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Demons #1
Demon Mine
Book 1 in the complete series of 5 books.
They are big, strong and silent. Their faces are hidden behind masks and their bodies are enclosed in armor suits. They took me from my home in the middle of the night and have been holding me in isolation for months. I don’t fully understand the purpose of my captivity. No one explains anything to me. No one even talks to me.
Nearly driven to madness with no more hope for freedom, I no longer care if I live or die.
And then he speaks to me. Just a few words . . . He throws me a lifeline and helps me find my way back to sanity. He becomes my only companion. My light in the darkness.
I suspect they may not be entirely human. What’s worse is that he may be one of them.
Warning: Demon Mine is a paranormal romance with dark elements. It contains sexual situations, graphic descriptions of intimacy, and potential triggers. Intended for mature readers.
They are big, strong and silent. Their faces are hidden behind masks and their bodies are enclosed in armor suits. They took me from my home in the middle of the night and have been holding me in isolation for months. I don’t fully understand the purpose of my captivity. No one explains anything to me. No one even talks to me.
Nearly driven to madness with no more hope for freedom, I no longer care if I live or die.
And then he speaks to me. Just a few words . . . He throws me a lifeline and helps me find my way back to sanity. He becomes my only companion. My light in the darkness.
I suspect they may not be entirely human. What’s worse is that he may be one of them.
Warning: Demon Mine is a paranormal romance with dark elements. It contains sexual situations, graphic descriptions of intimacy, and potential triggers. Intended for mature readers.
322 pages, ebook
First published April 30, 2017
967 people are currently reading
1778 people want to read
About the author
Marina Simcoe
55 books707 followersDeep, heartfelt romance with a generous sprinkle of spice and a tad of magic.
Newsletter Signup is on www.MarinaSimcoe.com
For illustrations of her books, early access ebooks, bonus stories, and signed paperbacks, please visit the author's Patreon: https://patreon.com/MarinaSimcoe
Newsletter Signup is on www.MarinaSimcoe.com
For illustrations of her books, early access ebooks, bonus stories, and signed paperbacks, please visit the author's Patreon: https://patreon.com/MarinaSimcoe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
October 3, 2017
Demon Mine by Marina Simcoe starts out as a mystifying horror story with abusive overtones and ends with a love story so epic it has relevance for an entire race.
The beginning of this story will hold you spellbound in ignorance and terror. Simcoe does an excellent job of putting the reader in the head of kidnapped Alyssa. She is in a dark place and has been withstanding unspeakable horrors for months. She is at the end of her tether and then a sliver of hope comes from the man in the mask. I'm not going to tell you anything at all about the beginning of this book. Knowing about the "demons" will kill the suspense for you. Do yourself a favor and ignore reviews with spoilers. However, go into this knowing that there are triggers for sexual abuse and this book is dark, intentionally dark, in atmosphere and tone and deed.
And then there is this sliver of hope that grows and multiplies and burgeons.
Yeah, I don't want to say any more other than to advise you to be as determined as Alyssa and hold onto that thread of kindness.
I couldn't put this book down, but I took off a half star for the grammatical errors. 4.5 rounded to 5 stars.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited
The beginning of this story will hold you spellbound in ignorance and terror. Simcoe does an excellent job of putting the reader in the head of kidnapped Alyssa. She is in a dark place and has been withstanding unspeakable horrors for months. She is at the end of her tether and then a sliver of hope comes from the man in the mask. I'm not going to tell you anything at all about the beginning of this book. Knowing about the "demons" will kill the suspense for you. Do yourself a favor and ignore reviews with spoilers. However, go into this knowing that there are triggers for sexual abuse and this book is dark, intentionally dark, in atmosphere and tone and deed.
And then there is this sliver of hope that grows and multiplies and burgeons.
Yeah, I don't want to say any more other than to advise you to be as determined as Alyssa and hold onto that thread of kindness.
I couldn't put this book down, but I took off a half star for the grammatical errors. 4.5 rounded to 5 stars.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited
October 18, 2018
I really enjoyed Demon Mine: maybe not as much as To Love A Monster but it was still a worthy read with so much to offer.
An original and unique concept I was ever so intrigued and fascinated from the get-go with this and I also found the whole concept of this story ever so irresistible indeed.
Alyssa and Sytrius as a couple really did grow on me and I was definitely invested in this pairs overall outcome almost right from the onset.
I myself found this a tale of two halves: the first part being much more of a draw than the second.
In fact, this was my favourite part of this: the original incarceration and dynamic between Alyssa and Sytrius was ever such an intriguing notion to analyse and dissect.
I almost felt that Sytrius's budding emotions were being awakened ever so slowly the more he interacted and engaged with Alyssa.
So this isn't really in my opinion that dark despite where we initially started here.
This to me felt sweeter and ultimately special.
So was this perfect? No, but there was enough here that it didn't really matter that much to me.
Yes the overall world-building itself could have done with a bit of a spit and polish but I overlooked this slightly due to just how original this whole thing actually was.
So, in conclusion, this had more pluses than minuses.
This author really has managed to bring something new and fresh to the table: which is not an easy feat in today's market and should definitely be commended for her boldness and innovation in accomplishing this task.
I have no qualms at all about recommending "Demon Mine" to you it was, in my opinion, a fascinating and thought-provoking read.
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
October 11, 2017
After midpoint I skim read a lot. The book was boring beyond belief, given the plot it should have had.
Please read all the "good" reviews too. But know I found the book badly written, I'm sorry to say, but I don't see much talent here. It was clumsily written, both dialogue and descriptions were, IMHO of course. Characterization was sketchy at best. Both main characters weren't believable. She had the maturity of a teenager, and sounded like one (NA at its worst). He was robotic, and if it was 'natural' at the beginning, it wasn't going on.
She comes out of depression with a snap of his fingers, and yes the first time as he sucks her feelings. But depression isn't a moment, it isn't a feeling. She's been tortured for 15 months, but you don't really see it. A couple of crying fits don't count. There's some talk of nightmares, and that's it. He gets into her life and she gets so bouncy and flirty. Yes, I see trying to humanize yourself, but that wasn't what she was doing. There was no desperation behind.
And let's be honest, 15 months of sex every night when you're are beyond unwilling is way more fantastical than demons. Give me a frigging reason. Drugs? Magics? Find a believable excuse. I don't want to get personal, but it seems this author either doesn't have a normal life or doesn't dream big enough. I might be unfortunate, but I believe I am not the only one to have said yes when really the only thing on my mind was sleep.:-) Shall I spell it out? A miracle it isn't. At all. So imagine a kidnapping and rape scenario (a "real" one, it's not her fantasy, it's not that kind of erotica), and then orgasms... it gets difficult, doesn't it. Every night for 15 months while you are kept in a cave, alone, abandoned, dirty and without proper food and clothing.
So if you are imagining a group that feeds on sexual energy, what would they get from that scenario? Very close to nothing, as at best you get a mild physical reaction. But as there was no world building, this wasn't the only hole left in the story. If you create a world where there's a worldwide conspiracy to sell women to demons, you have to bloody make sure to give me evidence of how it could be. You just don't say in passing, and oh by the way the humans sold you. Which government, all of them together? Is the president of the United States told on his/her inaugural moment about this?
How are the women chosen, by committee? Randomly? If the women given to them are limited, why killing them is so blase?
Maybe with a strong story, all of these would be details, but as it is the nits were way bigger that any positive (not that I could find any).
Demon Mine cost 3$ or it's free on Kindle Unlimited. If you feel like, it won't bankrupt you. But you might regret the time....
Please read all the "good" reviews too. But know I found the book badly written, I'm sorry to say, but I don't see much talent here. It was clumsily written, both dialogue and descriptions were, IMHO of course. Characterization was sketchy at best. Both main characters weren't believable. She had the maturity of a teenager, and sounded like one (NA at its worst). He was robotic, and if it was 'natural' at the beginning, it wasn't going on.
She comes out of depression with a snap of his fingers, and yes the first time as he sucks her feelings. But depression isn't a moment, it isn't a feeling. She's been tortured for 15 months, but you don't really see it. A couple of crying fits don't count. There's some talk of nightmares, and that's it. He gets into her life and she gets so bouncy and flirty. Yes, I see trying to humanize yourself, but that wasn't what she was doing. There was no desperation behind.
And let's be honest, 15 months of sex every night when you're are beyond unwilling is way more fantastical than demons. Give me a frigging reason. Drugs? Magics? Find a believable excuse. I don't want to get personal, but it seems this author either doesn't have a normal life or doesn't dream big enough. I might be unfortunate, but I believe I am not the only one to have said yes when really the only thing on my mind was sleep.:-) Shall I spell it out? A miracle it isn't. At all. So imagine a kidnapping and rape scenario (a "real" one, it's not her fantasy, it's not that kind of erotica), and then orgasms... it gets difficult, doesn't it. Every night for 15 months while you are kept in a cave, alone, abandoned, dirty and without proper food and clothing.
So if you are imagining a group that feeds on sexual energy, what would they get from that scenario? Very close to nothing, as at best you get a mild physical reaction. But as there was no world building, this wasn't the only hole left in the story. If you create a world where there's a worldwide conspiracy to sell women to demons, you have to bloody make sure to give me evidence of how it could be. You just don't say in passing, and oh by the way the humans sold you. Which government, all of them together? Is the president of the United States told on his/her inaugural moment about this?
How are the women chosen, by committee? Randomly? If the women given to them are limited, why killing them is so blase?
Maybe with a strong story, all of these would be details, but as it is the nits were way bigger that any positive (not that I could find any).
Demon Mine cost 3$ or it's free on Kindle Unlimited. If you feel like, it won't bankrupt you. But you might regret the time....
November 13, 2019
4.5 "We are one and the same. You and me" Stars
I have so many thoughts about this book that I would like to share, but at the same time I don't want to give anything away either.
A beautiful and emotional love story that really touched me and made me fell in love with the H over and over again.
This book has a slow start full of tension, intense emotions and frustration .I consider this author very talented at describing everything very accurate, it's like you are being transported into the book along with H and h. As well both MCs emotions and turmoil were very strong and real and their feelings flew off the page in waves.
Spoilers ahead!!
He was her Handler and she was the Source .This is Sytrius and Alyssa story and their fight to be together.
“You… You cause a million uncontrollable feelings in me. Some of which I cannot name, none of which I ever remember having before..."
I want to point out some triggers !
Cheating-
Saftey-
HEA -
"The feeling of fullness. Satisfaction. The belief that the hunger can be fully sated one day, and the constant torture will end. It’s like being given a full drink of clear cool water after having to lick drops in the desert for centuries. The enjoyment is indescribable. The sensation is powerful. The world stops and you don’t want it to end!”
"Where could I ever run to be free from you if you’re already so deep under my skin that I don’t know where you end, and where I begin?"
I have so many thoughts about this book that I would like to share, but at the same time I don't want to give anything away either.
A beautiful and emotional love story that really touched me and made me fell in love with the H over and over again.
This book has a slow start full of tension, intense emotions and frustration .I consider this author very talented at describing everything very accurate, it's like you are being transported into the book along with H and h. As well both MCs emotions and turmoil were very strong and real and their feelings flew off the page in waves.
Spoilers ahead!!
He was her Handler and she was the Source .This is Sytrius and Alyssa story and their fight to be together.
“You… You cause a million uncontrollable feelings in me. Some of which I cannot name, none of which I ever remember having before..."
I want to point out some triggers !
Cheating-
Saftey-
HEA -
"The feeling of fullness. Satisfaction. The belief that the hunger can be fully sated one day, and the constant torture will end. It’s like being given a full drink of clear cool water after having to lick drops in the desert for centuries. The enjoyment is indescribable. The sensation is powerful. The world stops and you don’t want it to end!”
"Where could I ever run to be free from you if you’re already so deep under my skin that I don’t know where you end, and where I begin?"
July 18, 2020
This was one of those books that I downloaded based on review, kept in my TBR list for a long time and finally decided to give it a try.
And... I’m so glad I did!
This was a very compelling read.
And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was certainly different from my usual read.
We have Alyssa who was kidapped and held captive by a group of masked-armored men for more than a year. Nobody explained her anything about her situation, she didn’t have any hope, no one to hear her cry and no one to even talk. Imagine her strength that she survived all this with her sanity intact. And that was only because of hero sytrius. She was spiraling downwards from no returns when she saw a hope in her new handler Sytrius. He was the first one who talked to her in 15 months! From there onwards it was beautiful to watch their journey. The story just flowed and I was completely invested in it. It didn’t hurt that it was a very well developed plot.
I liked all secondary characters and the setting of stories in different countries. The steam between them was inflammable. The hero’s affection and care towards the heroine was very touching. I certainly want more, so very more from this author. I hope she make it a series.
Recommended.
And... I’m so glad I did!
This was a very compelling read.
And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was certainly different from my usual read.
We have Alyssa who was kidapped and held captive by a group of masked-armored men for more than a year. Nobody explained her anything about her situation, she didn’t have any hope, no one to hear her cry and no one to even talk. Imagine her strength that she survived all this with her sanity intact. And that was only because of hero sytrius. She was spiraling downwards from no returns when she saw a hope in her new handler Sytrius. He was the first one who talked to her in 15 months! From there onwards it was beautiful to watch their journey. The story just flowed and I was completely invested in it. It didn’t hurt that it was a very well developed plot.
I liked all secondary characters and the setting of stories in different countries. The steam between them was inflammable. The hero’s affection and care towards the heroine was very touching. I certainly want more, so very more from this author. I hope she make it a series.
Recommended.
Want to read
May 13, 2019UPCOMING RANT
You know an author has a great concept in her hands when even without reading it, I'm already ready to rant about this book just after reading the synopsis and my friend Kriss' review .
I'M SO WRONGLY TEMPTED BY THIS BOOK!!! THE BLURB is calling my name, it's like a siren call that can lead me to my doom. Or to finding a new favourite. Or to my doom. Or to finding a new favourite, Or to my doom, or to finding a new favourite. See? I'm really torn.
I'm so intrigued by this book. AND KRISS LOVED IT! . Kriss is one of my all-time favourite Goodreads reviewers. Her reviews are always detailed and she pays for her own books (no paid reviews) she's always honest and many of her favourites are my favourites as well.
This book sounds dangerous! And at the same time so compelling. I'm so tired of reading the same premises again and again. This sounds so unique and different.
However, I need to do more research about this book because author stepped into Dangerous territory. I'd be pleasantly surprised if the author handled the triggering topics well, many authors don't research sensitive topics before writing about them. Is a topic like this handled well? Kriss says the pro consent messages are strong and I trust her! It's me I don't trust. I'm becoming more and more nitpicking with any book that has a "romance" label attached to it.
My problem with sexual abuse in books is not the abuse per se, it's the way the authors research and present the topic. So many "romance" authors are contributing to rape culture. I refuse to give a single penny to authors who write so ignorantly to topics they know nothing about. Many times they try to present rape as sexy like in the book 2 of the Outlander series or the final act of Paper princess or the forced blowjob in Captive prince. I HATE THAT!!! IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY. Is that the case with this book? For what I gather from the reviews no. But seriously what this author created could easily become a disaster...or a potential all-time-favourite if she handled things well!
ALSO I'm so tired of rapist heroes in "romance"!! That's not the case with this book as far as I know.
I've been told this is like Stolen by an Alien I had a huge problem with that book because the heroine ignorantly said that EXCHANGING WOMEN SOLD AS SLAVES AS POTATOES SACKS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT ISN'T TRAUMATIC. IT IS RAPE, IT IS TRAUMATIC, But even so I enjoyed that book. I enjoyed Stolen by an Alien so much I'm ready for a reread even though I had issues with that book. Lately I've been rereading a lot of books.
So my problem with this book might be if there's a single line of dialogue where H or h imply that the . I'll eventually borrow the book and skim through it before reading it, because I heard the relationship has V Girl vibes and there aren't many books like The V Girl. I'll use the kindle search to look up for the key words that anger me when dealing with books like this: "traitorous body" "let it go" "get it over with" "slut" among others .If there's a single insinuation that is not that bad, I'll be harsh with my rating. But it seems like that's not the case.
But what if I'm in for a pleasant surprise with this one?Besides The V Girl, this book supposedly has also vibes of Transcendence and Stolen by an Alien . And don't we need more heroes like Aleksey, Arohk and Ehd? Men who aren't manwhores and still they are delicious alpha-males? Men that could have women thrown themselves at them and still would remain faithful to THEMSELVES and THE HEROINE so they would not be tempted at all? Men who stop when they hear the word NO? How sad that men like that are the exception and not the rule in romance books. I said I'm nitpicky but in reality I'm not asking that much!! Just faithful heroes!!!
After rereading my rant, I made a decision. I'm gonna read this one, jumping up the first places of my TBR. Wish me luck!
You know an author has a great concept in her hands when even without reading it, I'm already ready to rant about this book just after reading the synopsis and my friend Kriss' review .
I'M SO WRONGLY TEMPTED BY THIS BOOK!!! THE BLURB is calling my name, it's like a siren call that can lead me to my doom. Or to finding a new favourite. Or to my doom. Or to finding a new favourite, Or to my doom, or to finding a new favourite. See? I'm really torn.
I'm so intrigued by this book. AND KRISS LOVED IT! . Kriss is one of my all-time favourite Goodreads reviewers. Her reviews are always detailed and she pays for her own books (no paid reviews) she's always honest and many of her favourites are my favourites as well.
This book sounds dangerous! And at the same time so compelling. I'm so tired of reading the same premises again and again. This sounds so unique and different.
However, I need to do more research about this book because author stepped into Dangerous territory. I'd be pleasantly surprised if the author handled the triggering topics well, many authors don't research sensitive topics before writing about them. Is a topic like this handled well? Kriss says the pro consent messages are strong and I trust her! It's me I don't trust. I'm becoming more and more nitpicking with any book that has a "romance" label attached to it.
My problem with sexual abuse in books is not the abuse per se, it's the way the authors research and present the topic. So many "romance" authors are contributing to rape culture. I refuse to give a single penny to authors who write so ignorantly to topics they know nothing about. Many times they try to present rape as sexy like in the book 2 of the Outlander series or the final act of Paper princess or the forced blowjob in Captive prince. I HATE THAT!!! IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY. Is that the case with this book? For what I gather from the reviews no. But seriously what this author created could easily become a disaster...or a potential all-time-favourite if she handled things well!
ALSO I'm so tired of rapist heroes in "romance"!! That's not the case with this book as far as I know.
I've been told this is like Stolen by an Alien I had a huge problem with that book because the heroine ignorantly said that EXCHANGING WOMEN SOLD AS SLAVES AS POTATOES SACKS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT ISN'T TRAUMATIC. IT IS RAPE, IT IS TRAUMATIC, But even so I enjoyed that book. I enjoyed Stolen by an Alien so much I'm ready for a reread even though I had issues with that book. Lately I've been rereading a lot of books.
So my problem with this book might be if there's a single line of dialogue where H or h imply that the . I'll eventually borrow the book and skim through it before reading it, because I heard the relationship has V Girl vibes and there aren't many books like The V Girl. I'll use the kindle search to look up for the key words that anger me when dealing with books like this: "traitorous body" "let it go" "get it over with" "slut" among others .If there's a single insinuation that is not that bad, I'll be harsh with my rating. But it seems like that's not the case.
But what if I'm in for a pleasant surprise with this one?Besides The V Girl, this book supposedly has also vibes of Transcendence and Stolen by an Alien . And don't we need more heroes like Aleksey, Arohk and Ehd? Men who aren't manwhores and still they are delicious alpha-males? Men that could have women thrown themselves at them and still would remain faithful to THEMSELVES and THE HEROINE so they would not be tempted at all? Men who stop when they hear the word NO? How sad that men like that are the exception and not the rule in romance books. I said I'm nitpicky but in reality I'm not asking that much!! Just faithful heroes!!!
After rereading my rant, I made a decision. I'm gonna read this one, jumping up the first places of my TBR. Wish me luck!
October 17, 2017
This was a pretty fantastic story. I was not surprised because I had read some spoilers. Still really really enjoyed it despite knowing what was coming.
Multiple POV was cool. I didn't really feel like the story stalled anywhere, but it was a slow-ish start with world building and laying the story foundation.
There wasn't any rape in the story...unless you count battery operated devices. Sweet love story and I am SO hoping the author turns this into a series.
Kindle Unlimited
Recommended!
Multiple POV was cool. I didn't really feel like the story stalled anywhere, but it was a slow-ish start with world building and laying the story foundation.
There wasn't any rape in the story...unless you count battery operated devices. Sweet love story and I am SO hoping the author turns this into a series.
Kindle Unlimited
Recommended!
October 7, 2017
Well done paranormal romance. The world building was well thought out. This was a complete novel not just an excuse for some sex scenes.
September 18, 2021
This was great! Was no expecting to get so drawn into the world, but I totally was. It started out really dark and ended up really sweet, and I loved all of it.
Both Alyssa and Sytrius were great characters with so much development, and I really felt their love for each other. I loved how honest and practical Alyssa was about her feelings for Sytrius despite the trauma of her capture, and it made it seem so natural for her to fall for him. Because how could she not? He was the sweetest!
I'll definitely be reading on in this series! :)
Both Alyssa and Sytrius were great characters with so much development, and I really felt their love for each other. I loved how honest and practical Alyssa was about her feelings for Sytrius despite the trauma of her capture, and it made it seem so natural for her to fall for him. Because how could she not? He was the sweetest!
I'll definitely be reading on in this series! :)
May 12, 2019
Demon Mine is a wonderful little hidden gem of a novel in a similar vein to books like: Stolen by an Alien, Transcendence, Ruth's Bonded--I even found some aspects of it reminiscent of The V Girl. The vagueness of the blurb and the cover art don't fully convey just how sweet and good this book is!
Since I don't really believe in reviews without kinda telling readers what's up, please consider the following portion of my review to be intermixed with spoilers and opinions, as well as warnings of any potentially triggering content.
A more detailed summary of the plot, since the blurb is super vague...
Now, regarding the topic of forced orgasms, which is what I'd consider the major possible trigger of the story--this is a big part of the story because a lot of the growth we see in this story has to do with Sytrius, who is a demon assigned to "handle" Alyssa and who grows as a result of meeting her, and how comes to understand the ideas of consent, affection, choices, and love. The author is very forthcoming about the need for consent in relationships and the importance of choices and how these are key factors in any relationship. I really appreciated that!
The way we start out, Sytrius doesn't really understand why Alyssa feels what she feels and his understanding of things is skewed--he is, after all, a demon and a poorly fed one with ill affected cognitive abilities that make thinking and remembering quite challenging. He doesn't realize until Alyssa explains it why her experience in "the arena" as she calls it, the room where she was made to orgasm against her will nightly, wasn't quite the wonderful experience Sytrius remembers it and is in fact a source of some dark, unhappy trauma for her--he only recognizes her feelings of arousal, lust, satisfaction, contentment--all the colors of these emotions his actions invoke in her are beautiful and wonderful to his demon-eyes and he cherishes that he was able to invoke and share such feelings within Alyssa. But upon being told otherwise by Alyssa--that the fact that she was there against her will, touched against her will, and treated that way wasn't okay--Sytrius has no qualms about the importance or need for consent, even when he knows that Alyssa technically enjoyed being touched because he could read her emotions to know how she liked to be caressed, he doesn't try to justify his actions and apologizes for his ignorance and lack of understanding and promises to not do things beyond her consent now that he knows her point of view and understands. I would not categorize this as something too severe, the depictions and way the story utilizes forced orgasms is rather mild compared to how brutal some depictions of seuxal assaults can be, but for anyone uncomfortable with the notions of forced orgasms or who could not be comfortable with the explanation of things, then I'd suggest skipping.
I loved seeing Sytrius grow alongside Alyssa. He grew more thoughtful, more loving, more affectionate, and the reader gets to see how the closer he becomes to Alyssa, the happier and better both of them become. Sytrius becomes a very sweet, devoted lover that isn't domineering, forceful, cruel, or otherwise unappealing to read about. It was immensely joyful to watch him and Alyssa work through all the problems of their relationship and see how they learned to be with one another. It's not quite on the same high-impact depth as The V-Girl, but it has a few of the same very important messages. It's more aligned with the sweetness of books like Stolen by an Alien. I found how the author worked in the aspect of demons/incubi to be very well executed! Usually Incubi stories are much more aggressive and highly sexual, but while there is a helping of sex in this book, the author wanted to write more than just erotica--this is a lovely tale about the power of love, consent, and being with someone you care about.
Now, I will say that I have two not-so-positive things to report: first, the book has a few errors in grammar (like missing words or incorrect forms of a word) and second, the story doesn't quite go as deep and dark as I would have liked. The last 20% of the book contains a rather big chunk of events and changes that might have done a bit better had they been drawn out a little more, but since this is a standalone more focused on seeing our couple find one another and a happy ending, I'm not gonna knock it too much. This is just a sweet, good-feeling kind of book that wants to leave readers on a good note about a demon who learns to love, ask permission, and cherish a woman who is willing to give him every beautiful, tender feeling in her heart and see the good in him.
For me, the fact that I found this book so sweet and was smiling so often earns it a 5/5 for me. It's not a wildly great piece of literature, but it's emotional and has good ethics and resonates well with me and I recommend it for a quality read if you want a good romance with some erotica and great ideas that uses demons incredibly well. The other areas of the plot aren't as fleshed out, but they're rather secondary to watching Alyssa and Sytrius grow together as people and as a couple.
If you're a Kindle Unlimited user, this book is available to borrow for free!
Since I don't really believe in reviews without kinda telling readers what's up, please consider the following portion of my review to be intermixed with spoilers and opinions, as well as warnings of any potentially triggering content.
A more detailed summary of the plot, since the blurb is super vague...
Now, regarding the topic of forced orgasms, which is what I'd consider the major possible trigger of the story--this is a big part of the story because a lot of the growth we see in this story has to do with Sytrius, who is a demon assigned to "handle" Alyssa and who grows as a result of meeting her, and how comes to understand the ideas of consent, affection, choices, and love. The author is very forthcoming about the need for consent in relationships and the importance of choices and how these are key factors in any relationship. I really appreciated that!
The way we start out, Sytrius doesn't really understand why Alyssa feels what she feels and his understanding of things is skewed--he is, after all, a demon and a poorly fed one with ill affected cognitive abilities that make thinking and remembering quite challenging. He doesn't realize until Alyssa explains it why her experience in "the arena" as she calls it, the room where she was made to orgasm against her will nightly, wasn't quite the wonderful experience Sytrius remembers it and is in fact a source of some dark, unhappy trauma for her--he only recognizes her feelings of arousal, lust, satisfaction, contentment--all the colors of these emotions his actions invoke in her are beautiful and wonderful to his demon-eyes and he cherishes that he was able to invoke and share such feelings within Alyssa. But upon being told otherwise by Alyssa--that the fact that she was there against her will, touched against her will, and treated that way wasn't okay--Sytrius has no qualms about the importance or need for consent, even when he knows that Alyssa technically enjoyed being touched because he could read her emotions to know how she liked to be caressed, he doesn't try to justify his actions and apologizes for his ignorance and lack of understanding and promises to not do things beyond her consent now that he knows her point of view and understands. I would not categorize this as something too severe, the depictions and way the story utilizes forced orgasms is rather mild compared to how brutal some depictions of seuxal assaults can be, but for anyone uncomfortable with the notions of forced orgasms or who could not be comfortable with the explanation of things, then I'd suggest skipping.
I loved seeing Sytrius grow alongside Alyssa. He grew more thoughtful, more loving, more affectionate, and the reader gets to see how the closer he becomes to Alyssa, the happier and better both of them become. Sytrius becomes a very sweet, devoted lover that isn't domineering, forceful, cruel, or otherwise unappealing to read about. It was immensely joyful to watch him and Alyssa work through all the problems of their relationship and see how they learned to be with one another. It's not quite on the same high-impact depth as The V-Girl, but it has a few of the same very important messages. It's more aligned with the sweetness of books like Stolen by an Alien. I found how the author worked in the aspect of demons/incubi to be very well executed! Usually Incubi stories are much more aggressive and highly sexual, but while there is a helping of sex in this book, the author wanted to write more than just erotica--this is a lovely tale about the power of love, consent, and being with someone you care about.
Now, I will say that I have two not-so-positive things to report: first, the book has a few errors in grammar (like missing words or incorrect forms of a word) and second, the story doesn't quite go as deep and dark as I would have liked. The last 20% of the book contains a rather big chunk of events and changes that might have done a bit better had they been drawn out a little more, but since this is a standalone more focused on seeing our couple find one another and a happy ending, I'm not gonna knock it too much. This is just a sweet, good-feeling kind of book that wants to leave readers on a good note about a demon who learns to love, ask permission, and cherish a woman who is willing to give him every beautiful, tender feeling in her heart and see the good in him.
For me, the fact that I found this book so sweet and was smiling so often earns it a 5/5 for me. It's not a wildly great piece of literature, but it's emotional and has good ethics and resonates well with me and I recommend it for a quality read if you want a good romance with some erotica and great ideas that uses demons incredibly well. The other areas of the plot aren't as fleshed out, but they're rather secondary to watching Alyssa and Sytrius grow together as people and as a couple.
If you're a Kindle Unlimited user, this book is available to borrow for free!
May 8, 2019
Perfect!
October 11, 2017
I absolutely adored Sytrius. He was kind, caring, and compassionate. He knew what was happening was wrong, but was trapped, unable to do anything about it. Until the moment he could…then he defied all the rules so that he could protect Alyssa. She was a great match for him. Not saying she didn’t struggle with the fact that he was an incubus, but in time, there was acceptance along with her compassion that this is what he is. That he needs those emotions to feed, to be strong. They grew together and we were able to see the changes in Sytrius throughout the book. There were so many scenes that I loved with them. His growth towards the end, his carefree attitude, and faithfulness despite his need, was wonderful!
Overall, this was an entertaining, wonderful read. The story was sweet, and there were moments of suspense where you were not sure what was going to happen. Marina also has an interesting take on the incubus...but I won't say too much so I don't give it away! You just gotta read for yourself. I'm excited for her next book, The Real Thing.
Overall, this was an entertaining, wonderful read. The story was sweet, and there were moments of suspense where you were not sure what was going to happen. Marina also has an interesting take on the incubus...but I won't say too much so I don't give it away! You just gotta read for yourself. I'm excited for her next book, The Real Thing.
January 6, 2023
Whew. I was so reluctant to start this book, but it blew all of my expectations out of the water and up into space. It did what it did, and then it did some more.
Demon Mine opens with Alyssa in her cell, having given up all resolve. Sytrius, an incubus, takes her negative emotions—to his own detriment—so that she may live another day.
The beginning is horrific. Alyssa cannot consent to the things happening to her, and I did not believe Sytrius could ever redeem himself for his part in it, but he did.
Sytrius cares only for Alyssa, and everything he does is for her. Once he escapes with her, Alyssa is in full control of what happens to her. Despite his people’s own way of life, he understands her point of view and even agrees with her.
This book is not light, but it is sweet. It absolutely captivated me, and I cannot wait to continue with the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Demon Mine opens with Alyssa in her cell, having given up all resolve. Sytrius, an incubus, takes her negative emotions—to his own detriment—so that she may live another day.
The beginning is horrific. Alyssa cannot consent to the things happening to her, and I did not believe Sytrius could ever redeem himself for his part in it, but he did.
Sytrius cares only for Alyssa, and everything he does is for her. Once he escapes with her, Alyssa is in full control of what happens to her. Despite his people’s own way of life, he understands her point of view and even agrees with her.
This book is not light, but it is sweet. It absolutely captivated me, and I cannot wait to continue with the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 15, 2018
This is a real paranormal romance book.
What made this book stand out was reading the romance blossom between the demon H who risked his only way of life for the female human h. Even though Alyssa only started interacting with the H because of her captivity in the beginning of the story, it was beautiful to read about how she fell in love with the H.
They fought for their love and the author really draws you into the world she created.
Good read.
What made this book stand out was reading the romance blossom between the demon H who risked his only way of life for the female human h. Even though Alyssa only started interacting with the H because of her captivity in the beginning of the story, it was beautiful to read about how she fell in love with the H.
They fought for their love and the author really draws you into the world she created.
Good read.
August 26, 2019
This book was such a pleasant surprise! The story is unlike anything I've ever read before, and I loved it. The first part of the book is a bit dark. I went into the book knowing this, so I wasn't shocked. If you like PNR, definitely read this author's work. I'm on the second book in the Demons series, and I'm loving it just as much!
March 4, 2023
4.5 stars
This started off incredibly dark, with Alyssa having been in captivity for months and literally being harvested for orgasms. I’m glad I didn’t abandon the book at this point, because it ended up being a compelling read that didn’t shy away from addressing the consent issues. The love story between Alyssa and Sytrius was very moving and kind of sweet, and will stay with me for some time.
This started off incredibly dark, with Alyssa having been in captivity for months and literally being harvested for orgasms. I’m glad I didn’t abandon the book at this point, because it ended up being a compelling read that didn’t shy away from addressing the consent issues. The love story between Alyssa and Sytrius was very moving and kind of sweet, and will stay with me for some time.
October 10, 2017
The story of redemption through love is definitely not a new one. It is a foundation for myriad of books - Beauty and the Beast is not only one of the most beloved but is a prime example. The popularity of it stems from our fundamental belief in the most beautiful and powerful emotion, the power of love. With such popularity the challenge for the authors is to bring something in to the story/approach that makes it stand out from countless other, makes it memorable. For me, Demon Mine was such book, the one that I will definitely remember for all the right reasons, and most likely revisit again. From what I understand, it is a début novel for Ms Simcoe, and if Demon Mine is a representative of what this authors able to create, then she is definitely someone to keep an eye on.
A very good read.
A very good read.
November 3, 2017
I've never seen so many exclamation marks in one sentence. What's up with that?
This read was new and interesting, but I couldn't help feeling twitchy too - Incubi sexually pleasuring kidnapped women to feed beautiful stone-faced council members. This was just wrong.
The writing was good. The logic of the story was understandable. However, the dialogue could have been better. It sucks when you're so into the characters but get disappointed when their dialogue is meh and immature.
Also, I like foreshadowing in my reads, but this book had too much. I had the pleasure of being a fortune teller while reading this book. The ending was nice - bonus if we knew what the baby looked like.
2 stars for the book cover and 1 star for the storyline.
This read was new and interesting, but I couldn't help feeling twitchy too - Incubi sexually pleasuring kidnapped women to feed beautiful stone-faced council members. This was just wrong.
The writing was good. The logic of the story was understandable. However, the dialogue could have been better. It sucks when you're so into the characters but get disappointed when their dialogue is meh and immature.
Also, I like foreshadowing in my reads, but this book had too much. I had the pleasure of being a fortune teller while reading this book. The ending was nice - bonus if we knew what the baby looked like.
2 stars for the book cover and 1 star for the storyline.
November 5, 2017
I liked this book mostly because it was different from anything I've read. Incubi demons kidnapping women so they can feed off their sexual energy? Dark, yes, but interesting. I liked the 'worldbuilding' with the Handlers and the Council. And, even though it had its problems, I liked the relationship between our two main characters.
What detracted from this book was the writing and the characterizations. Both were slightly juvenile. In terms of the writing style, it looked...a little...something like...this!! And I agree with some other reviewers, some dialogue felt immature or just didn't mesh with their characters well.
Overall, it was an entertaining story, but I wish the writing and dialogue could've been cleaned up a bit.
What detracted from this book was the writing and the characterizations. Both were slightly juvenile. In terms of the writing style, it looked...a little...something like...this!! And I agree with some other reviewers, some dialogue felt immature or just didn't mesh with their characters well.
Overall, it was an entertaining story, but I wish the writing and dialogue could've been cleaned up a bit.
November 8, 2017
Too much for me!
I'll give credit where credit is due. I loved half of thus book but I got to about 59% through and it just went down hill for me. I loved the beginning of the book and I held sympathy for the female character and compassion for the male, however, once they were free it was odd for me. Alyssa became annoying. She was very bossy and confrontational, which I sort of understood,with her trying to gain some control back, but then again it was like push and pull. Too much back and forth. And then it was boring...I feel like this book could be cut in half. A lot of the rules set for the male character don't add up too, it just got weird to me. The premise was there but somewhere along the way I missed the boat.
I'll give credit where credit is due. I loved half of thus book but I got to about 59% through and it just went down hill for me. I loved the beginning of the book and I held sympathy for the female character and compassion for the male, however, once they were free it was odd for me. Alyssa became annoying. She was very bossy and confrontational, which I sort of understood,with her trying to gain some control back, but then again it was like push and pull. Too much back and forth. And then it was boring...I feel like this book could be cut in half. A lot of the rules set for the male character don't add up too, it just got weird to me. The premise was there but somewhere along the way I missed the boat.
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January 21, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/21/2020)! 🎁
nevermind
June 13, 2019DNF at 31%
This sounds interesting (and smutty) but I'm so incredibly bored. I haven't picked this book up in days or even thought about it. I own it, so I might try again someday.
This sounds interesting (and smutty) but I'm so incredibly bored. I haven't picked this book up in days or even thought about it. I own it, so I might try again someday.
March 11, 2018
This was my first read by this author. ( I've since read all her other books )
Wow... different and refreshingly so...
Alyssa has been held captive by masked amour suited men for a long time... she doesn’t know how long.. she gave up scratching the passing days into her cell wall.. weighed down with despair she doesn’t know how much longer she can hold on to her fragile grip of hope. Her fight is gone and so is her the strength to fight what has happened to her.
Sytirius is a soldier, a handler..Aylssas new handler.. a demon, an incubus to be precise.
A race of beings that feed on positive human emotions. He is starving and the only positive to his life is Alyssa. Building on a fragile as glass friendship they begin to see each other...as more than just captive and handler.
Until one day during a feeding.. Alyssa is nearly killed by the grand master and Sytirius decides... he must save her... like she has saved him, from starvation, from loneliness and the nothingness that his life had become.
I adored watching the relationship, friendship and understanding develop between Alyssa and Sytirius... how two very different beings came to tolerate and work together in the most dire of circumstances, to aid not one but both of their species.
This book is full of questions and debate - about free will, about power, about the needs of few outweighing the needs of many?
It is a multi-genre book, paranormal/dark/erotic/romance....it cannot be labelled so I wont try. All i will say is that it is a fantastic story, the emotions that run through this book are so deep and strong and I felt them HARD. This is not a 'fluffy read' and I'm not saying that as a negative, because fluffy reads are great, but this is an fast paced emotional roller coaster of a book and a brilliant example of emotive writing at its best.
Consider this your one and only trigger warning because it does portray, discuss and challenge 'adult themes'. BUT don't let that scare you...this author is a true wordsmith of the heart and has quickly become one of my all time favourite authors because of her 'hard feeling' emotive books and the way she challenges the society and its ideas around relationships.
Wow... different and refreshingly so...
Alyssa has been held captive by masked amour suited men for a long time... she doesn’t know how long.. she gave up scratching the passing days into her cell wall.. weighed down with despair she doesn’t know how much longer she can hold on to her fragile grip of hope. Her fight is gone and so is her the strength to fight what has happened to her.
Sytirius is a soldier, a handler..Aylssas new handler.. a demon, an incubus to be precise.
A race of beings that feed on positive human emotions. He is starving and the only positive to his life is Alyssa. Building on a fragile as glass friendship they begin to see each other...as more than just captive and handler.
Until one day during a feeding.. Alyssa is nearly killed by the grand master and Sytirius decides... he must save her... like she has saved him, from starvation, from loneliness and the nothingness that his life had become.
I adored watching the relationship, friendship and understanding develop between Alyssa and Sytirius... how two very different beings came to tolerate and work together in the most dire of circumstances, to aid not one but both of their species.
This book is full of questions and debate - about free will, about power, about the needs of few outweighing the needs of many?
It is a multi-genre book, paranormal/dark/erotic/romance....it cannot be labelled so I wont try. All i will say is that it is a fantastic story, the emotions that run through this book are so deep and strong and I felt them HARD. This is not a 'fluffy read' and I'm not saying that as a negative, because fluffy reads are great, but this is an fast paced emotional roller coaster of a book and a brilliant example of emotive writing at its best.
Consider this your one and only trigger warning because it does portray, discuss and challenge 'adult themes'. BUT don't let that scare you...this author is a true wordsmith of the heart and has quickly become one of my all time favourite authors because of her 'hard feeling' emotive books and the way she challenges the society and its ideas around relationships.
February 18, 2020
Extremely unique plot! I mean, how did the author even come up with this? Its awesome
The writing however, is a bit flawed. The main characters for me seem too good to be true. Throughout the story some key details are not mentioned which confused the hell out of me and the worldbuilding is a bit bland. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one bothered by this, but what's with the exclamation marks? Seeing them pop out every once in a while is okay, but in this book its in like every page? What's with that? I'm gonna add too much exclamation marks into one of my pet peeves.
The heroine comes off as a teeny tiny bit immature for me, and the exclamation marks are definitely not helping. The hero felt a bit robotic and unreal.
The first part of this book I enjoyed immensely, seeing these two different people find love in the most darkest of places really pulls my heartstrings, but as the story progresses, the story became boring. The sexual tension was okay i guess, and is a big part as to why I didn't DNF this book, but I definitely skimmed most of it.
I will continue to read this series. The plot is just too unique to pass up.
I don't know, maybe its because of my reading slump. But 2.5 Stars it is.
The writing however, is a bit flawed. The main characters for me seem too good to be true. Throughout the story some key details are not mentioned which confused the hell out of me and the worldbuilding is a bit bland. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one bothered by this, but what's with the exclamation marks? Seeing them pop out every once in a while is okay, but in this book its in like every page? What's with that? I'm gonna add too much exclamation marks into one of my pet peeves.
The heroine comes off as a teeny tiny bit immature for me, and the exclamation marks are definitely not helping. The hero felt a bit robotic and unreal.
The first part of this book I enjoyed immensely, seeing these two different people find love in the most darkest of places really pulls my heartstrings, but as the story progresses, the story became boring. The sexual tension was okay i guess, and is a big part as to why I didn't DNF this book, but I definitely skimmed most of it.
I will continue to read this series. The plot is just too unique to pass up.
I don't know, maybe its because of my reading slump. But 2.5 Stars it is.
July 10, 2023
3.75
This book had a great first half. I loved the setting, the plot line, and the characters. About halfway through the plot started to drag. It picked up again in the last quarter.
Alyssa was a relatable FMC and Sytrius had such a cool relationship with emotions. I love the whole “demonic entity figuring out right from wrong and emotions” kind of trope in general. However, I think he should have had more struggles with it than he did. He didn’t give into temptation as often as I thought he would do his growth arc seemed rushed. It was also part of the reason the plot dragged for me. Overall it was a decent story.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: noncon, captivity, murder, violence, grief, depression
This book had a great first half. I loved the setting, the plot line, and the characters. About halfway through the plot started to drag. It picked up again in the last quarter.
Alyssa was a relatable FMC and Sytrius had such a cool relationship with emotions. I love the whole “demonic entity figuring out right from wrong and emotions” kind of trope in general. However, I think he should have had more struggles with it than he did. He didn’t give into temptation as often as I thought he would do his growth arc seemed rushed. It was also part of the reason the plot dragged for me. Overall it was a decent story.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: noncon, captivity, murder, violence, grief, depression
April 11, 2020
Enjoyable, quick read.
Marina Simcoe is a new author to me and I was not sure what to expect when I started reading “Demon Mine.” I enjoyed the world building and the author’s take on the demon genre. I loved Alyssa’s character. She was strong and determined. Sytrius was a very interesting hero and his character grows and changes through the story. The plot was well paced but dragged a bit in the middle. The ending was not rushed and definitely leaves the door open to other books in the series. I was intrigued and the story held my attention. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
Marina Simcoe is a new author to me and I was not sure what to expect when I started reading “Demon Mine.” I enjoyed the world building and the author’s take on the demon genre. I loved Alyssa’s character. She was strong and determined. Sytrius was a very interesting hero and his character grows and changes through the story. The plot was well paced but dragged a bit in the middle. The ending was not rushed and definitely leaves the door open to other books in the series. I was intrigued and the story held my attention. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
January 25, 2020
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I loved this book so much, I don’t even have the words. From the synopsis, to the first chapter, to the middle, to the end, I was absolutely enthralled by this book. The characters and their beautiful, broken story just gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go!
Alyssa- To see Alyssa go from this broken and hopeless character, to the woman she is at the end of the book, is so inspiring. Seeing only a glimpse of what she had to go through and what she survived broke my heart and watching her slowly come back was magical.
Sytrius- I can’t put into words how much I love Sytrius. He captured my whole heart from the very first chapter in his perspective! He was so thoughtful and caring and protective of Alyssa even when he didn’t know her. He went against his very nature for her and nothing speaks louder to his love for her than that!
Overall, I obviously loved this book beyond words and I am so happy that I found it! I can’t wait to continue the series and see where the author leads me next!
I loved this book so much, I don’t even have the words. From the synopsis, to the first chapter, to the middle, to the end, I was absolutely enthralled by this book. The characters and their beautiful, broken story just gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go!
Alyssa- To see Alyssa go from this broken and hopeless character, to the woman she is at the end of the book, is so inspiring. Seeing only a glimpse of what she had to go through and what she survived broke my heart and watching her slowly come back was magical.
Sytrius- I can’t put into words how much I love Sytrius. He captured my whole heart from the very first chapter in his perspective! He was so thoughtful and caring and protective of Alyssa even when he didn’t know her. He went against his very nature for her and nothing speaks louder to his love for her than that!
Overall, I obviously loved this book beyond words and I am so happy that I found it! I can’t wait to continue the series and see where the author leads me next!
November 5, 2017
Great story but the one thing I hated was that all the chapters were named and, as such, were spoilers as to what was coming up next in the book. I like to be surprised!!
April 6, 2019
I want a demon too!!
Loved it! loved it! loved it!
Great story with totally loveable characters. This book had it all for me. Well done Marina I'm just sorry it took me so long to get to it .
Loved it! loved it! loved it!
Great story with totally loveable characters. This book had it all for me. Well done Marina I'm just sorry it took me so long to get to it .
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