After seeing that cover art, I couldn’t resist reading this book! And the book matches the cover. It’s a fun, somewhat irreverant story about a teen dating – and then breaking up from – the son of Satan.

Mica and her abuela moved from Puerto Rico to Stowe after her mom died. With her acceptance letter to UCLA burning a hole in her pocket, she can’t wait to get out of Vermont and out from under Abuela’s thumb, even if it means leaving her best friends – Zee, Barry and Rage – behind. After all, nothing ever happens in Stowe… at least until she bonds with the hottest guy she’s ever met over a book by her favorite horror author. Suddenly she can’t stop running into Sam everywhere and she’s more attracted to him than she’s ever been to anyone else. What does it matter if his sister is a total creep who somehow made her hallucinate horrific creatures with one touch? Or if she and her friends seem to suddenly be having strange visions and experiencing super speed and strength?

Mica is, as another character says, a “total badass.” But she’s also a regular teen girl who goes to Catholic school, trains at a local dojo, and works hard to keep her grades up. She appreciates that everything Abuela does for her is done out of love, but she still feels stifled by her expectations and frustrated that she refuses to tell Mica anything about her parents. It’s no surprise that she’s initially flattered by Sam’s attention. They bond over typical teen similarities. He complains about how he’s always trying to impress his dad, but it’s never enough, the same way Mica feels with her abuela. But gradually Mica realizes that things aren’t quite right, leading of course to the grand reveal.

“Barry hoots. “Well, let’s go find him, people!”
Rage whispers back, “B-Man, you could enjoy this just a little less.”
I look around at my tribe. I love these people. They’re ridiculous and motley, but they’re mine.”


The beginning’s a bit slow and it takes quite a while to get to the good part. I mean, the title is literally “Breakup from Hell”! We can guess right away who Sam is and we know they’re going to break up! But once it does get near that breakup, it’s a hilarious and somewhat tongue-in-cheek off-the-rails ride. My favorite parts of the book are whenever Mica and her friends are together. They felt like teens who had been friends for most of their lives and their hilarious banter reflected that, like Zee mentioning she’s a pacifist while being chased by an army of minions.

“Well, I guess we know now why our parents were so concerned we get a Catholic education that they built a freakin’ school,” I say, desperately trying to lighten the mood.
“I owe my parents an apology.”
“You? I thought it was a good idea to date the devil’s son! Brilliant, Mica.”


Parts of the story draw from Catholicism and the Bible in general. Mica and her friends go to a Catholic school, they go to Mass, and they interact with several nuns and brothers. It never feels preachy though, just a normal part of their life, and they’re regular teens who swear and mess up. As for me, I particularly liked how quotes from Revelation were woven into the plot.

So, overall, I’d give this a 3.5. It’s a lot of fun in an over-the-top and very enjoyable way, but the pacing issues were very prominent. With that said, I’d happily read another book about Mica and her friends!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Happy Pub Day!!
This was a interesting read and I found it almost comical how it made fun at some of the classic teen fantasy books to be honest

thank you #NetGalley for th ARC!

What a wicked ride! Breakup From Hell is a unique, fantasy take on the good versus evil, Angel versus devil theme that was spooky and fun at the same time. My heart was beating double time to the pulse racing finale, as I couldn’t stop reading. Fast paced and easy to read, full of crazy characters and creepy shadows, you’ll want to read this one.

I received an ARC of Breakup From Hell from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I seem to not be having much luck with ARCs lately. It's not that I haven't been enjoying them, but they've been a bit of a miss for me. The stories are interesting, but I'm struggling with the execution. I understand that it's a young adult-focused book, but I firmly believe that books should be able to be enjoyed by all ages, regardless of who they're written for.

Everything moved very fast in Breakup From Hell. Like, the speed of light fast. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around what was happening at any given moment. So many things were revealed in such a short period that I was starting to get whiplash, trying to follow everything. It all had a very deus ex machina feeling to it, which is kind of ironic considering it's a story about the devil.

And the dialogue was a little ... rough. While mimicking the flow of conversation can be difficult, the conversations between all the characters felt very stilted and forced. There were a couple times that I may have cringed a bit from how forced it was. Now, that's not to say that all of it was bad. But as the story went on, I noticed it more and more. I also have to say that Sam and Mica were never really dating. That's probably kind of a spoiler, but it really irked me. They sort of were, but not in the way that I would say warrants the whole debacle that occurs.

I really wanted to enjoy Breakup From Hell, and there were parts that I enjoyed. But this story just wasn't really for me.

Breakup From Hell is a book definitely geared for teens. The writing and the plot seemed to be a little all over the place but the premise and all the tropes are what kept me interested. I love tropes. I want all the tropes. Breakup From Hell has lots of tropes. Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets The Breakup (The Jennifer Anniston romcom). There are also some religious vibes but they're not overbearing.

This book was extremely fun -- I think it would be more fun if I were the target audience (the fact that this is a fantasy book with religious tones means it would make more sense to me and probably be more exciting if I had the biblical knowledge) -- but I know that it's going to delight SOMEBODY out there. I enjoyed having fun with the story parts of religion, without preaching on anyone -- the characters were all fully accepting and secure with themselves and their identities. It was an extremely diverse read! I wasn't too sure at first, but by the end, it had me totally hooked.

I think this book mostly suffers from it’s own title and description.

Looking at everything about this book, you know what it’s going to be about before you even open it. The title is BREAKUP From Hell. The description says “She has to leave Sam”. And yet our main character doesn’t even begin to think about breaking up with her boyfriend until 70% of the way through the story.

It’s not that the story itself is bad. Presented literally any other way, I would have had a lot of fun with this. We follow Mica, a girl living in a small, super religious town, as she meets and begins dating a boy. Soon after they begin dating, strange things start to happen to Mica, such as a sudden case of superspeed and visions of lava swallowing up the people in her town. Worse of all, her grandma seems to know something she doesn’t, yet refuses to talk to her about it.

The secrets, once revealed, are a little basic and overdone, but I didn’t mind. I really liked how this book made this story so incredibly Puerto Rican, a different spin than most books with this idea. But beyond that detail, I feel like I could pull out a stack of ten other books that all deal with the same “secret”, even down to the same lineage. Why is it always [name redacted for spoilers]? We can’t pick literally anyone else?

I also didn’t like the writing style in the beginning of this book in regards to Mica being Puerto Rican, nor how different the later section of this book felt in comparison. At the beginning of this book, a lot of Spanish words are translated or explained, even when they are ones I feel like a lot of people know. Maybe it’s because I spent 23 years living in Florida, but I don’t think there is a single person alive who doesn’t know what abuela means. Simultaneously, the ending of this book had full sentences entirely in Spanish without a single hint of translation. The two sections felt like two completely different books to me.

Once we get to the 70% point and Mica begins thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend, this book seems to go 0-100 on the apocalyptic fantasy elements. The first 70% of this book dragged, while the last 30% was honestly a little overwhelming. I think the details in this section were much more exciting and made for the best parts of the story, but having it be compacted into such a short section is one of my least favorite details about this book.

I think the bones of this story were good, but the way it was presented left me wishing I read a different story.

Wow! I was not expecting this! I mean, I should've had a hint from the title, but there was so much more. It starts as the usual instalove YA novel where Mica meets Sam and bond over their love for a book. She gets swept off her feet but strange things start to happen around her and her Abuela is more secretive than usual. The romance quickly takes a backseat and becomes almost unneeded as Mica gets closer to the truth. The writing is fast paced, and pretty funny without being pandering to the time. The characters were fleshed out enough that they were memorable, and the ending leaves it open for more books. I'll be keeping an eye out!

BREAKUP FROM HELL is fire! The premise is excellent--I was hooked the first time I saw the book's title. Mica has such a great voice and her interior monologue as she attends church and deals with conservative townspeople is excellent. Author Ann Davila Cardinal infuses this story with authenticity, humor, and spice.

This was a fast paced, quick fun read with quirky characters. I’m not a fan of paranormal but this one definitely made me laugh and enjoy it more. I love the cover and the concept that the book delivers as a whole.

Our main character knows her grandmother has been keeping a secret. Her life is ordinary and obedient until one day a handsome boy arrives. Soon she learns her roots and all that her grandmother has kept from her.

I say if you like a quick, funny, own voices paranormal story than this one’s for you

Before I even begin this review, there is to be more of this right? I would love to see the others gather and I would love to know more about Micha's friends and their own abilities. I find that they were just as fun and enjoyable as Micha herself.

Miguela (Micha) Angeles is feeling smothered. Not only by the town but also by her three best friends and her Abuela. Micha wants to get out of there. In fact, she finds that she has been accepted by UCLA and is looking forward to going there, but first, she will have to find a way to break this to everyone.

But her Abuela is keeping a secret. No matter how Micha tries, Abuela always tells her that it is never the right time. Things get even weirder when a handsome boy named Sam and his creepy sister arrive in town. Things begin to get weird for Micha. She finds herself having strange visions and abilities not normal for a human.

There is something about Sam that bothers Micha and when she learns his secret, she knows she will have to save not only the town she lives in but the entire world.

This was an enjoyable read. I found Micha a fun and well-rounded character. Her friends were great and wished they had more "air time" because honestly, I would love to know more about them. They seemed to be a lot of fun, especially Zee. Each character has a ton of potential for even their own stories.

As for the plot, I must say this was a far different experience than I anticipated.

Unique.

Different.

There was definitely room for the book to be longer than it was. The potential was there but never really executed. The insta-love thing is not my thing. I rather see a build-up when it comes to relationships but I also understand that this is meant to be a small novel and nothing more serious. I hope the author rethinks this and makes it into a possible series. Now that we have established the birthright of the four friends, the question is - are there others? I pose this question because we know He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is going to be angry and I am sure he is going to set his sights on Micha and her group again. So, are there others out there? And if so, will we see them?

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for giving me a chance to read this book and provide an honest review.

I really liked the concept for this book, but it didn’t quite reach the potential I was hoping for. That being said it is a fast paced engrossing story that I think a lot of people will really like. I expected a bit more of a romance with a bit more of a surprise (as least to the love interest herself) when it soured. This was instant “dating” but also suspicions from the start. I did like Mica’s friends and I liked Mica’s passions. I think all of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more. They read like cartoon or comic book characters more than characters in a novel. I think if the book had been slowed down and longer everything could have developed more deeply.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5150601301

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC of this!

This was a fast paced and fun read, full of friends, family, and angels and demons fighting. I binged it in one day and really enjoyed the characters and pacing. Overall, I enjoyed it.

I will be withholding my review until Harper gives their Harper Collins union workers a fair contract. Thank you again for the copy.

This was not quite what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised.
I assumed it was about relationships (which it was) but I didn’t realize it was more angels and demons than human.
The plot line and characters were interesting. I never really thought about demons on earth but this story made it plausible and entertaining.
There were some plot decisions that I found trite so the book didn’t wow me.
But I was entertained throughout so for those readers who enjoy angels and demons - I think you will enjoy it.

This was good! Very fast pace, honestly I chose this just for the cover because of how gorgeous it is. I liked the characters, but I think that the second half was a bit lacking, but it was good enough that I finished it through. I loved the dynamic between Mica and Sam, I think they worked really well together!

Holy hell… literally! This was everything I wanted! Romance gone wrong, chosen family, and all the biblical lore! This book gripped me from the start and when the action ramped up, I couldn’t put it down! Amazing writing from Ann Davila Cardinal and definitely a book you don’t want to miss.

This was a fun, quick, and entertaining read, The writing really sucked me in, and with the unique story, I didn't want to put it down. I loved Mica and her relationship with her friends and her Abuela and really empathized with her as she tried her best to be and do what her Abuela wanted while still trying to also be herself. Zee was my favorite, she was so fun and quirky, and someone I would love to call a friend.

Mica meets a boy that checks all of her boxes and seems absolutely perfect... At least until some weird stuff starts going down whenever he and his sister are around. Then Mica and her friends begin to have strange visions, which seem to center around an apocalypse-like event. Thankfully they quickly realize Sam and his sister are at the center of what's going on and head off to do some digging and discover what's really happening in their small Vermont town.

There was a lot for Mica and her friends to discover, in which I really enjoyed seeing everything uncovered. Micha and Zee's trip to the library was one of my favorite moments. I also really enjoyed the ending where the action really picked up and we get an epic battle that had me on the edge of my seat.

I would definitely read another book by this author!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Breakup from Hell by Ann Davila Cardinal revolves around Mica, who enjoys reading horror books and watching supernatural TV shows. One day, she meets the most handsome guy at the bookstore. Sam is new in town, mysterious, and the guy of Mica's dreams. But then Mica and her close friends start gaining terrifying new powers. Is Sam more than meets the eye?

Here is a romantic excerpt from Chapter 1:

"He’s speaking to me. My stomach starts to flutter. I turn around slowly, clutching a copy of Vermont: A Haunted History to my chest as if it were armor. “Yes?”
It comes out like a question, as if I’m asking him if I work here. But then I look at him and forget every stupid thing I’ve ever said.
His eyes are huge, and up close the brown seems to swirl as if just stirred. And his skin, it’s so perfect, it damn near glows. He is literally the best-looking human I’ve ever seen in real life, and in that moment, I have no idea what to do with my hands, how to stand, how to even breathe, so I just rock back and forth a bit."

Overall, Breakup from Hell is a YA contemporary fantasy that will appeal to fans of Supernatural or 2022's The Invitation movie. One highlight of this book are the dashes of horror and romance. If you like bad boys, you will enjoy reading this book. Another highlight of this book are the fiery visions of the end of the world. It's not often that I see themes like this in YA fantasy. One final highlight is that the main character is Hispanic. I completely support more diversity in the YA fantasy genre, and it was nice to see this. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA contemporary fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!

A young girl falls in love with a dark mysterious man...who is a demon?
This book is a fantastic story. It reminded me of the TV show "Lucifer", but aimed more towards younger audiences. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. However, I am hesitant to add it to the collection at the middle school library. The student demographic leans towards the conservative side of politics. Because of this I am cautious to bring the book into the library to avoid a spark in disapproval from the community.
However, the story was very sweet and romantic. Personally, I will be adding it to my private library. After re-reading the book after it's release, I will then binge watch "Lucifer" again.