Quickie Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

The Demon Trapper's Daughter 

(The Demon Trappers #1)
by Jana Oliver

Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what Lucifer is counting on…

It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: Feb 1st 2011

Publisher: St. Matin's Griffin

Format: paperback trade, 340 pages 

Series: yes

Source: my own copy

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My Review

Riley wants to become a Demon Trapper just like her dad. She lives in a sort of post-apocalyptic world partially destroyed by demonic forces. In this world there are not only demons, but also witches, demon buyers, and creepy necromancers who buy corpses and turn them into 'zombie-like' slaves for rich people.

Riley is the perfect example of the kind of heroine I LOVE reading about. She's strong, she doesn't give up when things start to turn to sh*t, she proves her worth, she doesn't WHINE (that is SO important) and she doesn't think boys are the most important thing ever. Oh, and, come on, guys. She hunts DEMONS!!! Come on, that is awesomeness personified. 

This book was such a trip! There was so much going on! So many rich characters and unbelievably interesting situations! Usually when so much happens in a book, it can get tiring or confusing, but not here! Jana Oliver was definitely on the right track. ;) Just so... incredibly talented. The writing was fantastic, super engaging, and the world-building was... out of this world. LOL. XD

Funny how I can never express myself very well when I'm writing about a book I really liked. But there you go: It's awesome, and worth your time and excitement. Now, excuse me as I have to go get my hands on the rest of the series.

Short Review: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)
by Gena Showalter

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments... and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...

Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful...

Genre: Adult, Paranormal

Publication Date: May 3rd 2008

Publisher: HQN

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 380 pages 

Series: yes

Source: my own copy

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My Review

Yes, I must be the last person on Earth to have read this book, blah-blah-blah. I know and it doesn't matter. What matter is that I totally fell for Death and Pestilence and I want need them NOW. And, yes, I know how that sounds.

I mean, I liked Ashlyn and Maddox (LOVE that name! *runs and steals it for maybe-who-knows-firstborn-to-be*) just fine, but what really kept me going were the 'minor' appearances of the other characters. I was like 'just tell all them stories already, I gots to know' (not sure why I thought that particular phrase with a sort-of-gangsta-accent, but aaanyway). Moving on...

That cover... pure wow. So Hawt. Me want some. Hum... I should say something about the plot, right? Erm... yeah! I felt so sorry for Ash and all her hardships, but nothing compared to having to die and then burn in hell every night, right, Violence? It was very touching to see how Ash broke this particular curse. I'm very curious to read the second book and find out more about the owner of the 'mysterious voice' that gave her the wondrous idea (all while checking Death's cute butt). 

Oh, I also found it to be so funny that each of the Lords (Death, Violence, Pestilence, Promiscuity and Wrath) had their own chores to do around the mansion. *giggles* (pictures hot, muscled, sweaty men cleaning toilets and doing dishes = real fantasy stuff). You broke it, Violence will fix it. You bled there, Wrath will mop it up. Need money, ask Pestilence.... and so on. Oh, yeah, need a blow-up doll?, Promiscuity got tons of those. XD

I had forgotten how amusing and creative Showalter could be! It's been years since the last book I read by her. No wonder she's such close friends with Kresley Cole, they are both so funny and such amazing authors! *-* 

But enough with the gushing, I have to go and get me some more of the Lords!!!

Review: Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1) by Richelle Mead

Succubus Blues 
(Georgina Kincaid #1)

by Richelle Mead

Succubus (n.) An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic (adj.) A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid. 

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical? 

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't. 

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny...

Genre: Adult, Paranormal

Publication Date: March 1st 2007

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Format: Paperback, 347 pages 

Series: yes

Source: bought


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My Review

For some reason I thought I would dislike this book immensely, and so it took me forever to finally start it. But, just as these things go, it was love from the first page. LOL.

Georgina Kincaid is a manager at a local bookstore, she has a thing for white chocolate mochas, she absolutely adores the ground the author Seth Mortensen walks on and, last, but not least, she is a Succubus. She has to take sexual energy from human males to survive. Oh, and she can shapeshift into whatever and/or whoever she wants, as long as she has enough energy to do it. Her immortal friends are all either vampires, imps, demons and angels.

Georgina, filled to the brim with energy from a virgin who sold his soul for sex, is very excited to meet her favorite author at the signing her bookstore will be holding...but discovers she already had met him, confusing him with another fan, and told him some very embarrassing things, such as complaining about how long he takes to write the books she loves so much and how she would be willing to become his sex slave in exchange for advance copies of the next volumes. She is mortified and can barely look at him, but somehow she's the one who's chosen to take him out on a tour of the city. Turns out that the author who can write such witty and bright dialogues can barely keep a coversation in real life. But, weirdly enough, his silence doesn't bother her much. His e-mails crack her up, his thoughtfulness enchants her and his books are her drug of choice... too bad she can't date.

But this other guy, Roman, sure is trying to get her to go out with him. Roman is the total opposite from Seth. He's charming, daring, almost insolent in his self-confidance. And Georgina is hopelessly attracted to him, which is a very bad thing for her decision never to date good guys again. But is Roman really that good?

When someone starts to murder people with whom she just had fights with, she's suddenly the prime suspect... until she, too, is attacked. But who is doing this? Who is attacking the lesser immortals, and why can't the victims not feel the attacker's presence? The only ones who can mask it are the most powerful immortals, like demons and angels... So, is the murderer an angel? Could it be Carter, the local angel? Georgina, against her boss's orders, starts an investigation that leads her to one of the immortals' greatest secrets...

I thought the story of how she became a succubus was so sad! And the ending was so ironic! Not to mention surprising! I only discovered who the bad guy was a few pages before he was, indeed, revealed, which is a first for me. Usually it's so obvious it's annoying, but not this time. :)

I'm not sure who I want her to end up with, if with her favorite lovely author, with a certain angel who kept saving and comforting her or this other 'angel', who, I think, can still make up for his mistakes.

I loved, loved , LOVED thsi book, and am about to start the second volume.

If you like good writing, creative settings, complex and lovable characters, nice, vulgarity-free sexy scenes and a very smart heroine, this is your book!

Review: Shield of Fire by Boone Brux

 

Shield of Fire (Bringer and the Bane, #1)

by Boone Brux 

Protecting humans is the Bringers’ duty. Sending demons to the Shadow World is their pleasure. 

In one night, Ravyn’s life plunges from barely tolerable to deadly. Forced to flee the only home she’s known, she stumbles headlong into the clutches of Icarus, a powerful demon intent on stealing her powers. Unfortunately for him, she has no intention of cooperating. 

When Rhys realizes the woman he’s rescued from the Bane Demon is no mere human, his obligation as a Bringer dictates he protect and train her in the ways of his people. But he’s unprepared for the intense desire he feels for the fiery Ravyn. To surrender to his need may mean her death. 

As the Demon King’s desire for ultimate power escalates, fathers are slated against sons, and foes are made allies. The Bane threat upon them, Rhys and Ravyn must quest to unite the last of the Bringers—and explore a passion too powerful to ignore.

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Review

I am not ashamed to say I chose this book to review simply because of the cover. (okay, maybe a little ashamed). But thankfully I did like the book, too. LOL.

Ravyn has been raised in an abbey. One night her whole life changes when a monk, Brother Powell, delivers her friend Angela to the demon Icarus as a sacrifice and then tries to deliver her. 

She's saved from a horrible death by Rhys Blackwell, the last full-blooded Bringer Shield. He has been protecting mankind from the Demon Bane for over 300 years. 

After saving and healing her, Rhys starts to notice that maybe Ravyn isn't exactly human like he originally thought. She shows signs of being a Bringer, but he just can't be sure which kind. Also, she awakens certain feelings inside him he was sure he no longer could feel.

The couple then goes on a journey in search of the last remaining Bringers to try and save humanity from  the evil Vile, King of the Demon Bane. And to try and understand their feelings for each other.

I enjoyed the characters and the promise of this series, but mostly the book just dragged... nothing much happens, except for a few encounters with the demons (the few times they stepped out of holy ground). Maybe more will happen in the next books? 

As to the romance... it was cute to read their thoughts about each other and how they tried to fight their feelings because of their own personal reasons, but there really wasn't much tension between them at all. I expected this book to be a bit more spicy because of the cover, but as it turned out, things were pretty much PG-rated most of the time. LOL. Except for chapter 17. ;P That was hot.

The ending was predictable, but nice. I'm not sure how many books the author is planning for this series, but I'll probably check out the next adventure. :)

If you like stories that build up, innocent romance and demon fighting in a historical setting, then try Shield of Fire. 

*I was given an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

 
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Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2)

by Larissa Ione

Published  November 22nd 2011  by Grand Central Publishing

The signs are everywhere...disastrous world events. Evil rising up, unleashed upon the innocent. The prophecies were there...but no one listened. Until now. The time has come for those who can either usher in Doomsday...or prevent it. They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Arik Wagner, a soldier with the U.S. Army's paranormal unit, the R-XR, kissed a girl and liked it. And then he went to hell as punishment. Where he's spent weeks being tortured...and plotting revenge.

Limos, Horsewoman of the Apocalypse, isn't your average girl. She's immortal, dangerous, and her fiancé is Satan himself. In a moment of weakness, she gave in to her desire and kissed Arik, triggering her fiancé's wrath - and his claim on her. In order to save Arik, and theworld, Limos must make a dangerous pact with her recently turned evil brother, Pestilence. A deal that might just cost her her soul...and her heart.

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Review:

really liked it!

I bought a copy of the Eternal Rider a couple of months ago and loved it, so when I saw Immortal Rider available on Netgalley, I ran and requested it. I'm so happy they allowed me to review it. Man, I can't possibly stress how much I LOVED this book. 

I can't possibly stress how much I LOVED this book. Except that I can: GO AND READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!

The book starts with Ares and Cara's wedding party (Immortal Rider), in which Arik Wagner is very happy to meet with the attractive Limos, Ares's sister and the third Horsewoman of the Apocalypse, again.

The thing is, Limos was promised by her succubus mother to Satan. Yup, she is to become the Bride of Satan. Needless to say, Limos is trying her best to avoid that outcome. She's been trying her best to not let her Seal break, she doesn't step on Sheoul, the demon realm, or gives her affection to any male...

That is, until Arik goes and kiss her. Demons then surge from underneath and drag him down to hell, and the last thing he hears is Limos screaming: "Don't say my name!", because if the male who incites jealousy (in this case: kiss) utters her name while in agony, then The Dark Lord can have her.

Limos was one of the strongest heroines I ever read about. I loved reading about her kick-assing and her relationship with her brothers. The author really makes us feel what she feels, how she fights her emotions (especially guilt), and I thought that the scales in her back that can pend to 'bad' or 'good' were a very nice touch to the story. Very creative. Her chastity belt was a huge LOL, too. ;)  Innocent-looking pearls that can chop fingers off. Priceless

Arik was such a cutie! He was so sweet with Limos. In the book we see a bit about his horrible father and difficult past, not to mention how much he suffered in the hands of demons. The guy had some serious balls to stand up to the other Horsemen to protect his wife when the sh*t started to hit the fan. 

I loved the story, how things started to fall into place so perfectly just as I was starting to pull my hair out with worry. LOL. Larissa Ione really knows how to get us excited, nervous, sad and mad in just a handful of pages. The action scenes are so good! Man, she's brilliant.

I can't wait to read the next book, Lethal Rider!!! Thanatos is SO hot! *-* We see a lot more about him in this book, and, oh, boy. Just... oh, boy. I didn't care much for Regan, but the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse already has my heart.

Oh, I can't believe I'm writing this, but Satan should have made an appearance. I would like to actually have seen him in the book, not just mentions of him. LOL. Things would have been a LOT more interesting. Just saying. ;P

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*