Hell Hath No Fury

Tear Down Heaven #4

by Rachel Aaron

The Queen of Wrath may go down, but she’s never out. At least, that’s how it’s been for the last five thousand years. With the loss of her horns, hand, sword, name, and witch, Bex is closer to defeat than she’s ever been before, but the Blade of Ishtar has never been a quitter. She’s determined to come back from her ashes, which means it’s time to do something crazy, something she’s never attempted in any of her previous lives.

She’s going to hell. Literally.

If the only way to get back what she lost is for Bex and crew to personally storm the Eternal King's prison, that’s what they’re going to do, because while the Hells were designed to contain demons, they’re completely unprepared for the fire of revolution Bex is bringing with her, especially since the demons aren’t fighting alone. Adrian is also deep in Heaven’s backstage, and like any good witch, he hasn’t been an idle prisoner. It’s time to show Gilgamesh that winning the battle isn’t the same as winning the war, and that hell hath no fury like a queen--or a witch--scorned.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Audiobook, Witches, Supernatural, Paranormal

494 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2025

About the author

Hello, my name is Rachel Aaron, and I write the Heartstriker books, a new Urban Fantasy series about misfit dragons, starting with Nice Dragons Finish Last. I also wrote The Legend of Eli Monpress fantasy series for Orbit Books about a wizard thief and the poor bastards who have to try and stop him. PLUS I'm also the author of the new, rolicking fun Science Fiction romance Fortune's Pawn under the name Rachel Bach.

I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog

Each instalment in the Tear Down Heaven series has steadily increased in stakes and scope, but Hell Hath No Fury really takes this story to a whole new level of EPIC. I mean, buckle up baby, we are going to Hell!

Now, Hell to Pay really felt like a midway turning point for the series that set up a lot of big things to come, and I am happy to say that Hell Hath No Fury more than delivered on the potential that was promised. As we’re now four books into this series, it is almost impossible to stay away from spoilers, but safe to say that it truly felt like coming home again when I reunited with my babes Bex, Adrian & the crew.

As I have said in my previous reviews, I fell in love with this series more because of the characters and their dynamics and personal emotional journeys rather than the big macro plot of the war against Heaven, and I think Hell Hath No Fury balances those two aspects the best out of all the instalments yet. We’ve got lots of epic magic, dangerous schemes, diabolical action, and wicked twists and turns, but here we get a very strong emotional core that kept me more grounded throughout the big, bombastic moments.

I mean, Bex and Adrian have really been going through it for a while now, and I think it’s just so refreshing to follow protagonists who don’t easily win every fight but choose to show up and keep fighting for themselves and their loved ones over and over again. Moreover, as much as I whined about them being separated for the entirety of Hell to Pay (and the first half of Hell Hath No Fury), I loved how their time apart only allowed them to hone their skills and grow as individuals, even if their growth happened through some unpleasant circumstances.

And when they, at LONG last, reunite? THE FEEELS!! Like, there is no shortage of conflicts in this series, but I love that there is never any friction between these two; I have said it before and I will say it again, they are a match made in Heaven. And hell, it’s not just the romantic feels that had my heart beating overtime for the entire second half of Hell Hath No Fury, but also just the strong bonds and unwavering platonic love between all of these slightly damaged but definitely not broken badasses.

See, while I felt like the side characters got a bit sidelined in the previous instalment, they are back and better than ever in Hell Hath No Fury. Lots of beloved (and not so beloved) familiar faces get a big role to play here, and I found the exploration of trust, loyalty, redemption, sacrifice, and love to be equally heartwarming and gutwrenching. And it’s not like I didn’t already know that Iggs, Lys, Nemini (!!!), and even Boston are true forces to be reckoned with in their own right, but they really surprised me in all the best ways in this instalment.

Now, as much as I enjoyed getting a ‘backstage’ look into Gilgamesh’s home (both up in Heaven and down in the Hells) and learning more about all the princes of Heaven as well as the notorious Queens of Ishtar, I do have to admit that I sometimes struggled to visualise it all and couldn’t always keep track of all the many moving pieces on the board. Also, this is just a very petty nitpick, but the 20-30 page long chapters in these books keep frustrating me as they somehow make pacing feel so much slower than it actually is, simply because the book doesn’t have that ‘just one more chapter’ vibe that I associate with urban fantasy.

But then again, the Tear Down Heaven series has long evolved from a fun urban fantasy romp into one of the most dramatic yet oh so heartfelt fantasy epics, and I can’t wait to see what Aaron has in store in the last instalment. Hell Hath No Fury is honestly a wild emotional rollercoaster full of incredible revelations, all gearing up for what can only become one hell of a grand finale.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this one is a fantastic instalment in this series and I knew as soon as the author offered me an early copy it would boost right to the top of my ‘currently reading’ list, because of how the previous book ended. I have been impatiently anticipating this one, and it did not disappoint, in fact now I am even more excited and desperate for the final book in the series! This has probably solidified that this is now my favourite of Rachel’s series, and I loved a lot of her others, but the characters in this series just touch my heart ❤️

So, we pick this one up with Bex and Adrian in very different places. Without spoilers, Bex is still very much on her quest to beat Gilgamesh, and so is Adrian, but they’ve been forced to separate and fight their own battles in the hopes that one of their plans will pay off. Neither knows if the other is ok or how they are doing, but both are equally dedicated to fighting the good fight and beating Heaven and its overlord.

What I really enjoyed about this book was that Adrian went on quite a journey in the previous book with his magic and skills, and I felt that he was able to really put some of those new learnings and practices to good use here. He is becoming an incredibly powerful ally and leader, and although he plays largely a supporting character to Bex in previous books here he really takes the initiative and shows that he is a force in his own right that Gilgamesh should be afraid of.

Bex and her team meanwhile always have my heart, and something I’ve suspected for a while about one of her team members is revealed in this book and I really liked that twist coming to fruition. I love the loyalty Bex has always inspired in her team, and the way that at this point she’s also able to show her worth and her belief and her intent to demons not of her own people. Bex is an undeniable force to be reckoned with and she shows all of the demons her true identity in this book whilst also doing some pretty crazy things down in the Hells.

I also liked the set up of the Hells, up until this book both the Heaven and Hell of the world have been more like concepts to us, and we’ve not really seen inside them, but here we actually see both sections. It was very cool that the majority of this book is set within those two realms rather than on Earth, and seeing how Aaron has played with myths and lore and twisted things into her own version for her story I really liked too.

Overall, this is one of the most dramatic but also one of the most heartfelt of the books in the series. We get a lot of action and twists and turns but we also get to see many sacrifices, moments of love and trust, moments of gamble and hope and sheer determination. It’s a mash up of so many things I love to see, and it was an excellent read and continuation of the series. As I said before, I NEED the next book now!! :D 5*s for this one from me.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

[Solseit · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much heart in this installment and I cannot wait for the last book to be out.
Rachel Aaron is a perfect author for my taste. This is the second epic urban fantasy series I read from her and I love everything she built here - and I was nervous after reading Heartstrikers which was and still is one of my favorite series ever (and probably has one of my favorite characters of all times, Bob). This series just consolidates how impressive as a writer Rachel Aaron is to me!

[Paulina Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what makes this book’s central romance better than the majority of romantasy couples? They TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!! Miscommunication trope? Never heard of her.

[The Man from DelMonte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew weary about halfway through this book. It was quite repetitive. Sin, sin, sin, demons, demons, demons, fight, fight, fight. It could have easily been a third shorter without losing any of the narrative.
I will read the final instalment, but more out of a sense of duty than anything else. It had better be a rocking denouement.

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

TL;DR Review: Down but never out, our favorite demon queen and with both kick major ass and build toward an explosive climax that sets up the epic finale to come.

Full Review:
What a treat to be back in the world of witches, warlocks, demons, angels, and an evil, manipulative Heaven-stealing “God”!
The Tear Down Heaven continues to cement itself as one of my favorite urban fantasies, bringing back our favorite witch and demon queen pairing to raise the stakes, up the drama, and expand to an even more epic story!
In Hell Hath No Fury, we’re treated to a fascinating glimpse at the Hells and the Heavens both. While we’ve spent the last three books predominantly on Earth, the events of the last book have led to Adrian being imprisoned in Heaven, and Bex determined to rescue him. To that end, she and her crew are sneaking into the Hells to stealth their way up to find him.
Naturally, this goes off the rails very quickly, leading their rescue mission to turn into a demon rebellion that literally breaks the chains Heaven has around the demons of Hell. We get some amazing twists and turns for not only Bex and Adrian, but also their colorful and lovely side characters—Iggs the war demon, Lys the lust demon, and Nemini the…well, she’s just Nemini (or is she?).
Meanwhile, Adrian is hard at work trying to scheme and connive his way out of his gilded cage. He has almost no access to his witchcraft or supplies, but as Gilgamesh will soon learn, almost is more than enough for a Blackwood witch. He’s going to do whatever it takes to break the shackles holding him, and tweak Heaven’s nose for good measure.
I was so excited for the moment these two are reunited after spending the better part of two books apart, and it was exactly as satisfying as I expected. The focus is far more on the drama of the new war between Heaven and Hell, the different demons, and the mystery of what the heck Gilgamesh is planning. But, as always, so much time is devoted to developing each character that you’re swept along on every emotional moment.
I can’t say too much about the storyline itself—all the many twists and turns and clever reveals—without spoiling anything, but suffice it to say, Hell Hath No Fury is a wonderful addition to the series, doing an excellent job of setting up what comes next while still pushing each character’s journey along beautifully.
After that ending, I’m dying to see how it all wraps up in the fifth and final book!

[Aiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has proved the exception to two of my general practices 1) I don't binge series, and 2) I don't read series that are more than 3 books long.

This is the 4th and penultimate book in the Tear Down Heaven series, which I've torn through over the past few months. I'm usually fine to read a few other books before I pick up the next in a series, but not so with this one. I finished book 3 in August and then had to beg Rachel Aaron to send me an ARC so I didn't have to wait until October; fortunately, she was kind enough to oblige me. The only problem is that I now, again, have to wait for the next book, but you, dear reader, are in a luckier position that me. Because if you start reading this series now, even if you tear through it, by the time you're caught up, book 5 should just about be ready to be released.

As mentioned, this is the 4th book in the series, and while each book is a satisfying, self-contained story arc, they don't really stand alone. What's more, the overall series is building in a satisfying series-long arc, which is something that a lot of series fail at. I have to imagine book 4 is one of the trickier ones to write; you're kind of in the second half of Act 2, you've got to balance of its events being important but not definitive for the overall, but Aaron manages that balance.

Like the other books, this one culminates in a huge, epic battle, but the entire book is the battle, while the other books had other other plot lines going. As such, there's less time for character development, which is okay because the characters have been developing over three books, but I did sometimes wish for a little more downtime in the action.

Overall, though, if you like action, epic battles, and expert world building that is detailed but never seems to drag, you'll enjoy this series. The books are fun and fast but also smart and heartfelt. These are perfect if you want the pleasure of a book that is completely escapist but that still has substance.

And even though I got an ARC ebook for free, but I'll be buying the physical copy to as soon as it's released to add to my shelf alongside the first three books. I am eagerly awaiting book 5.

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting/Worldbuilding: 10/10
Main characters: 6/10
Side characters: 7/10
Dialogue: 2/10
Plot: 10/10
Technique: 4/10
Prose: 3/10
Romance: 7/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall enjoyment: 6/10
Total: 65/100 (3.25/5)

I love Rachel's work, I really do. I've read all of them several times over. I think no one spins a story the way she does, and creates such nerdy, elaborate plots, incredible worlds and magic systems, with characters you care about the way she does, written in such an every day way that it feels like talking to a friend.

But the things that annoy me about her writing came to light in this book. The preachy, overly-explanatory, mile-long dialogues, the clunky prose, the forced separation making pacing very draggy in the first half ... and it almost made me put down the book altogether.

Thankfully the conclusion was epic enough that it made the pay off just about worth it.

It is with a heavy heart that this is the first Rachel Aaron book in recent memory that I will be rating less than 4 stars. No one is sadder about this than I am.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a ride. The novel starts out at a fast walk and accelerates from there.

It starts at a Pumpkin Festival hosted by Blackwood Family Farms. Fairly innocent.

They equip (Iggs) with a bag of holding holding the Armory of Solomon, a nearly unlimited cache of weapons and ammunition (which they'll need).

From then on, Bex and company (with Boston and Bran), break into the Hells and start heading up while Adrian, the 99.99% complete Queen of Pride's horns, and the fake Bexatron are heading down, to meet each other and take over all of the Hells.

Bex (not the Bexatron) learns how to burn brighter and hotter than she ever did and with more finesse.

While we still do not know what Gilgamesh's plan is and why he's running forges full time, we'll just have to wait for the next book to find this out.

[Jodie Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but

I blazed through this book just like the three before it. It was exciting and twisty and well written and I absolutely would recommend the whole series a hundred times over
But
This book felt like half a book somehow. I don’t think I can explain why or how but it felt like a build toward something the whole time and like the something never happened.
Also *kind of a spoiler*
I couldn’t get past how sin is food for the demons and that’s been consistent throughout the books but now it’s also toxic? That kept pulling me out of the story because it didn’t make any sense.

[Miguel Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great story about Bex, her loyal demons, and her love, the Blackwood witch Adrian. Bex no longer has her horns and lost her sword and a hand, but she comes back even better. There are a lot of surprises in this one, particularly about Nemini's true nature and the limitations of divine authority. Rachel Aaron has a very interesting take on the relationship between divine power and divine responsibility. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 5 out of 5]

The previous book in the series (Hell to Pay) saw Bex and Adrian get hit with serious setbacks, so it was great to see them recovering, gritting their teeth, and get back to kicking ass in this one. Fast-paced with excellent intelligent action scenes. I liked how some of the side characters got a little pov, doing their own part in the battle. Hyped about the next (final) book!

[Dan Mackison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was chomping at the bit to read the fourth and final book of the series: book three ended on a low point for Bex and Adrian, and I was looking forward to seeing how they dug themselves out. As expected after three books with this pair, Bex and Adrian are both still swinging through this whole book, but they aren't done! Now I'm looking forward to book five!

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this installment of Tear Down Heaven. Felt very unique among the other books, while fitting the series seamlessly. I love how the characters continue to develop and we got some great payoffs while still leaving room for an incredible finale.

[Sonal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!

Finished this book in 2 days and am eagerly awaiting the next one!
Amazing follow-up to book 3, this book had non-stop action that moved the plot along at a steady pace that had me fully locked in!
So excited to see what book 5 brings

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun continuation of the series.

Not much else to say. These are nice, easy reads with some good characters.

I believe the fifth book will be the final chapter in the story and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up.

[Alicia Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heck Yeah!!!

This one was a doozy. The amount of ups and downs, and not to mention the rising action, has primed everything for the finale. I’m thrilled and on the edge of my seat to see how it all ends. This one I would consider to be part of Aaron’s masterpiece.

[Dash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet

I adore this series. The themes of loyalty, freedom, and overcoming fascist capitalistic systemic slavery are extremely pertinent right now. The characters are rich and complex, and the action scenes are detailed while remaining fast-paced.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun with lots of action. Typical Rachel Aaron. For me, that's a good thing. I didn't understand the part about Bex losing her name because of what happened at the end of book 3. But otherwise, no complaints.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

to be honest this one felt a bit fast and repetitive (bex burning hotter than ever before etc etc) and nothing really surprising happened, but I enjoyed Adrian's witchery, the reunion, and it was still an entertaining read. can't wait for the finale, I wanna know what gilgamesh has cooked up!!

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great as always and I’m looking forward to reading the final book. Although if I had to say anything against it, I’d say we’ve covered Bex finding out she can burn hotter enough times now, still was an epic fight at the end though.

[Annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant instalment - I ate it UP

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is awesome. hyped for the final book

[M.M. Ballasch · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only coplain about this series is that it needs more romance. I´m all for closing the doors and no spice, but the romance I do like.

[gremlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am still very much enjoying this series, and can't wait for the next book/finale!

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed better than the last
Some things seem a bit too easy compared to how they were built up previously
Interested in the finals

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book in what is turning out to be one of my favorite series especially the reveal of Nemini being the queen of pride. Looking forward to reading the grand finale.

[Mark Freudenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait, it’s over? I thought that was the end of the series. It is not.

[Missy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well there still hasn't been a date yet, but everything else I wished for happened. There is so much tension built in the story and the payoff is always worth the wait.