probably should've read the categorical tags; but still worth the read ( )

I started reading this at 10pm one night. I didnt even make it through the first couple of pages and had to put it down because there was just no way I could read this alone at night.. This is one scarily good book. But heed the warning to read in the daytime..

This is billed as a standalone and I didnt have any problems with previous characters from other series being in it and not fully knowing their stories. The author did a great job of giving us enough backstory on them that you werent lost.

Ada Palomino comes from a family with gifts. They all have to do with dealing with the dead or other realms. Ada just turned 18 and through out her childhood watched her sister deal with nasty beings and her mother taking her life to kill the evil demon inside of her to prevent him from getting Ada. She is still dealing with the grief of losing her mother and also with some guilt that her mother gave her life for hers. Ada never really knew what her powers were going to be but since the death of her mother she had been having nightmares that she doesn't know if they are real or just in her head. Turns out they are not just in her head.

Each person with a special gift is given a guide and protector. Ada's is called Jay. The back stories of where these guide and protectors come from was fascinating. Heck for that matter the whole world building in this book was fascinating. Once daylight came the next day I couldnt put this book down and it gave me the heebie jeebies more than once in reading it. Along with all the scares and dealing with demons from hell there is also the forbidden love between Ada and Jay. You know their love is doomed from the start and wonder if there can ever be a way these two could be together in a relationship other than him as her protector.
( )

Welp. I'm curious.

Glad it's not YA or NA, as Karina says.