Misfit by Jon Skovron

Publisher's Summary: Jael has always felt like a freak. She's never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad's always been superstrict-but that's probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family's dangerous history and Jael's untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.

Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose.

Jon Skovron is the author of Struts & Frets, about which the Washington Post Book World said, "Skovron perfectly captures that passion-sometimes fierce, sometimes shy-that drives so many young artists to take the raw stuff of life and ‘transform it into something beautiful.'" He lives in Washington, DC.



My Take: I devoured Misfit in one day! I just couldn’t stop reading until I was finished, so I spent my whole Saturday in my PJ’s having my kids wonder why I was neglecting them.

In Misfit, Jon Skovron sticks with true demon myths, using real demon names and demon rankings, and creates a story that is more graphically violent and “demon-like” than any other Urban Fantasy book I have read in a long time! And, when the evil demons are involved in the story-line (and just about every other demon you meet is an evil demon), the scene is always grotesque and morbid, and always leads to a horrifyingly bloody fight or to a demon possession . . . and then to an exorcism!

Misfit begins with the story of the main character and heroine, Jael Thompson’s, sixteenth birthday. Jael has known since her 8th birthday that she is half-demon and that her mother died when she was a baby, but that is the only thing her dad has ever told her about her demon life. And she knows they are always running from another demon who is trying to find her, but she doesn’t know why. Jael has always had questions for her father that he always seemed to avoid but the only real question on her sixteenth birthday is wondering if she will be moving on her birthday…AGAIN!

And Jael’s dad appears to be too cheap and stingy to even acknowledge her birthday…he only leaves a note asking her to see him after she returns from school. But at least her friend gives her a token birthday gift (hair conditioner!) for her always unruly hair (yes, the unruly hair is symbolic of Jael’s true nature…LOL!) I loved following the story of Jael’s life because I loved learning about what led to her existence and what she is capable of. And I could feel Jael’s pain because her dad is the only person she’s ever really had in her life and he’s always been distant and has imposed a strict lifestyle on Jael, sending her to Catholic/Christian schools her whole life, telling her that’s what she really needs.

But when Jael does see her dad after school, he gives her a necklace for her 16th birthday (something he promised Jael’s mom he would do) and then her whole life changes! She starts to have dreams and visions of her parents’ past and she even starts to learn about her demon life. There were times when Jael was having visions of her parents’ past that I actually started tearing up . . . and other times when I had tears rolling down my face and almost started full on bawling!
And when Jael first experiences her life as a demon, I thought, “Seriously? She’s “that” kind of demon?! How the heck will she be able to handle that?” But the story only gets better! Her uncle, Dagon, helps her learn how to use her powers and gives her advice on how she can control her demon. The things Jael experiences during this learning process are both horrifying and amazing all at the same time! And we discover that Jael is not the only one who’s in danger from the demon that’s been searching for her since the day she was born…everyone she cares about is in danger.

I also loved Rob, the regular skater dude who calls Jael “Betty.” Rob sometimes even cuts it short to Bett (LoL…random!). He is curious about how physics and magic can come together as one, and this gives Jael hope that maybe one day she can confide in someone about what she is.

This book never stops moving! I was always intrigued and glued to the book, reading about Jael’s story. I came to love each and every character as the story progressed; even Jael’s dad who I really had a hard time liking in the beginning, but who I now have a soft spot for in my heart.

This is for sure a book I would recommend to someone who is looking for an Urban Fantasy book that isn’t mild like most Urban Fantasy book these days.


Misfit Holiday Teaser Trailer from Jon Skovron on Vimeo.

Received review eGalley from:

ABRAMS