The last thing Kay wants to do is attend the local church youth group, while her mum attends the church service once a week. But it’s been tough lately during the divorce that has sliced her life in half, and she wants to support her mum. Dad has done the expected, spending money on jet skis for his new batchelor life, but mum seems to be struggling. Doing this one thing for her souldn’t be too hard.
It’s the music that hits Kay first when she enters the youth group hall. She rolls her eyes at the song lyric changes that connect the song to God and the youth group’s teachings. She can’t believe how excited the teens are at the songs and music. She’s especially suspicious of the temptation chart she’s asked to fill in. Fighting the temptations of drugs, sex or music with swearing with song, exercise or the advice of an elder? Ridiculous. Kay wonders what she has done by promising to do this for her mother.
But as she gets to know the leaders, she realises she knows one of them from when he wasn’t a god fearing, singing musician for a youth group. What brought him to the church?
It’s only when she sees something she shouldn’t, far from the confines of the church that she rethinks her involvement. Demon slaying is definitely more her style and these people are experts. She’s still mad at her father, but when he is swept up in it all, she knows she must help in any way she can.
Different viewpoints allow the reader to delve deeper into this story and its connections, as the forces of evil clash with the agents of good.
Sassy, authentic and kickass characters fill this book as a church youth group hosts demon hunters within their ranks. Other forms of religion star along with the Christian youth Group. Catholic & Wiccan groups are in the mix, all with the same objective but never previously working together.
Kay helps change this while being an atheist demon hunter throughout.
The style of the illustration panels are in full colour and varied from multiple pictures on a page, to full page spreads.
I love the cover which shows both faith and atheism and the line – “Kay’s New Friends Pray Together and Slay Together.”
Author – Jordan Morris
Illustrator – Bowen McCurdy
Age – 14+
(2024, St Martins Press, MacMillan, Graphic Novel, Youth Group, Church, California, Friendship, Demon Hunters, Humour, Religion, Faith, Beliefs, Courage, Bravery, Rituals, Fantasy, Teamwork, Good vs Evil, Horror)