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Arcane Shot #2
In the Company of Witches
Experience Joey W. Hill’s scintillating blend of modern-day witchcraft, ancient evil, and the magical tricks men and women play in the name of love… All witch and part succubus, savvy businesswoman Raina has converted a Southern plantation house into an extremely profitable old-fashioned bordello. Because of her abilities as a witch, the demons under Raina’s protection can feed off the sexual energy of their clients without killing them—definitely a good thing for repeat business. But when a rogue incubus shows up on Raina’s doorstep begging for asylum, the witch’s well-run business is put in jeopardy. The incubus has stolen an object of great power from Lucifer, and Underworld Dark Guardian Mikhael will do anything to get it back—even if it means incinerating the incubus on Raina’s porch to get the answers he seeks. Not to be trifled with, Raina enters a dangerous match of wits with Mikhael to achieve their mutual goals—only to discover that the reluctant attraction between them is the most hazardous game of all…
Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
28 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Joey W. Hill
117 books3,543 followers"BDSM Romance for the Heart & Soul"
A submissive herself, Hill brings authenticity to her intensely emotional BDSM love stories. With over fifty titles and seven series, her contemporary and paranormal romances feature everything from billionaires, bikers, SEALs, firefighters, cops and housemaids, to vampires, mermaids, witches and angels.
"Joey translates the world of BDSM with such intense power and exquisite beauty. LOVE is the most powerful element entwined through the Dominance and submission.” –Goodreads, Pink Lady
Joey is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotic Romance, and she loves to hear from her readers!
If you're on Bookbub, she'd love for you to follow her:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/joey-...
You can also find her here:
Website: storywitch.com
Facebook: @JoeyWHillAuthor
MeWe: mewe.com/i/joeywhill
Twitter: @JoeyWHill
A submissive herself, Hill brings authenticity to her intensely emotional BDSM love stories. With over fifty titles and seven series, her contemporary and paranormal romances feature everything from billionaires, bikers, SEALs, firefighters, cops and housemaids, to vampires, mermaids, witches and angels.
"Joey translates the world of BDSM with such intense power and exquisite beauty. LOVE is the most powerful element entwined through the Dominance and submission.” –Goodreads, Pink Lady
Joey is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotic Romance, and she loves to hear from her readers!
If you're on Bookbub, she'd love for you to follow her:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/joey-...
You can also find her here:
Website: storywitch.com
Facebook: @JoeyWHillAuthor
MeWe: mewe.com/i/joeywhill
Twitter: @JoeyWHill
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 14, 2012
In the company of witches is book two in Joey Hill’s Arcane Shot series (although it can be read as a stand alone). In book one, we meet Mikhael, the very dark and dominant Dark Guardian who tends to Ruby’s (heroine from book one) sexual needs until the hero comes along and pushes Mikhael out of the picture. From the brief glimpse we get of him, I was so intrigued to see how Joey Hill would turn this cruel man into a romantic hero.
Mikhael Roman is a Dark Guardian of the Underworld. Reporting to Lucifer, he first comes across Raina as he is chasing a succubus who has stolen something from the underworld.
Raina is part succubus, part witch and runs a classy bordello to help those succubus that need to feed off sexual energy. Instead of the succubus running around fatally draining humans, she uses her magic to put in safeguards in her house. These safeguards allow the humans to have the most amazing sexual experience of their life, and her young succubus to feed, and let the humans go unharmed. She has a big heart for succubus in need, which is why when Simon, the succubus running for his life from Mikhael, burst through her woods and up to her porch, she won’t let Mikhael harm him. She wants to give Simon a chance to come clean, and grow some trust, and hopefully he will come around and give Mikhael the information he needs.
Mikhael decides he is not going to leave the house while Simon is there. Partly because he needs to keep an eye on Simon, but he also is pretty sure Simon’s misdeed may bring other darker forces hunting him. With Mikhael at the house, he can provide extra protection spells to keep those evil forces at bay. He also has an eye on Raina, a very seductive, luscious woman. While Raina can protect the demon side of the succubi she protects, she doesn’t have enough power to do that for herself, which means it’s dangerous for her to have sex. But with the very powerful Mikhael, she can let go. Years ago though, she was held captive and tortured, so getting past that barrier,and letting Mikhael show his dominant side and submit to him, is a struggle for Raina.
This book is extremely erotic. There is a lot of sex, and the sex scenes go on for a very long time. I think this has its high points and low points. Joey Hill writes amazing sex scenes. All of the books I have read by her always impress me by the way she mixes emotions with highly charged erotic scenes. However, I do think by midway through this book, I was kind of done with the sex. I needed something else going on in the story. Similar to the first book, we start with a very dramatic, conflict filled scene. It sets up a villain but then we have to wait, and wait, and wait for anything to happen with this storyline. All focus gets shifted to Mikhael and Raina. And again, at first I was cool with that. Mikhael is so dark and wicked and really gives it good to Raina. They actually are both very stubborn and know how to play the game. They both surprise each other with their resistance at first and then with how much they respond to the other. But again, halfway through the book, it just felt like the storyline stalled. I needed something else besides these two battling in their sexual games.
For as dark as Mikhael is, he does have a sense of humor. And Raina is a strong heroine and a good match for him.
“Go to sleep, or I’ll give you a spanking.”
Amusement unfurled among all the other less settling emotions. “That’s suppose to inspire me to sleep?”
His arms tightened. “My mistake. If you go to sleep now, I promise you a spanking later.”
She shut her eyes right away, smiling at his snort against her neck. And gave a yelp as he turned her over and gave her a smack right then and there.
Apparently, sleep was going to wait.
I was also happy that the issue of Mikahel sleeping with Ruby in book one (Raina’s best friend) was addressed. Mikhael and Derek had it out and I’m glad the author chose to show us this scene.
In the Company of Witches didn’t quite do it for me as book one did, but I’m still looking forward to more in this dark, erotic world.
Rating: C+
Mikhael Roman is a Dark Guardian of the Underworld. Reporting to Lucifer, he first comes across Raina as he is chasing a succubus who has stolen something from the underworld.
Raina is part succubus, part witch and runs a classy bordello to help those succubus that need to feed off sexual energy. Instead of the succubus running around fatally draining humans, she uses her magic to put in safeguards in her house. These safeguards allow the humans to have the most amazing sexual experience of their life, and her young succubus to feed, and let the humans go unharmed. She has a big heart for succubus in need, which is why when Simon, the succubus running for his life from Mikhael, burst through her woods and up to her porch, she won’t let Mikhael harm him. She wants to give Simon a chance to come clean, and grow some trust, and hopefully he will come around and give Mikhael the information he needs.
Mikhael decides he is not going to leave the house while Simon is there. Partly because he needs to keep an eye on Simon, but he also is pretty sure Simon’s misdeed may bring other darker forces hunting him. With Mikhael at the house, he can provide extra protection spells to keep those evil forces at bay. He also has an eye on Raina, a very seductive, luscious woman. While Raina can protect the demon side of the succubi she protects, she doesn’t have enough power to do that for herself, which means it’s dangerous for her to have sex. But with the very powerful Mikhael, she can let go. Years ago though, she was held captive and tortured, so getting past that barrier,and letting Mikhael show his dominant side and submit to him, is a struggle for Raina.
This book is extremely erotic. There is a lot of sex, and the sex scenes go on for a very long time. I think this has its high points and low points. Joey Hill writes amazing sex scenes. All of the books I have read by her always impress me by the way she mixes emotions with highly charged erotic scenes. However, I do think by midway through this book, I was kind of done with the sex. I needed something else going on in the story. Similar to the first book, we start with a very dramatic, conflict filled scene. It sets up a villain but then we have to wait, and wait, and wait for anything to happen with this storyline. All focus gets shifted to Mikhael and Raina. And again, at first I was cool with that. Mikhael is so dark and wicked and really gives it good to Raina. They actually are both very stubborn and know how to play the game. They both surprise each other with their resistance at first and then with how much they respond to the other. But again, halfway through the book, it just felt like the storyline stalled. I needed something else besides these two battling in their sexual games.
For as dark as Mikhael is, he does have a sense of humor. And Raina is a strong heroine and a good match for him.
“Go to sleep, or I’ll give you a spanking.”
Amusement unfurled among all the other less settling emotions. “That’s suppose to inspire me to sleep?”
His arms tightened. “My mistake. If you go to sleep now, I promise you a spanking later.”
She shut her eyes right away, smiling at his snort against her neck. And gave a yelp as he turned her over and gave her a smack right then and there.
Apparently, sleep was going to wait.
I was also happy that the issue of Mikahel sleeping with Ruby in book one (Raina’s best friend) was addressed. Mikhael and Derek had it out and I’m glad the author chose to show us this scene.
In the Company of Witches didn’t quite do it for me as book one did, but I’m still looking forward to more in this dark, erotic world.
Rating: C+
December 25, 2018
Fun, but some parts made me twitchy, in a bad way.
This is a fun and playful light read, with almost enough magic and intensity to make me happy. It could have used a little more show not tell in the first part of the book. The beginning was really strong, but then it got really light and fluffy for a while, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Light and fluffy isn't all bad, but I like intensity to go along with Magic and sexiness. I guess I am a fussy romance reader; I prefer a strong and Ongoing story arc that isn't just about the growth or struggle of the romance.
The reason this book didn't get higher marks from me (and I almost took off another star in it a fit of pique) is the ongoing use of gender to explain things that really aren't gender related. A lot of stuff like "female tears" and a "woman's prerogative" to keep secrets. I can handle that stuff in historical fiction, where it makes sense based on cultural believes and social norms of different times and places, but not in paranormal fiction where' it doesn't serve any kind of purpose. It just turns me right off and yanks me out of the story. Yes, it makes me cranky. But, reading this was a fun way to chill out, and there are some fantastic Lee written magical fights. :-)
This is a fun and playful light read, with almost enough magic and intensity to make me happy. It could have used a little more show not tell in the first part of the book. The beginning was really strong, but then it got really light and fluffy for a while, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Light and fluffy isn't all bad, but I like intensity to go along with Magic and sexiness. I guess I am a fussy romance reader; I prefer a strong and Ongoing story arc that isn't just about the growth or struggle of the romance.
The reason this book didn't get higher marks from me (and I almost took off another star in it a fit of pique) is the ongoing use of gender to explain things that really aren't gender related. A lot of stuff like "female tears" and a "woman's prerogative" to keep secrets. I can handle that stuff in historical fiction, where it makes sense based on cultural believes and social norms of different times and places, but not in paranormal fiction where' it doesn't serve any kind of purpose. It just turns me right off and yanks me out of the story. Yes, it makes me cranky. But, reading this was a fun way to chill out, and there are some fantastic Lee written magical fights. :-)
March 11, 2022
I've had this book on my bookshelf for years but never finished it until recently. The plot was intriguing although my reading experience wasn't as exciting as I had expected. The romance wasn't that interesting nor was the plot intriguing to read. But it wasn't at terrible read either. Maybe it was a case of the right book but in the wrong time
April 27, 2014
Will there be more in this series? I hope so. This story is very well written and totally enjoyable. Raina is a kick butt heroine. She is a ferocious caregiver too. She builds her own family and she will do everything to take care of them. Mikhael is a Dark Guardian who's slept with her best friend and intimidating.
In the first book, Mikhael comes across as an asshat. In this book, oh boy is he delicious. Love him. He is my kind of dominant. Lovely and dangerous. The story is more romance than conflict. Still, it moves fast and it is endearing.
Both Mikhael and Raina are lovely characters who are loyal. Raina sees the best in people. Mikhael also sees the best, but in a situation where the ending is not exactly happy as expected. The way Mikhael understands how darkness can help bring in light is beautiful. He possesses a marvelous soul wrapped in a hard and ruthless exterior. Very sexy!
I like Mikhael's view and find the Dark guardians much more interesting than the Light ones. The schooling he had to endure to earn this job is freaky crazy. Impressive. I do have one note. I don't like the movie Titanic. I'm a woman with obviously no estrogen and too much testosterone. Those who know me in real life, they would probably agree. This 3.5 star paranormal romance is recommended for those who like a different view on how darkness is not evil.
In the first book, Mikhael comes across as an asshat. In this book, oh boy is he delicious. Love him. He is my kind of dominant. Lovely and dangerous. The story is more romance than conflict. Still, it moves fast and it is endearing.
Both Mikhael and Raina are lovely characters who are loyal. Raina sees the best in people. Mikhael also sees the best, but in a situation where the ending is not exactly happy as expected. The way Mikhael understands how darkness can help bring in light is beautiful. He possesses a marvelous soul wrapped in a hard and ruthless exterior. Very sexy!
I like Mikhael's view and find the Dark guardians much more interesting than the Light ones. The schooling he had to endure to earn this job is freaky crazy. Impressive. I do have one note. I don't like the movie Titanic. I'm a woman with obviously no estrogen and too much testosterone. Those who know me in real life, they would probably agree. This 3.5 star paranormal romance is recommended for those who like a different view on how darkness is not evil.
February 18, 2013
3 1/2
In the Company of Witches is a romance book with a sprinkling of paranormal. It's the second in a series but it can be read as a stand-alone (I did). In fact, whatever happened in book one is explained and actually concluded in it.
It's engrossing and is a testament of Ms Hill's talent that a book that revolves only on a couple (and their sex scenes...) did not bore me to death. On the contrary, I liked it. I think it may be because there are feelings involved in that scenes, not the mechanical act. Feeling coming from past experiences and new ones.
It was fun seeing this couple dancing to their own tunes. :)
There's close to no world-building, but again as this is only the story of a couple, it doesn't matter much in what world they live. PNR in this case is really nothing much except a label.
Same problem with characters. I loved them, but they are somewhat wasted without a good background story to make them shine.
The plot is an excuse for their meeting and, at the end, the understanding (and sharing) their love. It's a pity, though, it might have been used much more. In my book less sex and more story would have made In the Company of Witches a much higher rated experience.
In the Company of Witches is a romance book with a sprinkling of paranormal. It's the second in a series but it can be read as a stand-alone (I did). In fact, whatever happened in book one is explained and actually concluded in it.
It's engrossing and is a testament of Ms Hill's talent that a book that revolves only on a couple (and their sex scenes...) did not bore me to death. On the contrary, I liked it. I think it may be because there are feelings involved in that scenes, not the mechanical act. Feeling coming from past experiences and new ones.
It was fun seeing this couple dancing to their own tunes. :)
There's close to no world-building, but again as this is only the story of a couple, it doesn't matter much in what world they live. PNR in this case is really nothing much except a label.
Same problem with characters. I loved them, but they are somewhat wasted without a good background story to make them shine.
The plot is an excuse for their meeting and, at the end, the understanding (and sharing) their love. It's a pity, though, it might have been used much more. In my book less sex and more story would have made In the Company of Witches a much higher rated experience.
July 30, 2012
Man, I wish I had the time to write reviews these days, because this was one awesome book. I'd be hard pressed to pick anything about it that I didn't like.
If you like PNR or UF, I encourage you to give it a go. A word of warning, though, if you decide to read the first book ahead of this one (which is worth doing as it sets up the world and the characters in this one), just remember that it wasn't quite as good as this one. I liked the first one, but I loved this one.
4.5 stars
If you like PNR or UF, I encourage you to give it a go. A word of warning, though, if you decide to read the first book ahead of this one (which is worth doing as it sets up the world and the characters in this one), just remember that it wasn't quite as good as this one. I liked the first one, but I loved this one.
4.5 stars
May 28, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Mind-blowingly good sex but a lot of it bogs down the plot. When the plot moves along it is a good story.
Opening Sentence: Something was coming.
The Review:
Raina is half-witch/half-succubus and as such she runs a brothel that is a safe haven for some incubi and succubi. She has created wards around her home that helps protect them from killing the humans they feed off of. She has a familiar, Cathair, a raven. He sometimes delivers some funny moments in this serious story. At the beginning of In the Company of Witches, Raina feels an incubus running towards her home. She has many protections in place to ward off and detect strangers on her property. The incubus, Isaac, is being chased by a Dark Guardian, Mikhael. Isaac has stolen something from Hell and Lucifer wants it back.
Raina offers Isaac protection from Mikhael as long as he divulges the information on what he took, where it is at and who he stole it for. Unfortunately Isaac is more scared of the enemy then Mikhael so he doesn’t talk. Raina offers up temporary sanctuary hoping Isaac will change his tune and stay on as one of Raina’s wards. Mikhael believes that whoever is after Isaac will show up at the brothel so he refuses to leave. He offers up more wards for protection of Sweet Dreams, Raina’s bordello, in order to keep his eye on Isaac.
Mikael has been a Dark Guardian for many years. He is also a half breed like Raina, but instead he is half angel. There is something about Raina that he wants. He believes that they are more alike than Raina would like to believe. He knows that there is something deep down inside Raina that needs healing and he uses their best assets (meaning sexual intercourse) to help Raina through her problems.
There is a lot of sex (as if that is possible) at the beginning of this book. They are like a couple on their honeymoon at first, just exploring each other’s bodies and what they can handle, sometimes pushing the eroticism envelope. Of course, there is a purpose here. Raina has some issues from her past that need to be overcome and do weight heavily on the final conflict. The sex really weighs the plotline down at first, but about halfway through the book the plot picks up and moves along.
The scenes where Mikhael and Raina hang out in town are probably my favorite part of this book besides the final battle. You get to know a lot more about their characters, even a little bit about what makes them tick. Mikhael is not truly evil. He is dark but helps the light side. Raina is light but realizes that she may just have a bit of darkness inside of her. (I really wish I had someone like Mikhael at a movie theater frying people’s phone batteries or at least just blocking them from working.) The story is told just from their points of view.
Mikhael is not like he was in Something About Witches. He is not the crass masochist he comes off as in the first book, something I was a little wary of coming into this story. He reads people and can give them what they need in certain situations and that is not what Raina needs. He still likes to play at master but not to the extent of SAW.
I still really enjoyed the world that Joey W. Hill has created with these supernatural creatures, learning about the Dark Guardians and Succubi more in depth. Places in the Underworld are explored, adding more layers to this supernatural world, even though the bulk of the story is told from Raina’s house and brothel Sweet Dreams.
Overall, after the slow start to In the Company of Witches, I really enjoyed the story. I was enraptured by Mikhael and Raina’s relationship. If I complained too much about the sex scenes, I am sorry because it actually suited this couple’s story and background. It would be something they would do and have no qualms about it.
Notable Scene:
“I offer very few, Jorge. The invitation is always there for you.”
“Perhaps not. I have heat burns between my shoulder blades. The man turned then, giving Mikhael a direct look. “This one is asserting a claim on your affections.”
So he’d known he was there the whole time, and hadn’t missed a step. He’d probably added a few of those more blatantly sexual moves to prove the point. Pretty ballsy old bastard.
“He only has my attention for the moment,” Raina said. “You have my heart forever.”
Jorge kissed her hand and held it to his chest. “If my Juliana hadn’t taken mine with her, I might have offered it to you. But any man would.”
“No. Men offer women their souls, but rarely their hearts.” Raina touched his face. “Thank you, as always, for teaching me to love your dancing.”
“Thank you.” Jorge kissed her hand again, then turned to Mikhael. “I relinquish her to you, but only because your jealousy has propped up an old man’s ego.”
The Arcane Shot Series:
1. Something About Witches
2. In the Company of Witches
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Berkley provided me with a copy of In the Company of Witches. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Mind-blowingly good sex but a lot of it bogs down the plot. When the plot moves along it is a good story.
Opening Sentence: Something was coming.
The Review:
Raina is half-witch/half-succubus and as such she runs a brothel that is a safe haven for some incubi and succubi. She has created wards around her home that helps protect them from killing the humans they feed off of. She has a familiar, Cathair, a raven. He sometimes delivers some funny moments in this serious story. At the beginning of In the Company of Witches, Raina feels an incubus running towards her home. She has many protections in place to ward off and detect strangers on her property. The incubus, Isaac, is being chased by a Dark Guardian, Mikhael. Isaac has stolen something from Hell and Lucifer wants it back.
Raina offers Isaac protection from Mikhael as long as he divulges the information on what he took, where it is at and who he stole it for. Unfortunately Isaac is more scared of the enemy then Mikhael so he doesn’t talk. Raina offers up temporary sanctuary hoping Isaac will change his tune and stay on as one of Raina’s wards. Mikhael believes that whoever is after Isaac will show up at the brothel so he refuses to leave. He offers up more wards for protection of Sweet Dreams, Raina’s bordello, in order to keep his eye on Isaac.
Mikael has been a Dark Guardian for many years. He is also a half breed like Raina, but instead he is half angel. There is something about Raina that he wants. He believes that they are more alike than Raina would like to believe. He knows that there is something deep down inside Raina that needs healing and he uses their best assets (meaning sexual intercourse) to help Raina through her problems.
There is a lot of sex (as if that is possible) at the beginning of this book. They are like a couple on their honeymoon at first, just exploring each other’s bodies and what they can handle, sometimes pushing the eroticism envelope. Of course, there is a purpose here. Raina has some issues from her past that need to be overcome and do weight heavily on the final conflict. The sex really weighs the plotline down at first, but about halfway through the book the plot picks up and moves along.
The scenes where Mikhael and Raina hang out in town are probably my favorite part of this book besides the final battle. You get to know a lot more about their characters, even a little bit about what makes them tick. Mikhael is not truly evil. He is dark but helps the light side. Raina is light but realizes that she may just have a bit of darkness inside of her. (I really wish I had someone like Mikhael at a movie theater frying people’s phone batteries or at least just blocking them from working.) The story is told just from their points of view.
Mikhael is not like he was in Something About Witches. He is not the crass masochist he comes off as in the first book, something I was a little wary of coming into this story. He reads people and can give them what they need in certain situations and that is not what Raina needs. He still likes to play at master but not to the extent of SAW.
I still really enjoyed the world that Joey W. Hill has created with these supernatural creatures, learning about the Dark Guardians and Succubi more in depth. Places in the Underworld are explored, adding more layers to this supernatural world, even though the bulk of the story is told from Raina’s house and brothel Sweet Dreams.
Overall, after the slow start to In the Company of Witches, I really enjoyed the story. I was enraptured by Mikhael and Raina’s relationship. If I complained too much about the sex scenes, I am sorry because it actually suited this couple’s story and background. It would be something they would do and have no qualms about it.
Notable Scene:
“I offer very few, Jorge. The invitation is always there for you.”
“Perhaps not. I have heat burns between my shoulder blades. The man turned then, giving Mikhael a direct look. “This one is asserting a claim on your affections.”
So he’d known he was there the whole time, and hadn’t missed a step. He’d probably added a few of those more blatantly sexual moves to prove the point. Pretty ballsy old bastard.
“He only has my attention for the moment,” Raina said. “You have my heart forever.”
Jorge kissed her hand and held it to his chest. “If my Juliana hadn’t taken mine with her, I might have offered it to you. But any man would.”
“No. Men offer women their souls, but rarely their hearts.” Raina touched his face. “Thank you, as always, for teaching me to love your dancing.”
“Thank you.” Jorge kissed her hand again, then turned to Mikhael. “I relinquish her to you, but only because your jealousy has propped up an old man’s ego.”
The Arcane Shot Series:
1. Something About Witches
2. In the Company of Witches
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Berkley provided me with a copy of In the Company of Witches. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 21, 2023
Half Succubus and therefore better in control of her sexual urges and compulsions, the heroine has created a safe haven for all sex demons- a place for them to feel comfortable and understood while at the same time mastering their feeding. She may be a hard bitch and her past experiences as a slave and a whore making her distrustful and a bit of an ice maiden to anyone but her incubi and succubus family but deep down she is vulnerable. Emotionally she in vulnerable but physically and mentally she is rock solid. So, when she senses a threat heading her way, she steps out into the night to see it dealt with. An incubus, half out of his mind with fear, runs at break neck speed through the thick landscape towards her protection. At his heels, a Dark Guardian. A man who polices the balance of the world yet does it for darkness. Either way, she hates all Guardians and there's no way that this beautiful enemy will touch a sex demon on her property. As is her habit, she allows her pride to dictate her actions. She willing risks the lives of those under her protection as well as the destruction of the safe haven she's built just to save one sex demon who has stupidly stolen from the lord of the underworld.
As the hero points out she's a fool to rick everything for one boy who will likely betray her soon enough anyway but the heroine is stubborn and unwilling to relinquish control. Little does she know that the dark guardian standing before her will be the one man who will be capable of possessing her completely. As he bargains with the half witch/ half sex demon for the man he hunts, he becomes a guest in her home. Despite killing countless of her kind, he's never taken pleasure in what he does for a living. Instead he sees it as a necessity and in fact that's true because even though he may not be a light guardian his role in the balance is key and needed.
From the moment he meets the sexy and vulnerable heroine, he wants her. And he's capable of winning her. Sexually at first but that's all he's looking for. With him she can finally release her inner demon without fear of harming him and in doing so the very first night they sleep together, it creates a bond between them one that she can't seem to shake. They grow close because despite being enemies in her eyes at first, the reality is they are very much alike. They have similar humor and both carry a huge amount of responsibility on their shoulders. And they find comfort in each other’s arms. The hero starts catching feels first, which is surprising on one hand and not so much on the other. Despite his one aloof antisocial badass personality he is actually a good man, a kind man. He's able to draw the heroine out of her shell and she confides in him things she's never told anyone else. This is because he is dominate without stripping her of her own power. This takes a special man to do this.
The heroine is frightened by her feelings for the hero but that doesn't stop from falling fast and hard for the dark guardian. But they are waiting for the fall, waiting for the demon to find them and take back the incubi and the artifact he's stolen-the future of safe haven hangs in the balance.
Okay, maybe I was guilty of expecting too much out of this book but I was horribly disappointed with it! I was thinking this was going to be another home run. I loved the first book and I couldn't wait to order this book from Amazon in anticipating a similar magic. But that just didn't happen. Now it wasn't horrible. It was decent enough but the letdown has made me mark it lower in rating. It was just waiting in the house...then sex...then talking...more waiting...Carnival? And more sex. I found myself waiting, waiting for something interesting to happen and then I realized, woah, nothing was going t happen. The dialogue was good, the characters were good, no complaints with the chemistry but still it was severely lacking in excitement. I fell asleep a few times during it and found myself skimming some pages just to keep from falling asleep again. What a frustrating end to a book I was so looking forward to.... shame.
As the hero points out she's a fool to rick everything for one boy who will likely betray her soon enough anyway but the heroine is stubborn and unwilling to relinquish control. Little does she know that the dark guardian standing before her will be the one man who will be capable of possessing her completely. As he bargains with the half witch/ half sex demon for the man he hunts, he becomes a guest in her home. Despite killing countless of her kind, he's never taken pleasure in what he does for a living. Instead he sees it as a necessity and in fact that's true because even though he may not be a light guardian his role in the balance is key and needed.
From the moment he meets the sexy and vulnerable heroine, he wants her. And he's capable of winning her. Sexually at first but that's all he's looking for. With him she can finally release her inner demon without fear of harming him and in doing so the very first night they sleep together, it creates a bond between them one that she can't seem to shake. They grow close because despite being enemies in her eyes at first, the reality is they are very much alike. They have similar humor and both carry a huge amount of responsibility on their shoulders. And they find comfort in each other’s arms. The hero starts catching feels first, which is surprising on one hand and not so much on the other. Despite his one aloof antisocial badass personality he is actually a good man, a kind man. He's able to draw the heroine out of her shell and she confides in him things she's never told anyone else. This is because he is dominate without stripping her of her own power. This takes a special man to do this.
The heroine is frightened by her feelings for the hero but that doesn't stop from falling fast and hard for the dark guardian. But they are waiting for the fall, waiting for the demon to find them and take back the incubi and the artifact he's stolen-the future of safe haven hangs in the balance.
Okay, maybe I was guilty of expecting too much out of this book but I was horribly disappointed with it! I was thinking this was going to be another home run. I loved the first book and I couldn't wait to order this book from Amazon in anticipating a similar magic. But that just didn't happen. Now it wasn't horrible. It was decent enough but the letdown has made me mark it lower in rating. It was just waiting in the house...then sex...then talking...more waiting...Carnival? And more sex. I found myself waiting, waiting for something interesting to happen and then I realized, woah, nothing was going t happen. The dialogue was good, the characters were good, no complaints with the chemistry but still it was severely lacking in excitement. I fell asleep a few times during it and found myself skimming some pages just to keep from falling asleep again. What a frustrating end to a book I was so looking forward to.... shame.
March 4, 2017
This book is totally great, i kid you not!
First of all, the heroine kicked major asses. She was part succubi (in this world; a low caste demon) and part witch. She protected her fellow succubi like a mama lion and I adored her for that. Sure, she's the madam of the house, the owner of some sort of paranormal brothel but she's also a kind person although she didn't let it show. Raina is surely going to be in my top 10 heroine this year.
The hero was a complex character. He walked a fine line between villain and hero. At first, I thought that he was a cold person and was like... you gotta be kidding me. But then, through out the story, I understood why he did things a certain way. Besides, someone gotta do the dirty job for the sake of the world and Mikhael was that guy.
So, i totally recommend this story, for people who has gone bored reading cliche-put-different-names-in- the template hero and heroine.
p/s: why the fuck this series only got two books?? I want MORE!!!
First of all, the heroine kicked major asses. She was part succubi (in this world; a low caste demon) and part witch. She protected her fellow succubi like a mama lion and I adored her for that. Sure, she's the madam of the house, the owner of some sort of paranormal brothel but she's also a kind person although she didn't let it show. Raina is surely going to be in my top 10 heroine this year.
The hero was a complex character. He walked a fine line between villain and hero. At first, I thought that he was a cold person and was like... you gotta be kidding me. But then, through out the story, I understood why he did things a certain way. Besides, someone gotta do the dirty job for the sake of the world and Mikhael was that guy.
So, i totally recommend this story, for people who has gone bored reading cliche-put-different-names-in- the template hero and heroine.
p/s: why the fuck this series only got two books?? I want MORE!!!
December 28, 2015
Started well:
1) Loved the concept of a bordello run by and staffed by Incubus and succubus and a witch with a sentient house.
2) Initially the tension of attraction between our lead succubus and the 'dark guardian' was good and the sex initially was hot, so up to page 53 I was a fan.
Then it went bad. I can overcome the fact that a 'Dark Guardian' thinks the highest form of food is McDonalds and is cognizant of the meaning of 'chick flick'.
I CANNOT overcome that pages 50ish to 90ish did nothing but swap between the point of view of the guy looking at the girl and the girl looking at they guy. Their internal petty little fears and insecurities completely obliterated the story and the banality obliviated any eroticism. I might have stuck with it but it was getting a bit too heavy on the "Obey me" 'I am your master' stuff. Might suit someone who has fantasy's of being completely dominated but I just found it distasteful.
1) Loved the concept of a bordello run by and staffed by Incubus and succubus and a witch with a sentient house.
2) Initially the tension of attraction between our lead succubus and the 'dark guardian' was good and the sex initially was hot, so up to page 53 I was a fan.
Then it went bad. I can overcome the fact that a 'Dark Guardian' thinks the highest form of food is McDonalds and is cognizant of the meaning of 'chick flick'.
I CANNOT overcome that pages 50ish to 90ish did nothing but swap between the point of view of the guy looking at the girl and the girl looking at they guy. Their internal petty little fears and insecurities completely obliterated the story and the banality obliviated any eroticism. I might have stuck with it but it was getting a bit too heavy on the "Obey me" 'I am your master' stuff. Might suit someone who has fantasy's of being completely dominated but I just found it distasteful.
March 4, 2013
Generally enjoyed the romance, except for the end . Plus there were some logical inconsistencies with the world building that I found unsatisfying: Like having (internalized) misogyny treated as a genetic imperative when much of the storyline is built around people overcoming learned behavior. There was a disconnect there that bothered me. Still, I'm intrigued enough by the author's writing that I'll look for more by her.
May 11, 2012
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
I love a bad boy, add to that a bad boy who’s a Dark Guardian, one who has his sights set on a witch, who’s also a succubus and the sparks fly like crazy. Raina is the female alpha and madam of her bordello. She’s able to use her magic and power to keep the other succubi and incubi in her business from killing the customers and in turn provides them a safe place to live. Raina is surrounded by people, the family that she’s made, but she comes across as lonely. She was stolen and abused as a young girl and even though her nature has her responding to a Dominants touch, she will never, ever put herself in a position of vulnerability. She’s so strong all the time, but all it takes is an encounter with Mikhael to throw her whole world into a tailspin.
We met Mikhael in Something About Witches, and he, uh, made an impression, to say the least. He gave pain, mixed with pleasure to Ruby, the heroine, before she met her match with her mate, Derek. Mikhael had a dangerous edge to him then and even though we find out later that he took no pleasure in giving Ruby what she needed, he did it for that exact reason, she needed it. When an incubus, Isaac, stumbles into Raina’s home with Mikhael on his heels, Mikhael makes himself at home, as long as Isaac is there. He stole an object that Mikhael needs to get back, but in order to do that, they need to figure out who’s threatening and using Isaac. So Mikhael stays at the bordello, to keep an eye on Isaac and a closer eye on Raina.
It doesn’t take long for these two to fall into bed, they have instant chemistry and can give each other something that no one else has been able to. Especially in the case of Mikhael to Raina, he’s able to match her power and she’s able to let go for the first time during sex and trusts Mikhael to harness all the power she releases. Mikhael recognizes in Raina a woman who responds to being with a Dominant, but she doesn’t trust anyone to let herself be put in that position. Of course Mikhael accepts that challenge and sets out to show Raina just how much pleasure he can give her and she slowly starts to trust him.
One difference in Mikhael’s character from when we first met him to this book, is his overall darkness, and not in the sense of his job. He really went there when he was with Ruby in the first book, but I think seeing him fall in love, which for an angel is a once in a lifetime thing, softened his edges a bit. I loved it. I loved how he gave Raina exactly what she needed. Whether it was putting her completely out of her comfort zone during a night of intense sex, or just holding her, letting her sleep and helping to keep her nightmares away. He also came to realize what the members in her home meant to her. Yes, they “work” for her, getting their energies through sex in a safe place that she’s created for them, but emotionally, they’re young and have moments of immaturity. Watching Mikhael around them, helping them through a couple of crazy moments, it just made me like him all the more seeing him do little things for Raina, to help her.
He thrust deeper, earning a cry. “When I demand you beg, Raina, I demand it for your pleasure and my own. Not to harm you. Never to harm you.”
“I know. I know.” God, her throat was aching, a place so raw and jagged inside.
“Let the tears go. Let it all go.”
Something like a sob tore from her throat. “I can’t cry. Tearless…witch.”
I wanted to include the quote above because it goes deep into who Raina is. She’s such a strong female, someone powerful, who has a big heart, helps others and she’s created a family around her, but at the same time she’ll kill anyone who threatens her own. She’s someone who obsesses over the movie Titanic and finds simple joy in having an ice cream sundae with crushed nuts on top. On the flip side, with Mikhael, she lets herself become vulnerable and one of my most favorite scenes in the series refers to her mention of being a tearless witch. Through all her past pain and tragedy, she’s never been able to cry. She can go through the motions, but to be able to physically get it out through tears, she just can’t. Mikhael gives her the greatest gift ever and it’s a scene that had me tearing up with how emotional it was for her. It was so well done and a perfect moment for both Mikhael and Raina.
Derek and Ruby make a few appearances and I really enjoyed the back and forth between Derek and Mikhael. They have a hate-sort of like-hate relationship as only two alpha males can, but when it counts they each have the other man’s back. It doesn’t hurt that they banter back and forth constantly and they ended up having some of the best lines of book between them. Even in the middle of battling demons in hell on their way to find Raina, Derek and Mikhael still bring the sarcasm:
…Derek touched Mikhael’s shoulder.
Mikhael shrugged him off, I can feel her. Raina. She’s close. They’re all close.
Derek risked a whisper. “Is she worth it?”
Mikhael, his mind in a blood haze from the latest kill and focused on the next, most important one, stumbled over the unlikely question, the strange familiarity of it. He turned his gaze to Derek.
The Light Guardian had a grim curl to the corner of his mouth, something expectant in his eyes. When Mikhael figured it out, he stared at him. Derek couldn’t be yanking his chain at a time like this. He’d lost his fucking mind.
“You’re quoting Prince of Thieves to me?” he said, disbelieving. “Kevin Costner?”
Derek also provides much needed back up when Mikhael needs to face down a deadly demon who is torturing Raina, making her relive her worst moment, mirroring what she went through as a young girl trapped with no way out.
This was a great addition to the Arcane Shot series. Similar to how the first book ended, we’re again left with a couple, one being a human, the other a Guardian who will live forever. There’s no easy fix, no magical cure at the end where Raina will suddenly live forever, but what Joey W. Hill does so well is give us this couple who will find a way to be together in this lifetime and the next, and so on. Even though I’m a big lover of clear cut happy endings, I’m left feeling like these two people will love each other completely in this life, and then Raina will find Mikhael again in the next and they’ll do it all over again.
I love a bad boy, add to that a bad boy who’s a Dark Guardian, one who has his sights set on a witch, who’s also a succubus and the sparks fly like crazy. Raina is the female alpha and madam of her bordello. She’s able to use her magic and power to keep the other succubi and incubi in her business from killing the customers and in turn provides them a safe place to live. Raina is surrounded by people, the family that she’s made, but she comes across as lonely. She was stolen and abused as a young girl and even though her nature has her responding to a Dominants touch, she will never, ever put herself in a position of vulnerability. She’s so strong all the time, but all it takes is an encounter with Mikhael to throw her whole world into a tailspin.
We met Mikhael in Something About Witches, and he, uh, made an impression, to say the least. He gave pain, mixed with pleasure to Ruby, the heroine, before she met her match with her mate, Derek. Mikhael had a dangerous edge to him then and even though we find out later that he took no pleasure in giving Ruby what she needed, he did it for that exact reason, she needed it. When an incubus, Isaac, stumbles into Raina’s home with Mikhael on his heels, Mikhael makes himself at home, as long as Isaac is there. He stole an object that Mikhael needs to get back, but in order to do that, they need to figure out who’s threatening and using Isaac. So Mikhael stays at the bordello, to keep an eye on Isaac and a closer eye on Raina.
It doesn’t take long for these two to fall into bed, they have instant chemistry and can give each other something that no one else has been able to. Especially in the case of Mikhael to Raina, he’s able to match her power and she’s able to let go for the first time during sex and trusts Mikhael to harness all the power she releases. Mikhael recognizes in Raina a woman who responds to being with a Dominant, but she doesn’t trust anyone to let herself be put in that position. Of course Mikhael accepts that challenge and sets out to show Raina just how much pleasure he can give her and she slowly starts to trust him.
One difference in Mikhael’s character from when we first met him to this book, is his overall darkness, and not in the sense of his job. He really went there when he was with Ruby in the first book, but I think seeing him fall in love, which for an angel is a once in a lifetime thing, softened his edges a bit. I loved it. I loved how he gave Raina exactly what she needed. Whether it was putting her completely out of her comfort zone during a night of intense sex, or just holding her, letting her sleep and helping to keep her nightmares away. He also came to realize what the members in her home meant to her. Yes, they “work” for her, getting their energies through sex in a safe place that she’s created for them, but emotionally, they’re young and have moments of immaturity. Watching Mikhael around them, helping them through a couple of crazy moments, it just made me like him all the more seeing him do little things for Raina, to help her.
He thrust deeper, earning a cry. “When I demand you beg, Raina, I demand it for your pleasure and my own. Not to harm you. Never to harm you.”
“I know. I know.” God, her throat was aching, a place so raw and jagged inside.
“Let the tears go. Let it all go.”
Something like a sob tore from her throat. “I can’t cry. Tearless…witch.”
I wanted to include the quote above because it goes deep into who Raina is. She’s such a strong female, someone powerful, who has a big heart, helps others and she’s created a family around her, but at the same time she’ll kill anyone who threatens her own. She’s someone who obsesses over the movie Titanic and finds simple joy in having an ice cream sundae with crushed nuts on top. On the flip side, with Mikhael, she lets herself become vulnerable and one of my most favorite scenes in the series refers to her mention of being a tearless witch. Through all her past pain and tragedy, she’s never been able to cry. She can go through the motions, but to be able to physically get it out through tears, she just can’t. Mikhael gives her the greatest gift ever and it’s a scene that had me tearing up with how emotional it was for her. It was so well done and a perfect moment for both Mikhael and Raina.
Derek and Ruby make a few appearances and I really enjoyed the back and forth between Derek and Mikhael. They have a hate-sort of like-hate relationship as only two alpha males can, but when it counts they each have the other man’s back. It doesn’t hurt that they banter back and forth constantly and they ended up having some of the best lines of book between them. Even in the middle of battling demons in hell on their way to find Raina, Derek and Mikhael still bring the sarcasm:
…Derek touched Mikhael’s shoulder.
Mikhael shrugged him off, I can feel her. Raina. She’s close. They’re all close.
Derek risked a whisper. “Is she worth it?”
Mikhael, his mind in a blood haze from the latest kill and focused on the next, most important one, stumbled over the unlikely question, the strange familiarity of it. He turned his gaze to Derek.
The Light Guardian had a grim curl to the corner of his mouth, something expectant in his eyes. When Mikhael figured it out, he stared at him. Derek couldn’t be yanking his chain at a time like this. He’d lost his fucking mind.
“You’re quoting Prince of Thieves to me?” he said, disbelieving. “Kevin Costner?”
Derek also provides much needed back up when Mikhael needs to face down a deadly demon who is torturing Raina, making her relive her worst moment, mirroring what she went through as a young girl trapped with no way out.
This was a great addition to the Arcane Shot series. Similar to how the first book ended, we’re again left with a couple, one being a human, the other a Guardian who will live forever. There’s no easy fix, no magical cure at the end where Raina will suddenly live forever, but what Joey W. Hill does so well is give us this couple who will find a way to be together in this lifetime and the next, and so on. Even though I’m a big lover of clear cut happy endings, I’m left feeling like these two people will love each other completely in this life, and then Raina will find Mikhael again in the next and they’ll do it all over again.
September 9, 2021
THIS IS WRONG REVIEW FOR AURALEE WALLACE'S BOOK, "IN THE COMPANY OF WITCHES". INSTEAD IT IS A REVIEW OF AUTHOR JOEY HILL'S BOOK OF SAME TITLE. SO SORRY.
MY REVIEW FOR THE CORRECT BOOK WILL FOLLOW ONCE I'VE READ IT. AND I WILL TAKE THIS DOWN SHORTLY!
people this is the wrong book and review and it is by Joey Hill with a book title of the same name, "In The Company of Witches"
Review for the book by Auralee Wallace is still to come. I was wondering why I was so surprised because I'm not a fan of this type of book!
Oh dear lord the sex! Lots of sex here folks. After you read through all of that fun stuff, there is a plot underneath. I really did enjoy learning about Succubus (succubi) and incubus (incubi) in this "faery tale" about Raina half witch /half succubus with a brothel, that she gives safe haven to those such as herself. She has various spells to wardOh I am so sorry off strangers on her property so when she feels an incubus, Isaac, running towards her home, she is alerted. Isaac is being chased by Mikhael, A Dark Guardian, because Isaac stole something from Hell, and the Devil wants it back.
Raina gives Isaac safe haven because she wants to know what he's stolen. Mikhael is like Rains a half breed but he's half angel. Then there is a ton of sex between Rains and Michael, who both turn out to be good with some dark in them. And on and on and on.
I'm giving this book 3 stars for just the sheer amount of sex and just because its not my type of book. Oh Raina has a raven that is quite funny. For that ill give it a 3.4
MY REVIEW FOR THE CORRECT BOOK WILL FOLLOW ONCE I'VE READ IT. AND I WILL TAKE THIS DOWN SHORTLY!
people this is the wrong book and review and it is by Joey Hill with a book title of the same name, "In The Company of Witches"
Review for the book by Auralee Wallace is still to come. I was wondering why I was so surprised because I'm not a fan of this type of book!
Oh dear lord the sex! Lots of sex here folks. After you read through all of that fun stuff, there is a plot underneath. I really did enjoy learning about Succubus (succubi) and incubus (incubi) in this "faery tale" about Raina half witch /half succubus with a brothel, that she gives safe haven to those such as herself. She has various spells to wardOh I am so sorry off strangers on her property so when she feels an incubus, Isaac, running towards her home, she is alerted. Isaac is being chased by Mikhael, A Dark Guardian, because Isaac stole something from Hell, and the Devil wants it back.
Raina gives Isaac safe haven because she wants to know what he's stolen. Mikhael is like Rains a half breed but he's half angel. Then there is a ton of sex between Rains and Michael, who both turn out to be good with some dark in them. And on and on and on.
I'm giving this book 3 stars for just the sheer amount of sex and just because its not my type of book. Oh Raina has a raven that is quite funny. For that ill give it a 3.4
May 28, 2012
Okay, I think this author would normally be waaaaaaaay outside of my comfort zone, but this particular series seems pretty mild-- more urban fantasy with a light overlay of BDSM romantica. I picked it up because I was blogging about the Fifty Shades craze and offering a suggested reading list of romantica/erotica authors, and I don't like doing that without reading at least a little of the subgenre I'm talking about. In Hill's case, she'd been recommended to me as a really good author who was known for writing excellent bondage romance with strong characterization, and that definitely showed in this book.
I'd say the bondage and dom/sub stuff still isn't something I'd specifically pick up a book for, but she parlayed it into a beautiful, emotionally complex relationship between Dark Guardian Mikhael and Raina, a powerful witch (as in Wicca-- adherent of the Lady, though the religious references are respectful and not in-your-face) and half-succubus who had been enslaved and abused as a young woman. Raina is a powerful, kick-butt, no-excuses sort of woman. She runs a house that, on the surface, is a bordello, but is actually a kind of a shelter for young, abused sex demons-- incubi and succubi.
Most of the rest of the world considers their kind little better than vermin, something to hunt down and exterminate, or to use for their own purposes and toss away. Their sustenance is life energy, and they feed off victims they've brought to (and ensnared in) a state of arousal. Usually, they'll drain their victims dry, killing them, which makes them good assassin material for stronger demons able to control them. Raina's own past experience in such a situation motivated her to create her haven, using her magic to allow her charges to feed without killing their customers left and right.
It's a young, wild incubus thief who's come to Raina's for sanctuary that brings Dark Guardian Mikhael to her door. (The Dark Guardians are chief enforcers for the Underworld, Lucifer's right-hand guys, and NOT beings most people want to mess with.) Said thief has stolen a MacGuffin from Lucifer for some (unknown) she-demon; Lucifer wants it BACK. They clash, and Mikhael backs down long enough to agree to a compromise, to try Raina's gentler methods of getting the information he needs from their scared-out-of-his-gourd thief.
But it's Raina herself that intrigues dominant Mikhael from the get-go. She's half-demon and a master of seduction, yet she's one of the most forthright and open-hearted people he's ever met. She's in charge of a very successful house and takes responsibility for all within it, but she also rigidly controls herself and her own emotions. The freedom she offers her staff is one she can never risk indulging in herself-- she must constantly rein in the succubus side of her nature... except, he realizes, with someone like himself, who's strong enough to control her power without letting it harm him or any others around her.
Mikhael is further intrigued because he senses a talented natural submissive in her, but this, too, is something she doesn't permit herself to indulge in, because of the nightmare memories of her past. He's driven to unlock her secrets, to learn her more intimately than anyone has ever known her, and to give her the joy of a true dom-sub relationship, where she gives him her trust, gives herself completely of her own will, and receives reverent care, pleasure, and complete trust and safety in return. The relationship isn't supposed to be abusive; it's not meant as subjugation, or humiliation-- the submissive is never "broken," and the dom is, in a way, also bound by an understood code of conduct and by his responsibility for his submissive. Mikhael talks about it as a kind of partnership, a balance and a dance and a bond between them. Above all, Raina should never, EVER feel afraid or hurt (which is not to say she won't feel pain-- there's a mild masochism aspect to it to, it seems). Honestly, I've generally thought of the whole D/s thing as a demeaning power play (and honestly, it probably still is, for some people). But for the first time here, I think I understand how a relationship like that can be a beautiful, loving thing as well, and Mikhael proved to be the ideal partner for Raina.
On Raina's side, she was expecting Mikhael to be little better than thug, a cruel and callous force of destruction. She knew of him from his relationship with her friend Ruby (the heroine of the previous book in this series)-- a relationship that nearly destroyed her. To put it mildly, Raina is NOT predisposed to like him.... even if the man does look like sex on a stick. What she gradually learns, though, is that although Mikhael is unbelievably powerful, stern, and unrelenting, he's also honest, just, and not without compassion. He is the dominant to end all dominants and jealously possessive, but he would never force her into anything she doesn't want or can't handle, and he's a fierce and surprisingly tender protector. (Oh, and did we mention, stamina to outlast a sex demon? Yeah. Whew.)
The book had a wonderful balance between the underlying plot, the growing relationship between Raina and Mikhael, and the interactions with the supporting cast. It was surprisingly not as outre as I expected it to be. The bondage bits were happily milder than I'd expected-- there are chains (magical and metal) and a few references to trying a lot of "toys" (and some really comical references to the younger demons experimenting with a gift box full of stuff), but no really uncomfortable specifics. It also wasn't as steamy as I expected, though that could also be because this isn't my particular brand of kink. Regardless, I think Mikhael would curl any girl's toes (and, like Raina, I would DEFINITELY dig the wings), and he and Raina are both amazing, complex characters. I really enjoyed the story AND the romance, and I think I'd recommend it to anyone sufficiently open-minded. (If respectful BDSM IS your thing, I think you would ADORE this book.)
Three and a half stars.
I'd say the bondage and dom/sub stuff still isn't something I'd specifically pick up a book for, but she parlayed it into a beautiful, emotionally complex relationship between Dark Guardian Mikhael and Raina, a powerful witch (as in Wicca-- adherent of the Lady, though the religious references are respectful and not in-your-face) and half-succubus who had been enslaved and abused as a young woman. Raina is a powerful, kick-butt, no-excuses sort of woman. She runs a house that, on the surface, is a bordello, but is actually a kind of a shelter for young, abused sex demons-- incubi and succubi.
Most of the rest of the world considers their kind little better than vermin, something to hunt down and exterminate, or to use for their own purposes and toss away. Their sustenance is life energy, and they feed off victims they've brought to (and ensnared in) a state of arousal. Usually, they'll drain their victims dry, killing them, which makes them good assassin material for stronger demons able to control them. Raina's own past experience in such a situation motivated her to create her haven, using her magic to allow her charges to feed without killing their customers left and right.
It's a young, wild incubus thief who's come to Raina's for sanctuary that brings Dark Guardian Mikhael to her door. (The Dark Guardians are chief enforcers for the Underworld, Lucifer's right-hand guys, and NOT beings most people want to mess with.) Said thief has stolen a MacGuffin from Lucifer for some (unknown) she-demon; Lucifer wants it BACK. They clash, and Mikhael backs down long enough to agree to a compromise, to try Raina's gentler methods of getting the information he needs from their scared-out-of-his-gourd thief.
But it's Raina herself that intrigues dominant Mikhael from the get-go. She's half-demon and a master of seduction, yet she's one of the most forthright and open-hearted people he's ever met. She's in charge of a very successful house and takes responsibility for all within it, but she also rigidly controls herself and her own emotions. The freedom she offers her staff is one she can never risk indulging in herself-- she must constantly rein in the succubus side of her nature... except, he realizes, with someone like himself, who's strong enough to control her power without letting it harm him or any others around her.
Mikhael is further intrigued because he senses a talented natural submissive in her, but this, too, is something she doesn't permit herself to indulge in, because of the nightmare memories of her past. He's driven to unlock her secrets, to learn her more intimately than anyone has ever known her, and to give her the joy of a true dom-sub relationship, where she gives him her trust, gives herself completely of her own will, and receives reverent care, pleasure, and complete trust and safety in return. The relationship isn't supposed to be abusive; it's not meant as subjugation, or humiliation-- the submissive is never "broken," and the dom is, in a way, also bound by an understood code of conduct and by his responsibility for his submissive. Mikhael talks about it as a kind of partnership, a balance and a dance and a bond between them. Above all, Raina should never, EVER feel afraid or hurt (which is not to say she won't feel pain-- there's a mild masochism aspect to it to, it seems). Honestly, I've generally thought of the whole D/s thing as a demeaning power play (and honestly, it probably still is, for some people). But for the first time here, I think I understand how a relationship like that can be a beautiful, loving thing as well, and Mikhael proved to be the ideal partner for Raina.
On Raina's side, she was expecting Mikhael to be little better than thug, a cruel and callous force of destruction. She knew of him from his relationship with her friend Ruby (the heroine of the previous book in this series)-- a relationship that nearly destroyed her. To put it mildly, Raina is NOT predisposed to like him.... even if the man does look like sex on a stick. What she gradually learns, though, is that although Mikhael is unbelievably powerful, stern, and unrelenting, he's also honest, just, and not without compassion. He is the dominant to end all dominants and jealously possessive, but he would never force her into anything she doesn't want or can't handle, and he's a fierce and surprisingly tender protector. (Oh, and did we mention, stamina to outlast a sex demon? Yeah. Whew.)
The book had a wonderful balance between the underlying plot, the growing relationship between Raina and Mikhael, and the interactions with the supporting cast. It was surprisingly not as outre as I expected it to be. The bondage bits were happily milder than I'd expected-- there are chains (magical and metal) and a few references to trying a lot of "toys" (and some really comical references to the younger demons experimenting with a gift box full of stuff), but no really uncomfortable specifics. It also wasn't as steamy as I expected, though that could also be because this isn't my particular brand of kink. Regardless, I think Mikhael would curl any girl's toes (and, like Raina, I would DEFINITELY dig the wings), and he and Raina are both amazing, complex characters. I really enjoyed the story AND the romance, and I think I'd recommend it to anyone sufficiently open-minded. (If respectful BDSM IS your thing, I think you would ADORE this book.)
Three and a half stars.
February 5, 2021
Genre: witches, magic
We get the story of two of the secondary characters from the first book, "Something About Witches." Raina is a badass half witch/succubus who runs a brothel. A incubus comes to her on the run from a Dark Guardian, Mikhael, who we also met in the previous book. He is known as the sadistic lover Ruby took to deal with her trauma. So, when he meets Raina I thought there is no way she is going to let him master her. But, Raina has powers beyond those of a typical succubus/witch so she never really gets the sexual release the others of her kind get. Mikhael can help her with that and we get to see these two souls find a way to learn to be a couple even though they have only known each other a short time. The abuse Raina went through makes her the creature she is and Mikhael has to work hard to earn her trust. I love all of Joey's work, but this is my favorite of the books in the Arcane Shot series. And come on, who doesn't love a cameo by a mythical kelpie!
We get the story of two of the secondary characters from the first book, "Something About Witches." Raina is a badass half witch/succubus who runs a brothel. A incubus comes to her on the run from a Dark Guardian, Mikhael, who we also met in the previous book. He is known as the sadistic lover Ruby took to deal with her trauma. So, when he meets Raina I thought there is no way she is going to let him master her. But, Raina has powers beyond those of a typical succubus/witch so she never really gets the sexual release the others of her kind get. Mikhael can help her with that and we get to see these two souls find a way to learn to be a couple even though they have only known each other a short time. The abuse Raina went through makes her the creature she is and Mikhael has to work hard to earn her trust. I love all of Joey's work, but this is my favorite of the books in the Arcane Shot series. And come on, who doesn't love a cameo by a mythical kelpie!
January 22, 2025
There is so much to love about this book. First there is Raina. Raina is a witch that is part Succubus. She runs a brothel that keeps the Incubus and Succubus that she has adopted well fed and out of trouble. She is also friends with Ruby from "Something About Witches". Raina has overcome a terrible past and found a place that brings her a certain amount of peace and success. She unprepared for Mikhael an Underworld Dark Guardian. Mikhael is after a rogue incubus that has stolen something from Lucifer. When these two meet the sparks of attraction flare to a bright light. I love Mikhael. He is everything that Raina needs to find the peace she needs to be who she can truly be.
There is lots of stuff going on. The mating dance of these two, the evil that is following the Incubus and the road to redemption. This is all Joey W. Hill. She is one of the best storytellers in the industry.
There is lots of stuff going on. The mating dance of these two, the evil that is following the Incubus and the road to redemption. This is all Joey W. Hill. She is one of the best storytellers in the industry.
July 3, 2019
In The Company of Witches is carnal, provocative, decadent, intriguing and suspenseful. As in the first Arcane Shot series book, Something About Witches, there are all manner of good and bad creatures; demons, witches, succubi and inncubi, mutants, and sorcerers. There is an epic battle between dark and evil that is breathtaking and heart pounding. I was completely enthralled.
Mikhael Roman is a Dark Guardian, sorcerer, sadist and a man that will not be denied. Raina is part succubus, part witch, a madame of a bordello and a woman who lives life on her own terms. She submits to no man. But Mikhael has different ideas. Together they are incendiary and formidable.
Mikhael Roman is a Dark Guardian, sorcerer, sadist and a man that will not be denied. Raina is part succubus, part witch, a madame of a bordello and a woman who lives life on her own terms. She submits to no man. But Mikhael has different ideas. Together they are incendiary and formidable.
June 5, 2012
Ms Hill has done it again. I stayed up until the wee hours of this morning finishing this. The emotional growth, tension, and connection between Raina and Mikhael was so very intense. Both characters were introduced in the first book Something About Witches and while Raina did appear to be mostly good Mikhael on the other had was I thought the bad guy for most of that book. Making me see him as a hero certainly took some doing but it happened. Not only did Ms Hill take me on a journey with the story but she also spent some serious time on the trust required for a BDSM relationship and how badly a person can be damaged if that is abused. This is not as hardcore as her Vampire series in terms of the things done between the two but ti certainly isn't vanilla.
I really hope that Ms Hill continues writing in this world because it is quite compelling.
UPDATE: I ended up reviewing this on The Bookpushers here about 3 weeks later. Please see that review below:
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: Purchased
All witch and part succubus, savvy businesswoman Raina has converted a Southern plantation house into an extremely profitable old-fashioned bordello. Because of her abilities as a witch, the demons under Raina’s protection can feed off the sexual energy of their clients without killing them—definitely a good thing for repeat business.
But when a rogue incubus shows up on Raina’s doorstep begging for asylum, the witch’s well-run business is put in jeopardy. The incubus has stolen an object of great power from Lucifer, and Underworld Dark Guardian Mikhael will do anything to get it back—even if it means incinerating the incubus on Raina’s porch to get the answers he seeks.
Not to be trifled with, Raina enters a dangerous match of wits with Mikhael to achieve their mutual goals—only to discover that the reluctant attraction between them is the most hazardous game of all…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
I am a sporadic Joey W. Hill reader; she’s written a book that really changed how I viewed certain things. She has written series that I really enjoyed and others that are darker then I can take. I liked the look of the first book in this series Something About Witches so I went ahead and devoured it in one go. After that I eagerly look forward to In The Company of Witches not just because I enjoyed the first book but because of who the hero and heroine were. Mikhael, while not the ultimate bad guy in the first book, still wasn’t very likeable regardless of his reasons for doing what he did. I had some serious doubts about how Ms Hill could make me think of him as heroic. Raina, I didn’t have as many doubts about because she was a business woman. While shedid play a trick on her best friend it was truly intended to and did help.
Ms Hill starts off quickly and lets the reader see the characters as they appear to outsiders. Mikhael is implacable, determined, powerful — and Raina is also determined, powerful, and protective. I enjoyed their matching wits from this first early encounter. Raina who still harbored a strong dislike towards Mikhael for his treatment of her best friend, but nonetheless had other reasons for standing her ground and protecting the wild incubus. Mikhael found Raina intriguing, annoying and in the way. While he decided not to go through her to get his answers from the incubus he was determined to get what he came for. As time passed what he came for expanded to include the challenge that was Raina. Throughout the entire book they matched wits and kept me engrossed.
That wasn’t the only thing that kept me engrossed. Peeling back their surface layers and seeing what made, motivated, and haunted Raina and Mikhael as the book continued was equally fascinating. They were such complex characters who made each other work for the slightest hint of insight. The contrast between Mikheal in Something About Witches and this book really brought home his reasons for doing what he did. Watching him seduce and slowly reel Raina in really put me in mind of folklore and how evil slowly takes over. It fit so perfectly given whose Champion he is.
Their smexy times were extremely intense. Ms Hill is known for incorporating BDSM themes and actions in her work and she continued that here. One of the things she touched on that really got me was how she addressed the important issue of trust in a BDSM relationship and how much that effects when that trust has been violated. Not just in that particular relationship but in any future relationships. Not that trust isn’t important in any relationship but it seems that much more devastating in a BDSM one because then the person is unable to get what they need because the trust isn’t there.
This review has focused on the relationship between the hero and heroine but the adventure that brought them together was handled deftly throughout the book. I learned a lot more about the world and how nasty certain creatures can be. We got to see Ruby and Derek a few times and learn exactly why Derek took Mikhael’s actions so harshly. Raina had to really come into her own during the climax of In The Company of Witches and she also had to trust Mikhael if she wanted to survive. Without giving away any spoilers I was very satisfied with how this book ended and I hope that Ms Hill continues to write in this world.
I give In The Company of Witches a B+
I really hope that Ms Hill continues writing in this world because it is quite compelling.
UPDATE: I ended up reviewing this on The Bookpushers here about 3 weeks later. Please see that review below:
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: Purchased
All witch and part succubus, savvy businesswoman Raina has converted a Southern plantation house into an extremely profitable old-fashioned bordello. Because of her abilities as a witch, the demons under Raina’s protection can feed off the sexual energy of their clients without killing them—definitely a good thing for repeat business.
But when a rogue incubus shows up on Raina’s doorstep begging for asylum, the witch’s well-run business is put in jeopardy. The incubus has stolen an object of great power from Lucifer, and Underworld Dark Guardian Mikhael will do anything to get it back—even if it means incinerating the incubus on Raina’s porch to get the answers he seeks.
Not to be trifled with, Raina enters a dangerous match of wits with Mikhael to achieve their mutual goals—only to discover that the reluctant attraction between them is the most hazardous game of all…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
I am a sporadic Joey W. Hill reader; she’s written a book that really changed how I viewed certain things. She has written series that I really enjoyed and others that are darker then I can take. I liked the look of the first book in this series Something About Witches so I went ahead and devoured it in one go. After that I eagerly look forward to In The Company of Witches not just because I enjoyed the first book but because of who the hero and heroine were. Mikhael, while not the ultimate bad guy in the first book, still wasn’t very likeable regardless of his reasons for doing what he did. I had some serious doubts about how Ms Hill could make me think of him as heroic. Raina, I didn’t have as many doubts about because she was a business woman. While shedid play a trick on her best friend it was truly intended to and did help.
Ms Hill starts off quickly and lets the reader see the characters as they appear to outsiders. Mikhael is implacable, determined, powerful — and Raina is also determined, powerful, and protective. I enjoyed their matching wits from this first early encounter. Raina who still harbored a strong dislike towards Mikhael for his treatment of her best friend, but nonetheless had other reasons for standing her ground and protecting the wild incubus. Mikhael found Raina intriguing, annoying and in the way. While he decided not to go through her to get his answers from the incubus he was determined to get what he came for. As time passed what he came for expanded to include the challenge that was Raina. Throughout the entire book they matched wits and kept me engrossed.
That wasn’t the only thing that kept me engrossed. Peeling back their surface layers and seeing what made, motivated, and haunted Raina and Mikhael as the book continued was equally fascinating. They were such complex characters who made each other work for the slightest hint of insight. The contrast between Mikheal in Something About Witches and this book really brought home his reasons for doing what he did. Watching him seduce and slowly reel Raina in really put me in mind of folklore and how evil slowly takes over. It fit so perfectly given whose Champion he is.
Their smexy times were extremely intense. Ms Hill is known for incorporating BDSM themes and actions in her work and she continued that here. One of the things she touched on that really got me was how she addressed the important issue of trust in a BDSM relationship and how much that effects when that trust has been violated. Not just in that particular relationship but in any future relationships. Not that trust isn’t important in any relationship but it seems that much more devastating in a BDSM one because then the person is unable to get what they need because the trust isn’t there.
This review has focused on the relationship between the hero and heroine but the adventure that brought them together was handled deftly throughout the book. I learned a lot more about the world and how nasty certain creatures can be. We got to see Ruby and Derek a few times and learn exactly why Derek took Mikhael’s actions so harshly. Raina had to really come into her own during the climax of In The Company of Witches and she also had to trust Mikhael if she wanted to survive. Without giving away any spoilers I was very satisfied with how this book ended and I hope that Ms Hill continues to write in this world.
I give In The Company of Witches a B+
June 27, 2021
Reread june 2021: As always, the great quality of Joey's books is the depth of the characters. There isn't really any action in this book (unlike the next one), but the whole point is finding out who Raina and Mikhael are, and how they end up jumping into the void and lowering their barriers to give a chance for their relationship to flourish. For someone like me who has titanium barriers, it's always interesting to see a woman meeting a man who is capable and interested in crossing those barriers in a respectful manner.
July 9, 2022
Awesome Story
Raina and Mikhael what a beautiful story.
I have read all the books in this series and it's hard to pick the best one. Each book is better than the last one.
Raina and Mikhael, a dark guardian, have abundant chemistry. Do I into say scorching. Well yes they do. They fight all the darkness in the world and sometimes even each other. Until an evil so devastating joins them together and along with Derek they fight for each other's lives and for all that is good.
Raina and Mikhael what a beautiful story.
I have read all the books in this series and it's hard to pick the best one. Each book is better than the last one.
Raina and Mikhael, a dark guardian, have abundant chemistry. Do I into say scorching. Well yes they do. They fight all the darkness in the world and sometimes even each other. Until an evil so devastating joins them together and along with Derek they fight for each other's lives and for all that is good.
June 13, 2019
Raina's story
I very much enjoyed Raina's story! It added to what little we know of her when we met Raina in Ruby's story. Even though Raina and Ruby are best friends, they are very much different. We also get to learn the true nature of Mikhael. I would love to see Ramona get her story!
I very much enjoyed Raina's story! It added to what little we know of her when we met Raina in Ruby's story. Even though Raina and Ruby are best friends, they are very much different. We also get to learn the true nature of Mikhael. I would love to see Ramona get her story!
October 5, 2024
I EFFING LOVE IT. I LOVE MIKHAEL AND RAINA. I LOVE THEIR DYNAMIC. I love how romantic and gentle and dominant mikhael can be and when he fought for raina my god my heart. I love mikhael so much for Raina. With raina's painful past and issues, she is still so strong and full of love for her people and i love that mikhael is there for her. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Auto fave
May 22, 2018
It's as hot and steamy as they come, BDSM while having some painful moments is more focused on Dominance and submission and learning to trust. If you haven't read the previous 'Something About Witches' I'd recommend reading it, or re-reading it before starting this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2023
An excellent read
Mikhael and Raina's story was a joy to read. Ms. Hill has created a wonderful world and populated it with great characters and puts them in a very engaging story. You don't want to let them go when the story is over. On to book three.
Mikhael and Raina's story was a joy to read. Ms. Hill has created a wonderful world and populated it with great characters and puts them in a very engaging story. You don't want to let them go when the story is over. On to book three.
January 6, 2019
It was epic and all but I hated how she kept telling him her boundaries and Mikhael kept ignoring them ("just trust me, baby") - barf.
July 16, 2019
No words, other than to say if Ms.Hill keeps writing, I'll keep buying her books.
Another keeper.
Another keeper.
November 21, 2019
Is very steamy I will give it that...it wasn’t bad, an average read, just not something I personally found to be a page turner or something I wished wasn’t ending.
April 5, 2022
Michael Michael oh Michael where art thou Dark Gaurdian. Im kinda struggling now I really thought Derek would be the man of this series but sheez this dark Angle has got me going "heads or tails".
May 19, 2022
Amazing
Another great read from Joey, always full of passion and soul and great fiesty leading ladies and their Masters. Yum.
Another great read from Joey, always full of passion and soul and great fiesty leading ladies and their Masters. Yum.
July 10, 2022
DNF at 14%
Characters are ok, their sexual preferences are just gross. I don't like BDSM.
Characters are ok, their sexual preferences are just gross. I don't like BDSM.
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