The Demon Catchers of Milan

The Demon Catchers of Milan #1

by Kat Beyer

The haunting action of The Exorcist set against the same background as Letters to Juliet --the beauty, food, and culture of Italy. New in paperback.

Mia is your average American teenager--she struggles with algebra, doesn't get much attention from boys, and has an overbearing Italian-American dad. But when a tortured and vengeful demon possesses her, she learns the truth of her family's heritage. She is descended from a long line of demon catchers from Milan, Italy.

Her relatives exorcise the demon from her body, but it manages to evade their capture. With the demon on the loose, Mia is in grave danger. Her uncle convinces her father that she must move to Milan, to the family's home, the only place where she will be safe. Thrust into a foreign culture and alone among strangers who claim to be her family, Mia tries to makes sense of this bizarre new world. But with a powerful demon chasing after her, will she even get the chance?

*"The demons themselves are haunting, multifaceted creatures that are both pathetic and extremely dangerous; the evil they project is complex and pain-ridden. . . . [T]he novel's other elements (the food will have readers salivating), is portrayed in exquisite, affectionate detail." - Kirkus Reviews , starred review

"The possession that takes place in the opening pages makes it immediately clear that the demons here are no campy, Buffy-styled hellions but rather the old-school type of Luciferean offspring that turned poor Linda Blair's head a full 360 degrees and spawned Rosemary's baby." - The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

Also available in hardcover ( 978-1-60684-314-7) and e-book ( 978-1-60684-315-4) format s.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Demons, Horror, Romance, Urban Fantasy

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2012

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the low reviews, I really did enjoy this book. It had me laughing in a few places, which is always appreciated. I jumped right into the sequel as a matter of fact and this one might end up being a keeper, or at least a re-read before I purge it to make room for more books. The dilemmas of a book lover, amiright?

I’m not sure behind the theology of this book, but at least it makes the demons out to be mostly evil, as opposed to other books where demons are “sexy” and “misunderstood”.

We don’t get a big feel for Milan, since the FMC is stuck inside for most of the book, I’m hoping we see more of it in the second book. Also, could use some more of her struggling with the language. Even after five months she won’t be a native speaker and forgetting how to use English when she emails her sister back in the States, not at 16.

Other than those quibbles and not being sure just HOW closely blood related she is to the third cousin she is attracted to (he has shown no interest in her, it’s a one-sided crush), I really enjoyed this book.

4, not a bad book to take on a trip, stars.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - I totally LOVED this book because it was dark and creepy, but I absolutely HATED it because I don't feel like I got anything out of it.

Let me start by saying this book was weird - as in its eccentricity will probably be a huge turnoff for many. Beyer has built a world that strangely gothic yet hauntingly stunning. There's really no way to explain it other than say Beyer has managed to craftily write in horrifying demons that take possession over people and in a sick and twistedly violent way, and all of this is taken place in a beautiful, unsuspecting city like Milan. Somehow, it worked, and it was very well written.

I was really sucked into the story from beginning to end - how Mia just had this sixth sense that there was more to her world that meets the eye, her traumatic episode of almost being possessed by an evil demon, having to leave her family after her father tried so hard to shield her from this world and her journey as she tries to find the strength in herself to not let the demon get the best of her.

Mia possessed this innocence about her, and even though she did some stupid things sometimes, I found it rather enduring than annoying. And yes, she was portrayed as the helpless damsel that required everyone's protection, but at the same time, she didn't have that overly angsty "let me take care of myself because I'm so tired of everyone protecting me" type of attitude.

There were some things that I didn't really understand why Beyer wrote what she did, like Mia wetting herself and everyone explaining to her it's common but no one really explains why it's a natural reaction; or why she names a character Francesca and Francisco and even points out that there is only one vowel difference but there's never a reason why she couldn't have just picked another name; or why she chose to write everyone related to everybody else - an uncle or cousin twice removed or whatever. Still, I guess it doesn't really matter, but they were just a bit distracting.

But despite being totally sucked into the story, I have absolutely NO idea what is going on. What I mean is I understand what is happening as it is happening, but I don't understand why things are happening and how it ties in to the whole scheme of things. I absolutely HATE books that keep their main characters in the dark.

I know it's your typical storyline for your hero/heroine to be shocked that their whole life was not what they have always thought it was, and they have to learn about their heritage and their history to make a difference in whatever apocalyptic situation fate has given them. But the thing is the character usually learns a little at a time as they grow as a person and find it within themselves to fulfill whatever destiny in stored.

However, I just finished the book and have learned absolutely NOTHING. Everyone keeps telling Mia they are keeping her in the dark to protect her, and we have some saying it's not wise, and we have Mia finding out a little bit for herself. But even at the end, she tells everyone "teach me," and we have yet to find out the point of the whole story.

What is going on? Why are these demons possessing people? What is so special about her family that they decide to be demon catchers? What is the deal with her demon? Why her? I mean, she even asks him, but we never find out. So many questions. So many things left unanswered. I just feel like I wasted the last few hours reading a lot of words and not understanding a thing.

[Eilonwy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following her possession by a powerful demon, 16-year-old American Mia Dellatorri is swept off to Italy to live with distant cousins who continue the ancient family business of exorcism. Mia must adapt to living with a new family while learning a new language and unfamiliar history -- and must also continue to battle with a demon that still wants power over her.

The Good: This book is well-written. Mia's voice and many of the details are enjoyable and ring true. The household she joins in Milan feels lived-in, and her newly discovered relations are interesting, believable people. I enjoyed the descriptions of learning Italian and the bits of Milanese history. There are also many descriptions of delicious food (so don't read this on an empty stomach). The parts of the story that deal with adapting to life in a different country and culture are well done and hit the right notes of awkward, exciting, and occasionally touching. This is probably the best part of the story, for me, anyway.

In addition, I admired the author's willingness to make the story fairly Catholic, since most paranormal writers seem terrified of bringing any outright religious elements into their stories. Mia is specifically directed to meditate by focusing on a statue of the Madonna, and this does prove to be a useful thing by the end of the book.

But Sadly, the Meh: Unfortunately, after a very exciting beginning with Mia's possession and the demon's determination to keep after her (trying to lure her out of the airplane in-flight, for example), this aspect of the story falls too much to the wayside for my tastes. I suspect this is a case of "Trilogitis," because while this book is not listed on Goodreads with a #1, it becomes clear by the end, when virtually no questions have been answered, that additional installments are planned. So even though it's pretty short, the story suffers from a bloated feeling.

For instance, despite Mia's showing a talent for seeing and hearing ghosts, and the demon occasionally making more attempts to get to her, no one is willing to tell her anything, anything at all, about their family history or what they still do. (They just keep telling her that she has to figure it all out by herself -- which she does some, but not enough.) This got old for me real fast, since it felt like a dodge in order to make the story longer.

Another problem is that the exciting bits are few and far between, which gave the book a lack of tension, nothing to carry the reader forward and keep me turning the pages. I could have put this book down at any point and really not cared about what happened next, and that's a shame, because the mythology is fairly original compared to most of the paranormal stories I've been reading, and having a demon specifically determined to get you ought to be downright terrifying. But this book was not one bit scary for me. (In fact, I would describe as "cozy" more than anything else.) Mia describes the demon as "the terrible thing that scared me so much I couldn't even think about it." Well, I personally wish she HAD thought about it, because not a bit of the feeling described in this sentence comes across in the story. If this had been a standalone, with the events in this book condensed into the first few chapters, and whatever's planned for the next two volumes following immediately, I suspect this would be a much more exciting story.

The Kind-of-Weird: Some reviewers have complained that Mia appears to be in love with her cousin, "ew!" But Emilio, the requisite super-handsome guy character, is her third cousin, so that doesn't faze me. What did is that, according to the Family Tree at the front of the book, Emilio is nine years older than Mia, so depending on when their birthdays fall, he is either 24 or 25, compared to her 16. And I honestly cannot tell from the writing whether the author sees him as just a "crush," as Mia describes it, or as a viable love interest of some sort. He is always described as seemingly only a few years older, never as the adult I saw 25-year-olds as being when I was a teen. This is confusing to me, and not in a good way. In addition, Emilio's girlfriend makes a single appearance, and she is absolutely gorgeous, and hates all other women and girls. I wasn't sure what this nasty cameo was supposed to add to the story.

Another slightly disturbing element is that Mia (of course) sees herself as plain, with stringy, mousey hair, no figure, and too much baby fat -- but towards the end, as she is (of course) undergoing a transformation into a swan (new haircut! better clothes! late growth spurt!), her sister mentions, "You're the only person who thought you're too fat. Mom and I always thought you were underweight." And yet, the sister has just asked if Mia has lost weight, and commented on how good she looks .... Something about this just felt jarring to me. But it's only one scene.

The Verdict: So overall, I'd call this book a pleasant diversion. It's all right for what it is, with some very good moments, but it just lacked any real tension. It has a bit of an identity crisis between wanting to be a "travelogue" contemporary novel, and wanting to be an exciting paranormal adventure, and does better at the first half of that. I may pick up the next volume, but it will be more to find out if the pacing and tension improve than because I care very much what happens next. It's a solid three-star book -- good, but it could be so much better.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia's ordinary life as a teenager doing her homework takes an unexpected turn one night when she is suddenly possessed by a demon. After four days of violently harrasing her family and the various priests who try to perform exorcisms, two men arrive from Italy and successfully drive the demon away - for now, anyway. Few people survive such possessions, but Mia happens to come from a long line of demon catchers: her grandfather left Italy for America to leave it all behind. The demon that had possessed her is one they've been battling for generations, and it will return for Mia. She can't even go outside without the demon catchers by her side.

After much debate, it is agreed that Mia will go back to Milan with her distant cousins, Guiliano Della Torre and the much younger, handsome Emilio. There they can protect her, teach her and, hopefully, one day, defeat the demon. For weeks, Mia stays in her room inside Guiliano's apartment, studying Italian and Italian history, listening to two disembodied voices in her room argue and criticise her clothes, and learning only small things here and there about her new Italian family and their demon catching side job. Aside from the apartment, she's also allowed in Guiliano's candle shop on the ground floor, where she studies in-between helping infrequent customers.

Slowly she pieces things together, and learns that the reason why Guiliano is keeping her in ignorance is because her knowledge becomes the demon's knowledge, should it possess her again - which is almost certain. But Mia doesn't want to sit in the wings, unable to leave the building except with a guard of cousins. The more she learns about their demon catching work, the more she realises she has a knack for it: it's in her blood, too. How can she get them to trust her, and train her to catch demons?

I don't generally read books featuring demons or possession - it's all too Catholic for me, in general - but this was something different, something more, and not particularly Catholic at all. The main thing that drew me into this story was that it wasn't like all the YA novels I've been reading lately. The tone was more ... mature. Intelligent, respectful, knowledgeable, yes, but also the focus wasn't on romance - in fact, Emilio has a girlfriend (who feels threatened by other women) and Mia has little more than a crush on him, though there's great potential for something more to develop. Because the story wasn't about romance, it was interesting on so many different levels.

Beyer captured the life and atmosphere of Milan well, even if Mia rarely gets the chance to go outside: it's in the little details, the emphasis on family and food (and sharing food), and how the people think differently from Americans. Sometimes Mia comments on the difference, but not enough to get annoying. It's not a surface image of Milan, either: it's the grit of Milan, rather than a visual. How the people live, what they eat. Their attitudes and opinions on things. Sometimes it would even get political. That's the kind of intelligent maturity I like to see in YA.

It can be found throughout the novel, as Mia learns and matures and starts thinking for herself more. It's in the conversations that she has, with her relatives practically forcing her to grow up and think.

"What else do the candle do? And the - that guy?" I asked.
"Think about it some, and tell me what you think, and I will tell you whether you are right," he said.
"Why can't you just tell me?"
My words stopped Emilio dead in the street.
"When your government tells you your city is safe, do you believe them? When your mother tells you a boy is bad, do you believe her?"
"No, yes, sometimes, but--"
"But should you?"
"I don't think so, but--"
"Your government can't see everything, and your mother judges boys by the standards of her youth. This doesn't mean your government is wrong or that your mother is not wise, though, does it?"
"No."
"Yet it does mean that you don't just take their word for everything. So why should we just tell you things? Would you be wise to take our word for it? Why should you trust us more than your own senses?"

The story also touches on history, the sorrow of WWII and the internment of Italian Jews. At its heart, though, The Demon Catchers of Milan is about the individual, how we deal with grief and loss and rage and bitterness - and how it requires the support of others, of family and loved ones, to help us. The demon that possessed Mia is, so far, a testament to evil - but we don't know anything about it yet and I can see Beyer playing a much less black-and-white hand in the following books. Not all the souls they banish from the living are evil; some are just lost. It seems that there is something personal in Mia's demon, something that made it determined to possess a Della Torre - I sense that it was a Della Torre once, in the past, and its manner of dying will provide answers. But I'm not sure, because Guiliano seems certain that Mia's demon isn't a lost soul or anything remotely ex-human, but a true demon from hell. It got me thinking, anyway.

I liked that the story focused on Mia learning her way in Milan and the demon-catching world, with a distinct lack of big action, melodrama or romance. It's a quieter story, and in that quietness we're able to really believe in demon-catching and possession, undisguised by sparks and whistles, a more organic, less showy artistry. By anchoring it in a bit of medieval history and method, it gains a core of familiarity from which Beyer extends the imagination, adding flourishes in small increments. Because truth is, we don't know much about demon-catching yet, or how the candles and bells and chanting works, or why they do that, or why the Vatican is so against it (especially considering it works). We don't know much about demons or possession. This is the first book in a trilogy, and it's a tantalising introduction into a fascinating new world.

Mia held her own in this new world, a believable mix of moody teenager, quiet listener and observer, a girl on the cusp of adulthood who makes mistakes but learns from them, who discovers a strength inside her that's brought out in the face of this horrifying discovery: demon possession. For someone who suffered personally at the hands of a demon, and whose whole life has changed forever because of it, she handled it admirably well. The characters that flesh out her new life in Milan consist of mostly distant relatives, and we gradually learn about some of them and their personal stake in the family business of demon catching. They felt very real to me, and I want very much to get to know them better. The lack of sensationalism in the novel really helped ground it and bring these characters to life, even when we're first introduced to them and barely know them.

There are some frightening scenes, some gory moments, that remind you how high the stakes are. And how lucky Mia was to survive her own possession. Awakening to this new world, I am filled with questions and anticipation, but Beyer writes with such calm confidence and ease that I can patiently wait for the next book to find out more. It's a tease, but a very entertaining, well-written one.

My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.

[Nafiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this novel hoping that it wouldn’t be too terrible and I finished it hoping that it wouldn’t end. I mean, you guys, this one wasn’t even on my radar. This is a 2012 debut novel that should be on everyone’s radar because it is just that good. Okay, so excuse me not so coherent review. It’s 1:03 am and it’s Ramadan (not that I’m using that as an excuse, okay maybe I am.) (Okay, it WAS Ramadan when I wrote this so it counts!)

Let me begin again.

The Demon Catchers of Milan is a breath of fresh air on the flailing paranormal YA genre. Beyer manages to create a world in which demons are not beautiful creatures who sparkle and tempt with their beauty but are inhuman, scary creatures that evoke primal fear in human beings. If you are into being scared, The Exorcist style, this is the book for you. In fact, in one of the first scenes, we totally have the famous Exorcist scene. And it is CREEPY! Heart racing, eyes wide, breath fast scary! Not something that is dressed up as scary but not really scary but as in I mean business scary.

Mia is a great protagonist but more than that, she has a relatable narrative voice and tone that a reader can’t help but empathize with. This book actually pays attention to the language barrier and Mia’s gradual learning of the language is detailed just enough that it feels real and logical. And yes, Mia does have some issues where her looks are concerned but this does not become a consuming issue and is addressed and resolved later in the book. Also, the pacing is a bit slow in the middle but it doesn’t detract majorly from the narrative so I am not going to complain too much about it.

What I really loved about this novel is how the paranormal is approached. It is an unknown entity, these demons and their possessions, it is innately evil and Beyer does not try to explain that and make it more palatable in the form of pretty demon boys. Whatever is gunning for Mia is an evil ugly being and it remains so. I also loved the emphasis on family in this novel. Usually the main character is pretty much isolated in her observations and her actions but in this novel, family is a big part of the proceedings. They are there and they are important – each relative is important and this works to create a cohesive narrative.

Also, the whole focus on food? I approve so damned much. Then there’s the romance – or the lack of it. I’m sure it will follow in the next couple of books but I liked how in this book, there is a glimpse of it, there is a potential of it and there is a promise of it but there’s no heavy romance where there are soul mates and leave me never and love you forever bits that actually always leave me feeling a bit nauseated. The novel is an exploration of Mia’s growth from the timorous ungainly girl she is at the beginning to the confident beautiful woman she is at the end. I love how assertive the ending is and I simply cannot wait to read the next one in the series. Strongly recommended.

[Abi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like it went on forever.

Mia really annoyed me at first, because she wouldn't stop going on. She got a bit better as the book progressed, but i still didn't like her very much.

I didn't enjoy this one that much. It was confusing a lot of the time, had loads of info dumps, and it just couldn't keep my interest.

Overall, Confusing and full of info dumps. Not a fan.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Rating* 2.5
*Genre* Young Adult

*Review*

I'm disappointed in this book and can't believe for one single moment that this is a standalone, and not part of a trilogy of sorts. Especially the way this book ends and you're left wondering what is next for Mia and her new family. It had the potential to be so much better if things were better explained and laid out for the readers to follow along.

While I could understand Mia and her struggles to understand a new language and new life and a new history, she wasn't much of a character to cheer for until near the end of the story. I lay blame on the writer for not putting enough character building into her story before releasing this book. While the first part of this book was interesting enough, it just didn't hold my attention until things sort of picked up after 3/4 of the book was complete. Then, of course, the ending just left me hanging without giving any indication that there would be more of Mia's story in the future.

I found myself grabbing for more information that just wasn't there. Mia comes from a very large Italian family and yet she knows pretty much nothing about them or what they do for a living. I'll repeat another reviewers thoughts on this as being not likely. As an Italian myself, there would have had to be a huge blow up and break up of the family tree in order for Mia's ignorance of her own family tree.

Things I did like:

1. I liked Milan's history and the setting a lot. As an Italian I can tell you that the history of Italy and their cities is phenomenal. I would love to go back there before I kick the bucket down the road. I also appreciated the fact that the author uses some actual history about Italy to fit into her story line to make it more realistic.

2. I liked that Mia isn't a shy sort of person. After all is said and done, she slowly realizes that being a Demon Catcher is her new calling. I also liked that she kept in touch with her family back in the US and didn't just write them off now that she's found her calling.

3. I liked how the writer got the Italian family aspects pretty much down to a pat with some exceptions I mentioned above. I loved the get togethers, the food, and of course, learning about the family's history over generations of Demon Catchers.

Complaints:

1. Mia goes from being possessed by an UNKNOWN demon in the USA to a demon catcher trainee in Milan. We never do learn why the demon has decided to go after Mia except for possibly some sort of family ties that may go back generations.

2. We never find out what really happened to a possible love interest for Mia. We do know that she's got a crush on her cousin, which in some cultures is tolerated and encouraged. Yet, one minute Mia finds someone, and the next he is taken out of the picture and never returns.

3. Pacing was absolutely horrendous. Again, not attacking the writer, but allowing for personal preference in what I like, and don't like in my reading preferences. I struggled to read this book and was glad that I was stuck in the hospital with nothing better to do while I read this book.

4. The ending was abrupt and we don't learn who the ghosts are that Mia is able to talk to in her room. We get one ghosts name, but the other goes completely ignored. We also don't find out why the demon has targeted Mia instead of another family member like her sister. Is it because of some psychic sense that Mia has that the demons are attracted to? What is the point of being a target of a demon possession and not understanding why?

In the end, I am hopeful that there will eventually be a sequel to this story. I can't see how Beyer can leave this alone and not fully explain Mia's adventures now that she's decided to join her new family's endeavors.


*The Demon Catchers of Milan was kindly provided to me by NetGalley for Edmont USA*
*The Demon Catchers of MIlan releases August 28, 2012*

[Hilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If I have to describe this book in one work, I’d say that it is strange.

The Demon Catchers of Milan has one of the most original storylines I’ve ever encountered. I really like the fact that the story is set in Italy too because it’s such a beautiful place. Because of the phrases and the different culture, sometimes I feel like reading a historical story. Given that the characters in the story lead a traditional, peaceful life, it’s easy to think that the story is set in different period. Another thing that makes it easy to forget about 21st century is the main character of this story, Mia, who doesn’t go to school anymore after living with her grandparents.

Mia, the main character of this story, is possessed by a very powerful demon. She is then saved by her grandfather from her father’s side and her distant cousin, Emilio. It turns out that the demon has been haunting the family since a very long time. It’s very dangerous for Mia to stay in the US, so she moves in to Italy to live with her father’s family. The rest of the story takes place in Italy, and Mia’s struggle to fight her demon.

I personally think that the chapters in this book seem dragged. I feel like we are given a chunk of Mia’s life and we have to be satisfied with it. As much as I adore the details about Italian culture, I would have liked to have my questions answered too. The character development is too slow for my taste, but I really how genuine it is. It would be great if the pace of this book can be quicker.

Mia is a character I can’t help but sympathize with. Away in a foreign land with family she has never met, it’s not hard to understand her loneliness. Mia is innocent in such a way that somehow doesn’t bug me. As for Emilio, the kind-of love interest in this story, I don’t feel very much attached to him. He’s too beautiful, too perfect. His perfection makes him feel distanced and I can’t work out any strong emotion toward him. I’d like to see more flaws and secrets about Emilio, because it seems like he’s good in everything. I’m sure no one, not even fictional character, is supposed to be that perfect.

Although The Demon Catchers of Milan can’t be said as one of my favorite reads this year, I still hope that there would be a sequel because there are too many loose ties in the story. This is a very strange story and I’d recommend you to read this while curling up in a blanket in cool, windy autumn night. The demon part of the story can be a bit scary, so it’s best to have warm fireplace near you and a hot chocolate to calm down the nerves!

Eventually we started bouncing over cobblestones, and I will always remember the first time I heard that sound, the sound of a foreign street. Then I was led up into a dark apartment walled with books. Somebody steered me into a small room, filled with more books, and pointed me to a soft, white bed.

I tried to remember what to say. At last it came. “Grazie mille,” I said to the blurry face, and fell down and went to sleep.

Read other reviews in my blog! :)

Catch the Lune

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay story, but I didn’t think it was explained very well.



I didn’t really get what Mia was on about half the time in this book. She babbled about stuff that we didn’t really need to know, and then when things were actually happening that needed explaining, we got nothing. Was Mia actually possessed? Where those things she was talking to spirits? Who knows.



The storyline again wasn’t explained well, I didn’t really understand how or why they trapped demons in candles of all things, or why they then left said demon candles lying around in their shop where anyone could get hold of them? I also didn’t understand what the whole Mia having a demon was about, or why it only attacked her when she went outside? And why was it her demon anyway? And why did it then go after people other than her? Seriously confusing.



There was a tiny touch of romance, but not a lot really, and I found the ending a little strange, and again, not explained well. I can only hope that the sequel will be better.
6.25 out of 10

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to keep this short and simple.
This book is more about Italian food than the actual catching of demons. With a bell, chanting and lighting candles, no less.

I say I learned a language in order to ask for breakfast; I think I learned it in order to understand gossip, too.

Our MC, Mia, has a pretty instant crush on her cousin. Her cousin?!
Also, she let's herself be pushed to the sideline all the time, accepting that they're not giving her any information. Even accepting the excistance of demons without batting an eyelash. Not even freaking out about it at first. Not at all!

This world was such a strange place, if it had both gods and cell phones in it.

As for the end of this novel? There's obviously a sequel since I thought I still had at least one or two more chapters to go and then, boom, the end. It felt as if the actual action still had to start?!

I wanted an action-packed novel of bad-ass Mia catching demons, but that's not what I got at all.

I did like the writing however. It was fluent and I got through this book pretty quickly.

2 / 5

Kathy

I paid full-price for this novel. All opinions are entirely my own. I'm not being compensated for this in any way.

[Krystle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in the mood to be scared.

This book started off with a fabulous bang, delivering everything I wanted. Beyer wrote such frightening and tangible descriptions of Mia being possessed by a demon and how horrifying it is. Man, I gave myself the creeps after panicking about the possibilities of that happening to me.

The first half of this book was fantastic. It sped along at a good pace and I was immediately enveloped by the wonderful world of Milan and of Mia’s family. Not to mention the ever increasing presence of a scary demon intent on having her and torments her by appearing out of the corner of her eyes, multiple attempts at possessing her, and making his presence known in full bodied taunts. It becomes more terrifying when even strangers around her are subject to being attacked by this evil entity.

Until it somehow died in the halfway mark.

Things began to slow down considerably and the plot progression became stagnant. There are a bunch of long, extended scenes that don’t do much to further the story. This instead became a story of Mia growing out of her shell and somehow finding her voice to find her place a demon hunter. A demon hunter which functions in a very patriarchal and sexist system in that demon hunters are always male and that women have no place in there. The men are the ones who get to go out and do the fun stuff while the women do maintenance work of caring for the house and, I don’t know, watch over objects of protection?

This is supposed to seem like some great and mighty thing but Mia, herself, is a flat and quiet character. She doesn’t have that spark to make me latch on to her and invest myself in her journey throughout the book. Nor did the other supporting characters strike much with me as they are only surface deep and lack much introspection or thorough development. They are always there as both guardians and protectors to rescue her in times of need or as guides to direct her down paths they see fit.

Maybe some of the detachment I felt from the text can be attributed to the fact that I was enjoying the splendors of the wonderful country Korea had to offer me.



I am so glad there was no romance in this book as it would have no place in the story. If there was romance, it would make me take this story a lot less seriously. Apart from the awkward attraction she has to her cousin Emilio, and some other boy she met at some place I forgot where who is totally not a cool dude, there was very little development in that area.

The premise is just amazing but I’m sad it didn’t really live up to my expectations.

[Rabiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

I will be frank: While I did like this book as a whole, there were some (maybe several) parts which really didn't make me enjoy it as much as I wanted to. When I read the blurb for this one, my expectations blasted pretty high. When I read some reviews, okay my expectations were lowered a little. But I didn't expect it to be lower than what my slightly lowered expectations was. For this review I first want to point out what I liked and what I didn't–

What I liked...

Okay, I LOVED the author's writing. Beautiful, gorgeous and completely out of this world. Her descriptions of Milan made my soul crave for it, and the demon possessions, oh god, nearly scared the hell out of me.
The characters little quirks. It really helped me to identify them. Nonna's cooking (yum, which made my stomach growl several times), Emilio's ability to melt women into a pile of mush, and Nonno's sudden fierceness. For many characters, they were all pretty properly developed!
The idea of the story. WOW. I have never read a book about Demons... I think. Maybe I have, but whatever, this concept is totally new. I loved how history and mythology come together in this one, with a flurry of languages and an amazing setting.

On the other hand...

What I didn't like was that there were too many characters. Too many names to remember, and you don't really connect with the main character. Speaking of which: I didn't enjoy Mia all that much. She seemed kind of plastic-y. Going along with everything, picking up on the traditions, customs and language (oh gods, at super-human speed for this one), whereas a regular person would be super confused. She just annoyed me with her general boredom and her gullibility throughout the novel.
The plot was kind of a downer for me. With such a great idea for a story, it sure didn't seem to contain much stuffing. There are only two or three big things that happen, but most of the book seems focused on Mia learning stuff, people explaining things and just a whole load of descriptions.

Overall, regardless of what I liked and didn't like about The Demon Catchers of Milan, I will definitely be picking up the second book (if there is one... not too sure if this is going to become a series!). I need to see how the story continues– I thought it ended in a good place, but oh well, demons will be demons and will try to possess someone sometime or the other. Now I really got to go to Italy, because my hearts burning for it. *sigh* Kat Byer, how you make me lust for Milan!

[Kirstin Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, let me first say that I REALLY thought that this book would end up in the DNF file (Did Not Finish). I usually have a 50 page rule when it comes to reviewing books. The rule is: if, by page 50, I cannot connect with any of the main characters OR I am totally at a loss of what's going on-it goes in the DNF stack. This rule worked in favor of The Demon Catchers or Milan, because if I didn't have that rule, I would have tossed it aside by page twenty!! I was SO confused as to what was going on in the beginning of the book that it was driving me crazy. I was so lost and uninterested in what was going on that it actually took me a couple of hours to finish the first two chapters. (I kept "finding" reasons to get up and go do other things ... like cleaning or cooking.) But, I kept at it, if for no any other reason than to follow my own rules. Guess what? My rule ACTUAL worked!!!!

The Demon Catchers of Milan is a dark story about Mia, a girl who is possessed by a demon. Who comes to her rescue? Some of her distant family from Italy who has a long legacy of exorcising demons. Once the demon flees her body, she learns that the demon will probably be coming back for her. In an effort to help keep her safe, the family agrees to Mia traveling to Italy to stay with her extended family so that they may watch over her, all the while they try to figure out who exactly is the demon coming after her, and what her wants with her. While in Italy, Mia not only learns the language and the customs, she also is being trained in the art of demon exorcisms. During her journey of learning her family's legacy, she meets a handsome young man who may be after more than just her company. Mia also starts to discover who she really is and in turn finds a place in the family that she didn't even know really existed.

I'm really glad that I stuck it out with this book. Even though I've never really been into anything about demons and exorcisms and all that - this book may have changed my perception somewhat. I will definitely read the next book in this series as well as keep up with Kat Beyer's work in the future.

Source: My copy of The Demon Catchers of Milan was provided by EgmontUSA in the form of an eGalley through NetGalley. Regardless of how I obtain material, I will always give an honest opinion of all the books that I read.

[Vanya D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley to review.

Let me say first, that I loved the book cover and that it was what made me request the book in the first place. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I can't wait for book 2 to come out. If there is going to be book 2, that is.

So, the story was pretty unique, in my opinion. I haven't read anything like it, so the concept was pretty fresh, and I liked that. It wasn't one of those typical paranormal novels where everything revolves around some love triangle with an indecisive girl and a couple of boys that surround her and fight for her attention. It was a book where there was spiritual action, and a rather slight note of romance. The story line revolved around a demon possession, a family of demon hunters, and a girl who grew out of her shell in a country far from home.

The characters were described realistically, and I felt like I was living with them every step of the way. Not many books do that, so I can honestly say that this one deserved my rating.

*Mia was an ordinary girl, living in the US, who didn't care at all about her Italian heritage. Until a demon possessed her body and wrecked havoc in her family. She was timid, she though low of herself, and she believed that she wasn't all that loved. But when her Italian relatives came to exorcise the demon and then take her with them back to Milan, things change. The timid girl began to grow into a secure person, who not only wanted to learn how to fight that demon, but she wanted revenge. Because that particular demon, had a history with her family.

*Emilio was Mia's second cousin, who was also an exorcist. He's one of those gorgeous guys, that a girl can only dream for. Too bad he's related to Mia. He taught her some history and other things connected to the family business. I liked him.

*Nonno and Nonna - Emilio's grandparents were extremely nice, though Nonno had his weird moments, when he got angry or secretive. I loved them though.

The rest of Mia's Italian relatives were also great in character, and even though one of the cousins, Anna Maria, was much too selfish at times, she wasn't too bad either.

I recommend the book to readers who like the spiritual battles, exorcism stories and such.

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

GR synopsis, for those reading on updates page:

Mia's ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon--and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano* say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love**, and to master the family trade***: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home.

* Emilio is her generation, Giuliano her grandfather's brother.
** They certainly don't say this is the only way to keep her safe, and it doesn't happen either.
*** Keeping her away from as much of the practice of the family trade as they can, more like.

Ended up liking this one a lot, though there were a few niggles along the way. There were two instances of Mia's displaying more stupidity than seemed necessary, and one of them highlighted a touch of odd cultural stereotyping that I noticed from time to time. The first was when Francesca (Emilio's sister) was talking to Mia about Emilio's horrible girlfriend, Alba.

"Think about it, cara. If Alba doesn't like me, doesn't like Nonna, probably doesn't like you, doesn't that tell you something?"
[...]
"Um, no," I said, "I just can't figure it out."
Francesca rested her chin on her hand, the kitchen light picking out red gleams in her smooth, dark hair.
"Hmm. I think there must be some things Italian girls just know -- and some things American girls just know. But Alba. The way she hates us all, it tells you not to take it personally. It's the women in Emilio's life. She's jealous, Mia. See?"

Really? American girls couldn't figure out what was going on here because it's the kind of thing only Italian girls 'just know'. Who knew?

The other time Mia seemed unrealistically dim was when she snuck around her family to have coffee with a guy who is a satanist and calls himself Lucifero. Clue's in the name, Mia! Although the three months' of virtual imprisonment in the Della Torres' apartment - only allowed to go out in the centre of a testudo of family - would have been more than adequate reason for an outburst of bad/stupid behaviour, I just didn't buy this particular form of it.

These were only passing irritations though, and for the most part, I loved the mysterious, creepy, and sometimes tragic world Mia encounters after her initial demonic possession. I really hope someone else who has also read Diana Wynne Jones's Magicians of Caprona reads this so I can compare notes. Very different books in many ways, but the way a fictitious Italy is depicted in both was quite interesting. Although I don't know Milan at all, I loved the depth and texture of Beyer's setting - she never just left us with the stereotypical "Italians love food", but gave wonderful descriptions of meals eaten out together or prepared and shared. And how much fun did that festival and street fair sound? No chance of a Punch and Judy show appearing as such in this book.

I have seen criticisms that the book is too much set-up and not enough plot, and it's true that there isn't a huge amount of resolution at the end. But there is a lot of hard-fought-for learning, and I'm looking forward to reading more about Mia (and her Milan).

ETA another minor irritation for me. When Guiliano and Emilio are trying to convince Mia's father to let her go back to Milan with them, her father tells them that the Vatican forbid any priest to perform an exorcism on her, and demands to know why she's being denied "the rites of her Church". Guiliano says that the Vatican doesn't like the Della Torres, which is fine, but goes on to say "even now, [Rome is] perfectly capable of ending the lives of those they do not like." Happily, this kind of evil conspiracy stuff doesn't continue, in this book, at least.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Kat Beyer had a sequel in mind when she wrote The Demon Catchers of Milan, because so much of this book feels like setup that the plot ends up being rather thin. There's just barely enough substance to keep me satisfied, and although Beyer's writing does fly off the page with details and descriptions reminiscent of classic horror novels and movies and just the right air of mystery, I just got the barest of resolutions from the ending.

Beyer though does do an admirable job balancing some truly creepy, almost scene stealing descriptions of demonic possessions with the strangeness of being in a foreign city for the first time. The writing's not perfect, at times I get the feeling this would be the book for an agoraphobic because nothing really happens except Mia's confined to the home of her Milanese relatives, but the tone's good - meaning dark - enough I never lost interest. But there's only so much discussion of Italian (sorry, I took French) and Milanese history I can take, thankfully when Mia's demon does appear, I'm never disappointed. I have to say I think it's great Beyer goes back to the classics, the bell and the candle, which give just the right amount of creepiness to the demonic exorcisms. I've had enough of the kick ass demon slaying more action than horror that's so pervasive these days; this is a welcome change that goes great with the generally subdued mood.

As for Mia herself, I really like her because the changes to her character are kind of subtle and easy to miss. Yeah, she starts as the victim of a demonic possession and the entire book's really about her being this victim, so throughout the book she's relying on the protection of her relatives, but her strength just subtly crept up on me over time. It's not through one scene in particular or she just announces at some point she's not going to take shit from the demon anymore, but through a combination of different scenes, like her experiments with the talismans or confronting another possessed girl, that culminate in her decision to become a demon catcher. Really cool.

My complaint is mainly the plot. I can see how the various plotlines weave together and they all point to how the sequel's going to work, but I want to see more, in this book. I can see for example the development of Emilio's character, dealing with the death of his father, or Giuliano and his determination to take down the demon, or Lucifero's obsession with demons even though he's just randomly dropped, and I liked having to fill in the blanks based on what I'd read, but I miss the feeling of vindication I get when the book confirms my impressions. That never happens because Beyer drops enough hints for me to get enough but just avoids any real movement in favor of an ending that reads more like the beginning of the real story.

When it comes down to it, The Demon Catchers of Milan really should've been a prequel novella. Despite some great writing, Beyer just teases at a bigger plot, and although I can see it in my head, I want to read more of it in this book.

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

I feel a little conflicted about this book. I liked it, but I'm not sure that I loved it.

Let me start with what I liked.
I LOVED the setting. The author does an excellent job creating a real setting, one that I could fall into completely. I truly felt like I was in that setting, in Milan.
I also liked the idea. It's a new one in YA. I haven't seen very many YA books like this.
The story was good. There were some surprises and the plot moved quickly.
Mia was a wonderful character. I really liked her and I felt like she was relate-able. Emilio was also very nice. I had a soft-spot for the handsome Italian.

So, now to the bad.
For one, the whole demon thing was never fully described. I only halfway understood that whole thing. It was never completely explained, and that led to a lot of confusion as the questions built up. Where do the demon's come from? Do you need a certain power to fight the demons, or can anyone do it? Why are bells and candles used to fight the demons; how does that harm them? And the thing is, Mia was just as in the dark as I was. Her family never taught her everything about the demons. They just kept saying that she had to discover it herself. But that meant the reader didn't know anything about demons as well. It was just frustrating. And I couldn't understand why Mia's family couldn't just give her the information rather than a bunch of cryptic remarks.

Another problem is the romance. From the summary, I was expecting there to be some kind of relationship in this book. And I was kind of looking forward to some hot Italians. But that didn't happen. First, the whole Emilio thing. He's something like a third cousin to Mia, a distant relation. Now, the whole crush was a little strange, but I could have gotten over it. But she basically pines over him for just about the entire book and nothing happens. The only other guy was this psycho who is in and out of the story withing a couple of chapters. It was a little disappointing.

The last problem might not be a problem. The ending wasn't satisfying. Nothing was resolved. I haven't heard about a sequel yet, but I'm really hoping there is one. Because if there isn't, then this book had a really unsatisfying ending. If there does end up being a sequel, then this problem vanishes.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It was good. But not brilliant. I would still recommend it, but I would have to issue a warning of the problems I had with The Demon Catchers of Milan.

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

I have mixed feelings about this book. It gets 3 stars because it was mildly entertaining and also because most of its issues can be fixed in the upcoming sequel which has great potential to be much better. But my overall opinion of the novel was that it was mediocre at best. The writing style was okay, nothing amazing, but not bad. The character development was decent enough for Mia, but the majority of the other people felt very one dimensional to me. It was also just boring for a good portion and nothing gets resolved at the end.

The basis of the story is that Mia gets possessed by a demon and her distant family from Italy show up and save her and basically demand she return to Italy with them so they can protect her and teach her how to protect herself. So off to Milan we go…..and then nothing happens. Mia basically gets trapped in the house because she can’t protect herself so she can’t leave without at least 2 escorts. They set her in a room with a Italian dictionary and a bunch of history books and tell her to study and that’s basically it. Beyond hearing her whine about not being able to go out, all you read about is introductions to her enormous family and how they feed you constantly and how good the food is. I guess it was good in a way because you really get a feel for how trapped she is when you feel trapped as well, but it was slow and dull and it took quite a bit longer to read than it should have. There are a few random exorcisms thrown in and then boom novel over. So many things are left unexplained. They haven’t learned any new information on the demon they are hunting, Mia’s family is still cryptic as fuck when she tries to get explanations for things that happen, you don’t find out why there are random spirits in Mia’s room, and the whole Satanist tangent is never explored fully. I found that very irritating.

Something else that really bothered me was how attracted Mia was to her cousin Emilio. She comments numerous times on how attractive he is and how she can feel him near and so on. Now they are very distant cousins, but it still skeeves me out.

I don’t think I will be recommending this book to anyone until I read the sequel and see if it improves any or answers any of my questions, but it was a decent enough read.

****Thank you to Egmont USA for providing me with an eARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

May contain spoilers, but not really. Just proceed with caution.

Thoughts: I hadn't heard anything about The Demon Catchers of Milan before I started reading and wasn't expecting much. I read the back of the book and thought, "Hmmm, that sounds creepy and really interesting." But sadly, it was not. In fact, this book didn't have much for me to like and I struggled to get through it.

Let me start off with the positive side of this review though. The Demon Catchers of Milan takes place in Milan, obviously. I have never been to Milan, but the author made it sound like a very lovely place, which I am sure it is, and I hope I get to visit it one day. Mia, though, doesn't get to travel much, so the descriptions are quite limited and didn't really save the book for me.

Mia is a very bland character. In the first few pages she is possessed by a demon and saved by family members she has never met. While she seems a bit scared, she pretty much has no reaction to what happens to her. It isn't until much later that we actually get a feel that, yes, she was terrified but by then I was rushing to finish the book. All I have to say is that if I was possessed and then woke up and realized I had destroyed things in my home and threw my sister against a wall, I would have some kind of reaction. Not Mia though.

She doesn't do, think, or say much else. She has to be cooped up in the apartment pretty much the entire book because she can't go outdoors without protection. She sits around and reads and complains a bit. Talks here and there to some relatives. But nothing really happens. There is over 250 pages in this book and about...15 pages actually have any sort of possession/exorcism scenes. Three different exorcisms and about five pages each. That's all. Other than that, we get a lot of nothing. There is information on the family history but everything is so vague and the conversations so un-interesting that I had a hard time finishing this book.

Overall: The Demon Catchers of Milan had a unique and promising premise, but was anti-climatic and a disappointment, overall. I am not too interested in reading the next book¹ even though the conclusion offered no real resolution in the story. If you think that this book will offer a lot of exciting/terrifying moments of demon hunting, prepare to be disappointed. If it sounds like something you'll enjoy though, give it a shot. This one just didn't work out for me.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really tried to like this book. I really wanted to, because it had such an interesting and cool premise, and the cover is really pretty. But, to be honest, The Demon Catchers of Milan seemed more like a history book on Italy instead of a book about, well--demons. 'The History Book of Milan', anyone?

There were several issues with this book that prevented me from truly enjoying it. Firstly, the characters. Though most of them were quite likable, several, including the protagonist, were just too dull and unrealistic that they weren't memorable at all. Another thing that annoyed me was the fact that Mia didn't act like a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old. It was like she was only thirteen or fourteen, experiencing with love/crushes for the first time. Even her younger sister seemed more mature than she was.

Secondly, the progression of the story itself. Though the book started out right in the action, things went downhill when Mia arrived in Italy. Sure, I get that Mia had to study and learn as much about Milan as she can, but that was all the book ever seemed to be talking about: the cultures of Italy, places in Milan, the history of Milan, etc. The story moved at such a slow pace; it was extremely frustrating. There were also only three or four times when demon catching actually took place.

Thirdly: I don't think I really understand what the whole point of this book was. Mia was kept in the dark about demons and all that for the most part of the book, but I still don't get what I was supposed to gain from reading this, because by the end, the demon that possessed Mia was still on the loose... And the story told me nothing about the overall plot at all. That was maybe the biggest problem of the book.

Overall, though I loved the concept of this, The Demon Catchers of Milan just wasn't my cup of tea. I couldn't connect fully to the story and its characters, and I felt like I gained nothing by reading this. I'm sure other people will find this enjoyable, but not me.

2 stars.

Want more reviews? Check out my blog!
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[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 / 5

If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!

Disclaimer: The fact that I received an eARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley has not affected my rating. This review expresses my honest opinions.

The Demon Catchers of Milan is a book that was more… “meh” for me. I was probably expecting a lot more action than I got, although there were some fantastic gothic elements that kept my attention.

My main issue with the book was the fact that I was expecting more action, especially from the first few pages that I read. During the middle, especially when the author was describing Milanese culture or family gatherings, although it was beautiful, it didn’t hold my interest for a long time. I did read through it, although to be frank, I was a little bored. Don’t get me wrong – I loved the setting and the factors dealing with exorcism, but I did wish there was more action.

However, I found that the parts where there were actual demons and exorcisms to be pretty engaging. These scenes were pretty vivid and I was definitely hooked! The Della Torres’ explanations of methods, and some of the history were pretty intriguing and added to the gothic setting and atmosphere of the book. I especially was interested in Mia’s possession at the beginning – it scared me a bit, and if I saw someone who was possessed by a demon, I think he or she would look exactly like Mia o___o

The characters were, I suppose, just… okay. To be honest, I didn’t find Mia to be particularly interesting, although her personality traits were admirable. I didn’t feel like I got to see other characters develop either, until there was more of a “feel-good” moment at the end in the Christmas scene. Overall, the characters weren’t too bad… but they weren’t spectacular either.

Overall, The Demon Catchers of Milan presents some creepy aspects of exorcism and demons, with some moments of great action and vividly described scenes, although sometimes I felt a bit bored :/ If you’re interested in urban fantasy that’s not too mainstream, or exorcism, or something of the sort, this book would be for you.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.

Demon possession, restless spirits, and hearing voices only you can hear? This is the world that Mia lives in. She’s not your average teenager at all. In the beginning, Mia has survived a demon possession. With the help of her relatives she never knew she had, she goes off to Milan to go live with her third cousin, and his grandparents. What she doesn’t know is that they get rid of demons for a living.

I felt the book was rather tedious and a little boring. It dragged on and on and I couldn’t really understand if there was a significant plot. My guess? The plot was to stop the demon from possessing her again. There were a lot of other good points though. The detail of the setting was wonderful. You can fully understand how beautiful Milan really is. I also liked the parts where she learns Italian. I’m guessing Mia is a fast learner because in only three or four months she was having conversations with everyone. I felt Mia having a crush at this point in her life was wrong. And the person she has a crush on was even worse. I basically ignored those bits in the book.

There were a lot of creepy scenes that gave me chills. And I couldn’t help but shiver knowing that the demon wanted her. Why he wanted her, I had no idea. Mia doesn’t either. In order for her to become part of her demon catching family, she had to learn the history. I would have loved to read more about the family’s history but sadly there wasn’t any story. The ending felt flat and unfinished.

I also had to comment on how they banish the demons…with..*drumroll please* frightening, burning, bright, hot and shiny CANDLES. I thought there was going to be kick-ass scenes, and a slice of a demon’s arm, not shutting them all nice and tightly in a candle.

If you’re looking for a creepy and eerie read, you might want to check this one out. If you’re looking for action, better skip it.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but so much remains unanswered - this is one of those books that sets the basis for the series

Told in first person narrative from Mia’s perspective. Her world is dramatically changed following possession by a powerful demon. It felt as if she was an outsider in her family before this incident even though she has a close relationship with her sister.

The initial imagery with the demon possession was reminiscent of The Exorcist (not that I have watched it.) Following the arrival of relatives from Milan to exorcise the demon. Family secrets are exposed but never fully privileged creating an air of mystery around the characters. Although this is the first time Mia has met these members of her family, she feels an instant connection to them. She trusts them with her life after they exorcise the demons and willingly accompanies them back to Milan in order to keep the demon away and train in protecting herself from such attacks.

The details regarding the way of life in Milan were beautifully portrayed. Each detail richly described creating a very vivid world and making me wish I could be there in real life. However, the world building did feel as if it was at the expense of the plot in some ways.

The book focuses on the importance of history quite a bit within the narrative; all aspects of history from family to geography and religion. The importance of history is the cornerstone of the narrative and its emphasis is easy to understand when you read more about Kat Beyer herself.

While it was nice to follow Mia’s progress with the language and history this did take up a lot of the book. Leaving very little room for plot or character development. Snippets of both are placed sporadically throughout the narrative creating a tantalizing breadcrumb trail ready for the next book.

While I did like the scene setting and glimpses of the unfolding plot I would have liked to have seen more in the way of plot and character development. I am interested to see how the next book deals with the outstanding threads from this book.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not entirely sure where to begin with this. I got sucked in from the first page and couldn’t put it down until it was done. Kat Beyer is a powerful story teller and I’m very happy to have been allowed an advanced read.

Milan is beautiful and very old. It’s age is emphasized in Mia’s ancestral home, in their work, even in the holidays that they celebrate. When nothing else is familiar the age of the city is a comfort in a way I hadn’t thought was possible.

Mia is a great character. She’s willing to learn and push herself beyond what she thinks she is capable of. She’s actually capable of many great things but her self esteem feels on the low side and her confusion (or ignorance) of her Italian family only provokes her into learning. She’s not perfect, she’s far from it, and her family is certainly not perfect, but it’s family and the reader can definitely feel the love even when it’s not expressed.

There is no love triangle in this book, for which I am super happy about. This isn’t about love. This is about finding oneself and understanding what that is. This is about being open to new things and not closed minded. There is so much OTHER stuff this book touches on that the brief encounter with flirtation/infatuation seems almost out of place. Sort of like, really Mia, is that really important right now? However, with Mia’s background, it’s also very naturally done and there’s no WTF moment so much as a moment of disappointment in the character’s behavior. It’s not a surprise she did it, it’s a disappointment she didn’t think things through.

Overall this is a great book. It’s in no way predictable and the story is beautifully laid out. I recommend this for all YA lovers of the paranormal persuasion and some of the not. It’s about demons yes, but in a very realistic portrayal of exorcism and church. This could fall under paranormal or depending on a person’s beliefs not.

[Aparajitabasu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presenting The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer.

Here is the summary of the book:

Mia's ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon--and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home.

I'm definitely a little mixed up about this book. While it features one of the places of this world I want to visit, Milan. The plot though kinda sketchy to me. But this is Mia's story. A typical but not so obvious American teenager, Mia's life takes a u-turn when a demon possess her and she must go back to her roots in order to survive.

Totally not the best book of the year, although it does have its moments. The story straight drops us in the middle of the pivotal point of the story. While that strategy is helpful(sometimes) but here it makes it somewhat difficult to get into the story like this. I definitely liked Mia's character and her ability to embrace the changes in her life and tackle it.

The one pro about this book was the incorporation of Milanese culture and that extensive background and the way Mia had to learn it all to survive. As well as the demon hunting tradition of Mia's family. But with all the action and a sometimes clueless Mia, left us a little clueless in the mix as well. A well written book through!

"A good read"

[Charty · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this books tipped past three stars based on the story's originality, which frankly in the YA landscape is all too rare. True, it's supernatural in the sense that it's about demons (or really unquiet and restless spirits, including ghosts) but I loved that it wasn't vampires, werewolves or witches, that the Demon Catchers of Milan aren't really some supernatural group of superheros, but rather a very venerable family of Milanese whose family trade it's been for thousands of years. For that alone I was excited and pleased to read it. There were, however, other things to recommend it. Although I didn't love Mia, the main character, I respected her and sympathized with her plight and was invested enough in her new life in Milan that I wanted to see her succeed. It was also refreshing to read a book that was set in the present day, but somewhere other than the US or Britain. Italy felt very refreshing, and the history geek loved the little historical tidbits that were included, that the author didn't write down to her audience and included a lot of Italian conversation that wasn't always translated but left to the reader to decipher or infer by context (much as Mia experiences at first). The sense of family and belonging came strongly through. In an age when many books try to shed parents or other adult figures in their protagonist's life, DCoM maintains that family connection and the sense that the elders are the leaders and have wisdom to teach, without completely smothering the heroine's attempts to grow. I also appreciated that Mia was introduced under less than ideal circumstances, and that she is allowed to be scared, and make mistakes, but also to change under their watchful eye. I very sincerely hope there will be a sequel because I'd like to see what else Mia has in store, what the story is with her family, and why they have their own personal demon who may, or may not, have a legitimate grudge against them.

[Ana Beatriz Esteves · Rating 4 out of 5]

*The publisher provided this book in exchange for an honest review trough NetGalley.*
Mia is just an ordinary girl living in the USA until she's possessed by an ancient demon and her strange italian family that she never heard about appears on her doorstep to help her.
Her cousins want to take her back to Milan with them, since they're the only ones who can protect her but she's reluctant to leave her family and depart to the country her grandfather left and never spoke about anymore... She was afraid of what she might discover...
She ends up going to Milan with her "Adonis" kind of cousin and with his grandfather and beggins a journey learning history, italian and maybe some demon fighting tricks while she discovers Milan's darkest corners.
I have to start by stating that this book has so many great components that I'm afraid to forget any of them or to say too much that it cracks the mysterie in the story and ruins it! So I'm going to do my best!
The fact that this book talks about and ancient italian family of demon fighters instantly drawn me into this book and it didn't desappoint me! The research for the story is so "on point" that you can really feel that you're in Milan and you can feel like your Mia, and that's my favourite kind of book.
Characther wise this book has it all: excellent, nice, good, bad and ungly (I'm talking about their personalities). That diversity allowed the author to create awesome dynamics between characthers what turned the book even more real!
All the events have their part of history, fantasy and present day reality what is very good, since you're being educated while having fun.
This book is for all the demon hunters and supernatural fans which means that if you like "The Shadowhunter Chronicles" by Cassandra Clare and/or the "Mediator Series" by Meg Cabot you'll love this book.


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[Melissa at My Chaotic Ramblings · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled with this book. Normally I can read a 200-400 page book in as little as two days. This one was started on the 6th of August and was finally finished early morning on the 13th. That's almost a full week of forcing myself to read this one.
I had to push through all the boring "I'm stuck in the apartment studying" "This isn't fair" chapters to really get to the last 50 or so pages. Then it got really good. Once Mia was actually allowed to participate in the exorcisms instead of just standing on the sidelines watching, I felt like the book really picked up. No more endless pages of meditation, studying, and complaining. I felt that there were a few things in the story that just didn't make sense to me, and the ending was kind of rushed and left questions.
The point of the story is, Mia was possessed in the beginning of the book and her relatives from Italy end up getting the Demon to leave her body, then convince her parents to let her go to Italy with them so they can teach her and protect her. She does more studying and complaining than anything for most of the book and there are a few scenes thrown in to break up the boring stuff, but it all goes right back to Mia whining about not getting to do anything. The demon apparently possessed more in the family than just Mia before, and they are wanting to train Mia in the Demon Catcher arts but are afraid that she will be possessed again and then the demon will know all of their tricks and what not.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge THANK YOU to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book. I have to say there are not a lot of books out right now that are demon related so this read was a breath of fresh air for me.

Mia is your average girl going to school minding her own business when she becomes possessed by a demon. At first she has no idea what is going on but she knows there is something wrong with her. When she is at home she gets some unexpected guests. Her cousins from Milan come to visit her and tell her about her father's heritage. When she finds out that her family has been keeping secrets she is not happy but she realizes that there is about to be some changes and she will have to move to Milan to learn the family business so to speak.

When she arrives in Milan she realizes that she has to learn Italian and she will have to learn the family trade. At first it is hard on her and she misses her family and friends back home but she learns to adjust and she starts to learn things pretty fast. Mia does have a love interest in Milan but I am not sure how that is going to work out.

I am so glad there is a sequel because there were some things I did not get and I want to know how these things are going to work out for Mia. All in all I really enjoyed this book and the idea of demon hunting. This is a great summer read for the beach or on the ferry or by the pool.

[Haddayr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO beautifully-written and so INCREDIBLY interesting!

Beyer is a deft, sure-handed writer with a great sense of language and an even better sense of place. And food. Oh, goodness the food!

While I was reading this book, I kept looking up from the Kindle and finding myself surprised that instead of being a hot Italian-American girl in Milan I was still, in fact, a middle-aged Irish mom in the Midwest. It was so absorbing that I felt that I was actually Mia.

Mia experiences a deeply horrifying demon possession in America and has to travel to Milan for protection with family she barely knows. Beyer does such a great job of capturing how much Mia feels out of synch, especially when she doesn't know the language, but also how getting in touch with her family and the city her grandfather is from also feels so right and familiar. It was the perfect touch.

The book is also deeply dark, sad, and frightening -- as books dealing with demons and the dead _should_ be. Beyer treats all of these characters with respect as the rich, complex people they are (and were). She captures the politics of demon-catchers so close to Rome beautifully, and the gorgeous gorgeous scenery and food. Did I mention the food?

I wish I were in her family's candle shop right now, waiting for the bell to ring. This is truly an amazing book, so different from many YA paranormal books out right now.