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Demon #2
Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks
Get an east Texas girl good and mad, and there’s going to be hell to pay!
Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t believe in the paranormal—she can find plenty of evil forces right in Dogwood County, like the Mega-Mart that’s driving her family’s hardware store into the ground.
Then there’s her own little hell-raiser—a rowdy toddler who can turn his birthday candles into a blazing inferno with just one breath. But when her marriage goes up in smoke, Rachel discovers her husband, Kevin, isn’t just a deadbeat, he’s also a demon (a sloth demon, no less, which explains why he never helped around the house) with a renegade bounty hunter—a fallen angel named Sam—chasing down a powerful secret Kevin has kept for a millennium or two.
Sam’s downfall was a beautiful mortal woman . . . and now, the heavenly attraction zinging between them has down-to-earth Rachel believing in celestial magic. But will it be enough to save her and her son from the dark forces Kevin has unwittingly unleashed on Dogwood County?
Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t believe in the paranormal—she can find plenty of evil forces right in Dogwood County, like the Mega-Mart that’s driving her family’s hardware store into the ground.
Then there’s her own little hell-raiser—a rowdy toddler who can turn his birthday candles into a blazing inferno with just one breath. But when her marriage goes up in smoke, Rachel discovers her husband, Kevin, isn’t just a deadbeat, he’s also a demon (a sloth demon, no less, which explains why he never helped around the house) with a renegade bounty hunter—a fallen angel named Sam—chasing down a powerful secret Kevin has kept for a millennium or two.
Sam’s downfall was a beautiful mortal woman . . . and now, the heavenly attraction zinging between them has down-to-earth Rachel believing in celestial magic. But will it be enough to save her and her son from the dark forces Kevin has unwittingly unleashed on Dogwood County?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 25, 2010
6 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
Cara Lockwood
104 books368 followersI've written more than 30 books in a number of genres: chick lit, romance, suspense, paranormal and young adult. My debut novel, I Do (But I Don't) was made into a Lifetime Original movie.
I grew up in Mesquite, Texas, which for those of you who like livestock shows, is the home of the Mesquite Rodeo. Ironically, Mesquite was named after Mesquite trees, only none of them now exist in the city, which is about fifteen minutes east of Dallas. No, I don't own a pair of cowboy boots, although I do own quite an impressive collection of black shoes. My Dad is a third-generation Japanese-American, and my mom is a second-generation Texan who's mostly English.
I went to school at the University of Pennsylvania, only I'm not sure how I got in. I think these days they only accept students who can solve String Theory. Anyway, I majored in English, and because my dad said "and just what are you going to do with an English degree?" I went to work for the school newspaper. After college, I spent four years as a newspaper reporter, working for an overly excitable editor who sent me running anytime the police scanner went off. I was working insane hours for next to no pay. I was actually sent to cover a grass fire on my 25th Birthday. Let me tell you, it smelled bad. I think some mice may have lost their lives. But that was about it in terms of excitement. Happy Birthday to Me.
So, I decided after I had taken to hiding from my editor in the bathroom at the office anytime the police scanner went off, that journalism probably wasn't for me. I went to work for a marketing firm and discovered that most everyone else didn't stay until ten o'clock every night writing up their riveting story about grass fires. I also decided that I would take advantage of that free time to write some fiction. That's when I started writing "I Do (But I Don't)." A year later, I finished it, thanks to the help of my friend, Shannon, who wouldn't let me slack off and kept asking me for chapters.
And that's how I became a writer. Except that it still feels weird to say, "I'm a writer." I keep expecting to wake up tomorrow and have to go cover another grass fire.
I'm married and live with a blended broad of seven near Chicago, where I'm hard at work on my next book!
I grew up in Mesquite, Texas, which for those of you who like livestock shows, is the home of the Mesquite Rodeo. Ironically, Mesquite was named after Mesquite trees, only none of them now exist in the city, which is about fifteen minutes east of Dallas. No, I don't own a pair of cowboy boots, although I do own quite an impressive collection of black shoes. My Dad is a third-generation Japanese-American, and my mom is a second-generation Texan who's mostly English.
I went to school at the University of Pennsylvania, only I'm not sure how I got in. I think these days they only accept students who can solve String Theory. Anyway, I majored in English, and because my dad said "and just what are you going to do with an English degree?" I went to work for the school newspaper. After college, I spent four years as a newspaper reporter, working for an overly excitable editor who sent me running anytime the police scanner went off. I was working insane hours for next to no pay. I was actually sent to cover a grass fire on my 25th Birthday. Let me tell you, it smelled bad. I think some mice may have lost their lives. But that was about it in terms of excitement. Happy Birthday to Me.
So, I decided after I had taken to hiding from my editor in the bathroom at the office anytime the police scanner went off, that journalism probably wasn't for me. I went to work for a marketing firm and discovered that most everyone else didn't stay until ten o'clock every night writing up their riveting story about grass fires. I also decided that I would take advantage of that free time to write some fiction. That's when I started writing "I Do (But I Don't)." A year later, I finished it, thanks to the help of my friend, Shannon, who wouldn't let me slack off and kept asking me for chapters.
And that's how I became a writer. Except that it still feels weird to say, "I'm a writer." I keep expecting to wake up tomorrow and have to go cover another grass fire.
I'm married and live with a blended broad of seven near Chicago, where I'm hard at work on my next book!
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June 28, 2025
4 bintang
Masih tetap konyol kayak buku pertamanya, Every Demon Has His Day, meski ga terlalu banyak guyonan gacornya. Tapi kalau dari segi karakter dan personality, gue sukaan tokoh - tokoh di Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks ini. Ceritanya sendiri langsung nyambung dari buku pertama meski ada jeda sekitar beberapa bulan. Kali ini tokoh utamanya adalah Rachel Farnsworth yang jadi figuran di buku pertama dan juga teman dekatnya Constance, tokoh utama dari buku pertama juga. Berbeda dengan Constance yang jadi nabi, Rachel ini manusia biasa tanpa kekuatan apapun. Sebaliknya, si tokoh utama pria yaitu Sam adalah mantan malaikat atau malaikat terbuang atau fallen angel yang melanggar perintah Tuhan dan akhirnya berkelana di bumi jadi pemburu bayaran untuk daftar setan yang perlu dikembalikan ke neraka.
Meski Rachel ini manusia biasa, sayangnya putra semata wayangnya yaitu Cassidy malah jadi setengah setan setengah manusia. Lho kok bisa? Jadi Rachel ga tahu kalau selama lima tahun terakhir, suaminya dia yaitu Kevin itu sudah bukanlah Kevin yang dulu alias orang lain. Dalam tubuh Kevin bersemayam Pan, seorang Setan Kemalasan yang menjelaskan banyak hal kenapa Kevin jadi males beberes rumah, lel. Makanya Cassidy jadi punya darah setan karena ada pengaruh Pan. Kevin alias Pan sendiri diincer Sam karena Pan tahu tempat kuburan Azazel, salah satu malaikat terbuang yang punya rencana untuk berperang melawan Surga dan Neraka dengan menggunakan Nephilim atau manusia setengah malaikat. Di perjalanannya ini Sam ketemu sama Rachel yang ga percaya kalau selama ini suaminya itu setan, anaknya setengah setan dan ternyata punya utang banyak. Cinta pun bersemi (ya iyalah) tapi meski Sam udah kasih pesona bak supermodelnya, Rachel bukan wanita yang gampang ditaklukkan. Apalagi Rachel ini lebih ngeyelan ketimbang Constance dan meski manusia biasa, Rachel menunjukkan kalau emak - emak emang manusia paling terkuat di muka bumi yang bahkan setan sama malaikat pun semuanya bertekuk lutut. Dalam kasus Sam, literally.
Gue lebih suka karakter Rachel karena dia keras kepala dibanding Constance yang masih suka denial sama kekuatan nabinya waktu di buku pertama meski gue juga paham kenapa Constance begitu. Rachel emang ga percaya awalnya, tapi karena rasa sayangnya sama Cassidy dan kemarahannya yang luar biasa ke suami (yang akhirnya jadi mantan), semuanya pun dilawan sama Rachel. Bahkan termasuk Sam, lel. Sam sendiri lebih ke tipikal brooding hero atau anti hero mengingat dia fallen angel dan punya agendanya sendiri. Gue lebih suka dinamikanya Rachel sama Sam ketimbang Constance sama Nathan, mungkin karena Nathan terlalu kentara playboynya, wk. Atau mungkin bad boy dengan masa lalu yang tersiksa itu emang salah satu catnip gue hehe.
Kalau di buku pertama bagian comic reliefnya ada di duo setan bernama Yaman dan Shadow, maka di buku kedua ini para malaikat mendapat jatahnya. Frank yang membantu Constance di buku pertama untuk mencegah kelahiran Anti Kristus sekarang sudah bukan malaikat yang lagi training tapi jadi malaikat sungguhan meski levelnya masih rendah dan masuk di bagian Pengawas sehingga namanya jadi Frank si Pemula. Menemani Frank si Pemula ada malaikat pengawas lain bernama Gabriel Juga. Seriusan namanya ada kata "Juga" untuk membedakan Gabriel yang kroco mumet ini dengan Gabriel sang Malaikat utama, lol. Meski dialog Gabriel Juga dan Frank si Pemula ini ga selucu Yaman dan Shadow, tapi mereka tetep memberikan warna buat buku ini. Apalagi Frank yang kebelet pengen beraksi gegara dia pas buku pertama berhasil jadi pahlawan tapi selalu dicegah sama Gabriel Juga yang taat peraturan. Tapi akhirnya duo malaikat kroco mumet ini pun berhasil menyelamatkan dunia dengan caranya sendiri.
Memang kota tempat Rachel dan Constance yaitu Dogwood ini kayaknya magnet supernatural jadi banyak dihuni setan. Bahkan tempat kayak supermarket dan kantor polisi aja jadi tempat training setan, lel. Ending cerita sih tentunya semua berakhir bahagia dan Rachel pun bersatu dengan Sam (lha terus Kevin gimana? Baca aja bukunya, hehehe). Cassidy pun akhirnya juga bisa mengendalikan kekuatannya sebagai setengah setan setelah dilatih sama Pastor Daniel yang sayangnya ga terlalu banyak dapat jatah di buku ini padahal gue kangen tingkah si Pastor yang kayak Rambo kalau udah urusan melenyapkan setan, hehe. Porsi aksinya lebih banyak dan memang didominasi sama Sam. Gue sendiri merasa kalau baik buku 1 dan buku 2 itu movie material banget soalnya selain banyak aksi, pasti bakal lucu ngakak lihat tingkah para makhluk gaib di buku ini. Terjemahannya pun terjaga kualitasnya meski ya masih ada typo juga.
Sama seperti buku pertama, Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks ini juga gue rekomendasikan kalau ingin bacaan ringan. Pokoknya kalau nemu buku ini di obralan mah sikat aja, meski tetep harus baca buku pertama karena ceritanya kan nyambung.
Masih tetap konyol kayak buku pertamanya, Every Demon Has His Day, meski ga terlalu banyak guyonan gacornya. Tapi kalau dari segi karakter dan personality, gue sukaan tokoh - tokoh di Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks ini. Ceritanya sendiri langsung nyambung dari buku pertama meski ada jeda sekitar beberapa bulan. Kali ini tokoh utamanya adalah Rachel Farnsworth yang jadi figuran di buku pertama dan juga teman dekatnya Constance, tokoh utama dari buku pertama juga. Berbeda dengan Constance yang jadi nabi, Rachel ini manusia biasa tanpa kekuatan apapun. Sebaliknya, si tokoh utama pria yaitu Sam adalah mantan malaikat atau malaikat terbuang atau fallen angel yang melanggar perintah Tuhan dan akhirnya berkelana di bumi jadi pemburu bayaran untuk daftar setan yang perlu dikembalikan ke neraka.
Meski Rachel ini manusia biasa, sayangnya putra semata wayangnya yaitu Cassidy malah jadi setengah setan setengah manusia. Lho kok bisa? Jadi Rachel ga tahu kalau selama lima tahun terakhir, suaminya dia yaitu Kevin itu sudah bukanlah Kevin yang dulu alias orang lain. Dalam tubuh Kevin bersemayam Pan, seorang Setan Kemalasan yang menjelaskan banyak hal kenapa Kevin jadi males beberes rumah, lel. Makanya Cassidy jadi punya darah setan karena ada pengaruh Pan. Kevin alias Pan sendiri diincer Sam karena Pan tahu tempat kuburan Azazel, salah satu malaikat terbuang yang punya rencana untuk berperang melawan Surga dan Neraka dengan menggunakan Nephilim atau manusia setengah malaikat. Di perjalanannya ini Sam ketemu sama Rachel yang ga percaya kalau selama ini suaminya itu setan, anaknya setengah setan dan ternyata punya utang banyak. Cinta pun bersemi (ya iyalah) tapi meski Sam udah kasih pesona bak supermodelnya, Rachel bukan wanita yang gampang ditaklukkan. Apalagi Rachel ini lebih ngeyelan ketimbang Constance dan meski manusia biasa, Rachel menunjukkan kalau emak - emak emang manusia paling terkuat di muka bumi yang bahkan setan sama malaikat pun semuanya bertekuk lutut. Dalam kasus Sam, literally.
Gue lebih suka karakter Rachel karena dia keras kepala dibanding Constance yang masih suka denial sama kekuatan nabinya waktu di buku pertama meski gue juga paham kenapa Constance begitu. Rachel emang ga percaya awalnya, tapi karena rasa sayangnya sama Cassidy dan kemarahannya yang luar biasa ke suami (yang akhirnya jadi mantan), semuanya pun dilawan sama Rachel. Bahkan termasuk Sam, lel. Sam sendiri lebih ke tipikal brooding hero atau anti hero mengingat dia fallen angel dan punya agendanya sendiri. Gue lebih suka dinamikanya Rachel sama Sam ketimbang Constance sama Nathan, mungkin karena Nathan terlalu kentara playboynya, wk. Atau mungkin bad boy dengan masa lalu yang tersiksa itu emang salah satu catnip gue hehe.
Kalau di buku pertama bagian comic reliefnya ada di duo setan bernama Yaman dan Shadow, maka di buku kedua ini para malaikat mendapat jatahnya. Frank yang membantu Constance di buku pertama untuk mencegah kelahiran Anti Kristus sekarang sudah bukan malaikat yang lagi training tapi jadi malaikat sungguhan meski levelnya masih rendah dan masuk di bagian Pengawas sehingga namanya jadi Frank si Pemula. Menemani Frank si Pemula ada malaikat pengawas lain bernama Gabriel Juga. Seriusan namanya ada kata "Juga" untuk membedakan Gabriel yang kroco mumet ini dengan Gabriel sang Malaikat utama, lol. Meski dialog Gabriel Juga dan Frank si Pemula ini ga selucu Yaman dan Shadow, tapi mereka tetep memberikan warna buat buku ini. Apalagi Frank yang kebelet pengen beraksi gegara dia pas buku pertama berhasil jadi pahlawan tapi selalu dicegah sama Gabriel Juga yang taat peraturan. Tapi akhirnya duo malaikat kroco mumet ini pun berhasil menyelamatkan dunia dengan caranya sendiri.
Memang kota tempat Rachel dan Constance yaitu Dogwood ini kayaknya magnet supernatural jadi banyak dihuni setan. Bahkan tempat kayak supermarket dan kantor polisi aja jadi tempat training setan, lel. Ending cerita sih tentunya semua berakhir bahagia dan Rachel pun bersatu dengan Sam (lha terus Kevin gimana? Baca aja bukunya, hehehe). Cassidy pun akhirnya juga bisa mengendalikan kekuatannya sebagai setengah setan setelah dilatih sama Pastor Daniel yang sayangnya ga terlalu banyak dapat jatah di buku ini padahal gue kangen tingkah si Pastor yang kayak Rambo kalau udah urusan melenyapkan setan, hehe. Porsi aksinya lebih banyak dan memang didominasi sama Sam. Gue sendiri merasa kalau baik buku 1 dan buku 2 itu movie material banget soalnya selain banyak aksi, pasti bakal lucu ngakak lihat tingkah para makhluk gaib di buku ini. Terjemahannya pun terjaga kualitasnya meski ya masih ada typo juga.
Sama seperti buku pertama, Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks ini juga gue rekomendasikan kalau ingin bacaan ringan. Pokoknya kalau nemu buku ini di obralan mah sikat aja, meski tetep harus baca buku pertama karena ceritanya kan nyambung.
August 24, 2012
Before I begin my review, I feel the need for a disclaimer. Firstly, I picked this up without knowing it was the second book in a series (I really hate it when that's not made clear on the cover!) and secondly, I read it overnight in a hospital while my five year old struggled to breathe in the bed next to me. Both of these thing may have impacted on my enjoyment of the book.
But on to the review.
I found You Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks to be a light, entertaining read with a number of flaws. Under normal circumstances, those flaws may have annoyed me, but as purely escapist fiction I was able to roll with them and just let the frothy voice carry me along through the story.
I alternately found the main character, Rachel, to be interesting, funny, and completely unbelievable. She's consistently described as being strong and tough and fill of vim and vigour, and yet her actions before the story begins are those of a weak-willed, emotionally manipulative doormat. But I found that if I pretended she'd just sprung into being at the beginning of the novel, all was good.
There were a few instances where the timing of events didn't make sense ("Wait, how did he impregnate someone yesterday when he was only released from his prison today?"), and some of those annoying errors that I would have expected to have been picked up by an editor ("What do you mean he's got blue eyes? Three pages ago he had green eyes.").
The story itself was pretty predictable, but fun. Overall, it would make a good beach or airplane (or hospital!) read, but isn't something I would recommend if you want something a bit meatier in your characters or plotlines.
But on to the review.
I found You Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks to be a light, entertaining read with a number of flaws. Under normal circumstances, those flaws may have annoyed me, but as purely escapist fiction I was able to roll with them and just let the frothy voice carry me along through the story.
I alternately found the main character, Rachel, to be interesting, funny, and completely unbelievable. She's consistently described as being strong and tough and fill of vim and vigour, and yet her actions before the story begins are those of a weak-willed, emotionally manipulative doormat. But I found that if I pretended she'd just sprung into being at the beginning of the novel, all was good.
There were a few instances where the timing of events didn't make sense ("Wait, how did he impregnate someone yesterday when he was only released from his prison today?"), and some of those annoying errors that I would have expected to have been picked up by an editor ("What do you mean he's got blue eyes? Three pages ago he had green eyes.").
The story itself was pretty predictable, but fun. Overall, it would make a good beach or airplane (or hospital!) read, but isn't something I would recommend if you want something a bit meatier in your characters or plotlines.
May 16, 2010
Great title, horrible writing. I don't drop many books, but I can't finish this one. By the time I got to the end of chapter one I was seriously confused. Too many disjointed thoughts and references to stuff that I didn't understand. I figured in part is was because I didn't know there was a first book in the series and hadn't read it (don't you just hate books that can stand on their own?), but I went and looked for it's predecessor and found that the author's writing style is disjointed and confusing. This book is truly awful and doesn't even rate a single star!
June 25, 2013
When you're married to a demon but attracted to an angel, sparks will fly.
Sam is a fallen angel. He refuses to work for the devil and he had his wings plucked viciously from him when he worked for God; he refused to kill a young mother and her dying son. Now he works freelance and so far has been able to resist Satan’s offer of immortality and eternal servitude. But Sam isn’t sure how much longer he can remain neutral.
Rachel Farnsworth used to be happy. Now, her husband Kevin is missing and on the day of their son Cassidy’s birthday. She’s tried calling his work and a few friends, but no one has seen him. She’s also sure something is wrong with Cassidy. No child should be able to climb on top of a refrigerator or create small fires out of nothing. She’s scared for him, and when she finds out that Kevin cleared out their bank account, she’s stunned.
A demon named Pan had taken over Kevin’s body a few years ago. He knows the location of fallen angel Azazel’s tomb and Satan wants that information. He’s been hiding for years but now he’s being hunted. He and another powerful demon unleash dark forces upon Dogwood County while Sam and Rachel work together to find the answers to stop it.
The attraction between Sam and Rachel sparkles. CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is written with wit, a supernatural fun plot, and extraordinary characters. Cara Lockwood has built a unique world of angels and demons with Dogwood County smack in the middle. I look forward to more in this superb series.
Sam is a fallen angel. He refuses to work for the devil and he had his wings plucked viciously from him when he worked for God; he refused to kill a young mother and her dying son. Now he works freelance and so far has been able to resist Satan’s offer of immortality and eternal servitude. But Sam isn’t sure how much longer he can remain neutral.
Rachel Farnsworth used to be happy. Now, her husband Kevin is missing and on the day of their son Cassidy’s birthday. She’s tried calling his work and a few friends, but no one has seen him. She’s also sure something is wrong with Cassidy. No child should be able to climb on top of a refrigerator or create small fires out of nothing. She’s scared for him, and when she finds out that Kevin cleared out their bank account, she’s stunned.
A demon named Pan had taken over Kevin’s body a few years ago. He knows the location of fallen angel Azazel’s tomb and Satan wants that information. He’s been hiding for years but now he’s being hunted. He and another powerful demon unleash dark forces upon Dogwood County while Sam and Rachel work together to find the answers to stop it.
The attraction between Sam and Rachel sparkles. CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is written with wit, a supernatural fun plot, and extraordinary characters. Cara Lockwood has built a unique world of angels and demons with Dogwood County smack in the middle. I look forward to more in this superb series.
May 7, 2010
I totally loved this book! Just as great as the first one, I hope she writes a third in the series. Perfect combo of chick lit, suspense, paranormal and comedy!
April 13, 2025
Quick Breakdown:
-Dual POV
-Fallen angels and demons
-Romance: closed door
-He falls first
-Grumpy, morally grey MMC
The second story in this duology was even more enjoyable than the first. The quick wit, fast pace, and fun story made for an easy paranormal fantasy read.
There was just so much about this story that I liked. Sam, the Fallen angel, was a real chefs kiss for me. Dark, grouchy, morally grey? Count me in. And Rachel- a badass woman, tough as nails mom, with an all around take no prisoners attitude? Stellar. The combination of her and Sam was perfection.
If you’re looking to dip your toes into a book of this genre, this is a great place to start. Very easy to read and nothing too heavy- even with a topic that could lend itself to that.
-Dual POV
-Fallen angels and demons
-Romance: closed door
-He falls first
-Grumpy, morally grey MMC
The second story in this duology was even more enjoyable than the first. The quick wit, fast pace, and fun story made for an easy paranormal fantasy read.
There was just so much about this story that I liked. Sam, the Fallen angel, was a real chefs kiss for me. Dark, grouchy, morally grey? Count me in. And Rachel- a badass woman, tough as nails mom, with an all around take no prisoners attitude? Stellar. The combination of her and Sam was perfection.
If you’re looking to dip your toes into a book of this genre, this is a great place to start. Very easy to read and nothing too heavy- even with a topic that could lend itself to that.
August 4, 2017
I found the first book in this series by accident years ago. I found this one, the second book in the series, much the same way a few weeks ago. It's a fun read. Similar in style to the Charlene Harris and Mary Janice Davidson books, but not nearly as vapid. More intelligent humor, which is a wonderful change.
October 7, 2019
Mustinya bisa lebih lucu, kalo diniatkan.
May 31, 2020
Not a great book, but it served its purpose by entertaining me.
June 5, 2010
"Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks" is the latest by Cara Lockwood and the second in what is so far a 2-book series about various supernatural entities of the diabolical variety raising hell (literally) in Dogwood, Texas. I did not read the first in the series ("Every Demon Has His Day") but that did not seem to detract from my enjoyment of this short (372 page), fast-moving novel. This time around, Rachel Farnsworth discovers during the span of about a day or so that 1) her husband, Kevin, has drained all the money from all their bank accounts and disappeared, after neglecting to pay the mortgage for several months, 2) that he was in fact a demon, 3) that there is something a bit off about their 1-year old son, Cassidy, who seems to burp and/or breathe fire and 4) that there are a number of supernatural entities including demons, angels, fallen angels etc. after Rachel and/or Cassidy for God-knows what reason. That brings us up to about page 36 or so, where the novel begins to take off.
This is a love story of sorts but for one involving the above named creatures it is decidedly G or possibly PG-rated. Sam, a fallen angel (de-winged because he refused God's order to destroy a woman and her child a couple of thousand years ago), has fallen hard for Rachel, and that is getting in the way of his primary occupation as bounty hunter for Mr. Scratch who rewards Sam for bounty returned with a renewal of his supernatural powers including super speed, super strength and immortality. Sam has not collected a bounty in a while and his powers, while still quite superhuman, are on the wane. And the entity that he is hunting, another fallen angel, is one of the most powerful of all such creatures in all creation. And his misdeed of millenia ago comes back to bite him in the....whatever.
Rachel is an enjoyable heroine, tough, loyal and brave (although not exceptionally good at taking direction) and the chemistry between her and Sam is palpable. There is a small cast of enjoyable supporting players including angels, a best friend (the main character in the first book) and a local cop (also from the first installment) that are well-drawn and individualized, and Ms. Lockwwod takes dead aim on the common cultural iconography of heaven and earth. All is in good fun and there is enough suspense to keep one turning the pages steadily until there are no more to turn. There is no sex or profanity, and all's well that ends well.
I would gladly try another of these (even though I am a 56 year old father with a 9 year old boy and was recently informed [wife:] that this is 'chick-lit. So what?") because I liked it. Perhaps you will too.
J.M. Tepper
This is a love story of sorts but for one involving the above named creatures it is decidedly G or possibly PG-rated. Sam, a fallen angel (de-winged because he refused God's order to destroy a woman and her child a couple of thousand years ago), has fallen hard for Rachel, and that is getting in the way of his primary occupation as bounty hunter for Mr. Scratch who rewards Sam for bounty returned with a renewal of his supernatural powers including super speed, super strength and immortality. Sam has not collected a bounty in a while and his powers, while still quite superhuman, are on the wane. And the entity that he is hunting, another fallen angel, is one of the most powerful of all such creatures in all creation. And his misdeed of millenia ago comes back to bite him in the....whatever.
Rachel is an enjoyable heroine, tough, loyal and brave (although not exceptionally good at taking direction) and the chemistry between her and Sam is palpable. There is a small cast of enjoyable supporting players including angels, a best friend (the main character in the first book) and a local cop (also from the first installment) that are well-drawn and individualized, and Ms. Lockwwod takes dead aim on the common cultural iconography of heaven and earth. All is in good fun and there is enough suspense to keep one turning the pages steadily until there are no more to turn. There is no sex or profanity, and all's well that ends well.
I would gladly try another of these (even though I am a 56 year old father with a 9 year old boy and was recently informed [wife:] that this is 'chick-lit. So what?") because I liked it. Perhaps you will too.
J.M. Tepper
September 4, 2013
STARS RATING: 3.5
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Setelah suaminya pulang dari konferensi yang dihadirinya lima tahun yang lalu, Rachel merasa bahwa Kevin telah berubah; dari pemuda SMA yang seorang atlit football menjadi seorang suami yang pemalas. Namun ia tidak menyangka, dengan pemberitahuan dari telepon bahwa rumahnya akan disita karena digadaikan, Kevin telah berani untuk meninggalkannya dan Cassidy, anaknya lelaki mereka yang imut dan serta membawa uang tabungan mereka. Namun beberapa pria datang ke rumahnya untuk menanyakan keberadaan suami Rachel--yang tidak diketahui. Dengan penyelamatan Sam, dibantu dengan penglihatan Constance, sahabat dan pacar Constance serta Pastors Daniels, Rachel menyadari bahwa ia telah menikahi seorang setan pemalas. Dan, tentu saja, melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki setengah manusia. Rachel sangat terpukul dan syok mengetahui bahwa kehidupannya tidak sedatar yang dipikirnya, namun Sam selalu ada disisinya dan berulang kali berhasil menolong Rachel yang selalu hadir di saat yang tidak tepat. Dengan malaikat buangan tampan dan memiliki aroma tubuh yang manis, Rachel dan Sam menelusuri jejak menemukan Kevin dan malaikat terbuang lainnya.
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Setelah suaminya pulang dari konferensi yang dihadirinya lima tahun yang lalu, Rachel merasa bahwa Kevin telah berubah; dari pemuda SMA yang seorang atlit football menjadi seorang suami yang pemalas. Namun ia tidak menyangka, dengan pemberitahuan dari telepon bahwa rumahnya akan disita karena digadaikan, Kevin telah berani untuk meninggalkannya dan Cassidy, anaknya lelaki mereka yang imut dan serta membawa uang tabungan mereka. Namun beberapa pria datang ke rumahnya untuk menanyakan keberadaan suami Rachel--yang tidak diketahui. Dengan penyelamatan Sam, dibantu dengan penglihatan Constance, sahabat dan pacar Constance serta Pastors Daniels, Rachel menyadari bahwa ia telah menikahi seorang setan pemalas. Dan, tentu saja, melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki setengah manusia. Rachel sangat terpukul dan syok mengetahui bahwa kehidupannya tidak sedatar yang dipikirnya, namun Sam selalu ada disisinya dan berulang kali berhasil menolong Rachel yang selalu hadir di saat yang tidak tepat. Dengan malaikat buangan tampan dan memiliki aroma tubuh yang manis, Rachel dan Sam menelusuri jejak menemukan Kevin dan malaikat terbuang lainnya.
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July 17, 2010
Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com
CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is the sequel to Every Demon Has His Day that introduced us to Dogwood County, the secret battleground between Angles and Demons for millennia. A number of characters crossover from the first book, but CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS focuses on a new relationship and can be read as a stand alone novel.
If the cover didn’t tip you off, this is a light hearted paranormal chick-lit story full of wacky characters and zany slapstick. Like the previous book, Rachel’s husband is a lazy good for nothing bum who turns out to be demon. All sorts of supernatural nasties are after him because he knows the location of the tomb of imprisoned Azarel, a fallen angel who once tried to overthrow both Heaven and Hell and is eager for a second attempt. Enter Sam, another fallen angel who doesn’t pick sides. He has to team up with Rachel to catch her husband for the demonic bounty, and Azarel’s bounty would be even better.
For the most part, CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is a little too cutesy for my taste, especially the handful of chapters written from the perspectives of the two Watcher angels Gabriel Too & Frank The New. And there is more actual theology than I was expecting which might offend certain readers. But if you like your paranormal with a healthy dose of cozy, the Dogwood Demon series is probably just what you’ve been looking for. You can expect a third book in this series in the near future.
Sexual Content: References to sex. A brief non-graphic sex scene.
CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is the sequel to Every Demon Has His Day that introduced us to Dogwood County, the secret battleground between Angles and Demons for millennia. A number of characters crossover from the first book, but CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS focuses on a new relationship and can be read as a stand alone novel.
If the cover didn’t tip you off, this is a light hearted paranormal chick-lit story full of wacky characters and zany slapstick. Like the previous book, Rachel’s husband is a lazy good for nothing bum who turns out to be demon. All sorts of supernatural nasties are after him because he knows the location of the tomb of imprisoned Azarel, a fallen angel who once tried to overthrow both Heaven and Hell and is eager for a second attempt. Enter Sam, another fallen angel who doesn’t pick sides. He has to team up with Rachel to catch her husband for the demonic bounty, and Azarel’s bounty would be even better.
For the most part, CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DEMON NEW TRICKS is a little too cutesy for my taste, especially the handful of chapters written from the perspectives of the two Watcher angels Gabriel Too & Frank The New. And there is more actual theology than I was expecting which might offend certain readers. But if you like your paranormal with a healthy dose of cozy, the Dogwood Demon series is probably just what you’ve been looking for. You can expect a third book in this series in the near future.
Sexual Content: References to sex. A brief non-graphic sex scene.
September 8, 2013
Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is the follow-up to Cara Lockwood’s Every Demon Has His Day. Admittedly, I haven’t actually read the first book in this series; however, after reading this title, I happy to say it’s not necessary.
Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t know if she’s being paranoid, or if there actually is something different about Cassidy, her one year-old-son. In fact, unbeknownst to Rachel, her toddler is actually a half-demon. Her husband, Kevin, was killed years ago and has been replaced by a Sloth demon. Unfortunately, this sloth demon has a secret that all hell (literally) wants to find out. Sam is a fallen angel/bounty hunter for Satan, who is after Sloth-demon Kevin and who eventually falls for Rachel.
This book is billed as being a romance, though the romance itself is just a side story. There’s so much more going on, the action and the humor overshadows the sexual tension needed in a good romance story. However, if you look at this story as a comedy, then it’s wonderful. There are multiple parts that had me laughing out loud. The humor reminds me of Christopher Moore’s work with the lazy demons and bumbling angels.
I picked this book up at a thrift store on a whim—the title interested me, and I’m glad I did. It was more than worth the whole $.25 I spent on it, and it has definitely piqued my interest. I will most assuredly pick up more of Cara Lockwood’s books.
(originally posted on loebick.com)
Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t know if she’s being paranoid, or if there actually is something different about Cassidy, her one year-old-son. In fact, unbeknownst to Rachel, her toddler is actually a half-demon. Her husband, Kevin, was killed years ago and has been replaced by a Sloth demon. Unfortunately, this sloth demon has a secret that all hell (literally) wants to find out. Sam is a fallen angel/bounty hunter for Satan, who is after Sloth-demon Kevin and who eventually falls for Rachel.
This book is billed as being a romance, though the romance itself is just a side story. There’s so much more going on, the action and the humor overshadows the sexual tension needed in a good romance story. However, if you look at this story as a comedy, then it’s wonderful. There are multiple parts that had me laughing out loud. The humor reminds me of Christopher Moore’s work with the lazy demons and bumbling angels.
I picked this book up at a thrift store on a whim—the title interested me, and I’m glad I did. It was more than worth the whole $.25 I spent on it, and it has definitely piqued my interest. I will most assuredly pick up more of Cara Lockwood’s books.
(originally posted on loebick.com)
July 8, 2010
Rachel Farnsworth has the perfect life. She is married to a good man, Kevin and they have a one year old son, Cassidy Henry. They live in the town of Dogwood. Or course living in Dogwood, nothing is normal or as it seems.
Kevin has skipped town. He has been found out and wanted to leave before the going got tough.
Samsapiel “Sam is a fallen angel. Sam has been sent to retrieve Kevin. When Sam first meets Rachel, he takes her for someone who is looking to better themselves by hooking up with a demon and having a child. Sam isn’t the only one after Kevin. Things are about to heat up really fast.
Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is the first book I have tried by this author. Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is part of the Dogwood series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel. I have to admit that I liked this book so much that I plan to go back and try out some of Mrs. Lockwood’s other books. My favorite parts involved Cassidy. Forget the terrible twos; he already is at that stage. The trouble he would get into would have me laughing so hard. He definitely takes after his father. Rachel will have her hands full for a long time to come. If all fallen angels are like Sam then where can I get me one of my own? Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is hilarious and just what the devil ordered.
Kevin has skipped town. He has been found out and wanted to leave before the going got tough.
Samsapiel “Sam is a fallen angel. Sam has been sent to retrieve Kevin. When Sam first meets Rachel, he takes her for someone who is looking to better themselves by hooking up with a demon and having a child. Sam isn’t the only one after Kevin. Things are about to heat up really fast.
Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is the first book I have tried by this author. Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is part of the Dogwood series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel. I have to admit that I liked this book so much that I plan to go back and try out some of Mrs. Lockwood’s other books. My favorite parts involved Cassidy. Forget the terrible twos; he already is at that stage. The trouble he would get into would have me laughing so hard. He definitely takes after his father. Rachel will have her hands full for a long time to come. If all fallen angels are like Sam then where can I get me one of my own? Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks is hilarious and just what the devil ordered.
January 29, 2011
Rachel is the mom of a toddler who can literally light things on fire and the wife of Kevin, a man who's not just lazy, he's become an actual sloth demon. When Kevin disappears, Rachel is quickly caught up in a supernatural bounty hunting race to find him for the devil, although Rachel's more eager to find Kevin-the-demon and give him a piece of her mind.
I thought the plot of this book was cute and it was a very quick, light read. There were a number of parts that made me laugh, like the author's description of how the owner of a dive bar was constantly hoping one of his patrons would stoop so low as to completely destroy the place so he could collect the insurance and retire. Characters from the author's book Every Demon Has His Day make appearances in this book, so for fans of that novel, this is a clever follow-up set in the same town of Dogwood, Texas. The characters were all amusing and made for a very entertaining cast, with them fitting together in wonderful ways that rounded the others out.
I did enjoy the majority of this book, although I could have done without some of the cutesy bantering between the two angels who watch over Rachel. This wasn't nearly as fun to read about as when the actual plot was moving forward. Thankfully, there were only a few chapters of this, and the rest kept me entertained.
I thought the plot of this book was cute and it was a very quick, light read. There were a number of parts that made me laugh, like the author's description of how the owner of a dive bar was constantly hoping one of his patrons would stoop so low as to completely destroy the place so he could collect the insurance and retire. Characters from the author's book Every Demon Has His Day make appearances in this book, so for fans of that novel, this is a clever follow-up set in the same town of Dogwood, Texas. The characters were all amusing and made for a very entertaining cast, with them fitting together in wonderful ways that rounded the others out.
I did enjoy the majority of this book, although I could have done without some of the cutesy bantering between the two angels who watch over Rachel. This wasn't nearly as fun to read about as when the actual plot was moving forward. Thankfully, there were only a few chapters of this, and the rest kept me entertained.
December 10, 2014
Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks by Cara Lockwood is a funny and interesting novel, but also a bit of a let-down. It is marketed as a romance book but to be honest I didn't find this novel romantic. The two main characters, Sam and Rachel didn't have that connection that makes romance novels so great. There was also no love scenes, I'm not a big fan of erotica but I believe every romance novel should have at least ONE love scene. Frankly, I stopped being interested in the book at the last 50 pages when I realized that the relationship between Sam and Rachel was kind of stale and not interesting and would not miraculously become more interesting in the last 50 pages. I also lost interest when I figured out it was more about witty banter and hilarious situations than actual romance. Besides that, there were several spelling errors and discrepancies with the characterization of Azazel and Sam. I would have to say this book isn't the best piece of edited material ever. Overall, it was an average (if a bit below) and humorous read, though I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for romance.
June 12, 2013
Just like the first book in this series, Every Demon Has His Day, this book is silly, goofy fun that combines chick lit with paranormal romance and horror-comedy. The heroine is Rachel, a young mom whose husband's body has been taken over by a demon named Pan. Pan is the father of Rachel's one-year-old son Cassidy, and the half-demon child (while not himself evil) exhibits some very unusual mischievous behavior. After the demon-husband unceremoniously splits, he's tracked down by the novel's hero, a fallen angel named Sam. Aligned with neither good nor evil, Sam is gradually becoming a mortal man, although most human women still find him irresistible. Rachel is not one of them. She's strongly attracted to Sam, but her primary concern is keeping Cassidy safe as Pan helps to waken Azazel, a very dangerous ancient demon who's planning to take over hell itself. The novel has some ridiculous scenes, such as the giant toddlers who descend on a Walmart-like parking lot and the angel SWAT team, so just go with it. Serious literature? No. Fun? Yes.
February 15, 2013
It's hard not to like a book that has giant killer toddlers in it! As well as angels, various types of demons, fallen angels, a half-demon half-human baby and Lucifer himself. Heck, even Lilith makes an appearance! A humorous take on angels and demons though an editor might have been helpful.
I didn't read the first book (well honestly I didn't even notice that this was part of a series) but I don't think it was imperative. I liked the bumbling angels-in-training - Gabriel Too and Frank the New. Their antics were just too funny. And Sam, the fallen angel, he tried so hard to be good but Rachel was just too much temptation for him. I did enjoy this and will definitely read the first book and probably continue the series too.
I didn't read the first book (well honestly I didn't even notice that this was part of a series) but I don't think it was imperative. I liked the bumbling angels-in-training - Gabriel Too and Frank the New. Their antics were just too funny. And Sam, the fallen angel, he tried so hard to be good but Rachel was just too much temptation for him. I did enjoy this and will definitely read the first book and probably continue the series too.
April 9, 2014
Sequel to Every Demon Has His Day. So now Rachel, Constance’s best friend gets a taste of the supernatural. Rachel is married to a sloth demon and she thinks something is wrong with her toddler, Cassidy. That would be a big YES, he’s half demon and enjoys burping fires. Now supernatural freakiness is headed toward Dogwood County Texas once again. Characters from Every Demon Has His Day make appearances, along with a fallen angel/bounty hunter, a giant baby, more demons than you can shake a stick at and many strange occurrences. It’s a quick and fun read.
October 20, 2018
This book is, put simply, a fun read. Its a humorous look at angels and demons who still inhabit the earth and the humans who unwittingly come into contact with them. This novel reads as a stand-alone with quirky characters who will keep readers engaged. The plot is always moving forward, but its not overly complicated. Minor characters add to the flavor of the small town that just happens to be an ancient battleground between good and evil. This only took me 2 days to read, and I enjoyed the ride. I'll have to check out book 1 of Lockwood's series. From clumsy watcher angels to sloth demons to a frazzled mom who's realizing her child has supernatural abilities, this book has many delightfully engaging elements.
January 5, 2013
I give this book 3 stars although there were several times I had to force myself to keep reading. The only reason I forced myself was because I absolutely hate not finishing a book once I start it.
I guess my problem was that I never connected with anyone in the book so I could care less what happened. Nothing ever happened to make me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. However, about 3/4 of the way through the book, I did start getting a little interested but by that point it was too late.
I did read the first book of this series a while back but I don't think that really made a difference.
I guess my problem was that I never connected with anyone in the book so I could care less what happened. Nothing ever happened to make me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. However, about 3/4 of the way through the book, I did start getting a little interested but by that point it was too late.
I did read the first book of this series a while back but I don't think that really made a difference.
August 4, 2010
A fun, silly, and upbeat paranormal tale.It branches off from the first book "Every demon Has His day" and tells a story of Rachel, Constance's friend, and mother to a devilish toddler. Literarily, she finds out her no good lazy husband has been replaced by a sloth demon and her baby is 1/2 demon. Cassidy, the toddler is hilarious, and the perfect toddler, LOL Sam a bounty hunter comes to town to take her husband in, yes, he's wanted. That's when the story gets crazy and just keeps going. A very enjoyable read with very funny lines !
December 4, 2011
Summary: Rachel Farnsworth doesn't believe in the paranormal. She can find plenty of evil forces right in east Texas, like the Mega-Mart that's driving her family's hardware store into the ground. But when her marriage goes up in smoke, Rachel discovers that her husband Kevin isn't just a deadbeat; he's also a demon with a renegade bounty hunter--a fallen angel named Sam--chasing him. Now, Sam's heavenly attraction has down-to-earth Rachel believing in celestial magic, but will it be enough to save her and her son from the dark forces Kevin has unwittingly unleashed on Dogwood County?
April 16, 2014
Hahaha....buku ke-2 ini ceritanya lebih gila lagi, beneran jadi ingat serial The Reaper.
Semua mitologi dan legenda dibuat 'twisted' dengan humor yang segar, anekdot serta dialog-dilaog yang selalu bikin meringis saking konyolnya, apalagi ketemu lagi sama Frank si Guardian Angel bersama seniornya yang ya ampun, bikin sakit perut deh bacanya.
more about this book, just check my complete review at here :
( http://my-fantasy-readings.blogspot.c... )
dnf
August 13, 2010Stalled out on this one around page 80-something and have never really felt the urge to go back to it. Just a mismatch between reader and book, I think, because I can't put my finger on anything actually wrong with it. Other readers will no doubt find it cute. It's sort of "light urban fantasy meets mommy lit." I guess I like my UF darker, and when I do want fluff in my UF, I prefer chick-lit elements to mommy-lit elements.
August 30, 2010
This was a fun romp with a mom, a fallen angel, a 1/2 demon 1/2 human baby named Cassidy who randomly sets things on fire and teleports, two bumbling "watcher" angel named Gabriel Too and Frank the New and a bunch of other demons and the devil himself.
Overall, I really liked the book, but I wish there had been more about Cassidy, the baby. I guess I'll just have to wait for his book to show up. Sam and Rachel, the mom and fallen angel, were great together.
Overall, I really liked the book, but I wish there had been more about Cassidy, the baby. I guess I'll just have to wait for his book to show up. Sam and Rachel, the mom and fallen angel, were great together.
September 2, 2011
Favorite Quote :
"Pertama, putramu setengah manusia, ingat itu. Dia punya jiwa. Dan dia punya kehendak bebas. Dia bisa memilih jalannya sendiri," kata Sam. "Dan hal lain yang mungkin tidak kamu ketahui, kita semua - dari setan sampai malaikat - bisa mengubah takdir. Selalu ada yang menyeberang dari kedua pihak setiap waktu. Malaikat bisa jatuh, tapi setan juga bisa bangkit."
Hhhmmm... begitu yaa...
"Pertama, putramu setengah manusia, ingat itu. Dia punya jiwa. Dan dia punya kehendak bebas. Dia bisa memilih jalannya sendiri," kata Sam. "Dan hal lain yang mungkin tidak kamu ketahui, kita semua - dari setan sampai malaikat - bisa mengubah takdir. Selalu ada yang menyeberang dari kedua pihak setiap waktu. Malaikat bisa jatuh, tapi setan juga bisa bangkit."
Hhhmmm... begitu yaa...
September 23, 2011
Rachel is about to find out how different life really is. It turns out the man she thought was her husband was killed 5 years ago and she has actually been living with a sloth demon. That makes her baby a half demon which explains why things have started combusting around him. And then there is Sam, the bounty hunter after her so called husband who claims to be a fallen angel. What else can happen?
All I can really say about this book is that I have read worse.
All I can really say about this book is that I have read worse.
November 29, 2010
While there is nothing to really dislike about this book, I often felt like I was reading a screenplay or a description of video game action. This sequel to Every Demon Has His Day is light, funny and utterly forgettable. Full of one-liners and stereotyped characters that will be perfect for the movie or CW series, it was hard to muster up the will to finish.
March 28, 2011
I really wanted to like this. The previous novel made me laugh out loud. It was snarky, fresh, campy, and sweet all at the same time. The follow-up just didn't have the same spark. I became irritated with the lead characters, and longed for more Frank!
This book was an 'eh' compared to the previous book being an 'Ooh!'.
This book was an 'eh' compared to the previous book being an 'Ooh!'.
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