God finally gave X what she asked for. If only he would teach her how to use it.
After three years and more creepy demons than she’d care to recall, Emme Vaughn has finally found her mama. Only the reunion doesn’t go as X expected. It’s not easy adapting to a new life in New Orleans, with a mother who was possessed by the devil until recently and a stepfather she didn’t know existed. Especially when a mysterious stranger, her stepfather’s charming and handsome protégé Jean-Paul, drives a wedge between Emme and Francis. Is the enigmatic outsider trying to replace her man? Or does he have a more sinister plan— one she couldn’t have imagined?
Haunted by a mysterious ghost and threatened by a demon in her mama’s house, X gets ready to rumble. She dons God’s armor to face the evil force that has hunted her all her life, but first she must cast aside the little girl act and draw strength from all the celestial and worldly friends who have guided her this far. Once and for all, the devil has it coming . . . Exorsistah style.
Claudia Mair Burney is the author of the novel Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White, as well as the Amanda Bell Brown Mysteries and the Exorsista series for teens. Her work has appeared in Discipleship Journal magazine, The One Year Life Verse Devotional Bible, and Justice in the Burbs. She lives in Michigan with her husband, five of their seven children, and a quirky dwarf rabbit.
First of all, this was a fast read and the action kept it moving. But I was confused as to who the audience was. There were many references to people like Cab Calloway, Stevie Wonder, Louis Armstrong, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sylvia Plath used as comparisons or examples. Considering the main character is an 18 year old girl (Emme) who sounds like her education had been disrupted, I doubt if these are the persons/books that would come to mind for her. Obviously, the book was written for Charismatic Catholics which is a pretty narrow audience, but without a good biblical education and study of the saints, I can imagine young adults would be completely confused and conservative Christians would be turned off by the ghosts/demons/possessions end of it. That said, there is a scene in the book that is most impressive. Emme's fiance, Francis, sits her down and explains to her the effect flirting, french kissing, etc has on a man who is trying to keep their relationship chaste. Emme finally has the "aha" moment. I was also inspired by the power of prayer in this book and although our "demons" may not physically appear to us, we all have daily choices in which we decide whether or not to "take the high road".
I loved this book! Emme is back in book 3 and is finally reuniting with her dear mother. She walks right into family drama with her new stepfather and a mysterious family friend named Jean-Paul. Emme is pulled away from her darling Francis and they both battle demons, a mysterious death and the realization that Emme must confront the demons of her past before she can battle the ones of the present. The future of her family is at stake and Emme must trust God with her hardest challenge ever! I hope the author continues their story.
Emme, or X, is battle weary and a little out of sorts with her fiance, Francis, when they travel to New Orleans to see Emme's mother, whom Emme hasn't seen in 3 years. When they arrive in New Orleans, a ghost pops into Emme's view at the most inopportune times; she meets her mom's new man; and she's 'haunted' by a tasty guy, Jean-Paul, who anchors himself between Emme and Francis. It's enough to make Emme's head spin, and the battle isn't only between good and evil...the battle is also within Emme herself as she sorts out who she is and what she wants.
The writing is smooth and fluid, the dialogue is excellent, and the story fairly gripping once you hit the halfway point. I'm not a huge fan of reading scripture in my fiction, but that's a personal preference on my part and in no way detracts from the story. X Restored is the sequel to The Exorsistah, and I could pick up most of the backstory through seamless references throughout even though I haven't read the first title.
This story is more character driven than plot driven. It's about Emme healing and finding herself. Though she is an exorsist, there is only one exorsism, and that one not very exciting. The plot itself is rather loose: it's pretty apparent early on who the bad guy is, the hauntings are not very scary, and the reader is left questioning what happened to the ghost at the end, which is never explained. Overall, not much really happens in this story and the Grip-O-Meter is relatively flat, so if you are looking for an exciting read that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, this isn't the book you for you. If you are looking for a nice read with uplifting and motivational spiritual references, this is a must-read.
Having read the previous two books I was so looking forward to this ending. The plot was thick with twists and turns and each character played their part and just didn't fill up space. BUT I will say the Jean-Paul was weird. And I did get a little annoyed at parts when Francis and Emme had stupid fights or misunderstanding with all they been though I didn't understand. And Boko...sweet jesus (@__@), can't say much about that fool. The ending surprised me as well as disapointed me, I'm glad that it ended the way it did but I'm sad that the story ened in a way that left me asking questions and asking "is that it??"