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Imp #9

Queen of the Damned

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The Ancient demons of Hel have awakened, and one of them is gathering forces for an invasion of Aaru—which is pretty hilarious as far as Sam is concerned. Few know that Aaru is locked down tight after she banished all the angels. Nobody can get in. Nobody. Well, maybe nobody. The one being in Hel that might be able to restore Aaru is the archangels' prodigal brother. But he’s presumed dead, having not been seen in over two million years.

The remote possibility of an attack on Aaru isn’t Sam’s only problem. Lows are being snatched off the streets of Dis, and hauled away to the home of an Ancient demon never to be seen again—and a few of the missing Lows belong to Sam’s household.

Suddenly Sam finds herself providing sanctuary in her earthly home for all the Lows in Hel. She’ll need to go undercover to discover if there’s anything to be concerned about in this planned Aaru invasion as well as find the Low-snatcher and somehow persuade him at the point of a sword to leave the minor demons alone before her home is overrun with refugees.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2018

333 people are currently reading
809 people want to read

About the author

Debra Dunbar

101 books1,277 followers
Debra lives in a little house in the woods in Maryland with three sons, and a Noah’s ark of four legged family members. She has a corporate job during the day, and writes novels at night, after the kids are tucked in bed.

She drives an Excursion affectionately called The Beast, couldn’t carry a tune if you duct taped it to her back, and enjoys an occasional cosmopolitan (heavy on the vodka). On a good day, she jogs and horseback rides, hopefully managing to keep the horse between herself and the ground.

Her only known super power is ‘Identify Roadkill’.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
Profile Image for Marianne.
1,315 reviews153 followers
January 15, 2018
Permanently barring her beloved - and the rest of the angelic host - from entering Aaru; that's the worst Sam has ever done, right? Right???



Weeeeeeell... This IS Sam we're talking about, after all..

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES

Oh my. Unbeknownst to Sam, our lucky little gate-tossing imp has really set events in motion. The Ancients are awake and to make matters worse, an old not-so-deceased adversary is back with a vengeance and said being just happens to be the catalyst who highlights a rather disastrous oversight in a certain 2.5 million old angelic treaty;-)

... ANOTHER DOOR OPENS...



As the unwilling Queen of the Fallen, Sam takes it upon herself to investigate rumors of a second rebellion as well as tracking down a demonic Low-snatcher that has her household in an uproar.

I've been wanting to meet other Ancients for some time now, to see how the banishment has influenced them. I was not disappointed. No, they're not all as homicidal as Ahriman; some are hilariously, batshit crazy, others tragically twisted versions of themselves. One in particular has a huge secret. Yuuuge! In fact, he might just hold the one thing that could restore them to their rightful place...

True to form, though, there's still plenty of fun to be had, even in the midst of impending doom.
Like the Ancient Revered One's born-day party:



Who knew a bowl of kale could start such an epic fight;-)

There are a few nods to two Imp World boks in Queen of the Damned. If you've read them you'll likely suspect WHY poor (mwahaha) Nils "ran into a door", Gabe has no choice but accept an unorthodox new member of the Ruling Council, or Rafi is able to cough up an unaffiliated young angel to fill the final open seat. If you haven't... (you're missing out) but fear not, you'll have fun discovering what the archangelic brothers have been up to behind Sam's back as she uncovers the shocking truth;-)

With only one more installment to go, the Imp series is drawing to a close. (Why, og why!??) Queen of the Damned reunites people we've met in previous installments and we learn what's been going on in their lives. Friends and foes alike. Unexpectedly, I even felt sympathy for one of these previous foes - and not only that - said foe unexpectedly leaves a lasting legacy for Sam and Gregory to care for. Knowing Sam I'm happy that FICO scores don't apply to these ... beings... What a life-saver, lol! Speaking of foes... There is ONE being that's been haunting us with his ever-present non-presence for 9 books now, and no I'm not talking of Santa;-)



Bet you know who I'm referring to, huh? All I can say is:

Bottom line: This book was everything I hoped for - and more. I don't even care that's there is a cliffhanger at the end.

I may not be a greed demon, but my possessiveness certainly reaches demonic levels when it comes to Sam & Co. They're all mine. MINE! (Word of Power, anyone!?) I can't believe I have to wait a whole year for the last one. Oh well, time to practice the virtue of patience and repeat the mantra "She who waits for something good (or gloriously bad - in all the right ways) never waits too long" until it sticks in my greedy little brain.

Three cheers (with gimlet cocktails) for Debra Dunbar.



Want a taste (and possibly a little hint of things to come?)"Check out this gimlet recipe:

https://www.cartoonstock.com/director...

~I was given an eArc in Exchange for an honest review~

2018 Reading Challenge: Read and review an ARC.
Profile Image for Romantical Observer.
22 reviews2 followers
January 18, 2018
How I feel about Gregory:

How I feel about Sam:

How I feel about this book coming out in 2017:

Not knowing EXACTLY when this book will come out:


And yet, I can't help but be deliriously excited. YES Queen of the Damned, 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Jeanny.
2,062 reviews171 followers
April 20, 2018
If your reading reviews on Queen of the Damned you should be intimately familiar with Sam & her world. If you're not I'd suggest you read book 1 in the series A Demon Bound (Imp, #1) & follow along in order. I should also disclose I received a free copy of this book from the author.

Quick Recap:
In Exodus (Imp, #8) Aaru is divided & at war. As a result of said war, Sam banned all Angels of Order, her household & herself from Aaru.

On to the review.
Queen of the Damned picks up where Exodus left off. The Angels of Order have been displaced on Earth & It's not an easy transition. Sam is feeling incredibly guilty her actions have caused her angel Gregor's banishment from his Aaru. Sam's every attempt to rectify this error has been unsuccessful & unfortunately her responsibilities as Iblis demand her focus. Her household lows are being kidnapped, the Ancient demons of Hel have awakened & are planning to invade Aaru, & Sam decides to take a more active role as "Queen of Hell". *Sigh* Being Iblis is tiring work.
Debra Dunbar's Imp series always manages to surprise me & Queen of the Damned is not an exception. I found myself giggling at Sam's antics & following along with a smile on my face. Queen of the Damned has an exceptional story, excellent character development, an abundance of humor & I devoured it in one sitting. 5 stars

Jan CG Book Challange: Read an ARC.
Profile Image for Lexxi Kitty.
2,060 reviews477 followers
January 19, 2018
In my most review, prior to this one, I mentioned that the book I was reviewing was both book 6 of an extended series, and book 1 of a new series. Well here we have something vaguely similar. This is both book 9 and book . . . um . . . 23? Let’s see, to get the full enjoyment of this book – since it references a ton of stuff without giving much of a background to that stuff (which I found out, the hard way, when it referenced stuff from the Half Breed series, which I’ve not read), you need to have read at least the first 8 books in the main Imp series; the Nyalla stories (Stolen Souls (novel); Liberation (short story); Far from Center (novel)); the Rafi story (Northern Lights, and, unfortunately, there’s a storyline that pops up in this book here, I mean the Queen one, that is seen unfolding throughout the Northern Wolves short story series that spins off of Northern Lights); that Ten Lows-a leaping short story; No Man’s Land; Three Wishes; and some number for the Half-Breed novels (haven’t read the series, but there’s stuff that popped up that I’m . . . kinda certain is from that series). So, what is that? 13 to 18 novels, depending on how many of the Half-Breeds should be read prior to this book, and something around six short stories.

So, basically, if you haven’t read a Debra Dunbar book before, don’t start with this one – there’s too much you need to read before getting to this one.

So, this story: As is kind of common with the main Imp series, the story follows (for the most part), that Imp – Sam, as she kind of stumbles around from one seemingly random mission to another – each one building off the last one. Meanwhile continuing to be an Angel of Chaos while still mostly thinking of herself as a lowly Imp (despite having the highest demon title due to the Iblis sword)), and still creating chaos while at the same time trying to ‘help’ everyone around her. Also while trying to hump her six billion year old archangel (want age gap? Her lover is six billion, and she’s shy of a 1,000 years). Though he’s still acting all pissy and stuff. For reasons.

Two things to note: 1) I’d forgotten that Sam liked calling her lover Gregory, despite the fact that his name is actually Michael. So there were times wherein I kept wondering ‘who the fuck is this Gregory guy? Oh . . . right, Michael’. 2) There are, roughly, eight trillion editing errors in this book. I didn’t make any notes or highlighted the errors when I came across them, so I can’t actually be certain of a count. They were of the dangling word variety of errors. Both the kind where a random ‘but’ would be hanging out in a sentence without a care in the world (or a connection to the sentence), or a word would be missing. That type of thing bothers me more when I’m already having trouble with keeping my mind on the book – with being vaguely bored with the book. And I liked what I was reading, here, as I normally do – at least for the main Imp series (while waiting for this specific book to be published I started reading everything else – there are at least 2 maybe 3 (or 4) works I DNF’d, and a few I low-rated – though I do not specifically recall editing issues with those works).

Good story, good book. Dangling ending. Well, epilogue part. Might be good to skip the epilogue until the next book pops up, then read epilogue, then read next book. Because of the dangling thing.

Rating: 4.30

January 19 2018 (eeks, 2018? Mmphs, someone born in the year 2000 is now 18 or will be this year? Eeks.)
Profile Image for Meigan.
1,381 reviews77 followers
February 4, 2018
It’s hard to believe that Sam in Queen of the Damned is the same naughty imp we started the series with. Smart, (mostly) self-assured, and most of all — compassionate, particularly towards the Lows in Hel. She’s come a long way since becoming the Iblis and an Angel of Chaos, and her transformation continues to be one of my favorite aspects of this series. That’s not to say that she still doesn’t make mistakes, pull silly pranks, or swear like a sailor. She certainly still does, as she’ll always remain an imp at heart.

In this installment, readers get to see Sam at her most vulnerable to date. As the Iblis, she’s powerful yet she’s in the unique position of also being powerless, especially considering most of the trouble concerning Aaru is squarely on her shoulders, including finding a solution. Most, if not all, of the Ancients have awakened and first thing on their agenda is returning to Aaru. Sam and her motley crew are scrambling to figure out how to prevent an impending battle and with Sam being the Iblis, that title alone should grant her an audience with the Ancients and perhaps even be able to come to an agreement with them, one that works for all. But Sam is still mostly uneducated about the position of Iblis, still doesn’t know how to control her sword, still isn’t taken seriously as the Queen of Hel, and that’s where the powerlessness comes into play. Along with an inevitable war brewing between the Ancients and the angels, there’s also an interesting storyline developing concerning Gabe’s brother, the long lost Samael, and I’m really looking forward to see what Debra has up her sleeve concerning that particular situation.

After 9 books, these demons and angels have become like family, providing a comfortable familiarity that I look forward to with each release. Having said that, it’s always a little jarring and a little distracting when new characters make an appearance, or at least ones that the characters are familiar with yet the reader is not. And by familiarity between the characters, it’s apparent that events and things happened somewhere that drew them together and I am merely an outsider not privy to the details. Such is the case with two prominent characters in this book and I can only assume that they were introduced in one of the many spinoffs that connect to this main series. The reason I say it’s distracting is because I haven’t read very many of the spinoffs, and I would expect anyone of importance to be introduced through the main series, and this seems a little backwards to me. Not a particularly bad thing if you’re already keeping up with the spinoffs, but again, it may be a little confusing and a little off-putting for fans of this series who, like me, had never heard of said characters before and don’t necessarily want to pick up one series in order to comprehend present events in another series.

Bottom line — fans of this series will certainly get the shenanigans and the humor and the impishness they’ve come to expect from this series, but the storylines continue to be more tense and definitely more serious as the conclusion draws nearer and nearer. Definitely looking forward to the tenth book in this series, which I believe is the end, and seeing how everything is wrapped up and the fates of several characters. As with the rest of the series, I highly recommend this one as well, although make sure to get every bit of humor and joy and sexy times by starting at the very beginning.

*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

**Cliterary Genius 2018 Reading Challenge - read an ARC
Profile Image for Alia.
128 reviews3 followers
January 15, 2018
Fantastic Read!

Queen of the Damned by Debra Dunbar is the ninth book in the Imp series and a really great read. In the Imp series we've seen Sam grow as a person/demon/angel while bumbling through life. However in this book we start to see Sam actually taking control of her life and the situations around her. Her growth has made her all the more relatable this combined with her cheeky imp spirit made my love for Sam deepen which in turn had me more invested in her adventures. I loved this book so much but if you're not a fan of cliff hangers skip the second half of the epilogue and read it when the next book comes out. All in all a fantastic read
Profile Image for Zen.
3,001 reviews
March 4, 2023
Oh, Sam... Samantha, I have missed you and your monitoring of those with low FICO scores like they are a new eighth sin. Your house with low demons that are not smart enough to understand pig latin. You have come such a long way from being the slum lord who pervs on her neighbor who cuts the grass and I love you for it all.
Profile Image for Donne.
1,555 reviews102 followers
March 25, 2023
OMG!!! Sam as a mother??? WTH!!! Well it's the usual chaos and mayhem in Sam's imp world as she tries to figure out how to get the angels back into Aaru before the Ancients take over (no such luck). But Sam becoming a mother??? Holy $#!&!!! Gregory loves it so it will be interesting to see that story develop in the next book. With the Ancients out of Hel, it becomes a little easier for Sam to be the Queen of Hel. Can't wait to read the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Judi.
298 reviews6 followers
July 4, 2018
You know, it's the oddest thing. I routinely forget how much I love Debra's Imp series until a new one comes out then I'm all over it! Strange. But please, let me make sure you are aware, Debra Dunbar is a genius at world building and character development. She has this incredible imagination that just seems to run wild when she's writing. Her picture of Angels and Demons and everything in between is so unique that each character stands out separately and brightly.

Sam has found her world is falling apart, piece by piece, and it's driving her crazy. She's just not experienced enough to know how to fix it and it's killing her because more than anything she wants to make Gregory proud of her. He loves her, but she's just an Imp so she's sure he doesn't have much confidence in her.

She's been forced to take on the role of Iblis, which is so far above her pay grade that she is barely staying afloat. Her sword gives her grief because she doesn't know how to control it and she knows it. Her demons don't listen to her because they know she's no real Iblis; no one know this better than her. How can she possibly be the ruler of Hel?

With her self confidence so low and her knowledge of how to be a proper Iblis non existent, she decides she needs allies, and while her household is filling up with Lows she's found herself wanting to protect, she knows she needs to get some Ancients on her side. So she goes to Hel and tries her hand at recruiting. And that's where I'll leave the story because I won't do spoilers. But Book 9 flows so well I had to go straight to Book 10 before I could stop and write a review.

Debra Dunbar ropes me in and ties me up with every book in her Imp series. The breadth of her imagination just blows my mind. I love everyone in this book from the lowliest Low to the Archangels. Even the ones I hate. :-) For me that takes tremendous ability; taking an imagined character and putting it so completely into words that I can see it with my minds eye. I love that in an author.

Her take on everything from Heaven and Hell to Angels and Demons, is so incredibly upside down, so wonderfully skewed, so brilliantly unexpected that how can you not love it? Demons that are adorable? Angels that are self deprecating? An Imp that rules Hel while the Angels can't agree on anything let alone a leader? It's just so...funny! And engaging. If you've never read this series, pick up Book 1. You won't be able to stop until you've run out of books. Then you'll wait impatiently for the next.

Debra Dunbar, you are amazing. And I for one want to say Kudos! You've done it again to such an extent that I didn't want to stop to write this review! Very Well Done!!!
Profile Image for Rosie Amber.
Author 1 book83 followers
April 8, 2019
Queen Of The Damned Is Book nine of the urban fantasy Imp series.

To get the very best experience from this series I highly recommend reading them in order.

Samantha Martin (Sam) is a demon; an angel of chaos. Sam has a very busy life with her new role as Iblis, the leader of Hel.

When Sam banished all the angels from Aaru, her troubles didn't end. The oldest demons in Hel have been woken and believe that their own banishment has been lifted. How can Sam stop them taking over the home of her beloved Gregory?

For me, this book didn't quite match up to the others in this series. There were plenty of sub-plots, but it didn't quite rank as high as all the others so far. However I will still read the next book, I haven't been put off that much.
Profile Image for Kelly.
141 reviews
January 12, 2018
Mind. Blown. This book was absolutely spectacular! Had me hooked from the second I started reading. And the ending? Such a tease. I need to read the next one!
I've really enjoyed following Sam on her journey, starting from an imp to becoming the Iblis and an angel. It shows how far she's come when she struggles to remain impish but chooses the right decision (in most cases). Also, did I mention there's babies?! Cute, terrifying angel babies!
5 reviews
January 9, 2018
Received an ARC of this book. Have really enjoyed reading the entirety of the series and this has been no exception. It rewards with more devilish hijinx from everyone's favourite imp. Struggling to find the way through vengeful ancients with warped personalities and angels twisted by the urge to create. Sam has to bargain, sneak and crack the whip to bring Hel inline with the wishes of its new Iblis all the while still trying to return her love back to where he belongs.
Profile Image for Abi.
2,280 reviews
July 13, 2023
Freaking Amazing

This book was beautiful and amazing and hilarious and I love it. Now I just need book 10, especially with Lux and the epilogue. I think it was the guy Sam was looking for.

Reread June 13th, 2020
All in all, probably my favorite book in the series. 5 stars!
Profile Image for keikii Eats Books.
1,079 reviews55 followers
July 17, 2018
92 points/100 (4.75 stars/5).
Warning: cliffhanger (status: :| I have another damn side novel to get through before I can read the next, why did you do that?!)

Now that the Angels of Order are banished from Aaru, they're living on Earth, though most don't know everyone is banished. Now the ancient Demons know they can go back home to Aaru, and Sam wants to try to stop it. Sam also becomes the leader of the Lows and takes them all under her protection. And wow, does the story not stop there.

Man things are really heating up now! This penultimate book in the Imp series does not pull any punches. I enjoyed myself while reading this book. After what felt like an eternity since I read book 8 and all the mediocre stories in between that one and this, Queen of the Damned is an amazing book.

This book brings up events that happened through Northern Wolves and the end of Half-Breed. However, I really don't think you have to read those. I really believe it to just be tie in to the rest of the spinoffs. Something to make you want to know what happened. If you don't wanna read what happened, don't.

I'll admit, the plot is a bit all over the place. There are a lot of plot threads that have to be tied up before the end of the series, and Queen of the Damned is setting all that up. The last book was a disaster for everyone, and now they're just trying to live with the consequences. I'm a little surprised to find Sam in yet another random plot that ends up being tied to the whole, though. I didn't think much new would get added into this book, though there it is.

I like the way Sam has grown since the start of the series. I miss chaotic, impish Sam. I miss her having the freedom to do what she wants. But, I also like the person she has grown into. I love Gregory, too. So much. He is the perfect angel. I love the way they interact with each other. This book made all my squee engines fire up because of their interactions. I love them. I love the party that Sam threw for Gregory. I love the way Sam protects those she swears to protect. I love them.

I love this book, I'm looking forward to the end of the series with the next book. That cliffhanger though. I still have until tomorrow when I can start the last book. I'm going to die.
Profile Image for Kristine.
3,430 reviews52 followers
May 23, 2018
What a great read! I tend to forget - due to the amount of time between each book - just exactly how comical this series is and I think that makes it even better because it is a hilarious surprise each time. Sam is one of a kind and the interplay between her and Gregory, well, actually the interplay between Sam and everyone, is really hilarious!

You have to take this series for what it is...a seriously funny paranormal story that has every type of character in it from vampires, to angels, to demons...even dragons. I've read reviews where people critique certain elements and I get that, I do. But, for me, I just try to enjoy the story and try VERY hard not to laugh out loud when I am listening on Audible.

The great thing is that this is book 9 of the series and there is truly a story arc and a plot that is progressing with each book. I've read that the next book is the series end and that is disheartening. I've read several other book series that overstay their welcome but I do not think this one is in that category. Sam and her adventures provide a great bit of comic relief and are balanced just perfectly on the blade edge with a story - a great story - behind it.

There are many characters that can become the basis of a continuation of this world with the main protagonist just not being Sam. I hope that Debra Dunbar continues to write in this world. Her world building has provided us with a great canvas with many characters available to inhabit this
world. I also just read that one spin-off based in this world - Imp World - already has a substantial number of books in it so that will be the next series from Debra Dunbar that I start.

And this book - another cliffie - but, I think it's okay because it got me thinking about the possibilities and really, isn't that just a great talent when an author can keep you thinking about their story after you have finished their book?
61 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2018
Just to be totally up front: Ms. Dunbar is not at the top of my most favorite people in all the world right now! Why, after giving the book 5 stars? Let me explain:

I was minding my own business, reading another book that I really wanted to read – written by a writer who I really like – and “poof” here comes Queen of the Damned. That happens when you tell Amazon you want it ASAP. So I decided to finish what I was reading before starting the new book… but after a minute or two I decided “Well, let me just glance at it.” And then a few minutes later, I looked at I was 10% into “Damned” and the other book was totally ignored. I will pick it back up now that I have completed Debra Dunbar’s latest.

So why is she not on my wonderful list? Of course she is. It takes a great author to totally dominate my attention like that but she does it every time! Now about this book, which is #9 in the series: It has totally morphed from the first book in the series. The Iblis is alive and well and growing into herself. There’s sex (Angel sex no less), violence, adventure, heart break, and… well, there’s about anything you might be looking for in a book. That includes some profanity too but if you’ve read the previous 8 books, you know that. If you have read the others, you should definitely do that before tackling this one. But relax! All of the books in the series are worthy of a minimum of 5 stars.

Did I mention that I think the author is awesome, as is this book, as is the whole series? But that’s just me. Buy it, read it, then decide for yourself!
1,247 reviews8 followers
January 15, 2018
Sam is back!

Sam is back and still her mischievous, irreverent, hilarious, self in Queen of the Damned. I loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Every single minute, of which there were far too few in my opinion. I was cackling and grinning before the end of the first page and I didn't stop until the huge OMG epilogue. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, just seriously, read all the way to the end.
Let's face it, nobody has a more interesting perspective on the human condition than Sam. Her irrepressible curiosity has lead her into situations that no imp probably ever contemplated before. And in the process she became much more than just an imp. Now, as the only redeemed Angel of Chaos, she juggles ruling council meetings, non-credit-worthy humans, werewolves, nephilim, her demon household, her angel sweetie, a growing family, and, oh yea, there's that whole leader of Hel thing that she's been putting off. But now that the angels are locked out of Aaru, Hel, of course, raises its ugly head and won't be ignored or put off any longer. So, despite the incredible amount of personal growth Sam has experienced since the start of the series, she now has to figure out how to do Sam as the leader of Hel. Luckily for her, she has Michael cheering her on and her household in her corner, even if they are mostly just a bunch of lows. The result is a type of leadership that's uniquely Sam, because Sam doesn't do order, chaos is her thing.
8 reviews
January 14, 2018
So book #9 in the Imp series by Debra Dunbar is just as satisfying a read as the previous books in the cycle have been. It brings all of the short stories and novellas that we have been graced with by the mind and hand of Debra and incorporates them so that it becomes a cohesive whole. The story of Sam our favorite Imp is more fully fleshed out as relationships and allegiances become realized and she becomes a true leader albeit unwillingly in not only her role as the Iblis but also as house leader of her merry band of misfits. There was a lot of what was surprising in this novel in how Aaru and Hel citizens were portrayed and it's wonderful that even after 9 books we can still be given something new and novel to keep our interest in this series piqued. If you want humor, lessons in humanity and ethics all blended into a seamless read you can't put down then this series is definitely for you. Well done Debra
Profile Image for Celeste.
1,007 reviews59 followers
March 22, 2018
I know this series has problems. I do. Some of the editing is terrible, wrongly spelled words, story arcs not related to this book with their own series that I have no clue about, the fact that our MC is smart and sneaky and the Iblis but lets demons push her around. Yes it was annoying. But it was just so fun, so I cant give it less than 5 stars even though that Epilogue sucked, (in Sam's words) giant donkey balls. Was I the only one who hoped for redemption? Was I the only one who thought Gimlet might have been Samael? Sigh, how long must I wait for the next book? Because like Sam I am greedy and without patience.

Also I read a review about the next book in the series and apparently it is super dark, which is nice and all but it supposedly revolves around Uriel, which is less nice because all I want is more Sam.
Profile Image for Book Luver.
122 reviews
August 8, 2018
3 stars

Seeing as how I enjoyed the previous book and this is the 2nd to last book in the series I expected this to be enjoyable read but sadly was disappointed.

The story was lackluster and made me realize my problems with this series as a whole.

Sam's character and choices can be so frustrating at times. Despite her being the Ilbis she let's others walk all over her. When it came to the creature that was kidnapping her lows she just accepted her into her household.

I also didn't understand the problem Sam had with knowing Gregory's history of the fight with Samuel. With all the things shes done in her past she should be the last one to judge his decisions (I feel like it was just a cop out so we can know the history of Samuel.)

The ending with the baby left the book on a good note but majority of the book was lackluster and filler stuff.
65 reviews2 followers
January 16, 2018
So good

Honestly Debra has done it again. Tbh I've been bored for the last 2 books since it's seemed like one long dinner date between Gregory and Sam, but I think it was a really smart move to let their relationship take the backseat while Sam somehow figures out how to make the world keep spinning. Also I'm STILL shook at how good Debra is at setting things up in previous books that seem minor and inconsequential and then bringing them back into play 1 or 2 books later, making every book essential and every plotpoint bend seamlessly into the next. I spent the day reading it and I'm so glad I did.
Profile Image for Ariadna.
27 reviews16 followers
January 25, 2018
A satisfactory continuation of the story which includes, more like short cameos, characters introduced in secondary stories.

My only real problem with the book is that Sam insists that she is "only" an Imp. And it is not "better" or "more powerful" that it starts to irritate the nerves. Of course, she worked in the past, but in the past, they bothered me more than others by telling her to do things she could not do. Now, I'm angry at her for not doing things she could probably do. And there were precise flashes that show that this could probably be the case.

On the other hand, she spent 1,000 years living like an imp, a step above a low demon. And at any time with these new attributes (collected throughout the series, like the magic sword, the title essentially means that it is Hel's rule (although no one accepts it means anything in Hel), transform into a different creature, pick up friends on the road like dragons). I mean, I understand, it's a lot to assimilate. And nearly millennia of life in a certain way can not be overcome in a few moments.
Profile Image for Tamara Hull.
100 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2018
As much as I hated the wait it was worth it. All the loose ends are coming together and balls Sam has thrown in the air are starting to fall. The Iblis might finally be starting to make inroads in hell and the relationships between all the players are traversing through their individual and interlinked arcs.

There were enough twists in this that the story still felt fresh despite it being the second to last in the main series and one of over 20 in the Imp universe. I am waiting with bated breath for the last, and final, book although I will be devastated when it's concluded.
3 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2018
A Satisfyingly Romp Through Hell

Sam gets into some pickles as she tries to unite angels and demons into a future she's bound and determined to see happen. She uses her wit, her luck, and her hard one title as the Ibliss to continue fighting for those she loves and cares for. Laugh out loud moments help you fall in love with this imp who carries the destiny of the epic battle between good and evil not only on her shoulders but in her soul. Buckle up for this wild ride with Sam and her ever growing household of mischievous lows and hot haughty angels.
Profile Image for Abra.
594 reviews15 followers
August 2, 2018
As usual Debra Dunbar's writing is excellent. It is very funny and witty.

Sam is once again trying to put out a bunch of fires all at once. There's too much going on to go into a proper description, but once again Sam is dealing with problems involving lows, ancients, and angels. Her character arc is nearly finished as this is the penultimate book in the series. She's come a long way over the course of the series and she's not the imp that enjoyed killing any longer. It's absolutely fascinating how Ms. Dunbar has written Sam's development.
Profile Image for Aphrodite .
665 reviews4 followers
December 31, 2022
great series

This is book 9 of the series and it is still very interesting which is a huge feat for a series this long.
I like Sam, the Iblis, very much as I find she is hardly really a heroine more like a very funny anti-heroine who has soft spots.
I like the story but I would have loved it if there weren’t so many plot “holes” meaning they are a lot major scenes that happened on the spin offs that are not really explained in this series so at times it feels like you are out of the loop. Other than that, it’s a solid series.
731 reviews7 followers
January 15, 2018
As much as I love the little imp

As much as I love the little imp. Although certain plots progressed, the little imp didn’t accomplish anything.

She really didn’t do much in this book(she didn’t find Samuel, she didn’t stop the invasion of Aaru, she didn’t even rescue the lows.

hopefully she will do more in the next book.

I still plan on buying the next book when it comes out.
727 reviews6 followers
January 17, 2018
Rather lack luster with a sedate plot and without the humour with which I have come to associate with the previous books. When is Sam going to come into her true Iblis powers. A smidgeon was finally glimpsed was actually revealed near the end (woo look at me - I shimmer), but again in the theme of the book it fizzled into the ether.

The book did not live up to the title either - The Iblis did not take control of Hel or it's denizens.
3 reviews
January 19, 2018
Love

I have grown to love Sam throughout the books in the imp series. I have enjoyed watching her grow to be more than just a demon. This last book seemed a little shorter than the others I read and seemed to leave a lot out. The story has done lots of jumping around which Sam tends to do. I did enjoy the story I just believe it left some to be desired. Will be waiting for the next one to come out.
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