“The Little Demons Inside,” by Micah Chaim Thomas

Magic realism

Purchase Link: Amazon

Book Blurb

In the summer of 2017, a lot of things went weird. There wasn’t just one thing, not really. But a lot of little things added up, until one day, nothing was recognizable. Henry, a young man who battles his own demons resulting from a lifetime of homelessness, anxiety, and abandonment, haphazardly attempts to understand what happened to him at the hands of the Black Star Institute. There’s something inside him now, commingled with his own pain and heartache and street-taught instincts of fight and flight. It’s something that burns when he’s out of control. Something that burns just about everything. He’s not too bright, but he’s got help out there that he has no idea about. Enemies, too.

 

My Review

Throughout my life, I’ve only really read two basic genres of books: those I’ve been forced to read for school, and those that fall—in some way—into the romance realm. However, I decided to take a chance and tiptoe into the world of magic realism with the book The Little Demons Inside by Micah Chaim Thomas.

All I can say is: risk well worth taking. In fact, I so enjoyed this book that I’ve made a mental declaration to open myself to genres outside my go-to on a much more regular basis. Which means, lucky break for all of you! You’ll get a variety of reviews to tease your palate, not just the romance/erotica of the world. *insert pompom cheerleader GIF here*

So, where to begin? For starters, Mr. Thomas is a bloody brilliant writer. I was floored by his ability to twist words into lovely little mind-f*cks that left me mouth agape and blinking into the distance. Seriously, this man has skill. His prose are gorgeous and grip you by the proverbial readerly balls; his voice is superb and unique; and I can’t even count the number of times I dropped my phone to my lap in a jealous little grumptastic rage. Because, for real man, it’s enviable beyond comprehension how he sculpts and molds words into things of utter beauty.

Now, that being said, the plot itself legit left me all, “Wait, what, how, who, but why??” ‘Cause it’s just that flippin’ good. Again, most of my readerly experience is focused on romance, but I read in all sub-genres, so I’ve gotten to experience a plethora of different worlds and styles. But this is just a thing all its own. Which, I guess kinda fits the whole “magic realism” concept to a T, doesn’t it? Also, in case I forgot to mention it, there’s also a romance as a subplot. So, yay, my first dive into my non-comfort zone threw me a little bone!! *cheers*

Our main-main character (because there are several super important humans—or are they?—who make this crazy little world spin on its frickin’ head) is named Henry, and ho-boy, does Henry ever have a backstory. He’s struggled with abandonment, homelessness, abuse, and strong threads of anxiety. But to top that all off—and seriously, is that not enough? Poor frickin’ bastard—he was further taken advantage of and used by a secretive company known as the Black Star Institute. They left him far worse for the wear than he had been before, and now he’s battling far more than his own mental torment—because something’s inside him. Something that burns its way through his sanity and leaves him desperate for help.

Thankfully, he finds it… but only in fleeting snippets.

This book leaves you not only questioning the very world you live in, but also the people whom you share it with. It does a fantastic job of taking things we often overlook and bending them until you can’t help but wonder… what if?

I highly recommend you not only read this book, but also the companion novella, entitled Evidence of Changes, that delves further into the wacky, wild, and weird to give you a better understanding of Mr. Thomas’ stunning world.

Both are currently available to purchase on Amazon, or to read for free on Kindle Unlimited. I say, what the heck are you waiting for? Dive in… but brace yourself, it’s one heck of a wild ride!

Until next time,

E 💕