What do you think?
Rate this book
Demonica #17.5
Dining with Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe
In a world where humans and supernatural beings coexist — not always peacefully — three things can bring everyone to the Love, a mutual enemy, and, of course, food.
With seven brand new stories from the Demonica universe, New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione has the love and enemies covered, while celebrity Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson brings delicious food to the party.
And who doesn't love a party? (Harvester rolls her eyes and raises her hand, but we know she's lying.)
Join Ares and Cara as they celebrate a new addition to their family. See what Reaver and Harvester are doing to "spice" things up. Find out what trouble Reseph might have gotten himself into with Jillian. You’ll love reading about the further adventures of Wraith and Serena, Declan and Suzanne, and Shade and Runa, and you're not going to want to miss the sit down with Eidolon and Tayla.
So pour a glass of the Grim Reaper's finest wine and settle in for slices of life from your favorite characters and the recipes that bring them together. Whether you're dining with angels, drinking with demons, or hanging with humans, you'll find the perfect heavenly bits and sinful bites to suit the occasion.
Happy reading and happy eating!
With seven brand new stories from the Demonica universe, New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione has the love and enemies covered, while celebrity Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson brings delicious food to the party.
And who doesn't love a party? (Harvester rolls her eyes and raises her hand, but we know she's lying.)
Join Ares and Cara as they celebrate a new addition to their family. See what Reaver and Harvester are doing to "spice" things up. Find out what trouble Reseph might have gotten himself into with Jillian. You’ll love reading about the further adventures of Wraith and Serena, Declan and Suzanne, and Shade and Runa, and you're not going to want to miss the sit down with Eidolon and Tayla.
So pour a glass of the Grim Reaper's finest wine and settle in for slices of life from your favorite characters and the recipes that bring them together. Whether you're dining with angels, drinking with demons, or hanging with humans, you'll find the perfect heavenly bits and sinful bites to suit the occasion.
Happy reading and happy eating!
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2018
185 people are currently reading
1137 people want to read
About the author
Larissa Ione
105 books10.1k followersAir Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 30, 2019
Food....Demons....and Angels
The book starts with a note by Larissa:
I love food. Love it. In fact, when I travel I plan my itinerary around food and drink. Seriously. I watch shows like Delicious Destinations and keep a file of the restaurants and foods featured in each country and city. Then, along the way during my trip I make sure to stop at these places. I basically eat and drink my way through my vacations...
Well...me, too.
I believe that the most secure way to understand a foreign culture and to fully appreciate a country when you visit for first time is eating their food.
Taste the flavours, see the colours on the plates, see the quantity of food that they eat in a daily base, smell the aroma, touch the uncooked ingredients, drink weird drinks and smell and taste strange spices, test your limits. Then you may understand people.
That's the reason when I travel I try eating at local restaurants and visit street markets, supermarkets and try any available snack from every corner shop. I remember the first time I visited Japan, I gained 5 kilos in 14 days hahaha. I was so full the last few days, but I couldn't stop tasting. In the end I was just buying whatever I liked, I was eating a couple of bites and I was throwing away the rest because I simply could not finish it. I was feeling so full that I was about to explode.
Anyway, travelling is always fun LOL
So, this is a cooking book and although I have eat lots of stuff so far in my life, there are still ingredients in the book that I didn't know about and some ingredients that in this side of the world that I live I may never find in the supermarket in order to cook the dishes like “Creole seasoning” and “Amber Bock beer” and “Ro-Tel tomatoes”.
Taking into account all these, the recipes I could try are the maybe the one called “family friendly food” because I believe my little monsters will enjoy the “Hell Frozen Over Smoothie Pops” and the “Meatloaf and Monster Mash Cupcakes” (what a great idea!) and I will probably never attempt the “Cauliflower Pizza” because I most probably end up eating it alone.
And if you think this is just a cookbook, you are wrong. This a book that shows how cooking blends into the lives of our beloved monsters from the “Demonica" and “Lords of the Deliverance” series and in a way the author introduces the characters together with the recipes.
So if you are a new reader of the series, you will find out in which book each character firstly appeared.
If you are fan of the series and you know each one of the characters, you will be thrilled to learn news about their lives and the lives of their children.
Thus, there is a central theme in the book. Basically all the incidents and the short stories are revolving around two main events:
1. Ares and Cara are about to become parents and they will have a baby shower party
2. Azagoth has closed the gates of Sheoul-gra and no one can get in or out. (Sheoul-gra is the place where bad demons and bad humans go after they die)
If you wonder about the title of the book: It is based on the show “Angel in the Kitchen” that Suzanne presents in cable TV (check book “Her Guardian Angel” by Larissa Ione).
Concluding the are stories about:
1. Declan and Suzanne with recipes about Breakfast/Morning After Food
2. Wraith and Serena with recipes about Romantic/Sexy Food
3. Harvester and Reaver with recipes about Spicy Food
4. Shade and Runa with recipes about Family Friendly Food
5. Reseph and Jillian with recipes about Comfort Food
6. Ares and Cara with recipes about Celebration Food and Snacks
And an interview with Eidolon and Tayla with recipes that are author’s favourites. It includes some favourite recipes for pets.
Unfortunately Revenant does not have a story in the book and he is my second favourite after Eidolon (MY ABSOLUTELY FAVOURITE DEMON IN PNR ROMANCE) but that's okay... I hope I will learn some news about him soon.
Enjoy the stories and have fun with the recipes!
The book starts with a note by Larissa:
I love food. Love it. In fact, when I travel I plan my itinerary around food and drink. Seriously. I watch shows like Delicious Destinations and keep a file of the restaurants and foods featured in each country and city. Then, along the way during my trip I make sure to stop at these places. I basically eat and drink my way through my vacations...
Well...me, too.
I believe that the most secure way to understand a foreign culture and to fully appreciate a country when you visit for first time is eating their food.
Taste the flavours, see the colours on the plates, see the quantity of food that they eat in a daily base, smell the aroma, touch the uncooked ingredients, drink weird drinks and smell and taste strange spices, test your limits. Then you may understand people.
That's the reason when I travel I try eating at local restaurants and visit street markets, supermarkets and try any available snack from every corner shop. I remember the first time I visited Japan, I gained 5 kilos in 14 days hahaha. I was so full the last few days, but I couldn't stop tasting. In the end I was just buying whatever I liked, I was eating a couple of bites and I was throwing away the rest because I simply could not finish it. I was feeling so full that I was about to explode.
Anyway, travelling is always fun LOL
So, this is a cooking book and although I have eat lots of stuff so far in my life, there are still ingredients in the book that I didn't know about and some ingredients that in this side of the world that I live I may never find in the supermarket in order to cook the dishes like “Creole seasoning” and “Amber Bock beer” and “Ro-Tel tomatoes”.
Taking into account all these, the recipes I could try are the maybe the one called “family friendly food” because I believe my little monsters will enjoy the “Hell Frozen Over Smoothie Pops” and the “Meatloaf and Monster Mash Cupcakes” (what a great idea!) and I will probably never attempt the “Cauliflower Pizza” because I most probably end up eating it alone.
And if you think this is just a cookbook, you are wrong. This a book that shows how cooking blends into the lives of our beloved monsters from the “Demonica" and “Lords of the Deliverance” series and in a way the author introduces the characters together with the recipes.
So if you are a new reader of the series, you will find out in which book each character firstly appeared.
If you are fan of the series and you know each one of the characters, you will be thrilled to learn news about their lives and the lives of their children.
Thus, there is a central theme in the book. Basically all the incidents and the short stories are revolving around two main events:
1. Ares and Cara are about to become parents and they will have a baby shower party
2. Azagoth has closed the gates of Sheoul-gra and no one can get in or out. (Sheoul-gra is the place where bad demons and bad humans go after they die)
If you wonder about the title of the book: It is based on the show “Angel in the Kitchen” that Suzanne presents in cable TV (check book “Her Guardian Angel” by Larissa Ione).
Concluding the are stories about:
1. Declan and Suzanne with recipes about Breakfast/Morning After Food
2. Wraith and Serena with recipes about Romantic/Sexy Food
3. Harvester and Reaver with recipes about Spicy Food
4. Shade and Runa with recipes about Family Friendly Food
5. Reseph and Jillian with recipes about Comfort Food
6. Ares and Cara with recipes about Celebration Food and Snacks
And an interview with Eidolon and Tayla with recipes that are author’s favourites. It includes some favourite recipes for pets.
Unfortunately Revenant does not have a story in the book and he is my second favourite after Eidolon (MY ABSOLUTELY FAVOURITE DEMON IN PNR ROMANCE) but that's okay... I hope I will learn some news about him soon.
Enjoy the stories and have fun with the recipes!
November 6, 2018
4 Demonica-loving stars!
This book was a surprising release – a cook book set in the Demonica world. Actually, it’s a series of shorts revisiting couples from the series, incorporating themed recipes from celebrity Southern food expert, Suzanne Johnson. Unexpected, perhaps, but as a mad Demonica fan I will take any opportunity I can to get back into this world, so I dove in eagerly!
To be honest, I wasn’t initially interested in the cookbook aspect of this book. I wanted it for the short stories, and I was so happy to revisit these characters again! But of course I couldn’t help but look at the recipes as well, and I really like the sound of some of them and was really impressed at the way that they fit in with the individual stories. The recipes are very American based, and as an Australian, I’d have to do a fair bit of substituting of ingredients, but I’m definitely keen to give some of them a try!
But now on to Demonica! These stories are a toned-down version of what we’ve come to expect from this series. There’s no sex, and the swearing has been censored out – I guess to be a bit tamer to those who read the book just for the recipes – but we still get to see all of the characters that I love so much, catch up with where they are at and see them living their HEAs, and I loved that!
The stories all interlink as the Demonica and Lords of Deliverance crew prepare for Ares and Cara’s baby shower, and there is trouble brewing as Azagoth has closed the gates to Sheoul Gra, with nobody allowed in or out, causing all sorts of problems.
Of course these stories – and even the list of couples featured - will be a massive spoiler to anybody who hasn’t read the series, and you’ll be completely lost if pick it up and try to figure out how all of the characters fir together. So if you’re thinking of using these shorts to test out the series – don’t. But if you’re a fan of the series, you will love these little glimpses into the characters’ lives.
Declan and Suzanne from Her Guardian Angel
Recipes - Breakfast Food/Morning After
A quick glimpse into the newest couple to join the Demonica cast as they are settling into life together.
Wraith and Serena from Passion Unleashed
Recipes - Romantic/Sexy Food
This was one of my favourites. It’s also longest of the stories, allowing for a true look into Wraith and Serena’s life together as they hang with friends Thanatos and Regan (squee), fight demons, deal with being parents, and “Personal Growth Wraith” navigates mated life.
Harvester and Reaver from Reaver
Recipes - Spicy Food
I loved seeing this couple all loved up and happy. Theirs was an unexpected pairing in the series, and I like that there is still so much to learn about them.
Shade and Runa from Desire Unchained
Recipes - Family Friendly Food
This one is a super quick scene showing us that Runa and Shade are as loved up as ever, enjoying their children and look to their future.
Reseph and Jillian from Rogue Rider
Recipes - Comfort Food
These two had a lot to deal with in their book, and it still remains one of my faves of the series. I loved this chance to see how they are living with their unique situation, and how Reseph is coping with everyday life as they consider changes to their life together.
Ares and Cara from Eternal Rider
Recipes - Celebration Food and Snacks
This was my other favourite from this collection. We get to see a beautifully special moment for these two as they welcome their first child together and big, bad War gets all soft and gooey. I also loved it because it’s the one story that has ALL of the characters interacting, with all of their kids running around. A true family moment, it was great to see everybody all together.
An Interview with Eidolon and Tayla from Pleasure Unbound
Recipes - When Dining with Demons
This is a fun interview with the couple that started it all as they answer what look to be reader questions. A fun little moment with them.
I loved this read. I loved catching up with the whole crew, and I loved the hint of story to come - there are some serious things happening with Azagoth and Lilliana, and I can’t wait to see where their story goes in Cipher, which releases next year.
This is a must-read for fans, and for those who love to cook!
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a surprising release – a cook book set in the Demonica world. Actually, it’s a series of shorts revisiting couples from the series, incorporating themed recipes from celebrity Southern food expert, Suzanne Johnson. Unexpected, perhaps, but as a mad Demonica fan I will take any opportunity I can to get back into this world, so I dove in eagerly!
To be honest, I wasn’t initially interested in the cookbook aspect of this book. I wanted it for the short stories, and I was so happy to revisit these characters again! But of course I couldn’t help but look at the recipes as well, and I really like the sound of some of them and was really impressed at the way that they fit in with the individual stories. The recipes are very American based, and as an Australian, I’d have to do a fair bit of substituting of ingredients, but I’m definitely keen to give some of them a try!
But now on to Demonica! These stories are a toned-down version of what we’ve come to expect from this series. There’s no sex, and the swearing has been censored out – I guess to be a bit tamer to those who read the book just for the recipes – but we still get to see all of the characters that I love so much, catch up with where they are at and see them living their HEAs, and I loved that!
The stories all interlink as the Demonica and Lords of Deliverance crew prepare for Ares and Cara’s baby shower, and there is trouble brewing as Azagoth has closed the gates to Sheoul Gra, with nobody allowed in or out, causing all sorts of problems.
Of course these stories – and even the list of couples featured - will be a massive spoiler to anybody who hasn’t read the series, and you’ll be completely lost if pick it up and try to figure out how all of the characters fir together. So if you’re thinking of using these shorts to test out the series – don’t. But if you’re a fan of the series, you will love these little glimpses into the characters’ lives.
Declan and Suzanne from Her Guardian Angel
Recipes - Breakfast Food/Morning After
A quick glimpse into the newest couple to join the Demonica cast as they are settling into life together.
Wraith and Serena from Passion Unleashed
Recipes - Romantic/Sexy Food
This was one of my favourites. It’s also longest of the stories, allowing for a true look into Wraith and Serena’s life together as they hang with friends Thanatos and Regan (squee), fight demons, deal with being parents, and “Personal Growth Wraith” navigates mated life.
He might need to pull a new trick out of his bag of forgive me tactics.
Weird. He’d always thought sex could fix everything
Son of a bitch, he was growing as a person, wasn’t he? And Shade said it would never happen. Asshole.
Harvester and Reaver from Reaver
Recipes - Spicy Food
I loved seeing this couple all loved up and happy. Theirs was an unexpected pairing in the series, and I like that there is still so much to learn about them.
Shade and Runa from Desire Unchained
Recipes - Family Friendly Food
This one is a super quick scene showing us that Runa and Shade are as loved up as ever, enjoying their children and look to their future.
Reseph and Jillian from Rogue Rider
Recipes - Comfort Food
These two had a lot to deal with in their book, and it still remains one of my faves of the series. I loved this chance to see how they are living with their unique situation, and how Reseph is coping with everyday life as they consider changes to their life together.
Ares and Cara from Eternal Rider
Recipes - Celebration Food and Snacks
This was my other favourite from this collection. We get to see a beautifully special moment for these two as they welcome their first child together and big, bad War gets all soft and gooey. I also loved it because it’s the one story that has ALL of the characters interacting, with all of their kids running around. A true family moment, it was great to see everybody all together.
“Whoa.” Limos stepped into the middle of them all, arms outstretched. “This is a party. You know, to celebrate life. Stop with the doom and gloom. Why does this happen every time we’re together.”
“My name is Death,” Than said drolly.
“Mine is War,” Ares reminded her.
Reseph raised his plastic floofing cup. “Pestilence.”
“So, Famine,” Ares said pointedly, “what was your question again?”
An Interview with Eidolon and Tayla from Pleasure Unbound
Recipes - When Dining with Demons
This is a fun interview with the couple that started it all as they answer what look to be reader questions. A fun little moment with them.
I loved this read. I loved catching up with the whole crew, and I loved the hint of story to come - there are some serious things happening with Azagoth and Lilliana, and I can’t wait to see where their story goes in Cipher, which releases next year.
This is a must-read for fans, and for those who love to cook!
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2018
Dining with Angels is a collection containing seven short stories, or slice of life snippets from characters who have previously starred in Larissa Ione's Demonica or Lords of Deliverance series. It also contains a whole collection of recipes from Suzanne M Johnson that fit the theme of the stories.
As a huge fan of the Demonica world I had so much fun catching up with previous characters and seeing how their families have grown and changed over the years. To be honest I don't think this really works as an introduction to the Demonica world because the whole fun of reading this series is getting to see the couples meet and fall in love so you really don't want to start off at the HEA and miss all the fun stuff that got them there. In a way I was kind of disappointed that the stories have been toned down (fade to black sex and all the swearing has been censored out) because people who love this world aren't going to be put off by any of those things and I don't think people new to the series are very likely to start here. That wasn't a major issue though, just more down to personal preference.
The book features stories about Declan and Suzanne (from Her Guardian Angel) with a selection of breakfast food recipes perfect for the morning after; Wraith and Serena (from Passion Unleashed) with recipes for a romantic night in; Harvester and Reaver (from Reaver) whose recipes are all extra spicy; Shade and Runa (from Desire Unchained) with family friendly recipes; Reseph and Jillian (from Rogue Rider) with comfort food recipes; Ares and Cara (from Eternal Rider) with celebration food and snacks; and last but not least an interview with Eidolon and Tayla (from Pleasure Unbound) with some demon adapted recipes and treats for your very own family hellbeast. You'll get to see plenty of other characters along the way though so don't worry if that list doesn't include your personal favourites because the chances are they'll make an appearance in here too.
I loved the way the stories are all linked together and building towards a certain baby shower at the end, they also continued the relationship developments between Azagoth and Lilliana that started in the recent Demonica Underworld series which was fun. I definitely can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Cipher, to see how things turn out for the couple! It was also nice that all of the recipes fitted in with the stories that were told and often linked back to things mentioned in previous books throughout the series.
I have to confess I wasn't really that interested in the recipes but I did skim through them and there were plenty of different flavours to choose from so I'm pretty sure there's something for everyone in here. The recipes seem easy to follow and fairly simple so I think even I could probably get some decent meals out of them. I may not like cooking much but I love baking so I was excited about the cake recipes and disappointed that a lot of them tell you to just use a basic cake mix and then add a few additional ingredients. I guess that does make them simple and fast options so will probably be perfect for some but for me it takes all the fun out of baking something and made me far less interested in trying any of the cake options. The recipes are very much American based too so if you're an international fan like me you'll probably have to adapt them a bit to avoid ingredients that may be harder to find outside the states.
Overall I think this is definitely worth buying just for the short stories if you're a fan of this series but I wouldn't recommend reading it until after Her Guardian Angel or you'll potentially end up spoiling yourself for previous books. I think it's highly unlikely I'll be making any of the recipes myself but I'm definitely not in the target audience for a cookbook so you can take my opinion on that with a grain of salt! I expect there are plenty of people out there who will love getting to try out all of the meal options and there are a LOT to choose from.
As a huge fan of the Demonica world I had so much fun catching up with previous characters and seeing how their families have grown and changed over the years. To be honest I don't think this really works as an introduction to the Demonica world because the whole fun of reading this series is getting to see the couples meet and fall in love so you really don't want to start off at the HEA and miss all the fun stuff that got them there. In a way I was kind of disappointed that the stories have been toned down (fade to black sex and all the swearing has been censored out) because people who love this world aren't going to be put off by any of those things and I don't think people new to the series are very likely to start here. That wasn't a major issue though, just more down to personal preference.
The book features stories about Declan and Suzanne (from Her Guardian Angel) with a selection of breakfast food recipes perfect for the morning after; Wraith and Serena (from Passion Unleashed) with recipes for a romantic night in; Harvester and Reaver (from Reaver) whose recipes are all extra spicy; Shade and Runa (from Desire Unchained) with family friendly recipes; Reseph and Jillian (from Rogue Rider) with comfort food recipes; Ares and Cara (from Eternal Rider) with celebration food and snacks; and last but not least an interview with Eidolon and Tayla (from Pleasure Unbound) with some demon adapted recipes and treats for your very own family hellbeast. You'll get to see plenty of other characters along the way though so don't worry if that list doesn't include your personal favourites because the chances are they'll make an appearance in here too.
I loved the way the stories are all linked together and building towards a certain baby shower at the end, they also continued the relationship developments between Azagoth and Lilliana that started in the recent Demonica Underworld series which was fun. I definitely can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Cipher, to see how things turn out for the couple! It was also nice that all of the recipes fitted in with the stories that were told and often linked back to things mentioned in previous books throughout the series.
I have to confess I wasn't really that interested in the recipes but I did skim through them and there were plenty of different flavours to choose from so I'm pretty sure there's something for everyone in here. The recipes seem easy to follow and fairly simple so I think even I could probably get some decent meals out of them. I may not like cooking much but I love baking so I was excited about the cake recipes and disappointed that a lot of them tell you to just use a basic cake mix and then add a few additional ingredients. I guess that does make them simple and fast options so will probably be perfect for some but for me it takes all the fun out of baking something and made me far less interested in trying any of the cake options. The recipes are very much American based too so if you're an international fan like me you'll probably have to adapt them a bit to avoid ingredients that may be harder to find outside the states.
Overall I think this is definitely worth buying just for the short stories if you're a fan of this series but I wouldn't recommend reading it until after Her Guardian Angel or you'll potentially end up spoiling yourself for previous books. I think it's highly unlikely I'll be making any of the recipes myself but I'm definitely not in the target audience for a cookbook so you can take my opinion on that with a grain of salt! I expect there are plenty of people out there who will love getting to try out all of the meal options and there are a LOT to choose from.
November 6, 2018
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
When I heard about this cookbook I couldn't wait to try it out. It's a mix of stories and recipes. I loved being able to visit with characters that I truly enjoy reading about. Their little stories really help you enjoy the cookbook part of this even more.
Each story story gives you a glimpse into the lives of the character but it also draws in the foods. As the characters enjoy the food so will you.
Each of the recipes are very easy to understand. I don't know about you but that's a plus for me. I hate when I find something that sounds good and then I spend half my time looking up the cooking techniques they used.
This is the perfect holiday gift for those friends of yours that are both readers and foodies. I'm so glad I was given the chance to review it.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
ARC received for a honest review
When I heard about this cookbook I couldn't wait to try it out. It's a mix of stories and recipes. I loved being able to visit with characters that I truly enjoy reading about. Their little stories really help you enjoy the cookbook part of this even more.
Each story story gives you a glimpse into the lives of the character but it also draws in the foods. As the characters enjoy the food so will you.
Each of the recipes are very easy to understand. I don't know about you but that's a plus for me. I hate when I find something that sounds good and then I spend half my time looking up the cooking techniques they used.
This is the perfect holiday gift for those friends of yours that are both readers and foodies. I'm so glad I was given the chance to review it.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
ARC received for a honest review
November 12, 2018
First of all, I love new concepts in the romance genre. I like when authors try new things especially for their series. I love when they link a fresh and spunky new thing to their books. It really gets me very excited. I am new to Larissa Ione's books. However, I decided to try a recipe book inspired by her Demonica series because I love food. Nothing goes wrong when there is food involved. I love recipes. I love trying new recipes. I used to be a professional chef and my love of food never disappeared at all.
I would like to thank Suzanne M. Johnson for coming up with addictive and tongue waging recipes to wet my palette. Dining with Angels delves into mouth watering recipes with unique short stories form the Demonica Universe. I tried one of the recipes, Steak Bruschetta. It is a delicious and easy to do recipe that I had so much fun making. Every single mouthful was heaven. Every preparation to this heavenly meal absolutely fascinated me. Dining with Angels is wonderful mix of food, demons and angels bringing a tasty and paranormal feast to your night. Every single recipe is unique and inspired by the amazing short stories to entice.
I love paranormal romance. It is my first love. I am definitely adding the Demonica series to my TBR. Looks like books I am truly going to enjoy.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
I would like to thank Suzanne M. Johnson for coming up with addictive and tongue waging recipes to wet my palette. Dining with Angels delves into mouth watering recipes with unique short stories form the Demonica Universe. I tried one of the recipes, Steak Bruschetta. It is a delicious and easy to do recipe that I had so much fun making. Every single mouthful was heaven. Every preparation to this heavenly meal absolutely fascinated me. Dining with Angels is wonderful mix of food, demons and angels bringing a tasty and paranormal feast to your night. Every single recipe is unique and inspired by the amazing short stories to entice.
I love paranormal romance. It is my first love. I am definitely adding the Demonica series to my TBR. Looks like books I am truly going to enjoy.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
November 6, 2018
Nice peek into the Demonica world after the HEA. These are short little stories for some of the couples that mated and fell in love in the Demonica world. If you have not read this series do not start with these short stories. This is a book you read after you have immersed yourself in the Demonica world. For fans of this series you will love getting glimpse into your Demonica couples.
I really love seeing how some of the couples are doing. It was like coming home and catching up with family and friends. I enjoyed how the stories of each couple connected into one main story-line for this book and gives us a lead in to an upcoming book. Couples featured in this little slice of life/recipe book are as follows:
*Declan & Suzanne from Her Guardian Angel
* Wraith & Serena from Passion Unleashed
* Harvester & Reaver from Reaver
* Shade & Runa from Desire Unchained
* Reseph & Jillian from Rogue Rider
* Ares & Cara from Eternal Rider
* Interview with Eidolon & Tayla from Pleasure Unbound
I wish Gem and Kynan had a chapter. They are my favorite Demonica couple. Will have to try some of the recipes featured in the book. Sounds so yummy. Hoping we get more of these peek books from Larissa.
I really love seeing how some of the couples are doing. It was like coming home and catching up with family and friends. I enjoyed how the stories of each couple connected into one main story-line for this book and gives us a lead in to an upcoming book. Couples featured in this little slice of life/recipe book are as follows:
*Declan & Suzanne from Her Guardian Angel
* Wraith & Serena from Passion Unleashed
* Harvester & Reaver from Reaver
* Shade & Runa from Desire Unchained
* Reseph & Jillian from Rogue Rider
* Ares & Cara from Eternal Rider
* Interview with Eidolon & Tayla from Pleasure Unbound
I wish Gem and Kynan had a chapter. They are my favorite Demonica couple. Will have to try some of the recipes featured in the book. Sounds so yummy. Hoping we get more of these peek books from Larissa.
November 8, 2018
***This and other reviews can be found at www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com ***
*ARC*
Okay it is official I need a solid month off from blogging so I can read the Demonica, Demonica Underworld and Lords of Deliverance series all over again. I didn’t realize how much I have missed these characters until I read Dining With Angels, also I will be checking out a good amount of these recipes because some sound really good. Yes, you read that correctly, there are also recipes along with short stories from our favorite couples. I really loved having the recipes in with the stories. It made this book unique and just added to my enjoyment since I personally love to cook. If I had to pick a favorite I think it would be Wraith and Serena’s or maybe Harvester and Reaver, ugh don’t make me choose just one because I can’t, I loved them all.
Fans of these series really need to have this one on their TBR lists because they won’t want to miss out on a floofing great read! Yeah read the book to understand the whole floofing thing.
*ARC*
Okay it is official I need a solid month off from blogging so I can read the Demonica, Demonica Underworld and Lords of Deliverance series all over again. I didn’t realize how much I have missed these characters until I read Dining With Angels, also I will be checking out a good amount of these recipes because some sound really good. Yes, you read that correctly, there are also recipes along with short stories from our favorite couples. I really loved having the recipes in with the stories. It made this book unique and just added to my enjoyment since I personally love to cook. If I had to pick a favorite I think it would be Wraith and Serena’s or maybe Harvester and Reaver, ugh don’t make me choose just one because I can’t, I loved them all.
Fans of these series really need to have this one on their TBR lists because they won’t want to miss out on a floofing great read! Yeah read the book to understand the whole floofing thing.
August 10, 2020
DINING WITH ANGELS was a great adition to Larissa Ione's books. It was so good to see previous characters and how they're faring in their lives as family.
Short story 1 features Declan & Suzanne, who make an unexpected discovery. Also, another something worrying happens related to Azagoth and Sheoul-Gra.
Short story 2 features Wraith & Serena. Their son is now 7 years old and Serena worries how he'll react knowing she isn't his biological mother.
Short story 3 features Reaver & Harvester. OMG!, I didn't remember that Harvester was so full of mischief LOL She's so mean and so damn funny. Ok, so, she's also the Heavenly Watcher of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who happen to be her mate's, Reaver, children but that does not stop her from punishing them - really, she's mea, and now she is super stressed and Reaver is worried the reason lies on her feelings, aka, hate, for his children...
Short story 4 features Runa & Shade. This was a super short story about a moment in a day when these characters reminisce about family, how they were raised and how they are raising their kids, triplets.
Short story 5 features Reseph & Jillian. Reseph is the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Pestilence as he's drawn to places affected by plagues. He'd have a great time and a lot of hard work in 2020, with the coronavirus and Covid 19 and, in this story, he is actually drawn to a plague that started in China! Reseph and Jillian have been living almost like hermits in Colorado but now Jillian wants to move to a big city. Reseph doesn't...
Short story 6 features Ares & Cara, who are hosting their baby shower and have a surprise.
Also an interview with Eidolon and Talya that was nice. It was great seeing the characters who started it all.
Short story 1 features Declan & Suzanne, who make an unexpected discovery. Also, another something worrying happens related to Azagoth and Sheoul-Gra.
Short story 2 features Wraith & Serena. Their son is now 7 years old and Serena worries how he'll react knowing she isn't his biological mother.
Short story 3 features Reaver & Harvester. OMG!, I didn't remember that Harvester was so full of mischief LOL She's so mean and so damn funny. Ok, so, she's also the Heavenly Watcher of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who happen to be her mate's, Reaver, children but that does not stop her from punishing them - really, she's mea, and now she is super stressed and Reaver is worried the reason lies on her feelings, aka, hate, for his children...
Short story 4 features Runa & Shade. This was a super short story about a moment in a day when these characters reminisce about family, how they were raised and how they are raising their kids, triplets.
Short story 5 features Reseph & Jillian. Reseph is the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Pestilence as he's drawn to places affected by plagues. He'd have a great time and a lot of hard work in 2020, with the coronavirus and Covid 19 and, in this story, he is actually drawn to a plague that started in China! Reseph and Jillian have been living almost like hermits in Colorado but now Jillian wants to move to a big city. Reseph doesn't...
Short story 6 features Ares & Cara, who are hosting their baby shower and have a surprise.
Also an interview with Eidolon and Talya that was nice. It was great seeing the characters who started it all.
March 23, 2024
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Dining with Angels is a book full of fun extras from Larissa Ione’s Demonica universe that falls between Her Guardian Angel and Cipher in the series chronology. It’s half original short stories featuring favorite series characters and half cookbook featuring recipes connected to this world. Among the short stories, we have Declan and Suzanne (Her Guardian Angel) who are trying to work out the issue of Suzanne worrying about Declan being injured in the field while working for DART, along with an update about her new cooking show. There’s a great story about Wraith and Serena (Passion Unleashed) as they try to figure out a way to tell their son, Stewie, that Serena isn’t his biological mother. Reaver and Harvester (Reaver) make a guest appearance on Suzanne’s show, before a quick visit to Reseph and Jillian. Thinking that Harvester doesn’t like her job as Heavenly Watcher of the Four Horsemen, Reseph checks into getting her reassigned before they share some couple’s time. Shade and Runa (Desire Unchained) also share a passionate moment while discussing their family. Reseph and Jillian (Rogue Rider) have an argument when she decides she wants to move but he doesn’t. Ares and Cara (Eternal Rider) celebrate the impending birth of their little one with a baby shower, which gets interrupted by the arrival of said infant. Last but not least, Larrisa Ione has Eidolon and Tayla (Pleasure Unbound) over for dinner and an interview.
I love this series and the characters, so as always, all the stories were wonderful. Even though they’re short, they’re meaningful in some way and well-written, giving fans a peek into their favorite characters’ lives. I loved seeing all the couples’ growing families and some of those who don’t have kids thinking about it for the future, which I’m sure will tie into the brand new spin-off Demonica Legacy series. The continuity among the tales was great, too. Most of the stories show the characters engaged in some kind of preparations for Ares and Cara’s baby shower, which of course culminates in their story. There’s also a running bit about Azagoth shutting down Sheoul-gra, leading to some chaos, and Lilliana still residing with Ares and Cara but getting closer to wanting to go home as the birth of her baby nears. Neither is fully resolved by the end, but it looks like their story will continue in the next book of the series Cipher. The narratives also tie in with the recipes in that most of them are supposedly Suzanne’s, and several of the characters cook the various dishes within the plots of their tales. Overall, I really enjoyed this part of the book, but fans should be aware that in order to make the book a little more “family friendly,” Ms. Ione removed all the colorful f-words she’s known for, replacing them with another amusing word, and although there’s a fair bit of sexual tension, it all culminates behind closed doors.
The other half is the cookbook with each story being complemented with recipes that tie into it and the characters being represented. Eg. Wraith and Serena have romantic/sexy food, Shade and Runa have family friendly food, Ares and Cara have food for celebrations that also has a Mediterranean flair, etc. I have to admit that unlike Larissa Ione, I’m not much of a foodie. I can appreciate good food, but I’m also a picky eater, so I can be pretty hard to please. After perusing all the recipes, I’d say probably less than half of them appealed to me and were ones that I might be adventurous enough to try. However, take that with a grain of salt. I know many people who would be happy to give them all a try and if I wasn’t so finicky, I might, too. I’m also not much of a cook, but if I get a hankering for any of the recipes that sounded interesting, I’m sure I could get my daughter who loves to cook to whip up something for me. That being the case, I’m not entirely sure if the print version was worth the hefty price tag for me personally, but your mileage may vary. I’ll admit that it is a very pretty book with color photos of some of the foods and the pictures of sexy models and fancy formatting that begin each section. I may not get as much practical use out of it as some will, but as a big fan of the series, I don’t regret my purchase either. Overall, it’s a nice addition to the Demonica world with plenty of tasty tidbits of both the culinary and storytelling variety that will whet readers appetites in more ways than one.
"4.5 stars" Dining with Angels is a book full of fun extras from Larissa Ione’s Demonica universe that falls between Her Guardian Angel and Cipher in the series chronology. It’s half original short stories featuring favorite series characters and half cookbook featuring recipes connected to this world. Among the short stories, we have Declan and Suzanne (Her Guardian Angel) who are trying to work out the issue of Suzanne worrying about Declan being injured in the field while working for DART, along with an update about her new cooking show. There’s a great story about Wraith and Serena (Passion Unleashed) as they try to figure out a way to tell their son, Stewie, that Serena isn’t his biological mother. Reaver and Harvester (Reaver) make a guest appearance on Suzanne’s show, before a quick visit to Reseph and Jillian. Thinking that Harvester doesn’t like her job as Heavenly Watcher of the Four Horsemen, Reseph checks into getting her reassigned before they share some couple’s time. Shade and Runa (Desire Unchained) also share a passionate moment while discussing their family. Reseph and Jillian (Rogue Rider) have an argument when she decides she wants to move but he doesn’t. Ares and Cara (Eternal Rider) celebrate the impending birth of their little one with a baby shower, which gets interrupted by the arrival of said infant. Last but not least, Larrisa Ione has Eidolon and Tayla (Pleasure Unbound) over for dinner and an interview.
I love this series and the characters, so as always, all the stories were wonderful. Even though they’re short, they’re meaningful in some way and well-written, giving fans a peek into their favorite characters’ lives. I loved seeing all the couples’ growing families and some of those who don’t have kids thinking about it for the future, which I’m sure will tie into the brand new spin-off Demonica Legacy series. The continuity among the tales was great, too. Most of the stories show the characters engaged in some kind of preparations for Ares and Cara’s baby shower, which of course culminates in their story. There’s also a running bit about Azagoth shutting down Sheoul-gra, leading to some chaos, and Lilliana still residing with Ares and Cara but getting closer to wanting to go home as the birth of her baby nears. Neither is fully resolved by the end, but it looks like their story will continue in the next book of the series Cipher. The narratives also tie in with the recipes in that most of them are supposedly Suzanne’s, and several of the characters cook the various dishes within the plots of their tales. Overall, I really enjoyed this part of the book, but fans should be aware that in order to make the book a little more “family friendly,” Ms. Ione removed all the colorful f-words she’s known for, replacing them with another amusing word, and although there’s a fair bit of sexual tension, it all culminates behind closed doors.
The other half is the cookbook with each story being complemented with recipes that tie into it and the characters being represented. Eg. Wraith and Serena have romantic/sexy food, Shade and Runa have family friendly food, Ares and Cara have food for celebrations that also has a Mediterranean flair, etc. I have to admit that unlike Larissa Ione, I’m not much of a foodie. I can appreciate good food, but I’m also a picky eater, so I can be pretty hard to please. After perusing all the recipes, I’d say probably less than half of them appealed to me and were ones that I might be adventurous enough to try. However, take that with a grain of salt. I know many people who would be happy to give them all a try and if I wasn’t so finicky, I might, too. I’m also not much of a cook, but if I get a hankering for any of the recipes that sounded interesting, I’m sure I could get my daughter who loves to cook to whip up something for me. That being the case, I’m not entirely sure if the print version was worth the hefty price tag for me personally, but your mileage may vary. I’ll admit that it is a very pretty book with color photos of some of the foods and the pictures of sexy models and fancy formatting that begin each section. I may not get as much practical use out of it as some will, but as a big fan of the series, I don’t regret my purchase either. Overall, it’s a nice addition to the Demonica world with plenty of tasty tidbits of both the culinary and storytelling variety that will whet readers appetites in more ways than one.
November 6, 2018
Review originally posted at Ruby's Books
It's here, it's here!!!! I’m not sure what excited me more when I first found out about this book, the fact that it was a new Larissa Ione book or a new Suzanne M. Johnson cookbook. You guys already know I love Larissa Ione, and Suzanne’s pairing with Lexi Blake in their two cookbooks is my absolute favorite thing ever. So when I heard about Dining With Angels, I was over the moon with excitement. Not only do we get new Demonica stories, but we also get delicious new recipes. Win-win!
Let's start with the stories first, shall we? I loved these short stories. We get to see a lot of our favorite couples. There's Suzanne being an absolute darling, filming her cooking show, while Declan is in a bit of trouble because of his day job. There's Harvester trying to be badass and impress her mate with her cooking, while Reaver is trying to understand certain things about Harvester. Then there's a super cute scene with Shade and Runa, and then Wraith and Serena and Stewie. We also get to witness Cara giving birth and scaring big bad Ares, and then we get tohave a look into Jillian and Reseph's life after the Apocalypse. While these scenes can be taken individually and enjoyed separately, I love that there's a uniting thread, a longer subplot that develops and, hopefully, will be explored later on. The stories all follow the development of Azagoth and Lilliana's relationship, as well as some new things going on in the underworld. Azagoth is having a hard time with some things that happened not too long ago, and he took some decisions that endanger the world, unless someone manages to talk some sense into him. Lilliana on the other hand is dealing with some personal stuff, and she's considering going back home. Will she go back home? You'll have to read these stories to find out!
The thing I loved about this stories is that we get to see what happens after the Apocalypse. Is everything sunshine and roses, or are some things that don't go just the way our heroes planned? We get to see the couples, yes, but we also get some really cool insight into each and every one person, how their lives are now that things are calm. We get to see a little bit more about their individual struggles now, and how they deal with some issues they might have, both by themselves, and as a couple. We also get to see some peculiar things, some that I didn't expect, involving a certain slave bond that I don't want to get much into because of spoilers, but I wonder if that somehow will become a real problem, or if it's just an isolated thing that happened.
The time has come to talk about the recipes. Oh, the recipes. As I was anticipating, they are absolutely fantastic. Most of them sound super tasty and easy to make, and they fit each and every taste possible. Do you want fish? There are recipes for that. Are you a vegetarian? There's some of that too. Want something sweet? Check. And because this is Larissa Ione, you also get to have recipes for treats just for your furry beasts. That makes me super happy, because I always love giving treats to my hell hound. My favorite recipe, by far, is White Chicken Chili, which I can't wait to make in the weekend (will share photos of the result). Actually, all recipes sound fantastic.
All in all, a fantastic collaboration, and I can only hope these two amazing authors will join forces again in the future.
It's here, it's here!!!! I’m not sure what excited me more when I first found out about this book, the fact that it was a new Larissa Ione book or a new Suzanne M. Johnson cookbook. You guys already know I love Larissa Ione, and Suzanne’s pairing with Lexi Blake in their two cookbooks is my absolute favorite thing ever. So when I heard about Dining With Angels, I was over the moon with excitement. Not only do we get new Demonica stories, but we also get delicious new recipes. Win-win!
Let's start with the stories first, shall we? I loved these short stories. We get to see a lot of our favorite couples. There's Suzanne being an absolute darling, filming her cooking show, while Declan is in a bit of trouble because of his day job. There's Harvester trying to be badass and impress her mate with her cooking, while Reaver is trying to understand certain things about Harvester. Then there's a super cute scene with Shade and Runa, and then Wraith and Serena and Stewie. We also get to witness Cara giving birth and scaring big bad Ares, and then we get tohave a look into Jillian and Reseph's life after the Apocalypse. While these scenes can be taken individually and enjoyed separately, I love that there's a uniting thread, a longer subplot that develops and, hopefully, will be explored later on. The stories all follow the development of Azagoth and Lilliana's relationship, as well as some new things going on in the underworld. Azagoth is having a hard time with some things that happened not too long ago, and he took some decisions that endanger the world, unless someone manages to talk some sense into him. Lilliana on the other hand is dealing with some personal stuff, and she's considering going back home. Will she go back home? You'll have to read these stories to find out!
The thing I loved about this stories is that we get to see what happens after the Apocalypse. Is everything sunshine and roses, or are some things that don't go just the way our heroes planned? We get to see the couples, yes, but we also get some really cool insight into each and every one person, how their lives are now that things are calm. We get to see a little bit more about their individual struggles now, and how they deal with some issues they might have, both by themselves, and as a couple. We also get to see some peculiar things, some that I didn't expect, involving a certain slave bond that I don't want to get much into because of spoilers, but I wonder if that somehow will become a real problem, or if it's just an isolated thing that happened.
The time has come to talk about the recipes. Oh, the recipes. As I was anticipating, they are absolutely fantastic. Most of them sound super tasty and easy to make, and they fit each and every taste possible. Do you want fish? There are recipes for that. Are you a vegetarian? There's some of that too. Want something sweet? Check. And because this is Larissa Ione, you also get to have recipes for treats just for your furry beasts. That makes me super happy, because I always love giving treats to my hell hound. My favorite recipe, by far, is White Chicken Chili, which I can't wait to make in the weekend (will share photos of the result). Actually, all recipes sound fantastic.
All in all, a fantastic collaboration, and I can only hope these two amazing authors will join forces again in the future.
November 10, 2019
4 stars
Now, I'm not the type to read a cook book, even I like cooking myself (mostly just simple recipes that don't need so much preparation time) and eating. But I read this because the cookbook contain many short stories about Demonica, a series that always I love to read and come back to. This cookbook is a collaboration between Larissa Ione and her pal, Suzanne Johnson. I never know the later, but her recipes are mostly mouth-watering to read even I don't want to try it. I mean, I'm not American, eventho I like to watch American food videos especially the New-Orleans based foods. So yeah, I read this just for the Demonica stories only.
Despite the scorching level of the steaminess, the story is mostly PG-related when it comes to sex scenes and swearing. Actually, I find it funny when Larissa replace "fucking" word with "floofing", lol. I get it that maybe not everyone read this book for the stories but just for the recipes only. But, any Demonica fans will read this, even maybe they will not try the recipes. The book have 7 short story, with the last is not a story per se, just an (fictional) interview between Larissa and my favorite Demonica couple, Eidolon-Tayla (Eidolon still make me sigh every time I read about him). The thread that connected those stories is...Azagoth kinda brooding. Again. But with a good reason since if you read Hawkyn, Lilliana left him, and apparently now someone killing his son. But not just Azagoth brooding, all the characters are preparing for Ares and Cara baby shower, and boy...it's nice to read what happen to them after they got their happy ending.
Not all characters got their story written. I mostly miss Revenant and Blaspheme, since Revenant is my second favorite character (first is still Eidolon). But from all the stories, I like Wraith-Selena, and Reseph-Jillian the most. This two stories kinda connect with my real life so maybe that's why I like theirs. Wraith and Serena with their children problem make me remember my childless condition, but eh, that's another thing :D. As for Reseph and Jillian, I did feel their anxiety and stress since Jillian want to move to the city yet Reseph don't want to leave their sanctuary in the middle of nowhere. Theirs kinda remind me of my unwillingness to move from the apartment to my own house, haha. But in the end, I like that Larissa show that compromise between two people is a must. It's not that Jillian or Reseph are egoistical person themselves. Sometimes, we just need to compromise to try work our relationship.
Wew, for a cookbook review that didn't mention any recipes in the cookbook, this review already too long, lol. This cookbook is kinda like a gift for any Demonica's fans, but if you like a Southern's style recipes, maybe you can try to make them too. I'm sure it will be delicious :D
Now, I'm not the type to read a cook book, even I like cooking myself (mostly just simple recipes that don't need so much preparation time) and eating. But I read this because the cookbook contain many short stories about Demonica, a series that always I love to read and come back to. This cookbook is a collaboration between Larissa Ione and her pal, Suzanne Johnson. I never know the later, but her recipes are mostly mouth-watering to read even I don't want to try it. I mean, I'm not American, eventho I like to watch American food videos especially the New-Orleans based foods. So yeah, I read this just for the Demonica stories only.
Despite the scorching level of the steaminess, the story is mostly PG-related when it comes to sex scenes and swearing. Actually, I find it funny when Larissa replace "fucking" word with "floofing", lol. I get it that maybe not everyone read this book for the stories but just for the recipes only. But, any Demonica fans will read this, even maybe they will not try the recipes. The book have 7 short story, with the last is not a story per se, just an (fictional) interview between Larissa and my favorite Demonica couple, Eidolon-Tayla (Eidolon still make me sigh every time I read about him). The thread that connected those stories is...Azagoth kinda brooding. Again. But with a good reason since if you read Hawkyn, Lilliana left him, and apparently now someone killing his son. But not just Azagoth brooding, all the characters are preparing for Ares and Cara baby shower, and boy...it's nice to read what happen to them after they got their happy ending.
Not all characters got their story written. I mostly miss Revenant and Blaspheme, since Revenant is my second favorite character (first is still Eidolon). But from all the stories, I like Wraith-Selena, and Reseph-Jillian the most. This two stories kinda connect with my real life so maybe that's why I like theirs. Wraith and Serena with their children problem make me remember my childless condition, but eh, that's another thing :D. As for Reseph and Jillian, I did feel their anxiety and stress since Jillian want to move to the city yet Reseph don't want to leave their sanctuary in the middle of nowhere. Theirs kinda remind me of my unwillingness to move from the apartment to my own house, haha. But in the end, I like that Larissa show that compromise between two people is a must. It's not that Jillian or Reseph are egoistical person themselves. Sometimes, we just need to compromise to try work our relationship.
Wew, for a cookbook review that didn't mention any recipes in the cookbook, this review already too long, lol. This cookbook is kinda like a gift for any Demonica's fans, but if you like a Southern's style recipes, maybe you can try to make them too. I'm sure it will be delicious :D
November 7, 2018
I would skip
Honestly if I knew this is what I would of been buying I would of skipped it. It honestly really does not give you much of a slice of life. It gives you a “sli “ not full on.it was more about the recipes for this book. Which I can do without. This book leaves so many things open and so much foreshadowing it is ridiculous. If you really want some recipes buy this. But if you are looking for an actual slice of life this is not it. Also what is with the non cursing by the characters? Wraith saving “floofing” like really? Really! We are talking about Wraith here. Wraith. Will I re-read? No. Do I recommend? Yeah no. Reason it received 3 stars was because I love these characters.
Honestly if I knew this is what I would of been buying I would of skipped it. It honestly really does not give you much of a slice of life. It gives you a “sli “ not full on.it was more about the recipes for this book. Which I can do without. This book leaves so many things open and so much foreshadowing it is ridiculous. If you really want some recipes buy this. But if you are looking for an actual slice of life this is not it. Also what is with the non cursing by the characters? Wraith saving “floofing” like really? Really! We are talking about Wraith here. Wraith. Will I re-read? No. Do I recommend? Yeah no. Reason it received 3 stars was because I love these characters.
February 25, 2019
I really liked the read. The substitution of floof for the F word was actually hilarious once I got used to it. This book doesn't really add much to the series except one important plot that ran through the various short snippets we read. So don't expect an excellent in-depth sexy read and fans of the series will love it.
November 13, 2018
These books are always fun to read. I love all the food that is in them, but I love more that we get to catch up with each couple, to see how they are. In this one there was a lot of family time, lots of kids. It's fun to see how everyone is parenting and still trying to find time as a couple.
November 7, 2018
So good to see these guys again.
January 11, 2020
El último párrafo de la última historia corta me sacó unas lagrimitas
November 8, 2018
It was nice to catch up with the characters, but it was seriously toned down. No sex scenes and no swearing. It didn’t feel right and every time the characters said “floofing” I got pulled out of the story.
It’s still super worth reading, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next with Azagoth and Lilliana.
No comment on the recipes portion as I was not interested in it :)
It’s still super worth reading, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next with Azagoth and Lilliana.
No comment on the recipes portion as I was not interested in it :)
September 12, 2019
What a unique book! An actual cook book with short stories of beloved characters from the Demonica series. It was so great to get small glimpses into that world again. ❤️ I plan on trying to cook some of these recipes!
dnf
November 27, 2018Huuuuuugggeee disappointment. What was the point? I didn't buy a cookbook but that's what I got. Most of this was dedicated to recipes instead of stories. I wanted hot steamy stories about the couples from the Demonica universe. Not 20 pages of fluff...oops I mean floof. Yeah what's up with that? Floof this. Floof that. Since when did the demons and horsemen stop saying fuck?! And no sexy times?!??!?!??!?!?!?!?! I have never EVER DNFd a Larissa Ione book. I hope this doesn't happen again.
August 31, 2022
Series: Demonica #17.5; Demonica Underworld #7
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
The overall rating is the average of the following ratings.
This book is part short stories and part cookbook. Each chapter is a different couple followed by multiple recipes. I am just rating this on the stories, not the recipes.
Declan and Suzanne - 3 stars - I liked it
Suzanne and Declan are setting into their new lives with Angel in the Kitchen and DART. I like that we are seeing Suzanne and Declan figure out their future. This story also features Azagoth and Lilliana. Azagoth is in a rage and has closes Shoul-Gra to everyone. Suzanne and her siblings are rushing to figure out what happened and how to fix it. A good little addition to the series, and probably important for the next book with Azagoth.
Wraith and Serena - 4 stars - It was really good
Wraith and Serena have been together for seven years and are raising Wraith’s son, Stewie, together. It's time for them to tell Stewie the truth about his parentage and Serena is afraid it will backfire for her. Wraith and Serena have a bit of an argument about it but Wraith shows his love by making dinner. I loved this story. Wraith is my favorite from this series and I love seeing his growth. He really is a great partner and father. I really want more father/son bonding scenes now because it was just so cute.
Harvester and Reaver - 3 stars - I liked it
A short scene with Harvester and Reaver participating in Suzanne’s cooking show and spending time with his sons. Harvester is still hilarious and inappropriate. Gaining her wings back didn’t change her at all and I love it.
Shade and Runa - 3 stars - I liked it
A short scene of Shade and Runa spending some quality time together without the kids. I always like getting updates from characters who were early couples in the series. Its is just a little check in to see how their relationship has grown and what their future might include.
Reseph and Jillian - 3 stars - I liked it
This is a short scene with Reseph and JIllian deciding their future living situation. As expected Reseph, who has abandonment issues, doesn't really cope well with the discussion but they work through it and come up with a plan. These two still have so much trauma they are working through but they have all the time to do that now.
Ares and Cara - 4 stars - It was really good
Ares and Cara’s baby finally arrives surrounded by friends and family.
An interview with Eidolon and Tayla - 2 stars - It was ok
This was a short interview with Larissa interviewing Eidolon and Tayla with fan questions. It was ok. I think I would have preferred a short bonus scene with them instead of an interview.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
The overall rating is the average of the following ratings.
This book is part short stories and part cookbook. Each chapter is a different couple followed by multiple recipes. I am just rating this on the stories, not the recipes.
Declan and Suzanne - 3 stars - I liked it
Suzanne and Declan are setting into their new lives with Angel in the Kitchen and DART. I like that we are seeing Suzanne and Declan figure out their future. This story also features Azagoth and Lilliana. Azagoth is in a rage and has closes Shoul-Gra to everyone. Suzanne and her siblings are rushing to figure out what happened and how to fix it. A good little addition to the series, and probably important for the next book with Azagoth.
Wraith and Serena - 4 stars - It was really good
Wraith and Serena have been together for seven years and are raising Wraith’s son, Stewie, together. It's time for them to tell Stewie the truth about his parentage and Serena is afraid it will backfire for her. Wraith and Serena have a bit of an argument about it but Wraith shows his love by making dinner. I loved this story. Wraith is my favorite from this series and I love seeing his growth. He really is a great partner and father. I really want more father/son bonding scenes now because it was just so cute.
Harvester and Reaver - 3 stars - I liked it
A short scene with Harvester and Reaver participating in Suzanne’s cooking show and spending time with his sons. Harvester is still hilarious and inappropriate. Gaining her wings back didn’t change her at all and I love it.
Shade and Runa - 3 stars - I liked it
A short scene of Shade and Runa spending some quality time together without the kids. I always like getting updates from characters who were early couples in the series. Its is just a little check in to see how their relationship has grown and what their future might include.
Reseph and Jillian - 3 stars - I liked it
This is a short scene with Reseph and JIllian deciding their future living situation. As expected Reseph, who has abandonment issues, doesn't really cope well with the discussion but they work through it and come up with a plan. These two still have so much trauma they are working through but they have all the time to do that now.
Ares and Cara - 4 stars - It was really good
Ares and Cara’s baby finally arrives surrounded by friends and family.
An interview with Eidolon and Tayla - 2 stars - It was ok
This was a short interview with Larissa interviewing Eidolon and Tayla with fan questions. It was ok. I think I would have preferred a short bonus scene with them instead of an interview.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
December 23, 2019
4.5
Buonasera lettrici!
Oggi vi parlo di “Dining with Angels”, una raccolta di racconti delle nostre coppie preferite della mitica serie “Demonica” di Larissa Ione.
Vi consiglierei di leggerle dopo “Her Guardian Angel” in quanto rischiereste di incappare in diversi spoiler riguardanti i prossimi libri.
Inoltre, per chi come me ama rivedere i personaggi più amati vivere la loro vita, sul sito dell’autrice trovate gratuitamente dei racconti ambientati prima di questo libro. Quindi vi consiglio di passare e dare un’occhiata!
Tornando a noi, questa antologia racchiude delle brevi storie di cui vi lascio un veloce riassunto!
Nel primo racconto Declan e Suzanne stanno vivendo a pieno la loro storia d’amore. Entrambi stanno facendo quello che li rende felici, anche se il lavoro di Declan ha qualche complicazione…
Nel secondo, Wraith e Serena si ritroveranno a dover intraprendere un duro passaggio nella vita di un genitore: rivelare delle verità al proprio figlio sperando di non ferirlo. Intanto devono rafforzare il loro legame di coppia.
Nel terzo racconto troviamo Harvester e Reaver che dovranno chiarire una piccola incomprensione, dopotutto Harvester è la matrigna dei Cavalieri dell’Apocalisse…
Il quarto racconto è su Shade e Runa, che hanno una vita e una famiglia perfetta (almeno nei canoni demoniaci).
Ma come si sa, dopo i figli una coppia ha bisogno di momenti da passare esclusivamente con l’altro.
Nel quinto racconto Reseph e Jillian dovranno rimanere uniti di fronte a una decisione che potrebbe cambiare molte cose… soprattutto per Reseph.
Nel sesto racconto Ares e Cara sono pronti ad incontrare il nuovo arrivato in famiglia: il loro primo figlio.
E come poter festeggiare al meglio una lieta notizia se non con un Baby Shower insieme alle persone a loro più care? Almeno finché la festa non si trasforma in qualcosa di più...
Infine, il settimo racconto è un’intervista alla coppia che ha dato inizio a tutto: Eidolon e Tayla.
Il resto del libro è un insieme di gustose ricette che sicuramente proverò!
Buona lettura e buona degustazione!
Ci vediamo con “Cipher”, penultimo romanzo di questa amata serie.
A presto.
Buonasera lettrici!
Oggi vi parlo di “Dining with Angels”, una raccolta di racconti delle nostre coppie preferite della mitica serie “Demonica” di Larissa Ione.
Vi consiglierei di leggerle dopo “Her Guardian Angel” in quanto rischiereste di incappare in diversi spoiler riguardanti i prossimi libri.
Inoltre, per chi come me ama rivedere i personaggi più amati vivere la loro vita, sul sito dell’autrice trovate gratuitamente dei racconti ambientati prima di questo libro. Quindi vi consiglio di passare e dare un’occhiata!
Tornando a noi, questa antologia racchiude delle brevi storie di cui vi lascio un veloce riassunto!
Nel primo racconto Declan e Suzanne stanno vivendo a pieno la loro storia d’amore. Entrambi stanno facendo quello che li rende felici, anche se il lavoro di Declan ha qualche complicazione…
Nel secondo, Wraith e Serena si ritroveranno a dover intraprendere un duro passaggio nella vita di un genitore: rivelare delle verità al proprio figlio sperando di non ferirlo. Intanto devono rafforzare il loro legame di coppia.
Nel terzo racconto troviamo Harvester e Reaver che dovranno chiarire una piccola incomprensione, dopotutto Harvester è la matrigna dei Cavalieri dell’Apocalisse…
Il quarto racconto è su Shade e Runa, che hanno una vita e una famiglia perfetta (almeno nei canoni demoniaci).
Ma come si sa, dopo i figli una coppia ha bisogno di momenti da passare esclusivamente con l’altro.
Nel quinto racconto Reseph e Jillian dovranno rimanere uniti di fronte a una decisione che potrebbe cambiare molte cose… soprattutto per Reseph.
Nel sesto racconto Ares e Cara sono pronti ad incontrare il nuovo arrivato in famiglia: il loro primo figlio.
E come poter festeggiare al meglio una lieta notizia se non con un Baby Shower insieme alle persone a loro più care? Almeno finché la festa non si trasforma in qualcosa di più...
Infine, il settimo racconto è un’intervista alla coppia che ha dato inizio a tutto: Eidolon e Tayla.
Il resto del libro è un insieme di gustose ricette che sicuramente proverò!
Buona lettura e buona degustazione!
Ci vediamo con “Cipher”, penultimo romanzo di questa amata serie.
A presto.
April 6, 2025
Is this required reading for the Demonica series? No. Did I need to read this because I like to be thorough? Yes. It was a very quick read, especially if you are not actively creating all the recipes in the book. I hesitate to call this a short story anthology because some of them are really just scenes strung together in the same time period of a few days.
I’m not going to go into full breakdown because that would essentially recreate this quick book, but if you’re looking to “check in” with any of your favorites from the series, this is your chance. You see all the familiar faces, or at least learn more about what they’ve been up to. Some have smutty goodness, some are just romance, some are just conversations. Overall, it left me feeling like the series is wrapped up tight (even though I know it continues on, these characters I classify firmly in HEA territory). You obviously should not pick this up unless you’ve read the series and/or if you are an avid recipe enthusiast. Since I read this on kindle I’m not sure how easily I will be able to grab recipes out of this, but it is a fun concept.
I’m not going to go into full breakdown because that would essentially recreate this quick book, but if you’re looking to “check in” with any of your favorites from the series, this is your chance. You see all the familiar faces, or at least learn more about what they’ve been up to. Some have smutty goodness, some are just romance, some are just conversations. Overall, it left me feeling like the series is wrapped up tight (even though I know it continues on, these characters I classify firmly in HEA territory). You obviously should not pick this up unless you’ve read the series and/or if you are an avid recipe enthusiast. Since I read this on kindle I’m not sure how easily I will be able to grab recipes out of this, but it is a fun concept.
January 21, 2019
"Dining with Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe" by Larissa Ione.
So this book is like having two books in one. You get 7 short stories involving all a lot of our favourite characters from the Demonica series. Then you also get an assortment of recipes after each chapter, some recipes being featured in each story. Now being that this book is 1/2 cook book and 1/2 Demonica short stories...and the Demonica series is not PG but cook books are....the language used by the characters has been....um.....modified....to be PG. It actually makes the stories quite funny. You have to read to see what I mean.
Now I can't really comment on the recipes because I haven't tried any of them. But just by reading them, they all sound quite good and sound relatively easy to make.
Overall, I liked all the short stories in this book. It was really nice to see what's happening in the Demonica world.
So this book is like having two books in one. You get 7 short stories involving all a lot of our favourite characters from the Demonica series. Then you also get an assortment of recipes after each chapter, some recipes being featured in each story. Now being that this book is 1/2 cook book and 1/2 Demonica short stories...and the Demonica series is not PG but cook books are....the language used by the characters has been....um.....modified....to be PG. It actually makes the stories quite funny. You have to read to see what I mean.
Now I can't really comment on the recipes because I haven't tried any of them. But just by reading them, they all sound quite good and sound relatively easy to make.
Overall, I liked all the short stories in this book. It was really nice to see what's happening in the Demonica world.
December 15, 2019
I always look forward to the latest of Larissa Ione's imaginative novels in the world of Demonica. Her paranormal romance novels display her own unique spin on things. Dining With Angels is somewhat different in that it is part cookbook and part a glimpse into the lives of some of the couples we've gotten to know through the author's three series, Demonica, Lords of the Underworld, and Demonica Underworld. While the recipes relate to the couple discussed in the preceding chapter, I would have preferred more details on the characters and less on the recipes.
Next on the author's agenda: her newest novels in the Demonica world, tentatively called the Demonica Birthright series, which will take place 25 years into the future and will be about "the Demonica and Horsemen kids all grown up." Can't wait to find out more about the next generation!
Next on the author's agenda: her newest novels in the Demonica world, tentatively called the Demonica Birthright series, which will take place 25 years into the future and will be about "the Demonica and Horsemen kids all grown up." Can't wait to find out more about the next generation!
November 12, 2018
So I’m not sure where to start... with the stories or the food....
I really loved that we were able to see these couples where they are “today” and I love that not much has changed with them since we last saw them. These are the characters that we fell in love with and even though they still tend to get themselves into situations, their relationships are still as strong as ever!
But I am really excited to try the food. My family is always looking for new recipes and I am totally going to try some of these out. This week we are going to try the Meatloaf and Monster Mash cupcakes and the stuffed flank steaks! I will be back to let you know how it goes...
I really loved that we were able to see these couples where they are “today” and I love that not much has changed with them since we last saw them. These are the characters that we fell in love with and even though they still tend to get themselves into situations, their relationships are still as strong as ever!
But I am really excited to try the food. My family is always looking for new recipes and I am totally going to try some of these out. This week we are going to try the Meatloaf and Monster Mash cupcakes and the stuffed flank steaks! I will be back to let you know how it goes...
November 7, 2018
Clever idea for a cookbook!
Is it a cookbook? Is it a collection of short stories about the Demonica Universe that I've been dying to read? It depends on if you're jonesing for a Demonica fix or desperately in need of a last minute dinner idea. The stories are all wonderful and totally whet my appetite (heh) for more from the Demonica Universe. I'll definitely need to try some of the recipes too. This is one book that I think I'll have to get in paper form as well as ereader format. I like my recipes easily accessible!
Is it a cookbook? Is it a collection of short stories about the Demonica Universe that I've been dying to read? It depends on if you're jonesing for a Demonica fix or desperately in need of a last minute dinner idea. The stories are all wonderful and totally whet my appetite (heh) for more from the Demonica Universe. I'll definitely need to try some of the recipes too. This is one book that I think I'll have to get in paper form as well as ereader format. I like my recipes easily accessible!
February 15, 2019
Valeva la pena di prenderlo. Sarà che queste piccole storie di quotidianità io le adoro, mi fanno innamorare sempre di più di un universo, sarà che ormai sono drogata di ricette americane, mi diverte troppo vederle, ma sono stata veramente contenta di aver letto questo libro. Non so se proverò mai le ricette, forse farò quella per la crema per le zampe dei cani da regalare ad un'amica, ma il cibo in casa me lo casserebbero di sicuro, però non sembrano nemmeno troppo male. So invece che quei gioiellini di storie me li rileggerò di sicuro, quando avrò bisogno di un po' di conforto e calore.
November 15, 2019
I liked it and didn't think I would. Minus all the recipes- I don't cook worth a damn- but catching up with my favs is always great. Some highlights were Declan and Suzanne who we just left in Guardian Angel. Suzanne has her cooking show and Declan is working for the Aegis. Wraith, Serena, and Stewie's family drama. Harvester and Reaver/ Jillian and Reseph- one of my favorite stories along with Ares and Cara- the baby's here, little Aleka! Can't wait for Reaper and Lilliana to get their stuff straightened out.
November 9, 2018
Best yet
As a die hard fan of any and all books, this compilation of intertwined stories is the best folding together of any series I have probably ever read. Not only does it have so many beloved characters but it reaffirms why series of any genre are created, because as readers, we always want more. Regardless that I have read through all of these books several times over, I will be doing it again, and highly recommend them all after these shorts.
As a die hard fan of any and all books, this compilation of intertwined stories is the best folding together of any series I have probably ever read. Not only does it have so many beloved characters but it reaffirms why series of any genre are created, because as readers, we always want more. Regardless that I have read through all of these books several times over, I will be doing it again, and highly recommend them all after these shorts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews