The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter

The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter by Amy Kuivalainen is a gripping and action-packed urban fantasy that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Jael Quinlan is a freelance exorcist who finds herself caught up in a special mission to prevent the apocalypse. Her visions lead her to a demon hunter named Mychal who lives on the other side of the world, and together with her boss Uriel, they must work together to stop two rampaging Watcher angels and Hel’el from unleashing chaos on the world.

Kuivalainen's writing is fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of plot twists and turns that keep the reader hooked from beginning to end. The characters are well-developed, with Jael being a particularly strong and compelling protagonist. Her determination and courage are admirable, and her interactions with Mychal are both tense and emotionally charged.

One of the strengths of the book is its world-building, which blends together Christian mythology and urban fantasy in a unique and interesting way. The author's attention to detail is impressive, and she does a great job of creating a vivid and believable setting.

Overall, The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter is a thrilling and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of the genre. The book is the second in The Firebird Faerie Tales series, but it can be read as a standalone. Anyone looking for a fast-paced, action-packed urban fantasy should definitely check this one out.

The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter by Amy Kuivalainen was such a good read! This was my first book by Amy Kuivalainen, so I’m new to her writing style and world. This book is set in the same world as The Firebird Faerie Tales. It follows Jael and Mychal from that series. You don’t have to read that series, to understand the story. I wasn’t lost at all. I will however go back and read The Firebird Faerie Tale series, since I really enjoyed this author’s book.

The story was fast-paced, you get action right from the beginning which I really enjoyed. The world building was easy to follow and no info dump. All the characters were well developed. Definitely worth a read, if you like fast-paced, urban fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for this opportunity to read rage and review this arc which is available Sept 26,2023.

Exorcists in Aussie land. Angry angels. Determined demons. Love, death and self sacrifice. This is a spin off from another series and let me utterly Frank. Whilst I enjoyed the series I was lost as hell. No pun intended. But that is my bad. Despite me being lost I honestly enjoyed this book. It made me go and buy the series this is a spin off of

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
What a story !
We follow Jael and Mychal for the Firebird series, but this can be read as a standalone.
Think supernatural meets Fallen.
Angels, demons and the wrath of god and a little romance. What more could you ask for.
It’s fast paced ,rich in wordbuilding but not confusing , the writing was good. The characters are well developed.
So many emotions !
One of the best books i have read this year!

3.75/5 stars! The title of this story pulled me in. I love me some angel-demon energy. The world-building was great and Jael was gritty and hilarious. The pacing was awesome and I appreciated that although this is part of a series, you don't have to read in any particular order. Would have liked a little more depth to Mychal.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

This book was definitely different from what I usually read and that is not a bad thing. The story was good, action packed, and easy to follow. I found it really entertaining and the characters extremely likeable. It read like a really good episode of Supernatural.

The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter was absolutely fantastic in every aspect. After finishing the Firebird Faerie Tales trilogy, I was immediately ready to jump into this book. We still get all the suspense, all the mystery and all the action like Firebird, but in place of folklore, we get biblical history which was so incredibly well thought-out and expertly implemented into the plot. I love Amy’s writing because you can tell how much effort she puts into incorporating myth, lore and history into her stories. But the best part of this book is the sense of closure I needed after Firebird - I can’t say much more than that without spoiling the story, but it was exactly what my heart needed. This is quite possibly my favorite book that Amy has written and definitely one of my all time favorites overall.

Oh my goddess! Book five in the Firebird Faerietales is also a stand alone, and I seriously could not get enough! The excoriates battle the demons with their giant personality . If you love Buffy this may be your next read!

This book is set in the same world as "The Firebird Faerietales" but you can definitely read it as a stand alone as I did. I absolutely love this book! It gave me Supernatural TV series vibes but with exorcists. The world building <chefs kiss> and characters are amazing! My Favorite Quote: "Now remember, Quinlan; have a good night and no glovey, no lovey."

I don't even know what to say about this book. It grabbed me & held me in a chokehold until the end. If you're looking for spice or a quick read this is not your book. However, if you want something that challenges your ideas about spirituality, faith, and God while also delivering a top-notch story this is it.
Jael Quinlan is a unique heroine who isn't always sure she's doing the right thing. She hangs onto her faith though she questions what that means. Add in her own personal archangel, Uriel, and it's an adventure. Amy Kuivalainen's world is our world but heightened. Her dexterity in telling old tales in new ways is always compelling. Grab this immediately!

In this household we respect @amykuivalainen supremacy and she’s broken my brain yet again with the Exorcist and the Demon Hunter

We already know that I’m obsessed with this woman and her writing but I did not know what I was walking into with this one. Maybe a fun little jaunt around town? Nope, not that (we’ll actually there is some of that and it’s very fun) but this book quickly took off and had me thinking so hard and questioning everything including the characters’ behaviors and motives but also mine as well.

The depth and range of books she can write is truly insane from a fantastic romantasy series to a novel about demons that makes me think about my journey with faith and what religion and morality look like and still makes it a fun and entertaining read is crazy to me

Kuivalainen dives into the complex ideas of scripture, organized religion, and spirituality in a way that leaves room for interpretation while confronting the hypocrisy often seen in this space and she does it in a way that still provides an intriguing read that isn’t too heavy

I appreciate a complex and imperfect character and Jael definitely delivers on that. Jael has her flaws and a temper to boot but it adds to the depth of her character and makes you believe she is a rogue exorcist who follows her own moral compass and guiding ideology

Relationships play such an important role in this book and I love the one that develops between Jael and Alessandro

Uriel is my unattainable dream and I love the idea of a brusque angel teaching a teenager how to be an exorcist

Finally, Jael responding to an archangel’s question with “I got mad skills” will now and forever live rent free in my head

No goodies in this one because I don’t even really know how to summarize this book and I also think it’s best to just go in blind

TW: mentions of rape and violence against women


Sincerely,

Your friendly neighborhood raccoon

Fast paced, action packed urban fantasy, with easy to follow world building, characters and plot. It reminded me of Supernatural and the Da Vinci Code/Angels and Demons - hunting to put an end to the darkness spreading.

It was one 'hell' of a ride!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily - thank you to NetGalley!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this arc.

4.5 stars / 5

I thought maybe I would feel lost understanding all aspects of the world building in this book as it’s the 5th in this series but I wasn’t.

Things I loved:
Engaging plot, loved the story.
Two halves story line
Love how the author implements all the myths, lore and history into her story.
Things I didn’t love:
Loved it all!!!

This book has made me want to read more books by this author.

Definitely a book of two halves which may or may not appeal to all. The first half concentrates on Jael a woman who is irreverent, sassy oh and an exorcist working for the Archangel Uriel ! I loved this half of the book with its mystery about Demons and people disappearing.
Now the second half is more a twist on heavenly battles being fought on Earth as the Archangel Mychal is now human but he's needed to help stop ancients from finally tearing through the world all whilst the evil that Jael encountered in Melbourne finds new hunting grounds !
I really enjoyed this and it certainly made me think about my early bible studies. I loved the twists that the author wrought all whilst giving us a new story to follow. Not exactly what I expected but very entertaining.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I hadn’t read this author before, but I went ahead and requested this because it said it was a standalone book in the world. I now can safely say this is the case. I was not lost at all. Now to the book. First off, this book is more like two books in one. We mostly see life from Jael’s point of view in the first half of the book, and then we see both Jael’s and Mychal’s point of view. It didn’t take me long to get immersed in this world, and the first half of the book just flew by. I loved the exorcisms, Jael’s friends, and how they all came together to help. It seemed like a great urban fantasy/horror book. Then came the second half. I don’t want to say I hated it because I didn’t, I quite enjoyed it, but it was a little more…religious than the first half. I think sometimes the plot gets dragged down, just a tiny bit, with glimpses of the past, but that is my own opinion. I think others would really enjoy it. The second half was less like an urban fantasy and more about good against evil. All in all, though, I really enjoyed this book and wouldn’t be opposed to reading the series this came from. Well-written, entertaining characters, and engaging plot. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Inventive, action packed and thought provoking new novel from the author. Fantasy demons, angels and time bending plots provided a very entertaining read. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book.

I quite enjoyed this read. It is set in Australia and it can be read as a standalone, which was great, as I have never read this authors books prior to this.

There not enough books set in Australia, that isn't crime or historical fiction. I look forward to reading more.

Amy Kuivalainen made my list of favorite authors, along with Darcy Coates, Andy Peloquin, Anne Rice, and J.C. Kang among others, after reading a few chapters of the first book in her series, the Firebird Faerie Tales.
The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter brings us back some of the characters we met in the series. This new story comes to answer some questions that remained after reading the series, especially about Mychal's story.
The bad thing is that now I would really like to read more about Alessandro Abbadelli! And maybe a crossover of her series The Firebird Faerie Tales and The Magicians of Venice...
I recommend this and all of Amy Kuivalainen's books to readers who like stories interwoven with mythology, action, adventure, and romance who want to spend an afternoon, or several, reading a standalone that will make them want to read the original series.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

Good versus evil - angels versus demons versus other angels - looming angelic war - and yep, exorcists teaming with the archangels. Quite the adventure with action everywhere and of course Lucifer causing trouble where he can. Exciting to the end.

This read was an absolute ride! After finishing the final book in 'Firebird' seeing Mychals name in the blurb gave me goosebumps.
Kuivalainen gives us an original take on r3ligious mythology, two origin stories and tension that keeps you immersed in this high fantasy world.

If you love--
* EX0RCISTs, ACTION PACKED STORIEs
* D3MONs / ANGELS, w@r TIMES
* AN INTRIGUING AND FRESH TAKE ON MYTHOLOGY
* R3LIGIOUS THEMES
* TENSION 🤌🖤 (with WHO!?)
This will be your jam.

The FMC had an inner monlouge I loved and the writing was intense and intricate. This delivered on all levels!
I absolutely live for a slow burn and twists that leave you tearing with tears in the eyes. 5⭐ read worth every brain cell used to remember/distinguish angelic names 😜💀

Amy Kuivalainen is a go-to fantasy author for me, and I was excited by the idea that in this book we would finally get to learn Mychael's full story. Having read the Firebird series, I had some definite theories about him, but that just led to more questions. Cleverly, this book was written enough as a standalone that if you haven't read the Firebird series (which is great, and you should read), you don't come to this one feeling lost. If you have read it, you know there are mysteries surrounding the Demon Hunter before you meet him, but you only have suspicions and aren't actually ahead of any new readers.

The first half of the book was a surprise to me (which I don't mean in a bad way) because it focused entirely on Jael, the exorcist. A freelance exorcist with a rather Buffy-like attitude to authority and tradition, Jael isn't connected to any particular church or religion, but just believes demons shouldn't be possessing people. She has the ability to get rid of them and has been trained since she was a teen by the archangel Uriel to do so, and as far as she's concerned, that is that. Melbourne seems to be dealing with a particularly severe demon infestation and Jael is trying to handle that and understand why those demons are so fixated on her. At the same time, she's trying to hang on to shreds of a normal (or semi-normal) social life to balance her out, and it isn't always working.

Surprisingly, we don't meet Mychael until about halfway through the book, when things get even worse in the supernatural world. The book changes up at this point: Jael tells her story from the first person, while Part Two alternates between Jael's first-person and different third-person POVs. Mostly it worked, but I was thrown by it once and awhile, especially at first. It took a little adjusting.

Kuivalainen's other books have all been more Finnish or Russian mythology-related, including the Firebird series with Mychael, so I was intrigued by the idea of her expanding her world-building here to focus on a more Judeo-Christian theology. Jael isn't specifically of any church or belief, but the monotheistic God of Abraham is clearly the way she feels comfortable relating to the divine, and we are talking to priests, rabbis, demons, and archangels here. I don't know if everyone will be comfortable with this approach, but I thought it worked pretty well.

While her Magicians of Venice series is still my favorite, I enjoyed this book. People who have read the Firebird series will definitely want to read it because it happily wraps up a few loose ends that you thought had just been given endings in the last book. No further spoilers than that though!



Thanks to BHC and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I was lucky enough to get my hands on this novel before its release and it really is, simply put, an incredibly special book. Frankly, I don’t want to give ANYTHING away, so I’m going to keep this pretty short and sweet… ’The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter’ is a spin-off of the ‘Firebird Faerie’ trilogy, which is absolutely recommended reading before you pick up this book. It’s not going to make sense if you haven’t read the core trilogy, so know this! Without giving too much away, this book heavily leans into angels, demons, and Abrahamic mythology—all of the historical and mythological characters featured are brought to life in a refreshing and respectful way, while flipping the script on some narratives that are thousands of years old. If you haven’t read the Firebird trilogy, start there, and definitely make your way to ‘The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter’!

I loved this book! Jael, the exorcist is fantastic. I liked the fact that she was not affiliated with a particular denomination, sect, or faith. All she cared about was kicking demons out of humans with a whole lot of sass and attitude. She didn't care what you believed, all she believed was that demons did not belong and she was going to take care of business. Even when things are not going particularly well, she's got her guardian archangel Uriel to help her out. Although there is levity in this book it is a pretty dark urban fantasy and it is definitely about dark versus light.

I enjoyed Jael's relationships with those in the heavenly realm. The author's personification of angels and the story she created around their relationships I particularly found entertaining. I can imagine some might find the book's Judeo-Christian core something they don't like. But I didn't view it like that. To me, it was a story about an exorcist who transcended religious divides to do the good work of ridding the place of demons. She had the good fortune to have angels, God, and Jesus backing her up, not to mention teaming up with a dashing Italian priest who was the Catholic church's top-dog exorcist who overcomes his disdain of women doing the Lord's work to become friends with Jael. It's also a story of Jael overcoming the disdain of the Jewish rabbi as she helps him and his temple when the demons attack there. Jael's father is a close-minded evangelical and her mother is New Age, it's a hodge podge of everything and Jael is not aligned with any of it except her calling. And that is why I loved this book. Jael only cared about doing what she was trained and supposed to do.

When we finally meet Mychal and understand his origins, the book begins delving into why they are at war against all the demons right now. I found this enlightening because it gives valuable background to the "why" all this is happening. We do change POVs in the second half of the book but I only felt this helped me understand Mychal and the soul of the book. This book is fast-paced but it is dense with great writing. I know I have discovered a new favorite urban fantasy.

Entertaining, fast paced and action packed. A story I thoroughly enjoyed and that kept me reading.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Amy Kuivalainen is an auto-read author for me. Her "Magicians of Venice" trilogy has made me a fan for life, and her one-shot story "Wolf of the Sands" is one of my favorite stand-alone fantasies. If you haven't read anything by the author- read those!

"The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter" is a continuation of the Firebird Fairytales Trilogy. Goodreads marks it as The Firebird Fairytales #5 and it drives me absolutely crazy because I can't figure out what #4 is supposed to be. But that doesn't really matter- in fact, "The Exorcise and the Demon Hunter" can be read as a standalone, although I don't recommend it. This book follows Jael, an exorcist in Melbourne that has direct connections with the archangel Uriel, and has been trained since she was a teenager to exorcise demons. The Demon Hunter refers to Mychal/Michael, an important character from the Firebird trilogy-- which is where having knowledge of the trilogy helps to get a better idea of the setting for this book.

My overall rating for the Firebird trilogy was 4-star. It was not my favorite series because I didn't like the overall pacing of the story, and it was obvious that Mychal would get his own story since so much of his story was left untold at the end of the trilogy. I went into this story excited to get some resolution for Mychal.

The story is divided into two parts, and Mychal does not even become a prominent character until part 2. The story of Jael starts off strong- Jael is exorcising demons and living her life without a religious title because obviously God exists (or else she wouldn't have an archangel for a teacher!), but Jael wants to approach religion her own way. Religion ends up playing a big part of the story- so much that the first few books of the Bible, and some new testament gets a summary retelling to shape this story. Jesus/Yeshua is an active character in both the past and present tense- and the fictionalized version of him in what I would consider to be a fantasy-type story always felt a little 'off.' The story was pulled down by the historical retelling, rather than pushed forward by the present-day story of Mychal and Jael. Anyone who knows the Bible will get a very basic summary of popular stories (like creation, Noah, Moses), while people who don't know the Bible might not understand how all the stories tie together.

All in all, I'm happy for the closure I get for Mychal. There still is a lot of room for the series to grow and there are other characters from the Firebird trilogy that I would be curious to know more about. Maybe that's where the mysterious book #4 disappeared to?

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. It's been out since September 2023 and is available to read. Life has been kicking me in the butt, but I'm so glad I'm able to take a few minutes out of the day to read Amy's book- while this series has not been my favorite, she's still one of my favorite authors and I'm determined to go back and read all of the things she has published. Obviously, it makes my review very biased, but I'm not sorry about it :)