Taming Demons for Beginners

Written by Annette Marie

Narrated by Cris Dukehart

Rule one: Don't look at the demon.

When I arrived at my uncle's house, I expected my relatives to be like me-outcast sorcerers who don't practice magic. I was right about the sorcery, but wrong about everything else.

Rule two: Don't listen to the demon.

My uncle chose a far deadlier power. He calls creatures of darkness into our world, binds them into service contracts, and sells them to the highest bidder. And I'm supposed to act like I don't know how illegal and dangerous it is.

Rule three: Don't talk to the demon.

All I had to do was keep my nose out of it. Pretend I didn't find the summoning circle in the basement. Pretend I didn't notice the shadowy being trapped inside it. Pretend I didn't break the rules. But I did, and now it's too late.

Make sure to check out the companion series, The Guild Codex: Spellbound, available now, and The Guild Codex: Warped, coauthored by Rob Jacobsen, available summer 2020.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781515934097

Reviews for Taming Demons for Beginners

[Little Arcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*chef's kiss* Amazing intro into the series! I don't know if it's a requirement to make the FL so annoying at first but hopefully, she'll get better. The fact that I still read the book despite being thoroughly annoyed by Robin is a big thing! I love all the twists and climax. I will definitely read the next book at once!

[Casey Ferguson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great book from Annette Marie. Chris Dukehart is a great narrator. I enjoyed her in the Spellbound Codex. It was kinda hard separating Robin from Tori at first.

[DeAnna Ortiz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome. Really wanted to hear more about other characters touched on in the other series. And I got my wish. Very happy to hear other view points of situations that all were involved in, very cool.

[Whatzoo C · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm really enjoying this author. I have been looking for a new series and I really like the world and people in this series so far!

[Veronika Koen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My all time favourite series! Brilliant unique characters, one of a kind action, superb world building, humour, action, everything you want from urban fantasy! Annette Marie is the master of this genre.

[John Staples · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable. I like the new characters and mystery. I'm not as invested in the main as I am in the original, but perhaps as she grows I'll become more so.

[Rebbecca Millis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved every book! Finally a book series I finished. Over the last 6 months, I would start a series and quit a few books in because the series would go bland and/or redundant. This is full of action, mystery, humor, good dialog and fantasy with a decent mix of reality. The lead is relatable with some shyness and awkwardness. The demon is cringy and makes bad decisions as a demon would, but his character has some growth and the lead doesn't hesitate to correct him. The story involves more than just the two main characters thankfully, plus a kitten! I don't want to ruin this with any spoilers. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming. I recommend.

[lorri Harrington · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Please can someone find me a good narrator! Why are all these people saying this is a good one. Also we need a decent main carctor Robin is whiny and stupid in her actions these are dangerous men trust no one are 18 years old this socially dum with no awareness at all. I don't believe this the authers are doing a disservice to readers dishing out these awful lead heroines Most books of this type have this stock main carctor. It's really disappointing. I'm recommending Illona Andrews on carctors and plot alone.

[whybehave2002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If this book is an example of what the series is going to be then we are on a ride for a good time! Lots of little hidden tidbits that surprise us along the way. :)

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Guild Codex: Demonized series. I borrowed this through Kindle Unlimited. There is also a sister series to this called Guild Codex: Spellbound that weaves in and out of the Demonized timeline but features different characters. Previous to reading this I have read and enjoyed all of Annette Marie’s other series.Story (5/5): This book was a great start to a new spinoff series in this world featuring Robin. I loved Robin even more than Tori and really enjoyed her struggles to get out from under her Uncle’s thumb and learn to forge a relationship with a demon of her own.Characters (5/5): Like all of Marie’s series this is a very character driven one and I absolutely love all of the characters here. I love Robin and how she struggles to stand up for herself and overcome her mousiness. Zylas is the demon and he is awesome, I really enjoyed the deal he and Robin struck (it’s hilarious) and enjoyed their push and pull relationship for the whole story. I also really loved Amalia who ends up being Robin’s champion. It was also fascinating to see how our characters from Guild Codex: Spellbound look from the outside.Setting (4/5): The setting of this book was fine but nothing too exciting. The story starts off in Robin’s uncle’s house and then moves into the city and between some different guilds. The setting wasn’t really the focus of the story. Writing Style (5/5): I am a huge fan of Marie’s writing style and continue to enjoy it here. The story is fast-paced, very easy to read and engage with and impossible to put down. Marie does an amazing job with both characterization and fight scenes. I really loved learning more about demons in this book and how that type of magic works. Absolutely no complaints, I love it! I can never put these books down and whip right through them.My Summary (5/5): Overall this was an amazing new story in this fun urban fantasy world. I loved these new characters and enjoy the focus on demonology. I can’t wait to read more about both Robin and Zylas. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy light urban fantasy with a lot of humor and action.

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Taming Demons for BeginnersGuild Codex: Demonized Series, Book 1By: Annette MarieNarrated by: Cris DukehartThis is an awesome start to a new series! Robin's parents die and she has to live with her uncle, but he doesn't seem so honest. She finds out he has a demon trapped in the library. He tells her never to go in the library again! Well, you know she did! That's when things go crazy! Exciting, suspenseful, thrilling, and funny! Can't wait for the next book!Narration was terrific!

[avoraciousreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5Book source ~ Kindle UnlimitedRobin Page lost her parents to a tragic accident and now she lives with an uncle and others who seem to hate her. All she wants is her inheritance so she can move on with her life. But her uncle is stonewalling her. Robin has no idea why. So she starts snooping. And that’s when she discovers the demon in the summoning circle down in the library. Things get real interesting after that.Since I love the connected series, The Guild Codex: Spellbound, so much I had to check out this new series. And I am not disappointed. Robin is a weird combination of scaredy cat and plucky nerd. The demon is vastly intriguing. And there’s so much about demons that I haven’t yet seen in the other series, so there’s new ground to cover in a world I already love. The two series mesh together very well. I love the characters, the world, and the storyline so much I already read book 2 (review upcoming). Fans of smart and sassy urban fantasy should really enjoy this one.

[pardamustang · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Taming Demons for Beginners is the first in an exciting new series by Annette Marie. Robin is stuck staying at her uncle's house, waiting on him to relinquish her inheritance after her parents mysteriously perish. More than any monetary gain, Robin wants her mum's prized grimoire, one always passed from mother to daughter. One, unbeknownst to Robin, containing secrets people would kill for. And her uncle's up to shady business himself, doing illegal summoning work. When she's attacked by people in her uncle's house, Robin finds herself bound to a demon trapped in the basement. Can she stay alive and ahead of her attackers?I devoured this book! Read it in less than a day, honestly. This is the first Guild Codex book I've read, though I do have others in the original series. Now I want to read them even more, to learn about the other branches of magic in this urban fantasy world. Demonica is the branch most explored here, and I enjoyed how it was portrayed. The demon contracts made me think of Crowley in Supernatural. Different kind of contracts, but just as thorough! Here, demons are basically enslaved, serving a contractor until death frees them. Unbound or improperly bound demons are not tolerated, putting Robin in serious danger. Following more along the lines of our ghost hunting shows, the demons in this world need energy to thrive. Sunlight works best, but they can take heat and energy from anything that has it, including other living beings. Be neat to see if Zylas can short electronics or drain batteries for energy. I also enjoyed getting to better understand demonic culture through Zylas. Fully enslaved demons cannot speak. They can't even move of their own volition, so ya know, I can see why unbound ones might be pissy with humans. Not knowing much about demons, Robin treats Zylas as a living (albeit dangerous) being. She sees him as a person, not a tool. Because he 'trusts' her, and is improperly bound, he can talk and interact, revealing things that other contractors seem to never have bothered finding out. Like that demons have infrared vision, females are more dangerous, and some can use healing magic. The anthropologist in me is always interested in learning about new cultures. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!!***Many thanks to the author/ publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for XPresso Tours.