Raising Hell by Bryony Pearce

Raising Hell by Bryony Pearce
UK Publication Date: June 2021
Reviewed by: By Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]

This ARC was provided by UCLan Publishing (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Be prepared for a wild ride.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Meet Ivy Elizabeth Mann:

“I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not half faery, or demon, or angel or anything like that. Mum’s a Body Shop consultant living in a bungalow in Birmingham and Dad enters crossword competitions.”

Once upon a time, Ivy and her friends did a very stupid thing and now there’s a rift letting dark matter into the world. Dark matter that manifests as black magic which actually works. Now every teenager with access to the Internet is raising hell. Literally.

Ivy’s doing her best to stem the tide, but her new job working school security barely pays the bills and there’s only so much one girl with a machete (and a cat possessed by her own dead grandmother) can do against the forces of evil.

Now she’s facing a teenaged goth with an attitude, a dark cabal with a terrifying agenda and a potential zombie apocalypse.

Ivy losing her job might be the best thing to happen to the world!

My Thoughts:  I have had a series hangover since watching all of Ash Vs Evil Dead and this book could be termed “hair of the dog” (literally in some cases) to help cure that hangover.

Like Ash the book doesn’t take itself too seriously which is what made reading such a fun experience .Yes the world may be being torn about by evil but that is no reason not to enjoy the ride.

Ivy is a great character yeah she may have caused the end of the world as we know it but she is not going to sit about moping over it hell no, she is atoning in the only way she knows how, kicking evil’s butt every chance she gets.

Great characters and a very visual reading experience I was with Ivy every step of the way.

Even in amongst kicking evil in the ass there is still time for human tenderness, friendship and a side serving of romance.  What more does a reader need?

Also how cool is that cover?

Who would like this? Anyone who loves 80s horror that doesn’t take itself seriously where we all know who will survive but the fun is in watching them do it.