpose, because it absolutely didn’t go the way I expected and I’m not okay. It was sad and so many elements just hit me in the feels.

If you can handle the topics in this book, I highly recommend picking it up. It’s a unique standalone novel, and honestly a hidden gem in YA.