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Lucinda's Pawnshop #1
Devil's Daughter
Lucinda is as old as humanity itself, yet perpetually young, beautiful, and endowed with supernatural powers. She lives a double life human and immortal.
In her human guise, she manages Lucinda's Pawnshop & Antiquary, the doors of which can open to any street anywhere in the world at any time. Mortals who have arrived at a moral or spiritual crossroads are drawn into the mysterious shop. If they acquire one of its cursed artifacts, they may find themselves drafted into Lucifer s service.
Born out of a betrayal of trust between the first woman, Eve, and father Lucifer, Lucinda has worked covertly and subtly for millennia to be true to her mothers love by subverting her fathers schemes. She wins freedom for some; Lucifer keeps those who fail for eternity. She has to be careful, for Lucifer has placed her under the watchful eye of the fallen angel Nathaniel, whose real intentions are a mystery.
Lucifer manipulates his army of corrupted souls to achieve his end game: to explode the tension between global powers, then create a charismatic anti-Christ to seemingly save the world with Lucinda as mother and a hand-picked human as father.
But Lucinda has her own plans. After centuries of seeming distance from humanity, she falls in love with a mortal man, which threatens to derail Lucifer's plans to trigger Armageddon. This book follows Lucinda s torturous relationship with her supernatural father, as she strives to secretly undermine his crusade to destroy mankind.
How deep does Lucinda's humanity go? Where do her true loyalties lie? Is she her father's ally, or her mothers child? And if the Devil's daughter will not love a man he can control, can Lucifer control the man she loves?"
In her human guise, she manages Lucinda's Pawnshop & Antiquary, the doors of which can open to any street anywhere in the world at any time. Mortals who have arrived at a moral or spiritual crossroads are drawn into the mysterious shop. If they acquire one of its cursed artifacts, they may find themselves drafted into Lucifer s service.
Born out of a betrayal of trust between the first woman, Eve, and father Lucifer, Lucinda has worked covertly and subtly for millennia to be true to her mothers love by subverting her fathers schemes. She wins freedom for some; Lucifer keeps those who fail for eternity. She has to be careful, for Lucifer has placed her under the watchful eye of the fallen angel Nathaniel, whose real intentions are a mystery.
Lucifer manipulates his army of corrupted souls to achieve his end game: to explode the tension between global powers, then create a charismatic anti-Christ to seemingly save the world with Lucinda as mother and a hand-picked human as father.
But Lucinda has her own plans. After centuries of seeming distance from humanity, she falls in love with a mortal man, which threatens to derail Lucifer's plans to trigger Armageddon. This book follows Lucinda s torturous relationship with her supernatural father, as she strives to secretly undermine his crusade to destroy mankind.
How deep does Lucinda's humanity go? Where do her true loyalties lie? Is she her father's ally, or her mothers child? And if the Devil's daughter will not love a man he can control, can Lucifer control the man she loves?"
300 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
5 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Hope Schenk-de Michele
1 book10 followersHope Schenk-de Michele is the co-author of urban fantasy DEVIL'S DAUGHTER (LUCINDA'S PAWNSHOP, #1). She is a veteran television producer and an entrepreneur in the video post-production and advertising industries. Hope and DEVIL'S DAUGHTER co-author, Paul Marquez, are childhood best friends and share a love of mystery and science fiction. This passion lead them to create the forever young and beautiful daughter of darkness, Lucinda. A Los Angeles native, Hope currently resides in Toluca Lake, California with her husband of 22 years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
April 3, 2016
https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2015/0...
Heads up: this is going to be a short and probably odd review.
Did I find Devil's Daughter extraordinarily original and mind-blowing? Nope.
Was the world building insane? Not really. It was interesting, sure, but not very elaborate. Some notions were not that clear to me, like what exactly the Between was and why some beings could change it, and I thought that the ward thing was an easy way out of situations which really could not have been fixed in other ways, for instance.
Were the characters incredibly well-developed? Not so much. Lucinda is supposed to be the daughter of Lucifer and Eve, though I did not really get much of a sense of a millenia-old creature. And Nathaniel was supposed to be this being who no one could really tell what he was thinking, his face never, ever shows emotion, and yet he had a couple of lines which seemed a tad out of character, particularly the humorous bit about a match made in Hell. There were definitely a couple of questions that Lucinda asked him that I don't get why wait millenia to do it.
So why the 3.5 stars, even rounded up? Quite simply, because the story carried me away. It is obviously a plot-driven book and that is ok. Even with its flaws, it made me want to keep turning the pages and find out what came next. All the characters were interesting in their own way, the powers were cool, the premise reminded me a bit of Stephen King's Needful Things and the sheer idea of Satan only being able to influence people but not force their will has insane possibilities, and I do think it was explored well in the book. It was very intriguing and interesting to watch how his plans came together, even if I did not get closure for several of them.
I wasn't happy about so many things being left unanswered but I understand it - after all, this is only book 1 in a series. But I still had a great time reading Devil's Daughter, and I would definitely like to know what comes next.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Heads up: this is going to be a short and probably odd review.
Did I find Devil's Daughter extraordinarily original and mind-blowing? Nope.
Was the world building insane? Not really. It was interesting, sure, but not very elaborate. Some notions were not that clear to me, like what exactly the Between was and why some beings could change it, and I thought that the ward thing was an easy way out of situations which really could not have been fixed in other ways, for instance.
Were the characters incredibly well-developed? Not so much. Lucinda is supposed to be the daughter of Lucifer and Eve, though I did not really get much of a sense of a millenia-old creature. And Nathaniel was supposed to be this being who no one could really tell what he was thinking, his face never, ever shows emotion, and yet he had a couple of lines which seemed a tad out of character, particularly the humorous bit about a match made in Hell. There were definitely a couple of questions that Lucinda asked him that I don't get why wait millenia to do it.
So why the 3.5 stars, even rounded up? Quite simply, because the story carried me away. It is obviously a plot-driven book and that is ok. Even with its flaws, it made me want to keep turning the pages and find out what came next. All the characters were interesting in their own way, the powers were cool, the premise reminded me a bit of Stephen King's Needful Things and the sheer idea of Satan only being able to influence people but not force their will has insane possibilities, and I do think it was explored well in the book. It was very intriguing and interesting to watch how his plans came together, even if I did not get closure for several of them.
I wasn't happy about so many things being left unanswered but I understand it - after all, this is only book 1 in a series. But I still had a great time reading Devil's Daughter, and I would definitely like to know what comes next.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 1, 2015
3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped.
What I liked:
-the cover is beautiful. There are FLAMES in that eye. FLAMES!
-it was a great angel-devil story that DIDN'T make Nephilim the main focus (in fact, they were only mentioned briefly and that was in reference to something else).
-the female characters weren't helpless damsels; they had agency and their own powers - either literally, in the case of Lucinda and Janine, but also in a figurative way, like how Brittany's ethical convictions won over her need to have a high-paying job.
-there were some surprisingly dark moments. You'd think I'd have been prepared, since I was reading a book about the (literal) spawn of Satan, but I was still shocked when someone's head got chopped off. I was not expecting it, but I liked how the story took a dark turn.
-I liked this portrayal of Lucifer - imitating men with his physical appearance, but still being a bringer of chaos. I thought it was interesting that he was so calculating and devious and just not straight-up "I'm going to destroy everyone!". I also liked how - in this one, at least - he wasn't trying to make up for causing the Fall, which is what usually happens when Lucifer shows up in a YA novel. It sounds horrible to be rooting for the bad guy, but it's almost nice to read about evil-Lucifer instead of repentant-Lucifer.
What I didn’t like:
-the chapters seemed long. It didn't actually take me a long time to read, but I felt like it lasted ages. I think the pacing might have been a bit too slow for my personal taste.
-there was a lot of build-up, a lot of pieces of the puzzle which only sort of came together at the end. As far as I know, there will be a sequel, and this book was all about the set up without any real actions until the last few chapters. Admittedly, this is a good way to get people interested in the rest of the series (so many loose ends!), but I wasn't expecting it to end so abruptly.
-there were some characters I didn't particularly care for so their parts slowed down my reading. It didn't help that their story lines were usually the ones that required some thought (I don't understand the military or legal sectors at all).
It had a great plot and some interesting moments but, while it had an open ending, I'm not tearing down the house in anticipating for the sequel. Definitely a good change from most of the other angel-based YA out there, though.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped.
What I liked:
-the cover is beautiful. There are FLAMES in that eye. FLAMES!
-it was a great angel-devil story that DIDN'T make Nephilim the main focus (in fact, they were only mentioned briefly and that was in reference to something else).
-the female characters weren't helpless damsels; they had agency and their own powers - either literally, in the case of Lucinda and Janine, but also in a figurative way, like how Brittany's ethical convictions won over her need to have a high-paying job.
-there were some surprisingly dark moments. You'd think I'd have been prepared, since I was reading a book about the (literal) spawn of Satan, but I was still shocked when someone's head got chopped off. I was not expecting it, but I liked how the story took a dark turn.
-I liked this portrayal of Lucifer - imitating men with his physical appearance, but still being a bringer of chaos. I thought it was interesting that he was so calculating and devious and just not straight-up "I'm going to destroy everyone!". I also liked how - in this one, at least - he wasn't trying to make up for causing the Fall, which is what usually happens when Lucifer shows up in a YA novel. It sounds horrible to be rooting for the bad guy, but it's almost nice to read about evil-Lucifer instead of repentant-Lucifer.
What I didn’t like:
-the chapters seemed long. It didn't actually take me a long time to read, but I felt like it lasted ages. I think the pacing might have been a bit too slow for my personal taste.
-there was a lot of build-up, a lot of pieces of the puzzle which only sort of came together at the end. As far as I know, there will be a sequel, and this book was all about the set up without any real actions until the last few chapters. Admittedly, this is a good way to get people interested in the rest of the series (so many loose ends!), but I wasn't expecting it to end so abruptly.
-there were some characters I didn't particularly care for so their parts slowed down my reading. It didn't help that their story lines were usually the ones that required some thought (I don't understand the military or legal sectors at all).
It had a great plot and some interesting moments but, while it had an open ending, I'm not tearing down the house in anticipating for the sequel. Definitely a good change from most of the other angel-based YA out there, though.
May 2, 2015
I was provided a free copy of this book via Netgalley for review from the publisher.. Lucinda is the devils daughter, who runs a pawn shop that can appear anywhere in the world. It is filled with objects that hold dark souls. Only people at a moral crossroads can see and enter the shop, where they pawn or purchase a dark object. Theses objects wreak havoc on the mortals who purchase them. Lucinda meets a mortal man who makes her feel things she has never experienced before, such as love and passion. Lucinda must tread a fine line between working for her father and protecting the man she loves from people in her fathers service who wish to do him harm. I found the idea of this book very intriguing and the characters likeable. The pace of the book was good, but it started to drag a little during the last part of the book. This book read as if part of a set. The story stood alone, but I felt this was really just a starting point for a bigger story yet to come. I would read the next parts of the story to find out what happens next.
July 9, 2015
I had to DNF this one which was sad because I felt it had potential. I just couldn't get a feel for the story or the writing.
July 12, 2015
I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.
Devil’s Daughter is about Lucinda, the daughter of Satan and Eve, so she is half human and half angel. She is surrounded by demons, fallen angels, and others who serve her father.
The authors’ writing flows well and is easy to follow. The book did get a little too in depth for my taste at times so I did do some skipping that didn’t affect the story. I especially liked the side stories about people who purchase items in Lucinda’s Pawnshop. These items are talismans infused with evil and can cause people to do horrible things. Some people are easily swayed to perform these horrible acts while others, thankfully, are strong enough to stick to their morals.
Many of the characters around Lucinda are, of course, pure evil. Lucinda is a complex being who finally finds her human side when she meets Dominic, and they fall in love. He is not perfect but he does try to be a good Christian and he seems to be just what she needs. Lucinda believes that, as the Devil’s Daughter, God won’t listen to her but I wonder if Dominic was sent to her by God…
If you like supernatural stories that include God and the devil as well as some current issues such as unrest in the Middle East and religious cults, then you’ll definitely like The Devil’s Daughter.
Devil’s Daughter is about Lucinda, the daughter of Satan and Eve, so she is half human and half angel. She is surrounded by demons, fallen angels, and others who serve her father.
The authors’ writing flows well and is easy to follow. The book did get a little too in depth for my taste at times so I did do some skipping that didn’t affect the story. I especially liked the side stories about people who purchase items in Lucinda’s Pawnshop. These items are talismans infused with evil and can cause people to do horrible things. Some people are easily swayed to perform these horrible acts while others, thankfully, are strong enough to stick to their morals.
Many of the characters around Lucinda are, of course, pure evil. Lucinda is a complex being who finally finds her human side when she meets Dominic, and they fall in love. He is not perfect but he does try to be a good Christian and he seems to be just what she needs. Lucinda believes that, as the Devil’s Daughter, God won’t listen to her but I wonder if Dominic was sent to her by God…
If you like supernatural stories that include God and the devil as well as some current issues such as unrest in the Middle East and religious cults, then you’ll definitely like The Devil’s Daughter.
February 13, 2016
The Devil’s Daughter is a paranormal, supernatural and magical book that pits good against evil. This original storyline has a twist from the norm.
Lucinda runs a pawn shop. Be careful when you go in, because she may have just what is looking for you. Could it be a gift? Could it be a curse?
Lucinda is the daughter of Lucifer and Eve. At first, I thought she was evil, but there is more to Lucinda than meets the eye. She has her own agenda and is often at odds with her father. She wonders why God has forsaken her. Her world turns topsy turvy when she meets Dominic Adeodatus Amado, whose name means Gift of a loving God. Hmmm…
I love this unique and unusual version of the battle between good and evil. I loved the characters, both good and bad. They did their jobs well. As I read along, I grew to like Lucinda more and more, but her partners, not so much. I felt really bad for Mona, but that is a story you will need to find out for yourself.
Humanity has its own struggles, some choosing the good path, some not, and some caught in Between.
So…come in to Lucinda’s Pawnshop. She will make sure you find…something.
This is the first book in the series and I am looking for Book II…
To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com
Lucinda runs a pawn shop. Be careful when you go in, because she may have just what is looking for you. Could it be a gift? Could it be a curse?
Lucinda is the daughter of Lucifer and Eve. At first, I thought she was evil, but there is more to Lucinda than meets the eye. She has her own agenda and is often at odds with her father. She wonders why God has forsaken her. Her world turns topsy turvy when she meets Dominic Adeodatus Amado, whose name means Gift of a loving God. Hmmm…
I love this unique and unusual version of the battle between good and evil. I loved the characters, both good and bad. They did their jobs well. As I read along, I grew to like Lucinda more and more, but her partners, not so much. I felt really bad for Mona, but that is a story you will need to find out for yourself.
Humanity has its own struggles, some choosing the good path, some not, and some caught in Between.
So…come in to Lucinda’s Pawnshop. She will make sure you find…something.
This is the first book in the series and I am looking for Book II…
To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com
April 30, 2015
Devil's Daughter: Lucinda's Pawnshop, Book One
by Hope Schenk-De Michele, Paul Marquez, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Independent reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock.
I was lucky enough to get a free copy of this book for an honest Review.
Really enjoyed this book and by the sounds of it there is going to be more. I loved the characters and what each one did have to do. Lucinda's Pawnshop appears where it needs to be at the time, also she has the ability to change form and go from time to time. She meets a young man who makes her feel. She has to protect him from her father's people because they want to harm him and she is in love with him.
Story isn't original but still very good enjoyed reading it. Hoping that there will be more books not just the one.
I am giving it 4 stars.
by Hope Schenk-De Michele, Paul Marquez, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Independent reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock.
I was lucky enough to get a free copy of this book for an honest Review.
Really enjoyed this book and by the sounds of it there is going to be more. I loved the characters and what each one did have to do. Lucinda's Pawnshop appears where it needs to be at the time, also she has the ability to change form and go from time to time. She meets a young man who makes her feel. She has to protect him from her father's people because they want to harm him and she is in love with him.
Story isn't original but still very good enjoyed reading it. Hoping that there will be more books not just the one.
I am giving it 4 stars.
March 7, 2016
It was good, it was difficult, it was a little slow at times. This is a manipulative Lucifer and his daughter. We enter in the middle of their web of schemes and follow each storyline, which all intersect at least somewhat. There is a lot going on and everyone has an agenda... Looking forward to book 2 since many of the lines of story are still unresolved.
October 10, 2015
Absolutely wonderfully written page turner that was the best blend of paranormal and suspense I've seen in quite a while. Perfect intro to this series.
October 30, 2016
Lucinda is the owner of a pawn shop which has the power to appear anywhere in the world. Only those who are going through some kind of moral conflict can enter; once inside, a dark object calls out to them. This object will have the power to greatly influence their lives. As the devil's daughter, Lucinda collects these objects at the behest of Satan. Because she is also the daughter of Eve, Lucinda still has a human soul and heart and this means that sometimes she's able to cast wrench into the devil's plans. Lucinda has been playing the long game for quite sometime but when Dominic makes his way to the shop, Lucinda finds herself tempted by a human for the first time in a long. The fact that he is able to enter means that despite is apparent goodness, there's something dark about him as well. Will Lucinda have the courage to explore her feelings or will she get caught up once again in one of her father's demonic schemes?
I honestly had by doubts about this book. I read the description several times and because I kept coming back to it over the course of several days, I decided to read it. It's a decision I absolutely do not regret. There have been lots of tales about Satan and his evil plans for this world and so it wouldn't be fair to say that the Devil's Daughter is unique but yet, I found it a compelling read and simply could not put it down. I love the idea that the devil can not act directly and so is forced to create far reaching plans, moving people around like pawns on a chessboard, instead directly influencing humanity. Free will in this universe is paramount, making the evil that we do entirely of our own creation. Yes, each person reaches a critical moment when they must choose between right and wrong but the choice at the end is always theirs. It is however worth noting that there are times when the authors stray and become somewhat didactic as it relates to things like pre-marital sex and the importance of believing in the divine.
This notion of free will and the potential intrinsic evil of mankind only really becomes a problem for me when the authors bring up the holocaust. The authors claim that Hitler was influenced by the devil and this is what lead to the holocaust. Lucinda blames herself in part because she didn't see the plan coming together until it was too late. Appropriating an atrocity in this fashion is never going to be acceptable because it reduces human lives to a plot point. Given that intrinsic evil is something the authors explored there's no reason supernatural machinations needs to apply to Hitler.
On some level, I found each of the characters interesting. Lucinda and her self doubt about her own goodness based on her parentage reminded me of the question of original sin. Even Eve, who didn't physically appear in this book finds redemption when the writers suggest that Eve isn't the one was cast out of heaven, nor did she eat fruit from a forbidden tree. Eve chooses to join Adam on earth after being raped by the devil. The authors didn't directly paint what happened between Eve and Lucifer as rape because it is rape by deception but at no point did they imply that this act isn't an extreme violation. Nathaniel, the enigmatic angel fascinated me the most. He's a fallen angel and yet he promises to watch over Lucinda. I very much get the feeling that he was assigned to fall to guide and help Lucinda. I really want to know his backstory more.
Read More
I honestly had by doubts about this book. I read the description several times and because I kept coming back to it over the course of several days, I decided to read it. It's a decision I absolutely do not regret. There have been lots of tales about Satan and his evil plans for this world and so it wouldn't be fair to say that the Devil's Daughter is unique but yet, I found it a compelling read and simply could not put it down. I love the idea that the devil can not act directly and so is forced to create far reaching plans, moving people around like pawns on a chessboard, instead directly influencing humanity. Free will in this universe is paramount, making the evil that we do entirely of our own creation. Yes, each person reaches a critical moment when they must choose between right and wrong but the choice at the end is always theirs. It is however worth noting that there are times when the authors stray and become somewhat didactic as it relates to things like pre-marital sex and the importance of believing in the divine.
This notion of free will and the potential intrinsic evil of mankind only really becomes a problem for me when the authors bring up the holocaust. The authors claim that Hitler was influenced by the devil and this is what lead to the holocaust. Lucinda blames herself in part because she didn't see the plan coming together until it was too late. Appropriating an atrocity in this fashion is never going to be acceptable because it reduces human lives to a plot point. Given that intrinsic evil is something the authors explored there's no reason supernatural machinations needs to apply to Hitler.
On some level, I found each of the characters interesting. Lucinda and her self doubt about her own goodness based on her parentage reminded me of the question of original sin. Even Eve, who didn't physically appear in this book finds redemption when the writers suggest that Eve isn't the one was cast out of heaven, nor did she eat fruit from a forbidden tree. Eve chooses to join Adam on earth after being raped by the devil. The authors didn't directly paint what happened between Eve and Lucifer as rape because it is rape by deception but at no point did they imply that this act isn't an extreme violation. Nathaniel, the enigmatic angel fascinated me the most. He's a fallen angel and yet he promises to watch over Lucinda. I very much get the feeling that he was assigned to fall to guide and help Lucinda. I really want to know his backstory more.
Read More
June 22, 2016
This review originally appeared on seriestracker.wordpress.com
Thanks netgalley for letting me read it.
A book, a blurb and a victim.
The book: Don't really need to tell you, if you are reading this.
The blurb: See the first comment.
The victim: Me.
BUT… it’s ok. Because while I was suckered by the blurb and requested the book because of it, while it was so very different than what I expected, it is ok. Because I really enjoyed it! I won’t bother with a synopsis, because, well, the blurb. But, I will say that I expected some paranormal romance it was more like Tom Clancy or Brad Meltzer meets, well anyone that I read that is paranormal but working the Devil/fallen angel angle (like Larissa Ione’s Demonica), but minus any of the sex.
What I mean is that this is a plot driven story, with a number of threads of the plot all scattered, but coming together. It is fairly easy to find the common thread of an object from the pawn shop for most of the folks involved, there are places where the link is tenuous at first. And there are a lot of plot threads to keep track of to get to the whole story.
I am pleased that this seems to be the start of a series, since when I realized I was at the end of the book I was disappointed that it ended and it felt like there was still so much story left to tell, with respect to a number of the individual threads, and with respect to the entire tapestry as well. I don’t know how many installments are planned, but I think it will be wonderful to read more of this world.
The world building was decent, decent enough to make sure I wasn’t more confused than I think the author intended (for which side is Nathaniel really on?). And the character development was enough, especially with the player’s in the Devil’s game, that I felt like I really wanted to know where the story was going to take them. There was action, and some romance (although not as much as I expected from the blurb) and definitely paranormal workings. The idea of a pawn shop selling talismans that have actual powers is a pretty cool idea too, that leaves room for so many things.
So, the real issue is that I expected more JR Ward – Black Dagger Brotherhood, Larissa Ione – Demonica, you name the author – sexy paranormal book title here! But got some woo’ing of Lucinda by a super religious guy who wouldn’t mess around (no judgment, that’s ok with me, just not what I expected) with her casually. And a pervert who pretended to be someone else to try to get into Lucinda’s pants, plus a succubus who implied she was getting action, but there was no page time for any of it. Again, that’s ok – I read plenty like that, but with the emphasis on Lucinda’s love for a man her father can’t control, that isn’t where my brain was expecting to go.
So, kudos on the story – I thought it was a unique and fresh take on this aspect of paranormal, maybe I’ve now even been introduced to a new little sub-genre that I wasn’t aware of. I look forward to reading more. I would just like to have my expectations properly set by the book blurb with the next installment. Sometimes the blurbs set things up for disappointment, here it didn’t, but improper blurb writing runs the risk of leaving unhappy victims behind. And this was a good enough book, I would hate to see it fall prey to that.
Thanks netgalley for letting me read it.
A book, a blurb and a victim.
The book: Don't really need to tell you, if you are reading this.
The blurb: See the first comment.
The victim: Me.
BUT… it’s ok. Because while I was suckered by the blurb and requested the book because of it, while it was so very different than what I expected, it is ok. Because I really enjoyed it! I won’t bother with a synopsis, because, well, the blurb. But, I will say that I expected some paranormal romance it was more like Tom Clancy or Brad Meltzer meets, well anyone that I read that is paranormal but working the Devil/fallen angel angle (like Larissa Ione’s Demonica), but minus any of the sex.
What I mean is that this is a plot driven story, with a number of threads of the plot all scattered, but coming together. It is fairly easy to find the common thread of an object from the pawn shop for most of the folks involved, there are places where the link is tenuous at first. And there are a lot of plot threads to keep track of to get to the whole story.
I am pleased that this seems to be the start of a series, since when I realized I was at the end of the book I was disappointed that it ended and it felt like there was still so much story left to tell, with respect to a number of the individual threads, and with respect to the entire tapestry as well. I don’t know how many installments are planned, but I think it will be wonderful to read more of this world.
The world building was decent, decent enough to make sure I wasn’t more confused than I think the author intended (for which side is Nathaniel really on?). And the character development was enough, especially with the player’s in the Devil’s game, that I felt like I really wanted to know where the story was going to take them. There was action, and some romance (although not as much as I expected from the blurb) and definitely paranormal workings. The idea of a pawn shop selling talismans that have actual powers is a pretty cool idea too, that leaves room for so many things.
So, the real issue is that I expected more JR Ward – Black Dagger Brotherhood, Larissa Ione – Demonica, you name the author – sexy paranormal book title here! But got some woo’ing of Lucinda by a super religious guy who wouldn’t mess around (no judgment, that’s ok with me, just not what I expected) with her casually. And a pervert who pretended to be someone else to try to get into Lucinda’s pants, plus a succubus who implied she was getting action, but there was no page time for any of it. Again, that’s ok – I read plenty like that, but with the emphasis on Lucinda’s love for a man her father can’t control, that isn’t where my brain was expecting to go.
So, kudos on the story – I thought it was a unique and fresh take on this aspect of paranormal, maybe I’ve now even been introduced to a new little sub-genre that I wasn’t aware of. I look forward to reading more. I would just like to have my expectations properly set by the book blurb with the next installment. Sometimes the blurbs set things up for disappointment, here it didn’t, but improper blurb writing runs the risk of leaving unhappy victims behind. And this was a good enough book, I would hate to see it fall prey to that.
October 7, 2015
You can get the jest of the story from the blurb. That is the tip of the iceberg. There are at least six story arcs going on in this book. I want to count Nathaniel as a story arc also though, he intrigues me the most of the fallen angels, and adding his would make seven. So, we have the basic good versus evil plot with the twist of Lucinda (Lucifer and Eve’s daughter) thrown in the middle. Lucifer kidnapped Mariel when she was five-years-old and brought her into his realm of the Between, renamed her Lucinda, raised her with his influences and watched her grow into her powers. The struggle within her is real and she must be careful subverting Lucifer’s goal to start the end of times, Armageddon.
Lucinda must also try to piece together how all the story elements fit together. Lucifer does not reveal his game, and it is a game to him. We have lawyers dealing with insider trading and funding terrorist groups in the Middle East. Covert military missions manipulating religious factions, precious antiquities that affect their owners thinking processes. A handsome and devout journalist who is handed the story of a lifetime. Witches, demons, fallen angels, religious cult fanatics, and a love story. All of these components are expertly woven into Lucifer’s grand scheme.
With all of this going on around her, Lucinda experiences a human emotion she has never felt in all the millennia she has been alive. The awakening passions concern the human journalist, Dominic Amado. She knows she should walk away for his own souls safety, peace, sanity... She just can’t. I couldn’t help but love Lucinda. She has a strong spirit, and she’s level-headed, intelligent, and can be as devious as her father. It’s going to be interesting to see how she tries to make this relationship work with Dominic, who also has a strong character and a bit of darkness in his own soul. However, he is working hard to redeem himself.
The plot has a nice pace considering all the elements incorporated into the story. It also takes place all over the globe. Distance is not a problem for Lucifer and his ilk, they just pass through the between to be anywhere or anytime they wish to be in the blink of an eye. However, not all demons have this ability. This turned out to be a unique read and I hope to continue the series. I have great hopes for Lucinda and Dominic if she can keep him alive. Lucifer is not a threat to him, but there are a couple other factors that may be. Also, as I said at the beginning, I look forward to learning more about Nathaniel, I think his role will become more involved as the story develops.
FYI: There were no F-bombs dropped, and sex was behind closed doors, which really disappointed me but didn’t warrant dropping a star for.
Devil's Daughter: Lucinda's Pawnshop is book 1 of a series. This first book does not end in a cliff-hanger but some story arcs are unfinished, in a not too suspenseful way, to hopefully continue in the next book. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 30, 2015
Format/Typo Issues: Practically perfect.
Lucinda must also try to piece together how all the story elements fit together. Lucifer does not reveal his game, and it is a game to him. We have lawyers dealing with insider trading and funding terrorist groups in the Middle East. Covert military missions manipulating religious factions, precious antiquities that affect their owners thinking processes. A handsome and devout journalist who is handed the story of a lifetime. Witches, demons, fallen angels, religious cult fanatics, and a love story. All of these components are expertly woven into Lucifer’s grand scheme.
With all of this going on around her, Lucinda experiences a human emotion she has never felt in all the millennia she has been alive. The awakening passions concern the human journalist, Dominic Amado. She knows she should walk away for his own souls safety, peace, sanity... She just can’t. I couldn’t help but love Lucinda. She has a strong spirit, and she’s level-headed, intelligent, and can be as devious as her father. It’s going to be interesting to see how she tries to make this relationship work with Dominic, who also has a strong character and a bit of darkness in his own soul. However, he is working hard to redeem himself.
The plot has a nice pace considering all the elements incorporated into the story. It also takes place all over the globe. Distance is not a problem for Lucifer and his ilk, they just pass through the between to be anywhere or anytime they wish to be in the blink of an eye. However, not all demons have this ability. This turned out to be a unique read and I hope to continue the series. I have great hopes for Lucinda and Dominic if she can keep him alive. Lucifer is not a threat to him, but there are a couple other factors that may be. Also, as I said at the beginning, I look forward to learning more about Nathaniel, I think his role will become more involved as the story develops.
FYI: There were no F-bombs dropped, and sex was behind closed doors, which really disappointed me but didn’t warrant dropping a star for.
Devil's Daughter: Lucinda's Pawnshop is book 1 of a series. This first book does not end in a cliff-hanger but some story arcs are unfinished, in a not too suspenseful way, to hopefully continue in the next book. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 30, 2015
Format/Typo Issues: Practically perfect.
July 21, 2015
I wanted to love this book. I tried to love this book. Unfortunately, no matter how many chances I gave it, Devil's Daughter by Hope Schenk-de Michele, Paul Marquez with Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, fell flat.
As a fan of supernatural fiction and the exploration of good vs evil, Devil's Daughter looked right up my alley. The story follows Lucinda Trompe, a changeling born from the fallen angel Lucifer and the first woman, Eve. Lucinda appears to manage a pawnshop for her father, which acts as a catalyst for some of his schemes. The items found in her shop are cursed, driving each customer toward eternal damnation. But, unbeknownst to Lucifer, Lucinda works for God and secretly attempts to subvert his plans. Lucinda's world is turned upside-down when she falls in love with a mortal -- a young reporter named Dominic Amado. But, as the tagline states, "if the Devil's daughter will not love a man he can control, can Lucifer control the man she loves?"
The stage is set for a fantastic supernatural story. Strangely, Lucinda's storyline was relatively uneventful. The reader rarely learns anything new about her character, and her motivations are readily revealed. As a powerful supernatural creature, she has the ability to largely influence the world and embark on fantastic adventures. Unfortunately, Lucinda mostly uses her magic to spy on mortals and decorate her apartment. She feels largely disempowered by her father and has not taken any steps to move past her emotional wounds.
I was additionally disappointed to see that a lot of Lucinda's time was spent pining over Dominic Amado. She is thousands of years old and has never, ever fallen in love, so I assumed that Amado should exhibit some strange or unique qualities. Amado's career as a journalist gave him potential... however everything that makes him interesting or unique to Lucinda seems commonplace. Their connection stems from their abusive fathers and a mutual concern that they are unworthy of God's love. While Amado's character is part of a major plot point, he spends most of his time comforting Lucinda or telling her to get away from her father.
Despite the boring romance, there were several interesting chapters related to the pawnshop and its wares. Each cursed item was sold with a sinister purpose, however neither Lucifer nor Lucinda could control how its owner reacted. Mortals cannot be controlled or possessed by an item, because this would violate a covenant that Lucifer made with God. Although the side characters (and their motivations) were written as "what you see is what you get," there were a couple chapters that kept the reader guessing if they would end up on God or Lucifer's side.
The pawnshop and its items held my attention, however the characters and their storylines were unoriginal. I give this book 2/5 stars. If you want a light read with some romance and theology, this book may be for you.
As a fan of supernatural fiction and the exploration of good vs evil, Devil's Daughter looked right up my alley. The story follows Lucinda Trompe, a changeling born from the fallen angel Lucifer and the first woman, Eve. Lucinda appears to manage a pawnshop for her father, which acts as a catalyst for some of his schemes. The items found in her shop are cursed, driving each customer toward eternal damnation. But, unbeknownst to Lucifer, Lucinda works for God and secretly attempts to subvert his plans. Lucinda's world is turned upside-down when she falls in love with a mortal -- a young reporter named Dominic Amado. But, as the tagline states, "if the Devil's daughter will not love a man he can control, can Lucifer control the man she loves?"
The stage is set for a fantastic supernatural story. Strangely, Lucinda's storyline was relatively uneventful. The reader rarely learns anything new about her character, and her motivations are readily revealed. As a powerful supernatural creature, she has the ability to largely influence the world and embark on fantastic adventures. Unfortunately, Lucinda mostly uses her magic to spy on mortals and decorate her apartment. She feels largely disempowered by her father and has not taken any steps to move past her emotional wounds.
I was additionally disappointed to see that a lot of Lucinda's time was spent pining over Dominic Amado. She is thousands of years old and has never, ever fallen in love, so I assumed that Amado should exhibit some strange or unique qualities. Amado's career as a journalist gave him potential... however everything that makes him interesting or unique to Lucinda seems commonplace. Their connection stems from their abusive fathers and a mutual concern that they are unworthy of God's love. While Amado's character is part of a major plot point, he spends most of his time comforting Lucinda or telling her to get away from her father.
Despite the boring romance, there were several interesting chapters related to the pawnshop and its wares. Each cursed item was sold with a sinister purpose, however neither Lucifer nor Lucinda could control how its owner reacted. Mortals cannot be controlled or possessed by an item, because this would violate a covenant that Lucifer made with God. Although the side characters (and their motivations) were written as "what you see is what you get," there were a couple chapters that kept the reader guessing if they would end up on God or Lucifer's side.
The pawnshop and its items held my attention, however the characters and their storylines were unoriginal. I give this book 2/5 stars. If you want a light read with some romance and theology, this book may be for you.
July 30, 2015
When I was offered a copy of Devil’s Daughter, I jumped at the chance to read it as only very few books of this nature capture my attention. It’s an interesting take on the devil and his level of evilness and here is what I thought of it.
Lucinda is the daughter of Lucifer himself and her mother is a human. (I won’t name her mother as that’s a huge spoiler, but a great twist) She’s been alive for a millenia and is immortal like her father yet has human characteristics/emotions after her mother. I expected Lucinda to be a vile creature like her father, yet her human side is quite prominent and you could almost say that she is a good person with a heart and that makes her quite likeable and a very intriguing character.
This story follows Lucinda who runs a pawn shop full of objects that have dark souls contained within them. The shop attracts those who seem to be teetering on the edge of darkness and purchasing these objects seems to push them to pursue this dark side of themselves. All of this is part of Lucifer’s great plan to use humans as pawns to destroy the world by convincing them to destroy each other. In a way, Lucifer also see’s Lucinda not only as his daughter but as his pawn as well. Which is also how Lucinda feels however, she doesn’t realise how much power she has over him and his grand plan. I liked the interaction between them as she was the only one who was not intimidated by him, but is well aware of what he can do to hurt her.
Whilst this story is very interesting and is well written, the pace is steady but it didn’t have enough build up for the big finish, or plot points along the way to keep you guessing. There is also a romance included, and for me it lacked emotion which was a little disappointing as this was something that Lucinda battled with throughout the story, scared that her father would end this relationship one way or another and want her with one of his pawns. The scared feelings came through, just not the love.
Overall, it’s an interesting read and reminded me at times of the movie Devil’s Advocate, with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I was provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review
Review originally posted at Sharon's Book Nook!
Lucinda is the daughter of Lucifer himself and her mother is a human. (I won’t name her mother as that’s a huge spoiler, but a great twist) She’s been alive for a millenia and is immortal like her father yet has human characteristics/emotions after her mother. I expected Lucinda to be a vile creature like her father, yet her human side is quite prominent and you could almost say that she is a good person with a heart and that makes her quite likeable and a very intriguing character.
This story follows Lucinda who runs a pawn shop full of objects that have dark souls contained within them. The shop attracts those who seem to be teetering on the edge of darkness and purchasing these objects seems to push them to pursue this dark side of themselves. All of this is part of Lucifer’s great plan to use humans as pawns to destroy the world by convincing them to destroy each other. In a way, Lucifer also see’s Lucinda not only as his daughter but as his pawn as well. Which is also how Lucinda feels however, she doesn’t realise how much power she has over him and his grand plan. I liked the interaction between them as she was the only one who was not intimidated by him, but is well aware of what he can do to hurt her.
Whilst this story is very interesting and is well written, the pace is steady but it didn’t have enough build up for the big finish, or plot points along the way to keep you guessing. There is also a romance included, and for me it lacked emotion which was a little disappointing as this was something that Lucinda battled with throughout the story, scared that her father would end this relationship one way or another and want her with one of his pawns. The scared feelings came through, just not the love.
Overall, it’s an interesting read and reminded me at times of the movie Devil’s Advocate, with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I was provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review
Review originally posted at Sharon's Book Nook!
October 31, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I did quite like this book, but not as much as I had hoped. Lucinda owns a pawn shop with some rather rare and intriguing items in it, usually items that she has had to track down from the corners of the Earth for her father, Lucifer. Yep, the devil himself. The items are generally Lucifer's way of influencing humans to do the things he wants them to do in order to create a bit of chaos in the world. He cannot direct humans' free will, but he can try his best to influence them however much he can. Lucinda's shop is mostly based in New York, but it can appear wherever she needs it to and this way her artefacts can then travel the world.
In this book different artefacts set the ball rolling and some of the characters are interlinked through different side plots - there are a group of young girls trying to do magic, real magic, like change the flow of a river magic; there is a young marine whose stepfather gets hold of a powerful pocket watch and has consequences for all the family; there is a Qur'an with inscriptions that make a politician in Kuwait rethink some things and a pen which doesn't quite have the influence it should have on the person it was supposed to influence.
How these artefacts are all linked all becomes apparent for the most part, but some are left a little hanging, presumably for the next book.
Lucinda also makes a few surprising decisions about her life, which were not what I was expecting from her at all.
The characters were all ok in this book. I would have liked Lucinda to stand up to her father a bit earlier and cause her own chaos a bit more by redirecting his influence. Maybe with the announcement she made at the end, this will happen more in the next book. Nathaniel was kind of neither here nor there for me - not fussed about him, but he is supposed to be a being without emotions so maybe that is why he felt a bit flat and boring to me. Rey reminds me of those slimy rat faced characters you get in TV series and books, who just creep me out trying to get his paws all over Lucinda. Think the author did a good job of portraying this character!
I would read the next book in this series and would hope it would be a bit more chaotic than this one was.
I did quite like this book, but not as much as I had hoped. Lucinda owns a pawn shop with some rather rare and intriguing items in it, usually items that she has had to track down from the corners of the Earth for her father, Lucifer. Yep, the devil himself. The items are generally Lucifer's way of influencing humans to do the things he wants them to do in order to create a bit of chaos in the world. He cannot direct humans' free will, but he can try his best to influence them however much he can. Lucinda's shop is mostly based in New York, but it can appear wherever she needs it to and this way her artefacts can then travel the world.
In this book different artefacts set the ball rolling and some of the characters are interlinked through different side plots - there are a group of young girls trying to do magic, real magic, like change the flow of a river magic; there is a young marine whose stepfather gets hold of a powerful pocket watch and has consequences for all the family; there is a Qur'an with inscriptions that make a politician in Kuwait rethink some things and a pen which doesn't quite have the influence it should have on the person it was supposed to influence.
How these artefacts are all linked all becomes apparent for the most part, but some are left a little hanging, presumably for the next book.
Lucinda also makes a few surprising decisions about her life, which were not what I was expecting from her at all.
The characters were all ok in this book. I would have liked Lucinda to stand up to her father a bit earlier and cause her own chaos a bit more by redirecting his influence. Maybe with the announcement she made at the end, this will happen more in the next book. Nathaniel was kind of neither here nor there for me - not fussed about him, but he is supposed to be a being without emotions so maybe that is why he felt a bit flat and boring to me. Rey reminds me of those slimy rat faced characters you get in TV series and books, who just creep me out trying to get his paws all over Lucinda. Think the author did a good job of portraying this character!
I would read the next book in this series and would hope it would be a bit more chaotic than this one was.
August 21, 2017
Originally posted to A Bookworm's Confessions
3.5 stars
This book was difficult to rate. I liked it but it took me a little longer to get through than most books. I was able to put it down and move on to other books in my to-read pile. I'm pretty good at focusing on one book but I kept getting bored while reading. It's also a difficult book to review. I've rewritten this thing 10 times already.
The plot of the book is interesting. We have the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. We have demons and fallen angels. Shape shifting and magic and people who are at the brink of choosing right and wrong. Lucinda runs a pawn shop full of dark objects that hold dark souls of the past. When a mortal purchases an object they are drawn to, it wreaks havoc in their lives. Lucifer has Lucinda sell these objects so he can further his plot to end the world.
Lucinda is interesting. She has the inner turmoil of being the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. She has a human side that she can't show to anyone because it is her weakness. Of course, this comes crashing down when she meets a mortal man who wandered into the pawnshop accidently. She actually starts to feel things she's never felt before. She has to be careful with this part of her life as well. Basically she had to tread a fine line and keep everything hidden from those around her.
While Lucinda is the main character,we have several points of view. Some of them were interesting. Others were boring. There were a little too many jumps between characters. Most of these characters aren't really fleshed out. It's definitely a plot driven book.
I wanted there to be more world building. There are aspects that aren't explained. What is the Between? Why was Lucinda taken from Eve at such a young age? There are many unanswered questions. Some of them are legitimate and are there to be explored in the upcoming novel(s). But some of them should have been more fleshed out.
I might read the sequel just to see what's coming next. I can only hope that there will be character and plot growth along with it.
3.5 stars
This book was difficult to rate. I liked it but it took me a little longer to get through than most books. I was able to put it down and move on to other books in my to-read pile. I'm pretty good at focusing on one book but I kept getting bored while reading. It's also a difficult book to review. I've rewritten this thing 10 times already.
The plot of the book is interesting. We have the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. We have demons and fallen angels. Shape shifting and magic and people who are at the brink of choosing right and wrong. Lucinda runs a pawn shop full of dark objects that hold dark souls of the past. When a mortal purchases an object they are drawn to, it wreaks havoc in their lives. Lucifer has Lucinda sell these objects so he can further his plot to end the world.
Lucinda is interesting. She has the inner turmoil of being the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. She has a human side that she can't show to anyone because it is her weakness. Of course, this comes crashing down when she meets a mortal man who wandered into the pawnshop accidently. She actually starts to feel things she's never felt before. She has to be careful with this part of her life as well. Basically she had to tread a fine line and keep everything hidden from those around her.
While Lucinda is the main character,we have several points of view. Some of them were interesting. Others were boring. There were a little too many jumps between characters. Most of these characters aren't really fleshed out. It's definitely a plot driven book.
I wanted there to be more world building. There are aspects that aren't explained. What is the Between? Why was Lucinda taken from Eve at such a young age? There are many unanswered questions. Some of them are legitimate and are there to be explored in the upcoming novel(s). But some of them should have been more fleshed out.
I might read the sequel just to see what's coming next. I can only hope that there will be character and plot growth along with it.
November 11, 2015
Brittany Anders just made partner at DC & P, as "am associate with the firm for only two years, fresh out of law school." Just as she got promoted, she started dating a senior partner, named Aaron Price, who assured her that he "didn't work that way" and that him asking her out was not related to her new status at the firm.
Upon learning of an unexpected "bump in the road," as Aaron called it, in her first big case as partner, Brittany took a walk to contemplate her options and stumbled upon Lucinda's Pawn Shop, which drew her in to look for something to commemorate her new found success. However, this book is much more about the Lucinda than it is Brittany.
Ok, so I'm actually a little conflicted as to how I feel about the way this book ended. Yes, I do want to read the sequel, and yes, I usually hate reading the first book in a series and not being able to immediately read the next one. I hate having to wait to see what happens, especially when the book ends with a nail biting cliff hanger.
However, I found myself a little disappointed that this book did not have the dramatic ending that would have made me super upset that I would have to wait so long to see what happens next. Sp, I'm perplexed at my feelings... on one hand, I'm not so upset at how long I have to wait for the next installment. On the other hand, I feel that this book lacked the amazing, dramatic ending that it deserved.
Even if you haven't read this one yet, tell me what you think! Are you content reading the first book in a series and waiting a year or so for the next to come out? Or do you immediately open the next book in the series after finishing the first and get upset (and perhaps cry if the first book was that good) if it is not out yet?
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Upon learning of an unexpected "bump in the road," as Aaron called it, in her first big case as partner, Brittany took a walk to contemplate her options and stumbled upon Lucinda's Pawn Shop, which drew her in to look for something to commemorate her new found success. However, this book is much more about the Lucinda than it is Brittany.
Ok, so I'm actually a little conflicted as to how I feel about the way this book ended. Yes, I do want to read the sequel, and yes, I usually hate reading the first book in a series and not being able to immediately read the next one. I hate having to wait to see what happens, especially when the book ends with a nail biting cliff hanger.
However, I found myself a little disappointed that this book did not have the dramatic ending that would have made me super upset that I would have to wait so long to see what happens next. Sp, I'm perplexed at my feelings... on one hand, I'm not so upset at how long I have to wait for the next installment. On the other hand, I feel that this book lacked the amazing, dramatic ending that it deserved.
Even if you haven't read this one yet, tell me what you think! Are you content reading the first book in a series and waiting a year or so for the next to come out? Or do you immediately open the next book in the series after finishing the first and get upset (and perhaps cry if the first book was that good) if it is not out yet?
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2015
Just released in paperback today, Devil's Daughter by Hope Schenk-de Michele and Paul Marquez is the first in the Lucinda's Pawn Shop series. The premise here is that Lucinda is the daughter of Satan. She runs a pawnshop that flits through space and time to deliver artifacts imbued with evil in an effort to promote the Devil's work.
The publisher categorizes this book as a contemporary, urban fantasy, but I'd call it a supernatural fantasy due to the focus on the battle between God and the Devil through the vehicle of the human race. Specifically, the vehicle is Lucinda's Pawnshop and Lucinda herself, who struggles with balancing her mortal and immortal selves.
With a cast of demons and fallen angels, along with mere mortals, Devil's Daughter imagines a world where scheming and backstabbing isn't done just by Satan, but among his own followers in a battle for power. The story develops with just enough background and explanation sprinkled in to provide context, but not bog down the storytelling.
On a personal note, I was a bit put off by the first chapter, where a lawyer two years out of law school is promoted to junior party at a fancy Manhattan law firm (as a lawyer myself, this struck me as implausible, so was a credibility issue!) However, the plot gave some explanation for this oddity, so I got over it (eventually).
While I'll read anything with a spaceship or dragon on the cover, this isn't a sub-genre that I usually read, but I found the characters and plot engrossing and will definitely pick up the next book in this series.
{Netgalley provided me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own! See more reviews and what I'm reading at www.plantohappy.com}
The publisher categorizes this book as a contemporary, urban fantasy, but I'd call it a supernatural fantasy due to the focus on the battle between God and the Devil through the vehicle of the human race. Specifically, the vehicle is Lucinda's Pawnshop and Lucinda herself, who struggles with balancing her mortal and immortal selves.
With a cast of demons and fallen angels, along with mere mortals, Devil's Daughter imagines a world where scheming and backstabbing isn't done just by Satan, but among his own followers in a battle for power. The story develops with just enough background and explanation sprinkled in to provide context, but not bog down the storytelling.
On a personal note, I was a bit put off by the first chapter, where a lawyer two years out of law school is promoted to junior party at a fancy Manhattan law firm (as a lawyer myself, this struck me as implausible, so was a credibility issue!) However, the plot gave some explanation for this oddity, so I got over it (eventually).
While I'll read anything with a spaceship or dragon on the cover, this isn't a sub-genre that I usually read, but I found the characters and plot engrossing and will definitely pick up the next book in this series.
{Netgalley provided me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own! See more reviews and what I'm reading at www.plantohappy.com}
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2015
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book to read and review via Netgalley.
"Devil's Daughter: Lucinda's Pawnshop, Book One" by Hope Schenk-De Michele introduces us to an alternate universe where Eve and Lucifer have a daughter, Lucinda. The book balances nicely between action scenes and thought provoking scenes as the tale unwinds.
The basis of this book is that the world is filled with artifacts imbued with the spirit of the original owner. Some artifacts contain peace and kindness. Other artifacts contain all forms of evil, from violence to greed to pure selfishness. To help corrupt mankind, Lucifer orders Lucinda to gather all the evil artifacts that for her pawnshop, and give them away to the proper recipients.
The author created a world full of believable characters here. Lucifer is both attractive and smarmy. Lucinda comes across as cool, calm, and collected when she deals with her father and his minions, but her inner thoughts betray another person altogether, without making Lucinda seem schizophrenic. The demons, angels, succubus, and Rey (a human currently bound to Lucifer) feel like separate entities, not just copies of "generic secondary character".
As I read the book, I found myself wondering about the nature of good and the nature of evil. Can a person find redemption for what might be considered an act of evil? Does he or she even need redemption? Who defines good and evil?
I strongly recommend this book to people who like fantasy books. I only hope the author writes more books in this universe.
"Devil's Daughter: Lucinda's Pawnshop, Book One" by Hope Schenk-De Michele introduces us to an alternate universe where Eve and Lucifer have a daughter, Lucinda. The book balances nicely between action scenes and thought provoking scenes as the tale unwinds.
The basis of this book is that the world is filled with artifacts imbued with the spirit of the original owner. Some artifacts contain peace and kindness. Other artifacts contain all forms of evil, from violence to greed to pure selfishness. To help corrupt mankind, Lucifer orders Lucinda to gather all the evil artifacts that for her pawnshop, and give them away to the proper recipients.
The author created a world full of believable characters here. Lucifer is both attractive and smarmy. Lucinda comes across as cool, calm, and collected when she deals with her father and his minions, but her inner thoughts betray another person altogether, without making Lucinda seem schizophrenic. The demons, angels, succubus, and Rey (a human currently bound to Lucifer) feel like separate entities, not just copies of "generic secondary character".
As I read the book, I found myself wondering about the nature of good and the nature of evil. Can a person find redemption for what might be considered an act of evil? Does he or she even need redemption? Who defines good and evil?
I strongly recommend this book to people who like fantasy books. I only hope the author writes more books in this universe.
July 15, 2015
I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but once I did, I was glad I stuck it out and kept reading instead of just giving up. The pace picks up and flows nicely throughout the rest of the book.
Lucinda is, as you can tell by the title, the daughter of the Devil. She runs a pawnshop that can appear where it’s needed. Only those who are ready for it can see and enter the shop. She has developed feelings for a human and spends the rest of the book trying to protect him from those in her life that would prefer to see him dead or worse.
I liked the different characters in this book. They were all unique in their own ways and that gave a necessary variety to the story to keep it from being too predictable and helped the story develop in a fun way. While I say it wasn’t too predictable, one of the main ideas in this book is the battle of good versus evil, so to some degree it is predictable, but just not obviously so. That may not make a lot of sense, but once you read the book, you will understand better what I’m saying.
There were a few times in the book where I felt a little bit overwhelmed with extra unnecessary information, and to me, it bogged down the story. Luckily, there were only a few places I felt this way so it didn’t ruin the story.
Overall, this was a well-written, enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone who likes Urban Fantasy with angels, demons, God, the Devil and the power struggle between them.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Lucinda is, as you can tell by the title, the daughter of the Devil. She runs a pawnshop that can appear where it’s needed. Only those who are ready for it can see and enter the shop. She has developed feelings for a human and spends the rest of the book trying to protect him from those in her life that would prefer to see him dead or worse.
I liked the different characters in this book. They were all unique in their own ways and that gave a necessary variety to the story to keep it from being too predictable and helped the story develop in a fun way. While I say it wasn’t too predictable, one of the main ideas in this book is the battle of good versus evil, so to some degree it is predictable, but just not obviously so. That may not make a lot of sense, but once you read the book, you will understand better what I’m saying.
There were a few times in the book where I felt a little bit overwhelmed with extra unnecessary information, and to me, it bogged down the story. Luckily, there were only a few places I felt this way so it didn’t ruin the story.
Overall, this was a well-written, enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone who likes Urban Fantasy with angels, demons, God, the Devil and the power struggle between them.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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September 8, 2015Lucinda is the daughter of Lucifer, the devil, and a human woman. She is cunning and powerful like her father, but uses her abilities to further her mother’s memory of love and beauty without her father knowing. In her disguise as human, she runs a pawnshop full of cursed objects, waiting for the right person to enter the store and come under their influence. However, the objects come at a greater cost than the average person realizes…they just might lose their soul to Lucifer, unless Lucinda can change their path in the nick of time.
DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is the first book in the ‘Lucinda’s Pawnshop’ series. The pawnshop itself was reminiscent of ‘Warehouse 13’ or ‘Friday the 13th: The Series’ with its cursed objects. The people who are able to find the shop are standing at a crossroads and the object they find may just tip them over the edge toward Lucifer’s goal of complete global annihilation. While Lucifer is not allowed to directly affect humans, due to their free will, he is more than willing and able to “nudge” unsuspecting humans in the direction he wants. I found the characters interesting, but I think it was difficult for the authors to give Lucinda and some of the other older characters the gravitas of those who have been around for millennia. I was very impressed with how well the different storylines came together toward the end of the book. DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is an interesting story which draws you in slowly, but surely.
DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is the first book in the ‘Lucinda’s Pawnshop’ series. The pawnshop itself was reminiscent of ‘Warehouse 13’ or ‘Friday the 13th: The Series’ with its cursed objects. The people who are able to find the shop are standing at a crossroads and the object they find may just tip them over the edge toward Lucifer’s goal of complete global annihilation. While Lucifer is not allowed to directly affect humans, due to their free will, he is more than willing and able to “nudge” unsuspecting humans in the direction he wants. I found the characters interesting, but I think it was difficult for the authors to give Lucinda and some of the other older characters the gravitas of those who have been around for millennia. I was very impressed with how well the different storylines came together toward the end of the book. DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is an interesting story which draws you in slowly, but surely.
January 9, 2016
...Don't get me wrong, this book had potential...but it seemed to just fall apart.
The concept was great,, and I was really enjoying it the first few chapters. The Devils actual Daughter, who owns a Pawn Shop, and lures her clients in to help her father take their souls. A daughter who may not like the effect sometimes and tries to throw her father off his game.
A pen with Gold Filigree, that tempts a Lawyer, A book of Spells that tempts a few teenage girls, and a Watch that brings out a husbands inner demons.
Now bringing them all together is where it lost me...I understand the how and why...but some just didn't seem to fit.
The love Triangle didn't work for me either...I didn't care for it much at all, I completely got the light verses dark, and how maybe, just maybe they were meant to be together....but wait...the Good guy confesses he killed his father, and Lucinda marries him with out telling him who she really is..
Downfall...at least for me.
I so wished the ending was different, it might have moved it up the rating scale for me.
June 30, 2015
An interesting concept and entertaining read. Although this book was written by three authors, the writing was seamless and flowed well. The characters were well developed.
Lucinda was very clever in hiding the fact that she was really undermining her father's plans even though by all appearances she seemed to be aiding him in trying to bring humanity to ruins. As far as her relationship with Lucifer goes, you get the feeling that he does care for her at least somewhat, despite the fact that he is selfish and purely evil. I also really liked Nathaniel a lot though he was supposed to be one of the Devil's minions. I am interested to see what the future holds for the fallen angel because I get the feeling that below the surface there is more to him than we are seeing. That brings me to Nick, even though Lucinda loves him, I didn't. He's probably my least favorite character in the story right along with Rey. Although, Rey is obviously one of the bad guys and Nick is not. There was just something about Nick that didn't sit well with me.
For my full review please see the blog at www.wordgurgle.blogspot.com
Lucinda was very clever in hiding the fact that she was really undermining her father's plans even though by all appearances she seemed to be aiding him in trying to bring humanity to ruins. As far as her relationship with Lucifer goes, you get the feeling that he does care for her at least somewhat, despite the fact that he is selfish and purely evil. I also really liked Nathaniel a lot though he was supposed to be one of the Devil's minions. I am interested to see what the future holds for the fallen angel because I get the feeling that below the surface there is more to him than we are seeing. That brings me to Nick, even though Lucinda loves him, I didn't. He's probably my least favorite character in the story right along with Rey. Although, Rey is obviously one of the bad guys and Nick is not. There was just something about Nick that didn't sit well with me.
For my full review please see the blog at www.wordgurgle.blogspot.com
August 24, 2015
*This Book Was Given To Me By The Publisher In Exchange For An Honest Review*
This is the first book I have read by new to me author Hope Schenk-de Michele and it won't be the last. I sincerely hope that there is a second book in this series very soon.
A unique twist on the whole deal with a devil idea this book looks at things from a totally unique angle and is one of those series that I could easily see improving with each book.
There are some fascinating characters in this book and a lot of interesting plot possibilities. The only issue for me (which stopped this being a 5 star review) was that the beginning felt a little disjointed and just as I was getting into one part we switched somewhere else. There IS a good reason for this though and as the story progresses all the pieces that seemed a little random fall into place.
Don't let the beginning put you off! Well worth reading!
4 out of 5 stars for me!! V""V
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
This is the first book I have read by new to me author Hope Schenk-de Michele and it won't be the last. I sincerely hope that there is a second book in this series very soon.
A unique twist on the whole deal with a devil idea this book looks at things from a totally unique angle and is one of those series that I could easily see improving with each book.
There are some fascinating characters in this book and a lot of interesting plot possibilities. The only issue for me (which stopped this being a 5 star review) was that the beginning felt a little disjointed and just as I was getting into one part we switched somewhere else. There IS a good reason for this though and as the story progresses all the pieces that seemed a little random fall into place.
Don't let the beginning put you off! Well worth reading!
4 out of 5 stars for me!! V""V
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
September 16, 2016
Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
When I was younger I remember watching a show called Friday the 13th. A woman inherits an antique shop full of cursed objects and mayhem ensues. In this novel even though it is very similar be prepared for something so much bigger and better. Lucinda is the devils daughter charged with matching objects touched with evil to the person who soul calls out to it. She is her fathers loyal soldier in the battle to bring about the end of the world as we know it. I got hooked from the first chapter, I loved the take on how the Devil weaves his touch and engineers the greatest Web of deceit this world has ever known. I also liked the development of Lucinda and her humanity. The relationship between her and Nick felt very real and gave the story a way of showing that even with great evil good always has a way of surprising us. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. All and all I found this novel to be quite entertaining.
October 2, 2016
Lucinda is as old as humanity itself, yet perpetually young, beautiful, and endowed with supernatural powers. She lives a double life—human and immortal. Born out of a betrayal of trust between the first woman, Eve, and father, Lucifer, Lucinda has worked covertly and subtly for millennia to be true to her mother’s love by subverting her father’s schemes. In her human guise, she manages Lucinda’s Pawnshop & Antiquary, the doors of which can open to any street anywhere in the world at any time. Mortals who have arrived at a moral or spiritual crossroads are drawn into the mysterious shop. If they acquire one of its cursed artifacts, they may find themselves drafted into Lucifer’s service. And if the Devil's daughter will not love a man he can control, can Lucifer control the man she loves?
This was a very very Good read especially Lucinder. It was good with how many lives they got too. An enjoyable read. 4*. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.
This was a very very Good read especially Lucinder. It was good with how many lives they got too. An enjoyable read. 4*. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.
May 21, 2015
I was given a copy of this book by the Publisher for an honest review.
DEVIL'S DAUGHTER is a fresh look at good versus evil. Lucinda is the Daughter of Lucifer and Eve. Lucinda owns a pawn shop that she acquires items for Lucifer that holds the spirit of evil in each item. Now Lucifer wants her to help him with his current project. To help him set up each domino, and when they are all in place, he will watch them fall. Causing Death and destruction all around. Lucinda has other Ideas. She is part human, and possess free will. She does not like what she does for Lucifer and will throw a wrench in his plans, thwarting everything that he has planned. The characters and story line are very well-developed and believable. I recommend this book to everyone. I cannot wait until the next to see what happens. I give DEVIL'S DAUGHTER 4/5 STARS.
DEVIL'S DAUGHTER is a fresh look at good versus evil. Lucinda is the Daughter of Lucifer and Eve. Lucinda owns a pawn shop that she acquires items for Lucifer that holds the spirit of evil in each item. Now Lucifer wants her to help him with his current project. To help him set up each domino, and when they are all in place, he will watch them fall. Causing Death and destruction all around. Lucinda has other Ideas. She is part human, and possess free will. She does not like what she does for Lucifer and will throw a wrench in his plans, thwarting everything that he has planned. The characters and story line are very well-developed and believable. I recommend this book to everyone. I cannot wait until the next to see what happens. I give DEVIL'S DAUGHTER 4/5 STARS.
August 15, 2015
The Devil’s Daughter is a story about the battle between God and the Devil with a wild card thrown in who happens to also be Lucifer’s daughter. In this story you see how deep and far back the manipulations of mankind go. A lot of that happens with the strategic appearance of Lucinda’s (Lucifer’s daughter) shop popping up to lure unsuspecting mortals in. Once said mortal comes into the shop, they are to be influenced by whatever they purchase in the store. This book really makes you think of how endless the battle between these forces are, especially when the Devil can send his minions back in time to acquire artifacts that are supposed to be destroyed.
This story started off interesting, but then became boring pretty quickly. I tried to read it more than once, but really could not stay interested.
This story started off interesting, but then became boring pretty quickly. I tried to read it more than once, but really could not stay interested.
March 20, 2016
I was really excited to read this book. Devils, Angels, Archaic pawn shops and a a little rebellion, what's not to like?
Quite a bit apparently.
That's not to say it was a bad book, on the contrary it was well written and had a well thought out plot.
The thing is, while i usually get really involved in a book and it's characters i found myself uncharacteristically distanced while reading this one.
The pages were so overflowing with description that i felt i was being told everything and that what was being shown with character interaction and reflection was redundant.
I started getting intrigued around the end of the book where it stopped kind of mid-story, making me want to read the second one but leaving me frustrated with first.
Would i recommend this book to someone else? sure, it was just intriguing enough.
Would i read it again? probably, not.
Quite a bit apparently.
That's not to say it was a bad book, on the contrary it was well written and had a well thought out plot.
The thing is, while i usually get really involved in a book and it's characters i found myself uncharacteristically distanced while reading this one.
The pages were so overflowing with description that i felt i was being told everything and that what was being shown with character interaction and reflection was redundant.
I started getting intrigued around the end of the book where it stopped kind of mid-story, making me want to read the second one but leaving me frustrated with first.
Would i recommend this book to someone else? sure, it was just intriguing enough.
Would i read it again? probably, not.
January 29, 2016
I received this copy courtesy of NetGalley, for an honest review! Thank you!
I love a good story that brings the Devil to a new light, and this one delivered wonderfully. This story is about Lucinda, the Devil's daughter, who has many sides to her. This story revolves around her pawnshop and the oddities that go in and out of it. The characters are well developed, with lots of hidden facets to their personalities. This story is a cliffhanger, but you could read as is and really like the ending. I, myself, cannot wait to see where the story goes.
I love the sidetracks that you follow, when someone buys an oddity. There is a theological undertone, I enjoyed in Lucinda's journey. There is not a lot of sexual context nor a lot of bad language.
Thank you for a wonderful adventure.
I love a good story that brings the Devil to a new light, and this one delivered wonderfully. This story is about Lucinda, the Devil's daughter, who has many sides to her. This story revolves around her pawnshop and the oddities that go in and out of it. The characters are well developed, with lots of hidden facets to their personalities. This story is a cliffhanger, but you could read as is and really like the ending. I, myself, cannot wait to see where the story goes.
I love the sidetracks that you follow, when someone buys an oddity. There is a theological undertone, I enjoyed in Lucinda's journey. There is not a lot of sexual context nor a lot of bad language.
Thank you for a wonderful adventure.
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