**I received an ARC from Entangled Teen through Netgalley, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this copy.**

This was my first novel by Chris Cannon, but I’m sure it will not be my last. I love paranormal reads, so I could not wait to dive into this one. The author has a knack for drawing the reader in from the beginning. I instantly connected to bookworm Meena with her love for libraries and buying books. I adore that she took a job to pay for her book spending habits.

There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. The introduction of the crossroads demon was unique. I appreciated the quirkiness of the side characters and the humor throughout the book. Sometimes, the banter between Meena and Bane reminded me of a Buffy episode. I always enjoy alternating viewpoints, and I found reading from Meena then Jake’s perspective kept me turning the pages.

At times, there were aspects of the story that bothered me, such as Jake’s internal dialogue and his thoughts about Meena not being the usual type of girl he dates, but he immediately starts kissing her. The insta-love happened pretty quickly into the story. I just wish there had been more time spent developing their romance throughout the course of events in the story.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone who might like to read a different type of YA paranormal with a hint of humor. I would rate it 3.5/5 stars.

Demon Bound was a paranormal story that was cute and unique. Witches, demons, vampires and even spirits were in this story and it all felt like a fresh take on them. I was fascinated learning the rules for the magic and the creatures were oh so interesting! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect to Meena or Jake. But if you adore paranormal stories, definitely check this one out!

I’d love to say that I’m a sparkly unicorn, but I’m more like my cats Marshmallow and Pumpkin… I’d rather eat, take naps, and ignore the world.


This story alternated between Jake and Meena, and I liked both of them right away. Meena's thoughts made me laugh and Jake seemed like he had all the potential to be a book boyfriend. But right from the start, they were lost, just like me. We met Carol, Meena's new boss, and Carol's friend Zelda, who was kind of like a distant Aunt to Jake. Carol and Zelda's comments and words were so over the top and matter of fact that it was hard not to laugh. And with a séance gone wrong, we quickly dived into the magical world around them. It was definitely a magical ride.

I had a vague memory of when my life had been normal. When no one threw knives at me and people answered questions without strange fetishy requests.
I missed that time.


Unfortunately, I wasn't ever to connect to Jake and Meena. No matter how much I liked them. But I enjoyed watching them learn about each other and how fast their friendship was formed. It had an insta-love feel to it, but being introduced to the paranormal world can definitely do that to some! And I liked how protective Jake was of Meena. Especially when it came to Bane. Bane was a powerful demon who wreaked havoc on the town they lived in. But I saw him as a weirdo who was beyond creepy. Bane had a hair fetish that made me want to teach him about boundaries. So I kept hoping that someone in this story would take him down! For good.

“This town might be infested with demons.” I leaned down and brushed my lips across hers. “But it has its perks.” And then I kissed her for real.


Demon Bound was a fluffy paranormal book that made me smile and laugh. I enjoyed that this story never made me nervous, that I just got to sit back and enjoy the story. Even if it hit some more serious topics throughout this story. The ending stopped at the perfect spot to give us a happily for now. Yet there's still so many different paths this story could take in the future. I hope you have a lot of fun discovering this book too!

I'm definitely not an ebook girl, but when this one came round from Entangled Teen, I couldn't say no! It reminds me of a cross between BUFFY and SUPERNATURAL. You've got strong female characters in a town full of almost every paranormal type creature/critter you can think of (well, I mean it IS called CROSSROADS, so yeah...Sam and Dean would totally love this place)...living somewhat harmoniously. Unexpected? Yep...but things don't stay so calm and collected for long...and when things explode, BOY do they do so with spectacular results! You've got witches now working for Bane (a demon that enjoys his lot in life so much, he's made a business out of it). our girl Meena being drafted into the biz thanks to way too many loopholes in a supposed summer job contract with said demon having a bigger interest in her than simply her soul, magical powers appearing along with familiars that have smizing (when in human form) down pat, our boy Jake getting his rear handed to him time and time again either by the women in his life or readers, like me (yeah, Jake...so wanted to knock some sense into your unfortunately not unfortunate fanged face), and SO MUCH MORE! No, really...do yourself a favor and GET THIS BOOK because you won't be able to put it down. I wonder if they'll be more from the town of Crossroads because as FABULOUS as this one...that could be SO freaking interesting!

Chris Cannon's Demon Bound is a paranormal romance set in a small town called Crossroads which apparently is somewhere in Southern Illinois. 17-year old Meena Holland calls Crossroads home. Entertainment consists of the diner, library, pageants and bonfires. Meena spends a good portion of her time hiding out in the library. She lives in books and can’t wait to go away to college. But, books cost money, and Meena needs to find a summer job quickly. Meena decides to apply for part-time cleaning lady for Old Lady Winslow aka Wacky Winslow.

Carol, her real name, warns Meena not to mess with the salt, it's everywhere, and she has a cat named Goblin who we will learn more about shortly. Meena's first job is to pick up a package from a woman named Zelda who is supposed to be a fortune teller. Here is where Meena meets Jake Grant. Jake has just moved to Crossroads and has been told that working for Zelda will build character. Jake and his mother have moved from town to town while his mother moved from one man to another. What Jake doesn't know, is that Witches, demons, ghosts, and vampires also make Crossroads their home, which makes for some interesting dynamics.

The story actually alternates between Meena and Jake. Almost immediately after meeting, Meena and Jake are practically fawning over the other and quickly begin an interesting dynamic that is filled with insecurity and jealousy when Meena learns that a sexy vampire named Sybil is pining after his body. The trouble begins in earnest when Carol tries to summon a minor demon and ends up summoning Bane instead which ends up with Carol being collared. Carol has been a torn in Bane's side by attempting to convince people not to make deals with him.

Bane has a monopoly of collecting the souls of the fine folk of Crossroads. With Carol and Zelda in a time out, as it were, Meena who works for Carol, now has to work for Bane collecting souls. She gets a shiny new bracelet that calls her every time that Bane needs her for a job. Becoming Bane's human relations person isn't all that it's cracked up to be. In the meantime, Meena tries to find a way to break the contract so that she doesn't have to waste her summer working for Bane. She also decides to try to find a way to save her mother who was bipolar and tried to commit suicide. Her mother has been in a coma for 3 years.

Meena also learns that her father has avoided Bane for half his life. Bane tried to offer him a remedy of saving her mother, but the risk of his own soul, no way. Meena also learns that she may be a witch after Sage appears and claims her. Oh, and Sage can also take human form and is something of an Italian hottie with his own credit card and money. Carol also has a familiar named Goblin who can also take human form. He is very protective of Carol who seems almost clueless as to how she can regain her freedom from Bane.

This is my first Cannon novel. I did not read the authors previous series Going Down in Flames. The ending is perhaps the story could do. The resolution to Meena's issue with Bane is pretty extreme but not going to be all judgy about it. I also didn't like Jake all that much towards the ending. He finds himself on a separate crusade when he spent much of the book trying to protect Meena. There needs to be more said about the Father as well. He accepted things all too easily once Meena started digging into her heritage. I will give him prop for refusing Bane's numerous offers, however.

**For more reviews visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

Meena is looking for a summer job and doesn't want to do the normal teenager thing of flipping burgers so instead she interviews to clean the house of the local eccentric lady. Meena is so excited to have gotten hired on the spot but she is less so when on her first day she finds out that Demons are real and now she is involved in their world. But the bright spot is meeting Jake, the nephew of the new age store owner who also finds himself thrown head first into this dangerous, crazy world. Hopefully together they can survive the summer and figure out a way to escape this mess.

I have read multiple books about demons but never have I read one like this before and I mean that in the best of ways. I liked how the author played up the crossroads demon concept, where this town is basically controlled by making all kinds of deals with demons and everyone is aware of it. It is not a secret like it has always been before, but instead it seems to be how everyone gets ahead. Not only do we have the paranormal aspect in this book, there is the very serious and realistic portrayal of mental health that is woven through the storyline, impacting one of the character's choices and life overall. And don't forget that there was romance peppered in here too (which was awesome since it was told in alternating POVs), actually making the book fairly romantic for a story dealing with demons and bad deals.

Overall I found Demon Bound to be cute, different and pretty fun, even while dealing with some darker topics, the author was able to keep the tone light and the pacing fast. I recommend this for anyone who likes romances, ya drama, and supernatural stories, especially those with a new twists. I have read many books by this author and enjoyed each one and look forward to more.

2.7 for me.

Meena and Jake are seventeen years old, living in a small town they thought would go nowhere past bonfires and pageants. Meena's generations back and Jake is the new kid in town. It's the summer, Meena's got a job going with Carol, Weirdo One, and Jake is helping out his aunt, Weirdo Two. And then Weirdo One and Weirdo Two reveal what Crossroads really is about and the teenagers, after deciding that they liked having the other around, go into all the woo-woo together.

The writing was too fast-paced. Nothing lingered nicely, the characters were moved like chess pieces and to imply that there is any chemistry between Meena and Jake is laughable. I say this in the nicest way possible, because I got more out of Bane and Meena (and okay maybe Jake and Sybil toward the end) than I did the supposed couple. The beginning felt rushed, and maybe it's because of how fast-paced the writing was, but it made their reaction to the existence of magic seem unrealistic and jagged. Add in the lack of romance and all the petty drama, and you have a book I wish I could get into more.

Every book I read by this author gets better and better. This was a take on demons I had never read before. I loved Jake and Meena. I really hope there are more books to come, especially if those two are the leads.

I never thought I'd say this, but I think Demon Bound was too fast paced for my tastes. There was solid characters, and the plot was exciting. However, when put all together, there was too much happening at one time for me to really immerse myself in their world and connect with Meena and Jake.

This book had it all: witches, demons, vampires, talking cats, an absent mother, a mother in a coma, and so on. Personally, I do think that some of it could have been cut back. Perhaps Meena and Jake didn't have to find out about the existence of everything at on time. That would have slowed the pace down a bit and allowed me to get to know Meena as a witch better. However, I can only imagine what they will happen upon in the next book.

I will probably check out the next book in the Crossroads Chronicles series because I feel like I was hoping for something from Demond bound that I didn't quite get yet. I really want to learn more about Meena as a witch and the history of Crossroads. Will I see more of what I'm looking for in the next installment? I'm not sure. I have my fingers crossed though.

If you enjoy stories that are packed to the brim with stuff, I'd recommend you check out Demon Bound. Sadly, it wasn't quite my reading tastes and was overall an okay read for me.

2 1/2 stars

One of the most disappointing elements of reading is when a major plot point hinges on faulty logic. In Demon Bound, Meena signs a work contract with Carol, to clean, run errands, etc. After Meena sign’s the contract, Carol accidentally becomes bound to a demon named Bane, which somehow consequently means that Meena is bound to Bane because of this contract. So Meena spends much of the book looking through supernatural writings to find a way to dissolve her contract with Carol. Ugh. In the real world, guess what would happen? Both Carol and Meena would dissolve their contract because they would be in mutual agreement. And, because both Carol and Meena are human, they could do the same in the novel. Deal done. Of course, it might mean book done too so that little gem of logic never appears.

While there are some fun aspects to Demon Bound like shapeshifting familiars, a really cool vampire named Sybil, and the eccentric characters of Zelda and Carol, the novel is undermined by stilted writing that’s dialogue driven, flat characters, and lack of variety. Seriously, does every other scene need to be based around eating, especially ice cream? And, when a very sad event happens, it’s given so little emotional import that it sealed my feelings on this novel. The characters literally decided to have ice cream–again.

‘Nuff said. Let’s hope my next fictional read of 2020 is better.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars — Hmmm…there were a lot of very intriguing elements to this story, some seriously unique stuff that has me curious where the series is going. But honestly? There was something missing…I had a hard time connecting with Meena and Jake. I needed something more to really draw me in.

I think part of my problem is actually that there was a LOT happening in this story, and it made things feel rushed and I didn’t get a chance to really sink myself into who Meena and Jake were as people outside of all the paranormal shiznit. And since characters are my bag, that was definitely a failing. I was also wary about their relationship with one another, especially with the strange attractions to Bane and Sybil standing in the wings. And since this author has switched up love interests in other series, I was wary about investing in them as a couple.

Meena was a bit too impulsive and accepting of all the craziness. I guess Jake was a bit too. And I was unsatisfied with Jake’s wishy washiness at the end, especially since we don’t know why. It just didn’t make him a very swoony hero. I was especially dissatisfied with Meena’s relationships with her Dad and the Mom stuff too…it needed something more.

Now, besides the MCs and the jam-packed plot/world, there were a few shining stars. I thought Carol and Zelda were intriguing, and wouldn’t have minded some more with them. I loved the parts where Aunt Zelda and Jake connected and he started to feel like he belonged. I also LOVED the familiars. They were hands down my favourite of this book! Obviously Goblin was awesome, but the star was Sage for me. They amused me, but they also brought heart.

Basically this book needed a bit more focus and depth. I’m not likely to read anymore, because I’m just not invested enough.

Not my usual read (A Young Adult book) but the backcover sounded really interesting.

It’s time to get a summer job, (books aren’t cheap, and Meena is a avid reader) but seventeen year old Meena doesn’t like or do hairnets, so it’s a cleaning job. And lucky her, the crazy lady (or Wacky Winslow as she’s called) in the town is wanting help..... Only Meena gets more than she bargains for.
Carol (Meena’s new boss) tries summoning a minor demon and gets not a minor demon, but the big man (demon) a soul collector, and now he has Carol working for him, and as Meena works for Carol, she also now works for the Demon Bane. And the big surprise, the town is full of people who made a promise to the Demon for more time to enjoy the life they had always wanted.
They’ve signed over their souls, well their time period is up, and now the Demon is collecting payment. Well actually Meena is now.

Jake is expecting a quiet visit to his aunts, what he got was a whole lot of action and adventure. And the unwanted attention of a vampire, (she wants to turn him, and keep him with her forever!!) the only bit of this town he likes is Meena, he should just leave and not come back, but he can’t, and the reason he thinks is Meena.

There are vampires, Demons and all manner of things that go bump in the night, and they all live in the town.
We have a vampire that wants Jake for her own. We have people trying to get out of the bargains they made with the Demon. And that’s where Meena comes into it, (at the moment Meena is just an errand runner, will that change?)
And Meena is now on their radar. Is she in danger, you bet she is (as a messenger to the Demon, the souls that need collecting will try to kill her to escape or give themselves more time)

Is Meena feeling guilty for taking people away? (You’ll have to read to find out) It’s really well written, descriptive and the attention to detail is really good. I feel there will be more to Bane and Meena as the series continues. And I felt the attraction between Meena and Jake could have been a little more decisive. And the female Vampire that’s after Jake.... will it alter how he feels about Meena, and will she get her fangs into Jake?
But give it a go and decide for yourself.

*i received this book for an honest review. All views are my own*

🦋

If you enjoy paranormal romances with relatable characters, this book is next on your TBR! 

We follow the main character who is one of the most relatable personalities that I've read in awhile! She's an introverted bookend just trying to maintain her growing book piles. 

But when she has to get a job, her life is thrown into a paranormal hole she didn't realize her town had. Witches and demons are the least of her worries when she meets a boy that will set her world on fire! 

I ended up giving this one 3 out of 5 stars. It's the perfect read for the fall/Halloween season, but is also great if you wish in was that spooky time!

As a long term romantiphobe it makes zero sense that I eagerly await the next book by an author who writes romance novels, but that’s the voodoo Chris Cannon has somehow managed to place upon me. After laughing at myself because of my accidental enjoyment of my first few Chris Cannon reads, I now get smiley when I realise there’s a new book on the horizon. See? Voodoo!

I don’t have to work to get into Chris’ books. I’m sucked in right about the time the main character is described as a bookworm. So, about page 1.

Meena lives in Crossroads, a small town in Southern Illinois with farmhouses and cornfields, a place she describes as “boring with a huge helping of judgmental”. Entertainment in Crossroads consists of the diner, library, pageants and bonfires. Meena isn’t a pageant kind of girl, unlike her older sister, so she spends a good portion of her time hiding out in the library. She lives in books and can’t wait to go away to college.

All of the trouble that follows Meena applying for a summer cleaning job with Carol can be traced back to her need to feed her addiction to books, but as a fellow hopeless book addict I understand the pain of the money to book ratio only too well.

“One of the reasons I liked to live in books is that real life mostly let me down.”

Meena’s new job also requires she collects Carol’s orders from Madame Zelda, a fortune teller, whose nephew (sort of) is staying with her for the summer. I say ‘sort of’ because Zelda is actually Jake’s mother’s second husband’s aunt. Naturally Meena and Jake cross paths and then they’re practically insta-kissing, followed soon after by some insecurity and jealousy, then more kissing.

“I was kind of afraid he’d forget about me as soon as another girl came along.”

Previous Chris Cannon books I’ve read have been fun, bantery smooch-fests. This book also features some lip locking but a tad less banter than I’ve come to expect from Chris’ books. However, this one also includes some entertaining supernatural elements.

Witches, demons, spirits and vampires also make Crossroads their home, which makes for some interesting dynamics. Along with the good ol’ faithfuls like spells, wards and salt lines, there are also imaginative additions like Super Soakers fuelled with holy water! I chuckled whenever a vampire said something “sucked”.

“Is it just me, or do you have a sense of impending doom?”

My favourite characters were Sybil, the vampire, and the familiars, Goblin and Sage. Bane, the crossroads demon, was an early contender but he creeped me out with his desire to keep touching Meena’s hair. He’s not the only supernatural being who seems fuzzy on the whole consent thing.

“You’re reading about demons? I’m flattered.”

Carol and Zelda, who seemed quite powerful in the lead up to the events in this book, disappointed me by seeming to accept the hands they were dealt without the fight that I expected from them. If there’s a sequel I’d love to see what they’re truly capable of.

It’s not a Chris Cannon book if I don’t get to drool over the food. I craved apple pie, pizza, hamburgers, chocolate shakes, cake, donuts, cinnamon rolls, bacon, and ice cream during this book.

“Remember our family motto,” my dad said. “With ice cream, everything is possible.”

A few niggles and question marks (spoilers are included here!!):

I personally found some of the terms used, including “batshit crazy” and “nuts”, cringey. I also feel the language used when discussing suicide is important, so much prefer seeing ‘died by’ rather than ‘committed’ suicide.

When Meena says early on, “No, but it might explain the drinking”, she’s talking about Jake’s father. I’ve checked a few times and definitely acknowledge I could have missed something but as far as I can tell the only parent whose drinking had been mentioned up to that point was Meena’s father.

There’s a door that’s too small for Meena and Jake to use but when it’s opened from the other side they have no problem entering the room. I didn’t see any indication that the door changed size in the meantime.

Sage, Meena’s familiar, uses a credit card when he’s in human form. I wondered where he stores this when he transforms into a cat again. Also, what happens to the human clothing of familiars when they transform?

I may have misread this but there was a section which seemed to imply that dementia is a mental illness. My understanding is that dementia is a condition of the brain and sure, comorbidities with mental illnesses can and do exist, but isn’t one itself.

If Meena leaves her body for a week while she’s astral projecting, how did she not die of dehydration? Did the people around her physical body somehow get her to drink during that time? (Not to mention her bodily functions.)

When Jake says, “Did you call me to start a fight?”, it was he who called Meena, not the other way around.

I wanted to know more about the physical, emotional and behavioural impacts of being on a demon’s payment plan. One character mentions being more quick to anger since they’ve lost part of their soul but I’m greedy; if a concept like having your soul gradually removed is introduced, I want to know exactly how it works.

While this story is self contained there’s definitely room for a sequel. I’ll be hitching a ride to Crossroads if the story continues. I need to see a pageant in this town!

Content warnings include mention of mental health and attempted suicide.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Teen, an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC, for the opportunity to read this book.

It's a great story and very well-written. The author has built a very interesting world. It has demons, vampires, and most importantly romance. It's a fantasy YA novel told from the point of view of Meena and Jake. Both teens experience a summer they will not forget any time soon.

"I’d love to say that I’m a sparkly unicorn, but I’m more like my cats Marshmallow and Pumpkin… I’d rather eat, take naps, and ignore the world."

I waffled a lot on the rating for this one. Chris Cannon's books are normally five stars for me. But, while I am pretty sure Meena is my spirit animal, (see quote above) and the world building and characters were intriguing, there was one aspect that didn't work quite right for me.

The romance was lacking. I don't want to call it insta-love (which I actually don't mind) but other than the last chapter it didn't feel like Meena and Jake were actually in love. More like insta-dating or insta-making out. Their attraction to each other seemed to stem from the fact that they were the only 2 teenagers in the book.

I will read the next one (there will be a next one, right?) because I am a Chris Cannon junkie. I just hope Meena and Jake's chemistry improves. Also, definitely want to see more of the familiars. They were my favorite.

Meena needs a summer job and it's either cleaning for the eccentric old woman Carol whom the town calls a Witch or getting a job as a fast-food waitress and she is allergic to hairnets. Meena gets the job for Carol and is sent out on her first errand to pick up parcels from another town witch Zelda. Instead, she meets her grandson Jake. Unable to find the exact parcels, they head back to Carol's to find Aunt Zelda there as well and it's going to be an eye-opener for Meena and Jake about this town as also there is Bane - a head Demon. Apparently, when Zelda and Carol were trying to summon a minor demon they got him instead and now he has captured Carol to work for him and since Meena had a contract with Carol, it has now transferred to Bane. Meena's summer job will be collecting payments from all those who sold their souls to the demons in exchange for ten extra years doing what they love. During this time her eyes will be opened as she learns just how many people in her town had sold their soul and along the way learn about the reasons why. During the book as well, Jake has captured the attention of Sybil - the vampire and she is eager to turn him into one of her own. Can Meena break her contract before the end of the summer is over and will she also be able to save her mother who has been in a coma for three years as we learn more about her mother too and her father's refusal to sell his soul to save her? Demon Bound was a good YA read by Chris Cannon - however, I did enjoy her Going Down in Flames series better which was why I grabbed Demon Bound in the first place to read.

The story line for this book drew me in. While I did enjoy the story it needed to be a bit more. Meena's mom's part just sort of fizzled. It seemed like it should have been more. Meena's character wasn't one of my favorites but I did like Jake's. For being strong witches that have protected the town from demons all these years they also seem to have fizzled out. They didn't seem as potent as their past makes them. Overall it was an enjoyable read but it could have used more depth to the story and characters.

I read a fair amount of YA, although I'm far from the demographic. This one however didn't work for me. It felt really young. The characters weren't well developed and the romance was super quick and unsupported. Maybe a much younger reader would find this enjoyable.

DEMON BOUND is an engaging YA fantasy that follows two teens, Meena and Jake, over an unforgettable summer. Meena is a booknerd in a family of pageant princesses. She has been looking for a summer job that does not involve fast food. When she sees an ad to work for an eccentric woman and do cleaning, Meena is willing to do it. However, after signing the contract, the things the woman has been ranting about come true and a demon has now forced her to work for him.

At the same time, she met Jake, somewhat related to Zelda, a woman who has an occult shop that Meena's new boss sent her to. Meena's new job is about to get a lot more difficult when she finds out that she has to help collect souls for the demon Bane, who also seems to have a lot of interest in her and playing with her hair.

Welcome to Crossroads- a place where the supernatural hides in plain sight. With demons, vampires, ghosts, and more, this summer is anything but boring.

The romance was super fast and not well-developed, but it was likely faster because of the intensity of scenarios they are in. I did not mind it much overall, as they aren't so serious and it felt very teenaged (so appropriate for character age). There is also a love square that seems to be developing, and I definitely want to see where that goes.

The book feels a lot like Cannon's GOING DOWN IN FLAMES series, so this will definitely fill the gap that the series ending left. However, the world and characters are all new, and the world-building is good. It felt like a fast read because it was hard to put down, and it was overall really enjoyable. Would highly recommend for fans of Cannon's work.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Demons, vampire oh my! A new and exciting world full of demon contracts, witches and vampires all centered in this small town of Crossroads. I really enjoyed the concept but it was kind of hard for me to get into. I’ll be honest I didn’t care much for the main character, I did like Jake’s character more but still there was just something missing not only with the characters but the story itself. The concept was interesting though just lacked the seriousness and depth to make me really care for what was going on.