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Lords of Deliverance #5.5, 6.5
Demonica Underworld Compilation: 3 Stories by Larissa Ione
Azagoth: Even in the fathomless depths of the underworld and the bleak chambers of a damaged heart, the bonds of love can heal...or destroy. He holds the ability to annihilate souls in the palm of his hand. He commands the respect of the most dangerous of demons and the most powerful of angels. He can seduce and dominate any female he wants with a mere look. But for all Azagoth's power, he's bound by shackles of his own making, and only an angel with a secret holds the key to his release. She's an angel with the extraordinary ability to travel through time and space. An angel with a tormented past she can't escape. And when Lilliana is sent to Azagoth's underworld realm, she finds that her past isn't all she can't escape. For the irresistibly sexy fallen angel known as Azagoth is also known as the Grim Reaper, and when he claims a soul, it's forever...
Hades: A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It's easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice - or bestowing mercy - on the beautiful female who could be his salvation...or his undoing. Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel's plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades's boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades's prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected...
Z: Zhubaal, fallen angel assistant to the Grim Reaper, has spent decades searching for the angel he loved and lost nearly a century ago. Not even her death can keep him from trying to find her, not when he knows she's been given a second chance at life in a new body. But as time passes, he's losing hope, and he wonders how much longer he can hold to the oath he swore to her so long ago... As an emim, the wingless offspring of two fallen angels, Vex has always felt like a second-class citizen. But if she manages to secure a deal with the Grim Reaper - by any means necessary - she will have earned her place in the world. The only obstacle in the way of her plan is a sexy hardass called Z, who seems determined to thwart her at every turn. Soon it becomes clear that they have a powerful connection rooted in the past...but can any vow stand the test of time?
Hades: A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It's easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice - or bestowing mercy - on the beautiful female who could be his salvation...or his undoing. Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel's plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades's boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades's prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected...
Z: Zhubaal, fallen angel assistant to the Grim Reaper, has spent decades searching for the angel he loved and lost nearly a century ago. Not even her death can keep him from trying to find her, not when he knows she's been given a second chance at life in a new body. But as time passes, he's losing hope, and he wonders how much longer he can hold to the oath he swore to her so long ago... As an emim, the wingless offspring of two fallen angels, Vex has always felt like a second-class citizen. But if she manages to secure a deal with the Grim Reaper - by any means necessary - she will have earned her place in the world. The only obstacle in the way of her plan is a sexy hardass called Z, who seems determined to thwart her at every turn. Soon it becomes clear that they have a powerful connection rooted in the past...but can any vow stand the test of time?
433 pages, Paperback
Published March 31, 2017
104 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Larissa Ione
104 books10.1k followersAir Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 12, 2023
Reviewed for THC Reviews
*newest review for this anthology
"4.5 stars"
Azagoth (1001 Dark Nights #6) - “Azagoth” is the first book in Larissa Ione’s Demonica Underworld series, which is a spin-off or sub-series of her greater Demonica series that follows characters who live in the Underworld. Nearly all of the books in this series are on the shorter side, roughly long novella or short novel length, so meatier than a short story but not quite as involved as the main novels of the series. In this one we have Azagoth aka the Grim Reaper, who is in charge of Sheoul-gra, the world between the human realm and Sheoul, and a kind of holding tank for the souls of demons and other evil beings. Azagoth has lived a rather lonely existence, trapped in his own realm, and is tired of being alone. He’s decided that he wants a mate and demands that Heaven send him one. Lilliana is the angel who shows up for the job, but given a choice between two unsavory scenarios, she didn’t have a whole lot of say in the matter. However, she’s offered a chance to get out of the deal and earn redemption for her “sins” if she finds and steals a time-traveling device which Azagoth possesses. When she first arrives, Lilliana thinks that Azagoth is a jerk and has every intention of finding the device and getting out as soon as possible, but the longer she stays and the more she gets to know him, the more she sees Azagoth’s gentler side and begins to fall for him. But when he discovers her original intentions, he may not be so forgiving.
Eons ago, after Satan’s fall and his subsequent creation of demonic creatures, the demons who died had nowhere for their souls to go. They were too evil to ascend into Heaven, so their souls roamed the Earth, sowing chaos. Into this conundrum came Azagoth, who volunteered to become a fallen angel in order to create the new realm of Sheoul-gra, where demon souls are held until he deems them worthy of reincarnation. He agreed to do this, in part, because he couldn’t bear to feel anymore and the job would allow him to shut off his emotions. But after centuries of living with virtually no emotion, his existence has become unbearable in a different way. Also as part of the job, he was expected to provide stud services to Heaven. Each year seventy-two female angels are sent to him with the expectation that he will impregnate them to create a special class of angels known as Memitim. As a result, he’s the father of all the numerous Memitim who now walk the Earth. Sick of sleeping with so many different females and tired of being alone, Azagoth demands that Heaven send him an angel that he can keep as his mate. He receives Lilliana, a feisty angel who he admires for being able to hold her own with him. Together, they use his chronoglass to travel outside of Sheoul-gra for the first time since he created the realm, an experience that utterly delights him. As a result of Lilliana’s presence and their little jaunts, he finally begins to feel something again and starts to fall in love with her. But when he learns the truth of her mission, it could lead to a massive heartbreak. Azagoth has earned a spot among my favorite heroes of the series. He has some hard edges, but at the same time, he has goodness in him and a kinder, gentler side. I especially loved his childlike enthusiasm when Lilliana took him outside Sheoul-gra. I also thought that having him so deeply connected to the realm itself was a particularly nice touch.
Lilliana is an angel with the rare ability to time-travel. She’s spent hundreds of years doing just that until a recent event in which she broke out of her shrowd, the magical bubble that keeps humans from seeing her. Even though she did it for a good reason, her pleas for mercy have fallen on deaf ears. The archangel Raphael has given her a choice: she can either undergo a procedure to remove her time-traveling ability, something that will leave her essentially lobotomized, or she can go to Sheoul-gra and become Azagoth’s mate, which comes with the perk of being able to time travel for one hour a day using his chronoglass. Although not thrilled with either of her options, she agrees to go to Sheoul-gra, especially when she’s given the chance to earn redemption by stealing the chronoglass. Once there, Lilliana isn’t initially impressed by Azagoth who seems like a bit of a jerk, but after they go time-traveling together and she learns of his emotionless existence, his plight begins to draw her sympathy. The more time she spends with him, the more she falls for him, until she’s ready to stay permanently. But when he learns the truth of her original intentions, she may not get a second chance with him. Lilliana is a nice mixture of sweet and sassy. She can hold her own when Azagoth is being difficult, but she’s kindhearted toward him when she learns of his past and his reasons for being where he is. I thought she was an excellent match for him and her grand gesture at the end really solidified their HEA for me.
“Azagoth” may be a shorter book but it still has several cross-over characters in supporting roles. Since Azagoth is Idess’s (Ecstasy Unveiled) father, we get to see her when she comes for a visit with an important purpose. We briefly see Conall (Sin Undone) when Lilliana goes to Underworld General in search of Idess. Harvester (Reaver) shows up at the end to repay a debt she owes to Azagoth, and although her mate Reaver isn’t actually seen in the story, his presence is felt in a big way. Hades comes up from the Inner Sanctum once to get Azagoth’s help with a pressing matter, and we’re introduced to Cataclysm or Cat for short, an Unfallen angel Azagoth hires to be Lilliana’s assistant. These two are paired together as the hero and heroine of the next Demonica Underworld story, Hades. Then lastly we see a fair bit of Zhubaal, Azagoth’s assistant, who will become the hero of the book, Z.
Overall, “Azagoth” was an excellent start to this new spin-off series and a great addition to the overarching Demonica world. I loved Azagoth and Lilliana as a couple and think they were perfect for each other. Their relationship has a Beauty and the Beast kind of vibe that I adored, while also being extremely steamy. I admit I had a few doubts about how I would like reading a series set entirely in the Underworld, but so far, so good. Larissa Ione is a masterful writer who is excellent at pulling off the seemingly impossible. Sheoul-gra isn’t nearly as scary a place as I was expecting, especially after certain “changes” begin to take place. It’s also interesting how she seems to be starting to build a new story arc. Unfallen angels are being hunted by demons and many are trying to find places to hide out, a turn of events that I have a feeling is leading to something big, and I look forward to seeing where it all goes. But for now, this was a perfect read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, including a scene involving light bondage and a bit of spanking, that could be objectionable to sensitive readers. Star Rating: *****
Hades (1001 Dark Nights #19) - "Hades" is the second book in Larissa Ione’s Demonica Underworld series, which is a spin-off or sub-series of her greater Demonica series that follows characters who live in the Underworld, and it’s the thirteenth book in the larger combined series. Nearly all of the books in this series are on the shorter side, roughly long novella or short novel length, so not quite as involved as the main novels of the series. In this one we have Hades, who runs the Inner Sanctum of Sheoul-gra where the evil souls are tortured before being reincarnated. He’s paired with Cataclysm, a fallen angel who now works for Azagoth in Sheoul-gra. The two have been admiring each other from afar, but Azagoth has told Hades that Cat is forbidden to him. Then one day, Cat accidentally lets souls pass through Azagoth’s tunnel between the other realms and the Inner Sanctum. In doing so, she inadvertently sent a good human soul to the wrong place, where he’s about to be used in some dark magic that could allow the evil demons to escape. Wanting to fix the trouble she caused, Cat enters the Inner Sanctum, thinking she can find the human soul and return him to Heaven, but in doing so, she accidentally sets herself up to be used by the demons as well. Hades comes to her rescue, but because of all the events that have been set in motion, the portals between the Inner Sanctum and the rest of Sheoul-gra are now jammed shut, leaving them stranded. As Hades and Cat try to figure a way out of their predicament and stop an apocalyptic level catastrophe from happening, they grow much closer. But even if they make it out alive, neither of them is quite sure how they’ll ever convince Azagoth to allow them be together.
Hades has presided over the Inner Sanctum of Sheoul-gra for millennia. He was once an angel and knew that he wasn’t supposed to meddle in human affairs, but he was so disturbed by the atrocities that humans often commit against each other that he eventually started trying to prevent evil people from harming their fellow humans. This morphed into him sometimes killing people, and one of those humans happened to be protected by a Memitim (one of Azagoth’s children), whom he also killed. Ever since, Azagoth has been punishing him for it. Hades has been charged with torturing evil souls until Azagoth deems them worthy of being reincarnated, something he has no problem doing, but he lives a pretty spartan existence in the Inner Sanctum. He’s also rarely allowed outside of Sheoul-gra, and even then, only for extremely short periods of time. As a result, he’s been celibate for a long time and has never felt any strong connection with a female. When Cat comes to work for Azagoth, Hades is immediately attracted to her. When he discovers her in the Inner Sanctum, he fights tooth and nail against a horde of the vilest demons around to save her life. Hades knows he wants Cat, but Azagoth has forbidden him to touch her. However, he finds himself in a major battle with his own feelings, trying to follow Azagoth’s edict while deeply desiring something more. I really liked Hades. Even though he’s been living a rather stark life with few pleasures, he doesn’t come off as particularly tortured as one might expect. Although the activities that led to him losing his wings and becoming a Fallen Angel got out of hand, he did them for the best of reasons. Despite being Sheoul’s jailor and resident torturer, he has a gentle side when it comes to Cat. He also risks everything, including his own life, to first save Cat and then to be with her, so I couldn’t help but admire him.
Cataclysm is something of a walking disaster. She accidentally got caught up in Gethel’s plan to murder Thanatos’s baby and bring about the apocalypse. I can’t recall if she was seen in that book or not, but either way, I couldn’t help wishing that Ms. Ione had given a little more detailed recap of how Cat got involved in Gethel’s plot. In any case, she lost her wings for it and now resides in Sheoul-gra as a Fallen Angel. However, she really wants to find redemption and earn her way back into Heaven. Azagoth hired her to do housework and to be Lilliana’s assistant. Cat tries her best, but she’s caused a lot of accidents, breaking things and such. But none was quite so egregious as her inadvertently pressing the button that opens the tunnel to admit souls into Sheoul-gra while cleaning. Azagoth always monitors these souls as they’re passing through, but several make it to the other side before Cat figures out how to close the door again. She’s too afraid of Azagoth to tell him the truth, so she hopes it will simply go unnoticed. Then Reaver shows up, telling Azagoth that he has the soul of a good human that needs to be returned. When Cat hears about this, she decides to enter the Inner Sanctum to make it right, but in the process, she ends up making things worse, trapping herself and Hades inside. Despite their dire circumstances, the two romantically connect with each other and share a few tender and lusty moments, so when Hades saves Cat’s life, she knows she must screw up her courage to go to bat for Hades with Azagoth. Cat is a rather humorous character. She has a big heart that’s always in the right place, but her attempts to do the right thing often turn into disaster. I liked her because she made me laugh a few times, and because she bravely goes toe-to-toe with Azagoth to protect Hades and fight for their relationship.
Overall, "Hades" was another respectable entry into this series. I liked both Hades and Cat, but a part of me wished the story was a little longer to flesh out their characterizations and their relationship a bit more deeply. I didn’t feel a strong connection between them until late in the story. They share a few misadventures of the typical type for this series, which draw them closer together and make the story interesting. The ending is a combination of steamy and sweet, but maybe a little more simplistic than we usually see from this author. I can’t fault it too much, though, because it did draw emotion out of me. I enjoyed all the little touches of humor, too. There aren’t as many cross-over characters seen in this installment. Azagoth and Lilliana (Azagoth) are the main supporting players, with Reaver (Reaver) showing up in one scene. Then Zhubaal, Azagoth’s assistant, shares a scene with Cat in which they reveal how a misperception about them sleeping together came about. During the course of this scene, we learn some interesting information about Zhubaal that makes me very much look forward to his book Z, which is the next in the Demonica Underworld group of stories. But before that, there’s another story in the greater series story arc that I’m eager to check out. Star Rating: ****
I ran out of characters in the review field.:-) Click on the remaining story title to see my reviews for that one:
*Z - Star Rating: ****1/2
*newest review for this anthology
"4.5 stars"
Azagoth (1001 Dark Nights #6) - “Azagoth” is the first book in Larissa Ione’s Demonica Underworld series, which is a spin-off or sub-series of her greater Demonica series that follows characters who live in the Underworld. Nearly all of the books in this series are on the shorter side, roughly long novella or short novel length, so meatier than a short story but not quite as involved as the main novels of the series. In this one we have Azagoth aka the Grim Reaper, who is in charge of Sheoul-gra, the world between the human realm and Sheoul, and a kind of holding tank for the souls of demons and other evil beings. Azagoth has lived a rather lonely existence, trapped in his own realm, and is tired of being alone. He’s decided that he wants a mate and demands that Heaven send him one. Lilliana is the angel who shows up for the job, but given a choice between two unsavory scenarios, she didn’t have a whole lot of say in the matter. However, she’s offered a chance to get out of the deal and earn redemption for her “sins” if she finds and steals a time-traveling device which Azagoth possesses. When she first arrives, Lilliana thinks that Azagoth is a jerk and has every intention of finding the device and getting out as soon as possible, but the longer she stays and the more she gets to know him, the more she sees Azagoth’s gentler side and begins to fall for him. But when he discovers her original intentions, he may not be so forgiving.
Eons ago, after Satan’s fall and his subsequent creation of demonic creatures, the demons who died had nowhere for their souls to go. They were too evil to ascend into Heaven, so their souls roamed the Earth, sowing chaos. Into this conundrum came Azagoth, who volunteered to become a fallen angel in order to create the new realm of Sheoul-gra, where demon souls are held until he deems them worthy of reincarnation. He agreed to do this, in part, because he couldn’t bear to feel anymore and the job would allow him to shut off his emotions. But after centuries of living with virtually no emotion, his existence has become unbearable in a different way. Also as part of the job, he was expected to provide stud services to Heaven. Each year seventy-two female angels are sent to him with the expectation that he will impregnate them to create a special class of angels known as Memitim. As a result, he’s the father of all the numerous Memitim who now walk the Earth. Sick of sleeping with so many different females and tired of being alone, Azagoth demands that Heaven send him an angel that he can keep as his mate. He receives Lilliana, a feisty angel who he admires for being able to hold her own with him. Together, they use his chronoglass to travel outside of Sheoul-gra for the first time since he created the realm, an experience that utterly delights him. As a result of Lilliana’s presence and their little jaunts, he finally begins to feel something again and starts to fall in love with her. But when he learns the truth of her mission, it could lead to a massive heartbreak. Azagoth has earned a spot among my favorite heroes of the series. He has some hard edges, but at the same time, he has goodness in him and a kinder, gentler side. I especially loved his childlike enthusiasm when Lilliana took him outside Sheoul-gra. I also thought that having him so deeply connected to the realm itself was a particularly nice touch.
Lilliana is an angel with the rare ability to time-travel. She’s spent hundreds of years doing just that until a recent event in which she broke out of her shrowd, the magical bubble that keeps humans from seeing her. Even though she did it for a good reason, her pleas for mercy have fallen on deaf ears. The archangel Raphael has given her a choice: she can either undergo a procedure to remove her time-traveling ability, something that will leave her essentially lobotomized, or she can go to Sheoul-gra and become Azagoth’s mate, which comes with the perk of being able to time travel for one hour a day using his chronoglass. Although not thrilled with either of her options, she agrees to go to Sheoul-gra, especially when she’s given the chance to earn redemption by stealing the chronoglass. Once there, Lilliana isn’t initially impressed by Azagoth who seems like a bit of a jerk, but after they go time-traveling together and she learns of his emotionless existence, his plight begins to draw her sympathy. The more time she spends with him, the more she falls for him, until she’s ready to stay permanently. But when he learns the truth of her original intentions, she may not get a second chance with him. Lilliana is a nice mixture of sweet and sassy. She can hold her own when Azagoth is being difficult, but she’s kindhearted toward him when she learns of his past and his reasons for being where he is. I thought she was an excellent match for him and her grand gesture at the end really solidified their HEA for me.
“Azagoth” may be a shorter book but it still has several cross-over characters in supporting roles. Since Azagoth is Idess’s (Ecstasy Unveiled) father, we get to see her when she comes for a visit with an important purpose. We briefly see Conall (Sin Undone) when Lilliana goes to Underworld General in search of Idess. Harvester (Reaver) shows up at the end to repay a debt she owes to Azagoth, and although her mate Reaver isn’t actually seen in the story, his presence is felt in a big way. Hades comes up from the Inner Sanctum once to get Azagoth’s help with a pressing matter, and we’re introduced to Cataclysm or Cat for short, an Unfallen angel Azagoth hires to be Lilliana’s assistant. These two are paired together as the hero and heroine of the next Demonica Underworld story, Hades. Then lastly we see a fair bit of Zhubaal, Azagoth’s assistant, who will become the hero of the book, Z.
Overall, “Azagoth” was an excellent start to this new spin-off series and a great addition to the overarching Demonica world. I loved Azagoth and Lilliana as a couple and think they were perfect for each other. Their relationship has a Beauty and the Beast kind of vibe that I adored, while also being extremely steamy. I admit I had a few doubts about how I would like reading a series set entirely in the Underworld, but so far, so good. Larissa Ione is a masterful writer who is excellent at pulling off the seemingly impossible. Sheoul-gra isn’t nearly as scary a place as I was expecting, especially after certain “changes” begin to take place. It’s also interesting how she seems to be starting to build a new story arc. Unfallen angels are being hunted by demons and many are trying to find places to hide out, a turn of events that I have a feeling is leading to something big, and I look forward to seeing where it all goes. But for now, this was a perfect read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, including a scene involving light bondage and a bit of spanking, that could be objectionable to sensitive readers. Star Rating: *****
Hades (1001 Dark Nights #19) - "Hades" is the second book in Larissa Ione’s Demonica Underworld series, which is a spin-off or sub-series of her greater Demonica series that follows characters who live in the Underworld, and it’s the thirteenth book in the larger combined series. Nearly all of the books in this series are on the shorter side, roughly long novella or short novel length, so not quite as involved as the main novels of the series. In this one we have Hades, who runs the Inner Sanctum of Sheoul-gra where the evil souls are tortured before being reincarnated. He’s paired with Cataclysm, a fallen angel who now works for Azagoth in Sheoul-gra. The two have been admiring each other from afar, but Azagoth has told Hades that Cat is forbidden to him. Then one day, Cat accidentally lets souls pass through Azagoth’s tunnel between the other realms and the Inner Sanctum. In doing so, she inadvertently sent a good human soul to the wrong place, where he’s about to be used in some dark magic that could allow the evil demons to escape. Wanting to fix the trouble she caused, Cat enters the Inner Sanctum, thinking she can find the human soul and return him to Heaven, but in doing so, she accidentally sets herself up to be used by the demons as well. Hades comes to her rescue, but because of all the events that have been set in motion, the portals between the Inner Sanctum and the rest of Sheoul-gra are now jammed shut, leaving them stranded. As Hades and Cat try to figure a way out of their predicament and stop an apocalyptic level catastrophe from happening, they grow much closer. But even if they make it out alive, neither of them is quite sure how they’ll ever convince Azagoth to allow them be together.
Hades has presided over the Inner Sanctum of Sheoul-gra for millennia. He was once an angel and knew that he wasn’t supposed to meddle in human affairs, but he was so disturbed by the atrocities that humans often commit against each other that he eventually started trying to prevent evil people from harming their fellow humans. This morphed into him sometimes killing people, and one of those humans happened to be protected by a Memitim (one of Azagoth’s children), whom he also killed. Ever since, Azagoth has been punishing him for it. Hades has been charged with torturing evil souls until Azagoth deems them worthy of being reincarnated, something he has no problem doing, but he lives a pretty spartan existence in the Inner Sanctum. He’s also rarely allowed outside of Sheoul-gra, and even then, only for extremely short periods of time. As a result, he’s been celibate for a long time and has never felt any strong connection with a female. When Cat comes to work for Azagoth, Hades is immediately attracted to her. When he discovers her in the Inner Sanctum, he fights tooth and nail against a horde of the vilest demons around to save her life. Hades knows he wants Cat, but Azagoth has forbidden him to touch her. However, he finds himself in a major battle with his own feelings, trying to follow Azagoth’s edict while deeply desiring something more. I really liked Hades. Even though he’s been living a rather stark life with few pleasures, he doesn’t come off as particularly tortured as one might expect. Although the activities that led to him losing his wings and becoming a Fallen Angel got out of hand, he did them for the best of reasons. Despite being Sheoul’s jailor and resident torturer, he has a gentle side when it comes to Cat. He also risks everything, including his own life, to first save Cat and then to be with her, so I couldn’t help but admire him.
Cataclysm is something of a walking disaster. She accidentally got caught up in Gethel’s plan to murder Thanatos’s baby and bring about the apocalypse. I can’t recall if she was seen in that book or not, but either way, I couldn’t help wishing that Ms. Ione had given a little more detailed recap of how Cat got involved in Gethel’s plot. In any case, she lost her wings for it and now resides in Sheoul-gra as a Fallen Angel. However, she really wants to find redemption and earn her way back into Heaven. Azagoth hired her to do housework and to be Lilliana’s assistant. Cat tries her best, but she’s caused a lot of accidents, breaking things and such. But none was quite so egregious as her inadvertently pressing the button that opens the tunnel to admit souls into Sheoul-gra while cleaning. Azagoth always monitors these souls as they’re passing through, but several make it to the other side before Cat figures out how to close the door again. She’s too afraid of Azagoth to tell him the truth, so she hopes it will simply go unnoticed. Then Reaver shows up, telling Azagoth that he has the soul of a good human that needs to be returned. When Cat hears about this, she decides to enter the Inner Sanctum to make it right, but in the process, she ends up making things worse, trapping herself and Hades inside. Despite their dire circumstances, the two romantically connect with each other and share a few tender and lusty moments, so when Hades saves Cat’s life, she knows she must screw up her courage to go to bat for Hades with Azagoth. Cat is a rather humorous character. She has a big heart that’s always in the right place, but her attempts to do the right thing often turn into disaster. I liked her because she made me laugh a few times, and because she bravely goes toe-to-toe with Azagoth to protect Hades and fight for their relationship.
Overall, "Hades" was another respectable entry into this series. I liked both Hades and Cat, but a part of me wished the story was a little longer to flesh out their characterizations and their relationship a bit more deeply. I didn’t feel a strong connection between them until late in the story. They share a few misadventures of the typical type for this series, which draw them closer together and make the story interesting. The ending is a combination of steamy and sweet, but maybe a little more simplistic than we usually see from this author. I can’t fault it too much, though, because it did draw emotion out of me. I enjoyed all the little touches of humor, too. There aren’t as many cross-over characters seen in this installment. Azagoth and Lilliana (Azagoth) are the main supporting players, with Reaver (Reaver) showing up in one scene. Then Zhubaal, Azagoth’s assistant, shares a scene with Cat in which they reveal how a misperception about them sleeping together came about. During the course of this scene, we learn some interesting information about Zhubaal that makes me very much look forward to his book Z, which is the next in the Demonica Underworld group of stories. But before that, there’s another story in the greater series story arc that I’m eager to check out. Star Rating: ****
I ran out of characters in the review field.:-) Click on the remaining story title to see my reviews for that one:
*Z - Star Rating: ****1/2
February 26, 2025
So what we have here is 1 good short story (first one), and 2 borderline bad ones (second and third). The first story at least had chemistry and some semblance of a plot. The second two felt rushed, poorly written, and really not all that impressive in the steamy department either. Which is a shame, because it would have been nice for Cat to get an actual redemption arc instead of just a kind of 'oopsie daisy' side story, where most of what happens boils down to just her getting rescued over and over. Vex's story was even less satisfying, where the whole premise of 'love me for who I am' is glossed over the span of just a few paragraphs, because someone changes their mind. That's not how love (or people) works...Especially because the male MC *doesn't really know Vex*. They've known each other for two days at the time. Really incredibly weak premises on those 2 short stories.
Really the only reason I'm giving a 3 here is because of the first story with Lilliana, and I'd give a 2.5 if I could. The first story's premise wasn't very strong either, Grim Reaper decides he wants a mate and Lilliana is being punished for some perceived angel rule breaking...but at least it had twists and character depth/complexity, even if the wrap-up at the conclusion was sloppy and rushed.
Overall, this book was meh.
Really the only reason I'm giving a 3 here is because of the first story with Lilliana, and I'd give a 2.5 if I could. The first story's premise wasn't very strong either, Grim Reaper decides he wants a mate and Lilliana is being punished for some perceived angel rule breaking...but at least it had twists and character depth/complexity, even if the wrap-up at the conclusion was sloppy and rushed.
Overall, this book was meh.
September 30, 2021
Z review, other 2 books are posted individually because goodreads doesn't count this as 3 books...
Z was an Angel but now he is a Fallen and he works as Azagoth's assistant. He has been searching his girlfriends reincarnated soul for over 100 years. That's when Vex walks in, she's essentially a soul magnate and after he touches her once he knows that Laura's soul is one of the one's inside Vex.
Vex is super attracted to the guy that shows up to escort her to Azagoth, and he feels a bit familiar but she's not sure why. When one of the souls refuses to be extracted from Vex they need to seek outside assistance and then things go a bit sideways.
We have a virgin hero and experienced heroine here. I loved how she refused to be anything but herself no matter what Z remembers or feels about their past(previous or current lives).
Z was an Angel but now he is a Fallen and he works as Azagoth's assistant. He has been searching his girlfriends reincarnated soul for over 100 years. That's when Vex walks in, she's essentially a soul magnate and after he touches her once he knows that Laura's soul is one of the one's inside Vex.
Vex is super attracted to the guy that shows up to escort her to Azagoth, and he feels a bit familiar but she's not sure why. When one of the souls refuses to be extracted from Vex they need to seek outside assistance and then things go a bit sideways.
We have a virgin hero and experienced heroine here. I loved how she refused to be anything but herself no matter what Z remembers or feels about their past(previous or current lives).
June 27, 2017
Huge fan of LI. I don't think I've disliked one of her books yet. This collection was no exception. Snarky and fun, well rounded characters give a whole new view on the age old Angels Gone Bad stories. The Demonica series has long been a fav and seeing/hearing bits and pieces of the gang, as well as the Horsemen, revived the fun of the series and brought along its quirky charms and humor. I will never tire of reading these.
July 4, 2017
Demonica Underworld Bundle
Loved these stories! 3 of the baddest of the bad in the Underworld (Azagoth, Hades, and Zhubaal) meet their mates and their worlds are forever changed. Sexy characters, humor, action...they truly did not seem like short stories!
Read these for an introduction to the Demonica Underworld or as a supplement to them. Either way, these are great reads!
Loved these stories! 3 of the baddest of the bad in the Underworld (Azagoth, Hades, and Zhubaal) meet their mates and their worlds are forever changed. Sexy characters, humor, action...they truly did not seem like short stories!
Read these for an introduction to the Demonica Underworld or as a supplement to them. Either way, these are great reads!
November 29, 2018
Nice little set of books
Wasnt sure what to expect but these were very well written and engaging stories. I enjoyed the first book best and the third book but struggled with the female lead in the second, hence the four stars. She was annoying and repetitively stupid. That said very enjoyable reads.
Wasnt sure what to expect but these were very well written and engaging stories. I enjoyed the first book best and the third book but struggled with the female lead in the second, hence the four stars. She was annoying and repetitively stupid. That said very enjoyable reads.
May 11, 2017
Good introduction
These three tales intertwine in a nice introduction to the Demonica world. While it is obvious there is more than these stories, you aren't left with a ton of questions. Hotness abounds, with even demons finding love.
These three tales intertwine in a nice introduction to the Demonica world. While it is obvious there is more than these stories, you aren't left with a ton of questions. Hotness abounds, with even demons finding love.
June 3, 2017
Evil can be good.
Three very strong men. Who are required to bad so balance is kept. They are bad in tough guy way. But three very determined women. Will bring out their good side. But only so their guys can see. They can have good and bad. And be happy.
Three very strong men. Who are required to bad so balance is kept. They are bad in tough guy way. But three very determined women. Will bring out their good side. But only so their guys can see. They can have good and bad. And be happy.
September 8, 2019
Sexy, amusing, poignant and exciting.
A short story in the Demonica series, based in Sheol-gra, a region of hell. Complete with Fallen angels, demons and intrepid females, this is a must read for Larissa Ione followers.
A short story in the Demonica series, based in Sheol-gra, a region of hell. Complete with Fallen angels, demons and intrepid females, this is a must read for Larissa Ione followers.
May 11, 2017
Great quick read
Really great quick read. I suggest reading Larissa's series first so you have a better understanding of the characters and the story line they follow.
Really great quick read. I suggest reading Larissa's series first so you have a better understanding of the characters and the story line they follow.
June 28, 2018
Awesome collection of Larissa Ione's Demonica novellas, all in one place. I read - and loved - each and every one of these!
November 25, 2021
Whoa, I can't believe I slept on this series for so long when it hits so many of my buttons!
September 20, 2024
Azagoth's story. Life in hell would beyond hellish. A nice guy, but not... because you can't be whrn you're judging evil souls
February 11, 2018
I couldn't put it down, the story sucks you right in.
I think my favorite part in the whole book was Z's story and how he was looking for so long for his mate. my heart broke for him. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book but Z story was my favorite by far.
I think my favorite part in the whole book was Z's story and how he was looking for so long for his mate. my heart broke for him. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book but Z story was my favorite by far.
March 17, 2020
Great.
Great addition to the Demonica series. Look forward to every new addition to the seried.
Love this series and this author.
Great addition to the Demonica series. Look forward to every new addition to the seried.
Love this series and this author.
Want to read
April 28, 201799 cents. 4/28/17
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