A Small Town, Some Monsters, and Messy Families

Small Town Monsters takes place in the fictional town of Roaring Creek. Vera Martinez, rising high school senior, is a lifelong outcast because her parents are demonologists, who work with the Church (Catholic) to hunt down and nullify evil beings. Unlike her parents, Vera appears to have no special skills in fighting the supernatural dark forces. However, when Maxwell (Max) Oliver’s mom starts behaving in a truly bizarre way, he knows he needs help and, afraid to go to the authorities because they will remove him and his little sister Chloe into foster care, he asks Vera. 

Enemies to Romantic Interest

The pair soon find links between past tragedies in the small town, including a hurricane and a gas explosion which killed seventeen people including Max’s dad, and what appears to be a new age cult that has brought many of the town’s citizens under its spell.

Cults, Demons, Suspense, and Bonus Fun Language

I’ve just written a YA book about a girl trying to escape a cult and am soon to start work on a novel with supernatural forces. So, when I saw a description of Small Town Monsters, I thought it would be the perfect read for me right now. I was right. The characters are well drawn, the pace kept me in suspense, and the writing was a lot of fun. I’m paraphrasing from memory, but here are a few images/metaphors I liked:

Her aunt is like Mary Poppins with a spoonful of religion.

Joan of Arc at the stake couldn’t have sounded like she was in more pain.

Her hair was the color of hamburger.

Hits All the Tropes

Small Town Monsters is a thoroughly enjoyable book for anyone seeking YA. It’s well paced, engages us with the fight against demons, and has a teen girl coming into her powers against evil. It has all the usual fun as well, particularly the requisite outcast girl and the cool boy falling for her. 

If you’re looking for the spooky stuff, give it a try!