Misfit

Misfit by Jon Skovron (NY: Abrams, 2011). Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher via netgalley.com.

Jael has known she's different since she was eight years old and her dad told her she was half demon. Her mother, a demon, had died when she was three months old, and Jael and her father had led an itinerant existence, moving from one place to another to protect Jael from the demons who felt threatened by her existence. Jael understands her dad's motivations but feels hemmed in by his overprotectiveness. On her sixteenth birthday, Jael's dad gives her a special necklace from her mother, and Jael starts to learn more about her demon heritage--and all the dangers and powers associated with it.

Skovron has a lively writing style, and Jael is a feisty character, so overall Misfit reads well. However, the plot shifted around too much between the past and the present. Also, there was a huge disconnect between Jael's dad's character in the past and what Jael sees in the present. He and Jael's mom had a passionate partnership and battled demons all over the world, yet he seems timid and fearful in the present. Some of this is explained, but not too convincingly. Jael's romance with Rob is not well developed, a surprising contrast to Jael's parents' relationship. Uncle Dagon, a gigantic fish-like creature, is a great character, gross and funny simultaneously. All the shifts in the plot made the story harder to follow than it should've been. The end was somewhat abrupt and the resolution somewhat easy. Perhaps there's a sequel in the works that will explain Jael's special role in vanquishing the demons and continuing the Reclamation that is hinted at but never fully explicated in this novel.

This is a good read for paranormal fans, ages 13 & up. Language, sexual situations, and violence.