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Everyday Enchantments
Startup Hell
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.
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.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published May 19, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Whatever the demonic equivalent of Slack is can cross the planar boundaries?" She'd cursed being tethered to her phone by late-night messages often enough.
"Nothing is slack, it's extremely tense," he said. "My boss is not happy".
Caitlin Rozakis' Startup Hell follows Morgan as she navigates the worst of two worlds - a marketing job for a tech startup and a forced deal with a demon overlord, using only her wits in a magical world with a thin line between venture capitalists and vampires.
Morgan finds unexpected camaraderie, with the demon Lucareoth, an Infernal Plane version of a sales executive, as they support each other in stressful jobs, not to mention trying to prevent a new 'disruption' that might as well be labeled dystopian. Rozakis' by now trademark humour (see Dreadful and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association) is deftly woven into the quickly pivoting startup world, the danger beyond death of the magical world and the budding romance. The weird 'alpha male' behaviour of the tech bros might seem exaggerated, if one isn't familiar with tech/ tech adjacent companies, and the prevalence of imposter syndrome in these work environments. The character sketches definitely add to the whole story, though the end is a bit too contrived.
On the whole, recommended as a fun rom-com, with witty hints of the real world. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the character sketches and growth; 1/2 star for the story arc; 3/4 star for the writing; 3/4 star for the world-building - 3 1/2 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]
"Nothing is slack, it's extremely tense," he said. "My boss is not happy".
Caitlin Rozakis' Startup Hell follows Morgan as she navigates the worst of two worlds - a marketing job for a tech startup and a forced deal with a demon overlord, using only her wits in a magical world with a thin line between venture capitalists and vampires.
Morgan finds unexpected camaraderie, with the demon Lucareoth, an Infernal Plane version of a sales executive, as they support each other in stressful jobs, not to mention trying to prevent a new 'disruption' that might as well be labeled dystopian. Rozakis' by now trademark humour (see Dreadful and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association) is deftly woven into the quickly pivoting startup world, the danger beyond death of the magical world and the budding romance. The weird 'alpha male' behaviour of the tech bros might seem exaggerated, if one isn't familiar with tech/ tech adjacent companies, and the prevalence of imposter syndrome in these work environments. The character sketches definitely add to the whole story, though the end is a bit too contrived.
On the whole, recommended as a fun rom-com, with witty hints of the real world. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the character sketches and growth; 1/2 star for the story arc; 3/4 star for the writing; 3/4 star for the world-building - 3 1/2 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]
May 23, 2026
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Surprisingly the job description for a demon and a junior employee at a start up firm have a lot in common. They both try to make cold calls and talk people out of something they might not want give up for the promise of something better. They both have demanding bosses and quotas to meet. And they both tend to consume your life and make it really hard to find romance.
Startup Hell was pretty funny and I had a good time throughout the entire story. Morgan feels like a disappointment to her parents. They are huge in the magical community, her mother literally kicks butt for a living. Morgan however has no magical talent but trouble found her the night she walked into her bosses office only to find him dead and a demon stuck in this dimension with no soul to take back. Lucareoth probably isn't the best at being a demon. He likes getting the meeting with a new client/victim but hates the part where he needs to close the deal. Still only complete rookies end up stuck on this side, he needs to get back before someone notices. In their hurry to help one another out everything goes wrong and Morgan too falls in debt to the dark side and needs to deliver a soul or she will be trapped in hell too.
The concept for Startup Hell was really fun to play around with. I thought some of it got a bit beyond silly as the company Morgan worked for literally tried to morph into whatever they thought the next big thing would be. I loved how Morgan was so naive and just wanted to be a part of something really ground breaking only to find out that her boss was pretty much a frat boy fraud. Some people might deserve to go to hell.
Overall I liked the growth Morgan went through and how she kind figured out who she was or wanted to be by the end of the book. Lucareoth, was nice and sweet and definitely too good to go back to hell. I loved his magic allowed him to sense what others want and why he was drawn to Morgan's mind. Who knew that the demon of the story might just end up being a hero.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★
Sound Effects: none
Megan Tusing is a confident narrator and should be with over two-hundred titles to her name. I think she captured the fun of the story. All of the voices in the book were distinct, Lucareoth's narration added to his likability and helped to make him relatable. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Surprisingly the job description for a demon and a junior employee at a start up firm have a lot in common. They both try to make cold calls and talk people out of something they might not want give up for the promise of something better. They both have demanding bosses and quotas to meet. And they both tend to consume your life and make it really hard to find romance.
Startup Hell was pretty funny and I had a good time throughout the entire story. Morgan feels like a disappointment to her parents. They are huge in the magical community, her mother literally kicks butt for a living. Morgan however has no magical talent but trouble found her the night she walked into her bosses office only to find him dead and a demon stuck in this dimension with no soul to take back. Lucareoth probably isn't the best at being a demon. He likes getting the meeting with a new client/victim but hates the part where he needs to close the deal. Still only complete rookies end up stuck on this side, he needs to get back before someone notices. In their hurry to help one another out everything goes wrong and Morgan too falls in debt to the dark side and needs to deliver a soul or she will be trapped in hell too.
The concept for Startup Hell was really fun to play around with. I thought some of it got a bit beyond silly as the company Morgan worked for literally tried to morph into whatever they thought the next big thing would be. I loved how Morgan was so naive and just wanted to be a part of something really ground breaking only to find out that her boss was pretty much a frat boy fraud. Some people might deserve to go to hell.
Overall I liked the growth Morgan went through and how she kind figured out who she was or wanted to be by the end of the book. Lucareoth, was nice and sweet and definitely too good to go back to hell. I loved his magic allowed him to sense what others want and why he was drawn to Morgan's mind. Who knew that the demon of the story might just end up being a hero.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★
Sound Effects: none
Megan Tusing is a confident narrator and should be with over two-hundred titles to her name. I think she captured the fun of the story. All of the voices in the book were distinct, Lucareoth's narration added to his likability and helped to make him relatable. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
May 22, 2026
Oh my gosh, I do not have words for how much I adored STARTUP HELL! Rozakis knocked it out of the park again! This was such a delightfully cozy, fun little adventure, full of accidental hijinks and the absolute HELL that is a tech startup, complete with annoying LinkedInBros™️ and a whole lotta coffee. I loved the romantic subplot, loved the side characters, and LOVED the humor. Also, Rix the hellhound is best boy and I would absolutely let him drool acid on me if it meant I got those big puppy cuddles. 🐶
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: Morgan's roommate Gisele is a Puerto Rican trans woman (who is a DELIGHT, and is fully loved and supported by the characters, with no on-page transphobia)
✨ Content warnings for: minor violence, death, brief mentions of vomit, alcohol intoxication
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: Morgan's roommate Gisele is a Puerto Rican trans woman (who is a DELIGHT, and is fully loved and supported by the characters, with no on-page transphobia)
✨ Content warnings for: minor violence, death, brief mentions of vomit, alcohol intoxication
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I LOVED The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association and I recommend it to customers all the time. So, I was excited to read the author's next book. There was a lot to like here, but in the end, I just felt like this story was too much. I got really tired of the actual startup talk. A lot of it was fairly incomprehensible to me and it got old after a while. I did enjoy the general story and some of the characters. But by 2/3 of the way through, I was ready to be done.
May 12, 2026
I really wanted to love this because the premise is honestly fantastic. Corporate startup culture mixed with demons, magic, soul contracts, and literal hell? That should have been an easy hit for me. And to be fair, there are parts that really worked. I liked the back-and-forth between the human world and infernal world, Morgan and Luke were genuinely cute together, and some of the humor absolutely landed.
The problem for me was that the fantasy plot kept getting buried under an avalanche of startup office culture. There is so much corporate jargon, sales talk, meetings, office politics, Slack-message energy, and coworkers sitting around doing painfully realistic desk job things that it started to feel less like escapist fantasy and more like I was clocked into work.
At first the satire was funny because yes, startup culture is absurd enough to compare to hell. But after a while it became repetitive and weirdly dry. The actual demon/world-building/action stuff would finally get interesting, and then we’d immediately be back in another office conversation about targets, branding, or corporate nonsense.
I think this might hit harder for readers who haven’t spent years trapped in office culture because the satire would probably feel fresher. But as someone who has survived way too many “this could’ve been an email” meetings, parts of this book felt like being forced to attend one after hours.
Still, I did enjoy the concept, the romance was cute, and I think there’s a really fun story buried in here. I just wish the balance had leaned more toward fantasy chaos and less toward startup buzzwords.
The problem for me was that the fantasy plot kept getting buried under an avalanche of startup office culture. There is so much corporate jargon, sales talk, meetings, office politics, Slack-message energy, and coworkers sitting around doing painfully realistic desk job things that it started to feel less like escapist fantasy and more like I was clocked into work.
At first the satire was funny because yes, startup culture is absurd enough to compare to hell. But after a while it became repetitive and weirdly dry. The actual demon/world-building/action stuff would finally get interesting, and then we’d immediately be back in another office conversation about targets, branding, or corporate nonsense.
I think this might hit harder for readers who haven’t spent years trapped in office culture because the satire would probably feel fresher. But as someone who has survived way too many “this could’ve been an email” meetings, parts of this book felt like being forced to attend one after hours.
Still, I did enjoy the concept, the romance was cute, and I think there’s a really fun story buried in here. I just wish the balance had leaned more toward fantasy chaos and less toward startup buzzwords.
June 8, 2026
3.5*
Startup Hell is an urban fantasy that compares executive jobs to literal hell. So, fun!
I really enjoy how the author managed to balance satire and humor with real hardships and yet keep the cozy feeling going.
I found this book fun and easy to read. The audiobook, narrated by Megan Tusiing, was great. She made the characters easy to identify and her tone really got the escence of each scene across, all the way from ridiculous to serious.
It was a fun experience, and I would definitely recommend the audiobook as a good option.
The ARC audiobook was provided by NetGalley, and all opinions are my own.
Startup Hell is an urban fantasy that compares executive jobs to literal hell. So, fun!
I really enjoy how the author managed to balance satire and humor with real hardships and yet keep the cozy feeling going.
I found this book fun and easy to read. The audiobook, narrated by Megan Tusiing, was great. She made the characters easy to identify and her tone really got the escence of each scene across, all the way from ridiculous to serious.
It was a fun experience, and I would definitely recommend the audiobook as a good option.
The ARC audiobook was provided by NetGalley, and all opinions are my own.
June 19, 2026
Morgan is a newbie at a tech startup trying to make her sales quota, while Lucareoth is a hard-working demon trying to make his sales quota. A botched summoning gets them horribly intertwined and begins a trail of antics that is just a delight. Things escalate from Earth to the infernal plane. Rozakis leans into both skewering human foibles and showing the sweetness that emerges from our connections with others. It's another total winner from one of the great modern Fantasy Humor writers.
Thank you to Tantor Media for the copy.
Thank you to Tantor Media for the copy.
June 25, 2026
💼😈 Startup Hell 😈💼
💫 Morgan & Lucareoth Foreverrrr 💫
Oh, I loved these two so so so much! 😭💜
I just wanted to protect Lucareoth the entire time. For a demon, he was actually so pure of heart! And I loved how fiercely Morgan wanted to love and protect him. Demons need love too! 🥹😈✨
Also, can we talk about Morgan's mom for a second? Because she was an absolute baddie. 🔥🖤
This book perfectly balanced cozy paranormal romance with satirical office humor, and I found myself smiling through so much of it. 💼✨🔥
🔥 What to Expect
• Workplace romance
• Corporate Satire
• Demon MMC
• Magical Family Drama
• Portal Fantasy
• Forced Alliance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: May 19, 2026
🎧 Audio Score: 5 Stars
Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
💫 Morgan & Lucareoth Foreverrrr 💫
Oh, I loved these two so so so much! 😭💜
I just wanted to protect Lucareoth the entire time. For a demon, he was actually so pure of heart! And I loved how fiercely Morgan wanted to love and protect him. Demons need love too! 🥹😈✨
Also, can we talk about Morgan's mom for a second? Because she was an absolute baddie. 🔥🖤
This book perfectly balanced cozy paranormal romance with satirical office humor, and I found myself smiling through so much of it. 💼✨🔥
🔥 What to Expect
• Workplace romance
• Corporate Satire
• Demon MMC
• Magical Family Drama
• Portal Fantasy
• Forced Alliance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: May 19, 2026
🎧 Audio Score: 5 Stars
Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
May 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan book for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into “Startup Hell” by Caitlin Rosakis curious, but ultimately had to DNF it. Unfortunately, I requested it and was approved right as I started to read “Dreadful” by Rosakis, which I ultimately DNF’d.
The writing itself isn’t the issue—it’s the world it lives in. The novel is so drenched in startup culture (which was promised in the blurb, so it shouldn’t have been surprising- that’s on me). Words like, “quotas”, “SQL,” “multipliers,” “investors,” abounded, and office politics were a main feature to the narrative. Unfortunately, I felt completely disconnected from it. I think that lifestyle may, in fact, be my version of hell… well, that and extended goodbyes.
Reading it felt like sitting in on a conversation not meant for me. It’s the same feeling someone outside education might have if I wrote a novel packed with education-related acronyms (IEPs, 504, PLCs, DOE, FAST, and ELLs) without much context - or used sections of the narrative to explain them, which would have been better spent focusing on creating emotional tension between Morgan and Luke. That aspect could have been much stronger.
For people in that space, I can see how the characters, especially Morgan and Luke, might feel relatable or even painfully real. But for me, none of it landed.
The world building was solid, it just wasn’t a world I had any interest in spending time in.
I went into “Startup Hell” by Caitlin Rosakis curious, but ultimately had to DNF it. Unfortunately, I requested it and was approved right as I started to read “Dreadful” by Rosakis, which I ultimately DNF’d.
The writing itself isn’t the issue—it’s the world it lives in. The novel is so drenched in startup culture (which was promised in the blurb, so it shouldn’t have been surprising- that’s on me). Words like, “quotas”, “SQL,” “multipliers,” “investors,” abounded, and office politics were a main feature to the narrative. Unfortunately, I felt completely disconnected from it. I think that lifestyle may, in fact, be my version of hell… well, that and extended goodbyes.
Reading it felt like sitting in on a conversation not meant for me. It’s the same feeling someone outside education might have if I wrote a novel packed with education-related acronyms (IEPs, 504, PLCs, DOE, FAST, and ELLs) without much context - or used sections of the narrative to explain them, which would have been better spent focusing on creating emotional tension between Morgan and Luke. That aspect could have been much stronger.
For people in that space, I can see how the characters, especially Morgan and Luke, might feel relatable or even painfully real. But for me, none of it landed.
The world building was solid, it just wasn’t a world I had any interest in spending time in.
June 24, 2026
Don't get me wrong there is some great stuff to this book. Lots of humor, high stakes, and a romance sub-plot. The narrator of the audiobook also did a fantastic job.
Expectation-wise, I think I was hoping for more page-time spent trying to save Morgan's soul and the supernatural bits, but it felt like we spent a lot of time on the company and mundane things. It just felt bogged down and because Morgan is so stressed and overwhelmed by her normal job, it made ME feel stressed. And she isn't whining-- I understand the pressure she's under-- but because all we keep hearing is how she is trying to keep her head above water at work, it got a bit boring for me.
This unfairly also made me dislike Morgan (along with a few other things she does), which is unfortunate since she IS the book. All the other characters, including Luke, really fall into the background. A lot.
That all being said, it was an interesting plot, the satire element was great, and the ridiculousness of her office was so over the top it actually felt real... if that makes sense. So, while the book ended up not being for me, I wouldn't discourage anyone from giving it a try.
Expectation-wise, I think I was hoping for more page-time spent trying to save Morgan's soul and the supernatural bits, but it felt like we spent a lot of time on the company and mundane things. It just felt bogged down and because Morgan is so stressed and overwhelmed by her normal job, it made ME feel stressed. And she isn't whining-- I understand the pressure she's under-- but because all we keep hearing is how she is trying to keep her head above water at work, it got a bit boring for me.
This unfairly also made me dislike Morgan (along with a few other things she does), which is unfortunate since she IS the book. All the other characters, including Luke, really fall into the background. A lot.
That all being said, it was an interesting plot, the satire element was great, and the ridiculousness of her office was so over the top it actually felt real... if that makes sense. So, while the book ended up not being for me, I wouldn't discourage anyone from giving it a try.
August 27, 2026
Rec. by: BEL; vibes; that new coworker with the slightly sulfurous smell...
Rec. for: VCs, which might stand for Venture Capitalists or Virtuous Christians or Vampire Cartels or maybe even Vapid CEOs...
Caitlin Rozakis' comedic fantasy (one might even call it a romantasy) Startup Hell was the second of three—not a sequel, this time, but the second book I read out of the first three I checked out from the remodeled Belmont branch ("BEL") of the Multnomah County Library system after its grand reopening in August 2026.
It was a random pick, really; I can't recall having heard of Rozakis before. But this book's title—and that brightly-colored cover, which stands out even among the relentless clamor of other SF/F works—spoke to me (one might even say summoned me), and I answered.
I'm very glad I did, too... this novel turned out to be a Hell of a lot of fun. Even if the residents of the Infernal Plane really don't appreciate humans using that derogatory term for their abode...
*
From the very beginning, Rozakis' lively and fluid prose impressed me. I was immediately drawn in to Morgan Blackwater-McKey's viewpoint as a woman caught between two worlds and not all that happy with either—Morgan's both the sadly nonmagical daughter of a powerful witch (her mom Fiona is a leading enforcer for the Shadow Council that polices magical boundaries with the mundane world) and a tech startup underling struggling to make rent in a Manhattan that cares much more about "multipliers" (Rozakis had to explain that one to me, too, by the way) than magic. Or magick.
Morgan's managed to keep her magical past and her mundane present separate, mostly... at least until her manager Tim manages to die of a heart attack, right in the middle of summoning a demon, using a spell he had called up on his cellphone (spellphone?).
This is terribly inconvenient, since the demon (his name is Lucareoth. You can call him Luke) needs a soul from somewhere to meet his quota and return to the Infernal Plane... but Tim's soul is no longer available.
See, demons turn out to have bosses, too. And quarterly goals. And cubicles. Is it any wonder that humans in the know want to call the Infernal Plane Hell anyway?
Morgan stumbles on the shambles that Tim's demise left behind, and... well, she kind of adopts Luke. At least for awhile, just until he can be sent back to his original plane of existence... which is gonna take at least one soul. And as much as Morgan often dislikes her coworkers, she doesn't necessarily want to consign any of them to eternal damnation.
Or even temporary damnation...
Morgan actually just wanted to land a couple of leads... her real job, you understand, the one that pays the rent on the apartment she shares with Gisele (about whom more later) is in marketing for Zabloom, the titular startup, whose product is... well, that's not entirely set in stone, is it? A would-be tech giant has to be ready to pivot, is what I'm saying, in the fast-paced world of quantum buzzword AI buzzword software buzzword subscription-based kale smoothies?!?
Luke might even be able to help Morgan with that desire... and it doesn't hurt that she thinks Luke (whether in his original form as Lucareoth, or with the glamour he casts to appear as Luke) is extremely hot, either.
Did I mention the romantasy part? I did... and although Luke is very much off-limits to Morgan for multiple reasons, there's still that spark between them—a spark that Rozakis deftly kindles...
*
I do want to call out Morgan's roommate Gisele, who is one of the most well-rounded supporting characters in Startup Hell. Gisele's very much of the mundane world, with no direct experience of the interdimensional conflicts that Morgan grew up with... but even so she's remarkably chill, when Morgan brings Luke to their apartment to sleep on their futon. To say nothing of the dog. Gisele has her own agency, her own thoughts about this frankly ridiculous incursion into our mortal plane, and her own reasons to understand Luke's plight—she's been an outsider herself, as a trans woman in the U.S. of A.—and she is never just a minor player in someone else's story.
*
Startup Hell is not an entirely original concept, to be sure—but then, it doesn't have to be. I was reminded strongly, and pleasantly, of books by Christopher Moore and Tom Holt, both of whom have blended mundanity and fantasy with humor in similar ways. But I found Caitlin Rozakis' take on this trope to be fresh and original enough—a very welcome newer voice in this burgeoning subgenre!
Rec. for: VCs, which might stand for Venture Capitalists or Virtuous Christians or Vampire Cartels or maybe even Vapid CEOs...
Caitlin Rozakis' comedic fantasy (one might even call it a romantasy) Startup Hell was the second of three—not a sequel, this time, but the second book I read out of the first three I checked out from the remodeled Belmont branch ("BEL") of the Multnomah County Library system after its grand reopening in August 2026.
It was a random pick, really; I can't recall having heard of Rozakis before. But this book's title—and that brightly-colored cover, which stands out even among the relentless clamor of other SF/F works—spoke to me (one might even say summoned me), and I answered.
I'm very glad I did, too... this novel turned out to be a Hell of a lot of fun. Even if the residents of the Infernal Plane really don't appreciate humans using that derogatory term for their abode...
*
From the very beginning, Rozakis' lively and fluid prose impressed me. I was immediately drawn in to Morgan Blackwater-McKey's viewpoint as a woman caught between two worlds and not all that happy with either—Morgan's both the sadly nonmagical daughter of a powerful witch (her mom Fiona is a leading enforcer for the Shadow Council that polices magical boundaries with the mundane world) and a tech startup underling struggling to make rent in a Manhattan that cares much more about "multipliers" (Rozakis had to explain that one to me, too, by the way) than magic. Or magick.
Her mother patted her on the shoulder. "It's all right, pumpkin, you know I'd never let anything happen to you."
Over her childhood and college, Morgan had been kidnapped three times and turned into a penguin once, so she took that assurance with a grain of salt. After that last one, she now had to try to pretend that she only liked sushi a normal amount.
—p.34
Morgan's managed to keep her magical past and her mundane present separate, mostly... at least until her manager Tim manages to die of a heart attack, right in the middle of summoning a demon, using a spell he had called up on his cellphone (spellphone?).
This is terribly inconvenient, since the demon (his name is Lucareoth. You can call him Luke) needs a soul from somewhere to meet his quota and return to the Infernal Plane... but Tim's soul is no longer available.
See, demons turn out to have bosses, too. And quarterly goals. And cubicles. Is it any wonder that humans in the know want to call the Infernal Plane Hell anyway?
Morgan stumbles on the shambles that Tim's demise left behind, and... well, she kind of adopts Luke. At least for awhile, just until he can be sent back to his original plane of existence... which is gonna take at least one soul. And as much as Morgan often dislikes her coworkers, she doesn't necessarily want to consign any of them to eternal damnation.
Or even temporary damnation...
Morgan actually just wanted to land a couple of leads... her real job, you understand, the one that pays the rent on the apartment she shares with Gisele (about whom more later) is in marketing for Zabloom, the titular startup, whose product is... well, that's not entirely set in stone, is it? A would-be tech giant has to be ready to pivot, is what I'm saying, in the fast-paced world of quantum buzzword AI buzzword software buzzword subscription-based kale smoothies?!?
It wasn't even real quantum computing, just misnamed to sound fancy because investors were already getting tired of things misnamed "AI." But it paid the bills.
—p.32
Luke might even be able to help Morgan with that desire... and it doesn't hurt that she thinks Luke (whether in his original form as Lucareoth, or with the glamour he casts to appear as Luke) is extremely hot, either.
Did I mention the romantasy part? I did... and although Luke is very much off-limits to Morgan for multiple reasons, there's still that spark between them—a spark that Rozakis deftly kindles...
*
I do want to call out Morgan's roommate Gisele, who is one of the most well-rounded supporting characters in Startup Hell. Gisele's very much of the mundane world, with no direct experience of the interdimensional conflicts that Morgan grew up with... but even so she's remarkably chill, when Morgan brings Luke to their apartment to sleep on their futon. To say nothing of the dog. Gisele has her own agency, her own thoughts about this frankly ridiculous incursion into our mortal plane, and her own reasons to understand Luke's plight—she's been an outsider herself, as a trans woman in the U.S. of A.—and she is never just a minor player in someone else's story.
*
Startup Hell is not an entirely original concept, to be sure—but then, it doesn't have to be. I was reminded strongly, and pleasantly, of books by Christopher Moore and Tom Holt, both of whom have blended mundanity and fantasy with humor in similar ways. But I found Caitlin Rozakis' take on this trope to be fresh and original enough—a very welcome newer voice in this burgeoning subgenre!
June 16, 2026
Such a fun story! Who would have thought trying to find souls to sacrifice to save your own soul would be so amusing.
The characters are relatable and funny, the plot has you routing for a demon, and there is a hell hound you will fall in love with (even the mean demons love him!)
This is such a good time with humorous ties of the soul sucking demons to soul sucking corporate life. The audio book was top notch for single narration and I truly enjoyed how thr narrator told the story. You end up falling in love or hating the characters in the best of ways!
The characters are relatable and funny, the plot has you routing for a demon, and there is a hell hound you will fall in love with (even the mean demons love him!)
This is such a good time with humorous ties of the soul sucking demons to soul sucking corporate life. The audio book was top notch for single narration and I truly enjoyed how thr narrator told the story. You end up falling in love or hating the characters in the best of ways!
May 20, 2026
This was such a fun and funny cozy urban fantasy. I was giggling through the whole book! The main characters, Morgan and Luke, are so easy to love. As someone who works a corporate job, this book was extra enjoyable.
May 25, 2026
One of my anticipated new releases for this year. In Startup Hell, magicless Morgan is overworked and underappreciated in her sales job in a tech startup—but anything is better than the condescension she grew up with in her mother's magical community. When a senior executive's forbidden ritual goes horribly wrong, Morgan is stuck with stranded demon Lucareoth, trying to find a way to return him to the demonic plane before they're both fired.
Startup Hell is a light comedy which leans more towards romance than Rozakis' previous works. Rozakis' signature flourish has always been adding in the little logistical details that help ground the story, and here, it's Morgan's terrible job cold-calling potential customers to sell them Zabloom's HR software. Of course, until the CEO pivots the company to a wellness focus on a whim... The awfulness of Morgan's job and array of coworkers is genuinely scarier than any of the actual demons that appear onpage. Still, as a cynical young person, I think Morgan's economic situation should realistically be worse—she got her job straight out of college after only five months of applying, and she can easily afford a whole apartment in New York with only one roommate. Very nineties romcom.
I found Startup Hell's romance arc more effective than the usual, probably because it doesn't feature the usual urban fantasy brooding sexual harassment man. Most of the comedy is based in the fact that demon Lucareoth's job is actually grimly similar to Morgan's, from the work calls to the increasing monthly quotas. He's not some ineffable immortal being, he's just some guy in a terrible job who's worried about getting fired after making a mistake at work. Of course, getting fired is a little more literal on the demon plane... Luke has a faintly pathetic air that makes him immensely endearing. I want to put him in a jar with a leaf. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast is fairly solid for a romance-focused novel. The Token Trans Roommate is effectively just there to be supportive, but Rozakis does an excellent job of slowly unfolding the backstories of Morgan's coworkers, who are more sympathetic than they first appear. However, by far my favorite character is Morgan's chaotic mother. Despite being middle-aged, her mother is from a very different genre of urban fantasy, leather jacket and all. She tends to crash through Morgan's plot while entangled in the latest world-altering catastrophe. Very trying as a mother for a perfectly ordinary twenty-something, but fun as a character.
Light, readable, and charmingly specific. Rozakis has an excellent touch for writing cozy-adjacent fantasy with real tension and stakes, and I'm excited to see what she writes next.
Startup Hell is a light comedy which leans more towards romance than Rozakis' previous works. Rozakis' signature flourish has always been adding in the little logistical details that help ground the story, and here, it's Morgan's terrible job cold-calling potential customers to sell them Zabloom's HR software. Of course, until the CEO pivots the company to a wellness focus on a whim... The awfulness of Morgan's job and array of coworkers is genuinely scarier than any of the actual demons that appear onpage. Still, as a cynical young person, I think Morgan's economic situation should realistically be worse—she got her job straight out of college after only five months of applying, and she can easily afford a whole apartment in New York with only one roommate. Very nineties romcom.
I found Startup Hell's romance arc more effective than the usual, probably because it doesn't feature the usual urban fantasy brooding sexual harassment man. Most of the comedy is based in the fact that demon Lucareoth's job is actually grimly similar to Morgan's, from the work calls to the increasing monthly quotas. He's not some ineffable immortal being, he's just some guy in a terrible job who's worried about getting fired after making a mistake at work. Of course, getting fired is a little more literal on the demon plane... Luke has a faintly pathetic air that makes him immensely endearing. I want to put him in a jar with a leaf. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast is fairly solid for a romance-focused novel. The Token Trans Roommate is effectively just there to be supportive, but Rozakis does an excellent job of slowly unfolding the backstories of Morgan's coworkers, who are more sympathetic than they first appear. However, by far my favorite character is Morgan's chaotic mother. Despite being middle-aged, her mother is from a very different genre of urban fantasy, leather jacket and all. She tends to crash through Morgan's plot while entangled in the latest world-altering catastrophe. Very trying as a mother for a perfectly ordinary twenty-something, but fun as a character.
Light, readable, and charmingly specific. Rozakis has an excellent touch for writing cozy-adjacent fantasy with real tension and stakes, and I'm excited to see what she writes next.
Read
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.
August 1, 2026
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Startup Hell turns quarterly sales quotas into literal damnation. This is a contemporary fantasy about Morgan Blackwater-McKey, a junior salesperson at Zabloom, a Manhattan startup with an uncertain product, made up expectations, and executives willing to sacrifice nearly anything for better numbers. Morgan finds her boss dead after his attempt to trade his soul for a quarterly target leaves a demon trapped inside the office. Her effort to help the surprisingly charming Lucareoth escape drags her into an Infernal Plane where Hell operates like another toxic corporation.
The satire captures startup culture with accuracy. Arbitrary quotas, looming layoffs, predatory leadership, rampent misogyny, and relentless pressure shape Morgan’s workplace. Then, literal demons enter the building. The story exposes how greed allows companies to treat employees as disposable resources while executives protect their own power. The supernatural elements exaggerate these problems, but the anxiety underneath them felt painfully familiar to me.
My familiarity made the book difficult to enjoy. My own experiences in toxic startup environments brought back memories of dreadful coworkers, manipulative owners, invented performance standards, and the constant fear of losing a job. The corporate humor felt less like escapism and more like attending another exhausting sales meeting.
The story also felt unnecessarily long. Morgan and Luke’s search for a soul-contract loophole offers plenty of opportunities for clever commentary, but the plot begins to circle the same ideas. My interest faded as the corporate absurdity continued without enough happening. I repeatedly wondered what the story was building toward.
Megan Tusing delivered an impressive audiobook performance. I was surprised to learn that the entire production used a single narrator. Her character voices feel unique enough to suggest a much larger cast. She handles the comedy, fantasy terminology, and workplace tension with confidence.
Startup Hell succeeds as a pointed depiction of corporate greed and startup dysfunction. Its strong satire was also the reason I struggled to enjoy it. Pick this up if you enjoy workplace humor, bureaucratic fantasy, and demonic corporate politics.
✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ✏ TikTok ✏ Facebook
Startup Hell turns quarterly sales quotas into literal damnation. This is a contemporary fantasy about Morgan Blackwater-McKey, a junior salesperson at Zabloom, a Manhattan startup with an uncertain product, made up expectations, and executives willing to sacrifice nearly anything for better numbers. Morgan finds her boss dead after his attempt to trade his soul for a quarterly target leaves a demon trapped inside the office. Her effort to help the surprisingly charming Lucareoth escape drags her into an Infernal Plane where Hell operates like another toxic corporation.
The satire captures startup culture with accuracy. Arbitrary quotas, looming layoffs, predatory leadership, rampent misogyny, and relentless pressure shape Morgan’s workplace. Then, literal demons enter the building. The story exposes how greed allows companies to treat employees as disposable resources while executives protect their own power. The supernatural elements exaggerate these problems, but the anxiety underneath them felt painfully familiar to me.
My familiarity made the book difficult to enjoy. My own experiences in toxic startup environments brought back memories of dreadful coworkers, manipulative owners, invented performance standards, and the constant fear of losing a job. The corporate humor felt less like escapism and more like attending another exhausting sales meeting.
The story also felt unnecessarily long. Morgan and Luke’s search for a soul-contract loophole offers plenty of opportunities for clever commentary, but the plot begins to circle the same ideas. My interest faded as the corporate absurdity continued without enough happening. I repeatedly wondered what the story was building toward.
Megan Tusing delivered an impressive audiobook performance. I was surprised to learn that the entire production used a single narrator. Her character voices feel unique enough to suggest a much larger cast. She handles the comedy, fantasy terminology, and workplace tension with confidence.
Startup Hell succeeds as a pointed depiction of corporate greed and startup dysfunction. Its strong satire was also the reason I struggled to enjoy it. Pick this up if you enjoy workplace humor, bureaucratic fantasy, and demonic corporate politics.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
July 8, 2026
3.5 stars, rounded down
I'm going to say this is as nicely as possible, but this should have been 100 pages shorter. Some of those darlings could have been killed.
It was cute. I very much enjoyed it. But it felt like a slog, both trying to do too much and also nothing at the same time.
I liked Morgan, I liked Luceroath, I liked them together. I liked the skewering of the corporate tech start-up culture and start-up culture in general, and I very much don't think this deserves a 3.63 rating on GR because it's not bad. It's—to repeat myself—enjoyable. Not particularly memorable, but a fun ride and an entertaining mash up of urban/paranormal fantasy and corporate parody.
There's also a lot of queer characters (and a variety of rep), which was enjoyable—and a much needed departure from the stilted to nonexistent rep of the paranormal fantasy heyday of the mid 00s.
I'm going to say this is as nicely as possible, but this should have been 100 pages shorter. Some of those darlings could have been killed.
It was cute. I very much enjoyed it. But it felt like a slog, both trying to do too much and also nothing at the same time.
I liked Morgan, I liked Luceroath, I liked them together. I liked the skewering of the corporate tech start-up culture and start-up culture in general, and I very much don't think this deserves a 3.63 rating on GR because it's not bad. It's—to repeat myself—enjoyable. Not particularly memorable, but a fun ride and an entertaining mash up of urban/paranormal fantasy and corporate parody.
There's also a lot of queer characters (and a variety of rep), which was enjoyable—and a much needed departure from the stilted to nonexistent rep of the paranormal fantasy heyday of the mid 00s.
May 26, 2026
*3.5 Stars!*
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook!
This book had such a fun and unique premise, and it honestly hooked me immediately! A book about a startup with chaos, awkward humor, creatures, and satire about startup culture was such a fun idea and I was laughing a lot in the first half! I loved the lighthearted and cozy feel of the story, too, and I liked that it was more funny and chaotic energy rather than dark and heavy which is what I was kind of expecting when I saw there was going to be demons involved.
I also really enjoyed the characters! Morgan and Luke were great! Morgan's struggles with feeling like she wasn't measuring up to expectations felt very relatable and Luke's awkwardness and confusion about human things made for some really funny and sweet moments. The side characters and animals/creatures were also all really memorable and adorable.
The audiobook narration was really good and honestly helped keep me engaged throughout the slower sections of the story. Her tone and comedic timing worked really with the humor and the sarcasm/awkward moments were done so perfectly! I listened to most of this at 2x-2.5x speed and never had any issues following along! Even when the pacing of the book started slowing down for me in the second half, the audiobook performance itself stayed consistently entertaining.
The second half did lose momentum for me. The repetitive setbacks and constant problem-solving started to drag a little bit, and I found myself struggling to stay as invested as I was at the beginning. I think this if this story had been a little shorter and had faster pacing in the second half, I'd have loved it so much more! I still really liked the book overall and I think the premise, humor, and characters are all super memorable so I'm still really glad I got the chance to read/listen to this!
If you like cozy fantasy with a lot of humor, lovable characters and a lighter take on demons, this is definitely worth looking into! And I would especially recommend it in audiobook format!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook!
This book had such a fun and unique premise, and it honestly hooked me immediately! A book about a startup with chaos, awkward humor, creatures, and satire about startup culture was such a fun idea and I was laughing a lot in the first half! I loved the lighthearted and cozy feel of the story, too, and I liked that it was more funny and chaotic energy rather than dark and heavy which is what I was kind of expecting when I saw there was going to be demons involved.
I also really enjoyed the characters! Morgan and Luke were great! Morgan's struggles with feeling like she wasn't measuring up to expectations felt very relatable and Luke's awkwardness and confusion about human things made for some really funny and sweet moments. The side characters and animals/creatures were also all really memorable and adorable.
The audiobook narration was really good and honestly helped keep me engaged throughout the slower sections of the story. Her tone and comedic timing worked really with the humor and the sarcasm/awkward moments were done so perfectly! I listened to most of this at 2x-2.5x speed and never had any issues following along! Even when the pacing of the book started slowing down for me in the second half, the audiobook performance itself stayed consistently entertaining.
The second half did lose momentum for me. The repetitive setbacks and constant problem-solving started to drag a little bit, and I found myself struggling to stay as invested as I was at the beginning. I think this if this story had been a little shorter and had faster pacing in the second half, I'd have loved it so much more! I still really liked the book overall and I think the premise, humor, and characters are all super memorable so I'm still really glad I got the chance to read/listen to this!
If you like cozy fantasy with a lot of humor, lovable characters and a lighter take on demons, this is definitely worth looking into! And I would especially recommend it in audiobook format!
August 31, 2026
Waaaay to many things going on in this story 🤣
September 7, 2026
DNF @10%
Maybe i’ll pick this back up one day, I don’t think it’s my style though
Maybe i’ll pick this back up one day, I don’t think it’s my style though
July 11, 2026
Woof, this really wasn’t for me. I loved the premise of Morgan, a non-magic wielding person from a witch family encountering magic in their mundane life. I also liked the twist that the summoned demon, Luke, was a wage slave on the Infernal Plane.
But there was so much corporate jargon. I felt like I was in my company all hands. Like they were really discussing cold calls, prospects, and slide decks. And because of the parallels in the demon world, there was no reprieve.
Morgan was also written to be very…considerate. There’s a point where our white main character feels the need to explain that she is part of the gentrification of The Heights, but she supports local businesses and is only there because that’s all she can afford. Ok…And then when our male lead (and us) meets her roommate on page for the first time, Morgan immediately threatens him about using the correct pronouns for her. I dunno that felt weird to me. I feel like there are ways to write socially competent characters without literally writing “this is a good person”. It has the opposite effect for me.
I think I say this a lot about contemporary fantasy these days, but I love the premise, just not a huge fan of the execution.
But there was so much corporate jargon. I felt like I was in my company all hands. Like they were really discussing cold calls, prospects, and slide decks. And because of the parallels in the demon world, there was no reprieve.
Morgan was also written to be very…considerate. There’s a point where our white main character feels the need to explain that she is part of the gentrification of The Heights, but she supports local businesses and is only there because that’s all she can afford. Ok…And then when our male lead (and us) meets her roommate on page for the first time, Morgan immediately threatens him about using the correct pronouns for her. I dunno that felt weird to me. I feel like there are ways to write socially competent characters without literally writing “this is a good person”. It has the opposite effect for me.
I think I say this a lot about contemporary fantasy these days, but I love the premise, just not a huge fan of the execution.
May 20, 2026
This one was far more cosy paranormal work place romance than I was expecting from the blurb.
When Morgan discovers her boss Tim has died after summoneing a demon in the office, she has no idea that this could cause disasters bigger than anyone could ever imagine.
Lucareoth was an absolute cinnamon roll, and it was a great contrast that a literal demon would turn out to be the most humane of all throughout most of the story, but for me the overall story needed more.
I found a lot of the office politics dull and I just didnt like many characters apart from Luke and Giselle. I didn't necessarily dislike Morgan, but I did get fed up of her constantly belittling herself for not being 'enough' and felt like the characters never really went through much growth throughout the story.
The narration was decent enough but the story just didn't keep me hooked and I found myself drifting at points as I struggled to keep interest.
If you enjoy a office dynamics, cosy romance and adorable demons I think you'll enjoy this book.
This is a review of the audiobook.
When Morgan discovers her boss Tim has died after summoneing a demon in the office, she has no idea that this could cause disasters bigger than anyone could ever imagine.
Lucareoth was an absolute cinnamon roll, and it was a great contrast that a literal demon would turn out to be the most humane of all throughout most of the story, but for me the overall story needed more.
I found a lot of the office politics dull and I just didnt like many characters apart from Luke and Giselle. I didn't necessarily dislike Morgan, but I did get fed up of her constantly belittling herself for not being 'enough' and felt like the characters never really went through much growth throughout the story.
The narration was decent enough but the story just didn't keep me hooked and I found myself drifting at points as I struggled to keep interest.
If you enjoy a office dynamics, cosy romance and adorable demons I think you'll enjoy this book.
This is a review of the audiobook.
June 5, 2026
This was cute, 3.5/5 rounded up for goodreads (but possibly closer to a 3/5 in my heart)
I think that Rozakis has been improving as a writer in both world-building and characters. This is her third book and maybe the most charming and memorable characters yet? I quite liked the metaphors between tech-startup corporate hell and selling your soul, though I can see how they might be too on-the-nose or too spelt out for folks.
But overall this was pretty fun with a sweet, innocent love story at the core and an overenthusiastic hellhound disguised as a very good boy.
I think that Rozakis has been improving as a writer in both world-building and characters. This is her third book and maybe the most charming and memorable characters yet? I quite liked the metaphors between tech-startup corporate hell and selling your soul, though I can see how they might be too on-the-nose or too spelt out for folks.
But overall this was pretty fun with a sweet, innocent love story at the core and an overenthusiastic hellhound disguised as a very good boy.
Did Not Finish
May 8, 2026DNFd
* no chemistry
* Slow pacing
* Not funny
* Lots of marketing jargon
Arc from NetGalley
* no chemistry
* Slow pacing
* Not funny
* Lots of marketing jargon
Arc from NetGalley
May 31, 2026
⭐️3.75
This made me grateful I don’t work in an office anymore. But at least my CEO didn’t dabble in demon summoning and unwittingly starting the end of the world.
Caitlin Rozakis’s Startup Hell was so fun. It had that dark sense of humour I like, and it had a few micro tropes I really love reading.
Morgan is a disappointment to her badass parents who fight demons and research the supernatural for a living. She’s not magical and lives a very mundane existence. But even her slightly depressing office job doesn’t protect her from supernatural forces because one night after working late, she walks into her boss’s office to find him dead, and a demon stuck inside a salt circle. Due to these circumstances, Lucareoth (Luke for short) is stuck on the mortal plane and needs Morgan’s help to return home. Cue several disastrous plans that fall through, a cute hellhound who loves chips, demon summoning, a boss that deserves to go to hell and a little kiss here and there.
Startup Hell is like a Supernatural episode on steroids. I laughed so many times. Luke was unbelievably cute as he tried to understand and navigate the human world (which is even sometimes very confusing for us humans too). I really loved the friendship between Morgan and her roommate Gisele, Rix was the most adorable hellhound ever and admired the growth Morgan experiences throughout, figuring out who she was and who she wanted to be. It was hilarious in some parts, especially the bonkers ideas Morgan’s boss came out with, Luke’s scary boss being soft for little Rix, vampire capitalists and Luke thinking pigeons were going to eat him, but it also brings to light how some tech and startup companies can be so shady, how toxic that environment can be and just how some people would literally start the end of the world in order to get on top. Caitlin Rozakis sounds like she’s experienced it.
Really enjoyed this one! And really looking forward to reading The Grimoire Grammar School Paren Teacher Association by this author.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc.
Startup Hell is out now! Be sure to check it out.
This made me grateful I don’t work in an office anymore. But at least my CEO didn’t dabble in demon summoning and unwittingly starting the end of the world.
Caitlin Rozakis’s Startup Hell was so fun. It had that dark sense of humour I like, and it had a few micro tropes I really love reading.
Morgan is a disappointment to her badass parents who fight demons and research the supernatural for a living. She’s not magical and lives a very mundane existence. But even her slightly depressing office job doesn’t protect her from supernatural forces because one night after working late, she walks into her boss’s office to find him dead, and a demon stuck inside a salt circle. Due to these circumstances, Lucareoth (Luke for short) is stuck on the mortal plane and needs Morgan’s help to return home. Cue several disastrous plans that fall through, a cute hellhound who loves chips, demon summoning, a boss that deserves to go to hell and a little kiss here and there.
Startup Hell is like a Supernatural episode on steroids. I laughed so many times. Luke was unbelievably cute as he tried to understand and navigate the human world (which is even sometimes very confusing for us humans too). I really loved the friendship between Morgan and her roommate Gisele, Rix was the most adorable hellhound ever and admired the growth Morgan experiences throughout, figuring out who she was and who she wanted to be. It was hilarious in some parts, especially the bonkers ideas Morgan’s boss came out with, Luke’s scary boss being soft for little Rix, vampire capitalists and Luke thinking pigeons were going to eat him, but it also brings to light how some tech and startup companies can be so shady, how toxic that environment can be and just how some people would literally start the end of the world in order to get on top. Caitlin Rozakis sounds like she’s experienced it.
Really enjoyed this one! And really looking forward to reading The Grimoire Grammar School Paren Teacher Association by this author.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc.
Startup Hell is out now! Be sure to check it out.
July 28, 2026
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 Stars
I was really excited to jump into the second book in the Everyday Enchantments series because the premise is just so much fun. Corporate startup life mixed with demons, magic, soul bargains, and a trip through literal hell? Sign me up.
The beginning hooked me right away, and I genuinely enjoyed Morgan and Luke together. Their chemistry was cute, the satire landed at first, and the world itself is still incredibly creative. Unfortunately, somewhere around the middle the story started to feel repetitive. The office humor and corporate jokes kept circling back, and they just didn't hit as hard after a while. I found myself wanting more fantasy chaos, higher stakes, and more time spent in the magical world instead of another meeting or work conversation.
That said, the concept is still one of the most unique I've read, and I'm glad I stuck with it. If you've ever survived corporate life, some of the jokes will probably hit a little too close to home.
Narrator: Megan Tusing did a great job bringing Morgan's sarcastic personality to life and kept me invested even when the pacing slowed.
Tropes/Themes:
💼 Corporate satire
😈 Demons & soul bargains
✨ Contemporary fantasy
❤️ Paranormal romance
👩 Mother-daughter relationship
🌍 Portal fantasy
😂 Workplace humor
⚔️ Magic & adventure
🔥 Fish-out-of-water moments
If you enjoyed The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, it's worth continuing the series ...... I just don't think this one quite captured the same magic for me.
Thank you to Caitlin Rozakis, RBmedia, and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
I was really excited to jump into the second book in the Everyday Enchantments series because the premise is just so much fun. Corporate startup life mixed with demons, magic, soul bargains, and a trip through literal hell? Sign me up.
The beginning hooked me right away, and I genuinely enjoyed Morgan and Luke together. Their chemistry was cute, the satire landed at first, and the world itself is still incredibly creative. Unfortunately, somewhere around the middle the story started to feel repetitive. The office humor and corporate jokes kept circling back, and they just didn't hit as hard after a while. I found myself wanting more fantasy chaos, higher stakes, and more time spent in the magical world instead of another meeting or work conversation.
That said, the concept is still one of the most unique I've read, and I'm glad I stuck with it. If you've ever survived corporate life, some of the jokes will probably hit a little too close to home.
Narrator: Megan Tusing did a great job bringing Morgan's sarcastic personality to life and kept me invested even when the pacing slowed.
Tropes/Themes:
💼 Corporate satire
😈 Demons & soul bargains
✨ Contemporary fantasy
❤️ Paranormal romance
👩 Mother-daughter relationship
🌍 Portal fantasy
😂 Workplace humor
⚔️ Magic & adventure
🔥 Fish-out-of-water moments
If you enjoyed The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, it's worth continuing the series ...... I just don't think this one quite captured the same magic for me.
Thank you to Caitlin Rozakis, RBmedia, and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
May 24, 2026
A sales witch with magic dyslexia, a demon-slaying mother she's trying to avoid, and a surprisingly sweet demon she's trying to smuggle out of her office building before anyone notices her boss is dead on the floor. The premise alone is on fire!
This is tongue-in-cheek and clever and commits fully to its own absurdity, which is exactly the right call for a story about how corporate culture and ambition are quite at home among demons. The idea that demons are genuinely shocked by humanity's capacity for cruelty is such a fun concept and the corporate hell parallels land with a lot of wit and charm.
Morgan's complicated relationship with her larger-than-life mother is another strong point and added some real emotional texture underneath all the humor. I really love the growth between Morgan and her mother. It was my favorite part. Luke is a sweet, charming cinnamon roll of a demon and I loved him. The trans rep from a side character is joyful and handled with real warmth.
The audiobook is very well done and captures the fun of the story perfectly. Seriously, this narrator kicked butt.
My one complaint is that it runs a little long for what it is. There were stretches where I felt like I too was stuck at a job I couldn't leave, which is funny in concept but less fun in practice. A tighter edit would have served it well, in my opinion.
Still a really cute and enjoyable read!
Thank you to Tantor Audio for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
This is tongue-in-cheek and clever and commits fully to its own absurdity, which is exactly the right call for a story about how corporate culture and ambition are quite at home among demons. The idea that demons are genuinely shocked by humanity's capacity for cruelty is such a fun concept and the corporate hell parallels land with a lot of wit and charm.
Morgan's complicated relationship with her larger-than-life mother is another strong point and added some real emotional texture underneath all the humor. I really love the growth between Morgan and her mother. It was my favorite part. Luke is a sweet, charming cinnamon roll of a demon and I loved him. The trans rep from a side character is joyful and handled with real warmth.
The audiobook is very well done and captures the fun of the story perfectly. Seriously, this narrator kicked butt.
My one complaint is that it runs a little long for what it is. There were stretches where I felt like I too was stuck at a job I couldn't leave, which is funny in concept but less fun in practice. A tighter edit would have served it well, in my opinion.
Still a really cute and enjoyable read!
Thank you to Tantor Audio for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
May 14, 2026
Thank you Titan for my free ARC of Startup Hell by Caitlin Rozakis — out May 19!
» READ IF YOU «
😈 suspect your CEO might be making deals with devils
🖤 love a cinnamon roll demon who is adorably bad at his job
👩💼 ever felt like you weren’t making your parents proud
» SYNOPSIS «
Morgan’s mom is a legendary demon slayer, but Morgan herself is a junior salesperson at a tech startup that has no idea what it’s doing. When her boss croaks in the office and leaves behind a trapped demon, Morgan finds herself in hot water. Okay, so she’s in charge of marketing (yay), but now she’s got to damn two souls to save her own?!
» REVIEW «
First of all, the characters themselves are adorable. I’ve been that “wtf am I doing” junior associate at a tech startup before, and can confirm everything Morgan went through is not really that far-fetched. Plus, Luke? Adorable. A demon whose whole job is to get humans to sell their souls, but he is just a cinnamon roll who wants to do things to make people smile. What a duo.
Startup Hell is a seriously fun little fantasy romp, but Caitlin Rozakis also truly nails the specific misery of early “big girl career” life. The people-pleasing. The second-guessing. The what-do-we-even-make-here and how do I sell it and where’s the corporate slide deck template when you need it. Morgan's quest for confidence hums underneath the chaos and demonic absurdity, and it definitely made me feel more than I expected.
Corporate hellscape vs literal hellscape—is there really even a difference? A diabolically fun read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
» READ IF YOU «
😈 suspect your CEO might be making deals with devils
🖤 love a cinnamon roll demon who is adorably bad at his job
👩💼 ever felt like you weren’t making your parents proud
» SYNOPSIS «
Morgan’s mom is a legendary demon slayer, but Morgan herself is a junior salesperson at a tech startup that has no idea what it’s doing. When her boss croaks in the office and leaves behind a trapped demon, Morgan finds herself in hot water. Okay, so she’s in charge of marketing (yay), but now she’s got to damn two souls to save her own?!
» REVIEW «
First of all, the characters themselves are adorable. I’ve been that “wtf am I doing” junior associate at a tech startup before, and can confirm everything Morgan went through is not really that far-fetched. Plus, Luke? Adorable. A demon whose whole job is to get humans to sell their souls, but he is just a cinnamon roll who wants to do things to make people smile. What a duo.
Startup Hell is a seriously fun little fantasy romp, but Caitlin Rozakis also truly nails the specific misery of early “big girl career” life. The people-pleasing. The second-guessing. The what-do-we-even-make-here and how do I sell it and where’s the corporate slide deck template when you need it. Morgan's quest for confidence hums underneath the chaos and demonic absurdity, and it definitely made me feel more than I expected.
Corporate hellscape vs literal hellscape—is there really even a difference? A diabolically fun read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 26, 2026
3.75⭐️ This was a fun urban romantasy that satirizes office culture. Main character Morgan is working for Zabloom, a company whose CEO keeps changing what their product is. When her boss dies while summoning demon Lucareoth (Luke) to make a soul-exchange Deal, Lucareoth ends up freed from his salt circle and Morgan agrees to help him get home before he gets in trouble with his own boss. Things do not go as planned, and they end up needing to try to make a Deal for a soul at Zabloom.
The satire was amusing, as were Luke’s reactions to some of the things humans do. I enjoyed some of the side characters, especially Morgan’s roommate Gisele. There’s also a pet demon dog who might be my favorite character. However, the book did seem to drag in places, with some of the office satire becoming a bit repetitive. While overall I enjoyed the book, it didn’t quite live up to the promise of the author’s first two books. Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC. All my opinions are my own.
The satire was amusing, as were Luke’s reactions to some of the things humans do. I enjoyed some of the side characters, especially Morgan’s roommate Gisele. There’s also a pet demon dog who might be my favorite character. However, the book did seem to drag in places, with some of the office satire becoming a bit repetitive. While overall I enjoyed the book, it didn’t quite live up to the promise of the author’s first two books. Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC. All my opinions are my own.
May 19, 2026
Morgan works at a startup company. She is a total failure. Her family has magic, while she flunked out of magic school. Her mum is a total kickass huntress, and well Morgan is just trying to make rent.
And then her boss summons a demon and Morgan needs to fix this fast. First not let the mundane know, and second get rid of this demon.
Luke the demon is hot, and Morgan is obviously bad at magic. They must work together to fix the situation as it gets worse and worse.
Morgan was, well she was rather unhappy at times. And Luke, oh this demon was the sweetest! Demons have quotas too to fill, not his fault.
I did not know how, but it actually works out well in the end. Not to worry. I really had no idea how they would save the day.
The narration was good, and the narrator did a good job with different voices
And then her boss summons a demon and Morgan needs to fix this fast. First not let the mundane know, and second get rid of this demon.
Luke the demon is hot, and Morgan is obviously bad at magic. They must work together to fix the situation as it gets worse and worse.
Morgan was, well she was rather unhappy at times. And Luke, oh this demon was the sweetest! Demons have quotas too to fill, not his fault.
I did not know how, but it actually works out well in the end. Not to worry. I really had no idea how they would save the day.
The narration was good, and the narrator did a good job with different voices
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