How to Demolish a Demon: An Urban Fantasy: Wicked Rift No. 1

by Emmy Teagan

A former hunter. A motley crew of reluctant allies. Can she close an infernal gateway before they are all seized by the underworld?

Sage Wyatt wants nothing to do with the supernatural. After getting fired from another boring human job and going on a haunted road trip with her spunky ghost cat, she’s annoyed when her car breaks down in a weird town. And the retired-too-early slayer believes things can’t get worse than running into the gorgeous vampire who ruined her life… until she accidentally opens a teeny-weeny portal to hell.

Stuck in Raven’s Creek—a cursed place that turns visitors into permanent residents after five days—Sage races to seal the opening as a slew of demons escape to cause mayhem. And though she teams up with an upbeat witch, a fearless shifter, and the daring but deadly vampire, this snarky gal fears her involvement will only make things worse.

Can Sage reclaim her destiny and shut down the breach before chaos erupts on the Earth?

How to Demolish a Demon is the riveting first book in the Wicked Rift urban fantasy series. If you like steadfast heroines with emotional depth, unlikely alliances, and witty feline sidekicks, then you’ll love Emmy Teagan’s page-turning adventure.

Buy How to Demolish a Demon to slay evil today!

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2025

Reviews

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why I can’t stop myself from trying new authors, but I requested this book because it sounded like I’d like it. Boy, did I! I just loved Sage as not only is she an accomplished fighter, but she has a disability. I don’t mind at all when a character has a disability, but I don’t like it when that’s their defining characteristic, and it definitely isn’t in this case. It just makes her more…human. I loved this action-filled urban fantasy with its fun cast of characters to support Sage. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

Torn between 2.25* & 2.5*

[] I mostly liked the MC, though she was a bit thick & too easily forgiving of people who manipulate & lie to her. She could have worked with them, trusting that they want to close the portal, but told them that's as far as her trust of them now goes. But nope, everyone was lying to her due to the 'would be love interest' & she's over that in a snap.

I also didn't like how she's 30 & a supposedly great supernatural hunter & she'd loose focus drooling over the would be love interest. We know she thinks she's a crap hunter due to her dad / older brother's mind games, but others are telling us she's actually very skilled. Then the zoning out to drool & so losing her situational awareness, makes a mockery of her being a good hunter. I didn't mind the 'private' moments of her being attracted to the would be love interest, but the public ones almost seemed done to get her smirked at by his cronies, others and him.

Zoning out when she was triggered with memories of seeing her brother's murder, that actually made sense. It's understandable that she's got PTSD from that. Though the author never actually mentioned it by name, just the MC's OCD.

[] I really liked the ghost 'cat', he was my favourite character.

[] I liked the shifter & I mostly liked the healer witch.

[] I sometimes liked the would be love interest as a person, not as a love interest. I don't like that he weaponised her survivors guilt & excused it by telling her he didn't think she'd take it so hard, that he was using it to make sure she would leave town asap, so not be caught in the curse... So he realised she'd have survivors guilt from seeing her little brother murdered, but not as bad as she has it...
That really was not endearing, even if the author had his pals also be mad at him for it & his excuse was weak. --- You want to make sure the curse doesn't hit her, then before it can, knock her out, have one of the humans drive her out of the town / curse zone & another human bring them back... problem solved! -- But apparently a multi millionaire, 300 year old vampire NYC crime boss, can't think of that logical strategy.

I don't mind his telling his human seer friend & demon BFF that he's an elemental since he's known both for years. I do mind him telling the scooter witch, who he's not known that long. She should never have known the secret to be all 'not my secret to tell' to MC who was 'you said no more secrets.'. -- Also it was stupid to have SW yelling 'are you sure' to LI, when without his using his elemental power, they were all dead!

MC's reaction to her not knowing was fine. She & LI were not at the 'telling each other their secrets' stage in their 'relationship', but it just feels very off that he'd tell SW something so huge when he's only known her a short time compared to the many years he's known HS & BFF demon. It just felt like her knowing was another way to 'hit' the MC with 'LI will always be more important to everyone in this town than you, even those who claim to want to be your friend.'

I can agree with the plot reasons for endangering the MC by the LI not telling her he's got this huge power, so she knows he's not actually vulnerable when in magic cuffs since it only blocks his vampire abilities, but SW knowing makes no sense.

[] I sometimes liked the other characters aka LI's friends, I do not consider them the MC's friends, no matter what they & she says.
Though I had gone off scooter witch before the end. I don't trust her, she's too quick to find loopholes to excuse why she's been a bad friend to MC, all while saying she really wants to be her friend that that wasn't a lie. Sure she tells the MC she's 'not alone' but her actions speak louder than words. I'm nodding going 'sure until the love interests wants don't coincide with the MC's then you'll side with him again because he's who you're actually loyal to.'
She just uses MC because she wants a 'gal pal', its even stated in the plot! All LI's other cronies are males. It's not her loyalty to LI that annoys me, its the lie that she's MC's friend, when she'll always come second to LI for this character. I'd actually respect an honest 'I want to be friends, but know my friendship with & loyalty to LI comes first'.

[] I didn't feel the stuff with the love interest to be, added to the plot. I feel the main plot would have worked just as well without that thrown in. Same plot lines, just lose the 'romance' bits & it'd be a lot better. Honestly for me that added unnecessary angst to the main story. The other plot lines were good enough for a great story without the 'soap opera' attracted to the 'bad guy' etc. elements. If they'd expressed the attraction to each other in book 2 or even later with a slow burn, then I'd not have minded so much.
LI could have still done the 'going after person who framed him, gone to rescue MC' but it been more that he was being framed that stuck in his craw than he was from just meeting so besotted with MC. Fancying her sure, then angered at them making her think he'd drugged & questioned her so he decided to ruin their plan, that'd fit in with his being a big crime boss.

Framing him, was an attack on 'him', that he went after those who hurt the MC was not really related to the MC, but his own ego. It'd also make sense of why he never bothered trying to see her after giving her a month to grieve for her brother, to explain he didn't drug her etc. He wasn't invested in her enough to do so, to even try to talk to her again after giving her some time, he didn't care enough to try & see if she was okay in person to be there for her.
Thrown back together again in the town could re-spark the initial interest & then grow it in a slow burn that'd make more sense. But no its all 'she's mine' flexing, as proven with the vampire leader....

[] I saw most of the 'twists' both minor & major coming I didn't see the would be love interest being an elemental. Sometimes I don't mind that, sometimes I do, this time I did because it made the MC look thick for not at least wondering if her brother who hated her & their younger brother was the one behind the ambush. I'd have even taken her having the notion, then dismissing it because 'hunters don't do that'.
I feel the same about the love interest and his cronies Human seer did a deep background check on her, when his friend was hunting for who set up the ambush & framed him... yet he & his friend didn't manage to find the 'bad blood' between the siblings & at least wonder.
He's really not much of a seer (or great at finding out info / linking data) if he didn't even get an inkling that older brother was the baddie.. Also major plot-hole if he didn't show his friend images of MC's older brother who lived, since love interest recognised him when he turned up... okay that could have been from scent, I can't be bothered to go back to see if he said he got footage from the bar after MC was drugged & questioned.
Still they realised MC was the target, so shouldn't a 'deep dive' into her background have shown her 10 years older brother and the fact that she also just told them he's not a good person, should have clued in the LI who ran a huge criminal empire in NYC to at least wonder if he was a suspect. Most people are killed by those they know, so he should have been looked into.

[] Re chronic pain warning. As someone who reads to not think about being in chronic pain, I am really not happy that the MC's was not caused by her curse. I could put up with it, when it was something I thought she'd been cursed with, magically not from crap genetics, but being from the mundane, that hits way too close to home for me.

[] I also don't think much of the love interest and his friends, who claim to also be hers, who are not happy that she's still planning on getting out of the cursed town, before the deadline so she's not stuck there to.
If you love something let it go. Good people wouldn't want a loved one to be trapped to!

[] I'd like her to actually leave the town in book 2, either before the deadline (or the curse doesn't work on her & because their bond her ghost 'cat' friend, so they manage to leave after the deadline) & the forgetting the town exists part of the curse not work on her, due to who her mother was. I want her to then find out who her mother was, get her powers unbound & learn how to use them, then come back & save everyone from the curse.

[] IMHO she needs to truly grow into herself & get therapy to make sure bringing liars back into her life with her mental health issues is actually healthy for her away from the love interest & 'friends' who will always side with him first & lie to her to do so.
She's 30 so the 270 year age difference isn't really a problem for me until you take into account her mental health & such & its that that makes the power imbalance between them not good. She personally can't throw the love interest off balance,him upset another vampire has taken 'his property' doesn't count but he can for her with just looking 'hot'. They are not equals or even near & the writing shows that. She needs to grow without him around to decide if he's really good for her.
At the moment, love interest really doesn't respect her which he showed by his vile words to manipulate her, then later treating her as his property (that she stupidly apologised for after rightly getting mad at his actions that undermined her as a hunter to the vampire leader), & so endangers her. He was a crime boss, he should know that rep keeps people alive, often means they don't have to fight to back up their words. I'm still annoyed that she let lying scooter witch guilt her into apologising for being rightfully upset.
LI going to apologise for saying she was his, doesn't count when he didn't tell her after she apologised that she was right first time, his actions were wrong & he's sorry for making this town even more dangerous for her by undermining her.


I'm actually torn on my rating, I don't dislike the love interest as a character, but I don't think he's good for the MC as a life partner. I still dislike what he said to her to manipulate her using her brother's murder, & that she too easily forgave him for it. His cronies are not helping me in 'liking him for her', if the scooter witch especially was removed. I really don't like her fake friendship & to me it'll always be fake towards the MC because its self-serving for her., then I might feel better about the MC getting with the love interest.
I actually would rather she ended up with the shifter if she's stuck in the town, and I really hope the author doesn't turn him into another liar towards MC in the next book.

First time read the author's work?: No (I'd read the free prequel first, that's not on here, I rated that 3.5)

Will you be reading more?: Maybe -- I won't rush to buy book 2 after reading the synopsis that means the author's going the obvious route. But if I see it to borrow I might give it a read to see if the liars redeem themselves especially SW who won't tell LI's secrets, so MC better hope he's faithful because her 'friend' has his back, not hers.

Would you recommend?: Probably not.


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How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. A bunch of supernaturals in a town with humans what could go wrong? Read on to find out.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragedy caused Sage Wyatt to give up her identity as a hunter, choosing to live a mundane life. Her only friend is a 1980s era surfer dude ghost cat, Grimm. Losing her job prompts her and Grimm on a road trip along Route 66 in honor of her grandmother. Breaking down in the middle of nowhere was not in her plans. Especially when she ends up in the cursed town of Raven’s Creek and sees the vampire, Cade Ashwood, she blames for the tragedy. All she has to do is get her car fixed and leave town before the curse traps her in five days. But nothing is ever that easy and soon Sage is caught in a trap, inadvertently opening a rift to the Underworld. She’ll have to rely on her skills as a hunter as well as Cade and his friends to prevent demons from taking over. If she can close the rift in time, she might just escape the town. Destiny however, has other plans and Sage is a pawn in someone else’s game. Can she learn to trust not only those around her but herself in order to find the truth?

Emmy Teagan is off to great start in her new urban fantasy series, Wicked Rift. Sage is a multifaceted character with a strong moral compass and impressive skills, including some that are unknown to her at this time. Unfortunately, abuse at the hands of family members has left her with anxiety and self doubt, and failure to save a loved one has left her guilt ridden and with PTSD. Her intrusive thoughts cause her to spiral and believe that she is a danger to those around her. She also has chronic pain that she hasn’t sought treatment for as she was conditioned to believe that makes her weak. As someone who has experienced the same things, I found myself strongly identifying with Sage and her coping methods were very spot on. Alongside Sage is a wonderful cast of outcasts and misfits that see her more clearly, and with time can help her on healing the deep wounds she carries. All of these characters have barely explored backstories of their own that I’m excited to see fleshed out through the series. I’m also invested in the overarching plot, why Sage is different from other hunters, and discovery of the Big Bad and their agenda for manipulating Sage. Ms. Teagan has revealed pieces, including a few minions, but so much more is left to be discovered. The town of Raven’s Creek brings up many more mysteries as well, including the curse on it itself.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Victoria G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhh such a nice 5/5 and my first for an ARC in a long time 🔥 Thanks for the ARC to BookSirens ❤️

I love cosy mystery/urban fantasy blends, it's my guilty pleasure genre so I had high hopes for this one and Emmy delivered!

I like Sage, she's sassy and fun, and love the fact that she's battling grief, OCD, PTSD and chronic illness, I like seeing representation in my fantasy.

Grimm, her ghost cat sidekick was incredibly adorable!! The other side characters were fully fleshed out, the banter was witty, and the world building was interesting enough even though a little weak at spots but it's ok as it's the first book from the series, and I hope more would be revealed in time.

The action was almost constant, and the book was unfolding at a very good pace, the ending solving all major plotlines, while opening a few new ones for the next book without leaving major cliffhangers.

The writing was a bit weak - lots of needless repetition (like every time she summons her weapon we'll read all three words on page for it, when it could be omitted), and the plot twists were incredibly easy to guess as a result of all this repetition and bringing focus on particular details again and again.

I felt like we had a giant red arrow pointing towards the parts Emmy wanted us to pay attention to which I feel could be avoided? I understand that most people nowadays have short attention spans but a little mystery is a good thing in a book in my opinion.

In any case I am still giving this one 5 stars as I think it's a very strong book for a start of a series! Would definitely stalk the next one too, and I'm recommending it to any mystery urban fantasy lovers out there!

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Pre-read review: I'm VERY excited about this one, it's my first ARC from BookSirens and the premise sounds so interesting! Can't wait to dive into it

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Demolish a Demon grabbed me from the first chapter and never let go. Sage Wyatt is exactly the kind of heroine I love—sharp-tongued, damaged, stubborn, and deeply human beneath all the supernatural chaos. Her refusal to want anything to do with the paranormal makes her constant collisions with it even more entertaining.

Raven’s Creek is one of those settings that instantly feels wrong in the best way—creepy, cursed, and quietly menacing. The ticking clock of being trapped after five days adds real tension, especially as demons start pouring out and Sage realizes she may have caused more trouble than she can fix.

The supporting cast is fantastic. The witch, shifter, and vampire all bring distinct personalities and emotional weight, but the real standout for me was the ghost cat—witty, loyal, and surprisingly heartwarming. The banter throughout the book is sharp and genuinely funny without undercutting the danger.

What really impressed me was the balance. The story is fast-paced and fun, but it doesn’t shy away from deeper emotional threads—past mistakes, lost trust, and the fear of repeating old failures. Sage’s growth feels earned, not rushed.

If you enjoy urban fantasy with strong character work, found-family vibes, smart humor, and just the right amount of darkness, this book is a total win. I flew through it and immediately wanted book two.

[Susan1566 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sage is a retired hunter, she used to hunt supernaturals who were harming humans but after her brother was killed, she retired. The only things she has from her past besides horrible memories are her weapons and her ghost cat companion, Grimm.
On a road trip she ends up in the town of Raven’s Creek, she can only stay for 5 days or will be unable to ever leave again due to a curse on the town. And to make matters worse, the vampire, Cade, who she blames for her brother’s death is already trapped in the town. He’s also the only one who can fix her broken down car.
When she follows a woman’s screams, she is forced into a battle that ends up with opening a rift to the demon world. She can not stay retired while demons are roaming the town.
This book has a lot of action, a main character who has a terrible background of abuse and death. She suffers from debilitating nightmares that only Grimm seems to be able to calm her down from. There are also surprises, suspense, mystery, witches, vampires, shifters, ghosts and more. There is also a hint of romance.
This is not necessarily an easy read because of some of the darkness in her past but it is a fast read and is very good.
I’m looking forward to the next book coming out in May.

[CR1017 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel novella to this series & shortly afterward the opportunity came to get an advance review copy (ARC) of How to Demolish a Demon. This is my voluntary, honest review.
Sage is the type of MC that many readers like myself will be drawn to and rooting for, because, like us, she is flawed but determined. She knows she's made mistakes, but refuses to let it stop her from doing what she feels is right.
Circumstances find Sage & her ghost sidekick Grimm drawn to a small town in the middle of nowhere, which is home to a mix of normal humans, demons, witches, werewolves, and vampires.
The town has a curse of some sort on it that prevents it from showing up on a map, so it's one of those "you can't get here unless you've been here" sort of deals. To make matters worse, if you stay too long, the same curse makes it so you can't leave.
The story is fast-paced with lots of twists & surprises. I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing where it goes next.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Demolish a Demon is the first book the the Wicked Rift Urban Fantasy series by Emmy Teagan.

I was introduced to this author after reading "Odd Ghost Out" the prequel to the series and I was HOOKED!

Sage is the protagonist that I absolutely related to. She is fierce, determined and flawed. She has a disability, but she doesn't allow that to stop her.

Sage has a ghost cat partner, Grimm who absolutely is a great character that adds so much to the story. Sage and Grimm are in Raven's Creek, a small town like no other. Filled with paranormal and humans, it's not on the map LITERALLY.

There is a curse on the town which is why you can't find it. But this curse is a double whammy because if you stay too long, you literally can't leave.

Sage is working to fix the problems of the town, while trying to get out.

There is so much action. The world building is great! So many twists and turns.

I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for more in this series!

[T.J. Bramble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-edited book that has interesting characters. I enjoyed the sidekick cat, and Sage has a great personality.

The pace slowed for me personally in the middle. It may be that it's just not my cup of tea, and it's best read if you already know the characters.

My biggest challenge with the story was that it felt directionless at times. I really didn't get a sense of what she was fighting for or why, other than that's what she does, but the action was fun.

Four stars for well executed. Dock one because I never became that invested; it felt more like a series of (enjoyable) action vignettes one after the other.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mariaan Belinfante · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a bit of a slow start, unsure whether I'm going to like it, though the blurb pulled me in, I seriously got sucked into the storyline and continued non-stop till the end. Sage and her talking ghost cat Grimm ended up in a cursed little town. All points to more devious entities at work especially when her blood is used to open a demon portal. She has to to team up with interesting town characters to keep the town being overrun after she refused to be a hunter and sidestepped the supernatural world for 5 years. I adored the way her character is portrayed and after all the twists towards the end, I'm definitely looking forward to reading book 2.
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you BookSirens

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 1 of the Wicked Rift series. Starts things off with a bang!

'If you like steadfast heroines with emotional depth, unlikely alliances, and witty feline sidekicks, then you’ll love Emmy Teagan’s page-turning adventure.'

The characters were very appealing and likeable and quirky and mysterious and fun. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Look forward to more from this world. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review thanks to BookSirens

An urban fantasy with a sprinkling of mystery and a great found family? Sign me in!

Sage is a complex character that deals with trauma and PTSD after things that happened in her past. She has to confront the fact that what she believed to be true might have been wrong and let go of some strong emotions.

She finds strenght through her best friend - a ghost cat named Grimm and a new found family in a town in the middle of nowhere.

I also loved the disability rep and how physical limitations have been discussed here.

Also, prepare for a slow burn relationship with a lot of yearning and an ending that will make you gasp!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading How to Demolish a Demon. The characters were great. Each of them was well developed and distinctive, which is refeshing. I loved Grimm's personality. Sage is a fantastic main character with a compelling balance of strong abilities and weaknesses. The author also did a great job writing truly inclusive characters so that they read as real, capable people who were crucial to the story. The story itself was unique and held my attention from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raven’s Creek is an unusual town - humans must leave within 5 days or they can never leave but, also, supernaturals who arrive can instantly never leave (unless they go to hell). There's lots of different supernaturals in town and lots of fighting between the groups.

Sage is tricked into arriving in the town and is trying to resolve the town's problems before she needs to get away. Interesting mix of good characters helping her along the way.

Fun book.

ARC from author. Looking forward to the next book.

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! what a great start for this new series !! love Sage and Grimm her ghost cat... this is their story... a fun fast paced road trip rom/com drama... Sage is retired.. she was a hunter of supernatural beings... this road trip was supposed to be fun !!! then, they break down in the middle of nowhere... okay, it's not on a map but, really ? and she may or may not have opened a teeny weenie portal to hell !!! oops !! so good !!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathrese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reluctant heroine kicks demon ass with some help from her newfound friends. What's not to like?

Really, it was a rollicking good time. As Part 1 of a series, there isn't much resolution, so make sure you get the next book to continue the story. Solid debut.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ladnamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exciting start to a new series, full of action and adventure. I liked that Sage was strong despite her setbacks. I'm eagerly waiting for the next book to be released.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Betty Sedlor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great new series. This book kept me interested from the start. Some unexpected plot twists now have me waiting for book 2.

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome new series, kept me reading from start to finish. Really looking forward to Book 2.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and descriptive, enjoyed the characters and will read again

[Zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite the adventure ride! Full of found family, enemies/lovers/second chance trope, and clearly lots of magic, this was a fast paced and engrossing read.

[Christina Rogal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for the next book

This is a fantastic new series. Easy to get into with no stall points. Your in for a great ride right from start to finish.