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Hell On Wheels
An imperious princess, an arrogant mercenary, a marriage of convenience, and one hell of a roller derby bout.
Princess Valeda fled Hell to hide from her mad brother, but a war on her realm sees her dragged straight back to seal a military alliance through marriage. Her betrothed? The Captain of Bloodshed and Slaughter, a royal bastard with blood black as night whose passion for her might prove as dangerous as the war with her brother. Valeda is going to need all of her wits, treachery and cunning–and some lessons learned through demon roller derby–to overcome her past, defeat the enemy, and survive her marriage.
Princess Valeda fled Hell to hide from her mad brother, but a war on her realm sees her dragged straight back to seal a military alliance through marriage. Her betrothed? The Captain of Bloodshed and Slaughter, a royal bastard with blood black as night whose passion for her might prove as dangerous as the war with her brother. Valeda is going to need all of her wits, treachery and cunning–and some lessons learned through demon roller derby–to overcome her past, defeat the enemy, and survive her marriage.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 12, 2016
When I saw this on Netgalley, I was intrigued. The description sounded amazing and it had one of my favorite tropes (marriage of convenience), but I wasn't actually expecting much from the book. However, I have impulse control issues when it comes to books, so I clicked "read now" and got this on my Kindle right away.
Despite the major formatting issues (which may be fixed before the publication date), I was really into this. The book opens with a demon wedding between an icy princess and a violent, turnip-loving commoner. He had a thing for her from the start, but it takes her a while to thaw and start to like him. Normally I don't like insta-love situations, but somehow it worked for me here. The interaction between the two leads was interesting and antagonistic enough to satisfy me.
I liked both the leads a lot. Valeda was the perfect combination of badass and vulnerable, and Adriel was much the same, with an added dose of playfulness. I liked several of the side characters, especially Valeda's sisters and her relationship with them. I appreciated that she made friends with several of the she-demons under Adriel's command. There was no petty jealousy among the female characters.
There was a good amount of humor sprinkled throughout the book, much of it written in a completely deadpan way that I adored.
This story takes place during a war headed by Valeda's brother. We get to see lots of well-written action and are treated to tons of gross (and awesome) descriptions.
I thought Hell was well-described as a setting. There were so many great details to flesh out the world without a single instance of info-dumping. Things that shouldn't have worked, like demon roller derby and modern slang, totally didn't bother me. It was clear the demons were influenced by "topside" and somehow this all fit.
I only wish I'd had a clearer sense of how much time was passing. I, personally, would have liked a touch more development in Valeda and Adriel's relationship (and maybe another sex scene or two, let's be honest), but I liked their romance anyway. I would definitely read another book set in this world, perhaps with one of Valeda's sisters as the heroine. This was such a pleasant surprise!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
Despite the major formatting issues (which may be fixed before the publication date), I was really into this. The book opens with a demon wedding between an icy princess and a violent, turnip-loving commoner. He had a thing for her from the start, but it takes her a while to thaw and start to like him. Normally I don't like insta-love situations, but somehow it worked for me here. The interaction between the two leads was interesting and antagonistic enough to satisfy me.
She would not have him any other way than he was, a hunter forever chasing her down and mauling her with kisses.
I liked both the leads a lot. Valeda was the perfect combination of badass and vulnerable, and Adriel was much the same, with an added dose of playfulness. I liked several of the side characters, especially Valeda's sisters and her relationship with them. I appreciated that she made friends with several of the she-demons under Adriel's command. There was no petty jealousy among the female characters.
There was a good amount of humor sprinkled throughout the book, much of it written in a completely deadpan way that I adored.
The wedding organisers hadn't thought to bring spittoons for the flower girls. No-one had thought to.
This story takes place during a war headed by Valeda's brother. We get to see lots of well-written action and are treated to tons of gross (and awesome) descriptions.
His teeth shattered and a piece of lower lip flew by her face. Grey blood, thick as yoghurt, spattered her cheek and she reeled away, retching, desperate to escape the stench.
I thought Hell was well-described as a setting. There were so many great details to flesh out the world without a single instance of info-dumping. Things that shouldn't have worked, like demon roller derby and modern slang, totally didn't bother me. It was clear the demons were influenced by "topside" and somehow this all fit.
I only wish I'd had a clearer sense of how much time was passing. I, personally, would have liked a touch more development in Valeda and Adriel's relationship (and maybe another sex scene or two, let's be honest), but I liked their romance anyway. I would definitely read another book set in this world, perhaps with one of Valeda's sisters as the heroine. This was such a pleasant surprise!
"I'll always be by your side, and our enemies will tremble before the combined terror of your ruthless cunning and my unquenchable thirst for blood."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
January 2, 2025
In order to solidify a military alliance against her brother, princess Valeda needs to marry captain Adriel. The situation could not be more tense, as she is taken into the camp, while trying to uncover the mystery behind the magic wall placed around certain memories, memories that may help the war effort.
The pacing was fast, the banter between Valeda and Adriel and the demon roller derby were fun to read. There downside is that there isn't a lot of worldbuilding and Adriel's I-know-you-better-than-you-know-yourself moments were a few too many.
The pacing was fast, the banter between Valeda and Adriel and the demon roller derby were fun to read. There downside is that there isn't a lot of worldbuilding and Adriel's I-know-you-better-than-you-know-yourself moments were a few too many.
September 22, 2016
eARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
The cover art for Hell on wheels is beautiful in it's simplicity. I like the colors, model & most of all lack of pompousness. No large ball gowns, glitzy crowns, or Ms. Universe poses.
There's a war in Hell & Valeda has been called upon to do her duty.
Valeda is a princess of Hell & a knowledge demon. She conducts herself as she believes her title requires of her. She's a snob, has an icy exterior, & feels threatened by her recently acquired marriage of convenience. You see Valeda is keeping secrets some unbeknownst to her which places her in imminent danger.
The Captain of Bloodshed & Slaughter Adriel has been promoted to Duke but a new title is not the only change in his life, he's married Valeda Princess of Hell in exchange for troops & support against a common enemy. He's determined get everything he was promised from the marriage.
The romance between Adriel & Valeda was a nice reprieve from reality. It included a strong dose of insta-lust but overall I wasn't particularly upset by it. I enjoyed Valeda & Adriel getting to know eachother. I found Adriel's effort to work past Valedas emotional minefields & the resulting snark form Valeda comical.
What needed help
The world building felt incomplete to me. I'd personally would love for the author to create a more detailed "universe" the series needs more depth. IMO oversimplifying the storyline was an error in judgment. Anything that affects a royal affects the common populace. The fact the author limited the story to Valeda & her person was a missed opportunity. The politics of Hell was a fundamental element to the storyline .How does the power structure work? ie Royals, arch-demons, the general populous etc. How has the battle impacted Hell? How will winning the war impact others besides Valeda? How will this marriage impact the two kingdoms involved after the war?
The roller derby pastime seemed random. It honestly didn't add much to the overall story arc. It just didn't mesh well. Perhaps I would feel differently if the princess enjoyed the sport prior to the marriage & introduced the she-demon to the sport it would've added character depth. As it was written it felt random to me.
I rate this book 3 "fluffy" stars. Yes, fluffy bc i've no doubt the genre is fluffy chick-lit.
However the series has potential to expand it's audience if the author can realize the series potential.
The cover art for Hell on wheels is beautiful in it's simplicity. I like the colors, model & most of all lack of pompousness. No large ball gowns, glitzy crowns, or Ms. Universe poses.
There's a war in Hell & Valeda has been called upon to do her duty.
Valeda is a princess of Hell & a knowledge demon. She conducts herself as she believes her title requires of her. She's a snob, has an icy exterior, & feels threatened by her recently acquired marriage of convenience. You see Valeda is keeping secrets some unbeknownst to her which places her in imminent danger.
The Captain of Bloodshed & Slaughter Adriel has been promoted to Duke but a new title is not the only change in his life, he's married Valeda Princess of Hell in exchange for troops & support against a common enemy. He's determined get everything he was promised from the marriage.
The romance between Adriel & Valeda was a nice reprieve from reality. It included a strong dose of insta-lust but overall I wasn't particularly upset by it. I enjoyed Valeda & Adriel getting to know eachother. I found Adriel's effort to work past Valedas emotional minefields & the resulting snark form Valeda comical.
What needed help
The world building felt incomplete to me. I'd personally would love for the author to create a more detailed "universe" the series needs more depth. IMO oversimplifying the storyline was an error in judgment. Anything that affects a royal affects the common populace. The fact the author limited the story to Valeda & her person was a missed opportunity. The politics of Hell was a fundamental element to the storyline .How does the power structure work? ie Royals, arch-demons, the general populous etc. How has the battle impacted Hell? How will winning the war impact others besides Valeda? How will this marriage impact the two kingdoms involved after the war?
The roller derby pastime seemed random. It honestly didn't add much to the overall story arc. It just didn't mesh well. Perhaps I would feel differently if the princess enjoyed the sport prior to the marriage & introduced the she-demon to the sport it would've added character depth. As it was written it felt random to me.
I rate this book 3 "fluffy" stars. Yes, fluffy bc i've no doubt the genre is fluffy chick-lit.
However the series has potential to expand it's audience if the author can realize the series potential.
October 5, 2016
I'm a big fan of Rhyll Biest's writing, but I wasn't quite sure what I'd think of demons playing roller derby. Lucky I would read the dictionary cover to cover if Rhyll wrote it, because otherwise I would have missed out on this!
Don't be fooled before you even begin. If roller derby isn't your thing but you like paranormal, go for it, because the roller derby really isn't that big a part. The larger story involves the war for the demon realm, battling legions, and the heroine Valeda's battle with her hidden memories and a past that involves her psychotic brother.
I loved the start. We get thrown right into the middle of the wedding of Princess Valeda with a commoner, Adriel, (aka: The captain of bloodshed and slaughter) where amongst other gems, there is this great line:
The wedding organisers hadn't thought to bring spittoons for the flower girls. No-one had thought to.
Valeda is a worthy princess and a great heroine. She's full of one-liners that made me giggle, and she really doesn't need saving... (until she gets shackled by Adriel and he stops her from using her magic), then she finds herself in a pretty big pickle. Adriel I found a little harder to get to know - he's rather prickly towards his new Princess, and everyone is always trying to steal his territory and smite him and his legions, which I'm sure doesn't help make him a big old barrel of laughs.
There is a great cast of secondary characters - that's where the roller derby comes in - and all this part of the book is a fun romp. I like the concept of having demons with special powers. For example, Valeda is a 'knowledge demon' and how she powers up is by teaching someone, something (anything). I like the sneaky ways she goes about this during the book.
So I loved this - a good fun read by an Aussie author going places.
4.5 stars
Don't be fooled before you even begin. If roller derby isn't your thing but you like paranormal, go for it, because the roller derby really isn't that big a part. The larger story involves the war for the demon realm, battling legions, and the heroine Valeda's battle with her hidden memories and a past that involves her psychotic brother.
I loved the start. We get thrown right into the middle of the wedding of Princess Valeda with a commoner, Adriel, (aka: The captain of bloodshed and slaughter) where amongst other gems, there is this great line:
The wedding organisers hadn't thought to bring spittoons for the flower girls. No-one had thought to.
Valeda is a worthy princess and a great heroine. She's full of one-liners that made me giggle, and she really doesn't need saving... (until she gets shackled by Adriel and he stops her from using her magic), then she finds herself in a pretty big pickle. Adriel I found a little harder to get to know - he's rather prickly towards his new Princess, and everyone is always trying to steal his territory and smite him and his legions, which I'm sure doesn't help make him a big old barrel of laughs.
There is a great cast of secondary characters - that's where the roller derby comes in - and all this part of the book is a fun romp. I like the concept of having demons with special powers. For example, Valeda is a 'knowledge demon' and how she powers up is by teaching someone, something (anything). I like the sneaky ways she goes about this during the book.
So I loved this - a good fun read by an Aussie author going places.
4.5 stars
September 13, 2016
Valeda was forced back to Hell for an arranged marriage to Adriel the Captain of Bloodshed and Slaughter. She was a princess of Hell, and he was a nobody who rose high in the ranks in the military. The marriage was supposed to create a united front to defeat Valeda’s brother, the man Valeda had left Hell to escape.
Knowing this is PNR, I didn’t expect in depth world building, but I wish things had been more fleshed out. There were different kingdoms in Hell but how they ruled or worked together wasn’t explained. I needed more details about the war to feel invested in the outcome. They were the good guys. Valeda’s brother was the bad guy. How would it be better if they won? What were the consequences of losing? After reading the book I have no idea how Hell would have been affected aside from how it personally would have affected Valeda.
Adriel’s title was somewhat misleading. I expected him to be slightly more vicious and threatening with a name like Captain of Bloodshed and Slaughter. The guy was powerful though. Being a princess of Hell didn’t make Valeda very powerful. With her power taking out a large number of people was possible, but it didn’t help her with defense much. It was way too easy for others to manipulate and manhandle her.
The roller derby thing was weird. It didn’t mesh well with the rest of the story. I skimmed those parts and didn’t feel like those scenes added anything beneficial. Romance, war, an evil brother, and roller derby was an odd combination. The romance was the best part. Yeah it was instalove. I’m okay with it because they still took the time to get to know each other.
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Knowing this is PNR, I didn’t expect in depth world building, but I wish things had been more fleshed out. There were different kingdoms in Hell but how they ruled or worked together wasn’t explained. I needed more details about the war to feel invested in the outcome. They were the good guys. Valeda’s brother was the bad guy. How would it be better if they won? What were the consequences of losing? After reading the book I have no idea how Hell would have been affected aside from how it personally would have affected Valeda.
Adriel’s title was somewhat misleading. I expected him to be slightly more vicious and threatening with a name like Captain of Bloodshed and Slaughter. The guy was powerful though. Being a princess of Hell didn’t make Valeda very powerful. With her power taking out a large number of people was possible, but it didn’t help her with defense much. It was way too easy for others to manipulate and manhandle her.
The roller derby thing was weird. It didn’t mesh well with the rest of the story. I skimmed those parts and didn’t feel like those scenes added anything beneficial. Romance, war, an evil brother, and roller derby was an odd combination. The romance was the best part. Yeah it was instalove. I’m okay with it because they still took the time to get to know each other.
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2016
A different kind of read. The characters provided some laugh out loud quips that entertained :) and also added to what was a good story. A lot of character introductions but the story flowed well. Comraderie between the characters was warming and the descriptives in the battle scenes were often gory, but given the setting was in some version of hell, the graphic encounters were in keeping with the story's theme. I liked Valeda and Adriel's characters. The sassiness between them brought out some smileys and somewhat heartfelt moments, and they weren't the only two entertaining characters... The roller derby nicknames were a hoot! :D Smart liners, likeable characters mixed with a few scary characters, but all combined for a great start to author Rhyll Biest's newest series.
Review copy received from Escape Publishing via Netgalley for an honest rating
Review copy received from Escape Publishing via Netgalley for an honest rating
September 19, 2016
How much did I love this book? Let me count all the ways. Firstly, the humour was cracking, the heroine was my kind of gal. Secondly, I loved the 3d nature of the world Rhyll Biest has created. I truly felt like I was there and it really felt fresh and original. Thirdly, The derby element made my paranormal loving tentacles quiver.
Okay, I'm gonna stop counting now and blurt.
I really enjoyed seeing some awesome banter between female characters and oh, the romance? Cranking. Brilliant hero. Sexy hero. Alpha and awesome. My kind of demon dude.
This is an amazing start to a new series that doesn't let you down. Often I think first books can be a little simplified in a mistaken belief that it will draw readers in not to immerse them straight away, whereas Hell On Wheels throws you in the deep end and you enjoy every minute of the experience. Definite 5 stars.
Okay, I'm gonna stop counting now and blurt.
I really enjoyed seeing some awesome banter between female characters and oh, the romance? Cranking. Brilliant hero. Sexy hero. Alpha and awesome. My kind of demon dude.
This is an amazing start to a new series that doesn't let you down. Often I think first books can be a little simplified in a mistaken belief that it will draw readers in not to immerse them straight away, whereas Hell On Wheels throws you in the deep end and you enjoy every minute of the experience. Definite 5 stars.
dnf
December 27, 2018This book has awesome prose and it's hilarious as hell. However, as comicals as this book is, I just can't continue a book without story progression. 40% in to the book and we're still stuck on the premise and it feels like it's not going to progress any time soon. Sadly, gotta say good bye.
DNF @ 40%
March 16, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up.
November 15, 2016
Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
When I first read the description of Rhyll Biest’s Hell On Wheels, I’m pretty sure I exclaimed big, “Hell yeah.” The heroine is a princess of Hell, roped into a political marriage in order to try and best her brother, who’s been raging war within Hell’s realms. There is even mention of a demon roller derby bout later in the book. It sounded gritty, fun, and a great addition to the recent great paranormal and fantasy romances I’ve been reading. But ultimately, the inner workings of Hell and the overall environment were too confusing and the romance too uneven to live up to the book’s full potential.
The romance opens with the wedding, so Adriel and Valeda are quickly thrown into a forced proximity plot, as they have to get to know each other while traveling on the battlefield. There’s also a rather large cast of characters, from soldiers serving with Adriel to Valeda’s many sisters. It’s all a little dizzying and I much preferred the scenes where it was just Adriel and Valeda, because it was easier to keep up.
As I mentioned before, my main gripe with the story is the world building, which is the crux of any successful paranormal or fantasy romance. If I don’t know how the world operates, I spend most of my reading time trying to piece together those details rather than becoming invested in the hero and heroine’s journey to happily ever after. A majority of the time while reading this book, I felt like I was missing information or that I had picked up a story somewhere in the middle of the series, where the rules of the world have already been established. For example, Valeda spent time “topside.” When this is first mentioned, it didn’t explain what that meant and I just sort of had to infer that “topside” was some sort of human realm. I wasn’t sure if supernatural beings and humans often coexisted or if it was a common thing for demons to be walking amongst humans. Did Valeda have to camouflage herself? Or was her journey to the human realm somewhat accepted, like a demon spring break? I had no clue and these little moments took me right out the story, which is a shame, because I expect to be fully enveloped in these fantastical worlds in paranormal romance.
Another reason I didn’t enjoy this book was the romance between Valeda and Adriel. I really loved Adriel. Valeda…not so much.
Despite his title, Adriel was a pretty understanding and gentle guy. He understood his new wife was unsure about the marital arrangement and might have some hesitation in going against her own brother. When Velda suffers a nosebleed on account of her mental wall being broken down by questions of her brother, he treats her with care and kindness, letting her rest. All he asks is for her to just help him out and be honest. Meanwhile, Valeda is stubborn and, at first, refuses to let Adriel know that helping him would cause her physical pain and even death the closer they get to confronting her brother. But the entire time, Adriel has given her no reason why he wouldn’t be sympathetic to her problem, or even downright accommodating.
There were still some redeemable qualities to the story, though. See, Adriel, above. He’s a demon dreamboat! I’d also recommend that fans of Kresley Cole to give this book a try. It has that gritty action and snarky, raunchy character mix that Cole’s Immortals After Dark series does really well. I loved hearing about Valeda’s sisters and their unique personalities which reflect their individual abilities and powers. I hope that if this book is part of a series, that future romances focus on Valeda’s sisters because all of them are badass.
Though I was frequently taken out of the romance with my incessant questioning of how the world operated, it wasn’t a complete bust. I’m intrigued by the series, and I will definitely be on the lookout for future releases from Biest. While at its core, Hell On Wheels has a interesting setup, it was the lackluster finishing of the details that left me disappointed and wanting answers.
- Amanda
When I first read the description of Rhyll Biest’s Hell On Wheels, I’m pretty sure I exclaimed big, “Hell yeah.” The heroine is a princess of Hell, roped into a political marriage in order to try and best her brother, who’s been raging war within Hell’s realms. There is even mention of a demon roller derby bout later in the book. It sounded gritty, fun, and a great addition to the recent great paranormal and fantasy romances I’ve been reading. But ultimately, the inner workings of Hell and the overall environment were too confusing and the romance too uneven to live up to the book’s full potential.
The romance opens with the wedding, so Adriel and Valeda are quickly thrown into a forced proximity plot, as they have to get to know each other while traveling on the battlefield. There’s also a rather large cast of characters, from soldiers serving with Adriel to Valeda’s many sisters. It’s all a little dizzying and I much preferred the scenes where it was just Adriel and Valeda, because it was easier to keep up.
As I mentioned before, my main gripe with the story is the world building, which is the crux of any successful paranormal or fantasy romance. If I don’t know how the world operates, I spend most of my reading time trying to piece together those details rather than becoming invested in the hero and heroine’s journey to happily ever after. A majority of the time while reading this book, I felt like I was missing information or that I had picked up a story somewhere in the middle of the series, where the rules of the world have already been established. For example, Valeda spent time “topside.” When this is first mentioned, it didn’t explain what that meant and I just sort of had to infer that “topside” was some sort of human realm. I wasn’t sure if supernatural beings and humans often coexisted or if it was a common thing for demons to be walking amongst humans. Did Valeda have to camouflage herself? Or was her journey to the human realm somewhat accepted, like a demon spring break? I had no clue and these little moments took me right out the story, which is a shame, because I expect to be fully enveloped in these fantastical worlds in paranormal romance.
Another reason I didn’t enjoy this book was the romance between Valeda and Adriel. I really loved Adriel. Valeda…not so much.
Despite his title, Adriel was a pretty understanding and gentle guy. He understood his new wife was unsure about the marital arrangement and might have some hesitation in going against her own brother. When Velda suffers a nosebleed on account of her mental wall being broken down by questions of her brother, he treats her with care and kindness, letting her rest. All he asks is for her to just help him out and be honest. Meanwhile, Valeda is stubborn and, at first, refuses to let Adriel know that helping him would cause her physical pain and even death the closer they get to confronting her brother. But the entire time, Adriel has given her no reason why he wouldn’t be sympathetic to her problem, or even downright accommodating.
There were still some redeemable qualities to the story, though. See, Adriel, above. He’s a demon dreamboat! I’d also recommend that fans of Kresley Cole to give this book a try. It has that gritty action and snarky, raunchy character mix that Cole’s Immortals After Dark series does really well. I loved hearing about Valeda’s sisters and their unique personalities which reflect their individual abilities and powers. I hope that if this book is part of a series, that future romances focus on Valeda’s sisters because all of them are badass.
Though I was frequently taken out of the romance with my incessant questioning of how the world operated, it wasn’t a complete bust. I’m intrigued by the series, and I will definitely be on the lookout for future releases from Biest. While at its core, Hell On Wheels has a interesting setup, it was the lackluster finishing of the details that left me disappointed and wanting answers.
- Amanda
October 8, 2016
quite liked this book first ive read by this author would read more recommended
October 3, 2016
Princesses’, Demons, Hell…. Yes please!
Let me start by saying I am not a fan of this cover. This cover doesn’t reflect the blurb of this book at all! I just don’t picture a 300 year old demon princess wearing a sweater and looking like she’s fifteen.
On to the story, Valeda a princess of hell, hunted by her brother, betrothed to the Captain of Slaughter and Bloodshed (cool title no?), is trapped in hell by her mother in order to secure a military alliance through marriage and help win the war against said brother.
This book is crazy. All these century old demons talk like, well, like I did as a teen. I wasn’t expecting that at all and I was fully set to hate it. I didn’t account for how funny or loveable the characters could be however. There were a lot of chuckle worthy moments in this book that at its heart reads like one of those Historical Romances I love so much. Its strong point however isn’t in the romance at all. It lies in the snarky character dialogue and the crazy ass characters themselves. Valeda’s sisters, Cinna especially are hilarious(especially when Cinna thinks shes a butterfly and Lymenia coldcocks her, I probably found that funnier than it was). What I really liked is that these aren’t all evil demons, they’re more like shades of grey. Yes in general they aren’t particularly nice or polite or kind, but Valeda’s sisters have her back. There isn’t any slut shaming or hair pulling here either which just warmed the cockles of my heart. I do love it when women get along.
Now the problems, the world building needed more work. After reading the book I still don’t know who the King is or what the political or general structure of Hell is like. I think these aspects needed to be sketched out better.
The romance aspect wasn’t convincing enough for me. The Captain had a case of insta-lust right from the very beginning, Valeda on the other took awhile to thaw so I could see a progression of how her feelings changed. Her change into actually realizing she was in love with him was too abrupt, if her reactions changed as gradually as her feelings did the romantic storyline would have worked better.
And this isn’t a problem per se, but Valeda and her whole brother issue really creeped me out. I mean, ick! Which was disappointing because I do love the bad guys.
Not a bad read at all, as long as you go in expecting nothing resembling reality with a healthy dose of crazy. 3.5 star read for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Let me start by saying I am not a fan of this cover. This cover doesn’t reflect the blurb of this book at all! I just don’t picture a 300 year old demon princess wearing a sweater and looking like she’s fifteen.
On to the story, Valeda a princess of hell, hunted by her brother, betrothed to the Captain of Slaughter and Bloodshed (cool title no?), is trapped in hell by her mother in order to secure a military alliance through marriage and help win the war against said brother.
This book is crazy. All these century old demons talk like, well, like I did as a teen. I wasn’t expecting that at all and I was fully set to hate it. I didn’t account for how funny or loveable the characters could be however. There were a lot of chuckle worthy moments in this book that at its heart reads like one of those Historical Romances I love so much. Its strong point however isn’t in the romance at all. It lies in the snarky character dialogue and the crazy ass characters themselves. Valeda’s sisters, Cinna especially are hilarious(especially when Cinna thinks shes a butterfly and Lymenia coldcocks her, I probably found that funnier than it was). What I really liked is that these aren’t all evil demons, they’re more like shades of grey. Yes in general they aren’t particularly nice or polite or kind, but Valeda’s sisters have her back. There isn’t any slut shaming or hair pulling here either which just warmed the cockles of my heart. I do love it when women get along.
Now the problems, the world building needed more work. After reading the book I still don’t know who the King is or what the political or general structure of Hell is like. I think these aspects needed to be sketched out better.
The romance aspect wasn’t convincing enough for me. The Captain had a case of insta-lust right from the very beginning, Valeda on the other took awhile to thaw so I could see a progression of how her feelings changed. Her change into actually realizing she was in love with him was too abrupt, if her reactions changed as gradually as her feelings did the romantic storyline would have worked better.
And this isn’t a problem per se, but Valeda and her whole brother issue really creeped me out. I mean, ick! Which was disappointing because I do love the bad guys.
Not a bad read at all, as long as you go in expecting nothing resembling reality with a healthy dose of crazy. 3.5 star read for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 18, 2016
While the premise sounded awesome, the execution was a bit lacking, especially when it comes to the world-building. There were lots of things that weren't fully fleshed out to me.
However, I loved the hero - his earnestness and patience made the romance for me.
I'd definitely be willing to give this author another try. Maybe Valeda's sisters will get their own stories.
However, I loved the hero - his earnestness and patience made the romance for me.
I'd definitely be willing to give this author another try. Maybe Valeda's sisters will get their own stories.
October 24, 2016
Very hilarious writing- loved that aspect. And the romance was sweet. however, the plot lost all sense about two-thirds of the way in and really sucked the life out of the book. Writer has promise, but needs to work on technique.
February 15, 2019
Great fun
This book is terrific, bloody, funny,screaming with slaughter and gore,yet,oddly sweet.this book is quite a departure from her other books but I like them all. Please write more.
This book is terrific, bloody, funny,screaming with slaughter and gore,yet,oddly sweet.this book is quite a departure from her other books but I like them all. Please write more.
April 13, 2017
This was a very different read for me. I've not read this author before but I would certainly read another of her books. Princess Valeda has been betrothed in an arranged marriage to the Captain of Blood Shed and Slaughter, Adriel, against her will by her mother the Queen of the Ninth Realm as a war is looming that involves her brother Paimon.
Valeda had always thought her brother loved her as a sibling but she soon learns that he loves her more than that and it is especially obvious when he murders her lover.
She no longer trusts her heart and so gives it away and when she marries Adriel, she does everything in her power to make sure there will be no feelings of love for him. He takes her back with him when he leaves the Ninth Realm and has to collar her to keep her from running away.
Adriel is very powerful but there is a darkness living inside of him and when it comes fully out, he changes into a shifter hellhound. His mission is to kill Paimon and Valeda wants this too, even though it is her brother.
Valeda calls on her sisters to help her and I must say, they are crazier than her. There is a lot of humour and the Roller Derby matches are particularly interesting as the characters seem to be in mixed up worlds.
I expect there will be more books, either for Valeda's sisters or Adriel's brother.
Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Valeda had always thought her brother loved her as a sibling but she soon learns that he loves her more than that and it is especially obvious when he murders her lover.
She no longer trusts her heart and so gives it away and when she marries Adriel, she does everything in her power to make sure there will be no feelings of love for him. He takes her back with him when he leaves the Ninth Realm and has to collar her to keep her from running away.
Adriel is very powerful but there is a darkness living inside of him and when it comes fully out, he changes into a shifter hellhound. His mission is to kill Paimon and Valeda wants this too, even though it is her brother.
Valeda calls on her sisters to help her and I must say, they are crazier than her. There is a lot of humour and the Roller Derby matches are particularly interesting as the characters seem to be in mixed up worlds.
I expect there will be more books, either for Valeda's sisters or Adriel's brother.
Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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