Demon's Curse

Imnada Brotherhood #1

by Alexa Egan

A fast-paced and captivating debut—the first in the dark and sexy Imnada Brotherhood series about shape shifters in Regency-era England.

A rising star on the Covent Garden stage, Bianca Parrino believes she has everything she wants. Independence. Wealth. And a life finally free of her violent, abusive husband. But when her close friend, Adam, is murdered, and Bianca is suspected in his death, she is unwittingly drawn into the search for his killer, and soon must question everything she believes—about her friend, about herself, and about a world she never knew existed.

A member of the mysterious race of shape-shifting Imnada and part of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery gathered intelligence during the Napoleonic wars. As a result of a savage massacre, Mac and the men he served with are cursed. Now one of them has been found murdered, and Mac suspects the existence of the Imnada has been discovered at last. His only link to unearthing the truth is the beautiful actress who turns up unexpectedly at Adam’s funeral.

Before long, Mac has more to contend with than Bianca’s overt mistrust, his ill-fated attraction to the haughty and beautiful actress, and his ongoing search for an end to the curse. Because Adam’s killer is back, and Mac is next on his list.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Historical Romance, Historical, Shapeshifters, Adult

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 26, 2012

About the author

Critically acclaimed author of historical and paranormal romance, ALIX RICKLOFF’s family tree includes a knight who fought during the Wars of the Roses (his brass rubbing hangs in her dining room), and a soldier who sided with Charles I during the English Civil War (hence the family's hasty emigration to America).

Her novels include the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy, and, as ALEXA EGAN, the Imnada Brotherhood series and the Bligh Family series.

Reviews

[Aly is so frigging bored · Rating 1 out of 5]

*ARC courtesy of Pocket Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
The review is for the 40% that I have read


This one was one of the most promising books I've seen this past months. Unfortunately it didn't live to my expectations of it. What attracted me to it first was the title and the pretty cover(shirtless guy with a sword? SOLD!) then I read the blurb and I was even more eager to get the ARC.

What I expected:
-a cool new series with an intriguing world and action
-a strong, honorable, and, let's face it, hot male main character that would make me swoon
-a confident heroine that is aware of her allure
-an interesting mystery

What I got:
-lots and lots of narrative
-kind of useless dialogue
-whiny and brooding hero
-spineless heroine
-no action whatsoever, just a bunch of idiots running around and a scheming chick bent on revenge
-annoying secondary characters

All in all this book bored me to tears. I tried again and again to get into it but I just couldn't. Many people might like this novel, but I am not one of them.

Now to explain things better:

about what happens in this book.


PS: I couldn't even find a quote I liked!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy reading with Aly & Maru (will update with links to their reviews later).

I'd probably give this 2.5 stars if I could but I didn't like it enough to upgrade to 3.

Mac is part of an elite military unit who are gathering intelligence during the war, they are also part of a secretive race of shapeshifters called the Imnada. The Imnada were supposedly wiped out by the Fae related Others centuries ago but in reality they have just worked hard to remain in hiding. When threatened with discovery Mac's team do what they have to to protect their clan but as a result of their actions they find themselves cursed. Now with one of his until murdered Mac believes someone has uncovered their identity and that he is their next target. Bianca is a popular actress but when rumours link her to the murder of her close friend she is asked to take leave from her job. She is grieving for her friend and desperate to prove her innocence but she can only do that with Mac's help. Can they work together to catch Adam's killer and possibly find a way to break the curse?

After reading the prequel novella Awaken the Curse I had high hopes for Demon's Curse when I picked it up but unfortunately I found myself feeling let down by the time I finished it. I normally love the combination of a paranormal romance with a historical setting but in this case the book just really struggled to hold my attention and I even found myself skimming sections which is something I never usually do. Firstly I was surprised to see that there was no link between this story and the prequel novella, I wasn't expecting to see much of the previous couple but I did think that Lucas might have an important role to play in the series so it confused me that he wasn't even mentioned. I do wonder if he will crop up in future books but at this point it kind of feels like there was no point in reading the prequel, it certainly didn't give me any information that I needed to read this story.

At 400 pages this isn't a massive novel but the pacing really drags in parts which made it feel much longer than it was. You have to wait a long time between the action scenes and I just found myself getting bored. I know there is always a certain amount of world building to be done in the first book of a new series, in fact that is something I usually enjoy because I like finding out the details, but in this case I had so many questions and it took forever to get any answers. Perhaps it's just me but I didn't even understand what the curse on Mac and his team did to them until about half way through the book! I still don't know much about the Imnada or the Others (on a side note I have to mention what a boring species name Others is - especially when you compare it to Imnada!) and the whole feud between the two groups seems ridiculous.

Mac and Bianca were likeable enough characters but neither of them stood out in my mind, in fact barely a week on from finishing the book I can hardly remember anything about either of them without looking at the notes I took while I was reading. I did like the fact that Bianca's past isn't brushed under the carpet as soon as she meets Mac. She had suffered a great deal at the hands of her abusive husband and that made her especially wary of Mac. Even when she got to know him better and decided to give in to the attraction between them she still had moments where her memories would surface and effect the way she reacted to Mac. I felt that this was a very realistic reaction for someone who had been abused and I really liked the way Mac was so patient with her and helped her work through her issues. I also liked the fact that Bianca wasn't a useless female who sat around waiting to be rescued by her man and that she helped him as much as he helped her.

I would like to find out more about the Imnada and I really want to know what will happen with Lucas (from the prequel) but I'm really not sure if I'll continue reading this series. I can't say that I hated the story but I can only say it was OK, nothing about it blew me away or made me excited to carry on reading future instalments. I may well be in the minority with that though so I don't want to put anyone off giving it a try. Hopefully you'll enjoy it much more than I did.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: D

Mac is one of a group of four shifters, or Imnada, who have been cast out of their clan after one of the men, Adam, killed a group of people who knew about their existence. But one of those people cast a spell on them right before he died, cursing them to live their lives in their shifter form every night. Their shift is forced on them and it’s because of the curse that they were cast out and have been on their own ever since. Adam has found a cure for the curse, but he’s killed before he can share that information. Mac now wants to find Adam’s killer and figure out what the cure is so he can try to go back to his old life with the clan and to a piece of his life that’s been missing for well over a year. Along the way he meets Bianca an actress and friend to Adam, his rumored mistress, who’s been accused of being the murderer. She’s innocent and she starts to work with Mac to figure out what happened and she attempts to decode Adam’s journal, the only piece of information they have that has details about how he broke the curse. They’re also fighting for their lives because the real killer who took out Adam is out for revenge and that includes killing Mac and the other two men who were there the night they were all cursed.

This book was, in a word, confusing. The history of the Imnada and the wars between different supernatural groups throughout history was so detailed and descriptive it was hard to keep track of everything. Unfortunately, all the page time given to their history, the fighting and folklore dragged down the story and stopped the flow of the current day action. I found this to be a very boring aspect to the book.

The romance between the hero, Mac, and heroine, Bianca, just sort of happened. There was no buildup, there really didn’t feel like much in the way of sparks between them on page. One second they’re together in a room trying to figure clues out, or trying to escape being captured, the next thing you know, they’re kissing. It came out of left field and I never felt any connection between these two people.

The dynamic between the cursed men, Mac, Gray and David was an interesting aspect and I’d have loved more time between these three men on page. We get a sense about Gray and David’s characters in bits and pieces, enough to build them up prior to them leading their own books, I just wonder about them all separating after the curse. I am curious how their current friendship (using that term lightly since they’re not very close now) develops throughout the series.

This was overall a disappointment. I was bored for much of the story, confused for the rest of it and it wasn’t a book that kept my attention. While I am curious about the cursed men and what the future holds for them all, it won’t be enough to have me picking up the next book in the series.

[Joy (Cheery♡Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very big thank you to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Demon's Curse by Alexa Egan was brought to my attention when my fellow book buddy Maria did her weekly meme, Stacking the Shelves. I saw the sexy and gorgeous cover and was attracted to it. I further went to investigate by browsing Goodreads. I was further pulled in by the blurb and premise of the story. I was really exhilarated when my request for a copy of it was approved by Edelweiss. It was like Christmas. LOL.

The fey and shapeshifter mythology and ideas surrounding the story were actually really good and great. I always had a penchant for historical settings and was intrigued that Demon's Curse will be set in this Regency era. The prologue was interesting and mysterious. Surprisingly, I had to slow down a bit while reading the prologue because all the information and jargon were being revealed. I was really intrigued by all of it.

I enjoyed reading about Mac, David, Gray and even Adam. Mac was the typical hero. Handsome, brooding, dangerous, brave and cloaked in mystery and pain. Who could ask for a better hero?

Bianca was a interesting heroine. One who survived a terrible marriage but came out with her spine of steel; masking herself in a cool and arrogant facade to avoid from further pain and hurt.

Unfortunately, the pacing was kind of slow. Even though many things were revealed rather quickly, I still felt like it was hardly moving at all. There was no excitement and anticipation while reading. I applaud the author for her unique idea but I thought the execution was rather dull.

I was rather disappointed by Adam's murder. I was expecting it to be one of the main arcs of the story but it was obvious who murdered him. The villains were introduced and unmasked right from the beginning. There goes the suspense. The characters were actually pretty good but at times they appeared kind of stiff and I really couldn't be bothered by Renata's repetitive "I will have my revenge!" mantra. That is just my opinion anyway.

Although I did not enjoy it as I wanted to, I will still recommend this title to anyone who loves a historical suspense and romance in the supernatural setting.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark and intriguing start to a series based in an interesting historical London.

1815 – Three men walk through a house that has destruction all around, dead and dying bodies lay both outside and inside the house. The men are Imnada, a group of shape-changers and telepaths and they are trying to find out what happened and who is responsible before they go back to the war. The three find Adam, their comrade inside and find he is the one responsible for the deaths, however they do not blame him as they will do anything to protect the secrets of their race as the Imnada’s continued survival depends on it. As the three men help Adam out of the house, one of the presumed dead men starts talking in a strange language and before they can escape, they are cursed by the Fey-blood.

A year later in London, the three are attending the funeral of Adam, their comrade and friend. David, Gray and Mac have come back together, bonding again because of Adam’s death. Since the curse they have been outcast from their clans, their bloodlines forever tainted and they have been erased from the world. Also at the funeral is a lone woman who is silently mourning the death of a friend. Bianca Parrino is a famous actress who is widely known in London; she was friends with Adam and was one of the last persons to see him before he died.

Fey-bloods look at Imnadas as monsters, during King Arthur’s time they felt threatened and tried to get rid of them, few Imnada’s survived the purge. A woman (Renata) whose father was killed a year ago on that fateful day knows about the Imnada’s and wants to avenge her father, she tracked and found Adam and knows there are others and vows to kill them.

Complete review at: Ramblings From a Chaotic Mind

[CaroleDee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demon's Curse was a great beginning to a series that has a lot of potential and tons of story to build on. If you're not a fan of historicals don't be shy. The time period is almost a moot point. Yes, you get carriages and some mention of the ton and aristocracy, but for the most part the story could very easily take place in modern times.

Bianca and Mac's unlikely pairing was great to read. With both suffering past hurts,prejudices, and uncertain futures their ultimate coming together was wonderful. Everyone deserves a happy ending, and while theirs had a fair share of bumps in the road it never seemed to drag and left me satisfied.

My only complaint would be there were a lot of characters introduced. YES it's the beginning of the series, but there were times I felt lost. I almost wanted to make my own character tree to give my laboring mind a break.(HA! since I wrote this review Ms. Egan has been kind enough to make an Imnada Lexicon. It's not exactly a character tree, but sure is helpful :)

I'm not entirely sure what the future holds for the remaining characters introduced in Demon's Curse, but I'm curious where the story will go. With the dark-fey curse still lingering, a war with the 'others' and humans on the horizon, and an internal struggle within the Imnada the possibilities are staggering. I foresee a long running and highly enjoyable series beginning here.

I'm recommending this one for lovers of paranormal romance that are looking for more than a quick, sweet story. You will be pulled into the magical parallel reality created by Alexa Egan and not want to leave :

[Kara-karina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this is one of those books that really didn't work for me. I know plenty of people love paranormal romance by Jennifer Ashley, Jacquelin Frank or Kresley Cole. I'm not one of them, but if you are, don't discount this book because of my very short review.

What went wrong? What you have here is a great promise to deliver, fabulous cover, mysterious synopsis... I was expecting something akin to Firelight by Kristen Callihan, beautiful, Gothic, fairytalish, - what I've got is a jerky, stubborn alpha male, wooden main heroine, tropes upon tropes of classic historical romances and paranormal romances and very little action...

I was bored out of my mind, peeps, and kept skimming the pages to get to the end and be done with the misery. There was absolutely no attraction between Bianca and Mac. They were telling us there was, but they were not showing it, and I think the whole problem with this book is that there is hell of a lot of talk and very little show.

I do not recommend this book, but again, I was the wrong type of reader for it. Plenty of people will find it just fine.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start to this series! I liked Mac and Bianca, so it kept me reading. The paranormal mixed with the historical setting is a nice change.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A good concept for a historical paranormal, but didn’t deliver in the way that would keep my interest.

Opening Sentence: One of the mythical race of shape-shifting Imnada and a member of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery suffers under a ruthless curse.

The Review:

Demon’s Curse by Alexa Egan is the first book in the Imnada Brotherhood series. Set in a historical setting, Egan tells the tale of a secret race of shape-shifters who demand secrecy in order to survive. With a life long rival with the Fae Blood, the Imnada Brotherhood must do what they can to protect their race from the Other and from human knowledge.

Captain Mac Flannery and his Imnada brothers have gathered at the funeral of their late brother, Adam. In a brutal and public murder, Mac and his brothers gather for the first time since their banishment from their clans. Mac must find Adam’s murderer, and he needs to start with the rising actress, Bianca Parrino. Bianca is an actress on stage and off. She brings forth a persona to keep others at bay. Bianca feels she has her independence and her wealth, and that is more than enough to keep her life content. When her close friend Adam is murdered, Bianca is one of the main suspects. She must prove her innocence, and depend on the one man she least expected.

Set in historical England, in a regency era, Bianca is independent and a free thinker. She survived an abusive marriage, is a successful and sought after actress, and is coveted by many eligible bachelors. Bianca built up a wall, shutting off her heart from the rest of the world. My connection to Bianca was a little slow. For one thing, she didn’t stand out. In the beginning of Demon’s Curse, I kept mistaking her for the antagonist, and that is never a good thing.

Mac was a difficult man to get to know. One minute he was tough and against his current life, and the next he couldn’t stay away fast enough. I didn’t think the transition between his feelings were smooth enough. It wasn’t realistic for me to accept. Mac was so focused on the murder and the curse that it wasn’t easy to accept that he could love a woman so easily. At least not to me.

I couldn’t connect to a lot of things within Demon’s Curse, but what I couldn’t connect to could be the thing that you do. It was a little difficult for me to engage with the characters. I felt the way they were introduced, there wasn’t anything tangible for me to grab on to. The details that I did grab onto wasn’t enough to keep me engaged.

The history of the Imnada was a little confusing, and I felt that the message was lost in translation. There wasn’t a simple laid out backstory of the Imnada brotherhood and their culture. I felt myself skimming through the pages looking for little bits of information. The culture of the clans, the shape-shifters, and the Imnada is what really intriguied me, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Everything was detailed, maybe too much to a point. It seemed like Demon’s Curse had too much of everything.

With so much information and events taking place, I felt the pacing was a little slow. The first half of the book seemed to drag for me. A lot of my personal preferences kept me from connecting, often times feeling that I was bored with the page. It was a little disappointing, mostly because the idea of the Imnada and the curse was different and interesting.

In the end, this wasn’t for me. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t for you.

Notable Scene:

He stepped behind her, close enough that his breath tingled against her neck. His desire lighting the deep ocean blue of his gaze. Her own passion flared, and she leaned her head back for a moment against him, closing her eyes as his hand took up the silver necklace, his fingers on her skin sending shivers down her spine to pool wet and hot between her legs.

Their eyes met in the glass as he lowered the necklace into her open palm, understanding passing with a physical shock between them. With a smile cold as a blade, she closed her fingers around the silver links as if they might burn her, but only coolness met her fingers. “Silver. Who knew such a beautiful weapon could bring down such mighty beasts?”

FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books provided me with a copy of Demon’s Curse. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Farrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A lovely paranormal/historical romance! Though there were a few minor issues. However, despite those few problems, this book was amazing.

Can we just take a moment to admire that gorgeous cover? Seriously, the cover for this book is phenomenal, one of the best romance covers I've ever seen. Kudos to whoever designed it, because it is fantastic.

Now, to the actual book.
I really liked the idea of a combination of historical and paranormal romance. I've read a couple before and really enjoyed each one, so I was hoping Demon's Curse would be just as good. And it definitely was.

Bianca was different from most historical romance heroines-not the least of which she was an actress. She was fiercely independent, determined to never have to rely on anyone after her marriage. And she was definitely strong to overcome everything that she went through. My issue with her is that she jumped to conclusions way to quickly. When she met Mac, she immediately assumed the worst without bothering to know more. It was just a minor issue, but it did annoy me a little.
But, otherwise, Bianca was a very likable heroine. When she finally realized she was wrong, she become a lovely character. And I ended up quite liking her.

Mac was just as wonderful. He was sweet, strong, clever-everything that you could want in a hero. I did have a small issue with him as well-he could be stupidly stubborn at times. It wasn't a constant thing, but it did appear during rather important moments. For example, he refused to trust someone who was a potential ally for a long time because that person was an enemy species. Once again, it was only minor, but it irritated be a little. But, besides that, I adored Mac. He was wonderful and very easy to fall for.

Mac and Bianca, as I'm sure you've figured out by now, had a complicated relationship. They had quite a few road bumps to overcome on the way to happily ever after. But, they still managed to be a sweet couple-not to mention the sparks between them that were VERY hot when they caught fire. I really liked them together and I was very happy for them when they finally got their happy ending.

The paranormal aspect of this book was very interesting. I really liked the idea of a clan of shape shifters and curses that force them to shift every night. There were some moments where I wished that the explanation of the mythology was clearer, but, for the most part, it was well done.

The antagonist of this book was well represented-and very easy to dislike. She was off her rocker. The POV flashed to her a few times. I thought that was very well done of the author. It wasn't intrusive, buy it allowed us to get an idea of what was in store for the protagonists and what they were up against.

The plot moved steadily, though it stalled a couple of times but never to the point that I got bored. I was hooked immediately and was kept interested the entire way through. The ending was so sweet. And, now, I can't wait to see what's in store for the next shifter in the series.

So, despite a few minor issues, Demon's Curse was definitely a wonderful read. To any lovers of romance, you should definitely give this book a try.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and Pocket Star for a copy!

[Christen (GoldiloxReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demon's Curse is a good start to a new historical paranormal romance series by Alexa Egan. This is one I would recommend to readers in the mood for a mix of Regency-era London romance and animal shapeshifters. The Imnada are part Fae-blood who can shapeshift into various animal aspects and also possess a variety of other abilities. They have a long-term rivalry with Fae-bloods who possess even more abilities and who hate the shifter clans but think them long extinct.

Demon's Curse is at its heart a romance between our hero Mac and our heroine Bianca, and in true PNR fashion the story is told from their alternating points of view. Mac is a strong, loyal, and stubborn former soldier who shifts into a black panther. He is immediately attracted to the beautiful, blonde Bianca upon meeting her but tries to avoid his attraction to her for a handful of reasons. Bianca is a popular stage actress with a dark and abusive past involving her former husband. Her past drives many of her decisions and actions and she is a very sympathetic character. Their relationship was believable and sexy and I really loved both of them.

Where this 400 page story stumbles just a little is all the confusing world building to build the background of the Imnada men. We're left pretty confused for what was way too long into the story in my opinion. We learn a little about the Imnada at a time, even still learning about the world well into the third quarter of the story. While I appreciated the lack of boring info dumps I think that the complicated history and mythology of the Imnada could have been explained better. Sometimes trying to figure things out detracted from the story just a little.

Despite the tricky world building, this book has several high points that made me keep reading. For one, the building relationship and eventual steamy romance between Mac and Bianca was at times sweet, clever, and funny. Also, the concurrent plots of figuring out who killed Adam and searching for a cure to the curse were well constructed. I especially enjoyed any scenes involving our "bad guys", so to speak. As an added bonus, Mac's fellow cursed Imnada David and Gray were each intriguing and I'm really looking forward to each of their books.

If you love stories about shifters, check out this new series when you're looking for a sexy historical romance with that little something extra. If you can wade through the length of this novel, you won't be disappointed.

Recommended for fans of: historical romance, 1800's London, shifters, and Fae books.

This review is based on an early finished copy provided by the publisher.

Read more of my reviews at: http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogs...

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I have the dilemma of discussing a superior debut novel, this time by author Alexa Egan, and there's only so many adjectives to use before it sounds like I'm gushing like a total fangirl (not altogether a bad thing) instead of objectively reviewing? Straight off, I'd say Demon's Curse is riveting with a one-of-kind mythology that is unlike any shapeshifter book I've read, with a delicious romance that defies the odds and tugged at my heart strings.

Max Flannery is Imnada, a powerful race of shapeshifters that once betrayed King Arthur and were subsequently purged from existence by the fey-blooded, with any survivors left to live in the shadows for fear of being hunted. During the battle of Waterloo, Max and his friends, Adam, Gray, and David, all shifters working for the military, killed a mysterious traitor that was also fey-blooded and were then cursed with his dying breath into forcibly changing form each night as the sun set. This curse also caused them to be forever banned from their clans. Now, the daughter of the slain fey wants revenge and she is a powerful force to be reckoned with, tainted with her need to kill. She's already succeeded in murdering Adam and has turned her attention to Mac.

When Mac learns of Adam's death he vows to discover the truth, which is how he meets actress Bianca Parrino, the beautiful woman rumored to have been Adam's mistress. Most of London believe she is a skilled actress, nothing more than a common harlot, and that she killed Adam to make room for another lover. Mac doesn't trust her, Bianca doesn't trust Mac, but they must work together to find the real killer.

I loved everything about this book! The use of Arthurian myth was unique and well planned, the setting of Regency England was impeccably described, the conflict wasn't rushed or overly drawn out, and the romance was beautiful and very hot. I confess to being a little in love with Mac. Once I finished reading I jumped online because I was dying to know more, and was thrilled to see a novella (list title) available. This will be only the fourth book I've purchased in the last 6 months or so, but I just had to have it. I'm crossing my fingers like mad that another book will follow Demon's Curse, sooner rather than later because I can't wait to see what happens with Gray and David, plus I want to see how some of the subplots get resolved, especially with Jaime.

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Bianca, an actress, has many admirers but few actual friends, so when her good friend, Adam, is murdered, she attends his funeral and this makes her a suspect as well as bringing the unwanted attention of his enemies. Mac, his brother in arms and closest friend, seeks her out since he knows she was the last one seen with him. He also catches her whispering to Adam's casket that she will keep his secrets which to Mac, is a worry since he and Adam are part of the shape-shifting Imnada and their secret is a point of survival for his tribe. On the other side of the coin is the Others, fey creatures, that are the mortal enemies of the Imnada. Renata's family has been murdered and she aims to track down the killers which she knows are Imnada.

There is an immense amount of world building in this fist installment. I was really taken by Bianca and her back story as an abused wife and how her father had taught her botany which now will help Mac unravel Adam's secret and possibly that will help the survival of his race. There are a lot of other minor characters that I hope will be present in future books. The Wallace family, who gives shelter to Mac and Bianca. The fact the Renata is drawn so evilly just makes her that more of a villain as she seeks her revenge. I am not sure where the series will go but this looks like a great start.

[Jenni Ebba · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Imnada are an ancient race of shape-changers that have nearly been decimated by the Others (a type of fairy descendants). The Others have worked centuries to be rid of a species they find inferior and after thousands of years, they think they have succeeded... at least most of them do. A small group of Imnada during Waterloo were at a sight of a massacred Others family- the remaining Other cursed them all for his families death and almost a decade later they're still paying the price of their sins.
Eneter Bianca Parrino; actress extraordinaire and rising star among the notable London ton. Bianca, after escaping a horrible marriage has decided that love and happiness in family are just not for her. She is attending her only friend's funeral when she makes the acquaintance of one Captain Mac Flannery. Mac and his fellow Imnada have given up hope for finding a cure to their curse, but Bianca offers a fleeting hope that ignites a powerful plot for revenge.
I like this authors' carefree writing style. If you are fan of PNR, then this is a definite book for you. The time period is what makes this book so inviting though. The eighteen hundreds was a romantic period and Alexa Egan draws her readers in with a fine touch. The supporting characters were my favorites though- cannot wait to delve into the story of David. :D
4 Stars.

[Book Wyvern · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m indifferent to this book. The story was alright and I liked it enough to finish it but that’s all this was to me, a story. I didn’t get sucked into it, I wasn’t connected to any of the characters. There’s a reason my blog is called “Fiction – A Separate World” and it’s because, to me, that’s what books are, a different world for us to get lost in. This book just didn’t do it for me.

Honestly, the most I’ve felt while reading this book was when I watched the winter finale of Once Upon A Time last night, I almost cried and I refused to accept what happened but that’s getting off the book.

I would have loved to know more about the Imnada and Fey but the readers only get a glimpse of the history.

Also when it was getting intense, it would skip it all and go to the next morning or what have you and tell the readers in a little flashback. I really didn’t like it, it was frustrating.

The writing was alright but it just didn’t have any umph for me. Usually when books are set in old times, I lose interest really quick but the beginning was exciting enough to hook my attention but it just seemed stuck after it slowed down.

Maybe if the author didn’t skip over the intense parts and make them into little flashbacks it would have been better. Even the excitement of defeating the bad guy was a little dull.

Thank you for reading my review.

-Sam

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Recieved from Goodreads giveaways*****

I was really enjoying this book (thinking a 4 star rating) until I got about half way through the book and it kinda started dragging. It was a good story and had interesting characters, but their inner struggles deciding what they really wanted could have been resolved a lot sooner than it was and it would have added to the story more, I think, as it would have allowed more time to introduce some of the characters that show up at the end. As it was the ending seemed a bit rushed and not really well thought out, characters showing up with no explanation as to who they were or why they were part of the story.

I thought it was an original idea on shape shifters and fey, at least one I hadn't read before so I liked learning about the back story for them. I liked the humorous moments and enjoyed the love scenes as they were well written without being over the top. This book had a lot of characters that I would like to read there stories to because they were so engaging.

But I had fun reading the book, so I would recommend it to others.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Imnada are required by Clan law to remove (by any means) anyone who discovers who they are and what they can do. Adam is forced to slaughter an entire family when the man of the house learns of their existence. Cursed by the man Adam killed and exiled by their own kind as worthless abominations Mac, Gray, David and Adam are forced to spend the hours of darkness in their animal forms. When Adam turns up dead, Bianca Parrino enters Cormac "Mac" Flannery's life. Unfortunately Mac thinks she's Adam's lover and off limits. Working together Bianca and Mac are determined to figure out who murdered Adam and if Adam did indeed find a cure for the curse.

I really liked this introduction to the Imnada though in all honestly I'm glad Mac, Gray, David and Adam are no longer actually part of the Clan. I look forward to Gray and David's stories.

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. An historical paranormal story with shape shifter sounded to good to pass up. But unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted, it was an ok book to kill some time with but wasn't enough to fully hold my interest. Might read the next book in the series tough

[Rea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have been right up my alley. It’s got a mix of fantasy, historical setting, and a romance, usually a combination that appeals to me. Unfortunately, I found myself bored while reading this book.

I think one of the big problems for me was that there was an awful lot of tell not show. We’re told that Bianca and Adam were close friends. We’re told that Mac and Bianca are attracted to each other. We’re told that Bianca has an interest in botany (but only when it becomes relevant to the main plot). There were some half-hearted attempts to show things, but this was really a case where a story is being told, not shown. This meant I wasn’t particularly invested in what was happening from early on.

The characters were pretty boring. Again, there were some half-hearted attempts to round them out, but they never really worked. Mac and Bianca both just slotted into a clichéd character mould, and most of the other characters weren’t much better. The villain was extremely shallow and her motives left a lot to be desired. The characters that could have been interesting, specially Jamie and the crow (whose name I can’t remember) were just not developed at all.

Eventually the story comes to a close, but after a lot of meandering around for hundred of pages, the ending is rushed, and important developments to the plot aren’t even touched upon.

I didn’t feel like I got the whole story, but I am also most certainly not motivated to go and seek out the bits I’m missing in the other books in the series.

[Sandy Frediani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm wishing that I'd found this when it was first released rather than at Dollar General, because this was very good and I'd be looking to continue the series. It's an interesting take on shapeshifters and the Fey which draws the reader into the story. Characters are fully developed and it's easy to become invested in them. Storyline flows beautifully and leaves one wanting to know what comes next. Will be keeping my eye out for more of the series and by this author. Very good.

[Michelle M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/6
Pretty straightforward romance with some magical elements. Granted, the magical person was the ML and breaking the curse was mostly what he cared about to rejoin the clan that brutally kicked him out. He was a bit dumb IMO, like he kept thinking his clan would take him back????? Nah bro, they ain't ever gonna accept you no matter how you "atone".

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who can resist a book about werewolves fighting for the British army against Napoleon. The premise was enough to prompt me to buy the book. This novel was fun and romantic. It was a little predictable, but I will definitely try the other books in the series.

[Ingrid Spera · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun fantasy shapeshifter romance and I enjoyed it, but there were quite a few times when I was dealing with Gray or Sebastian/Sarah when it just felt like words on a page. Overall, it was sweet and cute, but maybe a bit dry?

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a long while ago but I remember really liking it.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice intro to shapeshifters.

[Phoenix77 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since that time I’ve had my eyes opened and gained more of an appreciation for stories involving the darker side of life and embracing all the things that go bump in the night. I won’t go so far as to say that I’m a connoisseur, but I can speak from the heart. Demon’s Curse was a book that I liked, but it took some time to get there.

I will admit that the story got off to a rough start by introducing the hero at perhaps one of the lowest points of his life. Captain Mac Flannery and three of his friends did their duty to King and country by joining the military to defend against the enemy during the Napoleonic Wars, yet as part of an ancient race of shifters known as the Imnada, Mac must keep his other side secret from the regular humans that he serves with. During a secret mission behind enemy lines one of Mac’s friends is accidentally exposed as Imnada and they all participate in a brutal act in order to cover up the secret. Before dying, one of their victims puts a Fae curse on all four men that sentences them to a half-life, living as men during the day but forced to shift into their animal aspect at night. This curse forces the Imnada elders to exile the four from their hidden societies and the men must find their own way within the human world. During his 18-months in exile, Mac’s loyalty and self-identification as an Imnada are at odds. His first allegiance was always to the race and it tears at his soul that he can never return to his home. He distances himself from the other three men in exile until tragically one of them is murdered, launching Mac into an investigation of the crime and putting him into close contact with Bianca Parrino who he believes may know some of their secrets.

Bianca Parrino has made a new life for herself in England and works every day to keep her past hidden from everyone in her close circle. She guards her personal secrets and lets people assume more about her than is the truth to keep them from getting too close. Only her good friend Adam has ever seen the less guarded side of Bianca, but his sudden and violent murder suddenly puts her under the microscope of suspicion of involvement in the crime. Her ties to Adam put her in the line of sight of those who really did kill him and also to those who seek to find the real killer. Her best chance to clear her name comes in the form of Adam’s friend from the war Mac Flannery when he comes to her asking questions about Adam. Wary to trust Mac, Bianca instead offers a partnership where together they will look into Adam’s death The investigation quickly uncovers some of the hidden truths about Adam’s lineage to Bianca, but also reveals to Mac a breakthrough Adam made in breaking the curse and finding a way back to their people.

Author Alexa Egan made an interesting story choice by weaving the story of the Imnada into the existing myths and history of England. She uses the Arthurian legend and surrounding events as the catalyst to the Imnada’s xenophobic lifestyle, as well as introducing the idea of Fae-born Other also living in England while hiding in plain sight. I’m not sure if she was completely successful in weaving this rich backstory and all of the paranormal aspects into the love story between Mac and Bianca. I found myself either ignoring the supernatural side of the story to focus on the character development, or I’d pay too close of attention to the little details about the Imnada and miss the important exchanges that move the romance forward.

The paranormal aspect is treated almost as mundane and most of this came from Bianca’s almost casual acceptance of Mac’s other side. For a woman with no exposure to this otherworldly part of London she easily believes that her companion can change into a panther and that one of her fellow actresses is part Fae. Also, Mac’s reaction to the curse seems slightly overwrought when compared to the other two men who live with its effects. He spends the majority of the story fighting for a way to return to the bosom of the people who had no qualms in stripping him of his rights and pushing him into an unfriendly world. It is only when he spends time with another shunned member of the Imnada that Mac starts to see how many of his “truths” about the race were in fact false. As Mac’s eyes are slowly opened to the possibility of building a real existence for himself, that was when the story truly started working for me.

There is a lot of world building within this story, so the romance aspects were rather tame and worked on the reader’s ability to fill in the gaps when necessary. However, both Mac and Bianca were compelling enough characters for me to allow the author that small flaw as opposed to all of the fantasy aspects she needed to create. I can see a great deal of potential for the next books within the series and I hope that Ms. Egan allows herself the freedom to build upon this story into different aspects of the Others and the Imnada.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

DEMON'S CURSE Three Friends Fight a Curse
ORIGINAL POST:

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DEMON'S CURSE
Imnada Brotherhood #1
By Alexa Egan http://alexaegan.com
Pocket/Simon & Schuster
on sale 12/26/2012 official release date January 2013
Mass Market Paperback (400 pages) and E-Book Formats

ARC sent by Publisher with expectation that any review would be fair. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions herein are my own unless I note otherwise.

A rising star on the Covent Garden stage, Bianca Parrino believes she has everything she wants. Independence. Wealth. And a life finally free of her violent, abusive husband. But when her close friend, Adam, is murdered and Bianca is suspected in his death, she is unwittingly drawn into the search for his killer and soon must question everything she believes—about her friend, about herself, and about a world she never knew existed.

A member of the mysterious race of shape-shifting Imnada and part of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery gathered intelligence during the Napoleonic wars. As a result of a savage massacre, Mac and the men he served with are cursed. Now one of them has been found murdered, and Mac suspects the existence of the Imnada has been discovered at last. His only link to unearthing the truth is the beautiful actress who turns up unexpectedly at Adam’s funeral.
Before long, Mac has more to contend with than Bianca’s overt mistrust, his ill-fated attraction to the haughty and beautiful actress, and his ongoing search for an end to the curse. Because Adam’s killer is back, and Mac is next on his list. alexaegan.com

This novel is professionally written and well-edited. Shifters and Fae, at least, are present but there are no vampires in attendance.

The story is fairly original with fae and shifters being set against each other in a form of species on species hatred stemming from betrayal issues dating back to Arthurian times. I thought it was interesting the main love interest, Bianca Parrino, is an American forced by her late husband, to move to Britain. She becomes an actress on the London stage; an independent woman. And, she doesn't start out strong but then lean on Mac once they hook up. But though the plotting is fresh and the heroine an American, as a whole it feels somewhat flat, un-edgy.

I enjoyed the story idea of four friends being cursed together, and the search for an herbal cure to a curse that had been laid on the four friends while serving together in the military. The curse gets them kicked out of their clans so they are out in the world on their own when vengeance comes to visit. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight; especially the shifter friends of the main male love interest, Mac Flannery. Part of that was that they don't play much of a part and another was the British surname not necessarily matching the title. Since Flannery is in the army, I guess it makes this a paranormal, military and Regency romance novel. Are Regency era military personnel written about in the same way as our contemporary men and women in uniform are?

There's a bit of deus-ex-machination that happens throughout the novel: with abilities conveniently popping up as needed and as help the couple gets from beings who pop up from a brief acquaintance. Those beings are another species which is named but not explained. The terminology of the shifter species, Imnada, for the people who can shift and emnil is manageable and their language is based in the Celtic.

There's good action and the relationship between the two love interests develops fairly organically, if a bit quickly. This helps to move the plot forward. As a romance story, there has to be something that keeps or tears them apart, of course. Here there are internal forces in the forma of relationship ineptitude, externals in the form of danger and clan law. hings are a bit iffy and there's a good twist at the end. I especially liked Mac's internal dialogue. And the saving of one by the other has more weight on the Bianca saving Mac side.

It's a fairly well written book, with characters who I liked reading about but I didn't really fall in love with them; I don't want Mac to be my book boyfriend. It lacks an edge and the climax was tense, but in the end predictable. This is the first book in a new series; while I thought it was okay, I wasn't glued to it. I am not eagerly awaiting the next in the series so I can read what happens to the next character.

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I would like to thank Alexa Egan and her publicist Stephanie for providing a review copy in exchange for a honest review! :D***

I don’t know what it is about shifter books but they always manage to pull me in - and Demon’s Curse was no exception. Ms. Egan crafted a fascinating, historical world full of shifters, fey, ancient enemies and passion inducing romance. I enjoyed immersing myself in the intriguing, suspense-filled plot and getting to know the captivating characters. I cannot wait to get back to this old-England era, in the sequel. Demon’s Curse was definitely a whole lot more than I originally anticipated.

Now, I have to admit that where action and mystery are dominant themes in the story, so is the romance. That’s not a bad thing - but only if it’s done correctly, which in this case, I would say, it was mediocre at best. Where the idea itself was unique, I was expecting, everything else to be unique as well. Unfortunately the romance failed to impress - and this is coming from a person who thrives on romance in books. Demon’s Curse presented the typical romance story - boy has a secret, meets human girl, develop intense feelings for one another, relationship can’t work out....Blah blah blah blah. I mean, roll your eyes moment much? Now don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of swoon-ness (and it was scorching hot) to keep me satisfied throughout the story, but I just wished, for once, the romance would turn out different. The one thing that I will say was different was the fact that, the shifters don’t need to find mates (their one and only), as per the usual requirement in shifter stories. That was a new touch amongst all the same - which I appreciated. Despite the banal romance in this first installment, I still have high expectations for the next book - most preferably of a mind blowing type.

As for the characters, I thought they were all very enjoyable. Bianca is the type of heroine I love reading about - strong, passionate and above all, not afraid of what others think of her. It is this quality about her that I admire so much. Even after being accused of her friend’s murder and looked down upon by society, she still had enough pride left to walk with her head held high. I was sympathetic towards her since she bottles all of her emotions inside and takes on the role of "ice queen", where nothing can hurt her. It’s a facade that she can’t let go of, but the introduction of Mac into her life definitely changes that. It was a treat watching her finally come out of her turtle shell. Mac, the love interest, just simply made me swoon. He was Bianca’s knight in shinning armor, and for guiding her into believing in herself, I respected him for it. Not only that, he was also humorous, protective, loyal and did I mention he’s a sexy panther? Yep - impossible not to like him.

With that, we also have the secondary characters. I loved meeting some of Mac's friends, especially David, - they all had such unique personalities, which I enjoyed very much. I am crossing my fingers that they will get their own books, as well, so I can get to know them better. I also liked Sarah, Bianca's best friend. To put it in easy terms, she was spunky. I loved her sass and all the love she had for Bianca. I can't wait to see more of her in the future.

The plot would be my most favored element of the entire book. I have no faults in the plot to complain about. I am fascinated by this shifter/fey world Ms. Egan has so skillfully weaved together. The ancient blood feud between the fey and shifters and the history of how shifters came to be, there beliefs, a curse - was all mesmerizing. Added to all that is the mystery and suspense, I just couldn’t get enough of it! The transitions between events were smooth and everything flowed in a consistent manner. It was a very well done story.

Demon's Curse, was a one-of-a-kind page turner, that left me wanting more. While I didn't appreciate the execution of the romance, there were still more than enough aspects, to keep me glued to the pages. It was a roller-coater ride of intrigue - one I wouldn't mind taking over and over again. Ms. Egan did a fantastic job with the first in her new series, and I cannot wait until the next book comes out - so I can dive right back in.

My Rating:

This Review is also posted at: Literary Love Affair

[Koneko · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://elcabodelolvido.blogspot.com.e...

Como ya todos sabéis, el tema de los cambiaformas me encanta. Al ver la portada de este libro ya me llamó la atención, pero me decidí por él al ver que se trataba de un libro de romántica con cambiantes (mmmm...¿quién puede resistirse?).

En este caso los cambiantes son los Imnada, una raza más antigua que la misma humanidad, cuya enemistad con los Fey, la otra raza ancestral mágica que convive en nuestro mundo, data de los tiempos del rey Arturo.
Bianca Parrino es una joven mujer que triunfa sobre los escenarios de Londres. Es una gran actriz, con un temperamento candente y una fuerte personalidad. Su pasado esconde un secreto tan atroz que la ha marcado de por vida. Gracias a su amistad con Adam Kinloch, que tristemente fallece, entra en contacto con nuestro contrapunto masculino en la historia, el capitán Mac Flannery, un experto oficial del ejército de Inglaterra y que ha luchado en Waterloo. Ambos intentan averiguar quién y por qué asesinó al bueno de Adam, y sus caminos se ven enredados para siempre. Una terrible venganza, una maldición, la amenaza de que los Fey descubran que los Imnada aún existen y la pasión que surge entre ambos serán los ejes principales sobre los que pivota esta historia.

El argumento en sí es muy original, sobre todo en lo referente a como la autora entremezcla la historia del rey Arturo con la existencia e historia evolutiva de los Imnada y de los Fey. Los Fey son lo de siempre, guapos, mágicos y retorcidos muchas veces. Los Imnada se dividen en distintos clanes: panteras, lobos, linces y águilas, y sus cambios de forma dependen de los ciclos lunares. Así, a pesar de que el tema de los cambiaformas está siendo extensamente explotado en la literatura actual (aunque aquí vuestra capitana no es capaz de empacharse por mucho que lea y lea sobre ellos), este libro nos da un nuevo punto de vista sobre los mismos.

Paso ahora a los puntos flacos de la obra, que son principalmente lo predecible de algunos puntos de la historia y que la relación entre Mac y Bianca no es muy creíble. Esta última es demasiado fuerte y se desarrolla en muy escaso tiempo, teniendo en cuenta que ambos están muy marcados por su trágico pasado y no confían en nadie resulta poco convincente.
Bianca además pasa de ser inicialmente un personaje fuerte e independiente a ser una mujer indefensa y completamente dependiente de Mac, y esto es un ¡NO WAY! claramente, no me ha gustado mucho.
Otro punto que no me ha convencido de la obra es que el ritmo de la historia se hace lento en favor de aumentar las páginas con momentos de su relación, de modo que a veces aburre un poco (demasiadas páginas que no nos cuentan nada en absoluto de la historia). Además esta lentitud se ve empeorada por la escasa acción que hay en la historia. Sólo cuando nos acercamos al final podemos disfrutar de un par de escenas de acción. Y ya que hablamos del final debo decir que tampoco me ha gustado mucho la verdad, deja bastante que desear ya que es un pelín forzado y poco creíble.

Así pues navegantes, Demon's Curse es una historia de romance histórico-ficticio que parte de un buen argumento pero cuyo desarrollo no ha dado de sí todo lo que debiera. A pesar de su falta de acción y de que le sobran algunas hojas, ha sido una lectura entretenida y desde luego a los aficionados de la romántica histórica creo que puede gustarles.
Yo le doy un 3 de 5

[Diayll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed At:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 3 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Ariel


Demon’s Curse, the first novel from Alexa Egan and the first novel in the Imnada Brotherhood series was not a bad first novel, but it wasn’t great either.

Demon’s Curse tells the tale of Mac Flannery, a shapeshifter from a race called the Imnada and Bianca Parrino, a beautiful actress. Mac, along with three other Imnada, Adam, Gray, and David, participated in Waterloo, where Adam slaughtered a Fey-blood, magical beings that have been at odds with the Imnada since the days of King Arthur. The Fey placed a curse on the four soldiers, forcing them to shift every night rather than them shifting by choice. A year later, Adam is murdered and now Mac is convinced that someone is after the Imnada.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this novel really just didn’t grab me. To begin with, the pacing is really odd. Some parts felt really speedy and other parts felt as though they dragged on forever. Because Egan has created a world of Imnada, I expected there to be a little more explanation as to the race and some of the terminology used, but I had to pick up most of it from context. I did find out at the end that there’s a glossary, so definitely look back to that if you ever get confused. The few battle scenes that were in the novel I expected to be really drawn out and detailed, and they weren’t, which is good or bad depending on how much you care about the battle scenes.

The relationship between Mac and Bianca just seemed random to me. They initially come together because Mac hears the rumors that Bianca was Adam’s mistress, and Mac assumes she knows something about Adam’s death. It was clear that they were going to be together, because they’re the hero and heroine of the story, but other than that, I didn’t necessarily feel the chemistry there.

Since the prologue of the novel began with the four shifters, I kind of assumed that the friendship between the three remaining men would be a main focus of the novel. I was wrong. They weave in and out of the novel, but I wouldn’t call Gray and David main characters at all. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just isn’t what I expected based on the prologue.

One of my main problems with the novel (other than the weird pacing) was that towards the end of the novel, there were some new terms and new types of people (Realings). It just seemed thrown in close to the end, and I know it’s a series, so the Realings might become a bigger part of the novel later on, but it just seemed odd to throw in a Realing so close to the end of the novel without any real explanation.

All of that being said, there were good things about the book. The interesting parts of the novel were really interesting and kept my attention. The ending was intense, and I had a hard time putting the book down once I got to the last few chapters. I loved that the demons were shapeshifters, because I feel as though shapeshifters aren’t done as often, so that was different.

Overall, I give Demon’s Curse 3 out of 5 controllers. It wasn’t anywhere close to being the worst thing I’ve ever read, and the concept of the story is really interesting, but it just didn’t grab me.