Maxon

Angelbound Offspring #1

by Christina Bauer

I loved the romance in this novel… Maxon and Lianna were amazing characters, they were both so spunky and sassy. Plus, the action scenes and powers/abilities were truly epic. I loved it! – The Not So Public Library

Prince Maxon may be twenty-two years old now, but he’s still haunted by his boyhood abduction and torture in Hell. To deal with his past, Maxon limits his present-day activities to killing demons and seducing women. No long-term relationships. No combat too dangerous. No problem, right?

Wrong.

Maxon’s life has stalled out. The old thrills aren't there anymore, either on the battlefield or in the bedroom. While staking out his next fight, Maxon meets what seems like just another girl after a good time. What he gets is a close encounter with Lianna, a lady warrior with ties to the mysterious elemental rulers called the monarkki. It’s love at first fight. Trouble is, Lianna’s running from a dark history of her own, and her elemental enemies are closing in. When Lianna gets taken, Maxon realizes that after years of wrong choices and dead ends, the right woman is worth risking it all.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax (Fall 2017)
5. The Dark Lands (Fall 2018)
6. Armageddon (Already here, long story!)

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia (Fall 2019)

More Series from author Christina The Beholder (YA Dark Fantasy), Dimension Drift (YA Urban Fantasy) and Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series (YA Urban Fantasy)

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Angels, Demons, Ebooks, Young Adult

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2015

About the author

Christina 'CEE BEE' Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes young adult romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena
1. Angel bound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper
11. Reaper Games
12. Angry Gods

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress
8. Gage
*This is a finished series

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Events of Angelbound from Lincoln's POV
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire

ANGELBOUND XAVIER TRILOGY
The story of the Archangel Xavier
1. Archenemy
2. Archnemesis
3. Archangel

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves And Roses

2. Moonlight And Midtown

3. Slippers And Thieves

4. Shifters And Glyphs

5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

6. Fire And Cinder

7. Fairies And Frosting

8. Towers And Tithes
9. Mirrors And Mysteries
10. Rapunzels And Powers

DIMENSION DRIFT
Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens
1. Scythe
2. Umbra
3. Alien Minds
4. ECHO Academy
*This is a completed series

PIXIELAND DIARIES
The story of sassy pixie, Calla, and her elf crush, Dare
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
*This is a completed series

BEHOLDER
Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled
*This is a completed series

VAMPIRES OF THE DAEMONVERSE
Adult fantasy written under my pen name, CEE BEE
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Reviews

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 3 out of 5]

We fast forward in this book because Prince Maxon is now 22 years old. I can't grasp Myla being old enough to have a kid that age. I loved that chick in Angelbound. But, alas we all must age.

The story has Maxon fighting demons with his buddies and then an elemental appears. Lianna has just come into her powers as the new Monarkki of Water.


Maxon had lost some of his mo-jo and was having trouble working himself into a demon fighting frenzy. He also had lost some of his lust demon self. Don't worry he still had banged a shit ton of women.
One thing I didn't care for was the insta-love. The very second they met.
Bleck.

It's fun catching up with these characters and if you love urban fantasy this is a fun series. There is Christina Bauer's wonderful writing and trademark snark between the characters so that kept me reading.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxon is book four in the Angelbound series by Christina Bauer.



We have skipped ahead nineteen years from the end of book three. Maxon is now twenty-two years old. He is a fierce demon hunter and has quite the reputation with the ladies. He has never fully overcome the terror he experienced, though, when he was three years old at the hands of Armageddon. He still has nightmares of his experience while he was abducted. The last year has been tough. The light seems to have gone out of him. He doesn’t take the pleasure he usually gets from either battle or romance. Well, by romance, I mean a long string of one night stands. He feels that he is not relationship material. That he is broken. But all that changed the day he met Lianna.



Lianna has been an apprentice to be the next Monarkki of Water, one of four Monarkkis that rule the four elements, since she was fourteen years old. She, too, has a dark past that haunts her still. No one was more shocked than she was when she was chosen to be the successor. When she first met Maxon, she was just looking for a place to hide for a while, to prepare to be crowned as the new Monarkki. When Maxon invited her to his home she readily accepted. Was it because it was a good place to stay under the radar or because Maxon was quite the swoony, oh so handsome host?



“It’s like my body was made to be held by him.”



The attraction between Lianna and Maxon is pretty immediate but the trust and the bond between them grows slowly. It seems, though, that not all want Lianna to come into power. First, there is the jealous ex-boyfriend, Fisk, to deal with. At the same time, Zephyr, the Monarkki of Air, has been stealing power and using it as a high for himself and killing those he steals from. He wants Lianna’s new power and will do anything to get it. Zephyr needs to be stopped and Maxon and his friends find themselves right in the middle of it. Maxon, though will do whatever it takes to protect Lianna.

“What’s important is that she brought you back. You started smiling again, man. Lianna brought our friend and prince back to us. We’ll do anything for her.”



I really enjoyed this book and seeing the man Maxon has grown in to. At the same time it was great to revisit Maxon’s parents. The book builds, of course, to the ultimate epic battle which had my adrenaline in overdrive. And I loved the ending. The synopsis of the book says you could enjoy this as a stand alone which I guess you could but why miss how it all started? You would enjoy it so much more if you start at the beginning and enjoy the whole series. I look forward to the next book due out in about six months.

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually like following Maxon more than his parents but I still feel something is missing from these stories.

[Hannah D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Once again Christina Bauer has written an amazing and creative young adult novel. Maxon is the fourth book in the Angelbound series. It's about the original characters amazingly fabulous son Maxon, which the readers had already gotten so connected to in the last book when he was a super adorable three year old. On top of Maxon, it follows the story of the newest queen of the water elements. She has a hefty responsibility heaped on her to protect a special orb that she can infuse with her power to share it with others, and an entire kingdom. The king of the Air elements want the orb and her powers, and will do anything to get it. When Maxon and Lianna meet sparks fly and danger strikes.
I loved the romance in this novel. It was so well developed that my heart was overjoyed by it. Maxon and Lianna were amazing characters, they were both spunky and sassy. I love them. Aside from the relationships, the action scenes and powers/abilities were truly epic. I have a slight love with the dragons tails that Maxon and his mother have. They are some of the coolest things I have ever read about. Beyond that I love were Christina is taking the Angelbound universe, and I mean universe. Christina has thoroughly set the stage for any stories she wants to do from this point out. Now all of the cultures are set and the social constructs set. I love the introduction of elemental powers into the Angelbound series in this novel. I love it!
If I were to nitpick I do have one or two complaints. The first one would be the lack of development into the problem that Maxon was a giant playboy. I felt that should have been confronted and overcome. The last complaint would be with Lianna's ex. I feel like his role in the novel was not developed to its full potential. Past that I still really loved Maxon and recommend the entire Angelbound series. I give Maxon FOUR AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!

Want more of me? Go to: http://thenotsopubliclibrary.blogspot...

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

i got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honest review
2.5 stars.
it was an alright story, i wasn`t blown away as i had hoped i`d be. But i did really like the writing, but the insta-love was sort of too much for me.

[Molly Mortensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated new adult due to swearing, sex, and torture.

Though it's the Fourth book of the series, Maxon can be read alone.

Note: Both main characters have some PTSD. (Personal pet peeve.)

The good:

We get to find out what happened to all of the characters from the first trilogy. Though they weren't in it much, it was fun to see them again.

I love how Bauer manages to add some awesome new world building to each of her books. The world of the elementals was fascinating and I loved Lianna's powers!

This is a fast paced book with plenty of action. It's hard to pull off magical battles, but these were well done.

I was afraid it would be attraction at first sight, but both Lianna and Maxon had reasons to want to stay apart and this let their relationship progress more slowly. It turned out rather sweet, even if it was quite fast.

I liked Lianna right away! Maxon inherited his mother's sass, (the main character of the original trilogy) but it took me a while to warm up to him.

The Bad:

At the beginning, Maxon came off like a moody womanizer and he seemed way too overpowered. Luckily, he grew on me after he met Lianna.

Lianna did something really stupid towards the end. (The kind of stupid they use a lot in TV, but that didn't stop me from yelling at her.)

I've had some bad experiences with New Adult books and I'd almost written off the genre, but I liked this series so I wanted to see where it went. There was only one sex scene and it didn't just feel thrown in. (Though some of the swearing did.) I'm glad I gave it a second chance since I enjoyed this book.

Point of View: First Present (Maxon, Lianna)

Predictability: 4 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)

Source: NetGalley

My Summary:

Lianna is one on the apprentices training to become the next ruler of the water elementals, but she's only a Thrax (half angel) so the odds of her being chosen are slim. Zephyr the leader of the air elementals has been killing off water's apprentices. He attacks Lianna, but she manages to escape and stumbles into Maxon and his friends demon hunting.

Maxon is the prince of the Thrax. He's spent his whole life fighting demons, and living in the spotlight of the Thrax world, since his mother is also the one responsible for sending souls to heaven or hell. He can't become her heir until he falls in love, but no one can see that happening any time soon.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite from a series of favorites!

Loved Maxon...on so many levels!! Maxon has grown into fun combination of his parents. Mom's snark and Dad's brain. I loved Lianna and her sense of duty and feistyness. I also really enjoyed their romance. They connected from the beginning and although they might have fought the connection it was only for a second or two. Loved the conflict and the world building it added to the world Maxon inhabits. I can't wait for Portia's book! I can't get enough of this series.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received and ARC from the publisher, Ink Monster, and NetGalley for my thoughts. Mostly just advance copies because they’ve been pre-ordered on my Amazon account since October 2014.

So as I mentioned Maxon is the fourth book in the Angelbound series, so there will be some spoilers from the previous books as usual. The review for the previous book, Armageddon, can be found here. It takes place several years after the previous book and can be read as a stand-alone, though I highly recommend reading the whole series because it is amazing and gives you an even deeper appreciation for some of the smaller characters in the book.

Maxon focuses on our twenty-two year old prince who is still haunted by the past abduction as a child. He plays it off and keeps his life focused on two main activities hunting/killing demons and seducing women. He just wants to live his life as it. Problem is he’s stalling out and the thrills from both are not doing it for him anymore and having part lust and wrath demon in him that’s saying something. That is until he meets Lianna, who’s beautiful and just his type but she’s also a fighter. She has her own dark history and she is dealing with some problems of her own with the elementals. As our Prince Maxon helps Lianna with her problems he starts to wonder if he has found someone real.

Okay that is a simplified version for sure. There is way more happening and never a dull moment. Something new was the dual POV. We have chapters from Maxon and Lianna, which really flushed out the characters as well as the story each having different area of expertise. We also get to learn about a different area. We know about the Thrax, the quasi-demon, Purgatory and Hell but this time we learn about the elementals. They are pretty wicked. What was hinted at as vague knowledge comes full force with Lianna. The opening of the world’s together.

Maxon is a warrior and part wrath demon like his momma and as mentioned Lianna is also a fighter so we are not lacking in the action department. There are lots of battles and fights that use a combination of magic and straight up warrior skill. We mostly learn about water and air elementals, but to see them play against one another was completely new and exciting to learn about. Maxon also has the awesome ability to control lightening…yep bad ass. Plus he has dragon scales on his arm making it like built in armor and a super nifty tail that is a huge asset in battle. Basically it adds up to a lot of action and different fighting techniques you can easily visualize.

Action is a check but it would be missing so much without some romance. Oh yes it has that as well, so double check. Lianna and Maxon have an initial attraction as two attractive people do but as they get to know one another the dynamic changes naturally and blossoms into something so sweet it will make anyone swoon. Maxon is our semi brooding playboy prince who has some past issues to work through who has never allowed himself to really care for a member of the opposite sex aside from family. Lianna herself has some romance issues in her past and present to deal with and knows very well of Maxon’s reputation with the ladies. Watching as they work together and get to know more about one another it just heats up the kindle screen.

Best thing about the book? It surprised me. In a good way, clearly. I normally have things figured out but I admit there were aspects I didn’t see coming at all until right there. I always love that in a book. I really enjoyed Maxon as the series continued and is moving along in the time line and progressing the story. We still see glimpses of some of our favorite characters from the first couple books which makes me want to re-read them all. Also just like the other series, because Ink Monster is awesome like that, they already have the next book in the series listed and set for October, Portia. Isn’t the cover beautiful? Come on it has a dragon on it…just saying easy win. I can’t wait for more and from the description, which is a spoiler for this one fyi, we have another jump forward. Never a boring moment in the Angelbound world.

Rating: 5 Lighting Bolts
http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.c...

[Mrs. Brim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the elemental world she creates in this one. This author is really good at world-building in her works. Seems like this should be its own series instead of a spin off of the Angelbound series though.

[Alyson LaBarge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready to be shocked...I haven't read the original Angelbound series. I know, I know. How is this possible, you say. I've been drowning in good books and life alors... But, now that I've read Maxon's book, I'm completely sold!

See this was one of those books where I'd plan to read for a short while and ended up reading the ENTIRE BOOK! In one sitting! Yep, it was THAT good. Christina Bauer amazes me. She builds these worlds with creatures that are so convincing, so real. I'm sure they must exist somewhere! LOL And the characters are fantastic. I felt like they were my friends by the end of the book. Maxon and Linnea's insta-romance totally worked for me and I'm not always a believer when couples have no relationship building time. This time I was able to feel the love and as I said, it totally worked for me. As I'm kind of binge reading these first four books in Angelbound Offspring, I'm super excited to get to know the other characters better and hear their stories. If you enjoy good, believable fantasy books in a series, I can highly recommend this one.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclosure statement:
Here at ACME Teen Books - Kids, YA, and NA Too! we receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. We are not required to write positive reviews. The opinions we have expressed are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Ilona Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley You know that book that you mean to open and just read one chapter before doing something else then find you can't put it down for any reason? No? Well read this one and you will know what I am talking about. I haven't read all of the Angelbound books but luckily for me this one can stand alone and was riveting to boot. The main Characters were well written and had very interesting personalities. The action was strong and believable even though it dealt with fantastical creatures and situations. I cannot say much without spoilering so suffice to say I highly recommend this book if you enjoy fantasy action and a believable romance.

[Peadar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to like a book when the lead male character is an assclown. The series was good up to this book.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dont think CB is capable of writing a "whatever" novel. Every book she's writen is like chocolate...and Maxon is no exception. Luv it!

[Andrea Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myla and Lincoln's son Maxon is all grown up! He's hit that odd phase at 22 where you are searching for yourself and he's having trouble finding it... until he meets water elemental Lianna.

This pair is just as overwhelmed with things like duty and danger as his parents and it was so fun watching him transform from a frustrating womanizer to a man willing to do anything for his true love.

I love Bauer's imagination! Can't get enough of her series'.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Maxon is the first book in the ‘Angelbound Offsprings’ series and is a spin off from the Angelbound series.
At the end of the Angelbound series we have already been introduced to Maxon because as the series title suggests, he is the offspring of the H/h of that series and played quite a starring role in that final book. That gives us a connection to him already because I loved his parents story and knew I would like this too. We fast forward nearly two decades to find Prince Maxon is as powerful as everyone assumed he would be and the only thing stopping him from becoming the Scala Heir is that he hasn’t yet fell in love and become Angelbound. Maxon is rather bored with his life of late, he can have any woman he wants, he wins any battle he goes into and at the moment that is all he does but he wants more, he wants some excitement in his life that doesn’t involve staking out demon hotspots…..but it is there that he will find the excitement he so desires.
Lianna is from the elemental world, she is apprentice to a water Monarkki and has been training for some time. The elemental world is in trouble and a lethal enemy is killing off the Monarkki for their power which leads Lianna into serious trouble and straight into the hands of Prince Maxon. After a turbulent first meeting, Maxon is quite taken with Lianna and takes her back to his home to keep her safe but when trouble comes to the door of the Thrax, Maxon has some decisions to make.
I really enjoyed this book, as I said – we already know Maxon and who he is so it was great to see a more mature version of him and see how his life has turned out. I liked that he referenced what happened to him when he was younger, how he still fought the trauma of what was done to him and what he had to do in return – it showed him to be very level headed and aware of consequences, it also endeared him more to me because I know what he had been through too but also gave a new angle as he shared some things we didn’t know that make you understand why this still bothers him. Even though he had a ‘play boy’ image and that of a privileged Prince, I don’t think he came across as arrogant – he actually seemed well grounded for his status. I loved when he and Lianna met, she makes a great impact straight away and I knew I was going to like her. Even though we know from the get go that she is very capable of handling herself, there are times when she comes across as a bit of a doormat and someone who has been or could be manipulated by people of power – thankfully Maxon did not treat her like this, in fact her attitude is one of the things that drew him to her. Obviously they will fall for each other but it’s not instalove, there is a connection, they feel instantly different but that just amps up the tension between them and it took both of them a little while to realise what they were feeling.
The storyline was great and definitely of the same quality of the other series. I really appreciated that the author opened up the world a bit more and introduced more magical people that we hadn’t heard of in the other series, it gave something new to the book with familiar faces so we weren’t starting from scratch. I like the idea of the elementals, they have leaders of the elements - Monarkki – and they give power to their apprentices, teach them in the ways of that element and make warriors out of them. When passing power to others, it goes through a special stone that stores the energy to be taken by others and that is how the enemy is introduced to us. We see straight away just what he is up to and how he will go about doing it but he didn’t bank on Lianna being as adept as she was, then when you factor in Maxon as well…. he has a serios battle on his hands. Lianna doesn’t just have to deal with the guy chasing her, she also has to deal with other issues involving other water users, an ex and being thrust into a position of power. She is constantly trying to evade the man after her power, keep her people well, keep alive and of course… see what her bond with Maxon will bring. There are some great action scenes throughout this, some great use of the elements and magic and I really got into it. I was thankful for a good few cameo appearances from some of our favourite characters from Angelbound but I really missed Myla’s humour. There are a couple of surprises by the end of this that sets up the next book which I will definitely be looking out for.

[Emmeline (The Book Herald) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kindly received this ARC from Ink Monster publishing Via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I really liked this book!

Rating 3.5 stars.

Honestly, I've had such rotten luck lately in books that this came across as a breath of fresh air! More like a definite sigh of relief, maybe a rainbow after a storm?

But I digress.

This book in the description said that it can be read as a standalone, and indeed it can. Because that's what I did.
However, after a brief moment of confusion about the terms and about the characters that were written like i was supposed to know them, i caught on pretty quickly after that.

I won't lie, a lot of parts in this book was pretty cheesy, especially the romance...but i liked it!

Okay, let's talk about the plot.

Maxon is the high Prince, a fierce warrior and just about the best looking guy.
He should feel happy right?
Well, he isn't.
His nightmares consume his waking and sleeping thoughts.
Nightmares about the person who abducted him when he was 3 years old.
Nightmares about Armageddon, the one who ruled Hell.
Maxon tries his best to forget, to move on from the memories but he can't.
The only thing that helps is his womanizing days and the adrenaline he gets when he hunts demons.
But even that has lost its luster.

Lianna has been running all her life.
A class A demon is on her tail and she will do anything to try to get him off her tail.
She doesn't want to lead.
She's a water elemental. A warrior.
When the Monarkki of water's health declines, the powers of the water elemental needs to find a new queen.
Lianna is chosen.
but her life is in peril from the Monarkki of Air who vies for her destruction and inhale her energy.
Her own guard is against her, her people in peril.
What will she do?

Two unlikely beings cross paths, and their lives will forever change.

Could Maxon have found the one who will make him Angelbound?

Sounds pretty cool huh?
That's because it is!

After reading this book as a standalone, I know for a fact that i will backtrack and go get the first 3 books because i want to know Maxon's mother's story! I'm super dooper intrigued!

This author also did the impossible, she made a guy with a tail be swoon-worthy! I mean come on! that's some skill right there!

Overall, my favourite thing, hands down has to be the world building.
Yea, it didn't have any really big surprises.
Yea, i saw the plot twists before it happened.
Yea, the romance was cheesy.
Did i mind?
Not one bit!

Okay so I saw that some people said this is a Young Adult book, It most definitely isn't it is definitely NA.
Because there are sexual situations (though not descriptive...thank goodness) but there is a lot of bad language.
seriously.

My one criticism is that at epic moments, the author didn't make it be epic!
Like in my head during certain speeches, i was like oh this will be epic, i read it...it wasn't.

rather than something like:

"My people, we will rise against the scattered ashes and revive our souls with hope. We will join our brothers and sisters in unity and vanquish our foe! We are elemental and we a stronger when bonded."

Or at least something like that (yes i made that line up, not bad huh?)

I got something like:

"Yea, okay guys, i know we went through a lot of crap but let's try not to do that again, yea?"

You see? not epic!

but ah, well.

other than that, it's action packed and i was exhausted for the characters. the world building was cool, just the story and plot was cool.

i liked it! :)

Stay wonderful!

-The Book Herald

tweet me @thebookherald

[Reece · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC from NetGalley

The author of this book is either surrounded by really stereotypical douchey bros or no men at all. The male characters in this book are caricatures.

I mostly decided to give this a read because I like most things fantasy and I was hoping for something steamy. The steam was really not the best steam... I was really disappointed.

The writing wasn't like cringingly bad, but it wasn't good. I couldn't get invested in the characters or the plot. The dialogue was bad though. It was bad. This book could have been redeemed if there was hot sex, but there was not. There was sex, but it was like enduring mediocre foreplay with the hope that your partner can bring it home in the end game only to be very, very disappointed.

I have like 3 more of this series to read so hopefully it gets better. Time will tell.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



I don't generally pick books with covers that feature bare-chested hot guys. While it's nice to admire the hotness, I've learnt that nice abs don't always equal good story, but the blurb of this one intrigued me so I requested it.

I didn't dislike it. But there are some things that put me off. Like the heavy amounts of exposition and telling, which was especially irritating when there was a fight scene and I wanted to see action, but the pace instead of picking up, slowed.

As for the romance, I did like it. There was lust at first sight, and that's okay. Because from there it went to a much deeper attraction, to trust, until it became love.

But it was really confusing to get what was happening at first. I struggled to grasp how the world worked because people kept throwing strange words around; and I guess it'd have been easier if I'd read the first three books. But I didn't know it was a sequel until I was reading it, and then after a second of disappointment, I was relieved that it said it wasn't necessary to read the previous books. But as I read, it was more and more evident that it was probable I should have done it.

So I'd have to go with it was a tiresome read at the beginning, that I started enjoying halfway through, when things began happening.

Find this review also at A Writer's Tales

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those hard to rate books, I mean it was not deciding if it was a horrible book, I was trying to figure out exactly how exceptional it was to me.

I finally decided to rate it 4 Stars because I loved the story, I loved the characters and I loved the somewhat surprising ending.

As for what I did not love? The romance was pretty much an textbook example of "insta-love" which I always think is a bit of a shortcut for authors. The couple of Maxon and Lianna were great together but the level of devotion almost from the moment they met (well maybe a few hours after they met since the initial meeting might have been a bit violent).

The truth is that the story so captured my imagination that I almost did not care, I was hanging on each move and trying to see where the story was going (which I could not, always a plus) and was surprised by Maxon several times, Lianna on the other hand was a bit more predictable.

Bottom Line: When I give a final rating it is usually heavily weighted on my enjoyment of the book in spite of whatever weaknesses it may have, this is where this book was since I truly loved the story. I saw some minor character flaws, some editorial mistakes (NOTE: I had an advanced reading copy so these may not be present in the final published form) but in the end, a great story wins me over every time and a BIG plus is that I had not read any of the previous novels in this series and never felt like I had missed a thing due to small bits of info inserted at points where I might have been confused. Very well done in that respect, many authors say there books "can be read as a stand alone" and you find that it is not true, this one held to that exceptionally while still making you curious about the previous books, well done. 4 Stars for a great reading experience.

[David Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this as an ARC and OH... MY GOD... JUST WOW!!!!!!

Maxon is total badass. He's charming like his father and as awesome a demon killer as his mother. So, yeah, he's a little traumatized from being tortured in Hell as a kid by Armageddon, but he's dealing with his demons.... by kicking ass!

Maxon is a total womanizer. His demon side being part wrath and lust, he's just like his mother, but lately he hasn't been feeling himself. There's no more thrill and adrenaline in killing demons. And seducing human women isn't quite as rewarding anymore...

But then he meets Lianna. An unbelievably gorgeous girl who has become the Water Monarkki, the water elemental. Narrowly escaping death from the Air elemental, Zephyr, she comes across Maxon where an insta-love connection occurs in the best way possible for these two warriors: by fighting.

We get to see some of Myla and Lincoln in there as well, and plenty of Octavia who is the funniest grandmother ever.

THrougout the story, there is a healthy serving of kick ass action and witty remarks from Maxon and Lianna. And then there's the steamy romance to spice everything up to make it into the best tasting brain food... if that makes sense?? I mean... you read it... and your brain processes the information... and it's really good....

Damnit, it's amazing! Christina Bauer's trademark writing style remains beautifully constant, so if you want to read more about that, look at my review on Angelbound.

Congratulations Christina Bauer, you've written yourself a damn good book.
FIVE STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maxon left me charmed and delighted. This fantasy romance centers around Maxon and Lianna. The attraction between the two is instant, even if neither of them wanted it to be. Through the book they come to trust, rely, and care for one another. The bond between them is built upon all the right kinds of stones.

Maxon, I have a lot to say about Maxon. Maxon is witty, clever, snarky, and loyal. He's one hell of a demon slayer and finds himself losing interest in that aspect of his life. His course changes once he meets Lianna. Lianna is daring, passionate, and gutsy. She does what she believes is best and follows her heart. The two make a striking pair and suit one another.

The story weaves the reader into the novel's world effortlessly, even for someone who has not read the prior books in the series. This shows the talent the author possesses as many fail to be able to draw a reader in when such a complicated world exists. The story will captivate you from the very first page as you are presented with a very snarky and annoyed Prince Maxon. I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review and I can happily say Maxon deserves a perfect 5 star rating.

For more things by me check out http://ramblingsofayoungprgirl.blogsp...

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review**
Maxon is a high prince and fierce warror, but his nightmares consumed him. He dreams of when he was 3 and abducted by Armageddon, the ruler of Hell. He tries to forget but can't. He uses women and killing demons to forget but that's getting old. The ruler of Water is not doing good. Lianna is chosen, but Lianna has been running all her life with a demon on her tail. She's a water element and wants to stay a warrior. She has a strong sense of duty. The ruler of Air wants Lianna dead and to get her energy. Maxon and Lianna meet and the attraction can't be denied.
Maxon is basically just drained from his nightmares. He's very brave and loyal, smart and strong. He's good at killing demons. He's an enjoyable character who grew with the twists and turns of this story. Lianna is very fierce but also loyal and true. She's strong mentally and physically, even with a demon always after her. She can be very determined. She also grows through the story.
This was a very good book and plot. I recommend it to anyone that likes this genre.

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because I loved both characters a lot and I liked how he was matched with someone so alike him. They've both seen a lot more than other people and they get that about each other which is why they're so perfect for each other. They understand each other and feel safe enough to be able to open up to the other about their pasts they've so desperately tried to keep hidden. I also really liked the ending because it had a very unexpected plot twist that I couldn't even have begun to imagine but I liked it because in the end they're both happy.

[Mihaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I haven't read the original Angelbound series, now that I've read Maxon's book, I'm completely sold!
Having no idea about the world inside these books, I had a little difficulty in the first chapters to understand the world, the realms, all kind of characters, elementals, thrax, demons, angels… I believe as of chapter 3 I’ve really started devouring it.
It kept me up all night two nights in a row, is THAT good! On to Portia now 😊
I foresee lots of nights with no sleep as I have all 5 books in the series 😃

[Kelly Akemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, well again, I read this one with out reading the rest of the series. But this can totally stand on its own feet for sure. I was drawn in immediately and really liked this book. I enjoyed the relationship between Maxon and Lianna. I felt that it was well developed and well written. Sometimes I worry that the Angel/Demon stories will get tired, but not here. Very well done and definitely deserving of 4 stars.

[Kitlina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A-Fucking-Mazing
I absolutely loved this book. It was a perfect continuation of the series.
Maxon was incredible and Lianna was also a very strong heroine.
I just delved right into the book and didn't stop till I finished. It was that well written.
I was so happy to continue the journey started in Angelbound.
Fantastic series and I can't wait for Portia to come out.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I read the Angelbound Origins series, I HAD to read Maxon. I was not disappointed. Really enjoyed Lianna and Maxon's story. Can't wait for the next one.

[Westveil Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was granted complimentary review access to Maxon via NetGalley widget as part of my participation in the Xpresso Blog Tours review tour celebrating the release of book 6: Mack. Thank you to everyone involved in distributing the review copies to us tour hosts! This has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

While I have read Christina Bauer’s work before (and loved it) this is my first dip of the toes into the Angelbound lore, so fellow readers who are more informed please forgive my lack of ability to comment on familiar characters, plot points, etc. As this is the beginning of its own series (Offspring) within the larger universe, I felt confident jumping in on this one, and I don’t feel that I was missing too much. I’m a little confused looking at other reviews, though, as some of them say this is book four. Is it the fourth Angelbound world book published by publication date? Is it simultaneously part of another sub-series? I’m going to have to read every single Angelbound book now! (Fortunately, that sounds like an excellent way to spend my time.)

This book moves quickly and doesn’t ever let the reader get bored. It primarily jumps back and forth between what Maxon is up to and what Liana is up to, and I do think I preferred Liana despite this clearly being Maxon’s story. With that said, I loved the “dude-bro” feel to the banter between Maxon and the other guys, and this book opens on that, so there’s a big win! The way Christina’s characters interact with each other in such a genuinely teenage mindset kind of way is what made me love her work when I reviewed Calla, so I’m glad to see that continuing in this book (and presumably the rest of the series.)

Maxon, Liana, and many of the other characters in this book are a half-angel paranormal being called Thrax (what is the plural for thrax?) and many including Maxon devote their time to fighting demons. Maxon is the prince in waiting of the Thrax (I guess that is also the plural?) but before he’s completely eligible to inherit the throne he must fall in love. Enter Liana, a clear choice, yet somehow nobody sees the pair happening including Maxon and Liana themselves. Will they? Won’t they? You’ll have to read it to find out! I will say I truly appreciate that while this is a YA novel and while there’s a romantic element to the plot, the classic YA romance trope of “insta-love” does not make an appearance here. It’s kind of refreshing, honestly, to see intended romantic partners in this sort of novel have no interest at all when their paths first cross.

I absolutely love how much elemental magic features in this book (and I presume in the rest of the Angelbound books.) Elemental magic is my catnip when it comes to subgenres and components of fantasy. I identify with fire myself, and I love all the things that can be done with a fire-affiliated character, so if Liana had been vying for a position with fire elementals that would have been icing on the cake for me, but I do think water works better for her and this particular story and it was very well done. The elemental magic components to this book alone would be enough to make me curious about book two.

Does this book stand well on its own / as the start of its own series that can be read without reading the previously piblished material in this world? Yes… but. There are clearly things that happened to some of these characters at some other time that were mentioned and sometimes briefly explained, but I got the feeling that these were already explored at length in another book and that’s why the explanations were so brief. Some of them seem to have played large roles in shaping these characters, and I felt just the slightest bit like I had missed something. It didn’t distract too much from the book and I clearly did get through this book and enjoy it as my introduction to the Angelbound world, so I expect most other new readers would be able to do the same.

I’m genuinely looking forward to reading the rest of the Angelbound Offspring books and then backtracking and finding the older Angelbound books as well!

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I read this title for a blog tour! To read the rest of the post and gain easy access to the rest of the tour, visit: https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mit „Maxon“ hat meine wunderbare Reise in die Welt von Dragons, Thrax, Elementals und so weiter begonnen und ich bin begeistert. Obwohl ich die Vorgängerreihe nicht kenne, war ich doch gleich in dieser Welt, fühlte mich zuhause.
Anfangs waren die Begriffe etwas schwer zu verstehen bzw. zu merken, aber spät. Ab dem ersten Viertel war ich voll drinnen. Das war auch ungefähr der Zeitpunkt, wo sich Maxon und Lianna das erste mal getroffen haben. Die Dynamik der beiden war wunderbar. Ich hab es so genossen, dass Lianna zwar eine starke Prota ist, aber auch ihre Schwäche gleich mal bei Maxon zugelassen hat. Ihre Tränen, seinen Halt. Ich fand es super, dass sich beide auch gleich mal ihrer Gefühle bewusst wurden und es kein ewiges Hin und Her wurde. Maxon war ein toller Prota, sexy, frech, aber auch liebenswürdig und ein Kämpfer: für seine Familie, seine Leute, seine Schöne.
Das „Wir“ war einfach schön und der Zusammenhalt mega. Es ist so viel passiert, und doch hab ich das Buch in einem Rutsch durchgelesen. Auch die Freunde von Maxon sind super, geben ihm Halt, stehen hinter ihm. Besonders Ty fand ich super, ich hoffe, ich bekomme vom Warlock noch mehr zu lesen.
Definitiv eine Empfehlung für alle, die gerne eine schöne Liebesgeschichte lesen, welche hier aber nicht zu sehr in den Vordergrund drückt und noch eine Menge Raum für Spannung und Abenteuer frei lässt.

****

Maxon brought me into a world full of wonders: dragons, thrax, elementals und much more and from the start I was mesmerized. Even though I did not read (yet) the story of Maxon’s parents, I felt home in their world, welcomed.
In the beginning it was a bit hard with certain words and terminology, but after finishing the first quarter, I’ve fully arrived. This was also the moment, when Maxon and Lianna met for the first time. I loved their dynamic, their behaviour. Lianna is a strong female, however, she does allow herself weakness when being with Maxon, from basically the start, which I really enjoyed. Sharing her tears, her nightmares, but also accepting his strength, him holding her. I really enjoyed that both of them were quite conscious about their feelings and it wasn’t a constant back and forth. Well written. Maxon was sexy, dreamy, sassy but also so full of love for his family, friends and Lianna. A true warrior prince.
“We” is something I enjoyed between Maxon and Lianna, and their trust and connection. So much happened, but they did it together, conquered it together. Also Maxon’s friends were amazing, although I could have seen more of Ty. For some reason I also fell in love with the warlock.
Definitely a recommendation from my side and those readers who love a good love story, which is not domineering the overall book but also offers amazing battle, adventure and magic.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maxon is the High Prince of Thrax and the son and heir of the great Scala Myla half-demon and half-human and Prince Lincoln half-human and half-angel.

Maxon likes to play the field when it comes to women never staying with them longer than one night or a few hours, just as long as it takes to get the deed done.

When he was just three-years-old he was kidnaped by Armageddon and now he lives with that nightmare of his capture day and night. His way of coping with it is to hunt down the biggest and baddest demons ever, Class A demons with the help of his sidekicks, Zee, Uther, Ty and Zee’s battle twin Raj.

Maxon life starts to turn around when he meets one Lianna a water elemental, one of four who is next in line to be the leader of the monarkki. Maxon is not the only one with a dark past as Lianna has a few nightmares of her own.

Lianna is still being chased by a couple of people from her past. One in particular is the Monarkki of Air, Zephyr who wants to take her elemental powers. Zephyr likes taken elemental powers from elementals to make him stronger so he can take over and lead the people in his own way.

When Lianna is taken Maxon realizes what she truly means to him and promises to do whatever it takes to get her back. His sidekicks has also promised to look after Lianna as well as she is the one who put the smile back on their buddies face.

I love this world of angels and demons in Maxon book one in the Angelbound Offspring series that the author, Christina has created for our little friends. I have loved this world since first being introduced to Myla and Lincoln’s world in book one of the Angelbound Origins series. I am so glad to see that Maxon inherited his mother’s tail. I would love to have seen more action from his tail. His mother’s tail seemed to have had a mind of its own.
Maxon is a fast paced read that kept me on the edge of my seat with the adrenaline pumping getting so lost in Maxon and Lianna’s world. There action and fighting on almost every page. There were a few times there that Maxon and Lianna had me scared. I felt like I was right there with them I could feel all the excitement running through my veins and at times I think my leg would give a little kick with wanting to help them out in the fight scenes.

Christina Bauer is an amazing author whose writing just gets better and better with each word she writes. The worlds that she creates are extra ordinary. When you pick up one of her books it is like she has elemental powers of her own pulling you into the worlds she creates.

If you love angels and demons with a whole lot of fighting going on, then I would like to recommend that you give the Angelbound Offspring series a try.