Charlotte and the Demons — Alethea Eason

What readers are saying:What makes the story truly great is the unique characters and Charlotte's point of view, which can be funny, ironic, and gut-wrenching, and I love that the story is never heavy-handed.I was holding my breath as the end neared, reading as fast as I could. Despite Charlotte's young age at the beginning, there are adult themes- this isn't a kiddie story. Highly recommended.Eason is a gifted writer with characters that defy genre....a love-starved pre-teen turned teen, a father who is an alcoholic law officer in Vegas, an abused mother who is in denial, an older sister who rebels against it all, and....get this....a handsome demon who comes to visit through her closet floor and takes her back to Hell with him, where his job is sorting death records. Charlotte needs a savior, and the possibility that her handsome demon can be that person kept me reading until the very end. Fantasy, sex, violence, redemption...Eason covers it all in this fascinating read.Gives a whole new aspect to whatever is hiding in your closet or under the bed.She prayed for an angel, but demons entered her life.Nine-year-old Charlotte lives in Las Vegas amid a hellish scenario of domestic violence. A vision of a beautiful woman appears on a screen door, and Charlotte prays for a guardian angel.She's convinced the vision is of the Virgin Mary.No dice.It's the demon Lilith in disguise.One night, Ezequiel, a fledgling demon of 16, strikes a match in her closet. He steps into her bedroom adorned with both horns and a halo. He warns that satanic forces are headed her way, but he can only do so much to protect her.Demonic hordes stream through her closet portal as Hell empties to the Burning Sands Casino, the hottest new spot on the Strip where Frank Sinatra is due to perform.Charlotte finds Hell is not as scary as what she faces at home until tragedy descends. She does her best to protect those she loves, but soon, she will have her own demons to battle.