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Demon Hunter and Baby
Her boss is a fairy, her ex-lover is a Knight Templar, and she spends her days fighting the demons that plague London's streets. But what's *really* complicating Aisling McKay's life is being a single mother to a nine-month-old baby girl.
Ever since the End Times, magic has been leaking into our world. Magic and demons, shadowy beings that possess humans' bodies and destroy their souls. The Monastic Order of the Knights Templar have revealed themselves to the world as guardians and defenders of the veil between the demon world and ours. But the Templar Order is growing weaker, and the veil is starting to shred and tear. Often all that stands between humans and complete demonic possession are professional demon fighters, Hunters like Aisling McKay.
Aisling already has enough to handle between her day job, her (very unplanned) baby daughter, Willow--and avoiding Kieran, Willow's father and a Templar Knight. But now a new danger is abroad in London--and facing it will set Aisling on a collision course with the past she thought she'd escaped for good.
Demon Hunter and Baby is approximately 98,000 words long and is appropriate for all ages. It is the first of a planned series that will send Aisling on a desperate search back into her own past ... and will lead her to long-buried truths that will shake the foundations of everything she believes. Truths that have the potential either to save or to utterly destroy the human world.
Ever since the End Times, magic has been leaking into our world. Magic and demons, shadowy beings that possess humans' bodies and destroy their souls. The Monastic Order of the Knights Templar have revealed themselves to the world as guardians and defenders of the veil between the demon world and ours. But the Templar Order is growing weaker, and the veil is starting to shred and tear. Often all that stands between humans and complete demonic possession are professional demon fighters, Hunters like Aisling McKay.
Aisling already has enough to handle between her day job, her (very unplanned) baby daughter, Willow--and avoiding Kieran, Willow's father and a Templar Knight. But now a new danger is abroad in London--and facing it will set Aisling on a collision course with the past she thought she'd escaped for good.
Demon Hunter and Baby is approximately 98,000 words long and is appropriate for all ages. It is the first of a planned series that will send Aisling on a desperate search back into her own past ... and will lead her to long-buried truths that will shake the foundations of everything she believes. Truths that have the potential either to save or to utterly destroy the human world.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2012
23 people are currently reading
746 people want to read
About the author
Anna Elliott
82 books419 followersAnna Elliott is an author of historical fiction and fantasy. She enjoys stories about strong women, and loves exploring the multitude of ways women can find their unique strengths. She was delighted to lend a hand with the Sherlock & Lucy series, and thrilled to continue a new spin-off series featuring Becky and Flynn. Her first series, the Twilight of Avalon trilogy, is a retelling of the Trystan & Isolde legend. She wrote her second series, The Pride & Prejudice Chronicles , chiefly to satisfy her own curiosity about what might have happened to Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and all the other wonderful cast of characters after the official end of Jane Austen’s classic work.
WEBSITE: http://sherlockandlucy.com
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sherlockand...
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/77782...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anna-El...
Anna lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and five children.
WEBSITE: http://sherlockandlucy.com
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sherlockand...
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/77782...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anna-El...
Anna lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and five children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 17, 2016
I picked this up from a friend's recommendation, which is pretty much the only way this book is likely to sell—and that's a crying shame. If you can ignore the weak title, crappy cover, and poor copy-editing (occasional dropped words and typos every other chapter or so), you'll find a great story, well-told with compelling characters in an original urban fantasy setting.
Aisling McKay is an awesome kick-butt heroine… and a single mother. And yes, that makes everything… difficult. Anna Elliott has pulled off an incredibly difficult task by making Ash believable in both of her vocations—including the difficult task of juggling those conflicting pulls on her time and resources. Not only is it clear that Elliott knows children and motherhood on an intimate basis, but she's also an incredible storyteller, making the motherhood aspects of Ash's life real without exaggeration or preaching or complaining or downplaying the difficulties.
Nor did Elliott skimp on the actiony, butt-kicking goodness. Aisling's world is under siege by demons from the Shadowlands. The demon incursion has made the Templars a political force more powerful than most governments, but they're also an organization struggling with the very real possibility of failure as rifts in the veil separating the worlds are becoming more and more common. Ash is an officially sanctioned demon hunter—a magical adept who can (and does) fight demons. As a magical adept, Ash's skills and capabilities are desperately needed and you can feel that desperation throughout the story as Ash struggles to balance saving the world with being there for Willow, her little girl.
I also really liked the relationships between Ash and the people in her life—particularly Kieran, the Templar father of her child. These aren't watered-down Templars, either, so Kieran takes his oaths seriously even as he struggles with having failed to uphold them in the past. Indeed, Kieran's interaction with Ash and Willow are heartbreakingly poignant—which brings me to the one nit-pick I have with the story. Elliott strains to create a love triangle, dragging Rafe (a demon hunter colleague of Aisling) in to prop up the third leg. Kieran is off-limits, even though it's clear that they love each other. Rafe is clearly interested but hopelessly unrequited. This is way too formula to feel anything but contrived. That feeling isn't helped by Elliott sponsoring a survey (broken at time of my writing, no less) asking readers who should “win”. Seriously, I hate these love-triangles and having this one shoe-horned in cheapened what was going to be an outstanding “love story in difficult times”—not unlike Casablanca, really, though in a twisted kind of way.
This nitpick was minor, though, and only really cropped up in the end, when Rafe makes his feelings clear to the understandably-clueless-by-hassle Ash. It didn't compromise the otherwise compelling story of a woman making hard choices and finding grace in the struggle.
Aisling McKay is an awesome kick-butt heroine… and a single mother. And yes, that makes everything… difficult. Anna Elliott has pulled off an incredibly difficult task by making Ash believable in both of her vocations—including the difficult task of juggling those conflicting pulls on her time and resources. Not only is it clear that Elliott knows children and motherhood on an intimate basis, but she's also an incredible storyteller, making the motherhood aspects of Ash's life real without exaggeration or preaching or complaining or downplaying the difficulties.
Nor did Elliott skimp on the actiony, butt-kicking goodness. Aisling's world is under siege by demons from the Shadowlands. The demon incursion has made the Templars a political force more powerful than most governments, but they're also an organization struggling with the very real possibility of failure as rifts in the veil separating the worlds are becoming more and more common. Ash is an officially sanctioned demon hunter—a magical adept who can (and does) fight demons. As a magical adept, Ash's skills and capabilities are desperately needed and you can feel that desperation throughout the story as Ash struggles to balance saving the world with being there for Willow, her little girl.
I also really liked the relationships between Ash and the people in her life—particularly Kieran, the Templar father of her child. These aren't watered-down Templars, either, so Kieran takes his oaths seriously even as he struggles with having failed to uphold them in the past. Indeed, Kieran's interaction with Ash and Willow are heartbreakingly poignant—which brings me to the one nit-pick I have with the story. Elliott strains to create a love triangle, dragging Rafe (a demon hunter colleague of Aisling) in to prop up the third leg. Kieran is off-limits, even though it's clear that they love each other. Rafe is clearly interested but hopelessly unrequited. This is way too formula to feel anything but contrived. That feeling isn't helped by Elliott sponsoring a survey (broken at time of my writing, no less) asking readers who should “win”. Seriously, I hate these love-triangles and having this one shoe-horned in cheapened what was going to be an outstanding “love story in difficult times”—not unlike Casablanca, really, though in a twisted kind of way.
This nitpick was minor, though, and only really cropped up in the end, when Rafe makes his feelings clear to the understandably-clueless-by-hassle Ash. It didn't compromise the otherwise compelling story of a woman making hard choices and finding grace in the struggle.
January 27, 2013
Please, forget the title and the cover. They are both misleading and true. They make you think of a light book or a chick-lit style of UF. No, this is really far from true. Yes, there's baby in this story.
This is a very good indie UF in which the heroine happens to be a single mom (with the problems that this entails). The story doesn't come out worse for it, at all. There's a new sense of horrific possibilities with a toddler literally involved.
It may remind of a Kate Daniels book. We are in a post-apocalyptic world in which magic dominates. There are no were and vampires. You have other-world beings, like fae, but mostly demons (and therefore magic users) and their enemies, Templars and hunters. Moreover, like the Ilona Andrews couple, Ms Elliot is a good researcher and her books shows it.
The author creates a very nice idea from the existing, a completely new cocktail. The plot revolves around a hunter who had a baby from a one-night stand with her partner (one-night stand as he is a Templar and as such tied by a celibacy vow). She has to stop the demonkind from destroying the veil and entering the world. She also has her own metaphorical demon to battle against. The pace is quick, with some really difficult moments.
There's a good world-building and the author did manage the info nicely, without dumps. I'm really keen to know what next, even if I could have done without the final poll...
This is a very good indie UF in which the heroine happens to be a single mom (with the problems that this entails). The story doesn't come out worse for it, at all. There's a new sense of horrific possibilities with a toddler literally involved.
It may remind of a Kate Daniels book. We are in a post-apocalyptic world in which magic dominates. There are no were and vampires. You have other-world beings, like fae, but mostly demons (and therefore magic users) and their enemies, Templars and hunters. Moreover, like the Ilona Andrews couple, Ms Elliot is a good researcher and her books shows it.
The author creates a very nice idea from the existing, a completely new cocktail. The plot revolves around a hunter who had a baby from a one-night stand with her partner (one-night stand as he is a Templar and as such tied by a celibacy vow). She has to stop the demonkind from destroying the veil and entering the world. She also has her own metaphorical demon to battle against. The pace is quick, with some really difficult moments.
There's a good world-building and the author did manage the info nicely, without dumps. I'm really keen to know what next, even if I could have done without the final poll...
February 22, 2023
Believe it or not I read this on my kindle as a free book that I once got and now I can't find it on Amazon. It started off so-so, kinda generic a bit, but it got way better. The kick-ass heroine (always a favorite character trope that I love about urban fantasy) keeps getting stronger and finding she might have something extra special about her, not just the demon hunting magic. Alone since the age of 16, she fights demons while raising a baby alone. Oh and on top of that, her greatest nemesis is none other than her deceased grandfather, now turned into a monster. Fun times. I enjoyed it, glad I gave it a try. Don't know what happened to the book on Amazon.
April 26, 2012
Surprisingly good for a free Kindle book find. I can't wait to see what happens with Aisling. It was a bit distracting that she had the same name as Katie MacAlister's heroine of The Guardian series, but the differences between the paranormal worlds were many. This was a bit more intense and darker than MacAlister's work, but I like it all the same.
July 23, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't predictable, the characters were likeable even when I didn't want to like them and, although I wasn't shocked by the twist, I didn't expect it either. Always a plus.
So why mark it down? Well, I got confused by the start of it. You see, demons are real and everyone knows it. I didn't grasp the 'everyone knows it bit' for a fair chunk of the beginning of the book. It confused me a little.
The other thing was that this is a first book and the ending isn't really an ending. Well, it isn't a cliff hanger but your left with two many questions for my liking. I did like how one aspect was dealt with in the end concerning the prominent love interest. The character wasn't compromised to achieve super-duper happy ending.
I also didn't like the poll offered at the end. Some people may like the idea of influencing a story but I don't.
The writing was good-better in some places than others.
Here's where I admit my bias. I HATE love triangles...but...(BUT!) this one was very well done. I'll definitely be checking out the next installment with high expectations. :)
So why mark it down? Well, I got confused by the start of it. You see, demons are real and everyone knows it. I didn't grasp the 'everyone knows it bit' for a fair chunk of the beginning of the book. It confused me a little.
The other thing was that this is a first book and the ending isn't really an ending. Well, it isn't a cliff hanger but your left with two many questions for my liking. I did like how one aspect was dealt with in the end concerning the prominent love interest. The character wasn't compromised to achieve super-duper happy ending.
I also didn't like the poll offered at the end. Some people may like the idea of influencing a story but I don't.
The writing was good-better in some places than others.
Here's where I admit my bias. I HATE love triangles...but...(BUT!) this one was very well done. I'll definitely be checking out the next installment with high expectations. :)
May 18, 2013
I subscribe to several newsletters that announce free or inexpensive books for my Kindle. Most of the stuff is dross, but I sift through looking for the occasional nugget. I scored the six volumes of Winston Churchill's history of WWII for $1.99 each. Every now and then I take a chance on an unknown writer. I couldn't pass by the title of this book without giving it a spot on my reading list. It's not the money so much as the time I begrudge a bad book. I've become heartless at cutting a book loose if it isn't any good. I was pleasantly surprised that this book captured and held my interest the entire time. True, I was a little foggy on the grandfather thing, but it didn't matter. What was important was that I cared about Aisling (Ash), the heroine, spunky and vulnerable, and was rooting for her to come through, not that I had any doubts. I happily answered the survey at the end of the book and signed up for notices of the sequel, which I will buy at full price. Ms Elliott has earned my respect and my money.
July 11, 2012
I picked this book up when it was free, so didn't expect much - the title is awful. But by the end of the first chapter, I was yanked into Aisling's world. The plot moves along fast, the secondary characters are well-drawn (you don't learn much about Aisling's Templar lover, but AISLING doesn't know that much about him), and the internal mythology is consistent and original.
It's always a pleasure to find a brand-new author to add to my "buy the next thing this person publishes" list.
It's always a pleasure to find a brand-new author to add to my "buy the next thing this person publishes" list.
June 16, 2012
Totally loved this book! I was so happy that a paranormal author finally wrote a book with a single mom! I have 2 kids myself and I loved how the author added Willow to make Ash a stronger character. I would love to read more of Anna Elliott's books. Shes a strong writer and I love her imagination!
Read
June 30, 2012i love the idea of a demon hunter with a kid plus it was free
March 6, 2013
review will go up on the blog. Ignore the ugly cover--this is not cozy, it's hardcore UF. Good stuff although there were some themes I hate. It was still an awesome read.
May 25, 2013
Very good urban fantasy, not the lighthearted chick-lit it looks like from the cover and title. Ilona Andrews and Devon Monk fans should definitely like this one as well.
September 12, 2017
Question: What did you think of this book?
Me: hmmm...... It was OK.
And that really is my thoughts on the book, it was OK. It wasn't bad, or really good. I read it and wasn't bored but I wasn't really entertained either.
World Building:
This is probably the strongest thing going for this book, it had a really good idea of how the world these characters live in came to be. It was a nice twist on demons and the author did a good job of weaving the world building into the story.
Characters:
I liked Rafe, and some of the other supporting characters because they had some interesting traits about them but the 2 main characters Aisling and Kiernon didn't seem as interesting. Kiernon has a very cardboard feel to him and Kiernon wasn't a character that brought out any strong emotions, I never really got invested enough in her to care what was happening.
Story:
I am not sure the story ever developed into a real solid type of story, romance, urban, mystery what was it supposed to be? Is it a love triangle, because nothing in this story came off as romantic at all.
It seems like there was a lot of what was supposed to be shocking or emotional build up to a lot of moments in the story but they just didn't pan out. After the 2nd job, one just knew they were all setups and it just dragged the story rather than make it more interesting. This may just be a new author feeling out there writing but I think that is why the story was more of an OK story than anything else.
Me: hmmm...... It was OK.
And that really is my thoughts on the book, it was OK. It wasn't bad, or really good. I read it and wasn't bored but I wasn't really entertained either.
World Building:
This is probably the strongest thing going for this book, it had a really good idea of how the world these characters live in came to be. It was a nice twist on demons and the author did a good job of weaving the world building into the story.
Characters:
I liked Rafe, and some of the other supporting characters because they had some interesting traits about them but the 2 main characters Aisling and Kiernon didn't seem as interesting. Kiernon has a very cardboard feel to him and Kiernon wasn't a character that brought out any strong emotions, I never really got invested enough in her to care what was happening.
Story:
I am not sure the story ever developed into a real solid type of story, romance, urban, mystery what was it supposed to be? Is it a love triangle, because nothing in this story came off as romantic at all.
It seems like there was a lot of what was supposed to be shocking or emotional build up to a lot of moments in the story but they just didn't pan out. After the 2nd job, one just knew they were all setups and it just dragged the story rather than make it more interesting. This may just be a new author feeling out there writing but I think that is why the story was more of an OK story than anything else.
March 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, which is most unlike its cover - not lighthearted but enthralling and kept my attention to the very end. The story is exciting and the characters well written.
The only disappointment is that there does not appear to be a sequel as the story left quite a few unanswered questions. Such as what happens next with all the protagonists, who are so intertwined that I would really like to know what happens to all of them.
However, as it has been a long time since I got the book (2013), it doesn't look as there will be another one, which I feel is a shame.
The only disappointment is that there does not appear to be a sequel as the story left quite a few unanswered questions. Such as what happens next with all the protagonists, who are so intertwined that I would really like to know what happens to all of them.
However, as it has been a long time since I got the book (2013), it doesn't look as there will be another one, which I feel is a shame.
September 30, 2019
A Demon Fighting Mom
I started reading and couldn't stop. I felt the frustration Ash felt. She wanted to be great at mothering, every mom wants that, but she also needed to be a kick-butt demon fighter at the same time. I loved the characters. The world of magic was woven in with the real world in a way that made sense. I really enjoyed reading Demon Hunter and Baby. I think others will too.
I started reading and couldn't stop. I felt the frustration Ash felt. She wanted to be great at mothering, every mom wants that, but she also needed to be a kick-butt demon fighter at the same time. I loved the characters. The world of magic was woven in with the real world in a way that made sense. I really enjoyed reading Demon Hunter and Baby. I think others will too.
June 3, 2017
The cover may be terrible but it is a good book and I wish there were more.
Want to read
February 7, 2022DNF at 12%
February 21, 2012
For some reason I was expecting a light(er) read... must be the cover. Well, this book is as far from light read as possible, and I absolutely loved it! It actually gave me creeps because of how realistically dark it was.
Ever since the End Times people are living in the constant danger of demon possessing or killing them, and there is nothing they can do! People's only hope are Knights Templar and Demon Hunters, but there are not enough of those to deal with all the problems. Now add a baby to the mix, and Aisling (pronounced Ashlin, as we are reminded several times) has her hands full. She has a dark secret from her past, and she'd been running away from it for several years now. But now she has a baby, and she doesn't want to run anymore. And if you think having a baby while leading a regular life is hard, try doing it while being a Demon Hunter with all kinds of demons seemingly after you specifically. Talk about day care problems.
I applaud Mrs. Elliot for writing a book where the main heroine is not only kick ass, but also a mother. In fact, the only other work that I've read, where the heroine is a mother, was the Rhine Maiden by. I just don't think there are many books like that out there. I loved the world that Mrs. Elliot created. Everything was thought out, like why people would drive in London. As a person who tried to drive in London, I can tell you that it's madness, and an almost suicide (when you get almost run over by a doubledecker bus... while in a car... yeah), so at first I was about to get all high and mighty, until I've read that people barely take the tube anymore because it's too dangerous. Ha, now that makes sense! People ward their houses and themselves, but generally they are just trying to lead their lives as normal as possible. In fact, I'm amazed that people ARE able to lead their lives, considering how dangerous the world they live in is.
Since the book kept surprising me, there wasn't as much romance in there as I expected, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. What little was thrown in (especially at the end) made me go AWWWWWW and wish for the next book in the series. The demons are not hot, sexy and "good", but are genuinely demon-like, meaning they are genuinely better off dead and as far away from you as possible.
There were few minor things that I didn't care for, and the first of them would be the cover. It is seriously misleading, and for a dark book like this, I think the cover needs to be darker too. Ash sometimes kept making stupid decisions, and while I could *kind of* understand her reasoning, for someone who had the same thing happen to her pretty much three times in a row, it was stupid. Or running out un-prepared while being such an experienced Hunter. Or overlooking something that was so blatantly screaming "something wrong here".
Overall, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes their Paranormal Fantasy on the darker side, or for anyone who doesn't like a lot of romance. Forget about cutesy cover and give this book a chance, I think you will not be disappointed.
Ever since the End Times people are living in the constant danger of demon possessing or killing them, and there is nothing they can do! People's only hope are Knights Templar and Demon Hunters, but there are not enough of those to deal with all the problems. Now add a baby to the mix, and Aisling (pronounced Ashlin, as we are reminded several times) has her hands full. She has a dark secret from her past, and she'd been running away from it for several years now. But now she has a baby, and she doesn't want to run anymore. And if you think having a baby while leading a regular life is hard, try doing it while being a Demon Hunter with all kinds of demons seemingly after you specifically. Talk about day care problems.
I applaud Mrs. Elliot for writing a book where the main heroine is not only kick ass, but also a mother. In fact, the only other work that I've read, where the heroine is a mother, was the Rhine Maiden by. I just don't think there are many books like that out there. I loved the world that Mrs. Elliot created. Everything was thought out, like why people would drive in London. As a person who tried to drive in London, I can tell you that it's madness, and an almost suicide (when you get almost run over by a doubledecker bus... while in a car... yeah), so at first I was about to get all high and mighty, until I've read that people barely take the tube anymore because it's too dangerous. Ha, now that makes sense! People ward their houses and themselves, but generally they are just trying to lead their lives as normal as possible. In fact, I'm amazed that people ARE able to lead their lives, considering how dangerous the world they live in is.
Since the book kept surprising me, there wasn't as much romance in there as I expected, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. What little was thrown in (especially at the end) made me go AWWWWWW and wish for the next book in the series. The demons are not hot, sexy and "good", but are genuinely demon-like, meaning they are genuinely better off dead and as far away from you as possible.
There were few minor things that I didn't care for, and the first of them would be the cover. It is seriously misleading, and for a dark book like this, I think the cover needs to be darker too. Ash sometimes kept making stupid decisions, and while I could *kind of* understand her reasoning, for someone who had the same thing happen to her pretty much three times in a row, it was stupid. Or running out un-prepared while being such an experienced Hunter. Or overlooking something that was so blatantly screaming "something wrong here".
Overall, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes their Paranormal Fantasy on the darker side, or for anyone who doesn't like a lot of romance. Forget about cutesy cover and give this book a chance, I think you will not be disappointed.
December 5, 2019
My first problem with this book was the cover / content inconsistency. When I see a cartoon cover, I expect a funny book. Yeah...not so much. Once I realized this wasn't going to be a romp, I settled in and went with it.
These were the next several small irritants I had: 1) The backstory was sprinkled in in such a way as to make me feel I'd missed a book before. 2) The present and past were switched when differentiating between what IS presently (setting, etc) and what the character did, but some spots got missed. 3) Under this world's magic rules, I could think of a better way for the heroine and her partner to get out of their finale mess.
That said, I enjoyed myself. There was a lot good and unique about this book.
I liked how the fey were portrayed, and I found the way Fara communicated to be intriguing (although I had to go back and read through it a couple of times to get it). I thought the idea of the fey being impervious to anything humans or demons did to be as intriguing. I generally liked this interpretation of the fey.
It took me a while to realize this is set in the future, not the "now." I actually liked that it took me a while to realize this, although I wouldn't normally.
I thought the "romance," such as it was, was handled well and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. I feel that was consistent with human nature, especially ones who feel unnecessary guilt.
I liked the way the heroine's grief was handled, acknowledging her anger, which I also find realistic.
I didn't like or dislike the characters. They were interesting, complex, with believable motivations. That's all I need.
There were also several passages that were quite poetic and rather deeply philosophical, which I appreciate.
Aside: I looked for a followup book (which I'm not sure I would've gotten, but I would've at least read the blurb), but there isn't one. I went to the author's website, and this book is barely acknowledged. I'm going to assume this was a one-off (given the author's preferred genre/style). So this is a warning that despite the fact that it's a "book 1" and the series arc remains unsolved (in which, of course, our heroine would vanquish the Big Bad), I don't think there needs to be.
These were the next several small irritants I had: 1) The backstory was sprinkled in in such a way as to make me feel I'd missed a book before. 2) The present and past were switched when differentiating between what IS presently (setting, etc) and what the character did, but some spots got missed. 3) Under this world's magic rules, I could think of a better way for the heroine and her partner to get out of their finale mess.
That said, I enjoyed myself. There was a lot good and unique about this book.
I liked how the fey were portrayed, and I found the way Fara communicated to be intriguing (although I had to go back and read through it a couple of times to get it). I thought the idea of the fey being impervious to anything humans or demons did to be as intriguing. I generally liked this interpretation of the fey.
It took me a while to realize this is set in the future, not the "now." I actually liked that it took me a while to realize this, although I wouldn't normally.
I thought the "romance," such as it was, was handled well and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. I feel that was consistent with human nature, especially ones who feel unnecessary guilt.
I liked the way the heroine's grief was handled, acknowledging her anger, which I also find realistic.
I didn't like or dislike the characters. They were interesting, complex, with believable motivations. That's all I need.
There were also several passages that were quite poetic and rather deeply philosophical, which I appreciate.
Aside: I looked for a followup book (which I'm not sure I would've gotten, but I would've at least read the blurb), but there isn't one. I went to the author's website, and this book is barely acknowledged. I'm going to assume this was a one-off (given the author's preferred genre/style). So this is a warning that despite the fact that it's a "book 1" and the series arc remains unsolved (in which, of course, our heroine would vanquish the Big Bad), I don't think there needs to be.
August 31, 2016
(Originally posted on http://rai29bookreadnreview.blogspot....)
ASIN: B006WXT8MK
Publisher: Wilton Press
Pages: 255
Ever since the End Times, magic has been leaking into our world. Magic and demons, shadowy beings that possess humans' bodies and destroy their souls. The Monastic Order of the Knights Templar have revealed themselves to the world as guardians and defenders of the veil between the demon world and ours. But the Templar Order is growing weaker, and the veil is starting to shred and tear. Often all that stands between humans and complete demonic possession are professional demon fighters, Hunters like Aisling McKay.
Aisling already has enough to handle between her day job, her (very unplanned) baby daughter, Willow and avoiding Kieran, Willow's father and a Templar Knight. But now a new danger is abroad in London and facing it will set Aisling on a collision course with the past she thought she'd escaped for good.
I absolutely loved reading Demon Hunter And Baby by Anna Elliott, which is set in London, in the UK! It reminded me of Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series. The book is written from my favourite character, Aisling's perspective. I loved reading about her hunting Demons, as much as her looking after Willow. I really enjoyed reading about the Elementals within this book, and how the End Times affected both them & the Otherworld they lived in. I really like the cover of Anna Elliott's Demon Hunter And Baby, it's fun, quirky and eye catching, but also fitting for the story within. Demon Hunter And Baby was well thought out and well written, I would definitely recommend it. I can't wait to read the next book in the Aisling Mckay series.
Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.
ASIN: B006WXT8MK
Publisher: Wilton Press
Pages: 255
Ever since the End Times, magic has been leaking into our world. Magic and demons, shadowy beings that possess humans' bodies and destroy their souls. The Monastic Order of the Knights Templar have revealed themselves to the world as guardians and defenders of the veil between the demon world and ours. But the Templar Order is growing weaker, and the veil is starting to shred and tear. Often all that stands between humans and complete demonic possession are professional demon fighters, Hunters like Aisling McKay.
Aisling already has enough to handle between her day job, her (very unplanned) baby daughter, Willow and avoiding Kieran, Willow's father and a Templar Knight. But now a new danger is abroad in London and facing it will set Aisling on a collision course with the past she thought she'd escaped for good.
I absolutely loved reading Demon Hunter And Baby by Anna Elliott, which is set in London, in the UK! It reminded me of Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series. The book is written from my favourite character, Aisling's perspective. I loved reading about her hunting Demons, as much as her looking after Willow. I really enjoyed reading about the Elementals within this book, and how the End Times affected both them & the Otherworld they lived in. I really like the cover of Anna Elliott's Demon Hunter And Baby, it's fun, quirky and eye catching, but also fitting for the story within. Demon Hunter And Baby was well thought out and well written, I would definitely recommend it. I can't wait to read the next book in the Aisling Mckay series.
Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.
October 23, 2012
It was very cute. A little slow at first. It took me about 40 pages to get into it, but it seemed like the author hit her stride with the flow around page 40 or 45. Then it just got better. When I got to the end, I actually was interested in reading a sequel. It is not on a par with, say, Charlaine Harris or Kim Harrison, but Ms. Elliott has potential. If, as, and when a sequel comes through, I will read it.
Her main character needs a bit more fleshing out. I felt the references to her growing up on the road with her demon hunting grandfather (anyone here a "Supernatural" fan?) needed a bit more detail to get me to "bond" with her as our heroine. The relationship with the wraith could also have had some more depth. I felt that the end was a bit weak because of a lack of a feeling of a relationship with the wraith. She is young (about 21 or so), but I sometimes felt the voice of the narrative was older, without some back-story to give me a reason to find it believable. I liked the idea of her issues regarding raising her child under her circumstances, but, again, I really wanted some more detail and maybe some more maternal material. Frankly I would have liked it better if she had been struggling with breast-feeding issues, having a milk let-down in the middle of a sword fight...but that's me.
I really liked the author's use of the Knights Templar, I thought that was a neat vehicle for the story. The men in Ash's life were a little cliche', though I did begin to become fond of them towards the end.
Overall, entertaining.
Her main character needs a bit more fleshing out. I felt the references to her growing up on the road with her demon hunting grandfather (anyone here a "Supernatural" fan?) needed a bit more detail to get me to "bond" with her as our heroine. The relationship with the wraith could also have had some more depth. I felt that the end was a bit weak because of a lack of a feeling of a relationship with the wraith. She is young (about 21 or so), but I sometimes felt the voice of the narrative was older, without some back-story to give me a reason to find it believable. I liked the idea of her issues regarding raising her child under her circumstances, but, again, I really wanted some more detail and maybe some more maternal material. Frankly I would have liked it better if she had been struggling with breast-feeding issues, having a milk let-down in the middle of a sword fight...but that's me.
I really liked the author's use of the Knights Templar, I thought that was a neat vehicle for the story. The men in Ash's life were a little cliche', though I did begin to become fond of them towards the end.
Overall, entertaining.
July 11, 2012
Demon hunting and single motherhood wouldn't seem to go together, and indeed Aisling McKay has had nine months of struggle to make them work. She's a kickass heroine in a post-End Days world, when demons walk the earth and wreak havoc. An American ex-pat and granddaughter of a legendary demon hunter, Aisling lives and works in London for a fairy-run agency that helps people who are being bedeviled by the supernatural. Her backup includes fellow hunter Rafe, who always has her back at work and off the job, and Templar Knight Kieran, who didn't know his one episode of passion with Aisling had resulted in baby Willow. As if Aisling's life weren't complicated enough with the "normal" juggling of life and work, it would appear the demon world is planning a full-scale incursion, a Wild Hunt... and Aisling may be the key. How will she protect the world, her friends, herself and her baby? How will she stay out of hot water with the Order of the Knights Templar if they discover that Aisling's grandfather may have created the rift that is letting the demons cross over into the mundane world... and that Willow is a Knight's daughter?
Anna Ellliott has created a terrific cast of characters, and Aisling is a well-rounded and feisty protagonist. She's strong and vulnerable, determined and frightened, passionate and disciplined... just the kind of person you want to spend time with. Thank goodness Elliott is planning to continue her adventures!
Anna Ellliott has created a terrific cast of characters, and Aisling is a well-rounded and feisty protagonist. She's strong and vulnerable, determined and frightened, passionate and disciplined... just the kind of person you want to spend time with. Thank goodness Elliott is planning to continue her adventures!
June 3, 2019
Good twist on the regular demon hunter story. The author has really put a lot of thought in to all the demon lore and the Templars. I'm not huge on the either so I don't know how much Ms. Elliott's version differs from standard Templar lore, though I did like that she didn't focus on the religious aspect of anything.
Ash is likable, and although I don't always agree with the way she goes about her life she is written in a realistic way. The book moves fairly quick and there is a lot of action/magic. I was reading this on my iPhone so it got a bit tedious after awhile - I had to read in small doses.
There's a decent love story, though I got a bit frustrated after awhile because she didn't know what she wanted and I couldn't decided who I wanted either!
The biggest problem for me is I felt like I was plopped in the middle of an on going story. That itself isn't the problem since that's pretty much how 100% of stories are told, it's the fact that you're left in the dark so much of the time. Not just about mysterious demons or veils, but of Ash's life and past. The author uses a lot of flashbacks to fill in the blanks but it gets tiring and boring after awhile.
Anyway good read - light romance, magic, demons, Templars (knights), and cute baby!
Ash is likable, and although I don't always agree with the way she goes about her life she is written in a realistic way. The book moves fairly quick and there is a lot of action/magic. I was reading this on my iPhone so it got a bit tedious after awhile - I had to read in small doses.
There's a decent love story, though I got a bit frustrated after awhile because she didn't know what she wanted and I couldn't decided who I wanted either!
The biggest problem for me is I felt like I was plopped in the middle of an on going story. That itself isn't the problem since that's pretty much how 100% of stories are told, it's the fact that you're left in the dark so much of the time. Not just about mysterious demons or veils, but of Ash's life and past. The author uses a lot of flashbacks to fill in the blanks but it gets tiring and boring after awhile.
Anyway good read - light romance, magic, demons, Templars (knights), and cute baby!
March 18, 2012
Demon Hunter and Baby was a very pleasant surprise from the kindle lending library. Aisling McKay is a demon hunter and the mother of a baby girl, Willow. Aisling was brought up by her grandfather until he was killed in an attempt to use "the Ring of Solomon", a mythical summoning ring that her grandfather hoped would protect him from all demons. Since then, Aisling has moved from city to city on the run. That is, until her relationship with a Templar Knight produces Willow. Aisling is determined to give Willow the most normal childhood she can while fighting demons who are coming "through the veil" in greater numbers than ever before.
Set in London, Demon Hunter and Baby is non-stop adventure with a strong heroine, a well-built world and plenty of relationship angst. The twist of a demon hunting single mother is both imaginative and refreshing. I was expecting something lighter based on the cover so I was very pleasantly surprised and look forward to the next book in the series.
Set in London, Demon Hunter and Baby is non-stop adventure with a strong heroine, a well-built world and plenty of relationship angst. The twist of a demon hunting single mother is both imaginative and refreshing. I was expecting something lighter based on the cover so I was very pleasantly surprised and look forward to the next book in the series.
July 22, 2012
At first I was expecting more light-hearted fare, but you won't find the humor that's in books like Julie Kenner's demon hunting soccer mom, or Mary Janice Davidson's vampire queen Betsy. "Demon Hunter And Baby" is a bit more serious and has been a very enjoyable summer read. My only complaint--and what keeps me from giving it 5 stars--is through the first half-ish of the book I got the feeling maybe this should have been two books. For every step forward with the current story, we took two steps back with explaining events from the past. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting, but I kept thinking, "Please decide which story you are going to tell!"--and I'm glad to say that once we locked onto one we got rolling nicely. I loved the story and all the characters therein and I will be reading more from this author. Nicely done, Ms. Elliott!
July 4, 2012
**2.5 stars**
First off, I loved the concept. I'm sure first-time moms would like it even more. I mean, a demon hunter who has to balance her life-is-constantly-threatened job with taking care of her first child is pretty much as hardcore as it gets for a girl. Not to mention she is a single mom. In terms of plot... it was okay. I wasn't really impressed, but I wasn't too bored either. I don't think I will remember the story in a few days, but it was a fairly good read. Longer than most Kindle books I've read which I wasn't expecting. Would I recommend? Yes, I think I will just because it is so different and, yes, even a little fun. Buffy fans might enjoy the story.
First off, I loved the concept. I'm sure first-time moms would like it even more. I mean, a demon hunter who has to balance her life-is-constantly-threatened job with taking care of her first child is pretty much as hardcore as it gets for a girl. Not to mention she is a single mom. In terms of plot... it was okay. I wasn't really impressed, but I wasn't too bored either. I don't think I will remember the story in a few days, but it was a fairly good read. Longer than most Kindle books I've read which I wasn't expecting. Would I recommend? Yes, I think I will just because it is so different and, yes, even a little fun. Buffy fans might enjoy the story.
June 21, 2012
Loved, loved, loved this book!!!!!!! A demon hunter is faced with the challenges of raising a baby she adores, yet has as a result of a forbidden relationship. She struggles with her child-rearing skills amidst her dangerous profession when a terrible and evil force is gaining power and threatening the world. But if abandoning her job could put them both and others in graver danger, she must continue to do it. What will happen when the father of her child is called in as reinforcement only to learn he has a daughter and if word of it gets out, could change everyone's lives?
Great read! I sure hope there is a sequel! The love conflict is just getting good!
Great read! I sure hope there is a sequel! The love conflict is just getting good!
January 5, 2013
This was a refreshing take on the demon hunting genre. Aislin is a hunter and single mom. The fact that she has a baby is not just a plot device, it is integrated into the story line. All of the things that moms have to do on a daily basis are recounted. Just like a real parent, her child is central to her life and influences her decisions.
In addition, the book has an engaging voice and interesting plot. There is the potential for a love triangle, or just the mixed up relationship situation so many people live with. I hope that the triangle aspect stays unfulfilled, but am interested in seeing what happens with her ability to move forward.
In addition, the book has an engaging voice and interesting plot. There is the potential for a love triangle, or just the mixed up relationship situation so many people live with. I hope that the triangle aspect stays unfulfilled, but am interested in seeing what happens with her ability to move forward.
January 17, 2013
This was a quick fun read for me, but the demon stuff can get confusing at times so I thought it was better to just roll with it and not think about it too hard!
The best part for me was the romantic past between Kieran and Ash and how they deal with having a daughter and what this means for their career's. BUT I have to say the one I really fell for was Rafe! Like it or not, he's the one who was there for Willow's birth and is probably the closest thing to a father she knows, or will know. You can argue thats because Kieran had no idea, but it doesn't change the fact that Rafe has been there and will continue to be. The ending between those two had me itching for more!
The best part for me was the romantic past between Kieran and Ash and how they deal with having a daughter and what this means for their career's. BUT I have to say the one I really fell for was Rafe! Like it or not, he's the one who was there for Willow's birth and is probably the closest thing to a father she knows, or will know. You can argue thats because Kieran had no idea, but it doesn't change the fact that Rafe has been there and will continue to be. The ending between those two had me itching for more!
July 26, 2015
I liked this book a lot. Now of course when it comes to reading something new especially supernatural related, I like to know what's going on. Like whose who, or who is what and that sort of thing. But I felt like at least the first half of the book was just all explanations. Like I said I want to understand what I'm reading about but it was almost too much in this story. Like the main character was just sort of sitting there, while the author went about and explained all the different kinds of creatures she was dealing with. I don't know, I'm probably not making much sense here.
December 25, 2012
I did not know what to expect from a book about a young mother with a baby who also was a demon hunter. I found it to be unexpectedly entertaining It was well written with fully fleshed out characters in a detailed setting and well developed premise of how everything works. I will look for more books in the series as they come out. I recommended a friend and they were impressed by the book as well.
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