Demon At My Door By Michelle A. Valentine

This was a fun, fluffy and dark version of  'The Time Traveler's Wife'. Even though it was a paranormal novel, I occasionally had to remind myself that the aim and path we were on was to stop a demon that was days away from claiming her soul. The story as it progressed became airy and fluffy with serious undertones closer as got to the end.

Ms. Valentine is a good writer and she gives you stories that you can float along and feel comfortable with but they rarely  have those blow your mind moments! This was another of those good stories but it was also flat. Nothing really spectacular happened and while I was interested to the see the end I could have skipped a few pages to get there.

As it relates to decisions, the final ones were kinda crappy and made the entire novel seem redundant. I am baffled as to her final choices and completely unaware of what made her come to those decisions. I understand setting the stage for a book 2 but this finale was not it. It's like we unwound the entire book 1 to make way for the next in the series.

On the plus side, I liked the main characters of Natalie, Rick, Stewart and eventually Taylor. In my mind, I've already made them up to be a super demon fighting team. Each character has and brought their own elements that helped to enhance the experiences within this story.

There are a few discrepancies, especially in Stewart's world with his abuse and true identity but I can't really disclose those without spoiling the plot for potential readers. All I can say is that he must have not been beaten enough because the Stewart at the end of this novel wouldn't have the marks the Stewart at the beginning received.

I like the occasional bad boy, so you can just imagine how in love I was with Rick. I had already put the pieces of the puzzle together with his entrance so I got over his big reveal and reveled in his version of bad. Currently, I would want him to find another chick, who helps funnel that bad side that brings the sexy smirk I love so much, instead of the ever doubtful Natalie who really does not have much care for her soul  as she thinks. The girl seems to have no trouble bartering it away regularly like it's a piece of beef jerky.

I got to respect Taylor a little more at the end of this story but we barely got any time with her so I hope that book 2 will see us interacting with her more. Where Lilim is concerned, I know we will be seeing her again, I just don't care much about her character right now.

Stewart has always eluded me because he was too bland and all american to hold my interest. So I didn't care to note his reactions and personality as the story progressed. He too however got more interesting in the end and also brought another major discrepancy with Taylor being all besotted to him in light of her revelations. It became one paranormal style college drama.

There is no penetration sex in this novel so it's heavily NA based but that's fine. I do hope though that book 2 gives us some demon sex cause it looks like it would be a good one. Once again though another discrepancy formulated with dude levitating. Why? Gravity seemed to be holding you just fine all the other times.

The final fight in this novel was hilarious more than serious because it was straight out of a 'Looney Toons' cartoon. I wouldn't be surprised is they drew for an anvil hammer as they kept summoning weapons out of thin air like a video game. That was too much fiction even for no limits, deal making demons. It also brought up the discrepancy of who can see these demons, as a character with an unclaimed soul, who wasn't marked for death, was impervious to them freezing time and that went against every thing we were lead to believe over the course of this novel.

There is an abundance of loose ends in this novel and juxtapositions a mile long! I was however kept engaged, intrigued and interested as I made my way through the chapters to the final decisions and lines drawn in the sand. I loved the early banters with Natalie and the 5 year old demon, as well as, the times spent in the present trying to break the contract with said demon.

Natalie kept this story interesting, fierce and most importantly, moving. Even if we were thrust right back to the beginning by the end, there wasn't a break in momentum and the story kept steady to the end as we went against the rules on the countdown to doom.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16300439-demon-at-my-door

The Fall By Sienna Lane & Amelia Rivers

I always joke about having a DNF list but I came really close this time. I wanted to give up after the first 5% but that was mostly because I have never read angels and demons before and the beginning didn't captivate me enough to wanna stay. Once again, my need to not have a DNF made me persevere. However, I literally had to force my way through to the end because this was cheesy, anticlimactic and felt more like a parody than a paranormal. The thing that surprised me also was that it had a lot of real religious elements that were manipulated in the most understated and uninspiring way.

This could have been an opportunity to learn about ancient religious prophecies regarding the Grigori and their offspring's the Nephilim, as they try to keep Addison a descendant of Enoch safe, while hoping to stop another Nephilim from releasing their fathers from Tartarus. Normally, I don't recall story lines because that's what blurbs are for but this one I think I had to for the rest of us who are not that religiously inclined and had to learn of this from a paranormal novel.

First of all, I thought this was going to be another vampire novel, so I had to recalibrate my expectations and I was even excited for a while to read my first angels and demons novel based off real historical events B.C. Imagine my disappointment :(

 The moment Archer and Addison met and start to keep company this story fizzles to YA romance. At one point, I wondered if we weren't going to bother with hell on earth. Literally. I think that if you are going to tackle a story of this caliber then the delivery has to be better than the equivalent of a teen movie. They were so modern to the point where it was unbelievable. I understand change but this was too much.

An example you say? ... here goes ... so this creature is suppose to be locked away for a millennia as pointed out by our "fierce" leader and somehow, his "spirit" has been floating around the atmosphere. Guess what his visual entertainment of choice was? ... Yup! You guessed it, 'Twilight'! Now c'mon ... is this a serious paranormal novel or just fun and laughs? I can't see not one but two authors agreeing on this point among others.

Addison is no virgin. All I want to ask her is why she was still a virgin because she could deep throat like no ones business and don't get me started on her constant need to lose said virginity after it being her BFF for more than 20 years. Still, separate her untimely love, instant training as an Eros and reaction to angel babies, I like Addison. She had fire, spunk and quite the personality to match her never ending stomach.

Archer is good at brooding and while I liked his character in the beginning, I am not a fan of him in love. I could spend this novel focused on the "fight" more than I could the romance. The fate of the world is in their hands and their busy fighting over guys who flirt with her in a bar -_-

All the other male characters had my interest, apart from Archer, unless he was stretching his powers. I would have loved to get to know them and their powers more intimately because this intrigued me more than the story line itself.

I expect angles and demons to have a fight that rival all others, but instead I was left bored and wanting it to end as it began. I keep putting "fight" in quotations because the big reveal and climax was very flat and I am assuming this story is all wrapped up based on their very HEA despite God's supposed dislike for this species. I haven't done more research to see if this particularly claim is true so I am gonna take this novel and Wikipedia's information at face value.

Also, the names, what's up with those? Lazarus and Archius? C'mon now! You can do better. The sex was also rather basic too. The man can probably bench press the Hulk and that's the best you can do? He even has telekinesis on his side! I don't know man, this novel just lacked inspiration, conviction and details. I am actually shocked that this was the effort of two authors because it was very unimaginative and uninspiring for a story that already had it's base in religious history.

Though I was able to get through this novel after almost 2 days it was a task. I was bored, unimpressed and all round annoyed that something that could and should be epic was so lackluster. Their powers and back stories alone could have made for an epic tale but all this reminded me of was a teen movie with a mix of the 'Supernatural' TV series.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18940798-the-fall

The King By J.R. Ward

It's like watching a satisfying episode of your favourite TV series. Although, I get what I want, without a cliffhanger ending and can wait patiently for the next episode to clarify the actions and decisions of the last.

As usual, this story takes us all over the place and even gave us a blast into the past with Wrath's parents, as they struggle through some of the same issues, that Beth and Wrath currently face. We are trekking through more than one relationship in this novel, but I never felt lost. At the beginning of each relationship highlight, I want the one I was at before, and by the end of that one, I am right where I began, craving more of the current.

I love that JR Ward chose the relationships she wanted to focus on, while keeping all the members of this series relevant at some point in time. She balances progression and stability like no other paranormal writer I have read. It is a gift what she does with a world she has created. I am always in the zone when reading a novel of this series. It feels as if I am transformed to Caldwell, in vampire territory and ready to tackle anything thrown my way. This series makes you a fan, as you step out of the real world for a minute and enjoy life of the Old Country and Caldwell, paranormal style.

To clear up some misconceptions without giving anything away, the main relationships of this novel are Beth/Wrath, Selena/Trez, Assail/Marisol, Layla/Xcor, Wrath/Anha. Beth wants a baby, Wrath is a little on the fence; Selena is having her world rocked in more than one way and Trez is finally growing up and taking responsibilities for his actions; Assail is new territory while traversing his old life and Marisol is giving up her old life to traverse new territory; Xcor is turning a new life and Layla is fighting for her King; Wrath is learning the dimensions of being a King and Anha is learning the realities of being a Queen.

For those looking for a Lash apperance, like myself, it was not this installment. This novel was filled with less Lessers than any of the previous. This, I had no problem with, as I believe this novel called for a different approach and I enjoyed the change in course.

Focus was placed on sacrifice, love, loyalty, history and the power they wield over the present and future. These are the catalyst for a few changes in the end of this novel, that me and my friend the Scribe Virgin surely aren't gonna like. I get the notion, but I wish there was another way.

In all of this, we still met new characters, some from the modern world and others that have traveled from the Old Country with a swell of issues and ideologies that put this story in a tail spin. I was glad for the time we got to spend with occasional characters, like Saxton and the time spent with Abalone and the commoners. It was about time we find out what is going on in the world of vampires outside the Monarchy and those who oppose them.

The perspectives from this novel, were presented and executed perfectly. My only problem while reading this novel, was finding the time to sit and give it a proper read. Once I did, I breezed through it in a couple hours. It is impossible not to get hooked to a novel from this series and it doesn't change with this installment.
I can see this story being around for years to come and I am dying to get my hand on a book about the young's of this series. I anticipate a really good story from their behalf.

There is nothing in this book for me to complain about; It was progressive, never repetitive and even the martial issues were that of humans. The fights were real and the characters stayed through to their personalities and beliefs. I never even missed the nights out in the field. I think we progress with the characters, to the point where their mindset is our own. It's been quite a journey with the Brotherhood and this novel reminds you of that, while preparing you for the future and all it's possibilities.

The climaxes within this novel are not your usual and they don't culminate in a battle to end all battles, as it's more from an intellectual stand point. That doesn't give it less of a fight or fire either, as it packs the same punch as Rhage morphing, V getting shot, Zsadist getting black, Phury's addiction, Tohr losing Wellsie and Butch sucking in Lessers. (Yes, I did that all from memory recollection and not a review of the novels). As I said, this story sticks with you.

I could stay here all day and give you my feelings on this amazing series that continues to rock me to the core, but I say check it out for yourself. This book is long for a reason, it is packed with enough issues to last you until the end of the week, where your craving another installment. It never leaves you unsatisfied and with each installment, you fall deeper into JR Wards' crazy world in Caldwell, New York.

Reconnect with the Brotherhood, learn about the King's past, take a trip down memory lane to 'Dark Lover' and inch your way through all the other installments, as you await the future. I really hope this isn't the end of this series, because I want so much more from this group of characters, who keep us on our toe guessing. Every time I think they can't possibly have more, I realize that the end is no where in sight and I am alright with that!

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18108281-the-king