What do you think?
Rate this book
Tainted
Tainted by demon blood
Damned for eternity
Destined to save the world?
Isobel is plagued by nightmares, apocalyptic visions where she burns alive and the world burns with her, visions that blacken her eyes and push her to the edge of madness. With her nightmares worsening, Isobel has no one to turn to, until she discovers her regular customer Jake suffers recurring nightmares eerily similar to her own. Already drawn to the taciturn Jake, Isobel discovers an irresistible attraction between them and soon finds herself falling in love.
But, their blossoming romance is threatened by the arrival of Ramona, a sexy and provocative woman claiming to be an angel.
Instinctively sceptical of Ramona’s claims, Isobel instantly dislikes her, not least because Jake is clearly unable to take his eyes off the new girl.
But Ramona explains many things, revealing the pair’s true nature. Part God’s children, part Lucifer’s their blood is the key to preventing Armageddon and stopping the entire world descending into Hell.
Blinded by mistrust and her own troubled past, Isobel is reluctant to accept Ramona’s far-fetched story, driving a wedge between herself and Jake, who readily believes.
When Jake disappears Isobel is forced into an uneasy alliance with Ramona as they search for him while hunting the demons who are attempting to hasten the end of days.
Their journey leads Isobel deep into her past forcing her to face her own demons, including her tyrannical and abusive mother. Isobel tries to resist the changes going on inside and around her, but after witnessing the incredible power her blood wields she is forced to accept the truth.
Eventually she lets go of her dark, tortured past and embraces her destiny. As the war between Heaven and Hell rages around her and the bodies pile up, Isobel becomes the heroine she was always meant to be, willing to sacrifice everything to save her lover and the world itself from damnation… but is she already too late?
Damned for eternity
Destined to save the world?
Isobel is plagued by nightmares, apocalyptic visions where she burns alive and the world burns with her, visions that blacken her eyes and push her to the edge of madness. With her nightmares worsening, Isobel has no one to turn to, until she discovers her regular customer Jake suffers recurring nightmares eerily similar to her own. Already drawn to the taciturn Jake, Isobel discovers an irresistible attraction between them and soon finds herself falling in love.
But, their blossoming romance is threatened by the arrival of Ramona, a sexy and provocative woman claiming to be an angel.
Instinctively sceptical of Ramona’s claims, Isobel instantly dislikes her, not least because Jake is clearly unable to take his eyes off the new girl.
But Ramona explains many things, revealing the pair’s true nature. Part God’s children, part Lucifer’s their blood is the key to preventing Armageddon and stopping the entire world descending into Hell.
Blinded by mistrust and her own troubled past, Isobel is reluctant to accept Ramona’s far-fetched story, driving a wedge between herself and Jake, who readily believes.
When Jake disappears Isobel is forced into an uneasy alliance with Ramona as they search for him while hunting the demons who are attempting to hasten the end of days.
Their journey leads Isobel deep into her past forcing her to face her own demons, including her tyrannical and abusive mother. Isobel tries to resist the changes going on inside and around her, but after witnessing the incredible power her blood wields she is forced to accept the truth.
Eventually she lets go of her dark, tortured past and embraces her destiny. As the war between Heaven and Hell rages around her and the bodies pile up, Isobel becomes the heroine she was always meant to be, willing to sacrifice everything to save her lover and the world itself from damnation… but is she already too late?
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 7, 2024
This book has some of the most disturbing gruesome descriptions of gore I've ever read that I physically repulsed. There is some very strong imagery, and I can't get the shuffling dead girl out of my head. The main character Isobel is a little bit insufferable, but she is 'tainted' so I suppose her toxic personality is rather fitting. All of the characters are borderline alcoholics, and given the twisted world they live in I imagine I would be the same. Angels and demons is a fun concept that I enjoy, but rather than being mystical this rendition is a massacre. It may be cliché of me to wish that there was a twist at the end (the 'taint' was in Isobel's mind and SHE killed everyone, or her alcoholism inspired such imagery), but I'll admit I was rather unsatisfied with the ending, although I understand why it had to be that way. Ramon's split soul and the hellscape descriptions were my personal favourite parts of this book, and if you love gore this one's for you
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2021
Its always nice to get all formal when writing a review. But when it come to 'Tainted' by Stephen Williams I just can't. Sorry.
This was a real good read. I just honestly can't review because it stuck with me so much. It stuck with me to the point I had my own nightmares.
However, on a side note all books that are loosely related to the 'Bible's Book of Revelation' always does it to me.
This was a real good read. I just honestly can't review because it stuck with me so much. It stuck with me to the point I had my own nightmares.
However, on a side note all books that are loosely related to the 'Bible's Book of Revelation' always does it to me.
August 12, 2023
Brilliant
Such a good read, draws you in from the first page and doesn't slow down throughout the book.
Not your usual ending which i really enjoyed.
Definitely worth a read, you won't be disappointed 😊
Such a good read, draws you in from the first page and doesn't slow down throughout the book.
Not your usual ending which i really enjoyed.
Definitely worth a read, you won't be disappointed 😊
July 22, 2014
I was really looking forward to reading "Tainted", and the story itself didn't disappoint. The Red eye title here is because I stayed up reading when I really should have been sleeping.
This holding back Armageddon tale flowed easily and contained enough humanity and interesting twists on theology to maintain an interest throughout. The characters are well and realistically drawn, Isobel and Jake seem made for each other and Ramona is wonderful. The action follows through, sometimes in the most horrific way, loved the tarot twist! The ending makes perfect sense and is fully satisfying, and in that respect I really enjoyed the book and would thoroughly recommend it. Should point out that as someone who has dyed her hair black I was shouting at my Kindle when Isobel went from black dye to being a natural red head after using a home dye stripper - I've tried this - it does NOT work. But since this minor detail is the only complaint I have about the whole book that should give you an idea of how good the rest of it is.
The reason that you're not seeing five stars here is simple - it needed proofreading. There were a number of typos and homophones which really threw me out of the story when I encountered them. Now admittedly I am an editor (not of this obviously) and such things would annoy me, but even with that, I still found "Tainted" easy to get back into and it is well worth the read. For a debut book this is a really great start.
This holding back Armageddon tale flowed easily and contained enough humanity and interesting twists on theology to maintain an interest throughout. The characters are well and realistically drawn, Isobel and Jake seem made for each other and Ramona is wonderful. The action follows through, sometimes in the most horrific way, loved the tarot twist! The ending makes perfect sense and is fully satisfying, and in that respect I really enjoyed the book and would thoroughly recommend it. Should point out that as someone who has dyed her hair black I was shouting at my Kindle when Isobel went from black dye to being a natural red head after using a home dye stripper - I've tried this - it does NOT work. But since this minor detail is the only complaint I have about the whole book that should give you an idea of how good the rest of it is.
The reason that you're not seeing five stars here is simple - it needed proofreading. There were a number of typos and homophones which really threw me out of the story when I encountered them. Now admittedly I am an editor (not of this obviously) and such things would annoy me, but even with that, I still found "Tainted" easy to get back into and it is well worth the read. For a debut book this is a really great start.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews