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The Company of Angels #2
Il sogno dell'angelo
Brandon Clarkson, ex poliziotto, sembra tutto tranne che un angelo. È un lupo solitario, coperto di tatuaggi e arrogante, la copertura perfetta per dare la caccia ai più pericolosi criminali della terra. E chi, meglio di lui, potrebbe catturare Luciana Rossetti, il bellissimo demone dagli occhi verdi che ha creato un veleno letale per gli immortali? Complice la magia di Venezia, però, quella creatura sensuale riesce a insinuarsi nei suoi sogni e a tessere intorno a lui un'oscura rete di seduzione, trascinandolo in un mondo di piaceri proibiti. Angelo e demone, uomo e donna, insieme sarebbero una coppia perfetta. Ma in quello scontro di astuzia, potere e desiderio può esserci un solo vincitore.
347 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Chong
4 books189 followersStephanie Chong worked as a lawyer at a top-tier Canadian firm and completed five university degrees before landing her dream job: romance novelist. Her degrees include a J.D. and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, and a Master’s in Creative Writing from Oxford University.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys yoga, traveling and outdoor adventures. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and their pug, Dexter.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys yoga, traveling and outdoor adventures. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and their pug, Dexter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 30, 2012
My Review:
C-
I adored the first book in this series because it showed the fine line that exists between good and evil. I hated this book for the same reason. In this book, the hope that existed from the first book was vanquished. Everything was just slightly more tipped towards the evil side and there were no happy outcomes...NONE. As a romance reader, that isn't something that I can accept. I need something positive to walk away with...that's why I read romance. This book didn't give it to me.
What this book did give to me was a yummy hero in the Angel Brandon. I loved his tattoos and his internal analysis of his actions. It also gave me the Demoness Luciana. While I didn't like her very much I could definitely feel compassion for all that she's gone through in life and the place where she finds herself stuck. I liked the story line with Mossimo, Luciana's gatekeeper. I hated Ariel's (another angel...albeit a jealous, vengeful one) part in the story and thought she just made the story more hopeless.
The writing in the book is beautiful. The scenes of Venice and the symbolism throughout the story were both gorgeous. But my rating isn't based on that. My rating is based upon my enjoyment of the book...and that was bad. I don't feel better for having read this book...in fact, it's quite the opposite. There may be an over-arching series goal here that I can't see, but I don't think I will ever get to see it if that is the case. This book ruined this series for me and I won't read any more from it.
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
C-
I adored the first book in this series because it showed the fine line that exists between good and evil. I hated this book for the same reason. In this book, the hope that existed from the first book was vanquished. Everything was just slightly more tipped towards the evil side and there were no happy outcomes...NONE. As a romance reader, that isn't something that I can accept. I need something positive to walk away with...that's why I read romance. This book didn't give it to me.
What this book did give to me was a yummy hero in the Angel Brandon. I loved his tattoos and his internal analysis of his actions. It also gave me the Demoness Luciana. While I didn't like her very much I could definitely feel compassion for all that she's gone through in life and the place where she finds herself stuck. I liked the story line with Mossimo, Luciana's gatekeeper. I hated Ariel's (another angel...albeit a jealous, vengeful one) part in the story and thought she just made the story more hopeless.
The writing in the book is beautiful. The scenes of Venice and the symbolism throughout the story were both gorgeous. But my rating isn't based on that. My rating is based upon my enjoyment of the book...and that was bad. I don't feel better for having read this book...in fact, it's quite the opposite. There may be an over-arching series goal here that I can't see, but I don't think I will ever get to see it if that is the case. This book ruined this series for me and I won't read any more from it.
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 29, 2012
I really liked this book a lot till the end and then I was so disappointed that I gave only two stars instead of three because I didn't get my happy ending, something that I really need, it's the reason why I often read this type of books.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN FOR THE PREVIEW
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN FOR THE PREVIEW
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: Brandon was once a human who was killed by a shot in the back. Now he helps capture rogue demons and save mankind. Luciana is one of the rogue demons that Brandon is sent to capture. There is instant chemistry between this angel and this demon. Will their story end with a happy ending or a tragic one?
Opening Sentence: Who will it be?
The Review:
This book was interesting but personally not one of my favorite books. Brandon Clarkson was once human and a cop until a gunshot to the back killed him. Now he is an angel still protecting the humans he swore to protect in life. The criminals he catches now are Rogue demons. His newest mission is a fierce demoness named Luciana Rossetti. She has perfected the art of poisoning and uses it to send sacrifices to the devil. It is up to Brandon to stop her before she harms anyone else. From the moment they meet there is an instant attraction that neither can deny. Unfortunately, no one wants to see them together. They will have to fight both angels and demons before they can ever be together.
I liked Brandon, he’s the perfect hero. He is an angel that as a human was a cop. As an angel things have not changed much. He stills protects humans from criminals. Brandon is extremely attractive. He has gray eyes, dark hair, muscular, and covered in tattoos from his different assignments as an angel. He is the lone wolf type though and prefers to work alone rather than with a team. This is not a problem though because he always gets his guy. This could be because he is good at his job or just because he is too stubborn to give up. Unfortunately for Brandon his human death still haunts him. There is something about how he died that wasn’t right and he can’t let it go. Now every time he falls asleep he relives the night he died and became an angel.
I have mixed feelings about Luciana. Sometimes I like her but most of the time I wanted to jump into the book and shake her. Luciana was born a rich girl as a human until her father lost everything. Things go from bad to worse for Luciana from then on. I understand that Luciana’s life was difficult, but I think she makes many stupid choices in her life and has only herself to blame for becoming a demon. Many people have a hard life but they find ways to make the best of it instead of making one bad mistake after another. At the same time I did find her story sad and wanted to see something go right in her life. In walks Brandon who could help do just that. What does she do? She keeps pushing him away and saying she can’t change and that he can’t help her. Right here I wanted to ask her what is wrong with her. She did have spunk though and I liked how loyal she was to those under her protection. She has a good heart underneath her bad girl demon exterior.
One of the things I truly enjoyed about the book was the setting. Venice is such a wonderful place to start a romance. The language, the water everywhere, and all the festivals and carnivals add up to a wonderful setting. The way that Stephanie Chong describes Venice makes me want to travel there and see it for myself. I want to explore all the places mentioned in her story. Also, I liked the language. She actually used Italian in the book and told us what it meant. I personally enjoy learning about other cultures and this was a fun way to learn about somewhere else.
Unfortunately, this book still fell flat for me. Especially the ending upset me. I cannot say too much without giving away the ending, but I was not impressed with the way Stephanie Chong ended this book. I thought it needed more than she gave us. There was still unfinished business left to do. I do have to say even though I was disappointed with the ending there were parts of this book that just made me say, wow I didn’t see that coming. I think that if you truly enjoy the angel and demon genre you may enjoy this book. If you are just starting with this type of story or are just looking for a paranormal romance story maybe this one would not work for you.
Notable Scene:
“Luciana Rossetti,” Michael said, “is no ordinary demoness. She’s fiercely independent and fiendishly clever, like all Rogues. But she is much more than that. She is a poisoner par excellence and a Mata Hari of the demon world. She escaped from the company a few days ago. She’s dangerous in her own right, but she has risen to the top of the Company’s Most Wanted list because she has a poison with which she killed another demon.”
If it can kill a demon… It can kill an angel.
FTC Advisory: Harlequin MIRA provided me with a copy of The Demoness of Waking Dreams. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Brandon was once a human who was killed by a shot in the back. Now he helps capture rogue demons and save mankind. Luciana is one of the rogue demons that Brandon is sent to capture. There is instant chemistry between this angel and this demon. Will their story end with a happy ending or a tragic one?
Opening Sentence: Who will it be?
The Review:
This book was interesting but personally not one of my favorite books. Brandon Clarkson was once human and a cop until a gunshot to the back killed him. Now he is an angel still protecting the humans he swore to protect in life. The criminals he catches now are Rogue demons. His newest mission is a fierce demoness named Luciana Rossetti. She has perfected the art of poisoning and uses it to send sacrifices to the devil. It is up to Brandon to stop her before she harms anyone else. From the moment they meet there is an instant attraction that neither can deny. Unfortunately, no one wants to see them together. They will have to fight both angels and demons before they can ever be together.
I liked Brandon, he’s the perfect hero. He is an angel that as a human was a cop. As an angel things have not changed much. He stills protects humans from criminals. Brandon is extremely attractive. He has gray eyes, dark hair, muscular, and covered in tattoos from his different assignments as an angel. He is the lone wolf type though and prefers to work alone rather than with a team. This is not a problem though because he always gets his guy. This could be because he is good at his job or just because he is too stubborn to give up. Unfortunately for Brandon his human death still haunts him. There is something about how he died that wasn’t right and he can’t let it go. Now every time he falls asleep he relives the night he died and became an angel.
I have mixed feelings about Luciana. Sometimes I like her but most of the time I wanted to jump into the book and shake her. Luciana was born a rich girl as a human until her father lost everything. Things go from bad to worse for Luciana from then on. I understand that Luciana’s life was difficult, but I think she makes many stupid choices in her life and has only herself to blame for becoming a demon. Many people have a hard life but they find ways to make the best of it instead of making one bad mistake after another. At the same time I did find her story sad and wanted to see something go right in her life. In walks Brandon who could help do just that. What does she do? She keeps pushing him away and saying she can’t change and that he can’t help her. Right here I wanted to ask her what is wrong with her. She did have spunk though and I liked how loyal she was to those under her protection. She has a good heart underneath her bad girl demon exterior.
One of the things I truly enjoyed about the book was the setting. Venice is such a wonderful place to start a romance. The language, the water everywhere, and all the festivals and carnivals add up to a wonderful setting. The way that Stephanie Chong describes Venice makes me want to travel there and see it for myself. I want to explore all the places mentioned in her story. Also, I liked the language. She actually used Italian in the book and told us what it meant. I personally enjoy learning about other cultures and this was a fun way to learn about somewhere else.
Unfortunately, this book still fell flat for me. Especially the ending upset me. I cannot say too much without giving away the ending, but I was not impressed with the way Stephanie Chong ended this book. I thought it needed more than she gave us. There was still unfinished business left to do. I do have to say even though I was disappointed with the ending there were parts of this book that just made me say, wow I didn’t see that coming. I think that if you truly enjoy the angel and demon genre you may enjoy this book. If you are just starting with this type of story or are just looking for a paranormal romance story maybe this one would not work for you.
Notable Scene:
“Luciana Rossetti,” Michael said, “is no ordinary demoness. She’s fiercely independent and fiendishly clever, like all Rogues. But she is much more than that. She is a poisoner par excellence and a Mata Hari of the demon world. She escaped from the company a few days ago. She’s dangerous in her own right, but she has risen to the top of the Company’s Most Wanted list because she has a poison with which she killed another demon.”
If it can kill a demon… It can kill an angel.
FTC Advisory: Harlequin MIRA provided me with a copy of The Demoness of Waking Dreams. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
December 30, 2012
Tough cop Brendan Clarkson is working undercover in one of Detroit’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Despite an ominous feeling that he just can’t shake, he proceeds to investigate a warehouse when he realizes someone is following him. Before he even has a chance to find out, his whole body feels like it explodes. As he lies dying, he prays to the patron saint of police officers. St. Michael hears his plea and saves him - by turning him into an angel. Brendan quickly learns there is so much more in the world that he initially thought. He is now an investigator for the Company of Angels and his newest assignment is demoness Luciana Rossetti.
He instantly knows she is different, he can feel it. However, he is not one to neglect his duties and he captures her. Only nothing is as easy as it seems. There are others who want Luciana for their own twisted reasons, both on the good and bad side. As Brendan struggles to process what is happening, he feels himself drawn to Luciana in a way he thought was no longer possible.
Both of the main characters are well developed in this novel. This is the second entry into the series. I haven’t read the first one (Where Demons Fear to Tread) and did not feel as if I was missing anything, but apparently the first novel features Luciana – so if you’d like to know more about her, check it out. Luciana is not your typical damsel in distress, she is a powerful rogue demoness and she doesn’t take failure lightly. She also likes to be in control of a situation, which is what scares her most about Brendan. Brendan, on the other hand, is a tattooed, tough angel investigator. He does what he needs, but his dreams are haunted by his human death. Only once he meets Luciana, his dreams are haunted in an entirely new way. They are perfectly matched for each other, but they stand on opposite sides of good and evil. I loved reading their story.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is not quite like anything I’ve ever read before, but I loved it. Neither angel or demon is wholly good or bad, there are shades of grey to every character. Brendan is a lone angel, refusing to work with a team. Luciana is a rogue demoness, operating outside of the traditional demon hierarchy. They are more perfect for each other than they realize. It is definitely not a traditional romance, so don’t look for any type of satisfying ending. However, Luciana and Brendan’s relationship is very sensual and steamy. I can’t wait to see what happens next, if there is any type of resolution in their relationship. 4 stars.
He instantly knows she is different, he can feel it. However, he is not one to neglect his duties and he captures her. Only nothing is as easy as it seems. There are others who want Luciana for their own twisted reasons, both on the good and bad side. As Brendan struggles to process what is happening, he feels himself drawn to Luciana in a way he thought was no longer possible.
Both of the main characters are well developed in this novel. This is the second entry into the series. I haven’t read the first one (Where Demons Fear to Tread) and did not feel as if I was missing anything, but apparently the first novel features Luciana – so if you’d like to know more about her, check it out. Luciana is not your typical damsel in distress, she is a powerful rogue demoness and she doesn’t take failure lightly. She also likes to be in control of a situation, which is what scares her most about Brendan. Brendan, on the other hand, is a tattooed, tough angel investigator. He does what he needs, but his dreams are haunted by his human death. Only once he meets Luciana, his dreams are haunted in an entirely new way. They are perfectly matched for each other, but they stand on opposite sides of good and evil. I loved reading their story.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is not quite like anything I’ve ever read before, but I loved it. Neither angel or demon is wholly good or bad, there are shades of grey to every character. Brendan is a lone angel, refusing to work with a team. Luciana is a rogue demoness, operating outside of the traditional demon hierarchy. They are more perfect for each other than they realize. It is definitely not a traditional romance, so don’t look for any type of satisfying ending. However, Luciana and Brendan’s relationship is very sensual and steamy. I can’t wait to see what happens next, if there is any type of resolution in their relationship. 4 stars.
October 15, 2012
Luciana Rossetti is a demon. She made a deal with the devil that she would get to stay out of hell if she gave a human sacrifice every year. Luciana is also trouble. That is why ex-cop and new angel, Brandon Clarkson has vowed to stop Luciana. Once Brandon sees Luciana he is charmed by her beauty both in the day time and in his dreams.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is the second of the Company of Angel books. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. I became a fan of Mrs. Chong's when I read her first book, Where Demons Fear to Tread. I have to say that I am enjoy reading this series. The first book drew me in and this book is seductive and leaves me wanting more.
The only reason that I rate this book a four is because I felt that most of the hotness took place during Brandon and Luciana's dream state and I wanted to see they together more. However, I did like that Brandon was the angel and Luciana the demon. Not to say that if the tables had been turned that I would not have minded Brandon being the bad guy. The way that he presented himself in this book as such a powerful force, it made me wonder if he could not be an archangel/demon. While the action did not come into play until the last half of the book, it made up for it by the chemisty with Brandon and Luciana. The action was mild at best. The ending leaves me hoping that Brandon will bump into Luciana again real soon.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is the second of the Company of Angel books. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. I became a fan of Mrs. Chong's when I read her first book, Where Demons Fear to Tread. I have to say that I am enjoy reading this series. The first book drew me in and this book is seductive and leaves me wanting more.
The only reason that I rate this book a four is because I felt that most of the hotness took place during Brandon and Luciana's dream state and I wanted to see they together more. However, I did like that Brandon was the angel and Luciana the demon. Not to say that if the tables had been turned that I would not have minded Brandon being the bad guy. The way that he presented himself in this book as such a powerful force, it made me wonder if he could not be an archangel/demon. While the action did not come into play until the last half of the book, it made up for it by the chemisty with Brandon and Luciana. The action was mild at best. The ending leaves me hoping that Brandon will bump into Luciana again real soon.
September 14, 2012
LOVED! A fabulous series. :o)
December 7, 2019
Eine der SUB-Leichen auf meinem E-Reader.
Hab Bd. 1 im März 2013! gelesen, also dümpelt der zweite Teil schon 6 Jahre auf meinem E-Reader herum X)
Band 1 hat mir ja trotz des Engel-Thema gut gefallen und 3.5 Sterne erhalten.
In diesem Band geht es nun um einen total unsympathischen Charakter aus Bd. 1, wobei ich konnte mich eigentlich nicht mehr wirklich an Bd. 1 erinnern X).
Nun zu diesem Band:
-----------------
Die Dämonin Luciana Rossetti kehrt nach Venedig zurück um ihr diesjähriges Opfer auszusuchen. Sie entwickelt Gifte, was sie sehr gefährlich macht, auch für Unsterbliche, deswegen sind die Engel hinter ihr her. Der frühere Cop Brandon Clarkson, nun Engel, wird auf sie angesetzt, der täglich in seinen Träumen seinen Tod wiedererlebt und der sogleich von Luciana fasziniert ist.
Beide sind keine schwarz weiß Charaktere, so ist Luciana nicht grundsätzlich böse, aber von Rache getrieben, da wird schon mal an Gnomen ein Gift ausprobiert und auch ein paar von Brandons Gedanken befinden sich in der Grauzone, besonders die Gefühle die er für Luciana entwickelt, verbotene Gefühle für eine Dämonin.
Meine Meinung:
--------------
Ich muss leider ein wenig vom Ende spoilern - da es noch immer keinen dritten Band und wohl auch keine Fortsetzung geben wird ....
...
es gibt keine Happy End! Das Ende ist ein wenig offen gestaltet und lässt einen etwas unvollständig zurück.
Ansonsten muss ich gestehen, dass Venedig nicht so meine Lieblingsbuchörtlichkeit ist und man die Verbindung der beiden Charaktere nicht 100%ig nachvollziehen konnte, sie für mich etwas zu oberflächlich blieb.
Vor allem gegen Ende hin hab ich doch etwas an Spannung und Gefühlen zwischen den Charakteren vermisst...
Auch haben die letzten 100 Seiten sich ein wenig gezogen und ich bin nur am Ball geblieben, wegen meinem Ziel noch ein paar Urban Fantasy Bücher dieses Jahr wegzulesen. Das Cover passt auch nicht so wirklich, da ja er diesmal der Engel ist und sie die Dämonin (ohne Flügel).
Trotzdem würde ich dem Buch vielleicht sogar 2.5 aufgerundet zu 3 Sterne geben, aber wegen dem Ende und da es keine Fortsetzung gibt.
2, 25 --> 2 Sterne, sorry
Hab Bd. 1 im März 2013! gelesen, also dümpelt der zweite Teil schon 6 Jahre auf meinem E-Reader herum X)
Band 1 hat mir ja trotz des Engel-Thema gut gefallen und 3.5 Sterne erhalten.
In diesem Band geht es nun um einen total unsympathischen Charakter aus Bd. 1, wobei ich konnte mich eigentlich nicht mehr wirklich an Bd. 1 erinnern X).
Nun zu diesem Band:
-----------------
Die Dämonin Luciana Rossetti kehrt nach Venedig zurück um ihr diesjähriges Opfer auszusuchen. Sie entwickelt Gifte, was sie sehr gefährlich macht, auch für Unsterbliche, deswegen sind die Engel hinter ihr her. Der frühere Cop Brandon Clarkson, nun Engel, wird auf sie angesetzt, der täglich in seinen Träumen seinen Tod wiedererlebt und der sogleich von Luciana fasziniert ist.
Beide sind keine schwarz weiß Charaktere, so ist Luciana nicht grundsätzlich böse, aber von Rache getrieben, da wird schon mal an Gnomen ein Gift ausprobiert und auch ein paar von Brandons Gedanken befinden sich in der Grauzone, besonders die Gefühle die er für Luciana entwickelt, verbotene Gefühle für eine Dämonin.
Meine Meinung:
--------------
Ich muss leider ein wenig vom Ende spoilern - da es noch immer keinen dritten Band und wohl auch keine Fortsetzung geben wird ....
...
es gibt keine Happy End! Das Ende ist ein wenig offen gestaltet und lässt einen etwas unvollständig zurück.
Ansonsten muss ich gestehen, dass Venedig nicht so meine Lieblingsbuchörtlichkeit ist und man die Verbindung der beiden Charaktere nicht 100%ig nachvollziehen konnte, sie für mich etwas zu oberflächlich blieb.
Vor allem gegen Ende hin hab ich doch etwas an Spannung und Gefühlen zwischen den Charakteren vermisst...
Auch haben die letzten 100 Seiten sich ein wenig gezogen und ich bin nur am Ball geblieben, wegen meinem Ziel noch ein paar Urban Fantasy Bücher dieses Jahr wegzulesen. Das Cover passt auch nicht so wirklich, da ja er diesmal der Engel ist und sie die Dämonin (ohne Flügel).
Trotzdem würde ich dem Buch vielleicht sogar 2.5 aufgerundet zu 3 Sterne geben, aber wegen dem Ende und da es keine Fortsetzung gibt.
2, 25 --> 2 Sterne, sorry
November 29, 2025
💙😲L’éternelle lutte du bien contre le mal.
TOME 2 de la série "la Compagnie des Anges".
En Italie, à Venise, Luciana Rossetti est un démon mercenaire (voir tome 1 : l'ange de la nuit) : elle possède une fiole de poison extrêmement dangereux pouvant tuer un immortel. Elle s'est d'ailleurs spécialisée, au cours des siècles, dans la fabrication de toutes sortes de poisons mortels...
Aux Etats-Unis, à Chicago, Brandon Clarkson se réveille en nage.
Toutes les nuits, depuis 10 ans, il fait le même cauchemar : celui de son meurtre, lorsqu'il était un policier travaillant sous couverture, et qu'il fut abattu de deux balles... Maintenant, il fait partie de la "Compagnie des Anges".
Dans le roman, l'Archange Michel lui donne la mission de capturer la démone Luciana et de la ramener au siège de la Compagnie des Anges. S'ensuit une poursuite où l'ange et la démone vont lutter contre un sentiment inconnu jusqu'alors, une attirance mutuelle irrépressible...
Luciana possède le don de s'insinuer dans les rêves. Brandon, lui, depuis son décès, a du mal à différencier les rêves de la réalité.
C'est sans compter l'horrible Archidémon Corbin Ranulfson (tome 1 de la série "la Compagnie des Anges" : la nuit de l'ange. Dans ce tome-là, il avait été ridiculisé par les anges et renvoyé en Enfer) de retour des Enfers et qui réclame sa vengeance. Il a promis à Lucifer de lui renvoyer Luciana...
C'est un beau roman divertissant où se mêlent les intrigues et les sentiments : l'éternelle lutte contre le Bien et le Mal. Il y a beaucoup de tergiversations, mais c'est la spécialité des romances en général, et de l'auteure Stephanie Chong en particulier, me semble-t-il...
Luciana et Brandon sont crédibles, tourmentés et attachants, chacun dans son genre. Il n'y a aucune connotation religieuse dans ce tome-là.
C'est un roman à la fois sombre et rafraîchissant...
La fin (ouverte) vous remue le coeur et les sentiments... J'attends la suite de la série avec impatience !
A découvrir et à lire !
TOME 2 de la série "la Compagnie des Anges".
En Italie, à Venise, Luciana Rossetti est un démon mercenaire (voir tome 1 : l'ange de la nuit) : elle possède une fiole de poison extrêmement dangereux pouvant tuer un immortel. Elle s'est d'ailleurs spécialisée, au cours des siècles, dans la fabrication de toutes sortes de poisons mortels...
Aux Etats-Unis, à Chicago, Brandon Clarkson se réveille en nage.
Toutes les nuits, depuis 10 ans, il fait le même cauchemar : celui de son meurtre, lorsqu'il était un policier travaillant sous couverture, et qu'il fut abattu de deux balles... Maintenant, il fait partie de la "Compagnie des Anges".
Dans le roman, l'Archange Michel lui donne la mission de capturer la démone Luciana et de la ramener au siège de la Compagnie des Anges. S'ensuit une poursuite où l'ange et la démone vont lutter contre un sentiment inconnu jusqu'alors, une attirance mutuelle irrépressible...
Luciana possède le don de s'insinuer dans les rêves. Brandon, lui, depuis son décès, a du mal à différencier les rêves de la réalité.
C'est sans compter l'horrible Archidémon Corbin Ranulfson (tome 1 de la série "la Compagnie des Anges" : la nuit de l'ange. Dans ce tome-là, il avait été ridiculisé par les anges et renvoyé en Enfer) de retour des Enfers et qui réclame sa vengeance. Il a promis à Lucifer de lui renvoyer Luciana...
C'est un beau roman divertissant où se mêlent les intrigues et les sentiments : l'éternelle lutte contre le Bien et le Mal. Il y a beaucoup de tergiversations, mais c'est la spécialité des romances en général, et de l'auteure Stephanie Chong en particulier, me semble-t-il...
Luciana et Brandon sont crédibles, tourmentés et attachants, chacun dans son genre. Il n'y a aucune connotation religieuse dans ce tome-là.
C'est un roman à la fois sombre et rafraîchissant...
La fin (ouverte) vous remue le coeur et les sentiments... J'attends la suite de la série avec impatience !
A découvrir et à lire !
July 23, 2024
4 stelle scarse
Riprendo questa serie dopo un po' per smaltire le serie iniziate; e che dire sin dalle prime pagine l’ho trovata una lettura scorrevole, molto piacevole e anche accattivante.
I due protagonisti Brandon e Luciana mi sono piaciuti molto, con i loro tormenti personali li rendono più umani anche se entrambi sono esseri immortali: angelo e demone; per nulla scontati o prevedibili.
La storia mi ha preso parecchio fino alle ultime pagine lì mi ha lasciato con l’amaro in bocca per via del finale che decisamente non è stato, almeno per me, di mio gusto.
Per concludere una storia molto interessante che rende decisamente il libro molto piacevole e per nulla scontato.
Riprendo questa serie dopo un po' per smaltire le serie iniziate; e che dire sin dalle prime pagine l’ho trovata una lettura scorrevole, molto piacevole e anche accattivante.
I due protagonisti Brandon e Luciana mi sono piaciuti molto, con i loro tormenti personali li rendono più umani anche se entrambi sono esseri immortali: angelo e demone; per nulla scontati o prevedibili.
La storia mi ha preso parecchio fino alle ultime pagine lì mi ha lasciato con l’amaro in bocca per via del finale che decisamente non è stato, almeno per me, di mio gusto.
Per concludere una storia molto interessante che rende decisamente il libro molto piacevole e per nulla scontato.
June 10, 2025
the idea is cool . however it was super rushed and sometimes didn't make sense . the love scenes were just 😬😶🌫️🤨 . didn't really make sense and I was just frustrated by the book and annoyed . wouldn't recommend
January 20, 2014
First of all, I have to say that while I would choose Where Demons Fear to Tread first any day, but Demoness has definitely made it's mark on me and joined my list of favorite books.
I'm going to do a little comparison first between the two books just because. Where Demons Fear to Tread focuses a lot on redemption and finding the way back to God after you've "fallen." It also focuses a ton on love. I mean, my favorite quote from that book: Love. Love is where demons fear to tread. Demoness of Waking Dreams takes a complete different turn. At the end of Demons, I wanted to kill Luciana for everything she did to Julian and Serena, but after finishing Demoness, I wanted nothing more than for her to find her happy ending and peace with Brandon. Demoness focuses on the illusion of beauty and how things are not what they appear to be, in more ways than one.
Luciana is a demoness. She's beautiful, enthralling, and downright evil. After barely escaping from America with her life, she slowly recovers her strength and plots her revenge to take down the hated (in her perspective) Company of Angels, Julian Ascher, and Serena St. Clair. The Company of Angels is not just going to sit there like statues and wait for her attack, so they send Brandon Clarkson after her. For an angel, he's the complete opposite of Serena who is literally pure. He has his own darkness and fights it every night in his nightmares. When he finally tracks down Luciana it's like a blow to the gut. They're connected by their dreams of each other that make them want for something they know they cannot have. Each other.
Omgawds, can we just talk characters for a minute? Luciana, as I said before, she's wickedly beautiful and equally as deadly. Trained in the art poison, she has a special one just for taking down demons and angels. She never expected to feel anything towards an angel, but she's drawn to Brandon who silently but surely stalks her every move. Brandon is like the perfect Mr. Hunk. A policeman killed during duty, he is very persistent and very good at what he does. He expected Luciana to be easy, get the demoness and bring her back to America. He never expected to want her and it's not just lust, there's something deeper that runs between the two of them. All in all, their romance and relationship is definitely 10x the adventure that Julian and Serena's was. Let me rephrase that. Julian was all bent on making Serena his, trying to taint the pureness he saw in her until he unexpectedly fell in love. Brandon wanted to replace the darkness within Luciana with light because he believed she could be good, even while he battled the growing darkness inside. Julian and Serena had a more cutesy romantic relationship while Brandon and Luciana had one heck of a roller coaster.
More on character. Arielle. Remember her? Well, you should if you read the book. She was assigned Julian Ascher before he died and became demon. After she failed, she sent Serena to bring him back to light certain that her pureness would cleanse his darkness. In this book, man you see a complete different side to this girl. Before she was all the wise one, always knowing and caring. This one, she's a spitting ball of fire. Not only does she want Luciana to suffer for the evils she has done, but she's got a little chip on her shoulder involving a certain someone. Nope, not spoiling even though I really want to. I'm just going to say, that this girl came into the book with a lot of surprise so be ready.
The ending. Yes, the ending. It was like a stab in the gut for me. The feels cannot be contained. I am literally dying over the ending. Somebody please help, I am dying of a broken heart and an overwhelming of feels that couldn't be contained. Another comparison, Demon's ending was beautiful and uplifting. Demoness's ending was beautiful, left a hole in the heart, and was bittersweet to point that you were crying and flooded your room. The copy I have is from the library and I sincerely apologize for wetting the pages. I blew dry them so I think they're good, but I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.
After reading this, I was stuck and surrounded by my feels and I'm sure a train could hit me and I wouldn't feel a thing. That's not said to discourage you from reading. I have super high hopes for the next book and...wait, I can't spoil. >.< Enough said, this is one heck of a review rant... You BETTER pick this book up because it is just freaking amazing and beautiful and perfect and heart throbbing and breathtaking and PERFECT. So go, go and pick it up and if you need a hug after finishing, free hugs here all day and all night. See you later lovelies, I'm going to go cry in a corner at the resurface of feels after writing this~
I'm going to do a little comparison first between the two books just because. Where Demons Fear to Tread focuses a lot on redemption and finding the way back to God after you've "fallen." It also focuses a ton on love. I mean, my favorite quote from that book: Love. Love is where demons fear to tread. Demoness of Waking Dreams takes a complete different turn. At the end of Demons, I wanted to kill Luciana for everything she did to Julian and Serena, but after finishing Demoness, I wanted nothing more than for her to find her happy ending and peace with Brandon. Demoness focuses on the illusion of beauty and how things are not what they appear to be, in more ways than one.
Luciana is a demoness. She's beautiful, enthralling, and downright evil. After barely escaping from America with her life, she slowly recovers her strength and plots her revenge to take down the hated (in her perspective) Company of Angels, Julian Ascher, and Serena St. Clair. The Company of Angels is not just going to sit there like statues and wait for her attack, so they send Brandon Clarkson after her. For an angel, he's the complete opposite of Serena who is literally pure. He has his own darkness and fights it every night in his nightmares. When he finally tracks down Luciana it's like a blow to the gut. They're connected by their dreams of each other that make them want for something they know they cannot have. Each other.
Omgawds, can we just talk characters for a minute? Luciana, as I said before, she's wickedly beautiful and equally as deadly. Trained in the art poison, she has a special one just for taking down demons and angels. She never expected to feel anything towards an angel, but she's drawn to Brandon who silently but surely stalks her every move. Brandon is like the perfect Mr. Hunk. A policeman killed during duty, he is very persistent and very good at what he does. He expected Luciana to be easy, get the demoness and bring her back to America. He never expected to want her and it's not just lust, there's something deeper that runs between the two of them. All in all, their romance and relationship is definitely 10x the adventure that Julian and Serena's was. Let me rephrase that. Julian was all bent on making Serena his, trying to taint the pureness he saw in her until he unexpectedly fell in love. Brandon wanted to replace the darkness within Luciana with light because he believed she could be good, even while he battled the growing darkness inside. Julian and Serena had a more cutesy romantic relationship while Brandon and Luciana had one heck of a roller coaster.
More on character. Arielle. Remember her? Well, you should if you read the book. She was assigned Julian Ascher before he died and became demon. After she failed, she sent Serena to bring him back to light certain that her pureness would cleanse his darkness. In this book, man you see a complete different side to this girl. Before she was all the wise one, always knowing and caring. This one, she's a spitting ball of fire. Not only does she want Luciana to suffer for the evils she has done, but she's got a little chip on her shoulder involving a certain someone. Nope, not spoiling even though I really want to. I'm just going to say, that this girl came into the book with a lot of surprise so be ready.
The ending. Yes, the ending. It was like a stab in the gut for me. The feels cannot be contained. I am literally dying over the ending. Somebody please help, I am dying of a broken heart and an overwhelming of feels that couldn't be contained. Another comparison, Demon's ending was beautiful and uplifting. Demoness's ending was beautiful, left a hole in the heart, and was bittersweet to point that you were crying and flooded your room. The copy I have is from the library and I sincerely apologize for wetting the pages. I blew dry them so I think they're good, but I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.
After reading this, I was stuck and surrounded by my feels and I'm sure a train could hit me and I wouldn't feel a thing. That's not said to discourage you from reading. I have super high hopes for the next book and...wait, I can't spoil. >.< Enough said, this is one heck of a review rant... You BETTER pick this book up because it is just freaking amazing and beautiful and perfect and heart throbbing and breathtaking and PERFECT. So go, go and pick it up and if you need a hug after finishing, free hugs here all day and all night. See you later lovelies, I'm going to go cry in a corner at the resurface of feels after writing this~
September 4, 2012
THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS (Company of Angels #2) by Stephanie Chong
THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS is the second storyline in Stephanie Chong’s Company of Angels series. The Company is a heirarchy of ‘guardian’ angels under the direction of Michael, working to protect the human race. But while Satan’s demons wreak havoc and hell, one Guardian will find that his latest assignment will test his honor and allegiance as an angel.
Brandon Clarkson is a guardian angel. Ten years prior, as a cop in Detroit, he was gunned down during a stake-out, only to find himself in the Company of Angels. The Angel Michael saw something good and pure in Brandon, and introduced him to a ‘second’ life as a guardian of mankind. His latest assignment is to find and capture a rogue demoness in Venice, who has escaped the confines of the Company. Her long list of sins is a starting place, but the Company is not the only group hoping to put an end to her tyranny.
Luciana Rosetti is a rogue demoness, on the hunt for her latest sacrificial offering to the powerful being who gave her a second chance at revenge. Every year, a blood offering must be made, and Lucianna had yet to make the offer. Only now it was too late, as she found herself bound to a Guardian from the Company, and the deadline has passed. Lucianna was gifted with the ability to walk through dreams, and her only hope for escape was to ensure that she entered Brandon’s dreams. Only their connection appeared to go both ways, and Brandon is able to experience the full extent of his dreams. But he must know whether or not he is awake or asleep.
As a human, Lucianna suffered horribly at the hands of many men, and in death she continues to experience the hardships and assaults by those in control. Betrayal by family and at the hands of a former lover would turn her heart cold, but the hands of an Angel would begin a melting process that would too soon end with both of them on the run.
The relationship between Angel and Demon is forbidden, but the allure of the forbidden is something neither is able to control. And it is their growing attraction to one another that will be used to bring both under control. Those hoping to destroy the Company will demand Luciana pay, and Brandon’s superiors will demand that he finish his assignment. But at the end of the day, Brandon knows, that those in control have much more planned for the demoness than confinement at the compound, and as a Guardian, his duty is to protect. But betrayal by someone he once called a friend, will find an unlikely offering for Luciana and push her into a world she never thought she would cross.
THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS is a well-written story. The background information allows for a smooth transition between book one and two. Although Stephanie’s characters are referenced and derived from Christianity, this is by no means a book about religious beliefs or systems. The story goes from current day, to dream state and sometimes into the past.
Character development flows throughout the novel, allowing for the mystery to build until the final reveal. Luciana believes herself condemned to walk the earth alone and unloved, but Brandon is hoping to one day show the woman that even those who have been condemned, can be forgiven once they are able to forgive themselves.
A surprising twist or two will add to the character development allowing the reader to see from ‘where and why’ these demons and angels are who they are. Brandon is as dangerous as he is sexy, and Lucianna is the epitome of a siren looking for her next conquest. I enjoyed reading The Demoness of Waking Dreams and I am looking forward to the next instalment. There are several unanswered questions.
Copy supplied by publisher.
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS is the second storyline in Stephanie Chong’s Company of Angels series. The Company is a heirarchy of ‘guardian’ angels under the direction of Michael, working to protect the human race. But while Satan’s demons wreak havoc and hell, one Guardian will find that his latest assignment will test his honor and allegiance as an angel.
Brandon Clarkson is a guardian angel. Ten years prior, as a cop in Detroit, he was gunned down during a stake-out, only to find himself in the Company of Angels. The Angel Michael saw something good and pure in Brandon, and introduced him to a ‘second’ life as a guardian of mankind. His latest assignment is to find and capture a rogue demoness in Venice, who has escaped the confines of the Company. Her long list of sins is a starting place, but the Company is not the only group hoping to put an end to her tyranny.
Luciana Rosetti is a rogue demoness, on the hunt for her latest sacrificial offering to the powerful being who gave her a second chance at revenge. Every year, a blood offering must be made, and Lucianna had yet to make the offer. Only now it was too late, as she found herself bound to a Guardian from the Company, and the deadline has passed. Lucianna was gifted with the ability to walk through dreams, and her only hope for escape was to ensure that she entered Brandon’s dreams. Only their connection appeared to go both ways, and Brandon is able to experience the full extent of his dreams. But he must know whether or not he is awake or asleep.
As a human, Lucianna suffered horribly at the hands of many men, and in death she continues to experience the hardships and assaults by those in control. Betrayal by family and at the hands of a former lover would turn her heart cold, but the hands of an Angel would begin a melting process that would too soon end with both of them on the run.
The relationship between Angel and Demon is forbidden, but the allure of the forbidden is something neither is able to control. And it is their growing attraction to one another that will be used to bring both under control. Those hoping to destroy the Company will demand Luciana pay, and Brandon’s superiors will demand that he finish his assignment. But at the end of the day, Brandon knows, that those in control have much more planned for the demoness than confinement at the compound, and as a Guardian, his duty is to protect. But betrayal by someone he once called a friend, will find an unlikely offering for Luciana and push her into a world she never thought she would cross.
THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS is a well-written story. The background information allows for a smooth transition between book one and two. Although Stephanie’s characters are referenced and derived from Christianity, this is by no means a book about religious beliefs or systems. The story goes from current day, to dream state and sometimes into the past.
Character development flows throughout the novel, allowing for the mystery to build until the final reveal. Luciana believes herself condemned to walk the earth alone and unloved, but Brandon is hoping to one day show the woman that even those who have been condemned, can be forgiven once they are able to forgive themselves.
A surprising twist or two will add to the character development allowing the reader to see from ‘where and why’ these demons and angels are who they are. Brandon is as dangerous as he is sexy, and Lucianna is the epitome of a siren looking for her next conquest. I enjoyed reading The Demoness of Waking Dreams and I am looking forward to the next instalment. There are several unanswered questions.
Copy supplied by publisher.
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
July 31, 2012
Originally posted at my book blog Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books
I received this ARC from Netgalley for my honest opinion.
I will start off saying I actually really enjoyed this book, it’s well written, and has a plot that was original, and I loved it. I did NOT read the first book, and was thinking I would be quite lost, but found I was not. Stephanie did a great job of putting in important things from the first book, as dreams, or memories and such, in a very creative way. So it did not have a whole rundown of the first book, it felt more as a stand alone book, but just put in those parts needed to understand the story.
In a way, I am glad I did not read the first. I was able to come into this book, without already hating or liking anyone. Luciana is the one in this book that the Company of Angels is after, they always try to change the demons to good if possible, and I know many people have hated Luciana from the first book. I didn’t really care for her at first, but I could see there is remorse in her. Yes, I understand all the horrible things she has done, and did not like her for that, but the point of the Company of Angels is earning redemption, and I believe she is capable of it. I wont spoil the ending, but I have hope for Luciana.
I really, really liked Brandon, who wouldn’t, gorgeous muscled angel. Who wouldn’t? He is a truly good man, to be able to see the sliver of remorse and possible good in Luciana, when no one else would even try. The whole book sure kept you guessing on what would happen next. I think its unique how after each assignment that Brandon gets a new tattoo. (he doesn’t get it, it just appears) We get some new revelations about Brandon’s human death, on his murderer, but I will not tell you who. Leave that for you to find out.
So, regardless if you have read the first book or not, I recommend this book if you like the paranormal, with some passion in there, some action and suspense. If you read the first book, then I am sure you will like this one. I do plan to go read the first one now. I am curious, as I found Arielle to be very unlikable in this book, on the verge of evil herself, wonder if she changes sides in the future. From angel to demon? Guess they can.
I will leave you with this quote from the book.
Kindle Location (ARC will change) 2970
Leave. Just get up and leave, said his brain. This is no longer an assignment. Let Arielle deal with Luciana. The demoness is not your problem anymore.
What kept him there was the knowledge that beneath it all was a terrorized young women whose life had gone badly off the rails at the age of seventeen.
He closed his eyes and slipped into sleep.
Summary from Book:
Ex-cop Brandon Clarkson is an angel with an edge. His tough exterior is the perfect camouflage for his job—hunting down the most dangerous criminals on earth. A self-reliant and demanding lone wolf, Brandon is the perfect angel to track and capture demoness Luciana Rossetti.
Beneath the surface of Luciana's cool, green-eyed beauty lurks the heart of a malevolent killer. In the winding streets of Venice, she lures Brandon into her dark world of pleasure.
They are perfectly matched. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire.
I received this ARC from Netgalley for my honest opinion.
I will start off saying I actually really enjoyed this book, it’s well written, and has a plot that was original, and I loved it. I did NOT read the first book, and was thinking I would be quite lost, but found I was not. Stephanie did a great job of putting in important things from the first book, as dreams, or memories and such, in a very creative way. So it did not have a whole rundown of the first book, it felt more as a stand alone book, but just put in those parts needed to understand the story.
In a way, I am glad I did not read the first. I was able to come into this book, without already hating or liking anyone. Luciana is the one in this book that the Company of Angels is after, they always try to change the demons to good if possible, and I know many people have hated Luciana from the first book. I didn’t really care for her at first, but I could see there is remorse in her. Yes, I understand all the horrible things she has done, and did not like her for that, but the point of the Company of Angels is earning redemption, and I believe she is capable of it. I wont spoil the ending, but I have hope for Luciana.
I really, really liked Brandon, who wouldn’t, gorgeous muscled angel. Who wouldn’t? He is a truly good man, to be able to see the sliver of remorse and possible good in Luciana, when no one else would even try. The whole book sure kept you guessing on what would happen next. I think its unique how after each assignment that Brandon gets a new tattoo. (he doesn’t get it, it just appears) We get some new revelations about Brandon’s human death, on his murderer, but I will not tell you who. Leave that for you to find out.
So, regardless if you have read the first book or not, I recommend this book if you like the paranormal, with some passion in there, some action and suspense. If you read the first book, then I am sure you will like this one. I do plan to go read the first one now. I am curious, as I found Arielle to be very unlikable in this book, on the verge of evil herself, wonder if she changes sides in the future. From angel to demon? Guess they can.
I will leave you with this quote from the book.
Kindle Location (ARC will change) 2970
Leave. Just get up and leave, said his brain. This is no longer an assignment. Let Arielle deal with Luciana. The demoness is not your problem anymore.
What kept him there was the knowledge that beneath it all was a terrorized young women whose life had gone badly off the rails at the age of seventeen.
He closed his eyes and slipped into sleep.
Summary from Book:
Ex-cop Brandon Clarkson is an angel with an edge. His tough exterior is the perfect camouflage for his job—hunting down the most dangerous criminals on earth. A self-reliant and demanding lone wolf, Brandon is the perfect angel to track and capture demoness Luciana Rossetti.
Beneath the surface of Luciana's cool, green-eyed beauty lurks the heart of a malevolent killer. In the winding streets of Venice, she lures Brandon into her dark world of pleasure.
They are perfectly matched. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire.
September 25, 2012
Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics
To see review at Confessions
The Demoness of Walking Dreams is a book that is hard to write a review about as it doesn’t fit the stereotypical adult paranormal book of this genre. It tantalizing, sexy and leaves one craving the next book as this story doesn’t leave a satisfying ending for readers. There are a number of unanswered questions and where it goes next is anyone’s guess.
Brandon was gunned down in duty and with his dying breath appeals to Michael, the patron of police officers, who hears him and turns him into an angel. Now he is the leader of the New York team and has risen up quickly through the ranks to become a formidable angel in his capacity with the Company of Angels. He seems perfect to catch the one demoness who has the potential to destroy demons and angels alike.
But he has a problem. Arielle, his former lover and supervisor of the Los Angeles Team, wants him to have a partner although he is a lone ranger in the field because of the way he died and the good chance that someone will stab him in the back. And this no ordinary demoness: Luciana has been captured by the Company before and the Company is desperate to capture her again.
Luciana was born sometime in the 1800s and her human life made her become a very bitter demoness. She lost her former lover Julian (in the previous book) to an angel, Serena, and he has now joined the ranks of the angels. With the loss of one of the most powerful demons, she has had to turn to another demon who is very ruthless and working directly for Lucifer. She barely escaped from him and problems in the USA to return home to offer her annual sacrifice to Lucifer for keeping her location hidden from the human eyes in Venice.
This year everything is about to go wrong.
The Company has discovered her dirty little secret. She has created a deadly poison and now everyone is after her as they know that she has the power to change the world. Two bitter people: one an angel who hides under his tough guy act, the other a demon who flaunts her status among the demon world and is rude and curt to everyone who gets in her way. One mission: capture the other. Lucifer wants an angel as a sacrifice for the trouble that Luciana causing. It is going to be one wild ride as they play a game of cat and mouse across Venice with supporting characters.
There are many intertwining stories in this book as there are secondary characters who have history with the main characters, like Arielle, for instance, who was Brandon’s former love and his wife who left when he died. There’s also his best friend and partner. Then there are the demons that flank Luciana who seem to have been important to her at one point or other, judging by the way she treats them. This book is carefully crafted work that would appeal to paranormal fans that want a different spin from the usual storytelling.
I enjoyed this storytelling and the author has taken time to learn her craft before becoming a published writer. It’s full of depth and emotions as we unravel the characters’ past and present by building a mystery of suspense. And when this suspense reaches a climax and everything comes out, you will be left wanting more. The relationship between demons and angels is getting hot and steamy.
4 couples
To see review at Confessions
The Demoness of Walking Dreams is a book that is hard to write a review about as it doesn’t fit the stereotypical adult paranormal book of this genre. It tantalizing, sexy and leaves one craving the next book as this story doesn’t leave a satisfying ending for readers. There are a number of unanswered questions and where it goes next is anyone’s guess.
Brandon was gunned down in duty and with his dying breath appeals to Michael, the patron of police officers, who hears him and turns him into an angel. Now he is the leader of the New York team and has risen up quickly through the ranks to become a formidable angel in his capacity with the Company of Angels. He seems perfect to catch the one demoness who has the potential to destroy demons and angels alike.
But he has a problem. Arielle, his former lover and supervisor of the Los Angeles Team, wants him to have a partner although he is a lone ranger in the field because of the way he died and the good chance that someone will stab him in the back. And this no ordinary demoness: Luciana has been captured by the Company before and the Company is desperate to capture her again.
Luciana was born sometime in the 1800s and her human life made her become a very bitter demoness. She lost her former lover Julian (in the previous book) to an angel, Serena, and he has now joined the ranks of the angels. With the loss of one of the most powerful demons, she has had to turn to another demon who is very ruthless and working directly for Lucifer. She barely escaped from him and problems in the USA to return home to offer her annual sacrifice to Lucifer for keeping her location hidden from the human eyes in Venice.
This year everything is about to go wrong.
The Company has discovered her dirty little secret. She has created a deadly poison and now everyone is after her as they know that she has the power to change the world. Two bitter people: one an angel who hides under his tough guy act, the other a demon who flaunts her status among the demon world and is rude and curt to everyone who gets in her way. One mission: capture the other. Lucifer wants an angel as a sacrifice for the trouble that Luciana causing. It is going to be one wild ride as they play a game of cat and mouse across Venice with supporting characters.
There are many intertwining stories in this book as there are secondary characters who have history with the main characters, like Arielle, for instance, who was Brandon’s former love and his wife who left when he died. There’s also his best friend and partner. Then there are the demons that flank Luciana who seem to have been important to her at one point or other, judging by the way she treats them. This book is carefully crafted work that would appeal to paranormal fans that want a different spin from the usual storytelling.
I enjoyed this storytelling and the author has taken time to learn her craft before becoming a published writer. It’s full of depth and emotions as we unravel the characters’ past and present by building a mystery of suspense. And when this suspense reaches a climax and everything comes out, you will be left wanting more. The relationship between demons and angels is getting hot and steamy.
4 couples
February 13, 2023
As a guardian, the hero knows that he's not 100% good. Inside, he still dwells on the pain of how me died and a thirst for revenge that's been eroding him. It's this darkness within that gave him his tattoos as the archangels deemed it necessary for him to be reminded that he's doing good-making a difference. And it worked. Though he isn't perfect, he is dedicated to his profession. He doesn't hate demons and doesn't welcome the idea of violence towards anyone, demons included, but he's driven by his need to help people. It's what made him a cop in the first place and now that he's stuck on earth after death, being a soldier in the Company of Angels is who is his. He is kind and not malicious but his is strong, stronger than anyone could ever predict, himself included.
However, it seems he's met his match with the heroine. She's lived a life full of betrayal, torture and pain. She took a different path than the heroine as when he was drafted by the side of good, she was drafted by evil. She's lived the last 200 years seething with the desire for revenge against everyone who's wronged her. Though she doesn't seem to be 100% evil, she is not a particularly nice person-at least for the most part. There are those she secretly cares for. Her servants, her home. But she regularly commits murder and sacrifices woman to the devil. When she meets the hero, she becomes enthralled with him. They are mortal enemies and he looks to capture her to stop her from using her poisons.
For the duration of the book, they are locked into a tug of war over who will succeed in luring the other to their side and who will finally give in to their feelings first. Passion burns hot between them but it's more than sex. She sees a good man when she looks at the hero, a man who gives her peace for the first time and makes her happy, even if she knows it'll only end in heartbreak. The hero sees a bad woman yet a vulnerable woman when he looks at the heroine and despite warnings from his peers and his own instincts he begins to fall for her. But as is fate, betrayal and their respective responsibilities end up breaking the bond threat had drawn them together.
The story did a fantastic job of portraying the message that there is both good and bad in all of us. No one is perfect and though life experiences mold us into who we are, at the end of the day it's a choice. Do you want to do good, or do you want to do bad? I found this book to be a lot more character in depth than your run of the mill romance novel and as such I bonded quickly to the story and remained interested straight through to the end. There were times I felt the same desire for revenge as the heroine did. And there were times I felt the same need to offer forgiveness as the hero did. Together I found them to be a great pairing and they had mad chemistry between them regardless of the forbidden romance aspect of their relationship. The only thing that stopped me from rating it a 5 star was the fact that they do not end up together at the end of the story. On one hand I commend the author for the balls to write such an ending in a romance novel but on the other- I'm a romantic at heart and it just doesn't sit right with me to have all this build up without the satisfaction of a happy ending. Anyway, this is still a great book and a good read when you want someone a bit more thought provoking.
However, it seems he's met his match with the heroine. She's lived a life full of betrayal, torture and pain. She took a different path than the heroine as when he was drafted by the side of good, she was drafted by evil. She's lived the last 200 years seething with the desire for revenge against everyone who's wronged her. Though she doesn't seem to be 100% evil, she is not a particularly nice person-at least for the most part. There are those she secretly cares for. Her servants, her home. But she regularly commits murder and sacrifices woman to the devil. When she meets the hero, she becomes enthralled with him. They are mortal enemies and he looks to capture her to stop her from using her poisons.
For the duration of the book, they are locked into a tug of war over who will succeed in luring the other to their side and who will finally give in to their feelings first. Passion burns hot between them but it's more than sex. She sees a good man when she looks at the hero, a man who gives her peace for the first time and makes her happy, even if she knows it'll only end in heartbreak. The hero sees a bad woman yet a vulnerable woman when he looks at the heroine and despite warnings from his peers and his own instincts he begins to fall for her. But as is fate, betrayal and their respective responsibilities end up breaking the bond threat had drawn them together.
The story did a fantastic job of portraying the message that there is both good and bad in all of us. No one is perfect and though life experiences mold us into who we are, at the end of the day it's a choice. Do you want to do good, or do you want to do bad? I found this book to be a lot more character in depth than your run of the mill romance novel and as such I bonded quickly to the story and remained interested straight through to the end. There were times I felt the same desire for revenge as the heroine did. And there were times I felt the same need to offer forgiveness as the hero did. Together I found them to be a great pairing and they had mad chemistry between them regardless of the forbidden romance aspect of their relationship. The only thing that stopped me from rating it a 5 star was the fact that they do not end up together at the end of the story. On one hand I commend the author for the balls to write such an ending in a romance novel but on the other- I'm a romantic at heart and it just doesn't sit right with me to have all this build up without the satisfaction of a happy ending. Anyway, this is still a great book and a good read when you want someone a bit more thought provoking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2012
3.5 stars
The demon Luciana escaped the company of angels, and fled back to her home in Venice. She went back to give her yearly sacrifice to the devil. Brendan is sent to capture Luciana. They believe she has a poison strong enough to kill angel and demon alike. Brendan has to recapture her, and there is some talk of destroying her. Brendan has never failed at a mission, but when he sees how beautiful demonic Luciana is things get complicated.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is number two in Chong’s The Company of Angel’s series. It is a lot better than the first one. The writing is a lot stronger than the first novel. Initially I believed it seemed stronger because Luciana is a stronger character than the previous female lead, then the story started describing things with a deeper tone than the first book which lead me to change my mind. The first book was linear and simple while this story is a little more complicated, and a little darker. This isn’t a series you have to read in order. The characters from the first book make a brief appearance, but for the most part they, or what happened between them is not vital to the story between Brendan and Luciana.
Luciana is complicated. She is a demon, and not a very nice one. She has bathed in the blood of innocents, and enjoys poisoning people. Reforming a character like this in the eyes of a reader is a hard task, so we send an alpha male super good guy, Brendan. Brendan used to be a cop before he died, and came back as an angel. Once he encounters, and captures Luciana, he has to remind himself that beauty can be evil. When she escapes him, he looks deeper into her past, her surroundings, and finds that not only does he care for her, but he doesn’t believe they are all that different. In fact lines start to blur until there is not just simple good and evil, but forgiveness, and belief in oneself.
Things become even more complicated when Luciana is pressed by another demon to kill Brendan. Brendan is soon pressured by his own company to pull her in sooner so they can destroy her. Both are pulled in two directions, and know they will never be able to be, though I never fully understood why. They are also not the only two romantically involved couple in the novel. One of Luciana’s gate keepers finds his heart with a past victim. The characters in this book have a lot more depth, and we see lines change and blur.
The surroundings of Venice, though beautiful, do not fully engross the reader. Chong’s growth is really shown in the characters themselves, and not the scenery. The plot is also strongly character driven, even if I don’t always understand certain choices.
Brendan and Luciana do have an instant attraction which what usually bother me, but I thought it was handled well. The double sided blade in the novel was the character choices. I didn’t always like them, or find them believable, but in other times thought they were dead on. The ending and the romance between these two opposing forces stands as fitting. It left me looking forward to the next novel in this series.
- Beth (Guest Reviewer)
The demon Luciana escaped the company of angels, and fled back to her home in Venice. She went back to give her yearly sacrifice to the devil. Brendan is sent to capture Luciana. They believe she has a poison strong enough to kill angel and demon alike. Brendan has to recapture her, and there is some talk of destroying her. Brendan has never failed at a mission, but when he sees how beautiful demonic Luciana is things get complicated.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is number two in Chong’s The Company of Angel’s series. It is a lot better than the first one. The writing is a lot stronger than the first novel. Initially I believed it seemed stronger because Luciana is a stronger character than the previous female lead, then the story started describing things with a deeper tone than the first book which lead me to change my mind. The first book was linear and simple while this story is a little more complicated, and a little darker. This isn’t a series you have to read in order. The characters from the first book make a brief appearance, but for the most part they, or what happened between them is not vital to the story between Brendan and Luciana.
Luciana is complicated. She is a demon, and not a very nice one. She has bathed in the blood of innocents, and enjoys poisoning people. Reforming a character like this in the eyes of a reader is a hard task, so we send an alpha male super good guy, Brendan. Brendan used to be a cop before he died, and came back as an angel. Once he encounters, and captures Luciana, he has to remind himself that beauty can be evil. When she escapes him, he looks deeper into her past, her surroundings, and finds that not only does he care for her, but he doesn’t believe they are all that different. In fact lines start to blur until there is not just simple good and evil, but forgiveness, and belief in oneself.
Things become even more complicated when Luciana is pressed by another demon to kill Brendan. Brendan is soon pressured by his own company to pull her in sooner so they can destroy her. Both are pulled in two directions, and know they will never be able to be, though I never fully understood why. They are also not the only two romantically involved couple in the novel. One of Luciana’s gate keepers finds his heart with a past victim. The characters in this book have a lot more depth, and we see lines change and blur.
The surroundings of Venice, though beautiful, do not fully engross the reader. Chong’s growth is really shown in the characters themselves, and not the scenery. The plot is also strongly character driven, even if I don’t always understand certain choices.
Brendan and Luciana do have an instant attraction which what usually bother me, but I thought it was handled well. The double sided blade in the novel was the character choices. I didn’t always like them, or find them believable, but in other times thought they were dead on. The ending and the romance between these two opposing forces stands as fitting. It left me looking forward to the next novel in this series.
- Beth (Guest Reviewer)
September 10, 2012
3.5
The demon Luciana escaped the company of angels, and fled back to her home in Venice. She went back to give her yearly sacrifice to the devil. Brendan is sent to capture Luciana. They believe she has a poison strong enough to kill angel and demon alike. Brendan has to recapture her, and there is some talk of destroying her. Brendan has never failed at a mission, but when he sees how beautiful demonic Luciana is things get complicated.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is number two in Chong’s The Company of Angel’s series. It is a lot better than the first one. The writing is a lot stronger than the first novel. Initially I believed it seemed stronger because Luciana is a stronger character than the previous female lead, then the story started describing things with a deeper tone than the first book which lead me to change my mind. The first book was linear and simple while this story is a little more complicated, and a little darker. This isn’t a series you have to read in order. The characters from the first book make a brief appearance, but for the most part they, or what happened between them is not vital to the story between Brendan and Luciana.
Luciana is complicated. She is a demon, and not a very nice one. She has bathed in the blood of innocents, and enjoys poisoning people. Reforming a character like this in the eyes of a reader is a hard task, so we send an alpha male super good guy, Brendan. Brendan used to be a cop before he died, and came back as an angel. Once he encounters, and captures Luciana, he has to remind himself that beauty can be evil. When she escapes him, he looks deeper into her past, her surroundings, and finds that not only does he care for her, but he doesn’t believe they are all that different. In fact lines start to blur until there is not just simple good and evil, but forgiveness, and belief in oneself.
Things become even more complicated when Luciana is pressed by another demon to kill Brendan. Brendan is soon pressured by his own company to pull her in sooner so they can destroy her. Both are pulled in two directions, and know they will never be able to be, though I never fully understood why. They are also not the only two romantically involved couple in the novel. One of Luciana’s gate keepers finds his heart with a past victim. The characters in this book have a lot more depth, and we see lines change and blur.
The surroundings of Venice, though beautiful, do not fully engross the reader. Chong’s growth is really shown in the characters themselves, and not the scenery. The plot is also strongly character driven, even if I don’t always understand certain choices.
Brendan and Luciana do have an instant attraction which what usually bother me, but I thought it was handled well. The double sided blade in the novel was the character choices. I didn’t always like them, or find them believable, but in other times thought they were dead on. The ending and the romance between these two opposing forces stands as fitting. It left me looking forward to the next novel in this series.
The demon Luciana escaped the company of angels, and fled back to her home in Venice. She went back to give her yearly sacrifice to the devil. Brendan is sent to capture Luciana. They believe she has a poison strong enough to kill angel and demon alike. Brendan has to recapture her, and there is some talk of destroying her. Brendan has never failed at a mission, but when he sees how beautiful demonic Luciana is things get complicated.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is number two in Chong’s The Company of Angel’s series. It is a lot better than the first one. The writing is a lot stronger than the first novel. Initially I believed it seemed stronger because Luciana is a stronger character than the previous female lead, then the story started describing things with a deeper tone than the first book which lead me to change my mind. The first book was linear and simple while this story is a little more complicated, and a little darker. This isn’t a series you have to read in order. The characters from the first book make a brief appearance, but for the most part they, or what happened between them is not vital to the story between Brendan and Luciana.
Luciana is complicated. She is a demon, and not a very nice one. She has bathed in the blood of innocents, and enjoys poisoning people. Reforming a character like this in the eyes of a reader is a hard task, so we send an alpha male super good guy, Brendan. Brendan used to be a cop before he died, and came back as an angel. Once he encounters, and captures Luciana, he has to remind himself that beauty can be evil. When she escapes him, he looks deeper into her past, her surroundings, and finds that not only does he care for her, but he doesn’t believe they are all that different. In fact lines start to blur until there is not just simple good and evil, but forgiveness, and belief in oneself.
Things become even more complicated when Luciana is pressed by another demon to kill Brendan. Brendan is soon pressured by his own company to pull her in sooner so they can destroy her. Both are pulled in two directions, and know they will never be able to be, though I never fully understood why. They are also not the only two romantically involved couple in the novel. One of Luciana’s gate keepers finds his heart with a past victim. The characters in this book have a lot more depth, and we see lines change and blur.
The surroundings of Venice, though beautiful, do not fully engross the reader. Chong’s growth is really shown in the characters themselves, and not the scenery. The plot is also strongly character driven, even if I don’t always understand certain choices.
Brendan and Luciana do have an instant attraction which what usually bother me, but I thought it was handled well. The double sided blade in the novel was the character choices. I didn’t always like them, or find them believable, but in other times thought they were dead on. The ending and the romance between these two opposing forces stands as fitting. It left me looking forward to the next novel in this series.
July 25, 2012
"The Demoness of Waking Dreams" takes place right after "Where Demons Fear to Tread." Some of the characters are recurring. Luciana Rossetti, a somewhat powerful demoness was introduced in the first book of the series. She was evil, not likable, revenge and survival consumed her immortal existence. She was able to escape the Company of Angels and return to her ancestral home in Vienna where this book picks up.
Each year Luciana must make a sacrifice to the devil to stay above ground and not in hell with the other damned. She goes to a specific church during an annual festival to pick her victim, but she runs into an angel, Brendan Clarkson. Who was sent from the Chicago Company office to apprehend Luciana and bring her back to the States. Her main threat to the angels is a poison she has developed that can kill demons. And if it can kill demons, it probably can kill angels.
Brendan is a former cop who died on the job, who hasn't completely dealt with his death. He constantly relives his death through dreams. Once Brendan meets Luciana, he apprehends her, but she escapes. He has an undeniable attraction to her. Luciana has the ability to invade men's dreams. She can take part in these dreams, or change the dreams. She does invade Brendan's dreams. Brendan is quickly over his head and is given help by the Italian Company of Angels and the leader of the LA unit, Arielle. An angel that Brendan has some history with, but doesn't get along with.
Brendan is convinced that Luciana can be redeemed and break free from her bonds as a demon. She is convinced due to her tragic life and poor choices during life and after, that this is impossible. Although I never felt sorry for Luciana I appreciated learning more about her. She didn't seem less evil, but her motives were explained for a better understanding. We do meet other characters that are connected to Luciana's life, there are twists so I won't give away any spoilers. Ultimately Luciana and Brendan help each other and care for each other, but let each other go. Luciana helps Brendan with his death, and reveal exactly what happened. Brendan teaches Luciana that there is some good in her even though she continues to believe that she is not redeemable.
I am curious who the next book is about. I am hoping Arielle gets her own book. There is more to this angel who is in charge of the LA unit, that may not be all good. This book was an enjoyable addition to the series. I definitely recommend reading this series in order. Stephanie Chong is quickly becoming a favorite paranormal romance author of mine and I look forward to the next book!
*This book was provided to me by Harlequin Mira through NetGalley.
Each year Luciana must make a sacrifice to the devil to stay above ground and not in hell with the other damned. She goes to a specific church during an annual festival to pick her victim, but she runs into an angel, Brendan Clarkson. Who was sent from the Chicago Company office to apprehend Luciana and bring her back to the States. Her main threat to the angels is a poison she has developed that can kill demons. And if it can kill demons, it probably can kill angels.
Brendan is a former cop who died on the job, who hasn't completely dealt with his death. He constantly relives his death through dreams. Once Brendan meets Luciana, he apprehends her, but she escapes. He has an undeniable attraction to her. Luciana has the ability to invade men's dreams. She can take part in these dreams, or change the dreams. She does invade Brendan's dreams. Brendan is quickly over his head and is given help by the Italian Company of Angels and the leader of the LA unit, Arielle. An angel that Brendan has some history with, but doesn't get along with.
Brendan is convinced that Luciana can be redeemed and break free from her bonds as a demon. She is convinced due to her tragic life and poor choices during life and after, that this is impossible. Although I never felt sorry for Luciana I appreciated learning more about her. She didn't seem less evil, but her motives were explained for a better understanding. We do meet other characters that are connected to Luciana's life, there are twists so I won't give away any spoilers. Ultimately Luciana and Brendan help each other and care for each other, but let each other go. Luciana helps Brendan with his death, and reveal exactly what happened. Brendan teaches Luciana that there is some good in her even though she continues to believe that she is not redeemable.
I am curious who the next book is about. I am hoping Arielle gets her own book. There is more to this angel who is in charge of the LA unit, that may not be all good. This book was an enjoyable addition to the series. I definitely recommend reading this series in order. Stephanie Chong is quickly becoming a favorite paranormal romance author of mine and I look forward to the next book!
*This book was provided to me by Harlequin Mira through NetGalley.
December 16, 2012
This is the second book in the Company of Angels series by Chong. I did not read the first book in this series, but each book in the series is supposed to stand well on its own. This was an okay read, but pretty typical paranormal romance fare. I didn’t hate the book, but I was pretty ambivalent about it too. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Luciana is a dangerous Rogue demoness and has been a demoness for centuries. Brendan is a relatively new Guardian Angel who is tasked with the mission of capturing her. As Luciana invades Brendan’s dreams both of them end up challenging their roles of good and evil.
This is pretty typical pararnormal romance fair. Both Luciana and Brendan have tortured pasts amd are drawn to each other. This pretty much turns into a man chases woman type of storyline. Luciana tries to seduce Brendan but finds that she is one one being seduced in turn. Brendan is trying to redeem Luciana but finds that the darkness in her matches the darkness in himself. Their love is star-crossed and doomed from the start.
The writing is okay; but the conversations between Brandon and Luciana sound a bit awkward at times and don't flow well. Most of the book is easy to read and flows well; it is just character conversations that are awkward. Also there is pretty much no humor in this book at all and it makes for a dry read at times.
I thought the chemistry between Luciana and Brendan was lackluster as well; there is some heat here but not much. I was never able to really care if they managed to make it as a couple. I was never on the edge of my seat desperate to know what would happen. Most of the sex scenes take place in their dreams, and to be honest they are pretty boring and unimaginative scenes.
There isn’t a ton of plot outside of Brendan hunting down Luciana for the Company of Angels. You learn a little about Brendan and Luciana’s past and about the past between the demons and angels...but it’s just enough to hold the story together and not very elaborate.
Overall this definitely wasn’t my favorite paranormal romance read. There are much better series out there. It’s not a horrible book, but I didn’t find it to be all that engaging either. The story is pretty much typical paranormal romance fare; there is some plot here but not much. The story mainly revolves around Brendan hunting down Luciana. I would tentatively recommend if you are a huge paranormal romance fan and enjoy angel/demon love stories. Mostly though I would say look elsewhere for your PNR fix.
Luciana is a dangerous Rogue demoness and has been a demoness for centuries. Brendan is a relatively new Guardian Angel who is tasked with the mission of capturing her. As Luciana invades Brendan’s dreams both of them end up challenging their roles of good and evil.
This is pretty typical pararnormal romance fair. Both Luciana and Brendan have tortured pasts amd are drawn to each other. This pretty much turns into a man chases woman type of storyline. Luciana tries to seduce Brendan but finds that she is one one being seduced in turn. Brendan is trying to redeem Luciana but finds that the darkness in her matches the darkness in himself. Their love is star-crossed and doomed from the start.
The writing is okay; but the conversations between Brandon and Luciana sound a bit awkward at times and don't flow well. Most of the book is easy to read and flows well; it is just character conversations that are awkward. Also there is pretty much no humor in this book at all and it makes for a dry read at times.
I thought the chemistry between Luciana and Brendan was lackluster as well; there is some heat here but not much. I was never able to really care if they managed to make it as a couple. I was never on the edge of my seat desperate to know what would happen. Most of the sex scenes take place in their dreams, and to be honest they are pretty boring and unimaginative scenes.
There isn’t a ton of plot outside of Brendan hunting down Luciana for the Company of Angels. You learn a little about Brendan and Luciana’s past and about the past between the demons and angels...but it’s just enough to hold the story together and not very elaborate.
Overall this definitely wasn’t my favorite paranormal romance read. There are much better series out there. It’s not a horrible book, but I didn’t find it to be all that engaging either. The story is pretty much typical paranormal romance fare; there is some plot here but not much. The story mainly revolves around Brendan hunting down Luciana. I would tentatively recommend if you are a huge paranormal romance fan and enjoy angel/demon love stories. Mostly though I would say look elsewhere for your PNR fix.
October 7, 2012
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is the second book in Stephanie Chong's series, The Company of Angels. It tells the story of Rogue demon and poison creator, Luciana, and police officer turned angel, Brandon.
We met Luciana in the first book in the series, Where Demons Fear to Tread, and honestly she was my favorite thing about that book. I wasn't very impressed with the first book and wouldn't have read this book had it not been about the complicated and intriguing demoness, Luciana.
Brandon is a former police officer who was murdered on the job and became a Guardian angel for The Company of Angels a decade ago. For the past ten years he has relived his moment of death in his dreams every night. Something about that night doesn't sit right with Brandon so it has haunted him.
Brandon is charged with capturing the demoness Luciana and quickly learns that Luciana is more complicated that he ever imagined and that she isn't nearly as cold and heartless as she has led people to believe. Is Luciana truly evil or can she be redeemed?
I loved Luciana and Brandon together. She was so eat up with Julian Asher's betrayal that she let that control her and rule her life. It took someone as good and honest as Brandon to break through her tough exterior and discover who she truly was. Though the smexy time was seriously lacking in The Demoness of Waking Dreams, I still enjoyed Brandon and Luciana's story. Well up until the end which just about ruined the book for me. Nothing like a bad ending or lack of resolution to kill a book. Up until that moment, I felt the series had gotten better. Now I question how the series can even be considered romance as it reads more like urban fantasy.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is a story of redemption, forgiveness, and learning how to put the past behind you so you can get on with your life. There were a few great moments in the character development and the world building was better than the first book in the series. My issue is with the ending. Luciana's gatekeeper, Massimo, was a character I really enjoyed reading about. After the way this book ended, I'm not sure which direction the series is headed but I hope he gets a HEA.
Bad ending aside, I really liked The Demoness of Waking Dreams. Because I have OCD and need resolution I will more than likely read the next book in the series. Hopefully in that installment, Ms. Chong won't just leave her readers hanging. I give The Demoness of Waking Dreams 3.5 stars.
*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY*
We met Luciana in the first book in the series, Where Demons Fear to Tread, and honestly she was my favorite thing about that book. I wasn't very impressed with the first book and wouldn't have read this book had it not been about the complicated and intriguing demoness, Luciana.
Brandon is a former police officer who was murdered on the job and became a Guardian angel for The Company of Angels a decade ago. For the past ten years he has relived his moment of death in his dreams every night. Something about that night doesn't sit right with Brandon so it has haunted him.
Brandon is charged with capturing the demoness Luciana and quickly learns that Luciana is more complicated that he ever imagined and that she isn't nearly as cold and heartless as she has led people to believe. Is Luciana truly evil or can she be redeemed?
I loved Luciana and Brandon together. She was so eat up with Julian Asher's betrayal that she let that control her and rule her life. It took someone as good and honest as Brandon to break through her tough exterior and discover who she truly was. Though the smexy time was seriously lacking in The Demoness of Waking Dreams, I still enjoyed Brandon and Luciana's story. Well up until the end which just about ruined the book for me. Nothing like a bad ending or lack of resolution to kill a book. Up until that moment, I felt the series had gotten better. Now I question how the series can even be considered romance as it reads more like urban fantasy.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams is a story of redemption, forgiveness, and learning how to put the past behind you so you can get on with your life. There were a few great moments in the character development and the world building was better than the first book in the series. My issue is with the ending. Luciana's gatekeeper, Massimo, was a character I really enjoyed reading about. After the way this book ended, I'm not sure which direction the series is headed but I hope he gets a HEA.
Bad ending aside, I really liked The Demoness of Waking Dreams. Because I have OCD and need resolution I will more than likely read the next book in the series. Hopefully in that installment, Ms. Chong won't just leave her readers hanging. I give The Demoness of Waking Dreams 3.5 stars.
*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY*
February 27, 2013
In the history of books, there have been worse endings than this one, I'm sure. But I can't think of one off the top of my head. I know it's bad form to start a review by talking about the ending, but it must be said. This is a romance novel. It's supposed to have a happy ending. I'm even good with a happy-for-now ending. Be warned, this has neither.
Still with me? Let's talk about the rest.
The female lead in this book was actually one of the villains in Where Demons Fear to Tread. She was also a very fascinating character in that story, so I was kind of excited to see how she would be redeemed. Luciana is no wilting flower. She has endured a horrible existence, but she is willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of herself. And she doesn't waste any time worrying about the morality of her choices.
Brendan has only been an angel for about 10 years. Before that, he was a Detroit cop who was killed on the job. He is steeped in power and knows how to get things done. That is why the Angel Council chose him to capture Luciana and get custody of the poison she made that can kill angels and demons alike.
Brendan tracks her down in Venice and from the very beginning, the two are drawn to each other. For a long time, they try to fight it, focusing on the fact that they are enemies. But once Luciana begins to use her abilities to walk in his dreams and tries to use seduction as a weapon, it's only a matter of time before they begin falling for each other.
I liked Luciana. She has an edge that you rarely see in a PNR heroine. I like that she is unapologetic and doesn't hem and haw over what needs to be done. I liked that Brendan isn't 100% goody-two-shoes either. There are shades of gray in both characters. There's solid sexual tension and the conflict felt genuine. (However, I thought when Brendan gave in to his attraction to Luciana, it seemed a bit sudden.)
The demon Corbin is back and he is as evil as ever. And there's even a character with questionable morals on team-angel. I like the nuances you see on both sides of angel-demon war.
But. I found the pacing a little uneven. It had some slow pockets for me in the first half. And I hated the end. Even though there were parts of the book that were really engaging, I just can't get over a romance without an HEA.
*ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley
Still with me? Let's talk about the rest.
The female lead in this book was actually one of the villains in Where Demons Fear to Tread. She was also a very fascinating character in that story, so I was kind of excited to see how she would be redeemed. Luciana is no wilting flower. She has endured a horrible existence, but she is willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of herself. And she doesn't waste any time worrying about the morality of her choices.
Brendan has only been an angel for about 10 years. Before that, he was a Detroit cop who was killed on the job. He is steeped in power and knows how to get things done. That is why the Angel Council chose him to capture Luciana and get custody of the poison she made that can kill angels and demons alike.
Brendan tracks her down in Venice and from the very beginning, the two are drawn to each other. For a long time, they try to fight it, focusing on the fact that they are enemies. But once Luciana begins to use her abilities to walk in his dreams and tries to use seduction as a weapon, it's only a matter of time before they begin falling for each other.
I liked Luciana. She has an edge that you rarely see in a PNR heroine. I like that she is unapologetic and doesn't hem and haw over what needs to be done. I liked that Brendan isn't 100% goody-two-shoes either. There are shades of gray in both characters. There's solid sexual tension and the conflict felt genuine. (However, I thought when Brendan gave in to his attraction to Luciana, it seemed a bit sudden.)
The demon Corbin is back and he is as evil as ever. And there's even a character with questionable morals on team-angel. I like the nuances you see on both sides of angel-demon war.
But. I found the pacing a little uneven. It had some slow pockets for me in the first half. And I hated the end. Even though there were parts of the book that were really engaging, I just can't get over a romance without an HEA.
*ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley
October 19, 2012
This is the second book in this series. Where Demons Fear To Tread is the first book. Luciana is the demoness we meet in the first book. One who seems evil to the core. Her perchant for poisons makes her as dangerous as any arch-demon not just for mortals, but for the immortals walking the earth. She has developed a poison that could even harm them. This is why she was targeted and became a top priority for capture. Unfortunately, it seems that some angels want more than her capture. Luckily for her, the one sent for her, Brandon, is an honorable angel and is unwilling to hurt her regardless of what he is told.
So, I thought this was an interesting twist. The demoness is the brooding evil one and the angelic redeemer is the sweet (albeit hot) male. Granted the male isn't innocent, but sweet enough to make him angelic. There is an insta-attraction between the two, but no necessarily love. This helped me accept it, but it still was a bit too fast for me, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of their adventure.
With these types of PNR stories, we often have the evil one wanting to be redeemed and you can see their path clearly even with the hazards. However Luciana has no want of redemption and only revenge. Even though you see some of her veneer cracking I was never convinced of her want to become "good", and this bothered me at first. Then I started to understand that this was intentional. She was struggling but could not let go of her need for revenge. She would not, nor could not change until she found forgiveness for those that wronged her... including herself.
Ah... so you figure she found her forgiveness and then found her HEA? Let me just say that the ending is frustrating as it is perfect. If it was any other way I would not have liked it, but at the same time I wanted something different. Heh... I'll let you chew on that one for a bit. *evil laugh*
I give this book 4 stars. I did have some frustrations with the characters but some were minor and some were intentional. I found this interesting and I want the next book so I can find out what happens next. There is a big thread left open (no cliffie) and I want to know where things are heading. :)
So, I thought this was an interesting twist. The demoness is the brooding evil one and the angelic redeemer is the sweet (albeit hot) male. Granted the male isn't innocent, but sweet enough to make him angelic. There is an insta-attraction between the two, but no necessarily love. This helped me accept it, but it still was a bit too fast for me, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of their adventure.
With these types of PNR stories, we often have the evil one wanting to be redeemed and you can see their path clearly even with the hazards. However Luciana has no want of redemption and only revenge. Even though you see some of her veneer cracking I was never convinced of her want to become "good", and this bothered me at first. Then I started to understand that this was intentional. She was struggling but could not let go of her need for revenge. She would not, nor could not change until she found forgiveness for those that wronged her... including herself.
Ah... so you figure she found her forgiveness and then found her HEA? Let me just say that the ending is frustrating as it is perfect. If it was any other way I would not have liked it, but at the same time I wanted something different. Heh... I'll let you chew on that one for a bit. *evil laugh*
I give this book 4 stars. I did have some frustrations with the characters but some were minor and some were intentional. I found this interesting and I want the next book so I can find out what happens next. There is a big thread left open (no cliffie) and I want to know where things are heading. :)
February 17, 2014
Reviewed by Jen
Book provided by NetGalley for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I have some really mixed feelings about this book. In some ways I really liked it… but in others I was just do disappointed. After having read book one, I was excited to tackle this one. But my disappointment is making this a very hard review to write.
So, on one hand we have Brandon. He was a Chicago cop who was murdered while undercover and then he became an angel. He’s never gotten over his murder and every night he relives the event in his dreams… until he meets Luciana. She on the other hand is a demon. She’s got this affinity for poisons and is creating one that will kill demons and angels alike.
Fair warning, there may be some spoilers ahead, although I’m going to try very hard to not do it.
I actually liked both Brandon and Luciana, but I’m not sure I liked them together. I guess this whole idea of angels and demons hooking up just seems wrong. In this book, Luciana doesn’t really repent and yet Brandon doesn’t “fall” either. But at the same time, I knew these two loved each other, but the ending just ticked me off… and I can’t say any more than that without completely giving away the book. When I got to the last page, I asked “that’s it?”. I was not a happy camper.
Yes, the journey to get there was well done. Brandon is supposed to capture the elusive, bad demon, Luciana. But he finds that he’s more intrigued with her than he probably should be. Which then takes the reader on a wild ride as they play cat and mouse and then make love and then war. And then throw in the supporting characters that don’t make things any easier for anyone… well, as I said, it was a wild ride.
I guess I’m just going to have to keep reading the series to see if there is some resolution that didn’t happen here. That said, the book will stand alone, but as always, reading them in order does help enhance the reading experience.
And last, a word of warning. There is a fair amount of violence and a rape scene of sorts.
Book provided by NetGalley for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I have some really mixed feelings about this book. In some ways I really liked it… but in others I was just do disappointed. After having read book one, I was excited to tackle this one. But my disappointment is making this a very hard review to write.
So, on one hand we have Brandon. He was a Chicago cop who was murdered while undercover and then he became an angel. He’s never gotten over his murder and every night he relives the event in his dreams… until he meets Luciana. She on the other hand is a demon. She’s got this affinity for poisons and is creating one that will kill demons and angels alike.
Fair warning, there may be some spoilers ahead, although I’m going to try very hard to not do it.
I actually liked both Brandon and Luciana, but I’m not sure I liked them together. I guess this whole idea of angels and demons hooking up just seems wrong. In this book, Luciana doesn’t really repent and yet Brandon doesn’t “fall” either. But at the same time, I knew these two loved each other, but the ending just ticked me off… and I can’t say any more than that without completely giving away the book. When I got to the last page, I asked “that’s it?”. I was not a happy camper.
Yes, the journey to get there was well done. Brandon is supposed to capture the elusive, bad demon, Luciana. But he finds that he’s more intrigued with her than he probably should be. Which then takes the reader on a wild ride as they play cat and mouse and then make love and then war. And then throw in the supporting characters that don’t make things any easier for anyone… well, as I said, it was a wild ride.
I guess I’m just going to have to keep reading the series to see if there is some resolution that didn’t happen here. That said, the book will stand alone, but as always, reading them in order does help enhance the reading experience.
And last, a word of warning. There is a fair amount of violence and a rape scene of sorts.
October 11, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Luciana is a centuries old demon and thrives on the darkness of her soul. She must make a sacrifice of a human soul each year to keep her life on earth. This year she has missed her deadline by a few hours because she has been detained by Brandon Clarkson, a cop turned Angel enforcer in order to take out her evilness from the world. She manages to escape and complete the murder of a young opera star, but it isn't enough. Satan sends his henchman, Corbin to make a new deal with Luciana. She must kill the Angel or she loses her soul to him forever and she must do it within a week. Coming from medieval Italy, she is well versed in poison, so becomes her plan to kill Brandon.
You don't need to read the first book since the characters from that one are only briefly mentioned in this one, but Where Demons Fear to Tread does put this story in good perspective. Luciana is portrayed with just enough doubt of her evilness that you believe that she can overcome that and be redeemed. Her backstory is one of heartbreaking devastation that was probably a common thread while she was growing up in Italy ages ago with forced marriage and being beaten as a wife. Brandon has his own issues and is truly one of those good souls that aren't overbearing in their goodness.
Well, I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first for some reason. It was a bit more gritty and sexy and was a very quick read for me. The characters and their internal dialogue was wonderful and the two stars really came together. The use of speaking through dreams was a perfect way to connect them. I love the idea that even in total evilness, there can be redeeming good. This is a different sort of paranormal romance that has a nice message of that goodness triumphing! Now I can't wait for the next one.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Luciana is a centuries old demon and thrives on the darkness of her soul. She must make a sacrifice of a human soul each year to keep her life on earth. This year she has missed her deadline by a few hours because she has been detained by Brandon Clarkson, a cop turned Angel enforcer in order to take out her evilness from the world. She manages to escape and complete the murder of a young opera star, but it isn't enough. Satan sends his henchman, Corbin to make a new deal with Luciana. She must kill the Angel or she loses her soul to him forever and she must do it within a week. Coming from medieval Italy, she is well versed in poison, so becomes her plan to kill Brandon.
You don't need to read the first book since the characters from that one are only briefly mentioned in this one, but Where Demons Fear to Tread does put this story in good perspective. Luciana is portrayed with just enough doubt of her evilness that you believe that she can overcome that and be redeemed. Her backstory is one of heartbreaking devastation that was probably a common thread while she was growing up in Italy ages ago with forced marriage and being beaten as a wife. Brandon has his own issues and is truly one of those good souls that aren't overbearing in their goodness.
Well, I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first for some reason. It was a bit more gritty and sexy and was a very quick read for me. The characters and their internal dialogue was wonderful and the two stars really came together. The use of speaking through dreams was a perfect way to connect them. I love the idea that even in total evilness, there can be redeeming good. This is a different sort of paranormal romance that has a nice message of that goodness triumphing! Now I can't wait for the next one.
October 11, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Luciana is a centuries old demon and thrives on the darkness of her soul. She must make a sacrifice of a human soul each year to keep her life on earth. This year she has missed her deadline by a few hours because she has been detained by Brandon Clarkson, a cop turned Angel enforcer in order to take out her evilness from the world. She manages to escape and complete the murder of a young opera star, but it isn't enough. Satan sends his henchman, Corbin to make a new deal with Luciana. She must kill the Angel or she loses her soul to him forever and she must do it within a week. Coming from medieval Italy, she is well versed in poison, so becomes her plan to kill Brandon.
You don't need to read the first book since the characters from that one are only briefly mentioned in this one, but Where Demons Fear to Tread does put this story in good perspective. Luciana is portrayed with just enough doubt of her evilness that you believe that she can overcome that and be redeemed. Her backstory is one of heartbreaking devastation that was probably a common thread while she was growing up in Italy ages ago with forced marriage and being beaten as a wife. Brandon has his own issues and is truly one of those good souls that aren't overbearing in their goodness.
Well, I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first for some reason. It was a bit more gritty and sexy and was a very quick read for me. The characters and their internal dialogue was wonderful and the two stars really came together. The use of speaking through dreams was a perfect way to connect them. I love the idea that even in total evilness, there can be redeeming good. This is a different sort of paranormal romance that has a nice message of that goodness triumphing! Now I can't wait for the next one.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Luciana is a centuries old demon and thrives on the darkness of her soul. She must make a sacrifice of a human soul each year to keep her life on earth. This year she has missed her deadline by a few hours because she has been detained by Brandon Clarkson, a cop turned Angel enforcer in order to take out her evilness from the world. She manages to escape and complete the murder of a young opera star, but it isn't enough. Satan sends his henchman, Corbin to make a new deal with Luciana. She must kill the Angel or she loses her soul to him forever and she must do it within a week. Coming from medieval Italy, she is well versed in poison, so becomes her plan to kill Brandon.
You don't need to read the first book since the characters from that one are only briefly mentioned in this one, but Where Demons Fear to Tread does put this story in good perspective. Luciana is portrayed with just enough doubt of her evilness that you believe that she can overcome that and be redeemed. Her backstory is one of heartbreaking devastation that was probably a common thread while she was growing up in Italy ages ago with forced marriage and being beaten as a wife. Brandon has his own issues and is truly one of those good souls that aren't overbearing in their goodness.
Well, I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first for some reason. It was a bit more gritty and sexy and was a very quick read for me. The characters and their internal dialogue was wonderful and the two stars really came together. The use of speaking through dreams was a perfect way to connect them. I love the idea that even in total evilness, there can be redeeming good. This is a different sort of paranormal romance that has a nice message of that goodness triumphing! Now I can't wait for the next one.
July 21, 2012
This is the second in the 'Company of Angels' series. Though I did not read the first one - yet! - it is not necessary to know what's going on in this one. The backstory is woven in expertly without being overbearing.
In this story, Luciana Rossetti, a rogue demon, has escaped her captors and is back at her home in Venice, Italy. It is the night of the blessing in the church and the night she will chose a victim to sacrifice to the devil, an annual rite she follows in order to stay out of Hell. She looks around to find...Brandon.
"Luciana was aware of only him. The first man and woman, meeting in a wild garden paradise. Or the last man and woman on earth, standing on an arid plain at the end of time. Angel and Demon."
Brandon Clarkson is an ex-cop killed in the line of duty, resurrected as a guardian angel, one of the Company of Angels. His job - protecting humanity - hasn't changed, just his bosses. He's been sent to Venice to capture Luciana and secure the deadly poison she has - one that can kill angels. What follows is a story full of intrigue, passion, rebellion, betrayal and more.
This is a well-written story with great characters, believable world building, and a plot with enough twists to keep you interested.
Those are all the things I liked. What I didn't like was the end. So, other than the ending, this was a really good story. Recommended if you intend on following the entire series.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
In this story, Luciana Rossetti, a rogue demon, has escaped her captors and is back at her home in Venice, Italy. It is the night of the blessing in the church and the night she will chose a victim to sacrifice to the devil, an annual rite she follows in order to stay out of Hell. She looks around to find...Brandon.
"Luciana was aware of only him. The first man and woman, meeting in a wild garden paradise. Or the last man and woman on earth, standing on an arid plain at the end of time. Angel and Demon."
Brandon Clarkson is an ex-cop killed in the line of duty, resurrected as a guardian angel, one of the Company of Angels. His job - protecting humanity - hasn't changed, just his bosses. He's been sent to Venice to capture Luciana and secure the deadly poison she has - one that can kill angels. What follows is a story full of intrigue, passion, rebellion, betrayal and more.
This is a well-written story with great characters, believable world building, and a plot with enough twists to keep you interested.
Those are all the things I liked. What I didn't like was the end. So, other than the ending, this was a really good story. Recommended if you intend on following the entire series.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 25, 2012
I started reading this book and quickly realized that this was book 2 of a series (if you've ever read any of my reviews you know I do this quite often). So, to get the full effect of the story I put this one down and downloaded the first book, Where Demons Fear to Tread, and read it and I'm very happy I did. I got more of a sense of how deliciously wicked Luciana Rossetti really is. And in the first book she is an evil bitch, there's really no other way to say it. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book but then in walks Brendan Clarkson, an angel who is definitely a little rougher then the rest with his bad-boy attitude and all those yummy tattoos. The two MCs certainly made a great match both being able to see something in each other that no one else could. I also liked the location of this book, Venice, and felt the descriptions of that city were pretty good. I've never been to Venice, but I could actually see what she was writing about.
The one thing I didn't like about this book was the way it ended. I understand it was done that way to set-up the next book in the series, but I felt as if I was just left hanging for the next 6-12 months (or however long it takes for the book to be published). I can't think of a way to write about the ending without giving spoilers so I'll just say that I like for one story to be finished before I read the next, because I read so many books that unless the book is outstanding I tend to forget details between one book and the next. That being said I would still recommend this book to anyone wanting a change in the normal paranormal romance genre.
The one thing I didn't like about this book was the way it ended. I understand it was done that way to set-up the next book in the series, but I felt as if I was just left hanging for the next 6-12 months (or however long it takes for the book to be published). I can't think of a way to write about the ending without giving spoilers so I'll just say that I like for one story to be finished before I read the next, because I read so many books that unless the book is outstanding I tend to forget details between one book and the next. That being said I would still recommend this book to anyone wanting a change in the normal paranormal romance genre.
March 1, 2013
As Seen on Rabidreads.ca:
The Demoness of Waking Dreams, for all the stereotyping that title opens us up to (you know he said, demoness said games) throws a refreshing pail of grey over the protagonist, her “captor/savior”, and their respective minions/superiors that matches quite nicely with this very musty but very atmospheric Venice.
The pacing lets up on occasion for some very interesting and long-winded backstories. (Most of the time though, one can look forward to colorful chase sequences and a multitude of equally colorful backdrops).
The characters at the heart of this – Luciana and Brandon – cultivate a believable amount of intimacy although so deeply angel and so deeply demoness (still lots of grey, still lots of grey).
The title perhaps deserves the most kudos for being so daring in its perhaps too descriptive yet very exotic sprawl (It may very well just have to do with the deployment of demoness, which with its double s-ending plays quite nicely with the continued deployment of piazza and the baroness in its interior).
The symbolism, involving dragons, poison, and feathers, is laid on with a light hand, as well as the dispersal of Italian vocabulary, Venetian history, Biblical stories, and, surprisingly, glass-blowing. What one has to love is the amount of details that are built up around a rather fanciful tale, leaving one with the feeling that, in addition, to reading a book, one has taken a trip.
The passion plays at times awkward, which is oddly enjoyable, but mostly, and this is equally enjoyable, on-point.
The Demoness of Waking Dreams, for all the stereotyping that title opens us up to (you know he said, demoness said games) throws a refreshing pail of grey over the protagonist, her “captor/savior”, and their respective minions/superiors that matches quite nicely with this very musty but very atmospheric Venice.
The pacing lets up on occasion for some very interesting and long-winded backstories. (Most of the time though, one can look forward to colorful chase sequences and a multitude of equally colorful backdrops).
The characters at the heart of this – Luciana and Brandon – cultivate a believable amount of intimacy although so deeply angel and so deeply demoness (still lots of grey, still lots of grey).
The title perhaps deserves the most kudos for being so daring in its perhaps too descriptive yet very exotic sprawl (It may very well just have to do with the deployment of demoness, which with its double s-ending plays quite nicely with the continued deployment of piazza and the baroness in its interior).
The symbolism, involving dragons, poison, and feathers, is laid on with a light hand, as well as the dispersal of Italian vocabulary, Venetian history, Biblical stories, and, surprisingly, glass-blowing. What one has to love is the amount of details that are built up around a rather fanciful tale, leaving one with the feeling that, in addition, to reading a book, one has taken a trip.
The passion plays at times awkward, which is oddly enjoyable, but mostly, and this is equally enjoyable, on-point.
September 1, 2012
Good reviews are always hard to write. I want to just gush about the book, but I can't do that without giving away the plot. So, what I can tell you......I really loved the characters. The good, the bad and the ugly! They were all written very well. And as with any good book with a hunky character, I am smitten with Brandon. I even like Luciana who throughout the book does some seriously evil things! But, she's not as hard as she tries to act. The only one who can see this is Brandon. Brandon and Luciana were made for each other. They can look into each other and see the real person behind the facades. While I didn't find this book overly gory, it may not be for the faint of heart. If you don't like dark, gritty reads, then this may not be for you. And twists! Wow, I didn't see those coming. This book will keep you turning the pages to find out what will happen! Can't wait to see what is in store for Brandon and Luciana next!
This is the second book of The Company of Angels series, but I didn't feel like I missed anything not having read the first book. The first book, Where Demons Fear to Tread, features Serena and Julian.
****************SPOILER ALERT*******************
I loved the fact that the ending wasn't all tied up and delivered in a nice package with a bow. When you're dealing with good and evil, not everything will end happily.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is the second book of The Company of Angels series, but I didn't feel like I missed anything not having read the first book. The first book, Where Demons Fear to Tread, features Serena and Julian.
****************SPOILER ALERT*******************
I loved the fact that the ending wasn't all tied up and delivered in a nice package with a bow. When you're dealing with good and evil, not everything will end happily.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
August 20, 2012
The Demoness of Waking Dream was a very dark and enthralling read. I loved that while reading the book I never knew what was going to happen. I liked the struggle between good and evil. It was a very new approach to the same old angels and demons stories. I couldn't get enough!
Luciana is a Demoness who has created a poison that is lethal to angels and demons alike. She is extremely dangerous and the company of angels will do whatever it takes to stop her.
Brendan is the Angel that has been given the assignment to stop Luciana. He suffers from his tragic past but when he meets Luciana all of his previous torment is lessened. He finds him self falling in love with the very Demoness he was supposed to bring in.
Luciana and Brendan are on the opposite ends of the whole Good vs Evil game but they just work together. They seem to balance each other out so well that I began to think they should just stop choosing sides and start choosing love.
The only thing I hated about this book was that we did not get a happily ever after. Luciana doesn't think that she is good enough to be with Brendan so she runs. Brendan vows to wait for her but for me that wasn't enough.
I look forward to the next book because I want to see Luciana let go of her guilt and accept a life with Brendan. As a team those two have the potential to save the world.
Luciana is a Demoness who has created a poison that is lethal to angels and demons alike. She is extremely dangerous and the company of angels will do whatever it takes to stop her.
Brendan is the Angel that has been given the assignment to stop Luciana. He suffers from his tragic past but when he meets Luciana all of his previous torment is lessened. He finds him self falling in love with the very Demoness he was supposed to bring in.
Luciana and Brendan are on the opposite ends of the whole Good vs Evil game but they just work together. They seem to balance each other out so well that I began to think they should just stop choosing sides and start choosing love.
The only thing I hated about this book was that we did not get a happily ever after. Luciana doesn't think that she is good enough to be with Brendan so she runs. Brendan vows to wait for her but for me that wasn't enough.
I look forward to the next book because I want to see Luciana let go of her guilt and accept a life with Brendan. As a team those two have the potential to save the world.
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