For this Fantasy Friday, I am bringing an oldie but a goodie, That Time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming. This book is absolutely special to me, and not just because Cinnamon has a best friend named Brie and a love for cheese, but also because it was the book that got me into monster romance.

2021, I was scrolling on TikTok, as one does, and it truly was the infancy of my book reading journey. I was slowly getting back into enjoying reading again, and my side of BookTok was delivering the goods. Stumbling across a video that spoke about this book, and I was immediately hooked at the premise. (I had bought and I believe pre-ordered the second). Now, I had read a dragon shifter book in the past, but it was a part of an anthology and I was in the throughs of my college studies, so reading was on the back burner and I also did not know the expansive world of monster romance. Much less, did I know some existed that held diversity.

Summary:

We follow Cinnamon, a curvy black woman that has, truly, a one track mind from the beginning of the novel. All she wanted to do was to go home and eat cheese. Immediately a woman after my own heart. We come to know that she is a woman who wants a simple life, longing to run the spice farm that exists within the town of Boohail. This is very much a town where everyone is in everyone's business, and while some are miscreants (I'm looking at you Huckabee boys) most are kind and this is the sort of town that I would adore to live in. While on her search for cheese, she is surrounded by the townsfolk celebrating the Hero's Call festival. It is a time where, every 15 years, a selected few are chosen by the goddess Myva, where they are sought out to fight the never ending war against monsters in order to keep the protective ward that surrounds their town up. The real reason the town are celebrating, is because the most annoying person, Priscilla is chosen, and they are glad.

Once this is set up, Cinnamon returns home after some cheese and a good drink, only to be accosted by a demon. Which, that alone is questionable because the ward is suppose to keep them out. The demon turns out to be Fallon, who stumbles into her life and essentially drags her on an adventure to kill an evil witch that is enslaving his people. He just also happens to be grumpy and just her type.

Theme:

An ever present theme that is explored within the narrative is oppression and it forces the characters and readers to see who is the monster and to draw parallels between the struggles of these different species. ("Who is the monster and who is the man" I now have Hunchback of Notre Dame stuck in my head).

We have an array of humans, who are placed within an area that is also enclosed. Unlike in Lore of the Wilds, they are thrusted into another realm and forced to be there. Instead, they live in comfort and know nothing of the outside world and desire to stay within the confines of what they know and are familiar of.

On the other hand, we come to learn how the "monsters" are treated, and none of it is good, and Cinnamon is forced to come to terms with her ignorance and make choices based on what she knows and what she has come to learn. We learn through her eyes and see how she then goes about making decisions that affect not only her life, but various others.

Final Thoughts:

I love this book. I don't think that would come as a shock to many of you, but this book is something that nudges me out of a reading slump every single time. Humor, spice, adventure, and a cast of characters that are endearing? This is a must read for any and all that have not had the chance to read it. And if you have, read it again. This book, as well as the series, has something for everyone!