73:120 Pax Demonica by Julie Kenner

The 6th book in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series.  Kate has decided to take Allie and go back to her roots in Rome to the society that took her in when she was orphaned now that her marriage to Stuart is on the rocks and he has taken their son and left.  Out of nowhere, as they are getting read to leave, Stuart returns and tells her that he and Timmy want to go with her and learn more about her previous life and be a family again.  Now Kate is trying to work on her relationship with Stuart and play tourist instead of just visiting Forza to show Allie around.  This is made all the more difficult because demons are coming out of the woodwork around her either looking for something they think she has or threatening her to take care of the "key" when she doesn't even know what it is.  As they delve further into this mysterious key, it looks like it's real end of the world kind of stuff and they need to figure it out fast if they want anyone to be able to see tomorrow.

It was nice going back into this world but it seemed like Kate's snarky mode was definitely turned down for this one which I missed.  I was also hoping to get more about her life before we met her in this series and there wasn't a whole lot of that in this which was a little disappointing but overall, a fun little bubblegum read.

Page count: 258p/17,889p ytd/198,927p lifetime

49:120 The Demon You Know by Julie Kenner

A short story set in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom universe, between books 4 and 5.  Allie has started training to be a demon hunter like her mom and considering her bad choice in dates lately, Kate has agreed.  They are having the normal teenage head-butting thing going as well so it's been a challenge but Kate is trying to loosen up so let's Allie off to the mall with her friends and from there she has a sleepover planned at another friend's house.  Little does she know that Allie's friends have plans to sneak off to a major party at a local playboy's mansion and little do they know just why they have been invited to this party....

Apparently a 6th book is being released this year after several years hiatus so this is a tease to get people back in the universe.  It's a simple story and if you don't know the backstory it's a little hard to get into so definitely not a good introduction to the series but since I read all the books a few years ago, it was nice to dip back into that world.  I'm very curious as to where it's going to go after the last book when it appeared that Kate and her husband were heading for splitsville.  The stories are bubblegum, fun without a lot of substance but as a soccer mom, there are so many ways I can relate to Kate (except the whole demon thing, that just happens when the youngest hasn't eaten lately).  I'm looking forward to the new installment.

Page count: 22p/11,889p ytd/192,927p lifetime (numbers shifted as I went through and found some errors)