So Below by Julie Mannino: DARK Adult MM Demon/Angel erotica. Portal Fantasy. BDSM. Slave/Master romance. Duel POV. Angels. Investigative. Tests. Betrayal. Action. Dream-walking. Choosing-a-side themes. Political intrigue. Loyalty. Revelations.
Welcome back to the world of betrayal, corruption and where atrocities are committed in the name of the greater good. This world is messed up, but this story is still amazingly well-written, if not just as good as the first. The characters are likeable, compelling and the world building has realistic diversity.
Overall, So Below is a fast-paced erotica fantasy with learning and discovery tropes, magic training, strong secondary characters, some good explicit sex scenes, unexpected twists and turns, and a smart protagonist that's starting to stand up for himself and actually has some power to enforce his position. Riley has come a long way since the start of the first book. Eren's plot line is stressful and depressing though. It makes some stuff in the first book make so much sense. He's still morally grey though.
It ends in a cliff-hanger and I can't wait for the next book. It left me with a good feeling though. I'm optimistic; plus Mannino says it's a going to have a HEA.
How much I liked it: 4 Stars
Ideas - World Building: 4.5 stars
Ideas - Plots: 5 Stars
Character Depth: 5 Stars
Character Interaction: Above Average
Animal Characterisation: Standard
Non-human body language: Above Average
Content Warnings/Triggers: Mentions of rape, mind rape, abuse, mentions of child rape and abuse, and mentions of torture of good people.
Execution: 4.8 Stars.