The Demon's Song

Hearts of the Fallen #1

by Kendra Leigh Castle

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending...and his heart.

Genres: Paranormal, Angels, Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Demons, Fantasy

242 pages, ebook

First published April 21, 2013

About the author

Kendra Leigh Castle is the author of numerous paranormal romances, including the MacInnes Werewolves trilogy, the RITA award-nominated Renegade Angel, the Dark Dynasties series, and the Hearts of the Fallen series. 2014 will see the release of her first contemporary romance, For the Longest Time, which will be the first in her Harvest Cove series. Kendra lives in Maryland with her husband, children, two Newfs, and one obnoxious cat.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review on Demon Lover's books & More

3.5

I really enjoy Kendra Leigh Castle’s Dark Dynasty series, so when I saw this I was really excited to be asked to review it. There were a couple things that bugged me though-I felt like I was missing something, and I felt like something about it was really familiar.

This is from the author:

”*While this is a new series, it takes place in the same world as the book Renegade Angel
and novella Vivi and the Vampire" (found in Vacation with a Vampire: Stay\Vivi and the Vampire\Island Vacation). "It isn't necessary to have read either, but these prior Harlequin releases each tell a story of characters you'll meet in the Hearts of the Fallen series - specifically, Raum and Justin. They should be considered connected works, but the Hearts of the Fallen begins with The Demon's Song.”

Just FYI I really loved Renegade Angel read my review on Smart Bitches Trashy Books here)

So that being said, I did enjoy The Demon’s Song, I just think that while the story stands on its own, Renegade Angel is a great book and sets the world up well.

This one starts out with a couple of girls sneaking into an upscale club to rescue their roommate. They’re not sure what’s going on, but they know it can’t be good. Sofia bumps into Phenex, the entertainment for the club, and can’t understand her attraction to him, or his to her, for that matter.

Phenex is the Angel of Song, but he’s fallen, and now he’s no longer in hell, but he’s not exactly happy either. When he sees the girl he bumped into race away in fear, he knows something’s going on. He leaves the stage and bolts after her. They both find a vampire draining her roommate dry. Phenex kills the vamp, but he and his friend Justin (owner of the club and the vampire king), now believe that not only is this not an isolated incident, but Sofia’s life is now in danger.

Phenex appoints himself her bodyguard and these two have some super sexy moments, but there was at this point, a whole lot of nothing happening. I mean the romance between the two was great, but the suspense plot took the back burner. I wouldn’t have minded but it was too, convenient.

At one point she even went back to work. Really? Knowing you’re up against fallen angels, demons and vampires, you think work is where you should be? Really? No.

I liked this one, I enjoy this author, and the ending was good, but I really think it shouldn’t be a stand-alone. Reading Renegade Angelsets it up and the world-building was so much better in that book. I think having different publishers for each book is partially why the different vibe. But I don’t think this works well as a stand-alone. I also hope that the next one will be a bit tighter.


***ARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending...and his heart.

NOTE: - This is Book 1 but there are some previous stories in other books by this author but are not required reading to enjoy this novel.
REVIEW

This is a great read, I picked it up not knowing what to expect and it actually surprised me in several ways. The first is that the hero is an actual singer (a bit paranormal singer you would not have guessed from the title) and in the several places it started to be a "usual" paranormal romance the author came up with an original twist about every time.

Very entertaining and an easy read for a day on the beach or a rainy weekend, great story, great characters and an ending I think I never thought about, I guessed a piece of it but not the BIG thing LOL, 4+ Stars and maybe more if you need a lift.

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Let me preface this review by saying that I am a fan of Kendra Leigh Castle's Dark Dynasties books, and when I found out she was kicking off a new series, I was very excited to get started. But when I started reading, I kept finding all these references to prior events. As a longtime PNR reader, I recognized the signs of a series already in progress and I double and triple checked to see if there were earlier books. This is, indeed, the first book in the Hearts of the Fallen series. BUT my instincts were not wrong. This is a spinoff to her Harlequin Nocturne stories Renegade Angel and "Vivi and the Vampire." Stories I haven't read; stories where the events and characters are heavily referenced. Be warned.

Our hero, Phenix, is the fallen angel of song. He and a small band of his brothers spent some time in hell, but now they help guard the supernatural underworld called Terra Noctem and help maintain the balance between good and evil. He has turned off his emotions; cut himself off from humanity... until he meets Sofia. The fiery nurse gets a crash course in all things supernatural when she saves her friend from being killed by a vampire. The rouge vamp could be part of a larger problem threatening the Terra Noctem, which makes it Phenix's problem... and to make a long story short, Sofia becomes bait to draw out the bad guys and Phenix becomes her bodyguard.

The book started out a little slow for me. Maybe it was because Phenix didn't really light my fire (until later in the story.) Maybe it was all the references to the backstory that kept pulling me out of the book. Either way, it didn't click for me at the beginning, but once things started heating up between Phenix and Sofia, it did take off.

As with all of Castle's books, I really liked the dynamic between the hero and heroine, both emotionally and sexually. The tension is great and payoff is satisfying. Phenix isn't quite as tortured as most of her heroes, but I did enjoy his journey to regaining his emotions. And I really liked two things about Sophie: 1) She is a grown woman who is comfortable and confident. She isn't an ingenue virgin or a clinging vine. 2) She stands up for herself. She doesn't sublimate her own life for one with Phenix. Both are a refreshing change of pace from most heroines in the genre.

The arc concerning the external conflict was fairly good, though it took a firm backseat to the romance. The ending wrapped things up rather quickly, but I was satisfied with how it all played out.

I'm definitely interested in continuing the series. But I really need to read the the previous stories first. The borderline OCD in me will have it no other way.

Rating: B-

[Angela Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Review also posted at

“Ms. Castle did a fabulous job introducing this new world of fallen angels. The world building is detailed and well thought out.” ~Under the Covers Book Blog

I am so excited about this new series of Hearts of the Fallen by Ms. Castle. I knew she was working on something new, but I had no idea it would come out so soon. So, I was excited to know that this has been released. I love Ms. Castle’s Dark Dynasties series I had no doubt I would love this book as well.

Sohia was in search of her friend Sara for a while now, and when she finds her at an upscale club, she learns Sara has been involved with men that are not of this world. Now, she finds herself in a world of trouble with some rogue vampires and in the mercy of a fallen angel for protection. Not only that she has to accept this new world, she finds herself attracted to her protector.

After years of being a fallen, Phenex finds solace only when he’s on stage playing his music. He was the “Angel of Song” after all, but now that he is the “Demon of Music”, nothing really interests him. But when he bumps in to Sophia, literally, his existence will change unexpectedly. He will want more, feel more and just want to love.

The Demon’s song is not as dark as the Dark Dynasties series, but it has a similar feel to it. It’s a paranormal world based on the Fallen Angels. They co exists with Vampires and other shifters in secret from the human world. Ms. Castle did a fabulous job introducing this new world of fallen angels. The world building is detailed and well thought out. The character build up was great as well, though I would’ve liked more background on both Phenex and Sophia. She also gives a good amount of humor, banter, action and romance to this story. I love the fact that this world is closely linked to vampires and shifters which makes the world more diverse and very intriguing.

I also didn’t know that this was connected to Renegade Angel and Vivi and the Vampire novels. This is a new series, so there’s no need to read them at all. I DO know that Ms. Castle plans to write a book for each of the fallen angels. The Demon’s Desire, which is the second installment of this series, is set to release sometime in the summer. That novel will about Meresin and Dru’s Story.

*ARC provided by publisher

[Ren Puspita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Demon's Song is my first Ms Castle's book. While I hear that her Dynasty series is pretty good, I'm not sure with this one. As book number 1 in Hearts of The Fallen series, actually Demon's Song story is continued from Renegade Angel, a book Ms Castle once published under Nocturne line. But, even without reading Renegade Angel, I still can understand the events that happen in this book.

A strong opening, featuring Phenex, once an Angel of Song now turned Fallen Angel, performed his music on the stage. A fallen angel that also a musician? Yep, count me in! But, Demon's Song quickly become ordinary paranormal book for me. Nothing new, nothing special. The idea of Terra Noctem, underground city for supernatural refugee make me intrigued, but not enough development. The relationship between Phenex and his heroine, Sofia, nothing special, feel so flat. Sofia with her commitment issue, make her look so whiny and why now mostly paranormal heroine work as nurse?

One thing that bugged me is the character's name. Ms Castle use a cool name for the villain (such as Belial), but not for her heroes. We have Phenex (supposed from word Phoenix. Turn that Phenex can turn into Phoenix) which make me always spell his name as Kleenex, Murmur (what kind of name of Murmur anyway?), Gadreel (err, Galadriel?), Raum, Caim, Menesin. Paranormal romance doesn't mean the hero name can be fancy. Enough with J.R.Ward for fancy names.

And the ending. So typical of paranormal romance genre. I love PNR, I adore this genre, even not many friends of mine read it. But I kinda tired with the trope, with how the author solve the problem between an immortal hero and mortal heroine. I don't want to spoil it, but I guess, if you read this review and also PNR junkie like me, you will understand. Demon's Song have a good premise, but the ending ruin it for me. I don't understand why always the heroine who make sacrifice? Why not the hero? Maybe reader will see it as romantic. I see it as a selfish decision

The good part is, I want to know more about another Phenex's brethren, especially Gadreel. I want to know if this cunning fallen angel can be redeemed and who is the lucky woman that can tame his heart. If you love paranormal genre with a fallen angel (also rocker) and a whole redeemed thing, this book is for you.

Thanks for Engtangled and Ms Castle to provide a copy.

[Traci (Mad Hatter Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge sigh! I sooo have a new book boyfriend! Phenex...Fallen Angel of Song...ginger haired, black winged, smart ass, complete package of yumminess all wrapped up and delivered to me by Kendra Leigh Castle!

The Demon's Song is Kendra's brand new Hearts of the Fallen series and even though there are vamps, weres and other supernaturals in this one, the focus is all on a group of Fallen Angels, on the run from Hell, working for the white wings as mercenaries to keep the balance or push it towards the side of good and protecting the supernatural city of Terra Noctem in exchange for a place to live.

In typical Kendra fashion, the story is full of fast-paced action, terrific characters, and a healthy dose of humor. Sofia proves to be rather feisty and determined. Phenex, though he guards it closely, has such a big heart you just have to fall in love with him.

I'll admit that a few times I thought maybe I was missing something thanks to some references to a couple of secondary couples...and it turns out that there is actually another book, Renegade Angel, and novella, Vacation With a Vampire: Vivi and the Vampire, published by Harlequin that proceeds The Demon's Song. You DON'T have to read either to be caught up in The Demon's Song (and even though I've had them downloaded onto my Nook I hadn't read them yet).

I really enjoyed this new world that Kendra has created and can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the Fallen.

Favorite quotes from The Demon's Song:
"You're not going to try to hug me or something, are you?" Phenex grumbled. "You've been into some weird shit since you got married."

"I can't believe you blew off hunting to play housewife. I should have brought you an apron. With puppies and kitties on it even. Maybe some ribbon."~Gadreel

Phenex gently took the biscuit from her, examined it for a moment, and then, in a blur of movement, pelted Gadreel with it. It hit him squarely in the forehead before landing in his bisque, making it splatter.
Gadreel bared his teeth. "I was playing."
"So am I. It's a game called Whack-a-Douche. I just set the all-time high score."

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

The Demon’s Song was definitely my kind of book, in fact I would say these type of books are my guilty pleasure. I cannot resist a story of a broken/troubled/misunderstood alpha male with hidden depths and a woman who comes along to unravel him, leading to his redemption…. These stories call to me, who doesn’t want to believe that love will conquer all and make everything right in the world? I know I do – the one true pure thing that we can all offer someone that is freely given and has the power to change everything. I suppose that makes me a romantic but it’s probably why I eat these type of books up and this ticked all of my boxes. The characters were likable and I could easily connect with them, I like that Sofia didn’t just accept things straight away, I liked that she made an attempt to resist Phenex’s appeal and that she wasn’t so quick to throw her humanity away when offered. I loved Phenex’s evolution from basically a spoilt brat who wanted & got everything his heart desired into someone who began to realise that sometimes, putting someone elses’ happiness before his own can be so much more rewarding in many ways, especially when you risk losing that person forever. The storyline is good, we have a series thread being that Phenex & some fallen brethren are now on earth, having being given refuge by the vampire race from the forces of hell who want them dead, live in the vampires secret underground home. The fallen protect the balance between good and evil on earth which gives plenty of scope for future storylines, as does the rest of the Fallen Angels that were introduced because they are definitely worthy of their book. As a stand alone the storyline would have been good, plenty of action, sinister bad guys, good vs evil, secret supernatural community, romance, hot men, fiesty women…. But the fact that it’s a series makes me eager for more and this definitely showcases its series potential.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phenix, is fallen but no longer quite demon and not quite redeemed, music is his heart but he is stuck in the darkness until he comes across one brave human who sets out to rescue a friend and instead finds herself caught up in a hidden supernatural world populated by scary creatures.

I actually really liked Demon Song. I really liked the leading lady Sofia and how insightful she is about leading demon/fallen angel Phenix - she sees into the heart sore being who is living in the darkness but 'needs' the light. Plus, I love a leading man who has wings and knows how to use them - he wraps her in his wings...sigh.

I hadn't really realized when I picked this up, but this story is connected to two others that Castle wrote for another publisher, a short "Vivi and the Vampire" in Vacation with a Vampire...and Other Immortals, and Renegade Angel and the pairing from those books have cameos here - and amazingly I actually read them and vaguely remember the previous pairings.

So I enjoyed Demon Song and look forward to more from this world since Castle has a few other Fallen guys waiting in the wings (or winged guys in waiting if you prefer:) a HEA of their own.

[✿kawehi.reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this reading copy via NetGallery for an honest review.

"The Demon's Song" was a likable read in which I found myself "mooning" after the main male character,Phenex, and attaching myself to the main female lead, Tera.

Phenex is a fallen angel whom along with several of his men was cast out of Hell. He meets feisty human nurse Tera after she finds herself in a pickle with some vampires and thus becomes her protector from the supernatural mayhem that unfolds within the story.

Only thing is, when feelings come into the mix between Phenex and Tera how will their love unfold?

..................
MY THOUGHTS...
This book has everything from taboo romance, angst, and violence.

Phenex's character changes A LOT throughout the story after he meets Tera and is no longer just this standoffish, unfeeling, and "just existing" type of personna. He now has something and SOMEONE to live for.

I really loved Tera's fiery "I can take care of myself" type of attitude and how she would often interact with Phenex. She was definitely no damsel in distress type of character even though she did need assistance at times from Phenex.

SO Over all, I'm curious as to where Castle takes the next book in this series.

[Emi Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Looooooved! I finished it in no time at all!
The Demon's Song was full of everything I love to see, in what I consider an awesome book!
To say I want my own Fallen Angel is an understatement, lol.
I have a thing for the brooding types, and Phenex was just perfect. He’s the ultimate immortal, bad boy with a little good seeping thru, sinfully sexy, and with a musical talent that will have you melting. As he is returning to his set, he runs into the only person in the club who can hold his attention for more than a second. While Sofia is on a mission to save a friend, from what she thinks is a friend in an overworked environment, turns out to be one of the craziest nights of her life. Not only does she meet the sexiest man ever, but she is introduced to a world she thought only existed in books. Now in hiding from the beings responsible for her crazy night, she’s holed up with Phenex. The sexual tension between them is immense, but fighting those feelings turns out to be more difficult than she can possibly handle, and I mean who wouldn’t eventually relent to a freaking man like him, lol.
The Demon's Song was a great read, I am so looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
I highly recommend it!!

[Delia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy a fallen angel with a bit of the wild side than this one is for you. I typically don't venture into angel fiction but I guess since these guys are fallen I can make an exception. I enjoyed the world That the author has created and it is an excellent set up for a continuing series. I liked the club being the gateway to a supernatural underground community. I also enjoyed that Sofia is a strong character. We meet her as she sneaks into an exclusive club to help find her friend and then runs to her aid when she is truly in need of help. Maybe because shes a nurse she feels like shes seen everything and that why she handles everything in stride. Phenex makes for an intriguing leading man. He is the fallen angel of music who got himself kicked in, and out, of hell. He seems a little afraid of making a real connection but thats half the fun. Overall the characters had interesting back stories and some steamy connections. Truly a fun read.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

More KLC is Always a Good Thing
There may be a myriad of things Phenex would rather be doing than entertaining the haut monde in a hoity-toity vampire club on a Friday night, several thousand of which pay a hell of a lot better...literally, but when you're a demon-hunting Fallen who used to be the Angel of Song, the gig at least gives you a chance to connect with the very music that called you into being eons ago.

The night starts looking up when Phenex catches the scent of blood. A lot of blood. Definitely a bad omen in this particular club, which sits above the underground haven of the supernatural community he's tasked to defend. Looks like he'll be pulling double duty as entertainer du jour and otherworldly ass-kicker after all.

Emergency room nurse Sofia Rivera is on a mission. Her roommate and best friend hasn't been home in days, so she sneaked into the club where she works to talk to her and make sure she's okay. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but that was before she caught sight of her friend in the crowd, followed her into the bathroom, and tumbled headlong into a horror movie. Some freak was...biting her friend...drinking...he had fangs...

Before Sofia could really process the reality of the situation, she's defending herself against an actual vampire, and if that isn't enough to make her brain take a fast train to Looneytown, the huge guy with the big set of wings and the really serious sword who slams into the bathroom and cuts the vampire in half right in front of her sure helps pack her bags.

Now Sofia's got to contend with a group of rogue vampires who aren't fond of letting witnesses live and a pushy, arrogant...and, okay, gorgeous former angel as a self-assigned bodyguard making sure she does.

~*~

As a huge fan of Kendra Leigh Castle's Dark Dynasties series, I was thrilled to see this new series debut. I was a little perplexed when I started reading it, though, because it sure didn't read like a first book. In fact, it very much read like the third book in an existing series. Turns out, there's a good reason for that. Though released by a different publisher, there is an earlier novel and a short story/novella set in this world with some of the characters that show up in this book. That created some problems for me in this story because I definitely felt like I was missing something whenever those characters were mentioned or their histories discussed.

It wasn't an issue of not being able to follow the developing events in this book, or the world not being sufficiently defined. It was just a niggling sense of being out of the loop that pervaded while I was reading. I hate that feeling, but I tend to be fairly obsessive about reading a series in timeline order to begin with, so it's likely it bothered me more than most.

Setting that aside, though, I liked this book very much. Castle creates lovable characters. Her heroes tend to be alpha males who are deliciously flawed or tragically wounded in some way but with big squishy centers for their heroines, who themselves are feisty, independent, intelligent females and very easy to like - a plus for me, because I'm picky about my book heroines. Phenex and Sofia were right on trend and I enjoyed them both very much. They had depth of personality, fantastic chemistry, and each complimented the story and each other.

I mean, come on, Phenex had flower boxes! Loved that!

The plot lacked some of the complexity and definition of her Dark Dynasties series, and the storyline leaned more heavily on the romance and relationship between the main characters than on the external plot conflict, which often felt more like an afterthought. That was a shame, too, as I really enjoyed the world and the idea behind Terra Noctem, the underground city of nightwalkers. I would have loved to see those expanded with a meatier plot.

Fortunately, the characters were strong enough and their romance compelling enough to support the book without it. Phenex and Sofia had a great relationship, and the ups and downs of its evolution were truly driven by the people they were and the lives they had lived to that point. I've gotten so tired of stumbling across contrived relationship conflict in romance. It's boring and trite. The conflicts that crop up between Phenex and Sofia were natural consequences of their personalities, their passions, and their pains.

Sofia in particular endeared herself to me with an unshakable strength of character and determination to be true to herself in the face of ravaging heartbreak. I loved the hell out of her for that...though I did want to give Phenex a kick in his sexy tush for putting her into that position.

The book also has a solid cast of intriguing secondary characters with a truly unique, and sometimes contentious, dynamic. There lies a wealth of story potential and I can't wait to read it. I definitely want to spend much more time with them and in Terra Noctem in future books. I don't expect this series to approach the depth and dimension of Dark Dynasties, but with Castle at the helm, I have no doubt I'll be highly entertained and fall in love with each Fallen on their rocky road to redemption.

Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Covet publisher Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

[Sandy Schleich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun and interesting. I like that at the beginning of this book the author introduced Phoenix and gave us a little bit of background on his life and then introduced Sofia. I like how she was introduced at the beginning, doing something with her roommate that she should’ve been doing. When her and Phoenix met, I had a feeling that those two were going to end up as a couple. I wasn’t wrong it was just interesting how that happened. I love the end of this book and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Mirna Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Received Via NetGalley

Title of Review-- What took me SO LONG?




Though I’d frequently encountered the name Kendra Leigh Castle around the blogisphere in conjunction with many positive reviews, I’m ashamed to admit that I’d never read her work till now. In spite of my authorial curiosity, I was either too busy, or was having to play catch-up with series favorites: as a result, Kendra Leigh was indefinitely relegated to my TBR pile. Then, Entangled gave me the go ahead to review Demon’s song; which I requested via NetGalley because of its interest peaking title. After finishing the book I must say, a Fan Girl was born. If Kendra Leigh is writing, I’m in. No ifs, ands or buts about it. The woman’s got talent!
If it weren’t in poor grammatical taste to squea intermittently in sentences and surround each squea with capitals and exclamation points, I’d not hesitate in littering this review for effect. Book one in the hearts of the Fallen was that good. Good enough to make me contemplate committing grammar blasphemy. Good enough to make me anxious for book two. It’s that serious!
I was hooked from start to finish. The story focuses on Sofia Rivera, an ER nurse who is unwillingly sucked into the paranormal world, after she saves her friend from being drained by a vampire. Sofia just wanted to help her friend who started behaving erratically after working at Club Amphora, and instead finds herself having to reluctantly accept the protection of Phenex, the fallen angel of song, because in rescuing her friend Sofia has inadvertently placed herself at the top of a vengeance seeking demon’s hit list.
I wish I were eloquent enough to express my love for Phenex. He was so dreamily romantic, and so sinfully sexy. Maybe it was his music playing and the way that the author describes his soul connection to music that make him swoon worthy, perhaps his dry humor and cynicism make him all palpitation inducing and scorching, but my goodness, I don’t know if I could have resisted him the way that Sofia did. A day is far too long to hold out on for a man like that, in my opinion. His back story is surprisingly relatable. I empathized with him when he explained his reasons for choosing to fall, and I can see why the lords of hell, aka the infernal council despise him and his brethren. The tid-bits Kendra hints at about his six other fallen (turned hell traitor) brothers, promise to be just as captivating.
I adored Sofia as a heroine. While I couldn’t relate to her not being swept off her feet right away, or to her need for sunlight, after a demon attack forces her to live in Teranoctum, (the underground city for supernaturals), I admired the way she stuck to her guns and kept voicing her needs. I must admit to thinking her whiney at times because of her needs, but I loved that these needs didn’t turn her into the classic horror movie heroine either. She didn’t blindly run off to do what she wanted. She knew she was in danger and that she needed Phenex by her side if she hoped to stay alive, that she was much too human for these supernatural problems. She is unique in her fight to keep said humanity, and one can appreciate her realistic approach to her situation. It’s rare to read of the heroine who isn’t swayed by the glamour of immortality. I personally say vamp me please, or make me other, but Sofia’s determination to keep her mortality and to maintain the life she worked so hard to build make her a heroine to be respected. One can definitely see why Phenex was so floored by her. Her differences really make her special. A dame worth falling for.
Aside from the fantastic character development, the romance wasn’t too shabby either. It was neither too fast nor too obsessive, as is often the case with paranormal romance. It was just right, plausible even. From the cute date scene, to the eventual coupling. The author’s vivid writing had me picturing every delicious scene and detail. Is it wrong that I want to be sung to sleep or to know what it feels like to have a wing wrapped around me for comfort and protection?
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Demon’s song. The characters were well developed and fun, both protagonists and side characters alike, and the romance filled my heart with tremendous joy. It’s been a long time that I’ve read about people who were equally swept off their feet by one another, and I am relieved that I have found another author who excels at creating realistic, romantic connections. Though I do wish we would have gotten more details on Tera Noctom and its inhabitants, I dare say that Kendra has another best seller on her hands. I am certainly going to be reading book two in this series. I can’t help but wonder though, what took me so long to read Kendra Liegh?

[Liz F · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.HarlequinJunkie.com

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley


FINALLY! A book that I can say I really liked! It may not have been a perfect book but it was the best I've read in a little while!

I really enjoyed the heroine in this book, Sofia. She's a nurse and a caring friend. She's headed to this club to try and find her friend/roommate, Sara, who has sort of been missing for a few days. I say "sort of" because she's heard from Sara but she sounds strange and hasn't really come home at all. Sofia finds Sara in the bathroom of this club with some dude going to town on her neck! Like eating her! Sofia handles herself against the bad guy but she also meets Phenex, who jumps in to save the day. So, you KNOW I love the fact that Sofia is no shrinking violet. Already, she gets points from me for going into this strange club to hunt down her friend. And then she's so brave in the face of what is obviously a vampire. I loved how she just sort of goes with it. Like, she's living her life and ok, now there are vampires, yeah ok, I got this, don't panic. LOL! It was so great!

Phenex is also pretty awesome. We eventually find out that he's a Fallen Angel. From what I can tell, it sounded like Phenex used to be the Angel of Song and then he got pissed at humans and Fell so he was in Hell. But then, he rescued an angel who was imprisoned in Hell so he was brought back to Earth and now he's somewhere in between Angel and Demon. But because he's still a little pissy, I think he identifies more with the demon side. Plus, demons can have more fun, right? Obviously, I loved Phenex. He's kind of broody but you can see this sweetness in him that just TOO adorable. He's also pretty awesome because he's a serious badass. He comes along with some really great and quirky characters, like his fellow Fallen Angels. Everyone kind of has a chip on their shoulder so they have these bad attitudes but the author somehow makes them fun and funny at times too.

I liked seeing Phenex and Sofia together but I do think that their relationship MAY have been a weak point of the book. I don't know that I ever felt how they connected. I could see that Sofia was falling for Phenex more and more but you don't get that from Phenex. But on the other hand, I think the author intended for it to be that way because I felt like Phenex didn't think he COULD love anyone or anything. He was kind of stuck on his past and how he fell? I'm not sure. But Phenex and Sofia were pretty hot together. There was not a ton of sexy time but what you get is good.

My only major complaint about this book was how often I felt confused. It sort of felt like I joined the series in the middle but The Demon's Song is book 1 of the Hearts of the Fallen series. I don't know a lot about this author so its possible that she has another series set in this world. It wasn't a huge big deal but I felt like I was playing catch up a little bit, here and there. Next, I'm still not clear on exactly how and why Phenex got out of Hell. I know that he pissed off the demon that was holding that angel captive but how that lead to him getting out, I don't know. Maybe it doesn't matter though. Last, I have no idea how this underground city, Terra Noctem, works. Humans can get in to the city and can get in to this club but they can't see it? And its a secret underground city? So how do people get in? They don't notice all the people with red eyes (vampires)? But NONE of this confusion really bothered me and didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, I really liked this one. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance. It has a little bit for everyone: demons, angels, vampires, monsters. The romance is sweet but the sexy time is minimal. No need to worry about tears but you'll probably get a couple of laughs. This book was a lot of fun to read and I can't wait to check out the next one!

[Melissa Box · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

The Demon’s Song is the first novel I’ve read from Kendra Leigh Castle. It is the beginning to her new Hearts of the Fallen series that appears to be centered around a group of fallen angels who’ve literally escaped Hell to start a new life. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into when I started reading this, but I will say I didn’t set my kindle down until I’d finished it!

This story is told from the points of view of Phenex, a fallen angel who’d once been the Angel of Song, and Sofia, a human nurse who stumbles into a scene out of a horror movie and quickly gets tossed into a world containing all sorts of creatures that go ‘bump’ in the night.

I liked Phenex from the start. Mulish and brooding, easily portraying the assumed nature of a fallen angel viewing humans as being little more than talking monkeys who spend too much time on those pesky things called feelings, and the ridiculous notion of mortal love. Until he haphazardly ran into a young woman who oddly caught his attention...and kept it.

Sofia, on a mission to rescue her friend from herself, snuck into one of the hottest clubs in town and walked in on her friend being drained dry by a nasty vampire. She managed to defend herself from his initial attack, but the tall and gorgeous musician she’d ran into earlier in the evening managed to jump in and land the final blow finishing him off. This first glimpse we get of Sofia’s character showed that she was strong and solid in the face of danger and chaos. Something that would appear to make her good at her occupation, being an emergency room nurse. The veil of her normal life was immediately ripped away from her as from that point on she discovered that so many of those creatures she’d believed to be myth were living all around her. Fallen angels, vampires, werewolves, demons...all real. And for those threatening the safety of Terra Noctem, an underground Vampire city called home by many of the aforementioned creatures, she had become bait.

Phenex didn’t want to pay Sofia any more mind, but upon realizing that the Vampire King and head of Terra Noctem where he had made his home, was planning to use the human woman to lure out his enemies he couldn’t help but offer up his services as body guard. And while he watched and protected her something he hadn’t felt for centuries began to stir inside him.

Phenex and Sofia’s story was a quick read full of action, well fleshed characters, and a beautifully described underground city that was a treat to envision as an escape from reality. The sexual tension between the pair was heavy and well played out in terms of their character and personalities. And once they gave into their attraction for each other? A very steamy romance that had me looking for my own set of black wings soaring through the night. The supporting characters were interesting and I found myself searching online to find the titles containing a few of their back stories. The fallen angel Raum having been the main character in KLC’s Renegade Angel, and the Vampire King Justin’s from the short story Vivi and the Vampire found in the Vacation with a Vampire romance anthology.

I truly enjoyed reading this story and would highly recommend this title to anyone who enjoys a strong male lead (oh, and I did mention he’s a musician right?) as well as a strong willed female lead. This was a great addition to my paranormal romance collection and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series, as well as adding several more previously written books from this author to my TBR list.

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC supplied by Netgalley.

I love fantasy romance – and this time its angels, fallen ones as opposed to vampires, though there are vampires in the novel.
Human Sofia and her flatmate sneak into an elite nightclub in search of their missing friend. They haven't seen her for some time and they and her parents are worried. Knowing she worked in the kitchens here they thought it would be a good place to search. What they don't know is that the club is really a haven for vampires and other supernatural creatures.....
They find their friend, but at deaths door in the arms of a feeding vampire. Sophia attacks him ( loved that bit, crack across his throat and a good kick in the balls!) and screams, and the person whose attention she'd caught earlier comes to the rescue. Turns out Phenex is a fallen angel – his real title is The Angel of Song - and the other person involved, Justin, is the vampire king. Phenex kills the bad vamp, and Justin uses his vamp powers to make the other flatmate Amy forget she was there and had seen anything. They allow Sophia to go home – what she doesn't know is Phenex is going to be shadowing her as she's bait for the corrupt vamps Justin wants to root out. She finds out Phenex is her shadow when he kills a vamp about to attack her and he then stays openly with her.
There a real attraction between the two that comes across with sizzling tension. They get very close to the edge and Sophia pulls back asking herself what the heck she's doing. That seemed so real, she feels like she's been in a dream but then presented with what seems to be a super-hot attentive man its easy to forget that he's so much more than that. Phenex has a typical supernatural disregard for humans, and doesn't always understand why his actions annoy Sophia. Their romance seems to travel along shakily, there's some really hot steamy sex between, them but though she feels she loves him she's unsure of how he feels – and he's unused to actually caring about someone and not sure about how he feels over that.
I enjoyed this book – nice to see the vamps behind the scenes and angels to the fore for once. The characters were very well depicted, I could understand Sophia's caution over getting involved with someone supernatural, after all its only been a few days since she discovered they existed. I felt Phenex's confusion after hundreds of years of feeling nothing for humans to find one that touches him. They learn a lot from each other about passion and emotions. The side characters too – Justin the king of the vamps, the other angels - can't recall all the names - each had their own quirky personalities that fitted their place in the novel.
The basic plot was quite simple – really no more than an attempt at a vamp takeover – but the way heaven and hell keep the balance, and how and when the angels were allowed to intervene were interesting and kept the novel flowing well. I do like a happy ending in my romances and Kendra delivers it here in a way that’s believable.

Its a well written and edited novel and priced at £2.16 for 310kb – no page info but I’d guess around 150 from how long it too to read. If you want a fantasy romance with a different slant to the usual then Kendra's book is for you. I'd like to see this world taken further with stories from some of the other characters. I think the world Kendra has created can take it and as I said some of the side characters were very “real” feeling and I'd like to see more from them.

Stars: I'd have liked it a bit longer and more complex for my taste, then it would have been 5 star but for an easy to read fantasy its fits the bill. I'm giving it four stars.

[Stephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Sofia wanted to do was help her friend and then return to her normal life. Instead she's thrown into the supernatural world and becomes the target of a demon out for revenge. Keeping her safe is Phenex, the fallen angel of song, and a man she's finding impossible to resist. Phenex can deal with monsters but the emotions Sofia brings out in him are hard to handle. One thing is certain; he plans to do whatever it takes to keep her at his side.

It's a tug of war between Phenex and Sofia. On one end is Sofia, a mortal who is a caring friend, dedicated nurse, and thrives in the sun. On the other end is Phenex, an immortal who doesn't like to admit he has a good heart, loves his music and no matter how much he wants to live in the light, he is forced into the dark. I had a difficult time getting into this book because there's a good amount of emphasis put on how psychically attracted they are to each other in the beginning and I need more than that. They're both interesting enough but I wanted more and thankfully once they start spending more time together, more is delivered.

There's a lot of 'well if you would....we could be together' which I usually find frustrating because how could you love someone but still want them to change in order to fit into your life? In this case watching them struggle both brings them closer together and threatens to keep them apart and it's fascinating and well done. It may sound mean to admit I like the conflict but it makes them and their relationship stronger in the end. Together they were the backbone of the story.

Sofia is being hunted by vampires because she stops one from nearly draining her friend. This event uncovers a plan that involves overtaking the vampire king, raiding his hidden supernatural city of Terra Noctem, and tipping the scales in favor of evil. All of this worked for me. First off the vampire king isn't what you'd expect. Seems like a slightly above average guy until sh--, stuff starts happening then you see what makes him a good king. His hidden city houses all types of supernatural beings and is described well enough to form a picture in your mind but I wanted more detail because it sounded like such a magical and unusual place. As for tipping the scales, it's a case of good vs evil. Evil fallen angels vs fallen angels looking for redemption but they just don't know it yet. I'm a sucker for a fallen angel story; I love the idea of atonement but still keeping that naughty streak to them. What takes place in The Demon's Song regarding the fallen has me craving more.

I had to hit nearly the half-way point before I thought things picked up, both in the story and between Phenex and Sofia. While I was reading, I was into it but when I had to set it down, I didn't feel that tug to pick it back up immediately. Also, it says that this is the first book in the series but there are 2 releases that take place in the same world, a full length book and novella, and I found myself wishing I'd read those first. You don't miss anything critical to the story but you meet couples that have already had their story told and I wish I knew it.

Like I said, when I had my Kindle in hand, I enjoyed The Demon's Song. Phenex and Sofia are quite a couple and I want to know more about Terra Noctem but I can't say I'll rush out and read book 2. If this was Kendra Leigh Castle's other series that would be a different story because I can't seem to get enough of those.
- Stephanie

[Literati Literature Lovers · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: The Demon’s Song

AUTHOR: Kendra Leigh Castle

RATING: 4/out of 5 Stars

PUBLISHER: Covet an imprint of Entangled Publishing

ISBN139781622661817

Synopsis

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that’s how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren’t even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.
While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending…and his heart.

Review

The Demon’s Song by Kendra Leigh Castle is the first book of the new series Hearts of the Fallen, published by Covet an imprint of Entangled Publishing. The story centers around Phenex, a fallen angel and former lord of hell, who along with his brethren (other redeemed fallen) work for the white wings (heaven). He still has his wings, but they are ebony, like his attitude. Phenex has shut himself off from all emotions, and he prefers it like that. He doesn’t want to feel anything too deeply. He lives with his brothers in Terra Noctem, the City of Eternal Night, a magical safe haven for night dwellers, a place where the minions of hell can’t enter. All of the fallen have sworn a blood oath to protect the city that has given the refuge. In Castle’s world, just because you are a night dweller doesn’t make you bad. Phenex falls in this category; he might not be the most moral of guys, but he has left hell and fights as a mercenary on the side of good. When the story begins, he is just counting the days of his existence, killing demons, and singing in the local club above Terra Noctem.

What complicates Phenex’s existence is Sofia Riveria, a spicy Latina nurse who has stumbled into vampire trouble while helping a friend. Sofia isn’t the type of girl to sit by and wait to be rescued; she can rescue herself ‘thank you very much’. The new world she has been thrust into is a little more complicated than she can handle; therefore, Phenex enters into her life as her protector. They have a mutual attraction, and the heat is definitely an inferno when these two interact. The relationship between Phenex and Sophia that Castle writes is one full of energy, desire, and a good dose of angst. One major problem is that despite Phenex not wanting to feel, it’s kind of hard not to when Sophia is around.

I am excited to see where this series and the world that Castle is creating leads. She has built a paranormal world in the Hearts of the Fallen Series tthat is filled will fallen angels, angels, demons, vampires, fae and weres, so the storyline interaction between all the factions has enormous potential in future world building and stories. I am very excited to have a new Castle series to look forward to.

[Traann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to meet my own Fallen Angel

The Demon’s Song by Kendra Leigh Castle is the first book in her new series Hearts of the Fallen and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

What the publisher says: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song. 

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending...and his heart.

What I say:

In the book we meet Sofia Riveria, a spicy Latina nurse, who ends up in the wrong place at what turns out to be the right time, and Phenex, a Fallen Angel and a former Lord of Hell. I say right time because if she wasn’t where she was when something terrible happens she would have never met Phenex and he is one HOT Fallen Angel and the former Angel of Song.

Phenex, a Fallen Angel without a soul, has a reaction to Sofia when he sees her that causes him to get involved with her in a way that surprises himself and his six fallen brethren but makes you fall for him and the other Fallen Angels which had me turning the pages as fast as I could read to see how this would all work out.

I think one of the things I liked most about this book was that the author believed enough in our intelligence as her readers to just get into the story form the get go and not spoon feed us tons of back story to “catch us up” with where she wanted to go and I appreciated that. There are Angels, Fallen Angels, Humans, Vampires, Heaven, Hell and a place called Terra Noctem, the City of Eternal Night which is a safe haven for the “good” night dwellers and it is protected by the Vampire King and due to an agreement with the Fallen Angels, them too.

If you are a lover of paranormal books and characters like these you will love this book. You will feel like you have been here and know the characters. I kept feeling like I had met them all before because Kendra created characters that were recognizable to the reader if you read books of this type. She didn’t create characters you had to learn what they were all about for the first time and that is what allowed you to just jump right into the story.

I suggest you do that, jump in to this book. Not only will you not be disappointed but you too will be waiting with baited breath for the next book in the series. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was whose story will be next.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5♥s

My recap:

Phenex, the Angel of Song, fell out of Heaven into Hell and became a demon, a black-winged lord of Hell. And then he was kicked out of Hell along with six of his brother Fallen. Now he enthralls listeners by singing and playing guitar at a vampire-run club, and does contract work for the white-winged angels. But he feels there has to be more to life.

Enter Sofia Rivera. Literally. She sneaks into the club to retrieve her roommate, who has gone missing. Sofia witnesses a bloody attack on her friend by a creature she didn't even know existed. Now Sofia is a target of rogue vampires, as she is the only witness to the violence and the person who led the attack on the "valuable" rogue.

While the king of the good vampires pursues the threat to his underground kingdom—the home of supernatural creatures of many races—Phenex volunteers to become Sofia's bodyguard. They are irresistibly attracted to each other. She confounds all of his preconceived notions of lowly humans and makes him feel alive again.

...he seemed to be grinning like a complete ass. Oh, hellfire. No.

But how can an immortal who lives underground have a future with a short-lived mortal who needs sunshine to thrive?

My thoughts:

Phenex ("Phoenix," like the bird) is a huge hunk with enormous black wings, fangs, and a big-ass longsword. Sign me up for that! He's cranky and slices and dices rogue vampires. He's drop-dead sexy and has the voice of…well, an angel. THE Angel. Of Song. But he's discontent. He knows that there's something missing from his life. He just doesn't know what it is.

Sofia is an ER nurse with a tender heart and a spine of steel. She doesn't wait around for someone to save her. Or tell her what to do. And Phenex is an alpha male who tells people what to do. He has a lot to learn.

Although there is some necessary world-building, introduction of characters, and telling of backstory, it's not complicated or overwhelming. The threat to Sofia, the sizzle between Phenex and Sofia, and the light-hearted moments keep the book moving along.

I loved this book. It had a hero and heroine to love, a compelling and sexy romance, engaging secondary characters, humorous moments, lethal danger, and an ending to die for.

Although not officially part of the series, some of the characters' stories were previously told in Renegade Angel and "Vivi and the Vampire" in Vacation with a Vampire: Stay\Vivi and the Vampire\Island Vacation. Next up is The Demon's Desire.

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 3 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog


I am going to be honest I didn’t think I would like this book all that much. I came to this conclusion based on the cover (terrible of me I know.) It was a little too busy and I wasn’t sure if this was a book about an angel or a musician or a mixture of the both. I thought it looked a little cheesy and I wasn’t really sure how the story would come together but I shouldn’t have worried The Demon’s Song was a lot better than I thought it would be and I ended up really enjoying it.

Sofia is just a normal woman living a normal life until looking for her troubled best friend she goes to a new nightclub. There she witnesses a murder of a vampire and suddenly she is in danger. Fearing for her safety fallen angel Phenex agrees to protect her until the danger has past. Despite trying not to they cannot deny their feelings for each other.

The Demon’s Song is a strong paranormal romance with some interested moments. I think Kendra Leigh did a really great job at creating her world and it all came together really well for me. I liked the idea of fallen angels who had worked in hell finding redemption. I also liked the idea of an underground city that hosts the paranormal creatures of the world, I have seen this done before but I really enjoyed this version.

I really liked the characters in this. Sofia was awesome she had a lot of backbone and although she loved Phenex she was not prepared to give up everything for him because he was not prepared to do the same, she would meet him half way or not at all. She was able to take care of herself and cared greatly for others.

Phenex was also really likeable. He was tough and fierce yet had a very adorable and almost shy side when he got romantic. I really liked the way he looked after Sofia and there were some really lovely moments where he would shield her with his wing. I did think he was a little moronic towards the end when he couldn’t understand why Sofia would not want to live with him. I thought it was a clever ploy from the author to show that despite the chemistry they are two different species with two different ways of thinking.

The Demon’s Song really took me by surprise and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I will definitely read more of this series in the future.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Rhianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trouble with publisher hopping...

Phenex is a fallen angel who, along with several of his fellow fallen, has been cast out of Hell too. Working for the vampires as a protector of the supernatural hidden city of Terra Noctem his talents as the former Angel of Song get him by but leave him very little true pleasure. Unable to compose new material he's become surly.

Human, Sofia Rivera, finds herself thrust into the supernatural world she never knew existed when she attempts to protect one of her roommates from an attacker. Her attraction to her new protector post-attack only complicates things. Having a fling with a demon is one thing, but dwelling in darkness with him forever is another story. As a faction of vampires and demons working together for nefarious purposes creates danger, can the pair find safety in one another?

I'm sad that I didn't get into this one. I really wanted to after seeing the cover, it's an awesome cover! I was definitely expecting there to be a lot more music-centric stuff in the overall storyline, but it's just not as central to the story as I'd anticipated. To complicate things further this has the slowest pacing imaginable. I literally caught myself saying "nothing's HAPPENING!" ala a certain cartoon bird from a childhood favorite movie when I was about halfway through the book. If that wasn't enough, there were frequent references to characters and situations that were confusing.

Upon further investigation I figured out that Castle has a couple of previous titles under the Harlequin Nocturne imprint and that is where the references to Raum and Ember, Justin and Vivi's romances came from. If you haven't read them already—which I have not since I was unaware they were tied to THE DEMON'S SONG—you may find yourself as confused as I was. While it's not essential to have read them to be able to read it, I got the impression there's world building in them that might have helped solidify the world here.

Slow-pacing and world building issues aside, THE DEMON'S SONG wasn't a bad book, I liked Sofia's personality a lot and Phenex was a hero worthy of a HEA. I think it will appeal very much to readers who like category romances with a paranormal bent, but if you lean toward meatier paranormal romances you might want to skip it in favor of one of Castle's other series.

Notes: ARC received via publisher.

[Book Reading Gals · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Demon's Song

Series: Hearts of the Fallen Book #1

Author: Kendra Leigh Castle

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Blurb: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happyending...and his heart.

Thoughts: Demon's Song is the first novel in a new series, Hearts of the Fallen, with each telling the tale of angels who fell from Heaven. The majority of the book takes place in a world called Terra Noctem, where the creatures of the night dwell. From the beginning, I felt like I was missing the story of another of the character, Justin, the vampire king. It didn't detract from the story at all, but it did peak my curiosity, as this was supposed to be the first in a series. After researching a little bit, I discovered that two other books by Castle also took place in the same world - Renegade Angel and Vivi and the Vampire, both of which are old Harlequin Nocturne novels. The book was really good, and I enjoyed Phenex's journey where he regained all that he had lost. While you can jump right into the series without reading the prior two, I will go back and read them myself, simply because I am curious....:)

The series reminded me of a watered down version of Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter. If you liked the Underworld series, you'll definately like this one. I look forward to reading more from the series with The Demon's Desire, which is set to release later this year.

Rate: B

Review by: Sarah

Read more great reviews at http://www.thebookreadinggals.com

[Kat Morrisey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really enjoy stories about angels and I liked this author's take in Angels, Vamps, the Fallen, and all the other supernatural creatures living in this world. I can't wait to read the next story in this series and hear what happens with the rest of the Fallen. I'll also be going back to grab the first two books in this series: (Vivi and the Vampire is the first short story in the series) and .

And let me just say, Phenex...holy hell. That man. Or Angel. Or Demon. Or whatever he is, was freaking smokin hot! I loved his heart, his emotions and even though he tried to be surly and guarded, his light shone through, as did his music. It was the sweetest thing ever the way he always kept Sofia close to him, his wing wrapped around her while they slept, or while they walked, or ate dinner. It was the most romantic thing ever and I think I may have actually swooned a little bit.

As for Belial. Well. He's certainly a baddie of the worst kind. What he did, or almost did to Sofia?! What a jerk! He totally deserved everything he got. But I have to say the best part of this book was when Phenex asked Uriel for help and the answer that came. My heart broke. Phenex knew he could lose everything by doing what he did to save sofia, but he did it anyways. Now that's my kind of hero. *sighs*

Despite not reading the first two in this series, I wasn't lost or confused by what was going on. The author did a great job filling in the gaps and explaining all about the history of the Angels and the Fallen, and we even see Raum and Jason and get just enough to whet our appetite (which is why I have to go back for their stories!!) Meresin and Dru's story is next and the set up for those two and their issues in Demon's Song has me intrigued as well!

*This book was a self purchase and all opinions are my own.*

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley

Phenex, once the Angel of Song, now has wings black as night--a Fallen. He no longer composes the beautiful music that flowed from his very depth and was his entire existence. Everything that once brought him joy leaves him hollow and jaded. He loathes the humans that took his gift for granted-used it for nefarious purposes. And now, he is Fallen. He and six of his brothers work for Uriel, protecting the secret world of the paranormal: Vampires, Witches, Fae, and those scary unidentified things that go bump in the night. Killing the demons determined to tip the scales in favor of evil.

Although he no longer composes, he plays his guitar for the crowds at Amphora--a night club owned by a vampire king. And it is within the club walls that his salvation walks in, unexpectedly, and a human. A female human who intrigues him like no other.

Sofia and her friend, Amy, have snuck inside Amphora, searching for their other roommate, Sara. And when Sofia finds her in the bathroom being sucked by a vampire, the world that Sofia thought she knew, crumbles beneath her. She is now being hunted and someone wants her dead.

Phenex aligns himself to protect her and the coldness inside him melts with every minute he spends with Sofia. He wants her. To keep her, hide her away with him. He is used to taking want he wants, but Sofia may be the one thing that he cannot have. She is a human. And her mortality is something that may be a gap too wide to cross. Because Sofia's life is in danger, all of her choices have been taken away--and she forced to hide deep underground in the hidden city of Terra Noctem. A city full of paranormal creatures, no sunshine, no beaches, no family, no friends. And she cannot fathom giving up her humanity to spend her life in the dark.

How can two different beings have a life of forever when one of them is human and the other a Fallen Angel.

The Demon's Song is a great paranormal tale with a broken hero who finds redemption and love. I cannot wait to read about the rest of the Fallen in the other books to come.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can never resist a bad boy. Especially a fallen from grace bad boy. The Demon’s Song gets 5 bright shining stars from me. From the very beginning, I was enraptured with Phenex and his “I don’t care” complex. And he legitimately does not care about anyone or anything. He is perfectly content feeling hollow. At least, he prefers that over emotions and pain. It isn’t until he has a run in with Sofia Rivera that he realizes there is something more to him and his existence.
Phenex was the Angel of Song until he fell from Heaven and became a demon of Hell. Hell didn’t seem to work out for him and seven of his fallen brothers and they became the Fallen on Earth, doing the bidding of archangels, fighting alongside and residing with vampires, and doing whatever they desire.
Complete with black wings and the attitude to go with is, he decides to protect Sofia, who is in danger of being murdered by traitorous vampires. It seems to turn into an impossible task, but not because of the vampires; because of Sofia.
Sofia is the light to his dark and has the compassion and hope in humanity that Phenex once had, but now despises. Constantly butting heads on most everything, not understanding each other, but still having to share living space until Sofia is safe again, they cannot deny the attraction and pull they have to each other. The one thing they agree on? The fire that each one sets inside the other.
So how do you compromise between Fallen angel, who is still a demon, living in the dark and a human who needs to live in the light? Or can you? Will these two break each other before they can find out?
Kendra’s writing is phenomenal, weaving Sofia and Phenex into a tale of lust and survival and the profound knowledge of finding out who you truly are. I simply adored both of these characters who have weaseled their way into my top favorites.

Thank you Kendra for bringing these two to life and I can’t wait to see what is next to come!



(I received an ARC for my honest review and this is my honest to goodness, straight from the heart review!)


www.caretocommentanne.blogspot.com

[Crystal Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What had started out as a finding mission with her friend, Sofia certainly wasn’t excepting for her world to be turned upside down. But after finding her friend being attacked, by a vampire, and of course the sexy musician with wings and a sword, Sofia’s world was changed. As if that wasn’t enough, after finding out that she was being stalked on purpose, she is then brought into the underground, where she finds out even more of the world she didn’t know existed.

Phenex was one of the Fallen Angels, the Angel of Song, and when he first met Sofia something inside him stirred. Unsure of what it was, only knowing that he had to keep her safe, he volunteered to be her bodyguard. Guarding her was supposed to be just that, but feelings that he wasn’t sure about came creeping to the surface.

With acts of revenge threatening the world that Phenex has vowed to protect, he has to decide what is more important to him. Will he give it all up to keep Sofia safe, or will he be able to persuade her to join the darkness to be with him?


This is the first book by Kendra Leigh Castle that I have read, and all in all I have to say that it was a pretty good read. The world that Kendra was able to create showed a lot of her imagination, and you could tell that she put a lot of herself into it. This was a different view on the world of the Fallen Angels, and I did enjoy reading this.

My only real complaint would be that there was a lot of information that I wish she would have included. For instance, in the underground world, she brought werewolves, witches and fae’s into the story line. However, there was only one spot where she mentioned them. I wish she would have broadened the story to include the different creatures that she had mentioned.

I do understand that this is the first book in her new series, and I do have to say that she left it enough in this story that keeps you wanting to know more about the other Fallen Angels, and find out more about them.

[Itara ~*My Midnight Fantasies*~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the type of book I love to read! It was so great and I really enjoyed it. I read it in two days, it was so addicting and I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. I was so impressed with Kendra's writing, I hadn't read anything from her before and I was totally floored. This was the first angel book I've read. I love how Kendra doesn't focus on the villain(s) that much, yes they're there but in the background. Sofia has to be protected against vampires who want to kill her because she witnessed her friend being bitten by one. Phenex, a fallen angel watches over her from afar until a vampire gets too close and that's when Sofia finds out she was being watched by someone that's trying to kill her and someone that's trying to protect her. Sofia remembers him from the bar she went to where she heard him sing. She felt an impossible attraction to him. I could only imagine what it would be like to hear an angel sing. Anyway, lol, the characters were funny at times; I heard myself literally laughing out loud. I liked the fact that each of the angels could turn into animals, that was interesting. Phenex could obviously turn into a phoenix and one of his brothers could turn into a snake.

The romance between Phenex and Sofia was great, they had intense chemistry but there's always the question of how permanent the relationship would be since he's immortal and she's mortal. Phenex wanted to be with her forever but Sofia didn't want to be anything supernatural; and there comes the problem and the disagreements.

Oh my God the ending of this book was so sweet and beautiful and I could not get enough of it. Sofia awakened so many different feelings in Phenex, it wasn't just love; it was things he hadn't experienced in a long time and it was so endearing seeing someone come out of his shell and what was left was someone so beautiful. I really have no words and I can't even do it justice. It was just utterly amazing. 5/5 stars, I recommend this book to every adult because there is come adult content.