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Devilborn #1
Grim Haven
Years ago, Verity Thane turned her back on a hometown teeming with dangers and consumed by dark magic, swearing to herself she would never return. Now, she has no place else to go.When she’s cornered into using her magic to save mysterious Cooper Blackwood from a chilling supernatural attack, Verity is unwittingly drawn into a war with a clan of lethal monsters. Hunted and burned out of her home, she’s forced to flee to the last place she’s ever felt safe. But when Cooper’s deadly secrets collide with Verity’s dark past, new enemies meet old in an unholy alliance that could destroy everything each of them holds dear.Verity will have to protect the home she never thought she wanted… or lose it to a gruesome fate she never could have imagined.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2016
91 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 31, 2016
"Grim Haven" has one of the most unique plots that I have encountered in a while. No. There aren't any vampires, werewolves or other paranormal creatures but there are plenty of Witches that have numerous magical powers.
Verity is a unique witch who has the ability to write down her wishes into a spell that will ensure it comes true. Before you ask, she doesn't use it to obtain material things or wealth. She is sadly alone working at a restaurant where she refuses to socialize so that others don't discover her secret. Then, one evening the head chef, Cooper Blackwood is attack by a vitality sucking being who is an immortal enemy of his family. Now, all that Verify has attempted to protect is lost and she has come on the radar of the Blackwood's enemy.
When Verity's apartment is burned in a suspicious fire, she has no choice but to go back to the one place she swore she would never return, home. You know what they say, "Never say never." Maybe the fact Verify's father is the devil has something to do with it or there is nothing but bad memories awaiting her. Nevertheless, discovering she has inherited a boatload of cash and a hotel makes coming back little easier.
Of course nothing ever goes smoothly does it? It doesn't take long for trouble to land right at her doorstep leading Verity and her newfound friends right into a battle for the rights to the town and maybe even the world. I really enjoyed this read but felt as though there were gaps in the plot for me. Also, I felt like the writing was more Young Adult than adult. However, I am hoping that will improve with new installments in the series.
Verity is a unique witch who has the ability to write down her wishes into a spell that will ensure it comes true. Before you ask, she doesn't use it to obtain material things or wealth. She is sadly alone working at a restaurant where she refuses to socialize so that others don't discover her secret. Then, one evening the head chef, Cooper Blackwood is attack by a vitality sucking being who is an immortal enemy of his family. Now, all that Verify has attempted to protect is lost and she has come on the radar of the Blackwood's enemy.
When Verity's apartment is burned in a suspicious fire, she has no choice but to go back to the one place she swore she would never return, home. You know what they say, "Never say never." Maybe the fact Verify's father is the devil has something to do with it or there is nothing but bad memories awaiting her. Nevertheless, discovering she has inherited a boatload of cash and a hotel makes coming back little easier.
Of course nothing ever goes smoothly does it? It doesn't take long for trouble to land right at her doorstep leading Verity and her newfound friends right into a battle for the rights to the town and maybe even the world. I really enjoyed this read but felt as though there were gaps in the plot for me. Also, I felt like the writing was more Young Adult than adult. However, I am hoping that will improve with new installments in the series.
June 3, 2017
What an amazing read
This was an amazing read that kept me riveted. I really liked that there were different types of magic and half human characters in the story. To often the books I have read have magic that is just spells, but this book is different in a good way.If you like magic stories then I recommend this book to you. If you are not sure, read this anyway.
This was an amazing read that kept me riveted. I really liked that there were different types of magic and half human characters in the story. To often the books I have read have magic that is just spells, but this book is different in a good way.If you like magic stories then I recommend this book to you. If you are not sure, read this anyway.
April 15, 2018
A good story
Well written, entertaining story. I'm not sure I'd continue reading the series, though. dome of the story's leaps were a bit much.
Well written, entertaining story. I'm not sure I'd continue reading the series, though. dome of the story's leaps were a bit much.
March 19, 2017
Pretty good read
Although witches don't believe in the devil it was a good story. It kept me wanting to know what would happen next.
Although witches don't believe in the devil it was a good story. It kept me wanting to know what would happen next.
May 6, 2016
I don’t read a whole heap of urban fantasy, being more of an epic sort of reader myself, but this is a fun, just-one-more-chapter type of read. It’s my kind of book - quirky, original, with a surprise round every corner. When I tell you that the scene that sent shivers up and down my spine involved the bad guys simply walking around a building, you’ll understand that this isn’t your average let’s-hurl-thunderbolts-around urban fantasy. This is Hitchcockian (is that a word?) levels of tension.
Here’s the plot: Verity has her own form of magic, a quiet type that involves writing spells on paper, which she uses for self-protection. She likes to keep a low profile, but an accidental encounter with some unpleasantness of the non-human variety draws her into a centuries-old war. She seeks refuge in her home town, where she’s just inherited an old hotel, but this is not your average American town. Cue all sorts of magicky weirdness.
And then there’s Cooper. Yes, let’s talk about Cooper, who’s hot, has muscles in all the right places, is very cute and - is a chef. OK, that’s unusual but boy, isn’t this better than werewolves and demons and all that other bad boy stuff? What could be sexier than a man who can run up a steak diane and a pavlova at times of crisis? Or, let’s be honest, at any time. And if he happens to be good in bed, too - result!
OK, Cooper is distracting me from the plot… actually, I’m OK with that. The plot unfurls in the usual way, with plenty of twists and turns and a finale that had me holding my breath, it was so tense. And the romance weaves in and out of it all beautifully. Sigh. And there’s a neat twist at the end that sets things up for book 2 in the series rather well. This is a solid, entertaining start to the series, with enough intriguing backstory to both the main characters to keep me reading. A good four stars.
Here’s the plot: Verity has her own form of magic, a quiet type that involves writing spells on paper, which she uses for self-protection. She likes to keep a low profile, but an accidental encounter with some unpleasantness of the non-human variety draws her into a centuries-old war. She seeks refuge in her home town, where she’s just inherited an old hotel, but this is not your average American town. Cue all sorts of magicky weirdness.
And then there’s Cooper. Yes, let’s talk about Cooper, who’s hot, has muscles in all the right places, is very cute and - is a chef. OK, that’s unusual but boy, isn’t this better than werewolves and demons and all that other bad boy stuff? What could be sexier than a man who can run up a steak diane and a pavlova at times of crisis? Or, let’s be honest, at any time. And if he happens to be good in bed, too - result!
OK, Cooper is distracting me from the plot… actually, I’m OK with that. The plot unfurls in the usual way, with plenty of twists and turns and a finale that had me holding my breath, it was so tense. And the romance weaves in and out of it all beautifully. Sigh. And there’s a neat twist at the end that sets things up for book 2 in the series rather well. This is a solid, entertaining start to the series, with enough intriguing backstory to both the main characters to keep me reading. A good four stars.
May 20, 2016
I don't usually comment on an author's writing style, but Rasmussen really has a way with words. Not in a pretentious, literary, bogs-you-down sort of way. But in an atmospheric, world-broadening sort of way.
Of course, the point is the story. And the story, in this case, is very good. There's a great hook (a heroine who makes magic by writing story spells in her own blood), an intriguing evil to battle against (which I want to tell you about, but won't for fear of spoiling the plot), and a light love story with an enticing romantic lead.
Grim Haven is a spinoff to Rasmussen's other series...which I didn't realize (despite having read that first series) until the author's note. So don't worry if you haven't tried out the Lydia Trinket books. I only mention it here because, although I adored the world-building and character development in that other series, the plot was subtly too creepy and close to horror for my lily-livered tastes. This book, in contrast, hits the urban fantasy buttons head-on and was a fast, fun read...with all of the great elements of the previous series.
Another great book by an up-and-coming fantasy author!
Of course, the point is the story. And the story, in this case, is very good. There's a great hook (a heroine who makes magic by writing story spells in her own blood), an intriguing evil to battle against (which I want to tell you about, but won't for fear of spoiling the plot), and a light love story with an enticing romantic lead.
Grim Haven is a spinoff to Rasmussen's other series...which I didn't realize (despite having read that first series) until the author's note. So don't worry if you haven't tried out the Lydia Trinket books. I only mention it here because, although I adored the world-building and character development in that other series, the plot was subtly too creepy and close to horror for my lily-livered tastes. This book, in contrast, hits the urban fantasy buttons head-on and was a fast, fun read...with all of the great elements of the previous series.
Another great book by an up-and-coming fantasy author!
October 20, 2016
3.5 stars
After fighting off an attack from a feeder and losing her apartment in a fire, Verity flees back home to her supernatural town that she had turned her back on. And immediately gets into a rivalry with the Garden Club, AKA a coven of witches. Cooper Blackwall blows into town to try and draw out the rest of the feeders and things escalate to war over who will control the town now that Verity's father has been killed.
Here's what I liked: The idea behind the story is fun, the spell making, and the level of arcane and lore placed into the background of the story.
Here's what I didn't like: It still needs more meat on the bones, and some paragraphs could have been turned into scenes. Sometimes it reads as if she's thinking back on what she has done years down the road and other times we are right there with them. The romance was too much of a given. I didn't feel Cooper's pull to her, just hers to him. I think all of these problems could have been solved by fleshing out the book a bit more than it already was.
While not the best that I've read, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the story and I will go on to the next book in the series at a later date. 3.5 stars
After fighting off an attack from a feeder and losing her apartment in a fire, Verity flees back home to her supernatural town that she had turned her back on. And immediately gets into a rivalry with the Garden Club, AKA a coven of witches. Cooper Blackwall blows into town to try and draw out the rest of the feeders and things escalate to war over who will control the town now that Verity's father has been killed.
Here's what I liked: The idea behind the story is fun, the spell making, and the level of arcane and lore placed into the background of the story.
Here's what I didn't like: It still needs more meat on the bones, and some paragraphs could have been turned into scenes. Sometimes it reads as if she's thinking back on what she has done years down the road and other times we are right there with them. The romance was too much of a given. I didn't feel Cooper's pull to her, just hers to him. I think all of these problems could have been solved by fleshing out the book a bit more than it already was.
While not the best that I've read, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the story and I will go on to the next book in the series at a later date. 3.5 stars
August 22, 2016
The use of omnipresent past tense, she would interrupt the narration of her own story with how dumb she was at that point, was weird. The book doesn't match the description or the title. It was a little light on menace. The first action scene was the best and the main character was weak. She'd refuse to act to the point of idiocy, and I didn't really believe the big sacrifice and turn around moment. She was running scared the entire time, and it just wasn't a well thought out way of getting from point A to B on the writer's part. The chef is a perfect compliment to her seeing as he wants to go to war but the first time the enemy attacks he almost dies, but the worst danger he faces is to himself.
September 14, 2016
I downloaded Grim Haven as a free book from Amazon. Here's a book I avoided because I wasn't too fond of the cover (yeah, I know, how superficial, right?), and the title didn't grab me too much-- but I liked the blurb, so I gave this one a read and wasn't disappointed. I was caught up in a unique and interesting storyline with a nice twist on magic (place magic, especially) and supernaturals. The lead character, Verity, was nicely developed, although Cooper could have been stronger and more alpha, considering his mission needed a warrior-type character to be credible. A pleasant surprise, and I'll check to see if there are more books in this series.
August 5, 2016
Totally novel take on a supernatural element. Witches, yes; and a "devil" who is in the backstory (and not really a devil except in intent) -- but others as well that have no close analog.
Major characters are developed and nuanced, not extremely complex -- yet.
Plot develops well, with twists -- good.
Recommended for anyone who likes supernatural stories. Many other readers will also enjoy this.
Major characters are developed and nuanced, not extremely complex -- yet.
Plot develops well, with twists -- good.
Recommended for anyone who likes supernatural stories. Many other readers will also enjoy this.
July 22, 2016
A very different paranormal romance
A lady denning her birthright, a being tasked with a horrendous fate unable to set root's anywhere. This dose not seem a romance with any chances of working out for the best. But, it dose with a suspenseful workings, ghost and daring do. A enjoyable romp on the darker side of the world.
A lady denning her birthright, a being tasked with a horrendous fate unable to set root's anywhere. This dose not seem a romance with any chances of working out for the best. But, it dose with a suspenseful workings, ghost and daring do. A enjoyable romp on the darker side of the world.
June 26, 2016
I love a good urban fantasy and action is always good for me but I just couldn't get into this one. The action so there, the romance okay but it just fell flat to me. I would've liked to have had more personal connection to the characters and the world.
July 30, 2016
Great Read!
Engaged me from the first page! Fascinating characters, original plotlines and believable magic, all put together with smooth writing. Unexpected plot twists flowed into the story, detouring the romance. Could not put it down. Looking for more from Jen Rasmussen
Engaged me from the first page! Fascinating characters, original plotlines and believable magic, all put together with smooth writing. Unexpected plot twists flowed into the story, detouring the romance. Could not put it down. Looking for more from Jen Rasmussen
November 19, 2016
Read the first 3 books and gave them 4 star due the plots. Found the passive story telling theme around practicing magic a novel concept but rapidly became rather annoying. Hopefully future books will incuse the development of "phantasm" skills by Verity.
May 9, 2016
I couldn't put this book down! I totally enjoyed this and look forward to book two...
June 22, 2016
Lost me halfway through
July 28, 2016
Very good
Well thought out plot. Developed characters and great story. You like verity and her guy and their foibles. Looking forward to more haven
Well thought out plot. Developed characters and great story. You like verity and her guy and their foibles. Looking forward to more haven
August 13, 2016
Great Read
Actually grabbed my attention and held it. Love the characters and the story line, I will read the next book in this series.
Actually grabbed my attention and held it. Love the characters and the story line, I will read the next book in this series.
September 4, 2016
So enjoyable and a quick, easy read. Intriguing concepts of the feeders and vitality. Fun to meet up with Lydia and Phinneas again and to find out what happened to Bristol down the line.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2017
Fun new series.
April 23, 2017
Grim Haven , a good light read
While I enjoyed the book, I felt the author was still working on her craft. The story idea was entertaining. I will read the next book in the series to see if she continues to build her skill.
While I enjoyed the book, I felt the author was still working on her craft. The story idea was entertaining. I will read the next book in the series to see if she continues to build her skill.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews