Giveaway: Lords of Deliverance series by Larissa Ione

You guys know how I love Larissa Ione. Her Demonica series is off da hook. I was so excited when she announced she was writing a series set in the Demonica world, Lords of Deliverance. The last book in the LOD series, Rogue Rider, comes out 11/20. Thanks to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, I am giving away all 4 books to one lucky commenter.

Release Date: 11/20/12

To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite PNR series. Please include your email address. Giveaway ends 11/19. Open to US Residents only. 

**Larissa Ione will be doing an "End of the Apocalypse #LODapocalypse twitter part on 11/19- right before on-sale, from 1-3PM EST.

Author links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Two Reviews: Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione

Title: Lethal Rider
Series: Lords of Deliverance, #3
Author: Larissa Ione
Published: May 22, 2012
Pages: 444
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Ellie and Marq

summary from Goodreads
They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

---

**The reviews contain spoilers if you haven't read the previous two books in the series**

Ellie's thoughts: 
Favorite quote: “You have no say over who I have in my bedroom. If I want to invite the entire Miami Dolphins team into my bed and have a big orgy while covered in chocolate sauce, you have no say in that whatsoever.” “My house, my rules. No chocolate NFL orgies in my keep.”

Lethal Rider picks up roughly eight months after Immortal Rider ended. Thanatos, also known as Death, is one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse and has been frozen for months by his brother and sister. Thanatos always thought his seal, the one if broken would trigger the Apocalypse, was his virginity but that was proven wrong after one night of passion with the sexy Aegis Guardian Regan Cooper. It’s been months since but Thanatos hasn’t forgotten and he will stop at nothing to get revenge on the sexy Guardian who has haunted him since that night.

Regan Cooper should have been killed as a baby for being half demon but the Aegis took her in and raised her giving her the only family and life she’s ever known. When the Aegis asks her to seduce Thanatos and get pregnant with his child to save the world she does what has to be done. Now eight months pregnant, Thanatos has come for her and is shocked to find her pregnant with his child. The spark between the two is still there and grows strong the longer they’re together. The life they have created could be the key to their future but it’s up them if it’s the beginning or the end.

To say that I liked this book is like saying chocolate is just okay. Lethal Rider is my favorite of the Lords of Deliverance series so far and Thanatos is going on my all time favorite book boyfriend list. With that being said I was very hesitant to start this book because of my feelings about Regan coming off Immortal Rider. Regan was very annoying and I was not happy about having to read four hundred pages about her but she slowly redeemed herself in this book and I found myself actually liking her by the end.

There is a lot going on in Lethal Rider as the fate of the world rests with Thanatos and Regan’s unborn child. It seems that everyone, even Thanatos usually faithful servants, want the child dead and the Apocalypse to begin and no one can be trusted. As Than and Regan fight to save their child the more they realize they need one another. I always love stories where the woman is pregnant and I think that really helped me like Regan and Than together. I find few things more beautiful then a man being excited to be a father and stopping at nothing to save his family.

What I love so much about Larissa Ione is that you never know what to expect with each book except the return of some gorgeous Sem brothers. I love Shade and Wraith so much and always get excited when they make an appearance. I love how this book ended and is true Larissa Ione fashion I am now left with just as many questions as I started with. Add in my growing excitement and anticipation about Reaver (Who is he? Will he remember his past?) with the fact that I have no idea what’s going to happen with Reseph I might drive myself crazy waiting for Rogue Rider.

Larissa Ione is one of my favorite paranormal romance authors and each book just gets better and better. I am so happy with Lethal Rider and it was everything I wanted and even things I didn’t know I wanted. I am actually planning on rereading this book just to hold me over because Rogue Rider and November are very far away.

Marq's thoughts:
Favorite quote: "No. I'm pissed. There's a difference. If I were crazy, you wouldn't have nearly as much to fear."


Larissa Ione left us with a mother of a cliffhanger at the end of Immortal Rider. Lethal Rider picks up 8 months later. Than is being held against his will by his siblings by being injected with hellhound venom to keep him immobile while Regan is at Aegis headquarters, waiting to give birth to their son. Pestilence is in even rarer form and is getting more deadly and vicious and powerful.

I will admit that I was not happy with Regan at the end of Immortal Rider. I know that she was manipulated and what the Aegis did was based on planted information, but I was angry with her and the Aegis. When I started reading Lethal Rider, I still wasn't happy with her or Than's siblings. Everyone was doing  what they thought was best for Than without asking Than what he wanted. So when Than was able to escape and went off, they have no one to blame but themselves. Hee hee!

I was on Than's side from start to finish and was pissed at everyone else. Haha! I wanted Than to hold onto his grudge for as long as possible. And whenever someone said they were doing something for Than's "own good", I wanted to grit my teeth and throw my Kindle. Poor Than! They had him trapped in his own mind for 8 months! All that did was manage to fuel his anger and his thirst for revenge. Maybe not the best move.

It took me a while to warm up to Regan, like I didn't really like her until almost the end. It was hard for me to get over her deceit even though she was remorseful and apologized for her part in taking Than's virginity. I'll admit, I wanted her to bleed. Is that wrong? Regan has her own issues with trust. The Aegis is the only family she's truly had so her loyalty to them knows no bounds even when evidence is presented to her that they are not forthright and honest. She is pretty much brainwashed and what the Aegis says is golden. I never liked The Aegis since The Demonica series and my dislike for them as increased with each book in both series.

Like the previous two books in the series, Larissa Ione does a great job of having you at the edge of your seat during the entire ride. The fate of the world rests on Than and Regan's son. That's a lot to put on a newborn baby. While Than and Regan wait for the birth of their son, Pestilence is doing whatever he can to make sure that his nephew does not live.

Pestilence is a super nasty bugger in Lethal Rider and he manages to recruit some allies that will surprise you. Once again, the Horsemen are always two steps behind Pestilence and by the time they figure out their next step, Pestilence has already done his damage and has moved onto the next thing. It was driving me crazy! I'm like you guys are thousands of years old, you should be able to figure this stuff out! Let's get ahead of the program for a change.

When I started reading the Lords of Deliverance series, I wondered how Larissa Ione was going to redeem Pestilence/Reseph. Well, at the end of Lethal Rider, we find out. And it is genius. And with how Lethal Rider ended, I have some theories on who Reaver really is. Ugh I hope we don't have to wait too long for Reaver's book.

As usual, Larissa Ione does not disappoint. She could publish her grocery list and I'd read it. Lethal Rider is another great addition to the series and I can't wait to read Rogue Rider! I love this world so much and I loved that some of the characters from the Demonica series had a bigger role in this book.

I highly recommend this series. Larissa Ione is beyond fantastic. If you don't believe just check out the acknowledgment below. Squeee!!!

And we still can't remember the Big Spoilery information that Larissa told us! Grrr!

Review: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Title: Immortal Rider
Series: Lords of Deliverance, #2
Author: Larissa Ione
Published: November 22, 2011
Pages: 432
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher (Grand Central Publishing)
Rating: A
Reviewed by: Marq

Favorite quote: "Helloooo. I'm a Horseman of the Apocalypse, and I'm betrothed to the most infamous, most powerful demon in existence. I couldn't draw more attention to myself if I wore Lady Gaga's meat dress to a PETA convention."


summary from Goodreads
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 the world, 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.

---

Marq's thoughts:
I don't even know where to begin. I am a HUGE Larissa Ione fan and her Demonica series is one of my all time favorites. I enjoyed reading Eternal Rider, the first series of the Lords of Deliverance series, but I didn't connect with it as deeply as I did with the Demonica series. I understood that as the first book of the series, Eternal Rider had to set the stage for the series as a whole. I enjoyed reading the book but it didn't have that oomph! So when I started reading Immortal Rider, I did not know what to expect. Sometimes going in with no preconceived notions about a book is a great thing because Immortal Rider took me by surprise and totally blew me away.

Larissa Ione outdid herself with this one. Immortal Rider grabs you by the throat and does not let you go until the very end. I've never been so stressed out -in a good way- while reading a book. I couldn't stop reading even though I was afraid to turn the page to see what was going to happen next. Immortal Rider was much darker than Eternal Rider and definitely darker than the Demonica series. There are no rainbows and unicorns in this story. It is harsh. It is gritty. It didn't look like any of the characters were ever going to catch a break. Right when you felt there was a little reprieve, something would happen to change the entire game.

Limos was a character that I had a hard time warming up to. She has done some shady things in her past and when they all came to light, I did not feel sorry for her. I felt like her brothers and Arik were too easy on her. A lot of what Limos did was for her own selfish reasons so I felt that she deserved whatever backlash she got. But then Limos would do something completely unselfish and then I would find myself softening towards her. Limos is a very complex character. I have a love/hate relationship with her and in the end, I'm still on the fence about whether I like her or not. Limos reminded me of Sin, from Sin Undone. Sin was another character who went through life doing whatever suited her and damn the consequences. Limos does show a vulnerable side. She's been alive for thousands of years. She's powerful. She's strong. But the one thing that Limos wants and that seems to be out of reach for her is to be a regular girl. She mentions that several times throughout the book and I was surprised that such a powerful person just wants to be normal.

When  you're reading an Ione book, you expect some smoking hot sex. We didn't get much of that in Immortal Rider and I was okay with that. The lack of sex totally worked in this book and I would have been worried if it was done differently. Arik and Limos relationship is not an easy one. There's a lot of distrust especially since Arik ends up in Sheoul because of Limos (albeit indirectly. No one told him to kiss her.) Arik has every right to want to see Limos dead, or seriously hurt. But Arik turns out to be very forgiving of Limos screw ups and comes to her defense against her brothers. I loved how even though Limos is a demon and can easily take care of herself, Arik would quickly come to her aid, to protect her, to defend her. Arik sees beyond the party girl facade that Limos puts out. Both of them harbor terrible secrets and in that, I think they find common ground.

Once you start reading Immortal Rider, you will not want to put it down. Not only do we get a great storyline with Arik and Limos but there are numerous side plots that keeps the action going. The best side plot of them all involves Thanatos and sets up his book, Lethal Rider. Normally with so much going on in one book, it can sometimes take away from the story but not this time. The side plots enriched the book as a whole. They added texture to an already good book.

Immortal Rider is beyond great. I don't know what else to say. It's darker and there isn't as much sex as we're used to but this book does not disappoint. Once you start reading, be prepared to not put the book down until you are completely done. Immortal Rider has steered this series into greatness. It is one heart-pounding, non-stop, thrill ride. It is easily one of my favorite books of the year.

Final words - BUY THIS BOOK! NOW!

Cover Alert: Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione

I saw the cover for Lethal Rider over at Wicked Scribes. Yay for Than! I'm  currently reading Immortal Rider and let me just say this....shit is getting real! That book is stressing me the hell out.

Below is the blurb Lethal Rider. *WARNING* It is spoilery. Contains info that happens in Immortal Rider. If you don't want to know, then don't read any further.

Blurb:
They're here.

They ride.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride . . .

LETHAL RIDER

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, ReganCooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

Release date for Lethal Rider is June 1, 2012.

Cover Alert: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Wheeee!!!  Here's the cover for Limos's book. I love the added color (purple) in the title and author's name. As you guys can tell, purple is my favorite color. I love that we still get the man titty and six-pack action. Arik has some nice lips! I don't know if that is how I had Limos pictured in my brain but the model that was used is cute.

Immortal Rider is due to be released in December 2011.

Summary:
Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She’s been marked as Satan’s bride and her jealous fiancé wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself—and everyone else—safe is to keep her distance. But not even Limos can save herself from the secrets she’s kept . . . or resist the seductive allure of one very brave human.


Arik Wagner knows the saying “love hurts” better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he’s topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

Review + Giveaway: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

  Eternal Rider

By Larissa Ione

ISBN: 9780446574495

Published by: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING

Genre: FICTION

Published on: 4/01/2011

Format: MASS MARKET

summary from back of the book:

THEY'RE HERE. THEY RIDE. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't--or won't--understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangers desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

---

My thoughts:
I am a HUGE fan of Larissa Ione's Demonica series. I was so sad to see the series come to an end but that sadness quickly ended when I found out that she will be writing a spin-off series. Woo hoo! And that some of the characters from her Demonica series will make an appearance in the new series, Lords of Deliverance. The series can be read without having to read the Demonica series but I suggest if you want to understand the world building and the role each character plays in the stopping of the impending Apocalypse, I suggest you read the Demonica series.  Larissa Ione does a fantastic job of getting readers up to speed on what has happened thus far.

It took me a while to get into Eternal Rider. The book starts off with pages of info dump. I think this was necessary in order for the reader to understand the overall story of the book. Having already read the Demonica series, some of this information was stuff I already knew. There were new characters introduced along with their story and background info and along with more world-building involving the story of the 4 Horsemen. It was a lot to take in. There wasn't very much action going on for about the first 100 pages. But once we got past the info dump, the pace of the plot really picked up and I was immediately drawn into the story.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like Cara at first. She has a traumatic past and her present and future is pretty effed up.  She has a gift that she is afraid of; she can use to to heal and communicate with animals. And she has used this gift to kill. When she saves a "dog" that has been hit by a car, she is unknowingly and unwittingly drawn into this world where the fight of good vs evil is truly real. Cara holds the power to tip the scales in either good or evil's favor. Cara could easily have been a character who is whiny with a "woe is me" attitude. When she eventually comes to terms with the fact that demons, fallen angels, hellhounds and preternatural characters are real and that she is now an integral part in saving the world, she steps up to the plate and is willing to do whatever is necessary. There are times where she is conflicted as a human and she tries to make decisions based on her human morals. This conflict does create speed bumps along the way and unfortunately, lives are lost because of it.

Eternal Rider is much darker than the books of the Demonica Series. The violence is extreme and grotesque. The evil in this book, Reseph or Pestilence, is the epitome of evil. He loves causing death and mayhem. It makes you wonder if he is truly able to be redeemable. Right now, I say no. He is enjoying the destruction he is causing entirely too much.

Ares and Cara's relationship is a slow build. I liked that they didn't immediately jump into each other's pants. Cara brings out the softer side of Ares. The feelings that Ares have for Cara are feelings that he hadn't felt since he was human. He is reluctant to give in to them because he is War and he doesn't want his judgment to be clouded by human emotions. Also, he knws that if Pestilence learns of Ares' feelings for Cara,  Pestilence will use that against him.  Larissa Ione is known for writing hot, steamy, smex scenes and she did not disappoint in this one. Who would have thought that upside down tree sex was possible?

Eternal Rider is an awesome start to the Lord of Deliverance series. Larissa Ione did not disappoint. The sibling relationship amongst the Horsemen was written fantastically. I loved the introduction of the siblings and the dynamics of their relationship. Ares (War), Thanatos (Death) and Limos (Famine) each bring something different to the table. I loved the interaction between the 3 siblings. We get a look at what Reseph was like before his seal was broken and I hope Ione finds a way to make him good again. The carefree, woman loving Horseman is a stark contrast to the evil, violent, blood-lusting Pestilence that he has turned into.

If you are a fan of the Demonica series, Eternal Rider will not disappoint. Once the plot picked up, I could not put this book down. It is everything you would expect from Larissa Ione and more. A definite must read.

P.S. - OMG I love Than and can not wait for his book. He reminds me of Wraith and you know how much I love Wraith!

---

Thanks to Hachette Book Group, I have 3 copies of Eternal Rider to giveaway!

-Open to US and Canada residents only
-No P.O. Boxes, please. 
-Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. 
-Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher


To enter:  Leave a comment with your email address (or make sure your email address is in your profile)
-One entry per person. There will be 3 winners.
-Contest ends April 11, 2011

Cover alert: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

I first saw the cover for Eternal Rider on Escape Between The Pages blog. I immediately went to Larissa Ione's website to see if it was posted there. It wasn't. Lori found the book cover and blurb on Amazon's website so off to Amazon I went to see for myself!

 

I love that the picture is black and grayish and how Larissa's name stands out. And check out those abs!

 

Here's the blurb:

They are here.
They ride.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

Oh I can't wait!

Release date for Eternal Rider is March 29, 2011.

 

Review: Sin Undone by Larissa Ione (Demonica Series Book 5)

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY

As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

summary from author's website

---

My thoughts:
All good things must come to an end. Sin Undone is the fifth and final book in the Demonica Series. I discovered this series earlier this year and instantly fell in love with the Seminus Demon Brothers: Eidolon, Shade, Wraith and Lore. We were introduced to their sister, Sinead (Sin) in book 4.  She's a female Sem demon - a rarity as Seminus demons are always male. She has a deadly power in her touch and like her brothers, she must have sex to survive. I wasn't too fond of Sin when I read Ecstasy Unveiled. I thought she took her "I'm better off by myself" routine a little too far. I was cautiously optimistic when I started reading Sin Undone that Sin wouldn't be too annoying with her Miss Independent attitude.

Sin Undone picks up where Ecstasy Unveiled left off. Sin accidentally unleashes a powerful virus that is deadly to werewolves (worgs). Eidolon is working hard to find a cure. Connall works at Underworld General and is a dhampire (half werewolf and half vampire). We got a taste of some Sin-on-Con action in Ecstasy Unveiled so I knew the attraction between Sin and Con was going to be off the charts. Because of Con's unique genetic make-up, he is the perfect guinea pig for trying to discover a way to put a halt to the spread of SF, Sin Fever. Sin must work with her brothers and Con to find a cure and she's none too thrilled about it. She started this mess, so she damn well is going help fix it.

Sin isn't as unfeeling and heartless as she comes off to be. She is truly concerned and scared about how quickly the virus is killing wolves. She doesn't give off the vibe that she cares; she holds everything in. You know how they say that holding emotions in can be stressful for the body? Well, Sin's hidden emotions manifests itself in a very interesting way. And she doesn't do anything to stop it because it is the only way that she can handle the guilt.

Con is tasked with helping find a cure and bringing Sin to the Warg Council to face punishment. Because he's a dhampire, he feels conflicted about what he should do. Con is fighting his own personal demons as well as having to deal with infighting between "born" worgs and "turned" worgs. Like every great hero and heroine, Sin and Con fight the growing attraction and feelings they have for each other. With Sin being a Seminus demon and sex being mandatory or else she dies, it's not long before they give into their desires so that you know, Sin won't die.


Sin managed to win me over. She is a woman in pain and doesn't know how to depend on anyone but herself. Even though she has her twin brother, Lore, to lean on, she has always felt that he would leave her at any given moment. Sin does let her guard down but it's not something that happens overnight. It's a process that forces her to show layers of herself to Con that she hasn't let anyone have the privilege of seeing. Sin Undone follows the same formula that made the first 4 books so great. There is more death, blood and violence than previous books thanks to Sin Fever attacking the wolf population.

Even though this is Sin's book, the brothers are never too far away. Wraith provided much needed levity with his teasing of Sin by calling her "Smurfette" and "Typhoid Mary".  Also, there's a great storyline involving Luc that was a pleasant surprise.

Even though Sin Undone is the final book of the Demonica Series, I hope that we still get a taste of the Sem brothers in the spin-off series, The Lords of Deliverance. The first book, Eternal Rider, will be released in March 2011.


As usual, Larissa Ione spins together a complex world that you feel a part of, with complicated characters, great dialog and of course, hot sex. They are Seminus demons after all. I hate to say good-bye to this great series. So I'll only say, so long....for now.

If you haven't read the series, what are you waiting for? You are truly missing out on a great series.

---

Title: Sin Undone
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Demonica Series, #5
Published: August 24, 2010
Pages: 384
Genre: Paranormal Romance
My Copy: ARC Tour

---

My rating:

Review: Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica Series Book 4)

Summary from author's website:

A Demon Enslaved…
Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master’s assassin. Now to earn his freedom and save his sister’s life, he must complete one last kill. Powerful and ruthless, he’ll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.

An Angel Tempted…
Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting. She’s determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary—even if that means risking her vow of eternal chastity. But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns into a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.

Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again—hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.

Lore was introduced to us in Passion Unleashed. He was hired to kill the Sem brothers when it was discovered that he was a Sem brother himself. Lore is an assassin. His touch is deadly. And in order to be free from his master and to save his sister's life, he must complete one last kill. Idess is an earthbound angel waiting to Ascend. The target of Lore's final kill is a human that Idess is charged with protecting. Not only does Lore have to contend with a hot, angel getting in his way but also his brothers because his target is someone who will put him in direct conflict with his newly found family.

Lore is my second favorite brother (sorry E and Shade). Even though he's an assassin, the reasons behind why he does what he does are honorable. I loved the development of Lore's and Idess' relationship. They started off as "enemies"; on opposite sides of the fence. Their attraction was a nice, gradual progression. It didn't feel forced. And it didn't hurt that Lore is a Seminus demon that needed frequent sexual release or else he would "rage". That helped move things along quite nicely. Idess is a strong female character who can hold her own. But even she didn't have a choice but to give in to the charms of the sexy Sem demon.

Like Wraith's book, Ecstasy Unveiled was a nice mixture of dark undertone, hot demon/angel smex and light humor. I loved the use of nicknames when Lore would refer to Idess; Cookie, my favorite, was too cute. He called her Cookie because after their first encounter, Lore said that she smelled as if she bathed in cinnamon sugar. Idess was called anything but her name throughout the book; Cookie, Snickerdoodle, Angel Cake and my favorite courtesy of Wraith, Halo.

We're also introduced to Lore's twin sister, Sin. She's a female Sem Demon who has a deadly touch. She is truly unique as Seminus demons are always male. Sin doesn't want to have anything to do with her new family and tries to keep them at arms length. We learn a little about her past and her relationship with Lore in Ecstasy Unveiled. Sin's story will be featured in Book 5, Sin Undone. Sin was annoying at times due to her crankiness and "I don't need anyone" attitude but I'm hoping that she redeems herself in Sin Undone.

Again, why I love Wraith. Cute little nickname he gives Sin - Smurfette. Because she's the only female Seminus demon amongst the males. Gotta love that Wraith!

          

Review: Passion Unleashed (Demonica Series Book 3)

Summary from author's website:

Forbidden Temptations…Serena Kelley is an archaeologist and treasure hunter—and a woman with a secret. Since she was seven, she’s been the keeper of a powerful charm that grants her health and immortality . . . as long as she stays a virgin. But Serena isn’t all that innocent. And when a dangerously handsome stranger brings her to the brink of ecstasy, she wonders if she’s finally met the one man she cannot resist.
Fatal Desires…
Wraith is a Seminus demon with a death wish. But when an old enemy poisons him, he must find Serena and persuade her to give him the only known antidote in the universe—her charm. Yet, as she begins to surrender to his seductions, and Wraith senses the cure is within his grasp, he realizes a horrible truth: he’s falling for the woman whose life he must take in order

How I love Wraith, let me count the ways. In the first two books, Wraith comes off as a selfish prick. He makes no apologies for who and what he is. You can take it or leave it. This can be a little off-putting and it made me wonder if I was ever going to like him. His character would have to grow leaps and bounds to become likable. In Passion Unleashed, he does. This is my favorite book of the Demonica series so far. I love Wraith! He's top 5 book boyfriend material. Passion Unleashed starts with it being a year later. Wraith is still up to his old tricks until he's poisoned while he's out hunting. In order to save himself he must convince (ahem seduce) a human female (Serena) to give him her charm. Sounds easy, right?

I could not put my Kindle down. Passion Unleashed had me enthralled from the beginning. I was on pins and needles waiting for Serena to find out the truth about Wraith and his agenda. As I've once admitted on twitter, I hate surprises and have the tendency to skip ahead while reading a book just to know what to expect. Well, with my Kindle, I haven't quite figured out how to do that without losing my page. I was itching to skip ahead just so that I'll know when and how Serena reacted when Wraith's true identity was revealed. But I didn't. I exercised major self-control.

Wraith evolved in this book without losing what makes him Wraith. Serena can hold her own and she's exactly the type of women that Wraith needs. The Sem Brothers underestimate Wraith and don't think that he can be selfless and responsible; and who can blame them. In the past, Wraith has never given them a reason to believe otherwise. But he surprises them over and over throughout the book. Wraith even surprises himself.

Passion Unleashed surprised me. It wasn't as dark as I thought it would be. It was full of humor, adventure and hot demon smex! Serena could dish it out and take it just as good if not better than Wraith. I loved it. I hated for it to end. But alas, it had to.

My favorite Wraith quote:
"Not only no, but f*ck no. In fact, let me count the ways I can say no."

 

Format: E-Book (Kindle)

Source: Purchased (Amazon)

  

Review: Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

Summary from author's website:
Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . .
Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn’t resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy.

A Seminus demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he’d seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever. As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts—or succumb to a madman’s evil plans.

Desire Unchained is the second book in the Demonica series. Shade is kidnapped while on a paramedic run for the UG Hospital. When he awakes, he finds himself chained in a dungeon with his former lover Runa. They are pawns in a sick game being played by someone from Shade's past and they are fighting for their lives.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I loved Shade and Runa. Shade is a much more Alpha character than Eidolon. But I thought that this book was so much darker than Pleasure Unbound. There was so much more death and deception going on that I couldn't catch my breath. In book 1, there was some levity provided by Tayla and Eidolon (i.e. Tayla constantly calling E "demon boy"). There were moments of the romance/love aspect between Shade and Runa but even that had dark elements due to Shade's use of BDSM when he's having sex with a female.

The ending completely makes up for the dark elements of this book. I was so happy for Shade and Runa. Wraith is still a mess and I suspect his book will be even darker. Though he does have a sick sense of humor that will hopefully lighten things up.

 

 

Format: eBook (Kindle)

Source: Purchased (Amazon)

 

 

Review: Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione (Demonica Series)

Summary from author's website:

In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life…
She’s a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure—but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.
Two lovers will dare to risk all.
Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his desire to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable—and let Tayla possess him, body and soul…

When I started reading Pleasure Unbound, it took me a minute to get into the book. The Demon names and terminology were confusing and it was hard to keep everything straight in my head. I was hoping that I wouldn't have this problem throughout the book and thank goodness I didn't because that would have really sucked. Once I got past the strange names, I was entrenched. I could not put it down even though I had to because I had to sleep, eat and go to work! I loved this book. It was never boring. The plot moved at a great pace; it didn't lagged and I was never bored. There were surprises, twists and turns and most importantly, sizzling hot demon/slayer sex. Even though I hate to see a good book come to an end, I was so anxious to finish the book that I was sneak-reading while at work. It's pretty easy to do with a Kindle (lol!).

I love Eidolon and Tayla as a couple. They balance each other perfectly. E is the protector of the people that he cares about where Tayla is used to being on her own and taking care of herself. The author handled Tayla's loner attitude with perfection. I was afraid that it would take too long for Tayla to come to her senses and the build up to the resolution would drag, but thankfully it didn't.

So now I'm invested in yet another series. I can't just stop at one. I've already downloaded Desire Unchained. I'm hoping to be caught up with the Demonica Series by the time the newest book is released in August.

Format: eBook (Kindle)
Source: Purchased