It's a fun read, the theme was interesting, there's a mix of magic and monsters, and there's an element of family in the story.

This book was sooooo good. It was interesting (Irish Mythology) , exciting (scary creatures, fighting with magical staffs and spears, witches and demons) and had great family and friends relationships. Good verses evil. Perhaps it was selfish of me to read it just myself, so I will read it to the grandchildren next weekend. Loved it !

Poor Calix, such back luck, oh my goodness, could it get any worse. Of course it can, but Calix, his best friend, and his cousin rise to the occasion and save the world from an ancient Irish deity. It's all in a day's work and I look forward to the next adventure that I'm sure it coming.

A beautiful read, with themes of growing up and accepting your parents as they are. The descriptions of magic, and monsters, throughout are incredibly immersive. It almost feels like watching a movie rather than reading a book!
Calix goes through a lot of personal growth over the length of the book. His friends make for a fun b story; but the story between Calix and his family are the integral part of this story!
I loved reading this book! I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy and wants a story about fighting for family, or family acceptance in general!

I don’t know if it’s weird to start a book review off with the stars but here we are. This one gets a very solid four (4) out of five (5) stars.

I loved almost every single thing about this book. The pacing, the plot, the actual way the story was told. The characters. It was a really great read and I found myself unable to put it down. I loved the Irish mythology.

We’ve got Calix, his father, his best friend and his crush, then his cousin and mom. And his family isn’t perfect. His mom and dad are divorced because his father has some erratic tendencies that have led to him losing his jobs after no more than six months and it’s cause a lot of strife. His mom is a travelling nurse.

It’s his father’s side of the family that the Irish mythology comes from although I didn’t know there was such a large Irish population where the book takes place. Pretty cool.

So what did I love? The writing style Calix has a lot of personality and voice and it shows. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the male protagonist was allowed to be this sassy. He’s a sassy kid and it’s fun to get in his head and experience it.

It was also one of the things that dragged this from a five (5) star. Sometimes, Calix sassiness was bit much. We get a lot of similes and metaphors and after a point they all started to run together especially when they made up the vast majority of the sentences in a paragraph. It got a little tedious to read.

The other thing was I didn’t know his best friend and his crush were Black until a portion of the book took place on a plantation. And of course, Calix didn’t think about it until then and asked how they were feeling and if they were okay, if they were willing to keep going and assured them it would be fine if they didn’t.

While I appreciated the fact he comforted his friends, I dislike that I didn’t know they were Black until Black trauma was brought up. There weren’t really any descriptions of them but suddenly they were Black. It was weird, jarring, and sort of felt almost like a second thought.

With everything this book did well, it really dropped the ball here.

I still give it four (4) out of five (5) stars.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

What worked:
The author eases readers into the conflict by sharing strange clues that something strange is happening. Calix’s dad is obsessed with searching for fairies, his dad forbids his sister from speaking to Calix, and a mysterious statue is raised from deep waters. Calix notices some eerie occurrences, such as actually finding the end of a rainbow, but he’s reluctant to accept his dad might be on to something. The story is set in Savannah, Georgia, where there’s apparently a large concentration of people with Irish heritage, and St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching. Savannah isn’t a typical setting for a story but it’s long history, steamy climate, and ghostly reputation are ideal for this book.
The book has many of the familiar qualities found in other successful middle-grade novels. There’s the return of a powerful demon named Caorthannach seeking revenge as she amasses an army of minions. Calix is a “normal” boy who discovers the strange birthmark on his arm identifies him as an heir of St. Patrick, the man who previously imprisoned the demon. Calix’s best friend is a mortal named Nate who adds levity to the plot. Calix’s cousin Saoirse has been training as a warrior for years so she is the expert fighter all heroic trios need. The three friends are tasked with finding three hidden fragments of Demon’s Bane to add to Calix’s staff that will enable them to stop the demon. However, Caorthannach wants the same pieces to reach her full strength and potential.
Calix and friends must follow cryptic riddles to locate pieces of the Demon’s Bane and this quest becomes the focus of the plot. The clues instruct them to find a place where unconscious men traveled to lands unknown, traverse wormy oaks, and they will finally need to travel with Death. Questionable deals are struck at each stop and uncomfortable, frightening decisions must be made. The trio will give valuable parts of themselves to ancient creatures and the Devil makes an appearance to add a twist. Everyone knows it’s never a good idea to make a deal with the Devil.
What didn’t work as well:
The familiar formula of middle-grade hero novels makes this plot easy to follow but it also makes it less innovative. Readers know what to expect even though the Celtic characters are different. However, the story successfully comes together in an entertaining and exciting adventure.
The Final Verdict:
The author creates another fun adventure starring an unsuspecting middle-grade hero and friends. The Irish focus is uncommon in these types of books, but the overall book is very entertaining and leads into a sequel. I recommend you give this fun book a shot.

CALIX AND THE FIRE DEMON is a rocking, rocketing, Irish mythological adventure set in the very Irish city of Savannah, a contemporary Urban Fantasy, aimed at Middle Graders but also suitable for YA. Calix's family has suffered from bad luck since his great-great-great-grandfather arrived in Savannah fleeing the 19th century Irish Potato Family. His father wholeheartedly embraces all the ancient Irish legends, but Calix remains a firm skeptic until...an accident in the Art Museum reveals the existence, and sentience, of an actual, living, Fire Demon, and the truth of Calix's lineage.