Hell's Belle

Dark Mirror #1

by Marie Castle

Cate Delacey is glad she’s a witch—both kinds. She could have done without the guardian bit that put a bull’s eye on her back. Being a guardian comes with so many risks and rules that immortality ought to be a fringe benefit. Whenever the New Orleans Supernaturals’ Crime Unit calls for her help she’d like to tell them to go to Hell—but they’re already in that particularly unpleasant part of the netherworld.

Even a guardian has to pay her bills, and Cate has no intention of following in her mother’s footsteps as an enforcer for the Council of Supernatural Beings. Opening the Darkmirror Agency was a great idea. Her clients are mostly human, and they pay for everything from bounty hunting to process serving. But one day it all goes to Hell, figuratively. Then literally.

Because that’s the day the Council’s detective Jacqueline Sloan slinks her way into Cate’s life. Jacq. So alluring. So powerful. So immortal. And up to her sexy neck in a secret that will unleash Hell’s Belle.

Marie Castle’s unpredictable Darkmirror world is unveiled in this romantic, sizzling debut.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Lesbian, LGBT, Romance, Paranormal, Audiobook

264 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2013

About the author

Marie Castle lives in a little town in Mississippi once called Gandsi-Zion for the train-stop that ran between the Civil War era Zion Seminary and the Gulf and Ship Island depot. There, she practices Practical-Romanticism (her term for being single). She works in the public sector for a well-known, multi-national company, has been known to dance in her socks when no one is around, and does foolish things on a regular basis merely because she can. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted through her Facebook page. Hell’s Belle is her first novel.

Reviews

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has a great premise and I kind of liked Cate. But it bogged down once I realized that everything manifests in its most dramatic/awful form. So there's no normal and with the tension ramped up that high all the time, there's no release. And I started dreading the next obstacle because I just knew that it'd be another major blowup.

I'm not sure what happened to the author as there's only this and its sequel. I'd be interested in later work because the descriptions are solid, the character interesting, and I liked what I got to of the world-building. It's the kind of thing I could see improving over a career. So I'm sad the author doesn't appear to have one.

[Lex Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great! Way better than I expected. Definitely one of the better paranormal books I've read in a while. What happily surprised me so much, was the romance between the two main characters. To be honest, the romance between Cate and Jacq was more enjoyable then other character relationships I've read in strictly romance books lately. Cate and Jacq first meet in this book, so it's a slow moving romance. Which I liked since it seemed more realistic. But wow was the chemistry smoking! The sexual tension was so thick you could see the sparks while reading. It's been a while since I've believed in such a strong connection between two characters. It was just so wonderfully written.
The paranormal aspects of the book were good. You had a great collection of sups from Witches, Fay, Vamps, Weres, Demons and other magically enhanced creatures. The "bad guys" were really bad, which made the book exciting.
I can't wait to read book 2 and would recommend this to paranormal and or romance fans.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was nervous about starting this book, because after listening to the audiobook sample I was concerned I'd get tired of the southern voice. Errr....no! I LOVED the narrator's voice, and she was absolutely PERFECT for the role! Now, damnit....I'm anxious to pick up with book 2, but it's not on audible and I can't imagine trying to create a southern voice in my head for the entire book that would begin to do justice to the characters!

The characters, dialogue and ESPECIALLY the witty things Cate DeLacey thinks to herself for us to hear are just amazing! The only drawback to this book is that Cate and her mutual love interest, the sexy and mysterious immortal Jacq, never get beyond the teasing stage.

In matters of well-written lesfic, I don't have the self-control I should, so I will probably have to buy book 2 before it's available on audible....especially because book 3 is due out later this year and I'm sure I won't want to wait a couple years to catch up to this wonderful series! Highly recommended, 5* without a doubt....well, 4.999* rounded up because I have to subtract something for the lack of explicit steaminess!

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cate, a half demon witch finds herself in the middle of a plot to open a gate to the underworld and allow an army of demons to travel through it to Earth. She needs to thwart the plot and enlists the help of vampires, werewolves and fae...most notably Jacq, a powerful other worldly being who immediately raises the heat in Cate's pants.

Together they battle dinosaurs, hell hounds and vampires, visit a BDSM club, have a few showers together and somehow find time to battle the zombie demons.


This book is great fun even if it's not all that original. With some LGBT books, the story is a thin and sometimes inadequate shell to hang the sexy times from. Not so with this book. It's a proper Urban Fantasy and also a proper GLBT book. That the author got the balance right is probably the best thing about this book.

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - (audible version) really fun lesbian paranormal romance

Just the right blend of romantic tension and paranormal butt kicking. It's another slow burn soul mates kinda connection. I will say while I really enjoyed it, our MCs never get a chance to consummate their attraction to each other but there is enough mutual pining without a bunch of romantic angst shenanigans, that it didn't really bother me.

There is a second book but unfortunately it is not on Audible. I think it might lack something without all the charming southern and Louisiana bayou accents.

For those of you with an Audible subscription - this one was "included" aka a free rental.

[AnnMaree Of Oz]

Having a bad run lately, where books are either not holding my interest to cause me to DNF, or just not ending up very good overall even if I do finish.

I found this one really difficult to get into, there's a lot of info-dumping done in the first person - which just makes the telling instead of showing even more cumbersome and noticeable... I also struggle with really not liking the main protagonist much.

The writing is just not very pleasing to me, and there's no real emotion attached to anything that happens. I really liked the premise and was very interested in going along for the ride, but it became so convoluted and written in such a way, it sucked any real charm right out of it, and made me feel like it was such a boring slog.

[lauraღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

In denial of my denial, that dark part locked deep within my soul purred its pleasure, something ruffling like the opening and closing of wings inside me.

4.5 stars. This book is actually such an interesting example of how I rate things and what's important to me when I read books. If I were to list the things about this book that I don't like, the things I wish were different, the things I usually criticise about books, the list would be kinda significant. And if I were to list the things I like/love about the book, that's probably like one or two things tops. And yet, this is one of my faves of the year, probably. Because sometimes I love a certain thing about a book SO SO SO SO SO MUCH that even when I take into account all of the flaws, it doesn't affect how I feel about it at all.

So this is a paranormal romance about Cate, a half-witch, half-something-else private investigator, who gets wrapped up in a mystery involving missing persons, demons, fay, weres, vampires, the undead, and somehow, her family. Her investigation necessitates her teaming up with Jacq, a sexy immortal detective with whom she develops a powerful connection. 

Let's get the not-great stuff out of the way. 

- The bulk of the book is told in Cate's first person POV, but we sometimes get interrupts for other POVs, and I never really like that? Especially since it's so uneven. Sometimes we just get a person's POV for one scene, and IDK, no matter how important that scene is, I just hate the lack of equilibrium. Find some other way to give the reader that information. Or, actually, DOES the reader need that information? Most times, no!
- We get villain POVs, which I hate. I'm sorry, if we're chasing a bad guy, then there's seldom a situation where I want to know exactly what that bad guy is up to. Leave some suspense. 
- The world-building is not really coherent. Maybe my comprehension isn't the best, but sometimes it felt like I was reading the second book in a series, rather than the first. It often felt like the book was assuming that I knew things that I definitely didn't know. This isn't always a bad thing, because god knows I don't always love it when an author stops the narrative to give us info-dumpy world-building. But here it was just too much. So many new things and concepts were introduced without fanfare, and it's obviously an expansive world, and at times I felt like I was floundering in it. 
- Just in general, I needed more groundwork laid. This book covered so much ground, and there were so many side-characters (possibly too many), and a lot of it was really good, but I needed more foundation. Again, it really sometimes felt like this was a second book in a series.
- The entirety of this book takes place in a little more than a week, which technically makes a lot of this insta-love, one of my least favourite romance tropes.

Glorious. Bright and shining. And she set me ablaze.

But despite all this, this is still a 4.5/5, and it's honestly because of Jacq/Cate. I adored the romance in this SO SO MUCH. It genuinely makes me laugh a little. Am I that simple? Am I that easy? Apparently yes! Jacq is peak girlfriend material, amalgamation of a bunch of tropes that I adore, and so emblematic of your typical paranormal romance love interest. And I mean that in the best way possible. She's confident and suave and sexy and super strong, and a great match for our sassy, powerful protagonist. I won't spoil exactly what species she is, but the reveal had me screaming; it's a very specific thing that I ADORE. Every interaction between her and Cate was golden. Chemistry you could cut with a KNIFE. I love when a romance makes me feel giggly and giddy like this did. They were just perfect, and all of the tension was wonderful. Even though it's kinda insta-love because of the short time period, and some of the declarations they're making by the end, it's simultaneously slow burn. It was delicious. I genuinely can't wait until I get my hands on the second book, and see where the relationship goes. I love when a romance takes its time.

Otherwise, the writing was fun, and the plot was engaging. It was a little dated in the writing, but not too much. I liked the casual, fun, tongue-in-cheek tone of Cate's narration, with all her sarcasm and sayings and Southern flair. Even if it lost me a couple times, the story never bored me.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Carly Robbins, and I really adored it. As always, I can't ever call myself an expert on accents, and I can't judge authenticity, but I loved her Southern drawl, and Jacq's Cajun accent was LOVELY. And her voice was just a perfect match for Cate, with all her sassiness. This was just a lot of paranormal goodness and fun; maybe a little silly, and not the best structured thing I've ever read, but god, I had so much FUN with it. Cate is such an interesting protagonist, and I can tell we've still got a lot to learn about Jacq. I'm really looking forward to jumping back into this world some time soon. 

Content warnings: some gore and violence, death

Jacq had been, and was still, supporting me.

[Jeanny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was free on audible the fact it was a lesbian paranormal romance was a happy surprise. The story was well written, the audible version had a great narrator & i enjoyed the character development. Although I do recommend the book, I’m unlikely to continue the series. At the time of this review an audible version is unavailable & I have an embarrassingly long tbr list I'm working through. . 3 strong stars

[Arn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Had to give this multiple tries until I got through it. Somehow the writing is stiff at the beginning of the book but later on I wasn't bothered by it. There's also the issue of introducing a lot of characters but not doing anything much with them as well as raising so many questions that at times it became hard to follow what's happening or maybe it's not the sheer quantity of shit going down, maybe it's the issues with pacing the book has. It's definitely too long for what it delivers.

And I'm really not a fan of debate clubs masquerading as fights, just dish it out, stop standing around and jabbering.

Overall a decent read that could've used a better editor. Also raptors? Really?

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice balance between urban fantasy and paranormal romance genres. The feisty witch-demon, Cate, reminded me of the old Michaela Werefox, the one before Fox Mate. Her dry wit and Southern manners make for an interesting lead. She had to be as the whole book was told from her POV.

The worldbuilding will satisfy urban fantasy lovers. Paranormal fans will dig the mumbo jumbo. The slow burn but intense romance (shades of Aragorn/Arwen) will inspire the hopeless romantics.

Almost a 4.5

P.S. Like the other reviewers, I'm eagerly awaiting the 2nd book--thanks to the teaser at the end of the book. Now isn't this a much better way of ending the book on a cliffhanger?

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever wanted Sookie Stackhouse to throw over the vamps and weres she keeps dating and get a real girlfriend, then this could be the book for you.

High on Southern American hospitality and incredibly dense narrative, as a first novel it is pretty good, interesting characters and plot - could do with less embellishments and more clarity. However, an author to watch and I am looking forward to the next instalment.

[Alealea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to bull through 60% before I start feeling the book was going somewhere. There is a lot of good things (mad witch, funny magics, multiple plots lines) but the main character was way too confusing for me.

[Tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh the sisterhood is strong in this one...
I struggled picking a rating.
At times the fun characters, badass ladies, and not to mention, the flare between Cate and Jacq urged me to give at least 4 stars. All in all, it didn‘t quite make it. My mind couldn‘t quite latch it‘s jaws all the way around this one. Which sucks because all the elements are there. Modern fantasy? Yes please. Sassy witch? oh yeeah. lady-loving ladies? AW YeA.

A few things kept me from completely sinking onto this book. My main issue was the first-person perspective. I generally dislike first-person very much. It did grow on me a bit in this instance however. Cate was a fun narrator and a sassy woman. Let‘s talk more about her.
I don‘t want to drone on for long but I do want to mention how much I f*cking like her. She is tough and witty but realistic with her own insecurities. the sympathy she has for the other ladies surrounding her is terrific. Even when it seems she‘d be fair in hating them, when they arrive kicking and screaming, she respects them. And damn, I respect her.

The second main issue was the pacing. It felt...off. Other than some very memorable moments, mainly any alone time between Cate and Jacq, events seemed to rush by, not leaving a strong enough impression in my mind.

All in all, I loved most of the elements about this book. The setting, the characters, awesome. Something about the delivery wasn‘t as satisfying as it could have been, but I‘m not disappointed in it. It was a very solid debut.
I‘m looking forward to the sequel.

[Ayse · Rating 2 out of 5]

this author really knows how to show not tell but I really am left quite confused about many things in this story. the variety of things happening, the many tropes all pushed into one story, it was dizzying. though I am usually a fan of urban fantasy, I didn't really enjoy this one. it had bits that were good but overall it didn't hang together for me. I'm left with unanswered questions but not interested enough to find the answers.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the world very intriguing, and I enjoyed the romance aspect - although it was a little insta-love, we got a hint as to why in one of the ''interludes'' and it's an interesting mystery.

So why not a higher rating?
Because it felt like I was dropped into the fifth book of a series. There were A LOT of characters - some with multiple nicknames - that all had their own stories that were recapped in this book, and the world building only worked because of the interludes at the end of each chapter. Otherwise, it was like the author expected us to know everything already. I have to admit I'm a little sad the sequel isn't out on audible, for I would have listened to it. I'd even have liked for this to become a full series, but it would need a lot of prequels to make it less confusing.

[Fernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this is a debut novel and I think that is a wonderful start for this new author!
The book have been able to capture my attention right from the start, and I have devoured it in less than 1 day so yes, believe me, it is that good.
For the ones that have been already able to read some of my few reviews you know that I love paranormal books, and this is a fine example of what a paranormal book need to offer to be interesting, entertaining, and lovable.

It's interesting because it start in a way that make you want to know what comes next, Marie Castle right from the start show us that she definitely know how to write, there is a prologue (where Evie, Cate's mother, is the protagonist) that make you understand a little bit what the book is about but that also don't give you enough piece of the puzzle to understand the outcomes of what you have read..and I like mysteries well developed.
After that the action start, now in the present days, with Cate as protagonist!

This book is entertaining because for me have it all…the story is well written and developed wonderfully..this is the first book of a series (that I hope will be long enough to make me enjoy the characters for quite some time) so if you expect that all the mysteries will be solved in the last page of this book you need to rethink it. This is really the first installment of this new series, don't think of it like that books that also as part of a series are self-contained….with this book the author put the foundations that will help her to built the story as an all with the ones to come.

I have liked a lot that any piece of information about the events and characters make sense and have a reason in this first book, so I am confident that also all the things that she haven't explain yet will found an explication in the next books.

There are a lot of characters but they are all interesting and easily distinguishable, so you don't are left wondering who is who…and the setting is the New Orleans of our days.

And is also lovable because we have a population of witches, vampires, werewolves, fea, demons and other really interesting creatures…our heroine after the disappearance of her mother need to take care of the family business with her aunt and a cat-woman and ex-family-familiar (one of my favorite characters after the 2 protagonists)…the mission that she need to take care at the start of the book is to take back the money that a non so smart human have stolen from the resident vampire mafia…but that easy job become more dangerous than expected…and when the things become more problematic Cate need to accept the help of the sherif of the town, but instead of work with the beautiful fea she find herself stuck with the mysterious Jacq.

Cate and Jacq life is equally full of unknown secrets but the two women seems to be draw to each other not only by their physical chemistry but also by their different powers….and it's not a so funny idea to radiate so much sexual attraction when you have a werewolf as an ex-boyfriend specially if he think that he can solve your relationship problems if only he have the opportunity.

I don't tell you more but this is really a beautiful start for a series that is already one of my favorite.

Hope that the author will not make us wait more than 1 year for the 2nd book.

[Fae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was confused in the beginning of the book. The author's writing style is different than most others that I'd read so far. However, I'm glad I stick to it till the end, because the plot gets clearer and easier to follow. Words such as Kin, Fae, Were, Vamp, phers etc...oh hell, I looked up dictionary for those only to realize they are abbreviation or some form of supernatural creature.

Ya know what, I think this quote totally described my dilemma. “If at first you don’t succeed, shoot the man that got in your way. Then try, try again.” —Iris (Risa) Legion (in Ch.15 of Hell's Belle)

I didn't shoot anyone though, I did try again, and I'm glad I actually purchased it. Even though the preview of this book (first initial chapters) bored the heck out of me. But I risked it anyway. Mainly because the main character's love interest hasn't appear yet- since that's the part I'm looking forward to- and it didn't disappoint me.
The action and the mystery are great as well, normally I am not a fan of those genre, but this one can has anything in it and still works amazingly for its plot.

After I finished this first book, by no hesitation, I purchased the second one.

[Musa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great debute and looking forward for other books in the series. The prologue on Evie drew me into the story right away. Though I dragged a bit on the first few chapters, as soon as Jacq came into the picture I just can't put the book down. Gosh, that woman is enigmatic and sexy as hell! Love her sense of humour, her loyalty and her old fashioned chivalry.

As this is the first book, there are quite a lot of unanswered question, from Cate's true heritage in better details, to what Jacq is and what are her powers. I'm looking forward for the next book and hope I'll have a copy in the next few months!!

[Huy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't get why the book has so high ratings. First few pages already have 3 different perspectives , a world of magic, and mysteries that sat mostly unexplained. I'm fine with no introduction and no build-up, but please spare me all the unrelevant details and jump straight to the story. By the time something interesting happens, I was so stuck up with all the mess from before that I could hardly hold the book anymore.

[Verechnaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, although my main concern with it is that there are FAR TOO MANY side characters that seems to be introduced here for no other purpose than either a cameo or an upcoming sequel/prequel. There are at least five or six named side characters we didn't need to know and their appearance felt far too much like unecessary filling bloating the story, especially if they cannot be distinguished from other characters other than by their name.

Also, the action is a little messy at times.

[Laura Parrish · Rating 2 out of 5]

All in all, it was okay. To me it wasn't very submersive. I found the world-building was a little lacking, so it was hard to get into. I found myself not even caring about the characters, so even the romance element didn't really win me over. I kind of felt like it was underdeveloped and not executed too well. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible. It was fine and perfectly alright, but nothing amazing that I would rave about or eagerly recommend.

[Rafaela Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for the next one..

[Colleen Corgel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me some supernatural/ urban fantasy (it is my favorite sub-genre of all time) and I'm glad Marie Castle didn't go all in on paranormal romance which is so prevalent in Lesbian fiction. That doesn't mean there isn't a romance in there, there is a really intense one, the man focus is more on the fact that there's a group of demons running around kidnapping people for a nefarious purpose.

This book has all the hallmarks of a great urban fantasy - a feisty main character in Cate, a scruffy witch from a long line of witches. The family friend, Mynx, was a cat but she got freaky friday'ed by a sorceress who wanted to capture one of Cate's ancestors. You have Detectives Slone and Fera who're supernatural beings. Jacq Slone has all the hallmarks of the romantic lead: tall, dark, broody, and with an accent to die for.

Of course, no fantasy of any kind is good without some excellent worldbuilding. Marie Castle's setting is in New Orleans and parts of southwest Mississippi, which creates a wonderful tableau to work with. It allows her to delve into the superstition and folklore of the region without having to really build more on top of it. She merely expands into the demons' world which sounds rich enough to be a focal point in other books of the series.

Southern charm, excellent plotting, and a red hot romance all come together in this book. I highly recommend it. I look forward to checking out the sequel shortly.

[Heather Salvatore]

The narrator was phenomenal, her voice puts you right into the southern region. A synopsis of the story won't do justice to the writing, but I'll try.

The main character is a witch bounty hunter/PI type, who gets pulled into big bad plot. She is also unique in her ability to open and close the doors between earth and hell, essentially. In the process, she develops an attraction to a cop of unknown supernatural origin.

While the main character is obviously figuring out she's attracted to a woman for the first time, I appreciated that this never became a huge deal and wasn't at all part of the main story arc or focus.

Not overly sexual but still managed to be intensely sensual the entire time. A hard line to toe, but the author does it brilliantly. I wish there were more than two books by this author.

[Heather Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is aimed at a reader who wants a much higher constant level of erotic tension in their fiction than I enjoy. The basic premise involves a hereditary line of witches, some unfortunate (or fortunate?) leaks between the fabric of parallel universes, and a plethora of magical races coexisting in our contemporary world, with all the awkward social work-arounds that sort of arrangement requires. Our heroine spends a lot of time either getting nearly killed in magical encounters, or dealing with the consequences of supernaturally-induced horniness. The writing is ok, but the overall tone is simply Not My Thing.

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointingly mid after a strong start. More of a 2.5 rounded up. Should have been exactly my thing with this particular type of paranormal / urban fantasy, and the tension between the leading ladies was So good, but it was like one long high-tension build to nowhere which became boring after a while, to the point of skimming the Big Climactic Scenes because I mean. How many of them did we really need? Plus characters just kept being thrown into the cast too late in the game for me to care about them. Reviews on book two make me think I probably won’t be back to find out if they ever grow on me.

[L E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book as part of those included for free on my audible membership and did not realize it was part of a series but can understand now, as I was like ... wait? where is the mom, was she the one that tossed her back from the gates of hell? so many questions and for sure needs to continue, so I was glad to see that there is another book.

What can I say about Cate and Jacq., LOVE it from beginning to end and want more. Enjoying all the characters story-line, looking forward to the next book.

[Mellie974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the basic premise behind the series. I like all the characters. However, there is one thing that annoys me, and had kept me from reading further the second book in the series. The fact that the author choses to use withholding information way too heavily. I think it’s nice to use it with one or two things. However, must about everything is mystery and we may or may not find the answers.

Outside of that major annoyance, this would have been a 4-star book.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't really get into this one. There was way too much happening and really hard to follow. Also the romance just kinda threw me. It just happened no real buildup, zero feeling. If it had any oomph to it I might have toughed it out the story but there wasn't much for me here.

[Oddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self aware, and light fun.

Great fun. A little hard to get into at first but well worth the dive.I really enjoyed the pairings but there were questions left unanswered. I’m interested in reading the sequel.