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Startup Hell
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Expected 19 May 26A hilarious contemporary fantasy about a junior sales witch stuck in corporate hell, who has to evade devilish pacts and her kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying mum to save a (surprisingly hot) demon, and work out how to hit her quarterly target.
Morgan Blackwater's mother is a kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying Shadow Council wizard. As for Morgan? Morgan's a junior salesperson at a tech startup that can't even decide what its product is. But with magic dyslexia and a disinclination to kick ass, Morgan is doing her best carving out a niche for herself in the mundane world.
Leaving work late one night, she discovers her boss dead from the effort of summoning a demon to trade his soul in order to make his quarterly target. The disturbingly-attractive demon, Lucareoth (Luke for short), is trapped here until he finds someone to sell their soul. While trying to sneak Luke out of the building, Morgan runs into her infamous mother. Apparently, someone has been summoning demons and she's here to get to the bottom of it.
Trying to protect Luke from her mother, Morgan gets sucked into the Infernal Plane and discovers hell really is a corporate nightmare. She only gets back home with a promise to deliver a human soul of her own. While her coworkers are really annoying, she's not willing to sacrifice their souls. The company's tech bro CEO, though, is another story.
With Caitlin Rozakis's signature wit, STARTUP HELL is a contemporary fantasy that exposes the demonic nature of the corporate world.
Morgan Blackwater's mother is a kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying Shadow Council wizard. As for Morgan? Morgan's a junior salesperson at a tech startup that can't even decide what its product is. But with magic dyslexia and a disinclination to kick ass, Morgan is doing her best carving out a niche for herself in the mundane world.
Leaving work late one night, she discovers her boss dead from the effort of summoning a demon to trade his soul in order to make his quarterly target. The disturbingly-attractive demon, Lucareoth (Luke for short), is trapped here until he finds someone to sell their soul. While trying to sneak Luke out of the building, Morgan runs into her infamous mother. Apparently, someone has been summoning demons and she's here to get to the bottom of it.
Trying to protect Luke from her mother, Morgan gets sucked into the Infernal Plane and discovers hell really is a corporate nightmare. She only gets back home with a promise to deliver a human soul of her own. While her coworkers are really annoying, she's not willing to sacrifice their souls. The company's tech bro CEO, though, is another story.
With Caitlin Rozakis's signature wit, STARTUP HELL is a contemporary fantasy that exposes the demonic nature of the corporate world.
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Expected publication May 19, 2026
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December 16, 2025A big thank you to the editor and publisher for an ARC of the book!
STARTUP HELL explores the hellish nature of the corporate world, quite literally, through slapstick humour and entertaining absurdity while illuminating moral ambiguity and the way desire might result in detrimental consequences but also wholesome, and sometimes chaotic, connections. Rozakis brings us on a journey of navigating a first job and finding faith in ourselves, especially when facing conflicts we aren't well-equipped to handle.
STARTUP HELL explores the hellish nature of the corporate world, quite literally, through slapstick humour and entertaining absurdity while illuminating moral ambiguity and the way desire might result in detrimental consequences but also wholesome, and sometimes chaotic, connections. Rozakis brings us on a journey of navigating a first job and finding faith in ourselves, especially when facing conflicts we aren't well-equipped to handle.
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July 27, 2025Hell Yeah!
...to a literal corporate hell AND new Caitlin Rozakis book!
...to a literal corporate hell AND new Caitlin Rozakis book!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
After devouring The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association last year, I knew Caitlin Rozakis was becoming a must-read author! Startup Hell has some different vibes from Grammar School, but still hits that great combination of fantasy, funny, and full of feeling.
Morgan was raised within the magical community, but unlike her parents, she has no magical abilities. Morgan spends her days working in a tech startup, occasionally fielding phone calls from her mother (a magical badass) who more closely resembles your standard fantasy heroine. This totally doesn't bother Morgan at all *enter sarcasm here*. Her work is a disaster, but it's a living, until she walks in on her dead boss-who just summoned a demon. Obviously things can't get worse, right? Ha. Morgan's life, and this book, is a classic tale of "if it can get worse, it WILL get worse". The only good news? The demon doesn't particularly want to be here either and he is HOT. What ensues is a tale of shenanigans, disaster, and just maybe... love.
Morgan was a compelling heroine, even if I wanted to shake her at times to call the (magical) authors. However, her character is developed in such a way that it's completely believable why she wouldn't. Morgan has an independent streak a mile wide and mommy issues to put others to shame. Which to mention, I felt the writing of Fiona-Morgan's mother-was particularly well done. I immediately liked her, but you can see exactly why Morgan struggles with her. Fiona did her best, but what she thought was best wasn't necessarily what Morgan needed.
While Morgan is our single POV lead, we also follow demon-and potential love interest-Luke (short for Lucareoth). He's sweet and funny and totally charming. I love a fish out of water situation with supernatural creatures, where you have to explain all the random things about how our human world works. The burn is slow, and not featured enough to categorizes this as romantasy, but definitely present (and certainly enjoyed by me).
Fantasy fans will definitely want to check out Startup Hell. If you've read Grammar School, there are some fun easter eggs hidden in here, but it's not necessary (but also read Grammar School because it's also amazing). The author infused many of her own experiences in tech startups into the book and it absolutely shows. Startup Hell does a great job of mixing the batshit crazy with more hopeful idealism. It got me in my feelings a few times (especially Morgan's relationship with her mother) and also had me laughing out loud. My arc is full of highlights of truly ridiculous lines that I wish I could share with everyone. All in all, I highly recommend Startup Hell!
Morgan was raised within the magical community, but unlike her parents, she has no magical abilities. Morgan spends her days working in a tech startup, occasionally fielding phone calls from her mother (a magical badass) who more closely resembles your standard fantasy heroine. This totally doesn't bother Morgan at all *enter sarcasm here*. Her work is a disaster, but it's a living, until she walks in on her dead boss-who just summoned a demon. Obviously things can't get worse, right? Ha. Morgan's life, and this book, is a classic tale of "if it can get worse, it WILL get worse". The only good news? The demon doesn't particularly want to be here either and he is HOT. What ensues is a tale of shenanigans, disaster, and just maybe... love.
Morgan was a compelling heroine, even if I wanted to shake her at times to call the (magical) authors. However, her character is developed in such a way that it's completely believable why she wouldn't. Morgan has an independent streak a mile wide and mommy issues to put others to shame. Which to mention, I felt the writing of Fiona-Morgan's mother-was particularly well done. I immediately liked her, but you can see exactly why Morgan struggles with her. Fiona did her best, but what she thought was best wasn't necessarily what Morgan needed.
While Morgan is our single POV lead, we also follow demon-and potential love interest-Luke (short for Lucareoth). He's sweet and funny and totally charming. I love a fish out of water situation with supernatural creatures, where you have to explain all the random things about how our human world works. The burn is slow, and not featured enough to categorizes this as romantasy, but definitely present (and certainly enjoyed by me).
Fantasy fans will definitely want to check out Startup Hell. If you've read Grammar School, there are some fun easter eggs hidden in here, but it's not necessary (but also read Grammar School because it's also amazing). The author infused many of her own experiences in tech startups into the book and it absolutely shows. Startup Hell does a great job of mixing the batshit crazy with more hopeful idealism. It got me in my feelings a few times (especially Morgan's relationship with her mother) and also had me laughing out loud. My arc is full of highlights of truly ridiculous lines that I wish I could share with everyone. All in all, I highly recommend Startup Hell!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars.
Wow, wow, wow! I absolutely loved this book. It's incredibly funny and painfully real while being a sweet rom-COM (heavy on the comedy). Our main girl, Morgan, is the magic-less daughter of a witch/demon-hunter family who's stuck working in, well, start-up hell. While her mom is off fighting battles and saving the world, Morgan is trying to sell shitty tech products to other companies that definitely don't want to hear her pitch. When one of her coworkers dies while summoning a demon to get an edge in his job, Morgan is forced to take Luke (the demon that was summoned) under her wing while trying to meet the quarter's sale targets. Luke also has to meet his sale quota, and unfortunately that means securing a contracts with humans for their souls. So, we have corporate politics, interplane demon-human politics, and politic-politics to deal with.
I was laughing or smiling every other page. Even though I don't work in a corporate setting, I still related heavily to Morgan. I very much enjoyed the interweaving of modern-day issues and references (and I did feel a bit pained realizing I am waaayyy too online). Also the fact Morgan was using LinkedIn to solve crimes? Genius, hilarious, and a little horrifying to read some of those posts.
Some of my favorite quotes (note that these are from the ARC version of the book and might not be the same in the officially published work) were:
I just loved this book, and every time I picked it up to read my day got a little better. Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Wow, wow, wow! I absolutely loved this book. It's incredibly funny and painfully real while being a sweet rom-COM (heavy on the comedy). Our main girl, Morgan, is the magic-less daughter of a witch/demon-hunter family who's stuck working in, well, start-up hell. While her mom is off fighting battles and saving the world, Morgan is trying to sell shitty tech products to other companies that definitely don't want to hear her pitch. When one of her coworkers dies while summoning a demon to get an edge in his job, Morgan is forced to take Luke (the demon that was summoned) under her wing while trying to meet the quarter's sale targets. Luke also has to meet his sale quota, and unfortunately that means securing a contracts with humans for their souls. So, we have corporate politics, interplane demon-human politics, and politic-politics to deal with.
I was laughing or smiling every other page. Even though I don't work in a corporate setting, I still related heavily to Morgan. I very much enjoyed the interweaving of modern-day issues and references (and I did feel a bit pained realizing I am waaayyy too online). Also the fact Morgan was using LinkedIn to solve crimes? Genius, hilarious, and a little horrifying to read some of those posts.
Some of my favorite quotes (note that these are from the ARC version of the book and might not be the same in the officially published work) were:
Re the coworker dying: "'Gonna be some great LinkedIn content there, real inspo stuff. I've got dibs, no posting about the same event, you know?' 'Wouldn't dream of it,' [Morgan] promised [....] Mostly because it had never occurred to her to categorize a coworker's death as 'inspo'."
Re making a deal with a demon: "'You're not hallucinating," Luke assured [the CEO of shitty tech company]. 'Your world is much bigger than you dreamed. And your competitors are taking advantage of that.'"
Re big-boss demon on capitalism: "[...] Our entire model depends on you fools wanting things so badly that you're willing to sacrifice a chunk of your afterlife for it. Why would we ever do something that decreased the net amount of misery on your plane?"
I just loved this book, and every time I picked it up to read my day got a little better. Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.
January 22, 2026
thank you to netgalley for this arc!!
this book was super witty and funny going into it. i really liked the plot that the fl had to help a demon who accidentally wound up there after a ritual gone wrong. the premise was super funny and the first 20% of the book made me super positive i would like it.
morgan wasn't a hero, which was a breath of fresh air. she had a lot of complexes both with herself and family. i enjoyed reading about her navigations between the magic and mortal world. complex family dynamics are always a favourite trope of mine, and although her and her mother didn't have too much time together, the scenes they did have were super relatable.
i loveddd luke and rix! the two of them made the book so much more entertaining. luke was genuinely such a sweet and thoughtful character and i loved it. they had a good relationship and i loved reading luke's loyalty and outright devotion. he was so funny and precious, 10/10 my favourite character in the book. the romance took a backburner and it wasn't fully in your face so i lowkey wanted more, but they were refreshing either way.
the side characters were super witty and the inner monologue morgan had about them were so entertaining so i loved reading the comedic parts. however, the book did kinda lose me at some points with the nature of this book. morgan works in an office with a lot of marketing. the company jargon went over my head a lot and it explained so many keywords about things like startups that i wasn't really interested in. the plot took a while to take off so you're stuck with a lot of company talk for most of the book. i can't fault it given the setting of the book but it wasn't too interesting for me to read.
loved the banter and the comedic bits, but i realized throughout the book that i could never be an office worker girlie. best believe i'd be lost 24/7. if you're into kinda office romances with a side plot of demons then i'd recommend!
this book was super witty and funny going into it. i really liked the plot that the fl had to help a demon who accidentally wound up there after a ritual gone wrong. the premise was super funny and the first 20% of the book made me super positive i would like it.
morgan wasn't a hero, which was a breath of fresh air. she had a lot of complexes both with herself and family. i enjoyed reading about her navigations between the magic and mortal world. complex family dynamics are always a favourite trope of mine, and although her and her mother didn't have too much time together, the scenes they did have were super relatable.
i loveddd luke and rix! the two of them made the book so much more entertaining. luke was genuinely such a sweet and thoughtful character and i loved it. they had a good relationship and i loved reading luke's loyalty and outright devotion. he was so funny and precious, 10/10 my favourite character in the book. the romance took a backburner and it wasn't fully in your face so i lowkey wanted more, but they were refreshing either way.
the side characters were super witty and the inner monologue morgan had about them were so entertaining so i loved reading the comedic parts. however, the book did kinda lose me at some points with the nature of this book. morgan works in an office with a lot of marketing. the company jargon went over my head a lot and it explained so many keywords about things like startups that i wasn't really interested in. the plot took a while to take off so you're stuck with a lot of company talk for most of the book. i can't fault it given the setting of the book but it wasn't too interesting for me to read.
loved the banter and the comedic bits, but i realized throughout the book that i could never be an office worker girlie. best believe i'd be lost 24/7. if you're into kinda office romances with a side plot of demons then i'd recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After Dreadful really stuck with me for its fun plot and engaging writing style, I knew I absolutely had to read this one based on the description alone.
The unaffectedly witty writing style is what truly sets this book apart from comparable humorous fantasy and satire I’ve read. I deeply enjoyed the humor, which ranges from silly slapstick to clever musings, spiced with insightful criticism and philosophical ponderings on modern society, all set in a contemporary urban fantasy version of our world.
Working in a modern corporate environment for a startup myself, the workplace and industry descriptions in this book, presented in an amusing, tongue-in-cheek way, were some of the most relatable things I have ever read. I was constantly reminded of eerily similar people and situations I’ve encountered in my own career, perfectly reflecting the absurdity of it all. I will definitely be recommending this book to my colleagues (the ones I like, that is).
Aside from that, the plot kept me really engaged with its twists and turns. The dynamic between the characters was great; they all felt approachable and genuine. I found myself truly rooting for them and having a lot of fun along the way.
Recommended for readers who like satirical contemporary fantasy, workplace humor and hot (as well as suprisingly morally unproblematic) demons alike.
Caitlin Rozakis has now officially established herself as one of my must-read authors and I'll need to keep my eyes out on all her future releases!
The unaffectedly witty writing style is what truly sets this book apart from comparable humorous fantasy and satire I’ve read. I deeply enjoyed the humor, which ranges from silly slapstick to clever musings, spiced with insightful criticism and philosophical ponderings on modern society, all set in a contemporary urban fantasy version of our world.
Working in a modern corporate environment for a startup myself, the workplace and industry descriptions in this book, presented in an amusing, tongue-in-cheek way, were some of the most relatable things I have ever read. I was constantly reminded of eerily similar people and situations I’ve encountered in my own career, perfectly reflecting the absurdity of it all. I will definitely be recommending this book to my colleagues (the ones I like, that is).
Aside from that, the plot kept me really engaged with its twists and turns. The dynamic between the characters was great; they all felt approachable and genuine. I found myself truly rooting for them and having a lot of fun along the way.
Recommended for readers who like satirical contemporary fantasy, workplace humor and hot (as well as suprisingly morally unproblematic) demons alike.
Caitlin Rozakis has now officially established herself as one of my must-read authors and I'll need to keep my eyes out on all her future releases!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🖥️Startup Hell by Caitlin Rozarkis
💭”A hilarious contemporary fantasy about a junior sales witch stuck in corporate hell, who has to evade devilish pacts and her kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying mum to save a (surprisingly hot) demon, and work out how to hit her quarterly target. From the New York Times-bestselling author of Dreadful and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association.”
💕Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
🖥️Startup Hell is a perfect blend of fantasy and workplace comedy with rom-com vibes sprinkled throughout. This has heart, humor, and scorching stakes.
❤️This is such a fun read with quirky contemporary fantasy that quickly turns into one of the most refreshing and funny reads you’ll discover all year.
🧙♀️Meet Morgan: a junior sales witch with magic dyslexia, stuck in a tech startup that feels eerily like every corporate nightmare ever (corporate girlies, this one is for you ),except there are actual demons and literal hellfire.
😈Meet Lucareoth (aka Luke): a disturbingly attractive cheeky and unexpected demon.
⭐️Read Startup Hell if you like:⭐️
* 🔥 Workplace satire with actual demons and magic
* 💼 Fantasy that roasts corporate chaos
* 😈 Snarky, morally gray demons with surprising depth
* ✨ Contemporary fantasy that feels fresh, clever, and wildly fun
* 🖤 Humor-forward reads with heart and emotional payoff
💭”A hilarious contemporary fantasy about a junior sales witch stuck in corporate hell, who has to evade devilish pacts and her kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying mum to save a (surprisingly hot) demon, and work out how to hit her quarterly target. From the New York Times-bestselling author of Dreadful and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association.”
💕Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
🖥️Startup Hell is a perfect blend of fantasy and workplace comedy with rom-com vibes sprinkled throughout. This has heart, humor, and scorching stakes.
❤️This is such a fun read with quirky contemporary fantasy that quickly turns into one of the most refreshing and funny reads you’ll discover all year.
🧙♀️Meet Morgan: a junior sales witch with magic dyslexia, stuck in a tech startup that feels eerily like every corporate nightmare ever (corporate girlies, this one is for you ),except there are actual demons and literal hellfire.
😈Meet Lucareoth (aka Luke): a disturbingly attractive cheeky and unexpected demon.
⭐️Read Startup Hell if you like:⭐️
* 🔥 Workplace satire with actual demons and magic
* 💼 Fantasy that roasts corporate chaos
* 😈 Snarky, morally gray demons with surprising depth
* ✨ Contemporary fantasy that feels fresh, clever, and wildly fun
* 🖤 Humor-forward reads with heart and emotional payoff
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to netgalley for this read! I had so much fun with this. It was engaging, well flowing and wildly entertaining.
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