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The Book of Demons #1
The First Book of Demons
Alexandra’s world is shattered when the only family she has is brutally murdered. A series of strange encounters, and her relentlessly curious nature, lead her into the woods where she meets a destiny that has been chasing her since birth. She is unknowingly brought into a world of demons that is fraught with turmoil and deadly power struggles. Lord Balthazar, a demon prince trying to hold his new kingdom together, seizes on the opportunity and takes her hostage. Alexandra’s strong willed, defiant personality not only gets her into heaps of trouble, but also manages to gain the unlikely affections of the demon lord that holds her captive. As time begins to run out for both of them, sacrifices must be made that are to neither one’s liking, and by the time they realize what they truly want, it may be too late.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2012
284 people are currently reading
1953 people want to read
About the author
Raquel Dove
15 books55 followersRaquel Dove is an author of fantasy fiction and young adult fantasy. Her books are available in both print and ebook formats, across all available platforms.
You can connect with her through her facebook page, on goodreads, or via the contact link at the top of her web page.
You can connect with her through her facebook page, on goodreads, or via the contact link at the top of her web page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 18, 2013
2.5 stars
So that was...um...interesting?
Also before I start this review, both my friend and I were under the impression when getting this book (cause it was free) that this was YA, yeah noo, noooo it not, i mean I don't have problems with Adult novels, but if you think that then you are SO SO VERY wrong. so yeah. thats my quick warning.
Song Choice: "Satellite Heart" by Anya Marina, "Mating Game" by Bitter:Sweet, "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" by Cake - kay now to explain what the hell this is all about, welp. These are songs that i personally picked out that i thought helped represent the tone, or some aspect in the book, and this book was a hard one to do because i will get to that in a bit but yeah these are the ones i picked.
First thoughts: So that was unexpected. I don't know why I went into this thinking it was a YA but i did, and wow boy was that a bad assumption. So first off this is really hard to rate because if i am going to be honest right meow, there were definiately aspects that I loved! That i thought were totally awesome, and then there things that i did not like, at all. and it wasn't even just the plot-line, it had a bit to do with the writing but i will go into depth about that in plot. Overall this a very short, i wouldn't really call it a "light" read, but at the same time i wanted to... Again i feel really odd rating this book because i am not entirely how i felt about it.
Plot: I thought the concept was fantastic! I loved the ideas that were brought into this book, it was so interesting and the farther and farther into the book the more and more interested i became buuuuttttt, at the same time, this was written in 3rd person omniscient and quite frankly in my only personal opinion I hate 3rd person omniscient because it tends to be sloppy and can cause a lot of confusion, which unfortunately this book did, the first couple of chapters i felt like i was reading a bunch of different book beginnings thrown into one book, I was lost, i was confused, and I was getting a bit of a headache trying to keep up with all these new characters were being "introduced to" but weren't really being introduced to either, because we didn't get any time to learn who they were how they were important, and i understand that was meant to be part of the mystery aspect, and i totally respect what Raquel was (i hope i right about this) what she was trying to do, which is give the reader an edge over the other MCs and also still be in the dark. The only thing is it can be a very dangerous line to walk. So with that said there were also issues with the very abrupt and confusing chapter endings. I get the want to make it suspenseful but there were no transitions, and it was too sudden and again confusing and sort of disappointing i wanted to know how they got to point a to point b.
So more on plot this is a bit of warning on my part: in the first 30% of the book she is almost raped soooo there is that, and i don't mind if an author does this, and does it tastefully, and there are consequences but i know this bothers some people so you deserve to know. Not only that but there is very explicit sex in this book, and this isn't going to ruin your reading experience of the book and i highly recommend if you are concerned about reading this you view this spoiler but at the same time i don't want to be that ass who spoils something for someone so here we go
I did like how fast the plot moved, and i did really like some of the aspects that were being brought into the book, but the politics weren't explained very well at certain points in the book as well as i did get most of it but at some points i was like, wait who is this?
Characters:
Alexandra (Alex): She started off really strong for me, i liked her reactions to things, and i really enjoyed the humor behind her clumsiness around attractive men, i was laughing myself silly, but then something happened....like nothing literally happened in the book, just something happened to her, she was a magnet for trouble and usually i love that, but other times its was like seriously are you that stupid?! And i felt like her feelings for Balthazar were a lot stronger than his for most the book. I did appreciate that she was stubborn and curious and she didn't let a little growl from stopping her from being her but at the same time she felt like she was pushed into the background for the last half of the book which was upsetting because she was supposed to be an important part of the book.
Balthazar: Was exactly how Alex described him, selfish, self-centered, rude, uncaring, and all around a bit of an asshole, when he feelings did start shining through they were also again sort of well i don't know they didn't feel that real to me, i wanted more from him i suppose. I did get that near the end he was a lot better he really was but the spoiler thing i did kinda ruined him for me for awhile.
The ending, i actually really liked it, and it does make me want to continue on with this series which sounds strange i know but i didn't hate this book by any means but do i think this book is for everyone, no i really don't. i am sorry to say that but its the truth and it happens.
if you want to check out how i feel about other books you can check them out on my blog that i share with my friend, lots of amazing indie authors to check out and yeah :) http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
So that was...um...interesting?
Also before I start this review, both my friend and I were under the impression when getting this book (cause it was free) that this was YA, yeah noo, noooo it not, i mean I don't have problems with Adult novels, but if you think that then you are SO SO VERY wrong. so yeah. thats my quick warning.
Song Choice: "Satellite Heart" by Anya Marina, "Mating Game" by Bitter:Sweet, "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" by Cake - kay now to explain what the hell this is all about, welp. These are songs that i personally picked out that i thought helped represent the tone, or some aspect in the book, and this book was a hard one to do because i will get to that in a bit but yeah these are the ones i picked.
First thoughts: So that was unexpected. I don't know why I went into this thinking it was a YA but i did, and wow boy was that a bad assumption. So first off this is really hard to rate because if i am going to be honest right meow, there were definiately aspects that I loved! That i thought were totally awesome, and then there things that i did not like, at all. and it wasn't even just the plot-line, it had a bit to do with the writing but i will go into depth about that in plot. Overall this a very short, i wouldn't really call it a "light" read, but at the same time i wanted to... Again i feel really odd rating this book because i am not entirely how i felt about it.
Plot: I thought the concept was fantastic! I loved the ideas that were brought into this book, it was so interesting and the farther and farther into the book the more and more interested i became buuuuttttt, at the same time, this was written in 3rd person omniscient and quite frankly in my only personal opinion I hate 3rd person omniscient because it tends to be sloppy and can cause a lot of confusion, which unfortunately this book did, the first couple of chapters i felt like i was reading a bunch of different book beginnings thrown into one book, I was lost, i was confused, and I was getting a bit of a headache trying to keep up with all these new characters were being "introduced to" but weren't really being introduced to either, because we didn't get any time to learn who they were how they were important, and i understand that was meant to be part of the mystery aspect, and i totally respect what Raquel was (i hope i right about this) what she was trying to do, which is give the reader an edge over the other MCs and also still be in the dark. The only thing is it can be a very dangerous line to walk. So with that said there were also issues with the very abrupt and confusing chapter endings. I get the want to make it suspenseful but there were no transitions, and it was too sudden and again confusing and sort of disappointing i wanted to know how they got to point a to point b.
So more on plot this is a bit of warning on my part: in the first 30% of the book she is almost raped soooo there is that, and i don't mind if an author does this, and does it tastefully, and there are consequences but i know this bothers some people so you deserve to know. Not only that but there is very explicit sex in this book, and this isn't going to ruin your reading experience of the book and i highly recommend if you are concerned about reading this you view this spoiler but at the same time i don't want to be that ass who spoils something for someone so here we go
I did like how fast the plot moved, and i did really like some of the aspects that were being brought into the book, but the politics weren't explained very well at certain points in the book as well as i did get most of it but at some points i was like, wait who is this?
Characters:
Alexandra (Alex): She started off really strong for me, i liked her reactions to things, and i really enjoyed the humor behind her clumsiness around attractive men, i was laughing myself silly, but then something happened....like nothing literally happened in the book, just something happened to her, she was a magnet for trouble and usually i love that, but other times its was like seriously are you that stupid?! And i felt like her feelings for Balthazar were a lot stronger than his for most the book. I did appreciate that she was stubborn and curious and she didn't let a little growl from stopping her from being her but at the same time she felt like she was pushed into the background for the last half of the book which was upsetting because she was supposed to be an important part of the book.
Balthazar: Was exactly how Alex described him, selfish, self-centered, rude, uncaring, and all around a bit of an asshole, when he feelings did start shining through they were also again sort of well i don't know they didn't feel that real to me, i wanted more from him i suppose. I did get that near the end he was a lot better he really was but the spoiler thing i did kinda ruined him for me for awhile.
The ending, i actually really liked it, and it does make me want to continue on with this series which sounds strange i know but i didn't hate this book by any means but do i think this book is for everyone, no i really don't. i am sorry to say that but its the truth and it happens.
if you want to check out how i feel about other books you can check them out on my blog that i share with my friend, lots of amazing indie authors to check out and yeah :) http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
November 9, 2013
Not a kid's book. Just...not a kids book. If I'd had a better idea of what kind of content was in this, I probably would not have gotten it, free or not. But with that said, it did keep my attention through the whole thing. The writing was decent enough that I didn't put it down and say 'no way.'
While the story itself was...interesting...some of the things important to the story and plot weren't introduced until the exact moment they were needed, and that makes me wonder just how well this book was planned out by the author. Some of those things, such as could have been introduced sooner, and then the section where it was necessary would have been more dramatic and better executed.
There was a lot of bouncing around; chapters skipped whole sections and left you guessing about what happened until it was explained. The chapters were also surprisingly short. I can understand having a huge cast of characters, and how it's sometimes necessary; but I really think the jumping around could have been lessened. Even a sentence or two could have eliminated some of that, at least.
All in all, I don't regret getting this. I will probably not read it again, and I don't plan on seeking out the next book. But I do see some talent, and some good books coming at some point in the author's future.
While the story itself was...interesting...some of the things important to the story and plot weren't introduced until the exact moment they were needed, and that makes me wonder just how well this book was planned out by the author. Some of those things, such as could have been introduced sooner, and then the section where it was necessary would have been more dramatic and better executed.
There was a lot of bouncing around; chapters skipped whole sections and left you guessing about what happened until it was explained. The chapters were also surprisingly short. I can understand having a huge cast of characters, and how it's sometimes necessary; but I really think the jumping around could have been lessened. Even a sentence or two could have eliminated some of that, at least.
All in all, I don't regret getting this. I will probably not read it again, and I don't plan on seeking out the next book. But I do see some talent, and some good books coming at some point in the author's future.
July 31, 2015
Creepy weird confusing and disturbing
Complete crap. It was disturbing it was like a creepy pervert made a bunch of his disgusting fantasies added a random storyline and called it a book. It was random and just plain strange. The amount of point of views was ridiculous and all the characters were completely undeveloped. It started off bad and just progressively got worse. I feel sick that some author has this screwed up imagination. This author must be fascinated with prostitutes and murderers. This book was violent and nasty. One of the first chapters was about giving up their child to some creatures who slit the infant's throat like a child sacrifice. The grammatical errors was unacceptable. This book is a psycho rapist/serial killer's dream. If their was an author I would be worried about being a pervert psycho killer it would be Raquel Dove. Honestly she/he must've been high when she/he wrote this.
So my advice to readers is DONT READ THIS BOOK (unless you're a creepy pervert) horrible story horrible writing and horrible screwed up imagination.
If I could I would give this book a 0 star rating or possibly a negative rating hated it
Complete crap. It was disturbing it was like a creepy pervert made a bunch of his disgusting fantasies added a random storyline and called it a book. It was random and just plain strange. The amount of point of views was ridiculous and all the characters were completely undeveloped. It started off bad and just progressively got worse. I feel sick that some author has this screwed up imagination. This author must be fascinated with prostitutes and murderers. This book was violent and nasty. One of the first chapters was about giving up their child to some creatures who slit the infant's throat like a child sacrifice. The grammatical errors was unacceptable. This book is a psycho rapist/serial killer's dream. If their was an author I would be worried about being a pervert psycho killer it would be Raquel Dove. Honestly she/he must've been high when she/he wrote this.
So my advice to readers is DONT READ THIS BOOK (unless you're a creepy pervert) horrible story horrible writing and horrible screwed up imagination.
If I could I would give this book a 0 star rating or possibly a negative rating hated it
October 19, 2019
2.5 stars
Had originally rated it a 3.5 stars, but as I tried to reread this again- I had to stop, go find and mirror and look at myself and said you read this to the end, really. I seriously struggled with the reread of this.
Don't get me wrong the plot itself is interesting that probably why I picked it up, but some parts felt forced or altogether rushed, so I was getting some serious whiplash. Definitely won't read the next book in the series.
I think the only reason I was able to get through this was because it was a) free b) during my reading compulsion, when I literally read anything and everything c) been clouded by a good book I had prior to this one.
Had originally rated it a 3.5 stars, but as I tried to reread this again- I had to stop, go find and mirror and look at myself and said you read this to the end, really. I seriously struggled with the reread of this.
Don't get me wrong the plot itself is interesting that probably why I picked it up, but some parts felt forced or altogether rushed, so I was getting some serious whiplash. Definitely won't read the next book in the series.
I think the only reason I was able to get through this was because it was a) free b) during my reading compulsion, when I literally read anything and everything c) been clouded by a good book I had prior to this one.
August 20, 2012
The First Book of Demons by Raquel Dove is an excellent book. It is written in a style that both young and adult readers will enjoy. A paranormal style book written to interest even those readers that are not normally paranormal fans. The characters in the book are interesting and make you want to keep reading to find out more. This book was written by a first time author and if she continues the way this book has started out, I would expect to see her on the best seller list in no time. Great job Raquel!!
August 5, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this. The story line is very engaging, I love the characters! I think it was a little short, the ending read a bit rushed (thats why I docked it 1 star), but I still liked the ending, I just wish it could have been longer! I hope there is going to be a sequel to this book, I will be watching for it.
May 14, 2013
This was a freebie on Kindle.
I finished the book in one sitting. The characters were likeable, and some antics even had Me chuckling. The book sometimes didn't flow. There were times I thought I had advanced My Kindle to far and went back to make sure I didn't skip any pages. The books feel seemed to be geared more towards a Young Adult audience.
The finish was open ended.
I finished the book in one sitting. The characters were likeable, and some antics even had Me chuckling. The book sometimes didn't flow. There were times I thought I had advanced My Kindle to far and went back to make sure I didn't skip any pages. The books feel seemed to be geared more towards a Young Adult audience.
The finish was open ended.
January 3, 2014
Hmmm I feel as though chapters were missing. The story would jump to a new scene leaving you wondering what just happened?
Did you press the next page button too quickly? Nope.
Just random jumps in the plot. Like a worm hole where the story continued but you have no idea what happened to get you there. And then it ends leaving you thinking wtf?
Did you press the next page button too quickly? Nope.
Just random jumps in the plot. Like a worm hole where the story continued but you have no idea what happened to get you there. And then it ends leaving you thinking wtf?
August 19, 2013
Yuck! This book was horrible. Skipping from one event to the next was disjointed and incomplete. I CAN NOT BELIEVE this is a series and not a solo novel. If I could give it a black star I would :( Waste of time.
May 20, 2015
I had no idea what was going here at times. Too many characters and development happening all at the one time which was really off putting.
I also found this more sci-fi than paranormal at times, again another confused.com moment
I also found this more sci-fi than paranormal at times, again another confused.com moment
August 19, 2014
I thought this was young adult...it is not. The characters and plot are poorly developed and confusing. There are some typos. I did not enjoy this book.
July 14, 2020
#cookie reads The First Book of Demons by Raquel Dove 👹
Alexandra is an average teenager just hanging out with her friend Sam. She also lives with her aunt Tamaya. One day while hanging out with Sam, she learns that her aunt is murdered. Her aunt leaves her golden dagger. What is the purpose of this dagger? 🗡
Lord Balthazar is a demon from another world. He learns that his father has been murdered too. He also learns that his fate is intertwined with Alexandra’s. So what does he do? Kidnap her of course! 🤦♀️
Do we ever learn about who murdered Balthazar’s father or Alexandra’s aunt or why? No!!! This whole book is about Alexandra’s and Balthazar desires for one another. Frankly I got tired of reading about it! There is a Phoenix though that was about the only good thing in this book! 🦅
One paw out of four paws. #demons #bookstagram #dogsreadingbooks #corgireads #corgiofinstagram #corgilife #bluemerlecorgi
Alexandra is an average teenager just hanging out with her friend Sam. She also lives with her aunt Tamaya. One day while hanging out with Sam, she learns that her aunt is murdered. Her aunt leaves her golden dagger. What is the purpose of this dagger? 🗡
Lord Balthazar is a demon from another world. He learns that his father has been murdered too. He also learns that his fate is intertwined with Alexandra’s. So what does he do? Kidnap her of course! 🤦♀️
Do we ever learn about who murdered Balthazar’s father or Alexandra’s aunt or why? No!!! This whole book is about Alexandra’s and Balthazar desires for one another. Frankly I got tired of reading about it! There is a Phoenix though that was about the only good thing in this book! 🦅
One paw out of four paws. #demons #bookstagram #dogsreadingbooks #corgireads #corgiofinstagram #corgilife #bluemerlecorgi
January 29, 2018
I really liked it. It had good flow, with only the occasional hiccup of grammar, unbelievable characterization, or some other third thing. I was a little confused a couple of times, most in trying to figure out the age of our main character, Alexandra. This book is definitely not for people under 15, and that is being a little lenient. It was also a little redundant, for no clear reason. It also seemed like a lot of the characters were just thrown at us, and we were left to scramble to remember who was who. I think that is all cool and fine, when there is a character chart or something.
See more on my blog!
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See more on my blog!
https://90slovechiid.weebly.com/the-r...
December 10, 2017
Eh, It was ok. So the plot was interesting. It had potential, but it needed...something. More background on Alexandra, more character development, less scene jumping. The writing style, giving the speaker's name in each sentence - too much! It stilted the flow. And the end, ended fast! I can sort of see what the author was trying to do, but because of the way the whole story jumped so much, at first, the reader thinks that was what happened. As I said, it had potential but think it needs some work.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book
I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book
August 15, 2017
Book 1
I enjoyed this book and very few errors in it. The twist of a human in a demon world was different and made for a good plot. The ending was interesting and sets it up for the next book.
I enjoyed this book and very few errors in it. The twist of a human in a demon world was different and made for a good plot. The ending was interesting and sets it up for the next book.
November 24, 2017
Wow!
What a story! It was a very enjoyable read for me with many unexpected twists. Good world building that shares some parallels with ours. Interesting characters and well, just a fun read!
What a story! It was a very enjoyable read for me with many unexpected twists. Good world building that shares some parallels with ours. Interesting characters and well, just a fun read!
March 9, 2018
Quickie for sure
Ladies will like this story as it almost reads like a harlequin romance The supernatural aspect gives the story just the right amount of zing, if you like that sort of thing
Ladies will like this story as it almost reads like a harlequin romance The supernatural aspect gives the story just the right amount of zing, if you like that sort of thing
February 26, 2023
This book had me on edge the whole way. If you want steamy all the way, its not happening in book one. But the fantasy in the book had me hooked I didn't even care. Will be completing the series to find out what happens.
March 26, 2023
I have never met a more frustrating and annoying main character. She irritates me, but I could not stop reading the book. I was ENTERTAINED though there was a fair amount of second hand embarrassment. Will I be reading the next book? Absolutely.
July 30, 2017
The ending seemed a bit rushed, however, the story was an interesting take on demons and magic.
June 9, 2018
Love on a different world
Alex stays with her aunt until she dies then at a friends house only to be ripped from their and taken to the Underworld.
Alex stays with her aunt until she dies then at a friends house only to be ripped from their and taken to the Underworld.
May 4, 2019
It is a great book to read
January 22, 2020
Demon Lord
I love the characters and the romance the adventure in this story,
I would recommend it, I read it in two days.
I have found another author to add to my list,
I love the characters and the romance the adventure in this story,
I would recommend it, I read it in two days.
I have found another author to add to my list,
July 15, 2021
A very addicting read, quite the page turner!
March 31, 2022
Hello Lovelies!
So this title made me wary, and I was hesitant about what kind of “demons” Raquel Dove chose to write about. After further research, I discovered that the races featured in this novel were inspired by Arabian mythology. Having been a reader and lover of Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus trilogy, I felt that I would enjoy The First Book of Demons too.
First, and most importantly, THIS BOOK IS NOT YA. I repeat, THIS BOOK IS NOT YA. I believe this to be the biggest mistake made by people reading this book. They expect a coy narration of the romantic content. I’m sure, like me, they were surprised, if not shocked, to discover their error. While I have read books that were more explicit, I did tire of reading about “fleshy, pink nubs.” I am not saying that this book was inappropriate or vulgar, I am just making you aware of the intended audience. Raquel Dove also writes intimate scenes using antiquated phrases and terms. She might have wanted to highlight the archaic nature of the Demon world, however, it just didn’t work for me.
Racy parts aside, I found myself quite captivated by the story. I love how infuriating Alexandra is. She constantly irks Lord Balthazar and the other demons and it’s hilarious. In his quest for power, Balthazar drags Alexandra along to aid in the collection of three necessary items. As they fight off griffins, thwart attempts to wrest away Balthazar’s throne, and discover the emergence of an unbeatable foe, a deep bond is formed, one with romantic ties (YAY). The end of the novel gives us a sneak peek of how closely Alexandra and Balthazar’s fates are tied together.
I have already read book two, Demons Amongst Us, and am excited to continue the rest of the saga! Have you read any of Raquel Dove’s books? If so, please let me know your thoughts!
-Whimsical Whit
https://whimsicalwordsofwhit.wordpres...
So this title made me wary, and I was hesitant about what kind of “demons” Raquel Dove chose to write about. After further research, I discovered that the races featured in this novel were inspired by Arabian mythology. Having been a reader and lover of Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus trilogy, I felt that I would enjoy The First Book of Demons too.
First, and most importantly, THIS BOOK IS NOT YA. I repeat, THIS BOOK IS NOT YA. I believe this to be the biggest mistake made by people reading this book. They expect a coy narration of the romantic content. I’m sure, like me, they were surprised, if not shocked, to discover their error. While I have read books that were more explicit, I did tire of reading about “fleshy, pink nubs.” I am not saying that this book was inappropriate or vulgar, I am just making you aware of the intended audience. Raquel Dove also writes intimate scenes using antiquated phrases and terms. She might have wanted to highlight the archaic nature of the Demon world, however, it just didn’t work for me.
Racy parts aside, I found myself quite captivated by the story. I love how infuriating Alexandra is. She constantly irks Lord Balthazar and the other demons and it’s hilarious. In his quest for power, Balthazar drags Alexandra along to aid in the collection of three necessary items. As they fight off griffins, thwart attempts to wrest away Balthazar’s throne, and discover the emergence of an unbeatable foe, a deep bond is formed, one with romantic ties (YAY). The end of the novel gives us a sneak peek of how closely Alexandra and Balthazar’s fates are tied together.
I have already read book two, Demons Amongst Us, and am excited to continue the rest of the saga! Have you read any of Raquel Dove’s books? If so, please let me know your thoughts!
-Whimsical Whit
https://whimsicalwordsofwhit.wordpres...
August 22, 2013
"The First Book of Demons" is my maiden introduction to the work of Raquel Dove. I must admit I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book. My only concern is who is the intended audience for this book because the storyline seems to straddle the line between YA and adult.
Alexandra is bring raised by her Aunt Tamy. After going out for Chinese food when her best friend Sam, she is visited by a policeman who informs her that her aunt was murdered. Alex is bequeathed an elaborately carved box that houses a danger and a cryptic note from her aunt informing her to go forth and meet her destiny.
After wallowing in her grief far too long, Alex is taken by Sam and their friends on a camping trip. This trip will catapult Alex into a demon world she never knew existed and one thing is for sure, humans are a novelty. In this strange new world Alex will meet Lord Balthazar, a powerful demon who wants to use her in his quest for power. Little do either of them realuze is that by working together they will also have to face the growing attraction between them and the political problems that ensue.
There is plenty of action and intrique in this surprising little gem of a story although the first chapter started rather roughly. The characterizations were a little choppy and there were editing errors; however, all of that seemed to disappear beginning in chapter two. I enjoed the world building and how the author kept me guessing.
As I stated previously I had a difficult time determining who the appropriate audience is for the book. So, if you are a YA reader be warned.
Alexandra is bring raised by her Aunt Tamy. After going out for Chinese food when her best friend Sam, she is visited by a policeman who informs her that her aunt was murdered. Alex is bequeathed an elaborately carved box that houses a danger and a cryptic note from her aunt informing her to go forth and meet her destiny.
After wallowing in her grief far too long, Alex is taken by Sam and their friends on a camping trip. This trip will catapult Alex into a demon world she never knew existed and one thing is for sure, humans are a novelty. In this strange new world Alex will meet Lord Balthazar, a powerful demon who wants to use her in his quest for power. Little do either of them realuze is that by working together they will also have to face the growing attraction between them and the political problems that ensue.
There is plenty of action and intrique in this surprising little gem of a story although the first chapter started rather roughly. The characterizations were a little choppy and there were editing errors; however, all of that seemed to disappear beginning in chapter two. I enjoed the world building and how the author kept me guessing.
As I stated previously I had a difficult time determining who the appropriate audience is for the book. So, if you are a YA reader be warned.
March 21, 2015
This was a free ebook so I didn't hesitate to get it. The storyline has potential, however there were a few things that bugged me... Just a little ;).
The rapid change in scenes threw me a bit, it could've been a smoother transition, but once you got in a few sentences the scene made sense. I can't stress the importance of proof reading as there were spelling errors (like "taut" was spelt "taught"), missing words, and that could take the focus off the story for someone who's anal about grammar (myself included).
Definitely NOT a YA book, I'm a tad concerned that the Alex was a 17-year old girl (even if she was close to her 18th birthday) and Balthazar is over 150. Some scenes in the book would warrant this an adult fiction but then again we've seen more sex on tv as teens so I'm not judging.
I would've liked a bit more insight into her character, her history, and what her secrets were that her aunt hadn't told her. As another reader had previously mentioned, there was more focus on demonic politics than the protagonist, and while I enjoyed that side of the book, it could be balanced out with a bit more character development.
The price of the sequeals are a bit steep, which meant I'm a bit hesitant about purchasing the next installation. However, I'd decided to give the series a chance and have bought the second one. Fingers crossed!
The rapid change in scenes threw me a bit, it could've been a smoother transition, but once you got in a few sentences the scene made sense. I can't stress the importance of proof reading as there were spelling errors (like "taut" was spelt "taught"), missing words, and that could take the focus off the story for someone who's anal about grammar (myself included).
Definitely NOT a YA book, I'm a tad concerned that the Alex was a 17-year old girl (even if she was close to her 18th birthday) and Balthazar is over 150. Some scenes in the book would warrant this an adult fiction but then again we've seen more sex on tv as teens so I'm not judging.
I would've liked a bit more insight into her character, her history, and what her secrets were that her aunt hadn't told her. As another reader had previously mentioned, there was more focus on demonic politics than the protagonist, and while I enjoyed that side of the book, it could be balanced out with a bit more character development.
The price of the sequeals are a bit steep, which meant I'm a bit hesitant about purchasing the next installation. However, I'd decided to give the series a chance and have bought the second one. Fingers crossed!
November 22, 2013
This book was awesome. Everything about this book made me what more. I had a hard time in the beginning while father and son argued about taking a mate and I found myself looking for a reason not to scream what ever happened to "mating" for love!?! When the only way to unlock powers is a knife to the chest, I wanted to cry "what happens when she just dies!!!"
Then we enter into a totally alternate universe run by Lord Sultans that are killed in their sleep then to be replaced by the oldest prince that has a totally different view of how the kingdom should be run, some in a good way but others in a not so good way. Forcing a sibling to marry two people that the oldest doesn’t desire is no way for an older brother to behave. The chemistry between Belthazar and Alexandra is unmistakable after only a few meetings but neither party wants to admit the attraction for the other, which leads to several "girl" kidnappings that are supposed to be taken as a rescue mission. Then here comes the knight in demon armor that takes back Alexandra only to in short time periods lose her once again to another who wants to rule the kingdom.
Then we enter into a totally alternate universe run by Lord Sultans that are killed in their sleep then to be replaced by the oldest prince that has a totally different view of how the kingdom should be run, some in a good way but others in a not so good way. Forcing a sibling to marry two people that the oldest doesn’t desire is no way for an older brother to behave. The chemistry between Belthazar and Alexandra is unmistakable after only a few meetings but neither party wants to admit the attraction for the other, which leads to several "girl" kidnappings that are supposed to be taken as a rescue mission. Then here comes the knight in demon armor that takes back Alexandra only to in short time periods lose her once again to another who wants to rule the kingdom.
May 30, 2014
A largely enjoyable, if occasionally confusing tale about a girl who gets sucked into an alternate reality where demons rule and humans are mythological.
The main characters are Lord Demon Balthazar, who's told he needs a human in order to become the anointed Sultan in the wake of the death of his father. And Alexander, a human female with hidden powers, transported to the demon world, who becomes the object of Balthazars desires.
There are a lot of characters in this book and it can get confusing as chapters jump around from scene to scene. One minute you're with Balthazar and Alex, the next with royal conspirators.
The action can get a little bland here and there as it moves between conspiracies and violent clashes, while sparingly sprinkled with luke-warm moments of tenderness between characters.
There seems to be heavily influenced by Indian themes, which makes for a colourful and fragrant story. But the ending comes rather abruptly, in my opinion, however, it does set the scene nicely for the sequel.
The main characters are Lord Demon Balthazar, who's told he needs a human in order to become the anointed Sultan in the wake of the death of his father. And Alexander, a human female with hidden powers, transported to the demon world, who becomes the object of Balthazars desires.
There are a lot of characters in this book and it can get confusing as chapters jump around from scene to scene. One minute you're with Balthazar and Alex, the next with royal conspirators.
The action can get a little bland here and there as it moves between conspiracies and violent clashes, while sparingly sprinkled with luke-warm moments of tenderness between characters.
There seems to be heavily influenced by Indian themes, which makes for a colourful and fragrant story. But the ending comes rather abruptly, in my opinion, however, it does set the scene nicely for the sequel.
March 16, 2015
2 of 5 stars
Free kindle download which was good because I wasn't sure if I would really like the demon genre. Not very well written and disjointed in places. I found myself re-reading the previous page to see if I missed something.
Amazon Description
Alexandra’s world is shattered when the only family she has is brutally murdered. A series of strange encounters, and her relentlessly curious nature, lead her into the woods where she meets a destiny that has been chasing her since birth. She is brought into a world of demons that is fraught with turmoil and deadly power struggles. Lord Balthazar, a demon prince trying to hold his new kingdom together, seizes the opportunity, taking her hostage in a bid to gain the power he so badly needs. Alexandra’s strong-willed, defiant personality not only gets her into heaps of trouble, but also manages to gain the unlikely affections of the handsome demon prince that is holding her captive. As time begins to run out for both of them, sacrifices must be made. By the time they realize their true desires, it may be too late
Free kindle download which was good because I wasn't sure if I would really like the demon genre. Not very well written and disjointed in places. I found myself re-reading the previous page to see if I missed something.
Amazon Description
Alexandra’s world is shattered when the only family she has is brutally murdered. A series of strange encounters, and her relentlessly curious nature, lead her into the woods where she meets a destiny that has been chasing her since birth. She is brought into a world of demons that is fraught with turmoil and deadly power struggles. Lord Balthazar, a demon prince trying to hold his new kingdom together, seizes the opportunity, taking her hostage in a bid to gain the power he so badly needs. Alexandra’s strong-willed, defiant personality not only gets her into heaps of trouble, but also manages to gain the unlikely affections of the handsome demon prince that is holding her captive. As time begins to run out for both of them, sacrifices must be made. By the time they realize their true desires, it may be too late
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