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Deals with Demons #1
Speak of the Demon
I hunt demons.
I don’t work for them.
And I promised my mom one thing before she was murdered: Under no circumstances, would I ever go near the high demons.
But I’ll break that promise over and over again if it helps me avenge her death.
When my only lead winds up dead in the middle of demon territory, I’m suddenly in deep shit. Violence in Samael’s club is a death sentence… unless he can use you.
And it turns out that the scariest demon in the Triangle has a use for little ol’ me.
Demons are being slaughtered. His demons. And as a bounty hunter, it’s up to me to find out who would dare hurt his people.
I’ve got two weeks to find the killer, and if I fail, I’m bonded to Samael. Forever.
Samael’s certain that I’ll be his, but I’m not the kinda girl who risks her freedom for a demon.
I’m the kinda girl who won’t let anyone get in the way of her vengeance— not even the Machiavellian control freak who thinks he can run my life.
The problem? I’ve pissed the wrong people off.
Now I’m the one being hunted, and someone’s coming for me with everything they have.
But I’m never more dangerous than when my back is up against the wall.
And I’m ready to come out swinging.
I don’t work for them.
And I promised my mom one thing before she was murdered: Under no circumstances, would I ever go near the high demons.
But I’ll break that promise over and over again if it helps me avenge her death.
When my only lead winds up dead in the middle of demon territory, I’m suddenly in deep shit. Violence in Samael’s club is a death sentence… unless he can use you.
And it turns out that the scariest demon in the Triangle has a use for little ol’ me.
Demons are being slaughtered. His demons. And as a bounty hunter, it’s up to me to find out who would dare hurt his people.
I’ve got two weeks to find the killer, and if I fail, I’m bonded to Samael. Forever.
Samael’s certain that I’ll be his, but I’m not the kinda girl who risks her freedom for a demon.
I’m the kinda girl who won’t let anyone get in the way of her vengeance— not even the Machiavellian control freak who thinks he can run my life.
The problem? I’ve pissed the wrong people off.
Now I’m the one being hunted, and someone’s coming for me with everything they have.
But I’m never more dangerous than when my back is up against the wall.
And I’m ready to come out swinging.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2021
2665 people are currently reading
12594 people want to read
About the author
Stacia Stark
18 books5,487 followersStacia Stark is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of romantasy filled with found families, self-reliant heroines, and brooding, grumpy heroes.
Her books have been translated into over 15 languages, her Kingdom of Lies series was nominated twice for Goodreads Choice Awards, and her traditionally published debut We Who Will Die releases with Avon in December 2025.
When she’s not writing or exploring the world, Stacia can usually be found sprawled on her sofa, lost in the pages of a good book.
Come say hi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stark...
Or learn more at Staciastark.com
Her books have been translated into over 15 languages, her Kingdom of Lies series was nominated twice for Goodreads Choice Awards, and her traditionally published debut We Who Will Die releases with Avon in December 2025.
When she’s not writing or exploring the world, Stacia can usually be found sprawled on her sofa, lost in the pages of a good book.
Come say hi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stark...
Or learn more at Staciastark.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 735 reviews
April 22, 2023
I want me a demon!!!!
When I read Fool The Demon, the prequel to this series, I had no idea just how much I was going to love the whole concept of the storyline, the characters and the fact that the leading lady had some hidden past that I would be desperate to find out.... but here I am, at the end of book 1 Speak of the Demon!
What a book! What a ride! What a demon! I loved the whole mystery of the storyline, definitely the type of book I mostly enjoy, I love the leading lady, Danica is amazing and I love Samael but under all this love there is definitely a little fear of what is happening and about to happen.
Ms Stark is new to me, her prequel was the first time I'd entered this author's world and I am not disappointed. She reached my inner book person in seconds, I love her style of writing, the way she has that balance of being able to present a world with ease and deliver a storyline to snare the reader.... I was absolutely captivated and I can't wait to see the mysteries unfold in Danica's world.
When I read Fool The Demon, the prequel to this series, I had no idea just how much I was going to love the whole concept of the storyline, the characters and the fact that the leading lady had some hidden past that I would be desperate to find out.... but here I am, at the end of book 1 Speak of the Demon!
What a book! What a ride! What a demon! I loved the whole mystery of the storyline, definitely the type of book I mostly enjoy, I love the leading lady, Danica is amazing and I love Samael but under all this love there is definitely a little fear of what is happening and about to happen.
Ms Stark is new to me, her prequel was the first time I'd entered this author's world and I am not disappointed. She reached my inner book person in seconds, I love her style of writing, the way she has that balance of being able to present a world with ease and deliver a storyline to snare the reader.... I was absolutely captivated and I can't wait to see the mysteries unfold in Danica's world.
September 16, 2021
I enjoyed this a great deal. The world building is unique enough to be worthwhile and the power structures Danica has to weave through are spicily treacherous. And I particularly liked seeing Samael have some depth to his bad self, though that turns out to be a problem.
Danica isn't that unique in a UF sense. She's a special child with a mysterious past, hidden even from herself. So she gets lots of slack from Samael that she really doesn't deserve, though for romance reasons I'm willing to roll with it. Plus, I like how she's tough and takes reasonable risks and tries very hard to do the right thing in a world where most people don't really care about trivial concepts like morals and justice. Which is also a problem, though kind of the same one, really.
Samael is my biggest draw in the story. I love the capable guy doing his best for those he cares about and being tough is just a bonus. He's a bit harsh, but Stark paints that as more of a result of the world around him than anything intrinsic in him. So he pushes and prods and pulls at Danica, all in an effort to help her find the break throughs that she needs. There's a ruthless streak there, and a bit of conceit. But since it turns out he actually does know better, and letting her go her own way would have had her killed a handful of times throughout the story, I'm just as glad he pushed, pulled, and prodded.
Which is where the problem comes and why I'm unlikely to continue the series. The whole book, Danica rides this inner conviction that demons in general, and Samael in particular, are evil. She learns to adjust that belief through the events of the story as she gets to know some of them and even develops some lasting/deepish friendships with them. But she keeps going back to a rest-state of "Samael is evil, must not forget that". This despite the fact she has all the information she needs, at first hand experience, to know better. She knows the rules of her world. She knows his actions, rules, and dictates are perfectly explained by his desire to protect and care for his people. She can see that he loves them. But he's evil? Yeah, the world is a harsh one and sometimes you have to do hard things, but every hard thing she sees him do is obviously motivated by care. Including the hard things he does to her. She may not like it and she may not want anything to do with him. That's fine. But her moral standpoint is shallow to the point of idiocy.
And the problem is that Stark is writer enough that you can see her characters otherwise have a great deal of moral depth. It's only Danica who has a simpleton's notion of right and wrong. And that's a problem for me. Even more so when I look at the blurbs for the other books in the series where she's apparently still fighting Samael like he's her enemy. I'm deeply uninterested in that nonsense.
So it may be a surprise that I'm giving this four stars after all that. On its own, it's a good setup for a UF series. The worldbuilding and characters are interesting. The pace was fantastic, and the plot held together very well. I loved it more than a little. And Danica's moral judgements, until the end, can be read as simply uninformed. It's only in the final analysis that I was put off enough that I have no interest in continuing.
A note about Steamy: There's a single scene of kissing that has some disrobing and arousal. It stops before going into actual sex, but it's enough to trigger the Steamy tag. But barely.
Danica isn't that unique in a UF sense. She's a special child with a mysterious past, hidden even from herself. So she gets lots of slack from Samael that she really doesn't deserve, though for romance reasons I'm willing to roll with it. Plus, I like how she's tough and takes reasonable risks and tries very hard to do the right thing in a world where most people don't really care about trivial concepts like morals and justice. Which is also a problem, though kind of the same one, really.
Samael is my biggest draw in the story. I love the capable guy doing his best for those he cares about and being tough is just a bonus. He's a bit harsh, but Stark paints that as more of a result of the world around him than anything intrinsic in him. So he pushes and prods and pulls at Danica, all in an effort to help her find the break throughs that she needs. There's a ruthless streak there, and a bit of conceit. But since it turns out he actually does know better, and letting her go her own way would have had her killed a handful of times throughout the story, I'm just as glad he pushed, pulled, and prodded.
Which is where the problem comes and why I'm unlikely to continue the series. The whole book, Danica rides this inner conviction that demons in general, and Samael in particular, are evil. She learns to adjust that belief through the events of the story as she gets to know some of them and even develops some lasting/deepish friendships with them. But she keeps going back to a rest-state of "Samael is evil, must not forget that". This despite the fact she has all the information she needs, at first hand experience, to know better. She knows the rules of her world. She knows his actions, rules, and dictates are perfectly explained by his desire to protect and care for his people. She can see that he loves them. But he's evil? Yeah, the world is a harsh one and sometimes you have to do hard things, but every hard thing she sees him do is obviously motivated by care. Including the hard things he does to her. She may not like it and she may not want anything to do with him. That's fine. But her moral standpoint is shallow to the point of idiocy.
And the problem is that Stark is writer enough that you can see her characters otherwise have a great deal of moral depth. It's only Danica who has a simpleton's notion of right and wrong. And that's a problem for me. Even more so when I look at the blurbs for the other books in the series where she's apparently still fighting Samael like he's her enemy. I'm deeply uninterested in that nonsense.
So it may be a surprise that I'm giving this four stars after all that. On its own, it's a good setup for a UF series. The worldbuilding and characters are interesting. The pace was fantastic, and the plot held together very well. I loved it more than a little. And Danica's moral judgements, until the end, can be read as simply uninformed. It's only in the final analysis that I was put off enough that I have no interest in continuing.
A note about Steamy: There's a single scene of kissing that has some disrobing and arousal. It stops before going into actual sex, but it's enough to trigger the Steamy tag. But barely.
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August 10, 2021
⤅ 3.5 stars, rounded up because I'm grateful to this book for helping me out of a slump.
To be honest, this book is extremely unlikely to rock your socks off. It's pretty standard for an urban fantasy offering - charming sexy demon hero, snarky feisty mercenary heroine, etc. I might even go so far as to call it cliched, because you will definitely have read some variation of this book before.
While Speak of the Demon doesn't have anything new, though, what it does have it manages to execute well. Our heroine Danica is self-assured and likeable - I don't recall any TSTL moments. Samael is requisitely alpha. The cast of characters is what really makes this book shine - I find myself intrigued even by side characters (especially Vas, Bael, and Lilith) in a way that admittedly makes me suspect sequel bait, but well, it works. I'm hooked. Not so much on the plot though, which I found myself skimming at times.
I ended up rounding up this rating rather than down because I rather like Samael. I can see his aggressiveness has put some other reviewers off, but I'm always here for an aggressively-pursuing-the-heroine kind of deal. Also, I generally don't like reading from the hero's perspective, but if it must be done this is the way I prefer it - a couple of occasional brief chapters which give us enough to know the hero better, but don't completely ruin the mystery of what he's thinking.
The technical writing is good, I'm pleased to report - no typos or stilted prose. It does feel a little rough around the edges, but in a debut way I expect will later smooth out. I was in the mood for more UF after I finished this so I've moved onto an Ilona Andrews book. I've been in a book slump for AGES where nothing was holding my attention, so I suppose part of the reason I'm feeling so well-disposed towards this book is for helping me out of the slump. Try this out if you're bored and looking for newer iterations of tried-and-tested tropes, but if that's not what you're in the mood for, your attention may wander.
To be honest, this book is extremely unlikely to rock your socks off. It's pretty standard for an urban fantasy offering - charming sexy demon hero, snarky feisty mercenary heroine, etc. I might even go so far as to call it cliched, because you will definitely have read some variation of this book before.
While Speak of the Demon doesn't have anything new, though, what it does have it manages to execute well. Our heroine Danica is self-assured and likeable - I don't recall any TSTL moments. Samael is requisitely alpha. The cast of characters is what really makes this book shine - I find myself intrigued even by side characters (especially Vas, Bael, and Lilith) in a way that admittedly makes me suspect sequel bait, but well, it works. I'm hooked. Not so much on the plot though, which I found myself skimming at times.
I ended up rounding up this rating rather than down because I rather like Samael. I can see his aggressiveness has put some other reviewers off, but I'm always here for an aggressively-pursuing-the-heroine kind of deal. Also, I generally don't like reading from the hero's perspective, but if it must be done this is the way I prefer it - a couple of occasional brief chapters which give us enough to know the hero better, but don't completely ruin the mystery of what he's thinking.
The technical writing is good, I'm pleased to report - no typos or stilted prose. It does feel a little rough around the edges, but in a debut way I expect will later smooth out. I was in the mood for more UF after I finished this so I've moved onto an Ilona Andrews book. I've been in a book slump for AGES where nothing was holding my attention, so I suppose part of the reason I'm feeling so well-disposed towards this book is for helping me out of the slump. Try this out if you're bored and looking for newer iterations of tried-and-tested tropes, but if that's not what you're in the mood for, your attention may wander.
March 14, 2025
✅ 2 POVs
✅ Demons, witches, shifters, and faes
✅ Fast pace
✅ Engaging but not overly complicated plot
✅ Badass bounty hunter main character
✅ Badass demon future love interest
✅(🆗) Sexual tension
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of murders (not graphic)
What happens when bounty hunter Danica is caught red-handed at Samael’s party after entering illegally and threatening one of his guests? She ends up forced into a bond with him and forced to work for him to figure out who is killing high demons in town. Danica has 2 weeks to solve the mystery and kill all the culprits if she wants to get free of the bond, otherwise, she will be bonded to Samael for the rest of her life… Although, that might not be such a bad thing, seeing how sparks are already flying between them.
The worldbuilding is simple but complete, the pace is fast, but the plot is still well developed and thought out, and overall, this was a very entertaining book. I flew through it and am halfway through the second one already! This was a nice surprise, and I am very happy I gave it a chance.
Danica is strong, independent, and bold without being annoying or thinking she’s better and more badass than everyone else. The author managed to find a good middle ground here. Danica is flawed, but she remains a tough girl who does not let others tell her what to do, but can still listen to reason. Her ancestry is also a little bit of a mystery since we do not know who her father is, but we know that he is not human. This little mystery does not overshadow the plot, but it is still intriguing enough to make me want to know more about her and her past.
Samael is an interesting and appealing future love interest, with that "touch her and die" vibe that we all love. That being said, he also respects Danica's abilities, and he knows she can (mostly) take care of herself. He does not try to coddle her or put her in a bubble, but he's made it very clear that she is under his protection. He is super powerful, and I am glad we could get a glimpse of his powers at the end of the book. I can't wait to learn more about his secret plan (that probably has to do with taking the Underworld's throne) and to see just how powerful he is.
The sexual tension between Danica and Samael was good.It is obvious that Danica is attracted to Samael, against her better judgment, and that Samael is intrigued and maybe even attracted to Danica. Still, it felt more like mild insta-lust for a whole than a well-built sexual tension. I would have enjoyed it more if they danced more around each other, I think, or if the sexual tension and push and pull between them had been more drawn out. In the end, Samael made it clear that he wanted Danica and struggled to resist him, even though she promised herself never to get involved with demons. Her excuse being that she would “fuck it out of her system”.
That being said, I am so happy Danica was able to keep her head straight and keep her distance with Samael in the end. I am expecting a romance between them, of course, but as I said, I know I will enjoy it more, and it will be more meaningful if it takes them a little more time to get there. Especially considering Danica’s mistrust of demons in general and the fact that Samael or one of his demons might know something about the death of Danica’s mother.
Danica’s friendship with Vas is great. I am glad that Danica spent time with other demons besides Samael and that Vas had a purpose besides being just another body. He quickly became Danica’s friend, and I love his sunny and quirky personality. I also like how, despite Danica wanting to stay away from high demons, she can’t help but enjoy Vas’s company and quickly comes to see him as a friend, without ever blurring the line between platonic friendship and romantic interest.
I recommend this series to anyone looking for a fast-paced, entertaining, and easy-to-read paranormal series. It is easy to get into this book, and even easier to finish it in a few sittings only.
0.5Fool the Demon ⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Demons, witches, shifters, and faes
✅ Fast pace
✅ Engaging but not overly complicated plot
✅ Badass bounty hunter main character
✅ Badass demon future love interest
✅(🆗) Sexual tension
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of murders (not graphic)
What happens when bounty hunter Danica is caught red-handed at Samael’s party after entering illegally and threatening one of his guests? She ends up forced into a bond with him and forced to work for him to figure out who is killing high demons in town. Danica has 2 weeks to solve the mystery and kill all the culprits if she wants to get free of the bond, otherwise, she will be bonded to Samael for the rest of her life… Although, that might not be such a bad thing, seeing how sparks are already flying between them.
The worldbuilding is simple but complete, the pace is fast, but the plot is still well developed and thought out, and overall, this was a very entertaining book. I flew through it and am halfway through the second one already! This was a nice surprise, and I am very happy I gave it a chance.
Danica is strong, independent, and bold without being annoying or thinking she’s better and more badass than everyone else. The author managed to find a good middle ground here. Danica is flawed, but she remains a tough girl who does not let others tell her what to do, but can still listen to reason. Her ancestry is also a little bit of a mystery since we do not know who her father is, but we know that he is not human. This little mystery does not overshadow the plot, but it is still intriguing enough to make me want to know more about her and her past.
Samael is an interesting and appealing future love interest, with that "touch her and die" vibe that we all love. That being said, he also respects Danica's abilities, and he knows she can (mostly) take care of herself. He does not try to coddle her or put her in a bubble, but he's made it very clear that she is under his protection. He is super powerful, and I am glad we could get a glimpse of his powers at the end of the book. I can't wait to learn more about his secret plan (that probably has to do with taking the Underworld's throne) and to see just how powerful he is.
The sexual tension between Danica and Samael was good.It is obvious that Danica is attracted to Samael, against her better judgment, and that Samael is intrigued and maybe even attracted to Danica. Still, it felt more like mild insta-lust for a whole than a well-built sexual tension. I would have enjoyed it more if they danced more around each other, I think, or if the sexual tension and push and pull between them had been more drawn out. In the end, Samael made it clear that he wanted Danica and struggled to resist him, even though she promised herself never to get involved with demons. Her excuse being that she would “fuck it out of her system”.
That being said, I am so happy Danica was able to keep her head straight and keep her distance with Samael in the end. I am expecting a romance between them, of course, but as I said, I know I will enjoy it more, and it will be more meaningful if it takes them a little more time to get there. Especially considering Danica’s mistrust of demons in general and the fact that Samael or one of his demons might know something about the death of Danica’s mother.
Danica’s friendship with Vas is great. I am glad that Danica spent time with other demons besides Samael and that Vas had a purpose besides being just another body. He quickly became Danica’s friend, and I love his sunny and quirky personality. I also like how, despite Danica wanting to stay away from high demons, she can’t help but enjoy Vas’s company and quickly comes to see him as a friend, without ever blurring the line between platonic friendship and romantic interest.
I recommend this series to anyone looking for a fast-paced, entertaining, and easy-to-read paranormal series. It is easy to get into this book, and even easier to finish it in a few sittings only.
0.5Fool the Demon ⭐⭐⭐
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April 18, 2022
Originally posted at:
I had a rocky start with this novel. Though I realized that the issue was me not being in the right mood for this book when I initially picked it up (Hi! I'm your friendly neighborhood Mood Reader™ nice to meet you!). Overall, this book was very good! The universe the author set out to create was interesting and complex. The characters were three-dimensional and fascinating. You couldn't help but root for a few even though they had their sketchy moments and motivations.
Danica was a bad*ss! She was holding down a job even though her circumstances were rough while still doing everything possible to figure out what happened to her mother. Of course things went from bad to worse and that's where to story really kicks off. I enjoyed her journey but it didn't end with just this one book.
Samael was one of those characters that you started to like and then he gave you 5 different horrible reasons to not like him but you still kinda-sorta like him anyway? Yeah, I'll just leave it at that. He's charming in all the right ways and scary when need be.
I really enjoyed Ag and Vas throughout the story. The dynamic they and Danica had together was quite refreshing and provided great comic relief from a heavy storyline when needed.
The ending. I really thought for a second there that Danica was going to accomplish all her goals and be free. I'm interested in how she's going to deal with her current situation and Samael moving forward. There are already quite a few books in this series so it's looking like it'll be a long journey.
I had a rocky start with this novel. Though I realized that the issue was me not being in the right mood for this book when I initially picked it up (Hi! I'm your friendly neighborhood Mood Reader™ nice to meet you!). Overall, this book was very good! The universe the author set out to create was interesting and complex. The characters were three-dimensional and fascinating. You couldn't help but root for a few even though they had their sketchy moments and motivations.
Danica was a bad*ss! She was holding down a job even though her circumstances were rough while still doing everything possible to figure out what happened to her mother. Of course things went from bad to worse and that's where to story really kicks off. I enjoyed her journey but it didn't end with just this one book.
Samael was one of those characters that you started to like and then he gave you 5 different horrible reasons to not like him but you still kinda-sorta like him anyway? Yeah, I'll just leave it at that. He's charming in all the right ways and scary when need be.
I really enjoyed Ag and Vas throughout the story. The dynamic they and Danica had together was quite refreshing and provided great comic relief from a heavy storyline when needed.
The ending. I really thought for a second there that Danica was going to accomplish all her goals and be free. I'm interested in how she's going to deal with her current situation and Samael moving forward. There are already quite a few books in this series so it's looking like it'll be a long journey.
August 10, 2022
3.5
I liked the world building, and magic system as well as the h...but the H wasn't really my cuppa tea. Some people will totally love the "push-pull/need to dominate/you're mine" kinda relationships, but for some reason those kinda actions from a H triggers my flight or fight feels when reading.
*cries in conflicted feelings*
I liked the world building, and magic system as well as the h...but the H wasn't really my cuppa tea. Some people will totally love the "push-pull/need to dominate/you're mine" kinda relationships, but for some reason those kinda actions from a H triggers my flight or fight feels when reading.
*cries in conflicted feelings*
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January 7, 2023
2.5 stars
As a Nalini Singh stan I feel like the comparisons to the Guild Hunter series were glaringly obvious just with demons instead of angels and ultimately Danica was a cheap knock off of Elena and same for Samael…he’s no Raphael. My problems with this book stemmed from the world building being pretty weak, the writing/plot needing a good editor and a lot of telling vs showing. The reason Danica and Samael didn’t compare to other PNR characters I love is because we’re told she’s a great bounty hunter, but she doesn’t really do anything all that impressive nor does she have some impressive reputation with examples to make me think she’s any good. Samael is supposedly the most powerful demon earth side, but that’s never really exhibited until the very end and that was pretty boring. This is very clearly being set up as a series so not a ton happens in this book and it needed something. So I guess I just wanted more from them as characters separately and then together as well because I don’t feel like the tension between them was built all that well. All that said as I was reading I wanted to give this 3 stars because it did keep me interested, I love demons and magic, but as the book progressed I just couldn’t rate it that high 🤷🏼♀️
As a Nalini Singh stan I feel like the comparisons to the Guild Hunter series were glaringly obvious just with demons instead of angels and ultimately Danica was a cheap knock off of Elena and same for Samael…he’s no Raphael. My problems with this book stemmed from the world building being pretty weak, the writing/plot needing a good editor and a lot of telling vs showing. The reason Danica and Samael didn’t compare to other PNR characters I love is because we’re told she’s a great bounty hunter, but she doesn’t really do anything all that impressive nor does she have some impressive reputation with examples to make me think she’s any good. Samael is supposedly the most powerful demon earth side, but that’s never really exhibited until the very end and that was pretty boring. This is very clearly being set up as a series so not a ton happens in this book and it needed something. So I guess I just wanted more from them as characters separately and then together as well because I don’t feel like the tension between them was built all that well. All that said as I was reading I wanted to give this 3 stars because it did keep me interested, I love demons and magic, but as the book progressed I just couldn’t rate it that high 🤷🏼♀️
October 9, 2021
Meh. This book tries hard but things just don’t make sense. My biggest issue is the romance. I can see why she is attracted to him but not why he is to her. It was never explained or set up in any way! He just does, from their first meeting. It wasn’t even instalust or instalove or mating bond! None of the usual plot devices were used! The level of devotion he shows makes no sense!
Also the heroine is damn annoying. Why is she telling him she knows he would never hurt her one minute but cringing away from his power in fear the next. Why does she keep letting him sex her up but still gets mad when he doesn’t release her. The mixed messages are just too much! She doesn’t ask the questions that need to be asked and when she does she’s not competent enough to get them answered.
The mystery in this book was shit and the finale annoying. The heroine is so much weaker than the hero it’s not even funny. If I was him I wouldn’t bother with her.
Also the heroine is damn annoying. Why is she telling him she knows he would never hurt her one minute but cringing away from his power in fear the next. Why does she keep letting him sex her up but still gets mad when he doesn’t release her. The mixed messages are just too much! She doesn’t ask the questions that need to be asked and when she does she’s not competent enough to get them answered.
The mystery in this book was shit and the finale annoying. The heroine is so much weaker than the hero it’s not even funny. If I was him I wouldn’t bother with her.
October 5, 2021
I enjoyed it. Something about it reminds me a lot of early Kate Daniels, but not in any overt copying way. I don't know, maybe tone? Style?
Samael is walking a tricky line. He's a hardcore alpha-hole, and it is right on the verge of going too far. It's saved only by two things, imo. Firstly, he only uses the bond to take care of her. He's never used it to force her to do something she wouldn't choose to do herself if she weren't just being stubborn. Basically, in this book he uses it once, to make her go to sleep when she's literally dead on her feet and it would be a huge risk of her life to go out again. And not necessary - she didn't need to zip out to save a life in imminent danger, she was still investigating. So I can live with that, even if it sets my teeth on edge.
Second saving grace is that we get Samael's POV. It keeps him from being this RAWR YOU WILL OBEY ME, SLAVE guy when in his head we get to see "aaaugh, this woman, why won't she let me help her, I can't stand the thought of her being hurt" narrative.
It's an interesting world, good characters, and so far the alpha-hole is managing to straddle a line I can live with. YMMV though.
Samael is walking a tricky line. He's a hardcore alpha-hole, and it is right on the verge of going too far. It's saved only by two things, imo. Firstly, he only uses the bond to take care of her. He's never used it to force her to do something she wouldn't choose to do herself if she weren't just being stubborn. Basically, in this book he uses it once, to make her go to sleep when she's literally dead on her feet and it would be a huge risk of her life to go out again. And not necessary - she didn't need to zip out to save a life in imminent danger, she was still investigating. So I can live with that, even if it sets my teeth on edge.
Second saving grace is that we get Samael's POV. It keeps him from being this RAWR YOU WILL OBEY ME, SLAVE guy when in his head we get to see "aaaugh, this woman, why won't she let me help her, I can't stand the thought of her being hurt" narrative.
It's an interesting world, good characters, and so far the alpha-hole is managing to straddle a line I can live with. YMMV though.
April 8, 2023
Speak of the Demon was impossible to put down! With the start of an enemies to lovers romance and danger at every turn, it made this book so easy to devour. It was fun, magical and beyond addictive! Fans of urban fantasy or those looking for a quick series to binge, make for sure you have this on your tbr! But don't forget to start with Fool the Demon, it's a great introduction to this world.
Danica's thoughts made it so easy to connect to her. She made me laugh, and I loved that she allowed us to see her world in such an easy, vivid way. She was brave, fearless, and kept going even in the face of death. I loved how dedicated, ruthless and so wickedly clever she was! When she ended up being Samael's bounty hunter, I was so excited yet nervous for her. Something was hunting demons, and he needed her to find out what was hurting his people. So while yes, he thought she was beautiful, he also knew her skills. She had made a reputation for herself, and he knew that she could get him answers, when others had failed.
Samael was a morally grey character who was swoon worthy. We got the story in both of their povs and it was intoxicating seeing that he was calm, collected, deadly, possessive and shockingly thoughtful too. When he was around Danica, I couldn't stop smiling. Their interactions had me laughing out loud with how they messed and toyed with one another. It was done so perfectly. And the chemistry between them was through the roof hot. Their sexual tension was done so fabulously! And it was fun seeing Danica keep Samael on his toes. As the story unfolded, it was addictive watching that Samael would do anything to protect her. No matter the cost.
Fond family, enemies to lovers, a slow burn romance and characters that were so easy to love were laced through the pages. And as someone who has already finished this series, I have to say that this series is binge worthy! One of my favorite things about this series, besides the characters, is how well it was planned out. This story was so intricate and well executed. I thought there were things from this book that were just left up in the air. Or didn't make sense or were holes. Nope! All of our answers could be found in future books. Sometimes it took a while, but it's woven into the storyline so well. So as pieces fell together, I wanted to clap out loud, because it was masterfully done! Fans of urban fantasy should definitely binge this series too!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Samael leaned close. “You smell familiar, little witch.”
I swallowed. If he connected me to the witch who stole from him six months ago, I’d soon be begging for death.
Danica's thoughts made it so easy to connect to her. She made me laugh, and I loved that she allowed us to see her world in such an easy, vivid way. She was brave, fearless, and kept going even in the face of death. I loved how dedicated, ruthless and so wickedly clever she was! When she ended up being Samael's bounty hunter, I was so excited yet nervous for her. Something was hunting demons, and he needed her to find out what was hurting his people. So while yes, he thought she was beautiful, he also knew her skills. She had made a reputation for herself, and he knew that she could get him answers, when others had failed.
Exactly when did I begin having dirty thoughts about the demon? This was not okay. It must have something to do with being weak and healing from the attack. Witches did not lust after demons.
Samael was a morally grey character who was swoon worthy. We got the story in both of their povs and it was intoxicating seeing that he was calm, collected, deadly, possessive and shockingly thoughtful too. When he was around Danica, I couldn't stop smiling. Their interactions had me laughing out loud with how they messed and toyed with one another. It was done so perfectly. And the chemistry between them was through the roof hot. Their sexual tension was done so fabulously! And it was fun seeing Danica keep Samael on his toes. As the story unfolded, it was addictive watching that Samael would do anything to protect her. No matter the cost.
“You’re a walking armory,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the tip of my nose. The move was so surprisingly tender that all I could do was stare up at him, momentarily stunned.
Fond family, enemies to lovers, a slow burn romance and characters that were so easy to love were laced through the pages. And as someone who has already finished this series, I have to say that this series is binge worthy! One of my favorite things about this series, besides the characters, is how well it was planned out. This story was so intricate and well executed. I thought there were things from this book that were just left up in the air. Or didn't make sense or were holes. Nope! All of our answers could be found in future books. Sometimes it took a while, but it's woven into the storyline so well. So as pieces fell together, I wanted to clap out loud, because it was masterfully done! Fans of urban fantasy should definitely binge this series too!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
December 4, 2023
God, I didn’t know I needed a good paranormal, Urban romance till I started reading this. It made me immensely happy to turn each page.
Ugh, everything about this book (series) made me happy!
I finished this series in under a week! I was that obsessed with it. If you still haven’t gotten the memo, I will never stop recommending this series.
Samael and Dannika will always have a place in my heart. They gave me Raphael and Elena and Nevada and Mad Rogan vibes.
I loved everything- the characterisation, the world building, the writing style, secondary characters, mysteries, myths and lore, romance, action, solid and suspenseful plots.
I don’t want to give more away but if you like:
— Demon x badass witch.
— Unique world building, unexpected twists and turns.
— mythical beings, Demons, Witches, gnomes, Mages, werewolves, seelie, unseelie, pixies🧚♂️, Dragons!
— found family, politics, forced proximity, he falls first and hard, touch her and die vibes.
— Unexpected betrayal and friendships.
— badass heroine, Epic climaxes, family drama .
— Safe, Kindle Unlimited.
….READ THIS!
Ugh, everything about this book (series) made me happy!
I finished this series in under a week! I was that obsessed with it. If you still haven’t gotten the memo, I will never stop recommending this series.
Samael and Dannika will always have a place in my heart. They gave me Raphael and Elena and Nevada and Mad Rogan vibes.
I loved everything- the characterisation, the world building, the writing style, secondary characters, mysteries, myths and lore, romance, action, solid and suspenseful plots.
I don’t want to give more away but if you like:
— Demon x badass witch.
— Unique world building, unexpected twists and turns.
— mythical beings, Demons, Witches, gnomes, Mages, werewolves, seelie, unseelie, pixies🧚♂️, Dragons!
— found family, politics, forced proximity, he falls first and hard, touch her and die vibes.
— Unexpected betrayal and friendships.
— badass heroine, Epic climaxes, family drama .
— Safe, Kindle Unlimited.
….READ THIS!
January 16, 2022
3 Stars
Undecided if I actually liked the book or not. On one hand, it kept me entertained enough, but it also felt like it was aimed at a younger audience but with some mature content. A bit wattpad-y. It also bothered me how possessive and everything the hero was at the very start even though they had just met. I would have like it if there was more build up and tension to their relationship, but the possessiveness just didn't make sense. Maybe the next book will be better🤔
Undecided if I actually liked the book or not. On one hand, it kept me entertained enough, but it also felt like it was aimed at a younger audience but with some mature content. A bit wattpad-y. It also bothered me how possessive and everything the hero was at the very start even though they had just met. I would have like it if there was more build up and tension to their relationship, but the possessiveness just didn't make sense. Maybe the next book will be better🤔
July 31, 2023
THIS WAS SO ENTERTAINING!!!
I could barely tear myself away from this book, my entire work shift it was all I could think about… this author has a real talent in writing addictive books!!
This was honestly a really fun book, the worldbuilding was easy to understand and the characters were so loveable. Our MC was badass and I’m so invested in her relationship with the love interest - I need more of them!
I could barely tear myself away from this book, my entire work shift it was all I could think about… this author has a real talent in writing addictive books!!
This was honestly a really fun book, the worldbuilding was easy to understand and the characters were so loveable. Our MC was badass and I’m so invested in her relationship with the love interest - I need more of them!
November 11, 2024
My obsession with this book is unhealthy.
And I don’t give a shit.
So what if I have read it nine times.
It’s not like I’m on drugs.
Danica is both strong minded, independent and skilful. Traits one rarely come across in books these days. (Weak female leads ruins the whole book).
I love how Samael falls first, and she is the one struggling the most with her feelings. There is also none of the whole “my body betrayed me”. In the instances where her body feels one thing, and her mind another, she doesn’t give in to her desires.
A lot of authors try to write female leads who are strong, capable individuals, but overdoes it, making them seem bratty. This was not the case with Danica at all. She was a badass, but she never called herself a badass in any way.
To quote Game Of Thrones “A King who calls himself King, is no true King”. The same applies here.
It didn’t take long for Samael to want Danica, but it wasn’t insta love or insta lust.
It was more possessiveness, due to being a demon.
It is also mentioned several times how this applies to all demons when it comes to what they considered “theirs”, so it didn’t feel rushed to me.
Samael also didn’t shield her from the harsh world they live in. In fact he trained her to become stronger, making sure she could handle herself.
We learn early on how powerful Samael is, and it is often mentioned how people around him can feel his power simply by being close to him, but he doesn’t use much of it.
It gives the impression that he is confident in both his power and abilities, strengthening this image of him even more. Nobody likes a show off.
Besides, in the cases where we do see him use it, he has the magic to back it up.
They had scenes together where their relationship had space and time to develop, but neither of them hovered over one another.
This, in turn, made room for us to see their relationship with other characters.
Something I keep seeing in a lot of books is, when the two main characters meet, they are practically inseparable. It’s as if the author is afraid to write scenes where they are not together in some way.
It can sometime feel a little stifling, and often takes the attention away from the plot in order to focus on the relationship.
I loved her friendship with Vassago, more to the point, how she had no idea how to be someone’s friend, but I think he seemed to like that about her. The author managed to create a great friendship between them without blurring any lines between romantic and platonic.
I love when we see a male and female be great friends without them having to have romantic feelings for each other!
Evie, Danica’s sister? Just ignore her. You’ll be better for it.
The werewolf alpha isn’t a huge part of any of the books really, but he is still one of my favourite characters, so I need to give him a shout out.
Despite Danica being straight up disrespectful to anyone’s authority in the funniest way, I think he was very amused by her, and liked her even though they never become close friends or anything.
The plot is followed throughout the entire book, and every incident, and decision has a purpose or a reason.
The chain of events occurring throughout the book happens due to decisions made by the characters, it’s not one of those cases where everything just happens to the lead character, because she is the lead character.
Does that make sense?
We see how her decisions impact the story, she is not just along for the ride, I guess you could say.
I will totally recommend this to anyone and everyone.
And I don’t give a shit.
So what if I have read it nine times.
It’s not like I’m on drugs.
Danica is both strong minded, independent and skilful. Traits one rarely come across in books these days. (Weak female leads ruins the whole book).
I love how Samael falls first, and she is the one struggling the most with her feelings. There is also none of the whole “my body betrayed me”. In the instances where her body feels one thing, and her mind another, she doesn’t give in to her desires.
A lot of authors try to write female leads who are strong, capable individuals, but overdoes it, making them seem bratty. This was not the case with Danica at all. She was a badass, but she never called herself a badass in any way.
To quote Game Of Thrones “A King who calls himself King, is no true King”. The same applies here.
It didn’t take long for Samael to want Danica, but it wasn’t insta love or insta lust.
It was more possessiveness, due to being a demon.
It is also mentioned several times how this applies to all demons when it comes to what they considered “theirs”, so it didn’t feel rushed to me.
Samael also didn’t shield her from the harsh world they live in. In fact he trained her to become stronger, making sure she could handle herself.
We learn early on how powerful Samael is, and it is often mentioned how people around him can feel his power simply by being close to him, but he doesn’t use much of it.
It gives the impression that he is confident in both his power and abilities, strengthening this image of him even more. Nobody likes a show off.
Besides, in the cases where we do see him use it, he has the magic to back it up.
They had scenes together where their relationship had space and time to develop, but neither of them hovered over one another.
This, in turn, made room for us to see their relationship with other characters.
Something I keep seeing in a lot of books is, when the two main characters meet, they are practically inseparable. It’s as if the author is afraid to write scenes where they are not together in some way.
It can sometime feel a little stifling, and often takes the attention away from the plot in order to focus on the relationship.
I loved her friendship with Vassago, more to the point, how she had no idea how to be someone’s friend, but I think he seemed to like that about her. The author managed to create a great friendship between them without blurring any lines between romantic and platonic.
I love when we see a male and female be great friends without them having to have romantic feelings for each other!
Evie, Danica’s sister? Just ignore her. You’ll be better for it.
The werewolf alpha isn’t a huge part of any of the books really, but he is still one of my favourite characters, so I need to give him a shout out.
Despite Danica being straight up disrespectful to anyone’s authority in the funniest way, I think he was very amused by her, and liked her even though they never become close friends or anything.
The plot is followed throughout the entire book, and every incident, and decision has a purpose or a reason.
The chain of events occurring throughout the book happens due to decisions made by the characters, it’s not one of those cases where everything just happens to the lead character, because she is the lead character.
Does that make sense?
We see how her decisions impact the story, she is not just along for the ride, I guess you could say.
I will totally recommend this to anyone and everyone.
July 29, 2022
Decent but needs work
Decent premise but needs some work. I liked the world building, the history of the witches opening the portals, and the various supernatural species. The plot started out strong but seemed to stall out in the middle and focus on the lust/romance too much. Then it wrapped up fast when everything came together in one moment. I would have preferred a slower build up to the end that put the picture together over time instead of all at once.
The romance is supposedly slow burn, which I guess to some people means no sleeping together right off. They don't sleep together in this book, but they do make out and get to third base. That felt fast to me, and entirely based on lust rather than meaningful attraction. It felt shallow, which is a shame since we should take this romance seriously.
Danica's hot and cold was annoying. She was mad at him then not; refusing to do as ordered and then would do what he said. She had snark, but not much spine. Apparently the mmc being dominant means she isn't allowed to make her own decisions. He was constantly controlling her; guess this is supposed to be a turn on but really in this day and age, can't we move beyond this? Man gets what he wants because he's male and should get what he wants? Uh, no. He isn't entitled to that. Instead of portraying a FMC having a healthy relationship, we get to see her giving way constantly to him.
What a shame.
Since this is a first book in a series, I am not surprised the character development is limited. I think more could have been done but the plot was almost literally lost in the middle, and the obsession with the lust part of the story took too much control to allow for opportunities for character growth.
Outside of that, the book could use another editing pass. Most of the errors I noticed involved missing words, rather than misspellings or improper use of words. The missing word issue showed up probably once or twice a chapter.
I hope book two relies on more plot and shows some character growth. I'd like to see a healthier relationship develop with the two MCs and some of the drama with her sister get settled because in book 1 they are not close because of "reasons," which makes it all very uninteresting.
Decent premise but needs some work. I liked the world building, the history of the witches opening the portals, and the various supernatural species. The plot started out strong but seemed to stall out in the middle and focus on the lust/romance too much. Then it wrapped up fast when everything came together in one moment. I would have preferred a slower build up to the end that put the picture together over time instead of all at once.
The romance is supposedly slow burn, which I guess to some people means no sleeping together right off. They don't sleep together in this book, but they do make out and get to third base. That felt fast to me, and entirely based on lust rather than meaningful attraction. It felt shallow, which is a shame since we should take this romance seriously.
Danica's hot and cold was annoying. She was mad at him then not; refusing to do as ordered and then would do what he said. She had snark, but not much spine. Apparently the mmc being dominant means she isn't allowed to make her own decisions. He was constantly controlling her; guess this is supposed to be a turn on but really in this day and age, can't we move beyond this? Man gets what he wants because he's male and should get what he wants? Uh, no. He isn't entitled to that. Instead of portraying a FMC having a healthy relationship, we get to see her giving way constantly to him.
What a shame.
Since this is a first book in a series, I am not surprised the character development is limited. I think more could have been done but the plot was almost literally lost in the middle, and the obsession with the lust part of the story took too much control to allow for opportunities for character growth.
Outside of that, the book could use another editing pass. Most of the errors I noticed involved missing words, rather than misspellings or improper use of words. The missing word issue showed up probably once or twice a chapter.
I hope book two relies on more plot and shows some character growth. I'd like to see a healthier relationship develop with the two MCs and some of the drama with her sister get settled because in book 1 they are not close because of "reasons," which makes it all very uninteresting.
March 8, 2022
YASS GIRL!!!! Dani kicks ass!!!
Interesting, action filled, full of sass, kick-ass heroine, terrifying hero(ish), terrific storyline, and a side of heat.... ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ I believe everything checks off ladies and gentleman!
This storyline is soooo good. I was completely taken in. I mean there were times kids, hubby, job, life were like HEY put that down, and I was like not today satan, not today.
Dani is everything I love in an FMC. Independent, sarcastic, and not a push over when it comes to Samael. Her backstory is full of mystery with the perfect trail of crumbs to follow to all the answers. The push and pull between her and Samael is sexy. Then you add in the mystery of her life, her father, and the mysterious killer and you got an all nighter.
Terrifying, sexy, and arrogant (in a fun way) Samael is the perfect match for Dani. His dominance is sly and tricky. Dani finds herself tied to him in more than one way, unwillingly at times. His growing need to own her is getting verra verra interesting
Interesting, action filled, full of sass, kick-ass heroine, terrifying hero(ish), terrific storyline, and a side of heat.... ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ I believe everything checks off ladies and gentleman!
This storyline is soooo good. I was completely taken in. I mean there were times kids, hubby, job, life were like HEY put that down, and I was like not today satan, not today.
Dani is everything I love in an FMC. Independent, sarcastic, and not a push over when it comes to Samael. Her backstory is full of mystery with the perfect trail of crumbs to follow to all the answers. The push and pull between her and Samael is sexy. Then you add in the mystery of her life, her father, and the mysterious killer and you got an all nighter.
Terrifying, sexy, and arrogant (in a fun way) Samael is the perfect match for Dani. His dominance is sly and tricky. Dani finds herself tied to him in more than one way, unwillingly at times. His growing need to own her is getting verra verra interesting
June 4, 2025
I finished the first five books of this series in a week and it was such a fun read!
This is an urban fantasy about Danica, a witch bounty hunter, and Samael, the head of the demons. When Samael catches Danika in his tower with a dead demon Danica is forced to bond with him and the only way to earn her freedom is to find who has been killing demons and kill them or she will be permanently bonded to him.
This series was so enjoyable. Danica is strong and smart and independent but fiercely protective of those she loves and Samael is a morally grey MMC with an amazing backstory and is willing to do anything for Danica all while giving her independence.
I loved this series! There was an amazing element of mystery and it almost felt like a procedural since we saw Danica making connections and talking to contacts to try to solve the mystery.
Read if you like:
- Badass bounty hunter FMC
- Morally grey MMC
- Slow Burn with Tension
- Found Family
- Demons, Witches, Mages, Werewolves and more
This is an urban fantasy about Danica, a witch bounty hunter, and Samael, the head of the demons. When Samael catches Danika in his tower with a dead demon Danica is forced to bond with him and the only way to earn her freedom is to find who has been killing demons and kill them or she will be permanently bonded to him.
This series was so enjoyable. Danica is strong and smart and independent but fiercely protective of those she loves and Samael is a morally grey MMC with an amazing backstory and is willing to do anything for Danica all while giving her independence.
I loved this series! There was an amazing element of mystery and it almost felt like a procedural since we saw Danica making connections and talking to contacts to try to solve the mystery.
Read if you like:
- Badass bounty hunter FMC
- Morally grey MMC
- Slow Burn with Tension
- Found Family
- Demons, Witches, Mages, Werewolves and more
July 27, 2023
I really really enjoyed this book. Here’s what I liked:
🔥 World building
🔥 Danita- for once we have a strong FMC who makes good decisions
🔥 Samael. Urgh. I want a piece of that.
🔥 Secondary cast. I want a book for each.
🔥 Slow burn and sexual chemistry
🔥 Writing style- some beautiful imagery.
I deducted a star because you could almost count the MC and FMC interactions in one hand. I needed more of them talking, fighting, kissing. She spent more time with Vas in the whole book than with Samael and I needed more!
🔥 World building
🔥 Danita- for once we have a strong FMC who makes good decisions
🔥 Samael. Urgh. I want a piece of that.
🔥 Secondary cast. I want a book for each.
🔥 Slow burn and sexual chemistry
🔥 Writing style- some beautiful imagery.
I deducted a star because you could almost count the MC and FMC interactions in one hand. I needed more of them talking, fighting, kissing. She spent more time with Vas in the whole book than with Samael and I needed more!
May 14, 2024
Fun and interesting start to what looks like a great UF series. I’m on the fence with Samuel (MMC) at this point, however. He is a strong, alpha-type that totally takes care of those he likes (swoon) but also does some pretty a-hole stuff that makes me want to kick him off the page - especially at the end!
September 13, 2021
I was REALLY impressed by this book. It may be the first paranormal romance I've read all year that I enjoyed this much!
▪️ Great World Building: The magic system kept getting more complex and interesting as the story went on, without throwing too much at you at once. It was well thought out and unique, which is not easy to do in this genre.
▪️ Lovable Heroine: This girl is more than a little conniving and bloodthirsty when she needed to be 😁She knows how to deal with people, she's smart and compassionate, she can be a little brash but she knows when to pull herself in. Her past actually made my heart ache without using trauma as a cheap tool. Despite being sort of an outcast in the witch community, she does NOT have a chip on her shoulder at all. It was refreshing to see such a down to earth but complex main character. I'm intrigued by the dark side her powers bring out in her and can't wait to see more of it.
▪️ Exciting Romance: These days, it seems like every paranormal romance I pick up is either filled with two dimensional tropes or boring AF. I don't want a calm and stable romance in a book about demons, no offense. And there's more to writing a good alpha hero than just giving him the same 3 character traits. But the hero (or anti hero) in this book definitely delivers. Samuel actually does remind me of a Ilona Andrews or other old school urban fantasy hero. His otherness is obvious, he has his own complex motivations, and he walks the line between good and bad in the perfect way. You don't get bored. He is a bit high handed with the possessiveness and arrogance, but there's no true asshole behavior here. It's just the fun bits of this type of hero with more than enough tension to keep you hooked to the story. The few male POV chapters were well done and very distinct from the heroine's voice, which is my litmus test for a good writer.
The quality of writing, dialog, cast of supporting characters, and level of emotional awareness were also all really good. I'm super happy to find kindle PNR with so much effort put into it. It definitely paid off and I'm excited to read the next one.
▪️ Great World Building: The magic system kept getting more complex and interesting as the story went on, without throwing too much at you at once. It was well thought out and unique, which is not easy to do in this genre.
▪️ Lovable Heroine: This girl is more than a little conniving and bloodthirsty when she needed to be 😁She knows how to deal with people, she's smart and compassionate, she can be a little brash but she knows when to pull herself in. Her past actually made my heart ache without using trauma as a cheap tool. Despite being sort of an outcast in the witch community, she does NOT have a chip on her shoulder at all. It was refreshing to see such a down to earth but complex main character. I'm intrigued by the dark side her powers bring out in her and can't wait to see more of it.
▪️ Exciting Romance: These days, it seems like every paranormal romance I pick up is either filled with two dimensional tropes or boring AF. I don't want a calm and stable romance in a book about demons, no offense. And there's more to writing a good alpha hero than just giving him the same 3 character traits. But the hero (or anti hero) in this book definitely delivers. Samuel actually does remind me of a Ilona Andrews or other old school urban fantasy hero. His otherness is obvious, he has his own complex motivations, and he walks the line between good and bad in the perfect way. You don't get bored. He is a bit high handed with the possessiveness and arrogance, but there's no true asshole behavior here. It's just the fun bits of this type of hero with more than enough tension to keep you hooked to the story. The few male POV chapters were well done and very distinct from the heroine's voice, which is my litmus test for a good writer.
The quality of writing, dialog, cast of supporting characters, and level of emotional awareness were also all really good. I'm super happy to find kindle PNR with so much effort put into it. It definitely paid off and I'm excited to read the next one.
November 29, 2021
Actually really liked this one. It reminded me of Kate Daniels and Mercedes Thompson. I liked Dani and Samael. The plot was also pretty nice. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
January 12, 2022
Found a new series to love. Can't wait for more.
October 12, 2025
SPEAK OF THE DEMON was a fast paced paranormal romance that me engaged from the beginning. I love books that feature a world where paranormal beings are known to humans and this case we have a whole mix of beings trying to make a home in the same city.
Danica, our narrator and heroine, had a great "voice" that made reading this super easy. When her hunt for her mother's killer lands her in the crosshairs of the city's ruling demon, she finds herself contracted to Samael -- she has 2 weeks to find out who is killing Samael's demons or she'll be bound to him forever.
I liked Danica and Samael together, they certainly set off a lot of sparks between Samael's alpha personality and Danica's take no prisoners attitude. Of course things were complicated by the fact that Danica had been raised to stay away from demons and she had no desire to lose her freedom to Samael's bond. This is definitely a slow burn as Danica went back and forth quite a bit over her feelings for Samael and by the end of the book it's definitely not resolved. We had a few steamy moments but we are nowhere close to an HEA yet for these two.
Samael's dangerous power, cunning manipulations, and ruthless reputation all left Danica confused and unsure about trusting him. Samael was definitely a morally gray MMC and he was on the line a few times for me in terms of what I like in a love interest but he was also incredibly charming and it's obvious he cared deeply about his people and those under his protection.
While some parts of the plot were resolved we still have unanswered questions about Danica's murdered mother and what's really going on with her magic. So I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2.
Danica, our narrator and heroine, had a great "voice" that made reading this super easy. When her hunt for her mother's killer lands her in the crosshairs of the city's ruling demon, she finds herself contracted to Samael -- she has 2 weeks to find out who is killing Samael's demons or she'll be bound to him forever.
I liked Danica and Samael together, they certainly set off a lot of sparks between Samael's alpha personality and Danica's take no prisoners attitude. Of course things were complicated by the fact that Danica had been raised to stay away from demons and she had no desire to lose her freedom to Samael's bond. This is definitely a slow burn as Danica went back and forth quite a bit over her feelings for Samael and by the end of the book it's definitely not resolved. We had a few steamy moments but we are nowhere close to an HEA yet for these two.
Samael's dangerous power, cunning manipulations, and ruthless reputation all left Danica confused and unsure about trusting him. Samael was definitely a morally gray MMC and he was on the line a few times for me in terms of what I like in a love interest but he was also incredibly charming and it's obvious he cared deeply about his people and those under his protection.
While some parts of the plot were resolved we still have unanswered questions about Danica's murdered mother and what's really going on with her magic. So I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2.
August 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It had everything I loved. I also usually don't like urban fantasy, but I really enjoyed everything about this one. I will definitely be preordering the next 2 books asap. I can't wait to read them! The relationships in this book are great.
March 29, 2023
Very enjoyable.
There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s exceptionally well written.
However, it’s just not as engrossing as others I’ve read. Doesn’t have the details, the depth with other characters,nits just a little too closed in, and not fully built..
Perhaps in the next book?
Regardless, I did love the flawed, likeable, and evolving characters.
Would like to have more variety, and more knowledge for some of the sidekicks.
There are some interesting aspects there that need to be explored.
Good urban fantasy, with a few splashes of romance, with one part solved, but several more unresolved, creating a cliffhanger feel.
There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s exceptionally well written.
However, it’s just not as engrossing as others I’ve read. Doesn’t have the details, the depth with other characters,nits just a little too closed in, and not fully built..
Perhaps in the next book?
Regardless, I did love the flawed, likeable, and evolving characters.
Would like to have more variety, and more knowledge for some of the sidekicks.
There are some interesting aspects there that need to be explored.
Good urban fantasy, with a few splashes of romance, with one part solved, but several more unresolved, creating a cliffhanger feel.
May 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this story and had to know what happened next.
There was humor, a bit of romance, lots of investigating demon deaths, and some interesting world building details.
I want to emphasize the "demons" do not steal souls or try to get people thrown into hell. They have some magic abilities (it varies) and some of them have wings. The worst that they do is feed off of emotions like lust or fear.
The hero seemed obsessed with her from the start. You find out more in book 2.
There was humor, a bit of romance, lots of investigating demon deaths, and some interesting world building details.
I want to emphasize the "demons" do not steal souls or try to get people thrown into hell. They have some magic abilities (it varies) and some of them have wings. The worst that they do is feed off of emotions like lust or fear.
The hero seemed obsessed with her from the start. You find out more in book 2.
April 29, 2025
This is just so much fun. Fantasy within our world with references to familiar elements. I always like a combination of supernatural creatures and this has not disappointed.
For me this is fantasy -light - something I can enjoy with no need to be confused, it is lighthearted, witty with a plot that keeps the page turning.
What I have also really enjoyed about the series is that even though the romance has been a slow burn, it hasn’t been frustrating. Everything has developed naturally and it has been enjoyable.
There are lots of characters, everyone has been given the time to be immersed in the readers mind allowing us to be invested in their own stories.
The whole series just has a fun feel to it, with a plot that very much keeps the interest.
For me this is fantasy -light - something I can enjoy with no need to be confused, it is lighthearted, witty with a plot that keeps the page turning.
What I have also really enjoyed about the series is that even though the romance has been a slow burn, it hasn’t been frustrating. Everything has developed naturally and it has been enjoyable.
There are lots of characters, everyone has been given the time to be immersed in the readers mind allowing us to be invested in their own stories.
The whole series just has a fun feel to it, with a plot that very much keeps the interest.
September 16, 2025
3.5⭐️ (rounded down for GR)
This was a very simple easy read. Everything made sense, the characters were not bad and the story was a fun little urban fantasy/bounty hunter story. There was an overall mystery that the FMC needed to figure out. But there is a bigger picture that will play out through the rest of the series.
I like that it’s like a detective story but urban fantasy. The FMC gets jobs to locate criminals but gets dragged into a bigger case involving demon murders.
Definitely keen to continue and see where it goes. I think the characters are decent but lack a bit of oomph. Not feeling outwardly connected to them in anyway and it feels like it’s a very basic story. But I’m vibing. I like when there are demons, fae, wolves, witches etc. The writing is very basic and the author doesn’t go into too many details. Sometimes her shift between characters talking was confusing because I would think it was one character saying something but then it was another. Doesn’t deter me from continuing and enjoying the series as a fun easy read.
This was a very simple easy read. Everything made sense, the characters were not bad and the story was a fun little urban fantasy/bounty hunter story. There was an overall mystery that the FMC needed to figure out. But there is a bigger picture that will play out through the rest of the series.
I like that it’s like a detective story but urban fantasy. The FMC gets jobs to locate criminals but gets dragged into a bigger case involving demon murders.
Definitely keen to continue and see where it goes. I think the characters are decent but lack a bit of oomph. Not feeling outwardly connected to them in anyway and it feels like it’s a very basic story. But I’m vibing. I like when there are demons, fae, wolves, witches etc. The writing is very basic and the author doesn’t go into too many details. Sometimes her shift between characters talking was confusing because I would think it was one character saying something but then it was another. Doesn’t deter me from continuing and enjoying the series as a fun easy read.
April 6, 2022
This one didn't work for me. I didn't care for Danica from the start. It seemed like she bulldozed her way through the world, not really caring who got in her way, as long as she got what she wanted. Then how she made the deal with the demon, I rolled my eyes. Sure it was better than getting someone killed who helped you, but maybe if you weren't the bulldozer things wouldn't have been so dire. In the end this one wasn't for me.
April 8, 2022
Good start to the series. The mystery isn't super complex, I guess it would be what the kids these days describe as a "cozy mystery." There's good romantic tension but his instalove/insta-obsession is a lil off-putting. I'm guessing that
I can see the potential for the books to improve with each iteration. I might continue this series if I don't find something else to read soon
I can see the potential for the books to improve with each iteration. I might continue this series if I don't find something else to read soon
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