Having lived by the saying "No good deed goes unpunished", Annie thought that her life was finally turning around for the better. She was engaged, had a good job, and a place of her own. Then, she catches her fiancé cheating with her neighbor. After a harrowing night at the police station, Annie parks her car in the garage but a portal to Hell has opened right under her feet.
Namtar, an ancient Sumerian god, comes through the portal and needs to find a sacrifice so that he may regain his powers and claim his throne in the Underworld. Annie is conveniently present for his uses, but he soon develops a snag in his plan: he actually likes Annie. Now, he is drawn into the dramatic events of her life as well as fighting his own demons. Literally.
At first, I did not like Annie. She was a complete pushover. Luckily, spending time with Namtar seemed to help her grow a spine. Unfortunately, Namtar is a bit old-fashioned in his ways, which makes him slightly annoying at times. Also, he keeps Annie in the dark far longer than I would have expected. But, when Annie and Namtar are together, they burn hot and bright.
I felt the pacing of this story was very slow. I did not quite understand why Annie's ex-fiancé went off the deep end, especially since he was the one cheating on her. Also, some of the plot points seemed too convenient and, in my mind, not necessarily rational. Luckily, the end the story picks up and becomes more believable. Also, by this point, I actually like Annie.
Overall, Devil Take Me has an interesting premise. I enjoyed Annie's secret background and watching her grow from someone I found annoying to a character I could respect. Unfortunately, the story does not make sense at times and moves slowly which, for some readers, may overshadow many of the good aspects of this story.
BookingIt Grade: C+
