House of Ash and Brimstone

Starks doesn’t waste a moment launching readers into the heady, paranormal world of her action-packed debut. Gisele Walker, a half-demon orphan with no knowledge of her past, works as a bounty hunter for her foster father. Her new partner, Shade, is the most attractive demon she’s ever met but he’s also infuriatingly capable of talking Gisele into risky decisions. When Shade convinces her to take a job from a mysterious client who wants them to steal a curio, Gisele inadvertently opens a portal to hell. As her hometown of Baltimore copes with an influx of hell spawn, it becomes clear the assignment was a ploy intended to reunite Gisele with her long-lost family. As she and Shade attempt to escape from the demons’ pursuit, Gisele realizes that her bond with Shade is far deeper than she had thought. A heavy reliance on flashbacks creates occasional confusion, but the complex mythology and feisty characters will hold readers’ attention. This is an uneven but enjoyable fantasy from an author with a lot of promise. Agent: Eva Scalzo at Speilburg Literary (Nov.)