Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend

Hex #5

by Linda Wisdom

A bewitching woman on a mission...

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer-that is, until she's assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie's never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder...

A hotter-than-sin hero with an agenda...

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he'll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he's already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can't refuse...

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Demons, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Magic

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

I'm a multi-published author since 1979 and now writing paranormal romance or what I like to call witch lit. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover came out this past March and Hex Appeal comes out in November with Halloween promotion and will also be carried in Target.

My witch series has also been optioned to be shopped around as a TV series or movie. So here's hoping!

Reviews

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maggie O'Malley isn't a typical petite blonde in skimpy club clothes. She's a centuries old Witch and a part of the Hellion Guard. The Guard is a select police force for the supernatural community that lives amongst the uninformed average Dick & Jane. Maggie's group followed a lead to capture a Bloater at Damnation Alley. Everything went as planned until the Bloater blew up and splattered icky goo all over Maggie and the club. First impressions matter! It's a good thing Declan, the club owner, saw Maggie before the goo-tastic explosion because more than one kind of spark lite when Maggie and Declan meet for the first time. Add a mouthy, rebellious teenager, grumpy gnome boss, portents of world destruction and a mile high ice cream sundae to get a small but hilarious insight into Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend.

The story caught my grin with the first page! I was chuckling and laughing a lot as I read the novel. The characters are engaging, the plot moved along at a decent clip, and it was easy for me to imagine the world that Linda Wisdom created for the book.

It's very cute. I suppose I should think Maggie is badass and Declan is swoon worthy but I see them as a cute couple who kind of fell into another Armageddon plot and kind of saved the world in passing. The story isn't about being a great warrior or witch. It's about Maggie's family of friends, falling in love, and figuring out how to make that all work despite ingrain prejudices.

My thoughts:
I love a steamy love scene. However, I think this story would have been better if the love scenes were more vague and leave it up to the reader's imagination. Most of the time, I thought the scenes were corny or very awkward. The dream sequences were great! I enjoyed the creative flair and depth of a different kind of romance.

Initially, I wanted to rate this story 4 stars because I enjoyed reading it a lot. However, a few consistent points keep me from rating it higher. I don't get a sense of why certain things work the way they do in the story. Maggie's magic is very powerful and seems to have no drawback. The deal with the Mayans and the climax feels like a passing byplay that I can't make myself care about too much. I should have been really engaged by the climax and I found myself not caring by the scene. I grinned when the God of Destruction ends up being a Goddess. I rolled my eyes at the events following her appearance.

Yay for Maggie starting a family of her own and finding love! I look forward to seeing what happens to the gang in the next book. I hope the world becomes more fleshed out and that the action of the story is as important as the characters living in it.

[Michelle Greathouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demons Are A Girls Best Friend is the first book in an all new series by Linda Wisdom and an Urban Fantasy from SourceBooks.

Book Blurb:

A Bewitching Woman On A Mission...

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer - that is, until she’s assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie’s never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder...

A Hotter-Than-Sin Hero With An Agenda...

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he’ll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he’s already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can’t refuse...

Amidst the rising flames of their steamy love affair, Maggie and Declan are damned if they do, and even more damned if they don’t...

My thoughts:

Maggie O’Malley is a centuries old witch who is part of the Hellion Guard. It is her job to police the paranormals living topside and make sure as few humans as possible are harmed in the process.

Declan is a half human, half fire-demon and the new owner of Damnation Alley - the local paranormal bar that also houses a demon portal. He is determined to make the best out of the position he is in - and vows to be better than his fire-demon father.

When Declan’s sister brings a problem to the Hellion’s attention - Declan and Maggie are thrown into an intense situation that could mean the end of the world.

But no pressure.

I enjoyed Demons Are A Girls Best Friend. Ms. Wisdom has a wonderful imagination and a wicked sense of humor that comes across in her writing. Her characters are fun and quirky and a blast to read.

I give Demons Are A Girls Best Friend 4 out of 5 stars and I’m looking forward to the next installment - Undercover Demon, due out in January 2012.

Product Details

* Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
* Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 1, 2011)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1402254393
* ISBN-13: 978-1402254390

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is set in the same "reality" as Wisdom's Hex series, but - pardon the pun, it seems to lack some of the magic. The author assumes a lot of background knowledge on the part of the reader and I have difficulty seeing it either as a stand alone book or as a continuation of the series. While The book does add to the "reality" created in the hex series, but leaves the reader confused when attempting to add to it. Both the demon realm and the Hellion Guard both seem lacking. The beginning of the book didn't really feel congruent with the reality created in the previous books, but the writing style felt more consistent toward the end. In some ways I feel that Cheyenne McCray wrote the first 130 or so pages and Wisdom finished it. The author also references previous book in minor blurbs that lack any real connection.


The plot does read as a stand-alone novel and is interesting. There are occasional sparks of the sense of humor that I really enjoyed in Wisdom's previous books.

Something was lacking through-out the book. It didn't have the tongue in cheek humor or general sense of mischief that I enjoyed in the Hex books. I don't rule out continuing the series - I mean my perseverance with LKH's books despite, well, everything, but I really hope that some of the "magic" is in any follow ups.

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are only a few things wrong with this book and as a whole maybe that's what threw me off.

I don't feel like going into too many details because frankly my apathy won't allow it.

Needless to say, I thought the dialogue was a little stunted, the suddenness of the relationship and subsequent events dream stalking or whatever you want to call it should only be allowed First (as a way to meet or reintroduce someone) or by the third date. caught me off guard - in a not so good way - and the world building was a bit off kilter for me.

There was nothing inherently bad about this book, it just didn't hold my interest past page 59.

[Melindeeloo]

Demons are a Girl's best Friend was a kindle cheapie recently (might still be) but I am half way through and even though it seems like it has 'all the right stuff' - kickbutt witchy heroine, supernatural law enforcement, fae BFF, hunky demon love interest and the fate of the world hanging in the balance if a prophecy comes true - I am just not feeling it. I keep asking myself, "Is it worth finishing?" Even with the number of books I read, it is rare for me not to finish a book, but I think I'll set it aside for awhile and try something else...

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the start of the story. Action, feisty heroine, mysterious hero, comedy and great chemistry... Again, things started out great, but kind of fizzled out in the middle. After that, everything just fell into place like a stack of bricks.

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I hadn't originally planned on reading this series but when A Demon Does it Better became available on NetGalley I quickly changed my mind. Only having to read one book in order catch up on Linda Wisdom's Demons's series is an easy task. Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend's colorful characters, whirlwind pace and happy ending make this novel easy to love. This is my second witchy read this week and I'm beginning to think that my perception of them is all wrong! Maggie is a powerful, no-nonsense preternatural who's so badass I'm scouring my thesaurus trying to find an adjective that does her justice!

So far, the characters in this series are amazing! Aside from Maggie's kickassedness, her flame Declan is my dream guy (I know, he's taken but a girl can fantasize). He's part fire demon and that trait alone makes him HOT! I'm an Aries so I love the color red and anything that's flame related. Stereotypical much? Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Declan's got a lot more going for him than just his sex appeal; he's also smart, family-oriented, holds his own in a fight and of course, is great in bed. I liked how Maggie would mess with him whenever he'd put his foot in his mouth or say something that she didn't like. More than once he found himself wearing his drink or getting rained on in his office. The witch's spells take playful teasing to a whole new level! My favorite character was Elle by a landslide. She's a jeweled, black widow tattoo and part of Maggie's arsenal of weapons. When Elegance isn't dropping witty remarks she's busy researching ways to keep her lovers from dying. I'm sure you're already familiar with the fact that this type of spider eats their mates once the deed is done.

I liked the background story of the Demons world. The guards are an interesting bunch with a wide variety of histories and supernatural traits. I also loved how Maggie isn't your typical witch. She's 700 years old and comes off as something "more" than just human. The plot line captivated me early on. The protagonist ends up stuck playing mom to a teenager which, understandably, ends up being an absolute nightmare! Maggie eventually has to tell her charge that she's a witch but puts a spell on Courtney so that she can't reveal the secret. Only gibberish comes out of the kid's mouth whenever she tries to say something magic-related. This made for a few hilarious conversations about potholes and frying pans!

Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend is a multifaceted read packed with so much good stuff that it's overflowing! I'm very happy with my decision to give this series a try and I'm even happier that A Demon Does It Better is already loaded onto my Kobo. Linda Wisdom is now on my list of must-read authors and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for her future publications.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5

Up until the halfway mark — and I mean that literally, since I was reading on my Kindle and had hit 50% — I really liked this book. Maggie is a kick-ass witch with a sarcastic bent to her humor, and Declan is a sexy half fire-demon who is just different enough from Maggie to cause serious sparks (ha, accidental pun). But rather than watching the sparks fly with sexual tension and wariness, Declan and Maggie give in to their mutual attraction without much fight. And I never really understood why. There are aspects of both characters’ personality that should have caused more friction between the two. I generally always want a HEA in my romance, but I also like to take an emotional ride to get there. This ride was more like a stroll down the driveway. It was nice and sweet, but I wanted something more.

The mystery and suspense element to Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend was extremely well-done in the first half of the book. But again, it just fell flat for me in the end; I was reaching 90% and things had not even begun to get wrapped up, and it left for an ending that went extremely fast, and in an unsatisfying sort of way. That said, I really enjoyed many of the side characters – Elle, the black widow spider looking for a way to keep her lovers around longer, Sybil, the angelic looking elf who was a serious hard-ass in the interrogation room, and Courtney, the teenager slotted for sacrifice. There were a couple serious laugh out loud moments in this book, like when Maggie put a spell on Courtney so that Courtney would be unable to tell anyone who and what Maggie was without sounding like a fool, and how frustrated Courtney became when all that was coming out of her mouth was nonsense when she tried.

Demon’s Are a Girl’s Best Friend had the potential to be a really great book, but that potential was never fully realized.

Full review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/06/13/r...

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie is an old witch, ok, not that she looks old, but still she has the wisdom of age. She works for the Hellion Guard, a secret police-like agency for paranormals. Her new job is to protect a teen, who seems to have a lot of enemies including some ancient Mayans who want to take over the world. She literally runs into Declan, a smoking hot partial demon that runs a nightclub when a bust goes bad. The two have definite sparks and Maggie's sharp tongue is a pleasure to read about. The two have massive chemistry even though neither will admit it and only join forces when the evil Mayans try to sacrifice the teen in order to bring about world domination. You need to read the book in order to find out if the two can save the teen and prevent world wide destruction.

Linda Wisdom is one of my favorite paranormal authors and her Hex series is loads of fun. She carries over the snappy dialogue from her previous series and this one has just the right amount of romance that is never forced or predictable. I love how she has the pace perfected and matched with humor. There is never a dull moment and now I can't wait for the next one in the series.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good, fun, easy read. It was full of humour with a Kick ass main Character, Maggie who is a witch. Ok, shes not that original . . . smoking hot, full of witty comebacks, can handle herself in any shape or form, knows magic , wants for nothing, has awesome friends and has the hottest guys after her . . Standard heroine stuff but Im a sucker for these type of books and this delivered big style. Hot stuff (literally) in the shape of Declan, a fire demon and an apocalyptic plotline where you just know Maggie is going to save the day. Looking forward to the next in the series :)

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of the paranormal genre for as long as I can remember. DEMONS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND is one of my absolute favorites. I was instantly sucked into the plot and couldn't think about anything but reading this book. Linda has made her way into my all-time favorite authors list. If demons, witches and a fun-filled read is what you are in the mood for, this is the perfect book to curl up with.

[Peyton Blessing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend
Author: Linda Wisdom
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
Length: 354
Genre: Fantasy Romance

Thoughts: I love the world that Linda Wisdom created! This book started off great I was giggling and then kinda plateaued at the middle. Absolutely love Maggie’s badass nature and goodness Declan I mean sign me up. With a little more plot and suspense in the middle and end of this book it would be a 4 maybe even 5 star read but with how it died off in the middle it lost me.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful addition to her witches series! Declan is a demon to lust after.

[Ms. Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fluff, fluff, fluffity, fluff, fluff. The writing was alright, I just never got hooked on this story. Refund, please. Not recommended~

[Aphelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a loosely connected series, this fun and fluffy PNR stands well on it's own. It's the supernatural equivalent of a beach read, and an entertaining one at that!

Maggie is a 700 year old witch and has spent the last century with the Hellion Guard, the secret supernatural police. Unbeknownst to humans, the world is filled with strange creatures, including her best friend Sibyl (an elf with glittery fairy wings) and her talking, sentient, bejeweled black widow tattoo Elle (short for Elegance, of all things).

The cutest part of the hidden compound of the Guard are all the talking ferret messengers, who run around super-caffeinated with endless shots of espresso 😄

Out on assignment, Maggie meets sexy half-fire demon Declan and it's lust at first sight. Only both of them are pawns in a scheme to bring a Mayan deity back to life, bankrolled by Declan's power-hungry father.

The target is an "innocent" (supernaturally unaware), orphaned 15 year old, and it's up to Maggie to assume her guardianship to protect her and befriend her for information. Since Courtney is a stereotypical snarky know-it-all teenager with extremely poor taste in guys, the job doesn't exactly go as planned.

I liked Maggie and thought she and Declan were well suited and had good chemistry. It's unfortunate that the character weren't better developed - they rarely are in PNR - as they had enough protentional for a fuller story. The sexy fun times were surprisingly short, and everything rests on the character relationships as there wasn't enough interest in the thin plot to sustain the mystery.

The found family motif was sweet though and there's a nice happy ending. The writing is smooth enough that I'd borrow the rest of the series if I can find it in the library (whenever it reopens), and it's a fast read I devoured in a single sitting!

[Linda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie O'Malley, is a witch and part of the Hellion Guard. She and her 4 teammates are one of several teams working out of the Hellion post in Texas providing law enforcement over the paranormals. Declan is a half-demon owner of a club for paranormals with a basement portal to the underworld. Being half demon and half human he has a conscience and though brutally raised by his demon father has been subtly going his own way. When Maggie and Declan meet the attraction is immediate and dangerous. Stirrings in the paranormal world uncover a plot to call forth the ancient Mayan god of destruction using the blood sacrifice of a teenage human. Maggie is assigned to protect her. This was an interesting plot with some humor and lots of action. I particularly enjoyed Maggie's living bejeweled black widow spider tattoo.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First in the Demons Fifth in the Jazz Tremaine (a.k.a., Hex) paranormal romance revolving around a group of witches, demons, and other paranormals who kick ass. The couple focus here is on Maggie O'Malley and Declan.

It's also been published under the title, Best Hex Ever as a spin-off from her Jazz Tremaine / Hex series. (Turns out her publisher simply wanted a new look and not a new series.)

My Take
This story does not fit within the humor of the previous Jazz Tremaine stories. In fact, I kept checking the cover, Goodreads.com, and Wisdom's own site to check! It's still an interesting story. Just not what I was expecting.
It's a twist to read of a demon with a heart. I'm reading one sentence that explains how Declan can level a city and how he lights a cigar with a finger, and the next he's sighing about wanting something more from his life. Who knew? A domestic demon. Then there's that spell Maggie puts on Courtney...Crack. Me. Up.

YES! I love how Maggie twisted it around for that jerk of a school principal trying to laying off the blame on Courtney! Talk about a double standard! Arghh!! I hate bullies and I hate the people who support 'em.

Declan's parting thought about his demon family: They only stand behind you if it protects them from being in the line of fire."

No, it's not a typical Jazz Tremaine-style story, but it is a fun, action-packed read and this new series starts with Maggie (from Jazz Tremaine) and Declan. Wisdom has a great cast of characters on both sides of this divide.

The Story
A routine arrest of a Bloater at Damnation Alley brings Maggie and Declan together. She's resisting; he's not. But it's Mal's insistence and Anna's distress over the coming of The Destroyer that forces Maggie to work with the stunningly gorgeous Declan. And he's not above using whatever he can conjure to woo her. Or to protect his sister.

Then they find out about Courtney — the intended sacrifice to allow a god of death and destruction into our world.

Well, that "sacrifice" is in the foster care system and it looks like Maggie just might be a long lost cousin.

The Characters
Margit "Maggie" O'Malley is a Special Ops witch; Elegance, a.k.a., Elle, is her lively black widow spider tattoo with her own powers. And her own search for a lover who can survive her. Team members include Frebus, a fur-covered blond with more hair than a Saint Bernard with teeth like steel knives; Meech is married to the pregnant Reesa; and, Tita is a vampire.

As members of the Hellion Guard, they can go anywhere and do anything. Sybil is an elf who excels at interrogation; Boris is her boss. Mal is her short, cigar-smokin' boss who's dating Brigid, a gnome. Kittan is one of their best researchers. Xera is a great healer, but has a terrible bedside manner with the mentally distraught. Shayla is another healer. Ravenna is a Seer. Zouk and his team go missing when they go after the demon rave; they're among the best in the Guard. Ferrets are the Guard's messengers and include Trickie who's rootin' for the New Orleans Cubs; Bickie who can't stop talkin'; and, Zickie is white with a red beret.

Courtney Parker is a 15-year-old with some major personal issues. Of course, it doesn't help that some demons want to sacrifice her to end what we know as the world. Aleta was Maggie's baby sister and her death inspired Maggie's career path. Mick Frasier is Courtney's human-seeming boyfriend with a purpose. Troy Reynolds is one of Courtney's classmates, and he seems to have picked up his social skills from his father.

Declan is half-fire demon and half-human with his human half predominating. He's taken over the Damnation Alley from Ratchet, who disappeared. Snips is an imp and Declan's personal assistant at the club. A club that also serves as a portal from Hell.Part of Declan's job is to police anyone who travels through the portal. He's got his own daddy-issues by the name of Victorio. Anna is Declan's half-sister and a Seer; he's trying to protect her from their father. Wreaker is Declan's cousin and an incubus; he's totally out for number one. He's totally ticked that Declan got the club and he didn't. Alexi is one of the portal guards; Anton is a bouncer.

Algar is an elf Sybil was hot after. Until Declan stepped in.

The Hellion Guard are "protectors for all creatures in this world and others". Eurydice is the Head Witch of the Witches Academy.

The Cover and Title
The cover is cute with a disguised Maggie wearing a tremendously huge gun stuck in the back waistband of her teeny, black miniskirt, leather-trimmed bandeau top, and black tights. I liked the sparkles flowing off her snapping fingers! Maggie's back is to us so as to provide a better view of Declan's well-muscled chest as he leans back against the bar.

The title is a nod to Declan, one of those Demons [who] are a Girl's Best Friend.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this book, probably more so that the Jazz Tremaine series as all the parts flowed together well. Maggie's relationship with Declan was nice and I enjoyed the teenager addition as that livened things up more. The additional characters, Elle the black widow spider and the elves, fairies etc in this story were also interesting and the ferret messengers hyped up on caffeine were cute. Does not look like the next book in the series is out until 2012 if I remember correctly so a long wait. :-(

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

News flash: Bitches are great. My dogs are better than most people. Being called a bitch is a compliment. Dropped the rating for the main character being a dumbass. Dumbass: now there’s a word to be annoyed about being called.

Honestly, I did not like the main character as a person. She was a bully.

[Dallass · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a fun time reading this book. Full of quirky and sassy characters, and sentient jewellery, with an interesting (but mentally undemanding) plot, it’s a fun and dpfast paced read that I found quite entertaining.

3 stars

[Laura Perry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get halfway through.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

No joke, the first 200ish pages were TERRIBLE. The book eventually picked up and I found myself wishing it could’ve been that way the whole time.

[Brandy]

I think my tastes have changed and this series no longer appeals to me. I’ve had this on my shelf forever and 4 months of picking it up and putting down only had me 100 pages in.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

~* 3.5 Stars *~
Smart and Sexy Debut
Hellion Guard Maggie O'Malley is used to being the Big Witch on Campus. She and her team track down and capture all those pesky preternatural criminals who break the worst laws. She's sort of like...Glinda with a gun. And a killer bod, a killer spider, a killer attitude...

Maggie definitely rocks the deadly vibe.

That fact is certainly not lost on Declan, new owner of Damnation Alley, the underground club that gets trashed within ten minutes of Maggie's arrival, when a supposedly easy capture goes explosive, squishy, and smelly. Half fire demon, Declan gets more than hot under the collar when he first sets eyes on Maggie. The destruction of one of the club's bars and several walls doesn't cool his ardor for the wickedly sexy witch, despite the fact that demons and witches are inherent enemies. If anything, it further inflames him.

When Declan's sister gets picked up by the Guard, he beards the witch in her compound. His sister hadn't broken the law, the precognitive vision she saw was so horrifying that it drove her a little mad. She'd been picked up for her protection, as well as that of everyone around her. Though Declan wants his sister back, he agrees to allow her to stay at the compound, so long as he's involved in averting the death and destruction she's foretold. So long as he's working with Maggie.

As Declan starts to wear down Maggie's meager resistance to hot half-demons who are totally into her, she's tasked with a job that's far outside of her comfort zone. She's to guard the teen-aged girl who is fated to be sacrificed to a monstrous Mayan deity in an attempt to bring him forth into this realm. So, in other words, young girl dies...world is painted red in the wash of blood and viscera of the masses, human and preternatural both, then dies.

Hey, at least Maggie won't have to worry about job security any time soon. Or, if she can't stop this prophecy, ever.

~*~

Sophisticated and sexy, Wisdom kicks off her Demons series with a bang. Maggie was one of my favorite kinds of heroines in the paranormal genre. Just enough baggage to make her sympathetic and a little damaged, more than enough strength and determination to save her own ass and everyone else's around her.

Declan was a sweet bit of male yumminess, too. He wasn't the warrior and power character that Maggie was, but he wasn't a beta male either. He could hold his own, but his presence was more pertinent in the romance than in the threads of external plot conflict.

This book was a little different than a traditional paranormal romance, developing in a more unconventional manner. Not all of that worked for me. The first half focused more heavily on the world-building and romance arc of Declan and Maggie. The threat of the Big Bad was there, but the plot threads supporting the evolution of that conflict didn't start to really have presence in the story until the halfway mark. That made the book seem almost bisected to me. I would have preferred the plotline of the two halves be better woven together throughout the whole of the book.

Still, I enjoyed most of the book very much, though I admit, the first half was the strongest for me in terms of story and character development, as well as world-building and mythos creation. The last ten to fifteen percent of the book, though, had some major problems and the external conflict took a few big missteps.

When one of the major players of the Big Bad movement, a nasty sort who trusts no one, suddenly put his plans in the hand of someone with a history of defying him, I lost my grip on the story. Sure that mistake helped the good guys, but it was such an implausible scenario that it was impossible to maintain a willing suspension of disbelief.

And the conflict resolution came too quickly to an abrupt and jarring end, leaving a plot hole or two and a disappointing sense of anticlimax.

This book has a lot of promise, and it speaks well for the quality of the rest of the series. Wisdom's world is creative, and it's filled with extraordinary characters who are pivotal to the depth of plot and story. The romance filled out in all the right places, and it's sexy as hell. I would have liked the two halves of the story more if they had been better blended, or if the plot holes had been addressed. And the climax of the conflict was disappointing on more than one level. I've got to admit, though, I'm intrigued by the world and the creatures inhabiting it. I'm not done visiting that world just yet. I want to know what comes next.

Quotables:

"I am beginning to think that my way is so much better," Elle announced. "Have sex, eat my mate, lay eggs, and leave them to hatch on their own."
"You're a regular softie, Elle."

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot: 3 Stars
This novel was one of those that suffers from the blurb on the back of the book not matching so well with the actual story that is read. Sure, everything mentioned actually happens, but there was a point where I wondered if they had put the wrong blurb on the back. The Mayan plotline wasn't nearly as involved as I thought it was going to be, which was a bit disappointing because it was one of the main reasons I picked the novel up. Basically, the blurb leads you to believe that the majority of the book is going to be the described events, when in reality these events didn't really start taking place until about halfway through the novel. The first half of the novel was a lot of set up between the characters, plus a number of scenes that played a large part in the plot and probably should've been mentioned in the blurb. By the time I finished, I really had enjoyed the novel. I just couldn't get over how long I was sitting there reading, wondering when the Mayans and teenagers would come into play. Outside of this fact, the author wove a great world where numerous paranormal creatures interact. And I always love paranormal law enforcement agencies. They tend to happen more in Urban Fantasy, so it was great to see one highlighted in a Paranormal Romance.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
Along with the strange blurb leaving me wondering for a while, the first half of the novel was a bit slow. I'm sure a part of it has to do with waiting around for certain plot elements that were promised. But I think a larger part was due to the amount of information the author shared about the world, the characters, and the law enforcement agency. Some of these details that were given to us right up front, could've been spread throughout the novel a little more. It seemed like the author wanted to make sure we had all of the information in the first half, so that the second half could focus more on the action. But the beginning ended up a bit muddled with a lot of long descriptions. Once the plot really took a turn in the direction that the blurb promised, the pace picked up and it was a race to the end.

Characters: 3 Stars
Maggie was one kick ass chick! I actually wondered at time if this novel would have a happily ever after (since it's a romance) because she was such a strong independant woman. Her powers were also very interesting. I've read many novels that included witches, but this was my first where all of the spells are little rhymes or phrases that are made up on the spot. They were silly without being cutesy, perfect for Maggie. I didn't really care for Declan at first because I had trouble connecting with his character, but he grew on me as the book continued. I wish we could've learned more about his powers as a fire demon. He rarely used them. The teenager they were tasked to watch wasn't as rambunctions and rebellious as I expected from the blurb, but I really enjoyed that plotline and her character, so I'm glad she was more toned down. The smaller characters that Maggie worked with were a wide variety of creatures, and I hope we learn more about them in future books.

Cover: 3 Stars
I'm not the biggest fan of the outfit worn by the cover model, but it is described in the novel, so I like that the cover artist picked up that detail. I also liked the bar detail in the background. The cover model's pose is great. It really gives her a kick ass vibe. And I love that she's looking away from the reader. It allowed me to picture Maggie how I wanted, and hinted at a bit of mystery. The model chosen for Declan was not how I pictured him at all though. My favorite part of the cover is the title placement and font choice. A long title like this could've easily taken over the cover with the wrong font, but this title stands out without detracting from the cover itself. My one problem with this cover is that I've seen it before, from the same publisher no less. One month early, on March 1st, Sourcebooks released Taste Me by Tamara Hogan, and the covers are eerily similar. It looks like another image taken from the same photoshoot, with small details such as hair color digitally changed. I can totally understand using multiple images from the same photoshoot for multiple books in a series, or years later with more drastic changes. But to use such similar images two months in a row just bugs me a little.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read to chapter four, then skimmed pages. To me, it was boring. It felt more like a teen drama, instead of adult romance.
I gave it one star, because the story was boring. SND I didn't finish it. Honest opinion.

[Dawn Cavenee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was hoping for. Not interested in further books in this series.

[Inky Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

(http://freshinkreviews.com/2011/04/re...)

Online blurb:
A bewitching woman on a mission…

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer-that is, until she’s assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie’s never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder…

A hotter-than-sin hero with an agenda…

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he’ll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he’s already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can’t refuse…

Amidst the rising flames of their steam love affair, Maggie and Declan are damned if they do and even more damned if they don’t…. (ARC back cover copy)

My opinion:
Maggie O’Malley is a 700+ year old witch who enjoys her job working for the Hellion Guard. A group of elite paranormal militia under the mantle of the Ruling Council, the Hellion Guard is tasked with protecting all creatures in this world and others and it’s right up Maggie’s alley. Maggie has been the champion of the underdog and protector of the innocent for most of her very long life anyway, so it’s a perfect career path. Not only is she pretty and decorative looking, which is a great disguise, let’s not forget she’s damned good in battle with both magic and weapons, too.

Declan is the new owner of Damnation Alley, a busy club catering to paranormals which just happens to sit over an equally busy demon portal. Declan worked long and hard and called in a lot of favors to gain ownership of Damnation Alley when the prior owner, a shady demon named Ratchett, mysteriously disappeared without a trace. With a half-fire demon nature, Declan is angry at the happenings that unfold and is not about to just turn over his information and sources to Maggie when their paths become entwined due to a Mayan cult’s focus on an ancient ritual. He demands to be a part of the solution in return for his help.

This book includes all the things I like best about a Linda Wisdom paranormal. Maggie is both strong and humorous, able to laugh at herself but be down to earth about her own powers and talents. Her pet crystal black widow spider offers sidekick amusement with the spider’s tireless hunt for a way to keep a mate alive for more than a single night. Maggie has regrets and a past that continues to drive her forward in her career but isn’t overly angsty and emo over it, which is nice.

Declan is sexy but not one of the all-powerful, all-knowing heroes. He’s alpha, though, in a very fire-demon sort of way. I like his vulnerability and his own determination to do right by his loved ones. He’s smart and hot at the same time, even if Maggie tends to run the battles. I love that Declan admires Maggie’s skills. The sex, by the way, is sizzling and adds to the story but is not the focus of it.

The rest of the assorted cast of characters runs the gamut from teammates that wear fur or drink blood to messenger ferrets hopped up on caffeine. I particularly loved Courtney, the teen Maggie is tasked with protecting, in all her teen-girl-angst.

Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend was a lively, fun read that kept my attention and had me rooting for Maggie and Declan all the way.

[Coucher de soleil · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general I enjoyed this book, although it did have some problems.

Good points: I really liked the main character's love interest (i.e. Declan). I particularly liked the fact that he had characteristics which set him apart from the stereotypical male romance novel lead character: he wasn't as strong (in terms of magic and fighting skills) as the female in the relationship which was unusual but very refreshing. I also really enjoyed the fact that, despite this, no one could have referred to him as 'weak'. I enjoyed the fact that, rather than be your typical 'commanding' male (although he did have quite a strong personality), it was clearly shown that he did form deep emotional relationships. I also liked the main character quite a bit -I enjoyed her feistiness and strength (except for one aspect -see below). The plot was interesting (except for the end -see below), as was the world building.

Bad points/constructive criticism: I felt that the author erred slightly in her portrayal of the main character's reactions in one or two instances. In particular, there was one point where she was clearly in the wrong (she had assumed things about Declan's past and stated that he would never be able to understand certain things, in a rather condescending way), yet she never did wind up APOLOGIZING to Declan as she should have. This did not make sense, and the fact that she was never shown to admit to her failings did propel her slightly towards the bad end of the Mary-Sue spectrum. In other words, I like feisty and strong female characters, but they need to be flawed. They also need to ADMIT to these flaws -otherwise they simply come across as unlikeable to the reader.

A second issue with regards to the characters was that it had been intimated that the Hellion Guard to which the main character and her friends belonged was incredibly powerful... And yet when they set out to face the 'bad guys' the main character stated something to the effect that they were poorly prepared and not very powerful, which was rather inconsistent with the feeling I had gotten from the beginning of the novel. (For example, she referred to her best friend the elf several times as being able to 'take care of herself' when questioning prisoners and the like, then referred to her more or less as nothing but a pretty ornament able to waft sweet-smelling and calming vapors people's way, later on. While I do understand that the main character was getting ready to face an incredibly powerful foe at this point, the like of which she had never faced, this still felt a bit jarring to me.)

Another problem was in relation to the plot. In particular, there was a huge buildup involving a teenage girl the main character was supposed to protect as she was supposed to be the essential element in a ritual sacrifice needed to summon some all-powerful god of destruction... Except the 'bad guys' had simply misunderstood their god and its nature so that the god simply popped into our world before promptly leaving again. This whole sequence of events was very anticlimactic, given the large buildup to these events in the earlier part of the novel (i.e. after a huge buildup, nothing much happened and everyone simply went home, more or less). Disappointing.

Anyways, JMHO.