Quasi Redux

Angelbound Origins #8

by Christina Bauer

“Myla is a magnificent heroine, fierce and outspoken, hilarious and mischievous, and yet compassionate and mature when the need arises… And did I mention that her demon tail is sentient? Best. Sidekick. Ever.” – The Nocturnal Library

Myla Lewis has her life back. Wife. Mother. Queen of the Thrax. Great Scala and mega boss of supernatural igni. Yay! Then one day, Myla runs across a strange fountain and her igni screech like crazy. Our heroine speaks the fateful words, “Some days, I wish I weren’t the Great Scala.”

Turns out, a demon-titan named Bedlam lurks behind the fountain… and he grants her wish.

Moments later, Myla returns to her teenage days of Purgatory High. No husband. No child. And zero power over igni. Without Myla around as the Great Scala, all quasis now live under Armageddon’s rule. That sucks. Hard. So Myla sneaks into Antrum in search of her husband, Lincoln. Together, they’ll take down the evil Bedlam and return life to normal, easy peasy. But once Myla arrives, two problems arise.

First, her husband doesn’t know her. At all.

Second, Lincoln is married to someone else.

Fuuuuuuu…

Angelbound Origins
In which Myla Lewis kicks ass and takes names. Nuff said.
1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni

Angelbound Offspring
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress

Angelbound Lincoln
Angelbound Origins as told by Prince Lincoln
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum

Don't Miss These Series From Christina Bauer
- Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
- Beholder, where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
- Dimension Drift, a dystopian adventure with science, snark, and hot aliens
- Pixieland Diairies, in which sassy pixie Calla writes about ‘her’ elf prince, Dare

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Supernatural

330 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2020

About the author

Christina 'CEE BEE' Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes young adult romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena
1. Angel bound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper
11. Reaper Games
12. Angry Gods

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress
8. Gage
*This is a finished series

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Events of Angelbound from Lincoln's POV
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire

ANGELBOUND XAVIER TRILOGY
The story of the Archangel Xavier
1. Archenemy
2. Archnemesis
3. Archangel

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves And Roses

2. Moonlight And Midtown

3. Slippers And Thieves

4. Shifters And Glyphs

5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

6. Fire And Cinder

7. Fairies And Frosting

8. Towers And Tithes
9. Mirrors And Mysteries
10. Rapunzels And Powers

DIMENSION DRIFT
Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens
1. Scythe
2. Umbra
3. Alien Minds
4. ECHO Academy
*This is a completed series

PIXIELAND DIARIES
The story of sassy pixie, Calla, and her elf crush, Dare
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
*This is a completed series

BEHOLDER
Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled
*This is a completed series

VAMPIRES OF THE DAEMONVERSE
Adult fantasy written under my pen name, CEE BEE
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Reviews

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you thought you had no more of Myla, then you need to rethink what you thought. This time around we get more of Myla and a really off the cuff comment or wish. I for one think its all in how you look at the statement. And with that said her life gets all turned upside, inside, and every which way around. I am bias. I will be the first to tell you this. I love Myla, Lincoln and the whole world built for my reading pleasure. This one was most certainly a delightful addition to the Angelbound Origins world.

You will have to pick this one up to get all the goods of what Myla goes through to get her life back to what it was. She had a uphill battle to make things right again. I enjoyed every single moment. The imagery was fantastic. And the hilarity of it all makes for another reason to pick it up and read. Myla finds herself in many situations. But she is Myla and with or without her power she can stand on her own. She's smart, resourceful, quick and more.

[Cilicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!



So being a fan of the series and someone who is currently binge reading, after finishing Armageddon I was under the impression that Connor was dead? I mean he did go to the torture pits for his deal with Aldred and at the end of the book, Myla dream scaped Connor, Octavia, and Lincoln to kill Connors soul so he wasn't in the torture pits for eternity. But at the end of Quasi Redux, when they are at the yard sale Myla mentions that Octavia and Connor stop by. The timelines aren't mixed up or anything because she mentions earlier in the book that its been a year since Maxon was kidnapped by Armageddon. So maybe I missed something?

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep in mind that if you are not familiar (like really super familiar, also know as you read all the previous books in order) then I very much do not recommend jumping in here. Quasi Redux basically throws the reader (and you know, the main characters) right into the action with tons of danger- and a scary megalodon encounter- and absolutely no backstory.


I will read anything that deals with Myla and Lincoln and this super intricate angel/demon supernatural world but I was a little hesitant to start this book because the synopsis sounded a little sad and after having read Thrax and experiencing the heart break that was the Lincoln/Myla situation there, I didn't know if I was up for more heartbreak. But since I had to know what would happen, I of course had to pick Quasi Redux up. I was so surprised (in the best of ways) to find that this was sorta, kinda a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I am such a sucker for fairytale retellings and Beauty and the Beast is hands down my favorite, and having Myla and Lincoln inserted into this storyline (with of course all the action, danger, fighting and sarcasm provided by Myla- she is not the sweet soft spoken Beauty of the fairytale and I love that about her.

Overall this was another solid installment in the Angelbound series that I am so glad I did not miss. Who would have thought that prehistoric sharks, fairytales, forced marriage, prison escapes, magical yard sales, The Great Scala action figured and lawn ornaments and curses would all mesh so well into a fast paced, entertaining story that I could not put down. I really like how the author has the ability to keep this storyline fresh, always a pleasant surprise that keeps me guessing and completely engaged. I am so here for the Myla/Lincoln HEA.

[Jessica Reads It · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone’s favorite Queen of Thrax- the great Myla, is back and the adventures are bigger, the stakes are higher and the loss is even greater than before! Christina Bauer takes us smack-dab into the action with non-stop thrills and excitement. Also- there are some stunningly accurate graphic cameos throughout which I adored !!!!!!!!

As if our Scala wasn’t desirable enough, there’s a new man around town and he’s not taking no for an answer (like literally, he needs her to say yes.) Quasi Redux showed us another side of the super confident and sassy Myla which we don’t get to see that often. Readers saw all her insecurities and doubts about herself and her ability to protect her family and realm.

Quasi Redux was also the ultimate test of love for Myla and Lincoln and her opportunity to know once and for all- was it true love or the manipulation of Verus? I like the subtle “Beauty and the Beast” theme throughout the novel and the “What if” moments of what Lincoln’s life could have been.

Myla is unapologetically Myla and I would not have her any other way. I love the consistency of her dry humor and outrageous inner thoughts. Myla’s strength and adaptability to persevere despite the ever-increasing odds against her make her one of my favorite kickass female leads.

No Angel Bound book is complete without a superbad villain and Quasi Redux was no exception. Bedlam is stronger than any foe to date with three magical power boosters in his possession which makes him a formidable opponent. Christina also added her own flair to some famous myths and legends to spice things up which I enjoyed.

Thank you to Cristina Bauer and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.

[Elayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christina is back in form with this novel -very enjoyable and innovative story as we discover that a small change in lifelines by a demon can change everyone’s history. And what we get is a version of Beauty and the Beast. Lincoln being the Beat of course, but is Myla a Beauty – well that really depends on your point of view and whether or not you like her tail (!)– and Lincoln is already married to a Beauty – whoops!
So a demon – Bedlam - appeared who can remove the Igni from our heroine and send her back into a time when she was a fighter in the Arena and removes some of her memories as well.. Only it wasn’t really Myla – the body she was dropped into looked like her but apparently was a lab made person created from the DNA of all the best Arena fighters for the amusement of Bedlam and the demons who now fill the stands – that’s right, no Quasis. Purgatory has changed dramatically, and not for the better – and neither has Myla’s dragonscale fighting suit which is falling apart and apparently, her bottom is falling out of it too.
But the Beast isn’t having a much better time. Arx Hall isn’t in a good state, his Thrax are not well trained – or have died fighting and he keeps having premonitions about demons that he going to have to fight alone.
Of course, there are many adventures between this new incarnation of the various planes and Lincoln and Myla’s reunification. And look out for the Rainbows – the promise of better or a remembrance?

[Mrs. Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myla feels like she has finally gotten her life back. She is balancing being a mother, wife, queen, and Great Scala. She is going through gifts trying to decide what to keep and what to sell to family and friends when her igni start acting crazy. She is frustrated with what is going on and says, “Some days, I wish I weren’t the Great Scala.” That doesn’t seem like much, but a demon-titan was hiding behind the fountain and he grants that wish. Now Myla finds herself in an alternate world where she never met Lincoln and didn’t marry him. Since Myla wasn’t the Great Scala, all the quasis are living under the rule of Armageddon and life sucks. Of course, Myla has a plan. She will sneak into Antrum, find Lincoln and together they will find and defeat the demon-titan. Unfortunately, Lincoln doesn’t remember her and he has his own curse to deal with.

Quasi Redux is the eighth book in the Angelbound Origins series. Although we have had many books written about these characters, there are still more secrets that are being revealed. I love how Myla doesn’t take herself very seriously and is constantly bantering with the other characters. There is a lot of action and since the book is relatively short, readers will feel like the book is finished in no time. Bauer has once again outdone herself and has given us an adventure that will have us clamoring for more.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christina Bauer manages to make something old new again in Quasi Redux, the eighth book in the “Angelborn: Origins” series. Bauer not only completely remakes Myla’s story, but writes a fairytale-retelling while she is at it.

I love the premise and it works for the series and for Myla and Lincoln. I would love a sneak peek in Prisoner 412’s life during the five years before Myla showed up because that seems like a fun story. Bauer makes the alternate universe just as fun and interesting as Antrum is in the “present”.

Lucky for us Myla is who she is no matter where you plant her and snarky plays well for me anywhere she is. Myla is still a kick-butt heroine who is willing to fight, love, and fight some more just for the fun of it. She does not give in to threats and takes no prisoners - not even her love Lincoln. Myla is willing to fight on her own if necessary that is if she can’t talk you to death into agreeing. (laugh)

Bauer creates great chemistry between Myla and Lincoln that transcends wishes, curses, and name-calling. I love Lincoln’s inner dialogue in regards to Myla in Redux. His feelings are just as funny at times as the spoken words.

Love redone mixed with a fairytale, action, sarcastic wit, and Myla is what makes Quasi Redux a great break from the Fall chill moving in.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh wow, I can't believe this is number 8 already!!
But then again, you really can't get enough of Myla, though I have to say, it took me some time to get into the story and enjoy it.

Worldbuilding:
Was good. We went all over the place, seriously, but all scenes and environments were detailed enough so you knew what was going on and where you were.

Character development:
Was good. After 8 books you kinda think you know who everyone is, well, except for the villain, and that there isn't that much room for more growth. But then the book addresses some fears and worries Myla has, deep deep down, and figuring out what's important and what not seems to be the name of the game.

Pacing and flow:
Was decent. As I've said before, it took me a while to get into the book, mostly because it has pretty short chapters that constantly switch POV between Myla and Lincoln, which (especially at the start) kept interrupting the flow of the story :(
Good balance between action and conversation, as always.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and while it took me some time, I eventually got into it and enjoyed the rest of the book. Myla is just an awesome, kicking ass character :D

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, can this be read as a stand-alone? Yes. But you will enjoy it a lot more if you start at the beginning. Background is touched on in Redux that doesn't make a lot of sense if you haven't read previous books. And as usually happens, there's less world building as the series goes on. It's pretty great world building, however.
And that teen rating for readers? Pfft. I'm way older and have enjoyed the hell out of these.

So. Another fun story featuring Myla and Lincoln. Well, this one is more about Myla, really, Lincoln felt more like a sidekick. I won't recap the plot here. One minor quibble: It didn't wrap up with a Big Red Baddie-is-Dead Bow. Maybe the next book.

I received an ARC from Monster House Books and NetGalley.com. I wasn't required to write a positive review & opinions expressed are my own. FTC 16 CFR, Pt 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements &Testimonials in Advertising.

[Esther Haddie's Haven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, people just wish they could turn back time. Myla has gone and made a wish at a fountain, a wish granted by an evil demon-titan and now everything is in utter disarray! Of course, I've read the Lincoln POV books and I know how far Lincoln would go for Myla. But wait! He doesn't remember her and he married someone else. Awkward...

As usual, Bauer brings a kickass heroine to the pages and captivates readers' attention with amazing world-building, badass characters, heart-melting romance, and a bucket of humor. Of course, I totally loved this book and have strong anticipation for the next one.

I'm a little late in posting this review. At the time I was supposed to have this shared, my family was going through a tough time and I just couldn't sit down for any sort of reading. But better late than never.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy this series and i can't wait for the next book. I am still a bigger fan of the Offspring series but these book are just as fun to read.

In this book Myla and Lincoln are thrown into alternate reality where they are no loner married, Maxon does not exist and Armageddon rules purgatory. Only Myla remembers this is not her world, though Lincoln suspects all is not right,

It is up to Myla to get to Lincoln and get him to help her get them back to where they are meant to be. In true Myla fashion.

A great book

[Bertha Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myla must face a new and terrible enemy that only wishes to manipulate the Great Scala and its igni to achieve its final objective: the destruction of the Almighty and with him, the entire Creation. Christina Bauer gives us a new version of Beauty and the Beast, very well done.
Her new characters are very well developed, the book has twists and turns that make the reader not want to stop reading until they discover who the evil Titan of Chaos really is and if our protagonists will have the necessary strength to defeat him.

[Andrea Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Myla. I just love you. This story is a great lesson in 'be careful what you wish for'! Having to do the teen years again? Lincoln married to someone else?! Everything in the world upside-down and sideways? Honestly, that's nothing new for this incredible heroine, this is just a new spin!

This author always manages to keep me fully engaged and entertained. Cannot recommend this series (or any really) highly enough.

[Linda Hamonou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The path is quite amazing with a lot of development and twist and turns to the story. We think we start in the middle of the action but it's just the appetizer. Then it gets more and more complicated.
Mila does a very good job at keeping everything together despite the crazy odds against her and Lincoln.
In the most recent book in this series, this is one of my favorites.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another terrific addition to this series. I love how this series remains exciting and fun even at the 8th book. Myla is fierce and funny as usual. She is a terrific character... one of my all time favorite heroine. If you love this series... you'll enjoy this book and read what may have happened...

[Ronni Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say I loved Quasi Redux would be a huge understatement.
We get to see Myla & Lincoln as different characters, and yet they still hold their integral personalities.
The story of Beauty & The Beast carries strongly through this book, and we are whisked away of a fabulous fairy tale.
I am eagerly waiting to see what comes next....

[Beth Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series so I wasn’t sure about this book to begin with, but I loved it. I loved the Beauty and the Beast retelling element but also the fact that they knew it was as well, it just added a bit more of a twist as it makes them second guess themselves. Will definitely be looking at going to read how the story started out.

[Beth Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series so I wasn’t sure about this book to begin with, but I loved it. I loved the Beauty and the Beast retelling element but also the fact that they knew it was as well, it just added a bit more of a twist as it makes them second guess themselves. Will definitely be looking at going to read how the story started out.

[Brandy Mulder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that Myla is back! This twist on beauty and the beast is excellent. Both Myla and Lincoln have missing memories and Bedlam wants to make Myla his wife. Things get really dicey and things get really rough. On top of missing memories Myla losses her angelic half leaving her demon powers unchecked. Yep couldn't put it down:)

[John Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series! Christina has created a fantastic world in her Angelbound books! Her characters are enthralling from page one, and draw you into their world! Incredibly well written, and great story line! I highly recommend checking them out!

[Caro Acevedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars-
I'm so sorry I waited so long to pick up this series again, I realized today while reading this book just how attached I'm to these characters and how much I love them.
I was enjoying and suffering along with them throughout this book, it was such a good read.

[Isabel Ede · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists among twists such a great series wonder what comes next can't wait to find out.

[Anoody · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not a review But I noticed that " I live in The Ether of Eden City " huh didn't know that. 😅 I know those buildings anywhere. I really enjoyed reading it .

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. Myla is a strong character. However, she is also able to have an equal partnership with her husband when doing battle or raising their son. I love the humor and Myla's snark.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.