A Job From Hell

A Job From Hell
Jayde Scott
I was interested in the premise of this book, and admittedly was attracted to the cover.  Even the video trailer is well made though there are some overdone themes apparent right away.  I’d read really mixed reviews about it but decided to try it.

I made it halfway through the book.   A Job From Hell is substantially dialogue; relentless, trendy, teenage chat.

Young Amber amazingly gets a summer job as a housekeeper up at an old manor house in Scotland despite not having qualifications, and promptly gets into trouble with vampires and demons on account of following her brother’s plans to steal hidden jewels.  The manor’s owner is the very attractive and secretive Aidan that Amber falls for despite having a boyfriend that she is hoping to marry.

About a quarter of the way in, the author introduces another POV; that of Aidan.  This immediately lets us into what he’s thinking and feeling, and advances the story quickly.  Ultimately, I kind of liked the alternating POV, perhaps just to get away from some of the dialogue.

By page 140 of 360, Amber is prepared to sacrifice her life for Aiden. Yes, she may have caused the problem being a mortal who won the underworld race, but this is on very slight acquaintance of Aiden who she has also recently discovered is a vampire and is in somewhat of a horror about it.  Yet she is prepared to sacrifice her life?

The author gives Amber a quick, self-deprecating humour, so I think this is what some readers find appealing in this book.

I was hoping for lots of moody, Scottish scenery/images in the mix but there was next to none in the first half.

The plot moves, and I think Jayde Scott can plan out a book with a mix of characters, but I won’t be reading more of her novels for the next 10 years or so until she matures.  I have also come to have a strong aversion to the word ‘smirk’ which is much overused in current YA/NA books to bad effect.

If you're 16-20, or a valley girl, you might really like this book.  I would have been annoyed if I hadn't downloaded this book for free.