An enjoyable quick read, it was a fun unserious thriller. I enjoyed it alot. Felt like I was reading scream.

Demon Summer by JJ Buffet starts with an intriguing setup—small town secrets, a demonic twist, and a summer that spirals into chaos. The concept had me hooked, and there were definitely moments of humor and eerie suspense that kept me reading.

That said, the pacing felt uneven, with a middle section that dragged and characters that could’ve used a bit more depth. Some of the dialogue leaned into cliché, and I found myself wishing for higher stakes or more emotional resonance as things unraveled. It’s not a bad book by any means—just one that didn’t quite live up to the potential of its premise.

Fans of quirky horror with a YA feel might still enjoy it, especially if you're looking for something light and campy.

This was a fun read. Not what I was expecting but good. It was a good quick read. It made me hungry all the talk about food. Thanks NetGallery!

I really enjoyed this book and rated it 5 stars….This book was so much fun….i think the author should have included a playlist 😂

Demon Summer was a short, fun, and campy YA horror read. What initially drew me in was the cover—it totally sold the vibe!

✨ Huge thanks to NetGalley, J.J. Buffet, and Snaxtime for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. Always grateful for the chance to read early! ✨

This was such a fun quick throwback read. Demon Summer reminded me of everything I loved growing up on Goosebumps and Christopher Pike. It had that perfect blend of creepy, campy, and quick-paced horror.

If you’re a fan of retro-style scares with a little bite and a lot of fun, this one delivers. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which made it even more enjoyable. I had a great time reading it and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves nostalgic horror with a modern twist.

📚 Vibes & Highlights:
• Campy horror
• Creepy summer setting
• Quick and fun
• Retro scary story energy
• Perfect for fans of Goosebumps and Christopher Pike

Demon Summer by J.J. Buffet is the kinda book that makes you go, “Okay wait... did that just happen?” It’s campy, chaotic, and weirdly addictive—in the best possible way.

Zane inherits a house in a town literally called Paradise Falls (big horror red flag right there), starts working at a fast food joint (Snaxtime lol), and accidentally summons a demonic succubus with a taste for boys. Like?? It gave Fear Street meets Stranger Things but with a drive-thru menu and queer chaos. I was locked in.

The vibes are super retro horror—think 90s R.L. Stine with a splash of Charmed and a few cursed fries on the side. The humor was dark, the tension was high, and the pacing? Fast like Snaxtime service. I loved the cast of characters (Star and Dexter are icons, actually), and Hunter? Mysterious hot boy energy turned up to 100. I totally get why Zane was spiraling.

That said, it’s not super deep or revolutionary, but it knows it’s not. It leans hard into the B-movie aesthetic and absolutely nails it. Is it messy? Yes. Is it over the top? Also yes. But did I eat it up like demon fries? Absolutely.

Perfect for when you want something spooky but fun, fast but flavorful. Give me horror with heart and hotness, and I’m sold.

Would I survive a summer in Paradise Falls? No. Would I still show up to Snaxtime for my shift? Also no, but I’d definitely read the sequel.

Can we just take a second to appreciate the cover? I am obsessed with it! I loved that this book was not serious. It was so fun and it was exactly what I needed. I highly recommend picking up this book!

I absolutely loved this as it gave me the feeling of Mannequin meets evil dead. Cheesy dialogue that works for the storyline and throw in an accidental summon of a succubus and you have the makings of this book. This was a fun read for me in between reading non fiction. I can't wait to purchase the book. I definitely could see a series of books after reading this one. 4.6/5

Thank you Netgalley and Snaxtime for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

J.J. Buffet’s “Demon Summer” is an outrageously fun, nostalgic, and blood-splattered love letter to 80s horror, B-movies, and classic Goosebumps-style thrills. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, R.L. Stine, and anyone who likes their supernatural horror with a big side of cheesy humor, this fast-paced YA novel offers pure, campy entertainment from start to finish. This is easily a book you can finish in a single sitting, and you will love absolutely every minute of reading this book.

The story kicks off with a chilling prologue set 300 years in the past before launching into the present day, where we meet Zane, a teenager looking for a fresh start in Paradise Falls. After inheriting a house from a mysterious uncle and scoring a job at the town’s beloved fast-food joint, Snaxtime, things seem to be looking up. He quickly falls in with a likable crew—Star, Dexter, and Jake—and settles into a blissful summer of lake swims, fireworks, and s’mores. That is, until the gang stumbles upon an ancient cookbook belonging to Snaxtime’s founder. One poorly thought-out recipe later, and they’ve unleashed Demonika, a demonic succubus with a taste for chaos (and male flesh).

What follows is a glorious, gory romp that feels straight out of a VHS horror marathon. “Demon Summer” leans hard into its 80s retro vibe, packed with pop culture references, snarky humor, and a delightful amount of ridiculousness. The gore is over-the-top in the best way—bloody, absurd, and often hilarious—and the dark humor balances the violence perfectly, keeping things light even as the stakes escalate.

This isn’t a book you pick up expecting deep character arcs or serious horror. The plot is silly, fast-paced, and intentionally cheesy, but the friendship between Zane and his new crew adds enough heart to make you root for them. The brief nods to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and classic 80s horror icons just add more flavor to an already deliciously chaotic story.

The writing is snappy and accessible, ideal for middle schoolers, high schoolers, or anyone in the mood for a quick, palate-cleansing read and are comfortable with some gore. While some moments might have benefited from a little more depth or slower pacing, Demon Summer knows exactly what it wants to be—and it delivers.

Overall, “Demon Summer” is pure, campy horror joy. It’s a quick, blood-soaked blast of fun, packed with fast food satire, small-town secrets, and enough demon chaos to leave you grinning (and maybe gagging) until the very last page. Highly recommended for fans of nostalgic horror, teen adventure, and anyone who loves their scares with a healthy side of laughs and blood splatter. If this is the start of a new series, sign me up for seconds!

"It's going to be one HELL of a summer..."
What happens when a job for the summer at a fast food joint turns to hell well, pick up this page turning read to find out. This was a fast paced read that the author wrote so well and I was captivated from the start. It has a demonic force, cursed book and so much more that has suspense, supernatural suprises and more. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book. Looking forward to reading more from this author. This is one that I highly enjoyed and would recommend to any reader who likes horror. Thank you to NetGalley and Snaxtime for this great read in exchange of my honest review of Demon Summer by J.J Buffet.

I really enjoyed this. It kind of gives a goosebumps/stranger things/fear street vibe. The surprise twist was pretty excellent. It’s a quick summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC! This is out now!

This just wasn't really for me. The blurb and cover really drew me in but the book fell flat. This book was just ehhh, it was predictable and not very interesting.

This was so cheesy but so good. A quick little summertime paranormal thriller. It gives minor Stranger Things vibes mixed with Goosebumps. Fun and fast, plus the cover is to die for.

I didn’t vibe with this book. I saw the cover and essentially judged the book by its cover and it didn’t work in my favor. I wasn’t a fan of the choppy writing. I got to about 20% until I had to DNF it. Someone who is able to read through this style of writing may enjoy this but I unfortunately didn’t.

I loved this book and think it's fantastic for fans of R.L. Stine. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Stine's Goosebumps and a tv show called Riverdale. The cheeky retro themes, character interactions, and story are perfect for young adult readers. I loved the setting of Paradise Falls and Snaxtime and could see this turned into a teen movie. I would absolutely recommend this to any young reader or fans of campy horror.

Shoutout to the artist for the phenomenal cover art!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Demon Summer - @rantsofayat

This book was an overall 4⭐️’s for me. You HAVE to know going into this book that it is written for middle school/highschoolers. It’s a super easy read, I finished it in less than two hours, and it was a great palette cleanser.
This book felt like the 80s without it being set in that timeline. It also felt like a B horror film with all the over the top graphics that also felt like it wasn’t over the top. I know it felt like RL Stein meets an 80’s Zombie film. It had several great lines! I highlighted a few!! Thank you NetGaley for the ARC! If we get this at my bookstore, I will definitely be recommending it to several kids who love and thrive on everything spooky!! 👻🧟‍♂️

This was a wild throwback for me, it felt like I was reading an R.L Stine Fear Street book or a Christopher Pike novel back in the 90's.
It felt as though it was really set back in the 90's but obviously newer, the format the characters and the style of writing were perfect for that alone I'm giving it 4 stars, if I was re-reading a Fear Street book it wouldn't get that.
If there is a second book for Snaxtime I would happily read it, no wait I would probably be first in line to get a copy because it was 'totally' awesome!

I had the absolute best time reading Demon Summer by J.J. Buffet.
A crazy and wild YA thriller with dark humor.
The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb.

This book was an absolute blast from start to finish. It grabbed my attention immediately and didn’t let go. I read it in one sitting, completely hooked by the nonstop, entertaining chaos. The gore and violence were over-the-top in the best way, with plenty of shock factor that had me laughing out loud. It gave serious B-horror movie vibes—campy, cheesy, and so much fun, which is exactly what I was hoping for. The brief mention of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a fun bonus, giving it an extra nostalgic, supernatural edge. Plus, the cover is fantastic. If you’re a fan of wild, blood-soaked horror with a dark sense of humor, this one delivers.

Thank you @snaxtimeusa for the gifted copy! You’ve got a new fan now. 💀🔥