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Demon Spring #1
Resurgence
Demon hunter Jack Grenard's life changed three years ago when his wife was brutally murdered by the very demons he'd been hunting. At the urging of his partner Cam Macarro, he's starting a new life in Atlanta, hoping he'll find the man he used to be. But on a routine hunt, they come across a new type of demon--one that saves instead of kills.
Meanwhile, demons across Atlanta are preparing for the quadrennial uprising of their Underworld brethren. Worse yet, there's a rumor the so-called king of the demons, Bael, will appear for the first time in over a century. Jack and Cam must uncover the truth about the mystery woman before all hell--literally--breaks loose.
Resurgence is the first in a new Urban Fantasy trilogy from S. Usher Evans, author of the Madion War Trilogy, Razia, and Lexie Carrigan Chronicles. It will be released by Sun's Golden Ray Publishing in February 2018.
Meanwhile, demons across Atlanta are preparing for the quadrennial uprising of their Underworld brethren. Worse yet, there's a rumor the so-called king of the demons, Bael, will appear for the first time in over a century. Jack and Cam must uncover the truth about the mystery woman before all hell--literally--breaks loose.
Resurgence is the first in a new Urban Fantasy trilogy from S. Usher Evans, author of the Madion War Trilogy, Razia, and Lexie Carrigan Chronicles. It will be released by Sun's Golden Ray Publishing in February 2018.
296 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2018
About the author
S. Usher Evans
38 books377 followersS. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 29, 2018
Do you ever get tired of reading books with the same courageous/badass/can do no wrong type of main characters where their only real struggle is asking for help? Don’t get me wrong, I love those kinds of books but sometimes I need something new and refreshing. Especially when it comes to urban fantasy books. I was happily surprised to find out that Resurgence wasn’t that type of book!
Jack is a fiercely loyal character who has no doubts about what is good vs evil. When he sees someone who’s struggling, he jumps on the opportunity to help out. There’s something so good about him that makes you want to follow along and see how his story turns out. He’s still recovering from the loss of his wife which makes him feel more real in my eyes.
Enter Cam, the partner in crime. Jack’s best friend and his wife’s sister. It’s SO NICE to see such an encouraging band understanding friend who has ZERO romantic interest in the main character. They work together so well and they both feel the loss of Jack’s wife and Cam’s sister so strongly. It made me hurt for them.
Resurgence is a book that will keep you on your toes the whole way through! There’s no time for boring when the most powerful demon could appear on earth at any time. It was also a lot of fun to learn about these types of demons and how they work in the human world. A fast paced plot mixed with some really interesting world building makes for a really awesome book!
Easily my favourite part of this book was how Evans included issues such as grief and loss into this story. Yes there’s potentially a huge demon war coming but that doesn’t mean Jack suddenly forgets his wife (like we so often see in other books). It was really nice that we got to see these issues combine and they both made a big impact in the plot and character development of Resurgence.
Demon Spring is the perfect blend between urban fantasy and real life struggles. Not only are these characters battling actual demons, they’re also struggling with their inner ones as well. Never has a paranormal felt so relatable to me!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Jack is a fiercely loyal character who has no doubts about what is good vs evil. When he sees someone who’s struggling, he jumps on the opportunity to help out. There’s something so good about him that makes you want to follow along and see how his story turns out. He’s still recovering from the loss of his wife which makes him feel more real in my eyes.
Enter Cam, the partner in crime. Jack’s best friend and his wife’s sister. It’s SO NICE to see such an encouraging band understanding friend who has ZERO romantic interest in the main character. They work together so well and they both feel the loss of Jack’s wife and Cam’s sister so strongly. It made me hurt for them.
Resurgence is a book that will keep you on your toes the whole way through! There’s no time for boring when the most powerful demon could appear on earth at any time. It was also a lot of fun to learn about these types of demons and how they work in the human world. A fast paced plot mixed with some really interesting world building makes for a really awesome book!
Easily my favourite part of this book was how Evans included issues such as grief and loss into this story. Yes there’s potentially a huge demon war coming but that doesn’t mean Jack suddenly forgets his wife (like we so often see in other books). It was really nice that we got to see these issues combine and they both made a big impact in the plot and character development of Resurgence.
Demon Spring is the perfect blend between urban fantasy and real life struggles. Not only are these characters battling actual demons, they’re also struggling with their inner ones as well. Never has a paranormal felt so relatable to me!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
March 12, 2018
I've been really looking forward to this release for a long while. Urban Fantasy has long been one of my favorite genres, and I've always enjoyed Evans' books. This one was no exception! Evans sets up an interesting world where demons are living among us and can turn humans into their kind. So, of course, there's a gov't agency to help control everything, which is rather bogged down in the bureaucracy and rules and regulations and paperwork (seriously, just reading about all the paperwork made me grateful I don't work there...). With a giant demon event coming up, everyone's gearing up to prepare, and the entrance of a demon who hunts other demons is all kinds of intriguing for the agency. How this plays out with Jack is definitely fun to watch. The emotional battles that Jack is fighting (with the grief over losing his wife), and then the mystery demon and her significant other's relationship (which is just all kinds of messed up in such a realistic way that it was painful to see play out in spots), were incredibly well done. The pacing does take a good while to ramp up, which is great for getting to know the characters and the world, but when things do go to hell in a handbasket (quite literally) it was damn near impossible for me to put down. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series!
January 27, 2018
Another awesome book by S. Usher Evans!!!
What I loved:
~Jack and Cam are great partners with no romance going on between them! This is awesome! I love the partnership they have!
~Cam is strong, confident and sassy!!!
~Jack - grieving for his wife and trying to move forward, seeing him work through the grief, with some set-backs, S. Usher Evans captured this emotion so well.
~all the different demons, looking forward to learning more about them in the next 2 books.
~the mystery woman who is killing demons when it seems she is one of them. I feel like we have so much to learn about her yet!
~the world building - the more I know about the world the story takes place, the better!
Looking forward to reading the next 2 books in this series!!!
What I loved:
~Jack and Cam are great partners with no romance going on between them! This is awesome! I love the partnership they have!
~Cam is strong, confident and sassy!!!
~Jack - grieving for his wife and trying to move forward, seeing him work through the grief, with some set-backs, S. Usher Evans captured this emotion so well.
~all the different demons, looking forward to learning more about them in the next 2 books.
~the mystery woman who is killing demons when it seems she is one of them. I feel like we have so much to learn about her yet!
~the world building - the more I know about the world the story takes place, the better!
Looking forward to reading the next 2 books in this series!!!
March 15, 2018
This is the third book I have read by S. Usher Evans and I have enjoyed each one more than the last. Demons! Redemption! Kick-ass Main Character! What is not to like?
Resurgence hits on several hard subjects, including Domestic Violence, Loss, and Depression; and it makes you pause. The characters are relatable and will push you through the emotional wringer.
I love that Cam and Jack have a strong platonic relationship. They back each up and roll with the punches. The fact that Cam is business minded, sassy and still gets her ass handed to her is a relief from the “perfectly right” characters that I see all too often. Jack, being a grieving widower, makes my heart weep. As for Anya, her’s might be the saddest story, and I am looking forward to seeing how it ends.
Being the first book of the series, the pace is a tad slow, but that’s expected. Lots of character building, and there are plenty of characters. The demon world is plentiful too, and Usher gives great descriptions, both physical and mystical.
Personally, I can’t wait to chew the second book into confetti.
Resurgence hits on several hard subjects, including Domestic Violence, Loss, and Depression; and it makes you pause. The characters are relatable and will push you through the emotional wringer.
I love that Cam and Jack have a strong platonic relationship. They back each up and roll with the punches. The fact that Cam is business minded, sassy and still gets her ass handed to her is a relief from the “perfectly right” characters that I see all too often. Jack, being a grieving widower, makes my heart weep. As for Anya, her’s might be the saddest story, and I am looking forward to seeing how it ends.
Being the first book of the series, the pace is a tad slow, but that’s expected. Lots of character building, and there are plenty of characters. The demon world is plentiful too, and Usher gives great descriptions, both physical and mystical.
Personally, I can’t wait to chew the second book into confetti.
July 28, 2019
Resurgence was one of the best books I read in 2017. I loved it.
A LOT!
Jack Grenard’s story was one full of action, strong-friendships, realistic characters, demons and…pain. The main reasons why I ended up loving another one of S. Usher Evans books was because of the set of realistic and mysterious characters she introduces us to, and the amazing plot line that evolved around demons, demon hunters and their nightmare: demon spring.
Once again, S. Usher Evans writing managed to captivate me and kept me glued to the book from beginning to end. This story was fast-paced and completely enjoyable thanks to the fact that it makes you feel like part of the story, which helps you connect with the characters and understand what is and has been going on for years between demons, demon lords, humans and the division. It also helps you understand and love how the demon world works; the different types of demons, their magic, etc.
We got to meet plenty of interesting, mysterious and powerful characters as we visited different settings around the story and I can’t deny that I loved every single one of them. They all felt natural and realistic to me-even the demons-, and I really enjoyed how we were able to see the main characters, not only as agents from the division, but also as humans with troubled and painful pasts. The character that I loved and can’t wait to read more of were our wonderful protagonist Jackson Grenard and his partner in crime and best friend Camilla, the mysterious “Colibri”, Angela, and the Demon King himself, Bael. Especially Colibrí and Bael because the twists they bring into the story were wonderful!
In the end, Resurgence by S. Usher Evans is the beginning of an urban fantasy series you shouldn’t sleep on. It is a fun, action-packed and fast read that will leave you craving more of this world full of secrets, demons and blood.
*This review might change later as more people read the story and I stop thinking that everything I read and loved is a spoiler 🙂
Jack Grenard’s story was one full of action, strong-friendships, realistic characters, demons and…pain. The main reasons why I ended up loving another one of S. Usher Evans books was because of the set of realistic and mysterious characters she introduces us to, and the amazing plot line that evolved around demons, demon hunters and their nightmare: demon spring.
Once again, S. Usher Evans writing managed to captivate me and kept me glued to the book from beginning to end. This story was fast-paced and completely enjoyable thanks to the fact that it makes you feel like part of the story, which helps you connect with the characters and understand what is and has been going on for years between demons, demon lords, humans and the division. It also helps you understand and love how the demon world works; the different types of demons, their magic, etc.
We got to meet plenty of interesting, mysterious and powerful characters as we visited different settings around the story and I can’t deny that I loved every single one of them. They all felt natural and realistic to me-even the demons-, and I really enjoyed how we were able to see the main characters, not only as agents from the division, but also as humans with troubled and painful pasts. The character that I loved and can’t wait to read more of were our wonderful protagonist Jackson Grenard and his partner in crime and best friend Camilla, the mysterious “Colibri”, Angela, and the Demon King himself, Bael. Especially Colibrí and Bael because the twists they bring into the story were wonderful!
In the end, Resurgence by S. Usher Evans is the beginning of an urban fantasy series you shouldn’t sleep on. It is a fun, action-packed and fast read that will leave you craving more of this world full of secrets, demons and blood.
*This review might change later as more people read the story and I stop thinking that everything I read and loved is a spoiler 🙂
March 30, 2018
This is my favorite book from S Usher Evans so far. I didn't really know what to expect when I started it. I knew it was about an agent who'd lost his wife and he was going be to work with his former partner. I also knew there was a demon killing demon which was very curious to me. Once I was about a quarter of the way through the book I was hooked. It was reminiscent of Laurell K. Hamilton without all the freaky sex (just normal sex here). I read the whole thing in about 3 days (about 100 pages a day). The more I read the more I felt the grief of the main character and empathized with his loss. On the light-hearted side I loved Cam's quick wit and banter. One shit hit the fan (aka more demons on earth came) I was wishing for more a more detailed battle scene. I don't want to ruin too much but the end of the book deals with a heavy subject that I wasn't expecting. I can't wait to read the 2nd and 3rd one.
February 7, 2020
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WHEN I FIRST STARTED READING 📚THIS, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER FANTASY BOOK. IT WAS A VERY WELL WRITTEN STORY!😍 I DID NOT EXPECT TO READ SUCH A WONDERFUL BOOK?!😍I HIGHLY RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK NOW!😍
WHEN I FIRST STARTED READING 📚THIS, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER FANTASY BOOK. IT WAS A VERY WELL WRITTEN STORY!😍 I DID NOT EXPECT TO READ SUCH A WONDERFUL BOOK?!😍I HIGHLY RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK NOW!😍
January 25, 2018
Was a different from her regular books. I loved the series. I enjoyed the three main characters.
I love that the two female characters were both strong in their own way. I read my books as soon as they came in. I had a hard time putting them down once the story started rolling. Initially, it was a little hard to get into it. The story line was really different. Once, it took off it just kept on going. I had to know what would happen next.
I love that the two female characters were both strong in their own way. I read my books as soon as they came in. I had a hard time putting them down once the story started rolling. Initially, it was a little hard to get into it. The story line was really different. Once, it took off it just kept on going. I had to know what would happen next.
October 6, 2017
4.5 stars
*review to come closer to release date*
*review to come closer to release date*
May 30, 2018
It’s been a while since I’ve given a new Urban Fantasy a try; I guess that’s partly because so many of them follow the same formula. You know, a young snarky woman who doesn’t seem that special suddenly becomes special and then turns out to be stronger/smarter/or generally more special than anyone expected, then falls in love with a sexy alpha guy before vanquishing the Big Bad. Those are the bones of 90% of the UF series out there, and honestly, at this point I only stick with the authors I know are going to do it best. What drew me to this book, is that it breaks from that formula in virtually every way. And I am happy to report… it did not disappoint.
So point number one, the main character of this story is a man. (!) Jack Grenard is demon hunter who is trying to put his life back together after the death of his wife. It’s been three years since she was killed by demons, and he has spent that time out of the field, licking his wounds. But now his old partner has convinced him to come back. Cam is also his best friend and his late wife’s sister. She wants to bring Jack back to the land of the living and thinks demon hunting is the way to do it.
That brings me to point number two… the world building. So here, there are five kinds of demons, all of which sprang from the original demon of each species. Each demon gains power by transforming more humans into others of their kind. The more transformations under a demon’s belt, the stronger they become. The different demon species have different powers and individual lords that run the cities. Unfortunately, Division (the human agency Jack works for) must work with those lords to keep any kind of peace.
Though many demons live among the humans, uncounted more live in the demon realm. Once every four years, there is a Demon Spring, where a fissure opens up between the human world and demon realm and the extra demons spill out, wreaking bloody havoc. As the book opens, the world is on the cusp of one of these Demon Springs and there is buzz that the original demon of them all might make an appearance.
Adding one more element to the mix is the emergence of a mysterious and powerful woman who keeps showing up to help Jack and Cam fight the demons. She becomes Jack’s mystery to solve and the first thing that’s made him feel again since the death of his wife.
So we’ve got a unique world… a male lead (and one with no superpowers at all)… a strong m/f friendship between Jack and Cam with zero romantic tension… and a kick-ass, mysterious love interest. Pretty cool, am I right?
I found Jack to be a very sympathetic character. It’s clear how much he loved his wife and how difficult it is to rebuild in the face of his loss. I also liked the added dynamic of him being a legacy demon fighter with his grandfather’s service on the council like an albatross around his neck. Cam is a good sidekick. She’s brassy and bold and while she takes no shit, she clearly loves him and wants to help him heal.
There’s just enough romance between Jack and the mystery woman to satisfy my needs in that arena. My only small niggle was in an insufficient build/reasoning for them to seal the deal, but it didn’t bother me enough to really impede my enjoyment.
The writing is strong… the pacing is good… and while there is a definitive ending, it absolutely left me excited to read more. Fortunately, all three installments of this trilogy are releasing just a few months apart, so I won’t have to wait long.
If you enjoy UF and you’re looking for something a little different, I suggest giving this one a try.
Rating: B/B+
*ARC provided by author
So point number one, the main character of this story is a man. (!) Jack Grenard is demon hunter who is trying to put his life back together after the death of his wife. It’s been three years since she was killed by demons, and he has spent that time out of the field, licking his wounds. But now his old partner has convinced him to come back. Cam is also his best friend and his late wife’s sister. She wants to bring Jack back to the land of the living and thinks demon hunting is the way to do it.
That brings me to point number two… the world building. So here, there are five kinds of demons, all of which sprang from the original demon of each species. Each demon gains power by transforming more humans into others of their kind. The more transformations under a demon’s belt, the stronger they become. The different demon species have different powers and individual lords that run the cities. Unfortunately, Division (the human agency Jack works for) must work with those lords to keep any kind of peace.
Though many demons live among the humans, uncounted more live in the demon realm. Once every four years, there is a Demon Spring, where a fissure opens up between the human world and demon realm and the extra demons spill out, wreaking bloody havoc. As the book opens, the world is on the cusp of one of these Demon Springs and there is buzz that the original demon of them all might make an appearance.
Adding one more element to the mix is the emergence of a mysterious and powerful woman who keeps showing up to help Jack and Cam fight the demons. She becomes Jack’s mystery to solve and the first thing that’s made him feel again since the death of his wife.
So we’ve got a unique world… a male lead (and one with no superpowers at all)… a strong m/f friendship between Jack and Cam with zero romantic tension… and a kick-ass, mysterious love interest. Pretty cool, am I right?
I found Jack to be a very sympathetic character. It’s clear how much he loved his wife and how difficult it is to rebuild in the face of his loss. I also liked the added dynamic of him being a legacy demon fighter with his grandfather’s service on the council like an albatross around his neck. Cam is a good sidekick. She’s brassy and bold and while she takes no shit, she clearly loves him and wants to help him heal.
There’s just enough romance between Jack and the mystery woman to satisfy my needs in that arena. My only small niggle was in an insufficient build/reasoning for them to seal the deal, but it didn’t bother me enough to really impede my enjoyment.
The writing is strong… the pacing is good… and while there is a definitive ending, it absolutely left me excited to read more. Fortunately, all three installments of this trilogy are releasing just a few months apart, so I won’t have to wait long.
If you enjoy UF and you’re looking for something a little different, I suggest giving this one a try.
Rating: B/B+
*ARC provided by author
April 6, 2018
Jack Giradi's been out of the business of hunting demons since his wife was murdered. Three years later Cam Macarro, his former partner at the government agency that deals with demons, convinces him to get back in the game. With a fresh start in the Atlanta division, Jack finds his skills are a bit rusty, but that doesn't stop Jack and Cam from diving right into the action. While everyone prepares for the quadrennial demon uprising, the pair find themselves involved with a demon like they've never encountered before. Jack can't help but get too close to this human-saving demon, and it puts not only his own life, but Cam's and the rest of the human world's at stake.
RESURGENCE, the first book in the Demon Spring series, by S. Usher Evans is a fast-paced urban fantasy read. Yet it didn't sacrifice developing the rich demon mythology that had a unique take. The interplay between Jack and Cam was great. Jack's deep despair over losing his wife was very poignant. I'm excited to read the next book!
RESURGENCE, the first book in the Demon Spring series, by S. Usher Evans is a fast-paced urban fantasy read. Yet it didn't sacrifice developing the rich demon mythology that had a unique take. The interplay between Jack and Cam was great. Jack's deep despair over losing his wife was very poignant. I'm excited to read the next book!
November 9, 2017
I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
From the moment I saw this book’s description I just knew that I HAD TO READ IT! It instantly reminded me of two of my favorite things…The Dresden Files and Supernatural. It also takes place in Atlanta, so of course that made it all the more awesome for me!
Urban Fantasy is one of my all time favorite genres and this book did not disappoint. You get a lot of back story in this book but, come on, you NEED backstory to tell you just what the heck is going on and how this world works so that is one thing I personally enjoy because it helped to really fill out the story and gave you a good sense of what is what. The characters were great (main and supporting)…It’s hard for me to pick a favorite Cam is a fiercely determined woman in many aspects and she won’t back down from what she believes. She also brings the sass. Then we have Jack who you can really feel his grief and anger over loosing his wife and how much he cared for her. I like the dynamic between these two characters…they both are trying to recover from the loss of Sarah and trying to re-connect as these legendary working partners and it’s not always easy. Then you have Anya (Or Colibri as Cam likes to call her) She’s a total bad ass…though I wont say much on her because spoilers. I also really enjoyed the aspects of the different demons in this world and the underworld and how the pecking order works. The story line was great and keeps you interested the entire time and I thought the ending leaves you wanting more. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series and find out what the heck happens next!
I give Resurgence 5 stars!
From the moment I saw this book’s description I just knew that I HAD TO READ IT! It instantly reminded me of two of my favorite things…The Dresden Files and Supernatural. It also takes place in Atlanta, so of course that made it all the more awesome for me!
Urban Fantasy is one of my all time favorite genres and this book did not disappoint. You get a lot of back story in this book but, come on, you NEED backstory to tell you just what the heck is going on and how this world works so that is one thing I personally enjoy because it helped to really fill out the story and gave you a good sense of what is what. The characters were great (main and supporting)…It’s hard for me to pick a favorite Cam is a fiercely determined woman in many aspects and she won’t back down from what she believes. She also brings the sass. Then we have Jack who you can really feel his grief and anger over loosing his wife and how much he cared for her. I like the dynamic between these two characters…they both are trying to recover from the loss of Sarah and trying to re-connect as these legendary working partners and it’s not always easy. Then you have Anya (Or Colibri as Cam likes to call her) She’s a total bad ass…though I wont say much on her because spoilers. I also really enjoyed the aspects of the different demons in this world and the underworld and how the pecking order works. The story line was great and keeps you interested the entire time and I thought the ending leaves you wanting more. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series and find out what the heck happens next!
I give Resurgence 5 stars!
February 27, 2018
Trigger warnings for grief, depression and domestic abuse. There is also sex on page, not completely detailed, but enough so that anyone sex-repulsed may want to skip or skim that scene.
Resurgence is the first book of the Demon Spring trilogy and because of this, it does start out slow, due to world building, but it does pick up in the latter half of the book, and many exciting things happen. But, the world building was done so magnificently that I honestly can not complain about that slowness. I loved learning about the different types of demons and I love how well the book flawlessly incorporates them and the ICDM into our world. There are also the descriptions, such as that of the Underworld, which are amazing, and if it wasn’t full of demons, I would love to visit.
The main character is Jack, and I just felt for him the whole book. Jack’s wife Sara was killed by a demon three years before and up to this point Jack had stepped out of the field of demon hunting to work as an accountant, but now he is returning to his old job with his old partner, Cam, who is also Sara’s sister. Every step he takes he is plagued by the grief of his wife and the guilt that it was his fault, and while he suffers several setbacks he continues to fight. I think that Evans has done an excellent job portraying this, and it feels so realistic.
There are also many female characters who are in a position of power and who are just badass in general. Of these, there is Cam, and the mystery woman. Cam is a take-no-nonsense woman who is striving towards eventually becoming the director of ICDM, she has brilliant ideas of how to continue to fight off the demons, and she is not going to let anyone stand in the way of that. I won’t say too much about the mystery woman, but she is strong in her own way, more so as the story goes on and you learn more about her, and I can not wait to see more of her in the future.
One of the things I loved the most is the relationship between Cam and Jack. They are best friends and partners in the field who always get themselves into trouble and are there for each other through thick and thin. They also remain platonic throughout the whole book. No “We’re best friends” followed by a kiss and suddenly they’re together. Their relationship is so refreshing and I wish more books would explore this.
I absolutely loved this book and I recommend it to everyone, especially those who love the supernatural, urban fantasy, and strong characters and want to just read something refreshingly new. This is a series that, if book one is any indication, you won’t want to miss out on. I cannot wait for book two!
*I received an ARC of this book, but that in no way influences my review*
Resurgence is the first book of the Demon Spring trilogy and because of this, it does start out slow, due to world building, but it does pick up in the latter half of the book, and many exciting things happen. But, the world building was done so magnificently that I honestly can not complain about that slowness. I loved learning about the different types of demons and I love how well the book flawlessly incorporates them and the ICDM into our world. There are also the descriptions, such as that of the Underworld, which are amazing, and if it wasn’t full of demons, I would love to visit.
The main character is Jack, and I just felt for him the whole book. Jack’s wife Sara was killed by a demon three years before and up to this point Jack had stepped out of the field of demon hunting to work as an accountant, but now he is returning to his old job with his old partner, Cam, who is also Sara’s sister. Every step he takes he is plagued by the grief of his wife and the guilt that it was his fault, and while he suffers several setbacks he continues to fight. I think that Evans has done an excellent job portraying this, and it feels so realistic.
There are also many female characters who are in a position of power and who are just badass in general. Of these, there is Cam, and the mystery woman. Cam is a take-no-nonsense woman who is striving towards eventually becoming the director of ICDM, she has brilliant ideas of how to continue to fight off the demons, and she is not going to let anyone stand in the way of that. I won’t say too much about the mystery woman, but she is strong in her own way, more so as the story goes on and you learn more about her, and I can not wait to see more of her in the future.
One of the things I loved the most is the relationship between Cam and Jack. They are best friends and partners in the field who always get themselves into trouble and are there for each other through thick and thin. They also remain platonic throughout the whole book. No “We’re best friends” followed by a kiss and suddenly they’re together. Their relationship is so refreshing and I wish more books would explore this.
I absolutely loved this book and I recommend it to everyone, especially those who love the supernatural, urban fantasy, and strong characters and want to just read something refreshingly new. This is a series that, if book one is any indication, you won’t want to miss out on. I cannot wait for book two!
*I received an ARC of this book, but that in no way influences my review*
April 2, 2018
I’ve been a fan of S. Usher Evans for a while, and this is her best work yet. It deserves to be on bestseller lists, because it’s as good or better than most of the urban fantasy you’ll find on them. It’s that rare book which manages to be a good thriller, and has plenty of action, but also thoughtfully examines the human condition.
Jack has been pulled back into the demon-policing game after a long absence due to the death of his wife, and he kind of sucks at it. I love that! It was such a risky choice by the author. Where most writers would make a token nod to him being rattled, then bring him back to the top of his game over the course of a single inspiring speech from his partner, Evans goes all in with a realistic portrayal of human failings.
My second favorite aspect, though this may not be appreciated by all readers, is the gritty realism behind the bureaucracy. Cam, Jack’s partner, employs talismans dating from the Aztecs as a barrier to demonic influence. Their widespread adoption could potentially swing the balance of power toward the International Coalition for Demon Management, but the decision-making process is so tied up in pointless protocols and the personal ego of the decision-makers that it takes half the book to even have them considered, and Cam still gets in trouble with her boss for the suggestion! Some readers might wonder if this is due to demonic influence within the department, but I know the truth: it’s plain old human stupidity. I know because I’ve worked at places like this.
So, if you love tightly plotted, thrilling, thoughtful urban fantasy, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.
Jack has been pulled back into the demon-policing game after a long absence due to the death of his wife, and he kind of sucks at it. I love that! It was such a risky choice by the author. Where most writers would make a token nod to him being rattled, then bring him back to the top of his game over the course of a single inspiring speech from his partner, Evans goes all in with a realistic portrayal of human failings.
My second favorite aspect, though this may not be appreciated by all readers, is the gritty realism behind the bureaucracy. Cam, Jack’s partner, employs talismans dating from the Aztecs as a barrier to demonic influence. Their widespread adoption could potentially swing the balance of power toward the International Coalition for Demon Management, but the decision-making process is so tied up in pointless protocols and the personal ego of the decision-makers that it takes half the book to even have them considered, and Cam still gets in trouble with her boss for the suggestion! Some readers might wonder if this is due to demonic influence within the department, but I know the truth: it’s plain old human stupidity. I know because I’ve worked at places like this.
So, if you love tightly plotted, thrilling, thoughtful urban fantasy, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.
March 27, 2020
Every 4 years a Demon Spring happens, where demons come to earth from a fissure and wreak havoc. Unfortunately, humans are fair game and they have nothing that can kill the demons short of cutting off their heads. Partners Jack and Cam work for ICDM and in the years between Demon Spring, they work with local demons that live on earth to keep the peace. But rumors of the upcoming demon spring say it will be one of the worst and that Bael, the king of demons, will resurface after over 100 years of being gone. But without knowing exactly when it will happen, or where, they might just get caught unprepared.
Eek! So I love when an author does a paranormal/suspense, and considering I already love Sush’s writing, that just makes the combo here perfect. I adored Cam because she’s strong and feisty, and incredibly smart. I love that she pushes Jack to be his best when he’s been out of the game for so long. They work great as a team. I even really liked Colibri/Anya, because she was a demon who had realized the wrong of her ways. While this ended on a cliffhanger, some things sorted themselves out, so I wasn’t too upset about that because I bought all 3 books in the series at once so I get to continue on, which I’m super excited about. Fantastic Read!
Eek! So I love when an author does a paranormal/suspense, and considering I already love Sush’s writing, that just makes the combo here perfect. I adored Cam because she’s strong and feisty, and incredibly smart. I love that she pushes Jack to be his best when he’s been out of the game for so long. They work great as a team. I even really liked Colibri/Anya, because she was a demon who had realized the wrong of her ways. While this ended on a cliffhanger, some things sorted themselves out, so I wasn’t too upset about that because I bought all 3 books in the series at once so I get to continue on, which I’m super excited about. Fantastic Read!
November 4, 2017
Different from all the heroes/heroines I’ve read so far. Jack sounded quite funny for me from the beginning, until the story reached the climax. He was backward at the beginning. Being a widower whose wife was killed by the exact demon he was looking for, I was expecting him to be very aggressive and revenging. He sounded quite backward but his character development was impressing. His development was thoroughly visible to the readers throughout the story. Jack, fighting his weaknesses and overcoming them was very fascinating to read!
Camelia, is everything you need as a friend! Very understanding and forgiving. I loved her sense of humor and bravery!
Our mystery woman, (I’ll not mention much about her though. Why spoil the curiosity? ) strong and ambitious. She reminded me that a person’s past doesn’t matter if he/she has changed for good. After all every human being has something good within them!
Demons?
They are totally different from all the villains I’ve met so far!! I think I loved this idea a lot!
What I felt is, the Demons are based and created on human weaknesses. Insecurity, lust, fear and the void we feel within us. Though they were Demons, I’m totally in love with the idea of it!!
The author indirectly describes the reality of human lives. Human beings fighting against their fears, just like they do in their real lives. A very beautiful idea this was!!
This book, totally got me!! I was so into the book, I was just searching for free hours to finish reading the book! Curiosity was very high in the story and the scenes felt very real! As if I’m there watching everything happening!! That was awesome!!! I just love this book!! Definitely going to get the second!!
If you badly need a break from your usual reads, Grab “Resurgence”!! I highly recommend this book!!
Camelia, is everything you need as a friend! Very understanding and forgiving. I loved her sense of humor and bravery!
Our mystery woman, (I’ll not mention much about her though. Why spoil the curiosity? ) strong and ambitious. She reminded me that a person’s past doesn’t matter if he/she has changed for good. After all every human being has something good within them!
Demons?
They are totally different from all the villains I’ve met so far!! I think I loved this idea a lot!
What I felt is, the Demons are based and created on human weaknesses. Insecurity, lust, fear and the void we feel within us. Though they were Demons, I’m totally in love with the idea of it!!
The author indirectly describes the reality of human lives. Human beings fighting against their fears, just like they do in their real lives. A very beautiful idea this was!!
This book, totally got me!! I was so into the book, I was just searching for free hours to finish reading the book! Curiosity was very high in the story and the scenes felt very real! As if I’m there watching everything happening!! That was awesome!!! I just love this book!! Definitely going to get the second!!
If you badly need a break from your usual reads, Grab “Resurgence”!! I highly recommend this book!!
January 11, 2018
I've been a fan of Evans for a while, and each time a new series comes out, I love it more than the last. This one is in a new genre for her, and the world she creates in it is unique while still having ties to real-world mythologies. There's a good balance of setting/backstory, action, and character development in this first installment of the series. As always, the best part of her book is the main characters; the protagonist Jack faces grief, loss, and peril while avoiding strongman hero clichés for a very refreshing supernatural suspense thriller. His partner Cam is equally resilient and impossible to confine to any stereotypical tough-female boxes. Even the secondary characters are always interesting and complex, especially the villains.
April 5, 2020
I loved this story! The irony of a demon killing other demons to save humans is sweet. When said demon accidentally runs into two members of the international organization dedicated to controlling demons on earth and saves their lives, the game is on.
Jack and Cam are partners, best friends, and related via Jack’s dead wife who was also Cam’s sister. Cam is trying to bring Jack back into the fold, but he lost heart when demons killed his beloved Sara. Enter a beautiful and powerful demon who wants only to protect humans and avoid attention. Jack, of course, becomes obsessed with finding out who she is and why she behaves in the exact opposite manner of her hellion cohorts.
This book is action-packed and provides plenty of tension between Jack, Cam and the demon, Anya. The reader is treated to a rollercoaster ride of political infighting, deceit and the unpredictable attraction between Jack and Anya.
I can’t wait for the second installment — bring it on!
Jack and Cam are partners, best friends, and related via Jack’s dead wife who was also Cam’s sister. Cam is trying to bring Jack back into the fold, but he lost heart when demons killed his beloved Sara. Enter a beautiful and powerful demon who wants only to protect humans and avoid attention. Jack, of course, becomes obsessed with finding out who she is and why she behaves in the exact opposite manner of her hellion cohorts.
This book is action-packed and provides plenty of tension between Jack, Cam and the demon, Anya. The reader is treated to a rollercoaster ride of political infighting, deceit and the unpredictable attraction between Jack and Anya.
I can’t wait for the second installment — bring it on!
January 26, 2018
I received an arc copy for a gladly shared review. Not your typical good guy, bad guy, some romance, kick butt and save humanity. The two main characters have an awesome bond and read as people you would actually know. As badass as they are, they are relatable. I can't wait to start book 2 and highly recommend.
July 5, 2018
As a follower of Jim Butcher, I love the urban fantasy genre and this book did not disappoint. The personal and professional drama of the main character drew one in and set the reader up for fascinating read with an explosive ending. How does one return to normal when everything has been turned on its head? Good, evil, and free will are themes that start small and continue to grow bolder.
January 14, 2018
I picked up this book telling myself “read for 30 minutes and then go take a nap”. Here I am a couple hours later, book done and zero desire to nap. It is very easy to get sucked into the Demon Spring world and I can’t wait to crack open the second in the series.
February 25, 2018
A promising start
I enjoyed reading this story, it certainly is an interesting and promising start to a different kind of story about demons. The abusive relationship put a different angle on Anya’s actions and her eventual repentance made her a likeable character. And I just feel for Jack. I’d be very interested in finding out what happens next!
I enjoyed reading this story, it certainly is an interesting and promising start to a different kind of story about demons. The abusive relationship put a different angle on Anya’s actions and her eventual repentance made her a likeable character. And I just feel for Jack. I’d be very interested in finding out what happens next!
Want to read
February 4, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/4/2020)! 🎁
March 13, 2018
If you are a fan of Supernatural or Urban Fantasy, you will love this!! S. Usher Evans has made a fan out of me as a reader. She has been able to write in a way that you can feel what a character feels in that moment and not very many authors have been able to do this so authentically. She is also able to build a world around her characters while keeping you on your toes from the get-go.
In this book Resurgence, we meet Cam and Jack who not only demon come from a long line of demon hunters; but they are best friends; and in laws. Unfortunately Jack's wife, Cam's sister was kill by demons 3 years ago but you can still feel Jack's grief. His guilt for trying to move on with a new life in Atlanta and going back into the field. How to describe Cam? She is a kick ass and take no names woman who is not going to back down from a fight regardless of who it is, including her boss. She is like the pain in the ass sister Jack never had but would be lost without. While they are dealing with all these complex emotions of how to deal with their partnership; friendship and Jack's grief for Sara, they are dealing with the possibility of Bael showing up in Atlanta even though all reports show he is to make his appearance on the West coast. This book is action packed, filled with plot twists; and some great humor. I highly recommend you grab a cup of coffee and spend the day curled up in a comfortable spot read this book as you will not want to put it down. I cannot wait to start the next book!!!
*P.s. The second book is ready for pre-order on Amazon. *full disclosure I do know the author, but I have not received anything for this review.*
In this book Resurgence, we meet Cam and Jack who not only demon come from a long line of demon hunters; but they are best friends; and in laws. Unfortunately Jack's wife, Cam's sister was kill by demons 3 years ago but you can still feel Jack's grief. His guilt for trying to move on with a new life in Atlanta and going back into the field. How to describe Cam? She is a kick ass and take no names woman who is not going to back down from a fight regardless of who it is, including her boss. She is like the pain in the ass sister Jack never had but would be lost without. While they are dealing with all these complex emotions of how to deal with their partnership; friendship and Jack's grief for Sara, they are dealing with the possibility of Bael showing up in Atlanta even though all reports show he is to make his appearance on the West coast. This book is action packed, filled with plot twists; and some great humor. I highly recommend you grab a cup of coffee and spend the day curled up in a comfortable spot read this book as you will not want to put it down. I cannot wait to start the next book!!!
*P.s. The second book is ready for pre-order on Amazon. *full disclosure I do know the author, but I have not received anything for this review.*
January 19, 2018
First Published on
The Reading Owl
What I liked:
Organization. From categorizing the demons according to their powers to having a demon hunter organization with a proper hierarchy, all the things are very well defined and appealed to the organization freak in me.
Background. The book starts with descriptions of various demons. Not just this, the author has done a wonderful job of covering all bases while giving the background stories and I found no loose ends.
Powerful female characters. Cam, Anya, the Lilin demons Angela and Nunzia, and the heads at ICDM, all represent women at powerful and lead positions. They are independent and strong even though they could be bitchy. Cam is so much more assertive than her counterparts. I wished Anya showed more courage against Bael.
I enjoyed the easy camaraderie Jack and Cam share.
The underworld description blew my mind. It reminded me of the dark fairy tales, with the mystical castles and magical creatures.
What lacked for me:
Jack is a grief-stricken man and I felt bad for him but there are just sooo many scenes where he is floating in self-pity. He also acts a scared kitten at places. He could very well talk to people in his division without Cam's help.
I felt Cam's concern was mostly smothering Jack and not letting him deal with his own troubles. Appearance of Anya and the changed dynamics came as a respite.
Waiting for more:
I wish to read more about demons, their powers, and creation. I would also like to know more about demon curses, how one puts or breaks them. I hope the next books in the series have them.
Recommendations:
If you are a fan of supernatural and like your stories with a pinch of drama, romance, and kick-ass women, you should definitely pick this up.
What I liked:
Organization. From categorizing the demons according to their powers to having a demon hunter organization with a proper hierarchy, all the things are very well defined and appealed to the organization freak in me.
Background. The book starts with descriptions of various demons. Not just this, the author has done a wonderful job of covering all bases while giving the background stories and I found no loose ends.
Powerful female characters. Cam, Anya, the Lilin demons Angela and Nunzia, and the heads at ICDM, all represent women at powerful and lead positions. They are independent and strong even though they could be bitchy. Cam is so much more assertive than her counterparts. I wished Anya showed more courage against Bael.
I enjoyed the easy camaraderie Jack and Cam share.
The underworld description blew my mind. It reminded me of the dark fairy tales, with the mystical castles and magical creatures.
What lacked for me:
Jack is a grief-stricken man and I felt bad for him but there are just sooo many scenes where he is floating in self-pity. He also acts a scared kitten at places. He could very well talk to people in his division without Cam's help.
I felt Cam's concern was mostly smothering Jack and not letting him deal with his own troubles. Appearance of Anya and the changed dynamics came as a respite.
Waiting for more:
I wish to read more about demons, their powers, and creation. I would also like to know more about demon curses, how one puts or breaks them. I hope the next books in the series have them.
Recommendations:
If you are a fan of supernatural and like your stories with a pinch of drama, romance, and kick-ass women, you should definitely pick this up.
January 18, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.
What I liked
1) Demons! I love demons.
2) Demon hunters! exciting.
3) An awesome male/female friendship! Guys and Gals can be JUST friends.
4) Cam. She's feisty.
What I didn't like
1) Sloooooooow. I found the novel to be quite slow, which I understand as there was a lot of background building, but man, give me some action!
2) Too much background building/history. At times it felt like I was reading a history book.
3) I found Jack to be a little annoying buuut I didn't hate him.
Overall I did enjoy the novel and I will be picking up book two because it seems like we'll finally get the action I was dying for!
What I liked
1) Demons! I love demons.
2) Demon hunters! exciting.
3) An awesome male/female friendship! Guys and Gals can be JUST friends.
4) Cam. She's feisty.
What I didn't like
1) Sloooooooow. I found the novel to be quite slow, which I understand as there was a lot of background building, but man, give me some action!
2) Too much background building/history. At times it felt like I was reading a history book.
3) I found Jack to be a little annoying buuut I didn't hate him.
Overall I did enjoy the novel and I will be picking up book two because it seems like we'll finally get the action I was dying for!
January 17, 2018
MAJOR TW: Grief, Depression, Suicide, & Domestic Violence
This book is electric from start to finish. The characters are gobsmackingly genuine, the world building well crafted, and the action every bit as enticing as one could hope!
The real highlight for me is Jack, the main protagonist. His journey with grief and the road it takes him down with mental illness are hard hitting. I didn't expect that from this particular story, but I related to ridiculous levels and found myself holding back tears at many points for this man who is fighting to get somewhere I have yet to go.
Cam is equally splendid. She's sharp, supportive, and engaging as a character. Their partnership is built on so much trust and I loved it! I'm a little hesitant still on the idea of Jack and his potential love interest when Cam is right there and makes so much more sense to me, but the upside is that it IS nice having a M/F friendship that stays platonic. We need more of that.
Urban fantasy lovers rejoice! You have a new goodie to devour faster than a nox demon at Demon Spring!
This book is electric from start to finish. The characters are gobsmackingly genuine, the world building well crafted, and the action every bit as enticing as one could hope!
The real highlight for me is Jack, the main protagonist. His journey with grief and the road it takes him down with mental illness are hard hitting. I didn't expect that from this particular story, but I related to ridiculous levels and found myself holding back tears at many points for this man who is fighting to get somewhere I have yet to go.
Cam is equally splendid. She's sharp, supportive, and engaging as a character. Their partnership is built on so much trust and I loved it! I'm a little hesitant still on the idea of Jack and his potential love interest when Cam is right there and makes so much more sense to me, but the upside is that it IS nice having a M/F friendship that stays platonic. We need more of that.
Urban fantasy lovers rejoice! You have a new goodie to devour faster than a nox demon at Demon Spring!
February 19, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I don’t think it’s going to be the last. The book is also the first book in a new series. I confess I wasn’t sure how I was going to rate this book, a four or a five. I’m still waffling on which rating to give it. The author did an excellent job with the writing, the characters, and the plot, and I quite enjoyed the book from start to finish. I really liked the way the characters felt real, especially in the way Jack’s grief made him react. However, he really let his grief get in the way of his work in places, and I don’t think he would have done that after three years. See, the author made the character so real to me that I believe I know how he would be! Anyway, the end left me a little confused too, for similar reasons. All that aside, I really did enjoy this book and I can’t wait to see how everything is going to shake out in the next installment; one book simply was not enough. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Sun’s Golden Ray/Broad Universe for the e-copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
January 31, 2019
This is a promising start to a series and a solid read. Demon Hunters, Jack and Cam have been partners for a long time, Jack even having married Cam’s sister – Sara. But Sara was killed by a demon attack 3 yrs ago, and Jack has been out of the game since. When he transfers to Atlanta, to once again team up with Cam, he’ll need to get back into the game since an event known as a Demon Spring is about to happen, and when it does, thousands of demons from the Underworld are released on mankind.
My biggest hang up with this book, is that the first half of the book, Jack is still mourning his wife and he shouldn’t even be out, he’s a danger to himself and his partner. This is too overdone – I wanted to kick him myself – so I never really got that attached to Jack. When we finally get moving is about at 60% in, and then we begin to learn more about Anya, and the Demon King, Bael. That is when this book begins to become hard to put down, I just wish it would have gotten there quicker. Reviewed by Cyrene
My biggest hang up with this book, is that the first half of the book, Jack is still mourning his wife and he shouldn’t even be out, he’s a danger to himself and his partner. This is too overdone – I wanted to kick him myself – so I never really got that attached to Jack. When we finally get moving is about at 60% in, and then we begin to learn more about Anya, and the Demon King, Bael. That is when this book begins to become hard to put down, I just wish it would have gotten there quicker. Reviewed by Cyrene
July 7, 2018
Once again S. Usher Evans shows us why we come back to her stories and worlds over and over again. She has built a world that fully engrosses you in the characters and the trips they are going on. There are some scenes in this book that had me really wondering what was going to happen next. The demons and their lore I swear I could spend hours just learning the lore of the demons in her world. And boy does she know how to write a third act... I mean I did not want to put the book down when I got to it, I had to read to the next page and the next one to know what happens to our characters and she doesn't disappoint. I am definitely glad that I have the second book so I can pick it up and find out what happens next. If you haven't done so already pick this book up S. Usher Evans has a writing style that just flows and is so easy to read that you won't want to put her book down. I have loved every one of the books I have picked up from her and can't read the next ones she puts out!
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