What do you think?
Rate this book
View our feature on Julie Kenner’s Tainted.
Lily Carlyle has lied, cheated, and stolen her way through life.
But in death, she'll really get to be bad...
When her little sister is brutalized, a vengeful Lily determines to exact her own justice. She succeeds at the cost of her own life, but as she lies dying, she is given a second chance. Lily can earn her way into Paradise by becoming an assassin for the forces of good.
It's the job Lily believes she can really get into--but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out.
Read Julie Kenner's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Lily Carlyle has lied, cheated, and stolen her way through life.
But in death, she'll really get to be bad...
When her little sister is brutalized, a vengeful Lily determines to exact her own justice. She succeeds at the cost of her own life, but as she lies dying, she is given a second chance. Lily can earn her way into Paradise by becoming an assassin for the forces of good.
It's the job Lily believes she can really get into--but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out.
Read Julie Kenner's posts on the Penguin Blog.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 23, 2009
54 people are currently reading
2186 people want to read
About the author
Julie Kenner
161 books1,241 followersJ. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit.
Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swopn for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy).
Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit.
Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swopn for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy).
Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
November 2, 2009
Lily has gone to kill her fourteen year old sister’s rapist. She is able to kill Lucas Johnson with a gunshot, or so she thinks, but her act also backfires on her as she lies dying in a pool of her own blood because he stabbed her. Now she thinks she is going to hell for the crime she has committed as well as some minor misdeeds she did while was alive. But Lilly doesn’t die because as she awakens from her blackout, she finds herself tied down and about to be sacrificed by some monster. Lily is able to escape but passes out on the street in front of a man who reminds her of a frog.
When Lily comes to, she isn’t in her own body. She has been inserted into Alice Purdue, a waitress who works at her uncle’s pub. The mysterious looking frog man is Clarence, and the reason Lily has been saved is because she has been called upon to join in the battle between good and evil. The war that has been raging for millenniums is about to come to a head and Lily is the only one that can stop the demons from opening the final gate of hell, where they will bring pain and suffering on Earth. While she trains, Lily now must become Alice and forget about her old life, especially of her drunk of a stepfather and Rose, her emotionally scarred little sister.
As Lily becomes accustomed to her new body and life, she meets a sexy and dangerous man. His name is Deacon and he knows that Alice is very different. Apparently Alice had secrets, and Lily has to try and figure out what they are as well as keeping her distance from Deacon because he is not human but a demon. Because he is Lily’s enemy she may have to kill him at one point even though she is very attracted to him. As Lily channels her powers, she has entered into a dark world where no one can be trusted and is she doesn’t succeed, many will suffer, which also means Rose.
TAINTED by Julie Kenner is a dark Urban Fantasy with another heroine who channels her inner turmoil to fight those that are evil and want to rule the world. Lily’s outlook on life is bleak but because of her deep love for her sister Rose, you can’t help but want to cheer her on. Lily goes through a great deal of pain all because of one rash act on her part. But because of this, she sets into motion something that has been planned for a long time.
Lily acts like a fish out of water, which makes sense because she has a new identity and new body. She does pretty well considering, especially with Alice’s family and friends. Things really pick up when she meets Deacon, the demon who makes Lily question herself and what she must accomplish.
Fans of urban fantasy will find much to recommend with Tainted and the world Julie Kenner has created. There were times I had a strange sense of déjà vu while reading because of the amount of urban fantasy series being published with a heroine who is the key to salvation and must fight evil. If readers can get past this main issue while reading then they will certainly enjoy Tainted and look forward to the next book, Torn in The Blood Lily Chronicles.
When Lily comes to, she isn’t in her own body. She has been inserted into Alice Purdue, a waitress who works at her uncle’s pub. The mysterious looking frog man is Clarence, and the reason Lily has been saved is because she has been called upon to join in the battle between good and evil. The war that has been raging for millenniums is about to come to a head and Lily is the only one that can stop the demons from opening the final gate of hell, where they will bring pain and suffering on Earth. While she trains, Lily now must become Alice and forget about her old life, especially of her drunk of a stepfather and Rose, her emotionally scarred little sister.
As Lily becomes accustomed to her new body and life, she meets a sexy and dangerous man. His name is Deacon and he knows that Alice is very different. Apparently Alice had secrets, and Lily has to try and figure out what they are as well as keeping her distance from Deacon because he is not human but a demon. Because he is Lily’s enemy she may have to kill him at one point even though she is very attracted to him. As Lily channels her powers, she has entered into a dark world where no one can be trusted and is she doesn’t succeed, many will suffer, which also means Rose.
TAINTED by Julie Kenner is a dark Urban Fantasy with another heroine who channels her inner turmoil to fight those that are evil and want to rule the world. Lily’s outlook on life is bleak but because of her deep love for her sister Rose, you can’t help but want to cheer her on. Lily goes through a great deal of pain all because of one rash act on her part. But because of this, she sets into motion something that has been planned for a long time.
Lily acts like a fish out of water, which makes sense because she has a new identity and new body. She does pretty well considering, especially with Alice’s family and friends. Things really pick up when she meets Deacon, the demon who makes Lily question herself and what she must accomplish.
Fans of urban fantasy will find much to recommend with Tainted and the world Julie Kenner has created. There were times I had a strange sense of déjà vu while reading because of the amount of urban fantasy series being published with a heroine who is the key to salvation and must fight evil. If readers can get past this main issue while reading then they will certainly enjoy Tainted and look forward to the next book, Torn in The Blood Lily Chronicles.
December 26, 2018
3.5 Stars!
Good start to a paranormal series. It has a few things I love to see. The tough heroine who is strong and can take down evil, the dangerous hero who has a darkness to him but wants to be a good guy, and a storyline that wasn't cookie cutter.
There's not much romance in book one. I have high hopes that this part will be escalated in the next book. I see potential with this couple. They have a strong attraction that both can't resist but there were trust issues they had to overcome at first.
As to all start of a series, you have a lot to learn about what is going on and what direction the story is going to go. Due to that, it did feel a bit slow in the beginning. Once some truths were revealed, I enjoyed the rest of the book more as things escalated.
I'm hoping the next book ramps up the heat between Lily and Deacon!
Good start to a paranormal series. It has a few things I love to see. The tough heroine who is strong and can take down evil, the dangerous hero who has a darkness to him but wants to be a good guy, and a storyline that wasn't cookie cutter.
There's not much romance in book one. I have high hopes that this part will be escalated in the next book. I see potential with this couple. They have a strong attraction that both can't resist but there were trust issues they had to overcome at first.
As to all start of a series, you have a lot to learn about what is going on and what direction the story is going to go. Due to that, it did feel a bit slow in the beginning. Once some truths were revealed, I enjoyed the rest of the book more as things escalated.
I'm hoping the next book ramps up the heat between Lily and Deacon!
March 2, 2019
Okay... for this review, please bear in mind that I'm currently very hard to please. I haven't been reading much for the past 8 months or so due to a terrible (book) funk I can't seem to shed, so the fact that I was able to finish this at all should speak for itself.
It was definitely a fun read. My lovely friends and followers should know by now how much I love myself a badass heroine, especially in the Urban Fantasy genre, and Lily aka Alice was a badass alright. She sported a healthy dose of egotism while still caring enough for a chosen few to kill for them (literally). I also liked Deacon, Lily's love interest, but there was some insta-love crap going on that didn't do it for me.
The premise was kinda neat, though, and some of the big twists I really did not see coming.
But that inner monologue, man. Oh my God, there was so freaking much of it. So repetitive and annoying, I just couldn't bear it any longer toward the end. I feel like this book could've been cut short by about 100 pages of inner rambling only, and it wouldn't have taken anything away from the plot or the characterization. Speaking of the plot... I did like the idea and it was certainly riveting enough, but sometimes the developments just felt too convenient to actually be believable or prompt any feeling on my part.
I can see myself continuing with this series, though. Considering that cliffhanger, how could I not?
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2010
It grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the book was done. There were many twists and turns and the author wrote a compelling storyline, and had me questioning all the characters to figure out what was really going on.
Lily is out to protect her sister when she dies. She's resurrected into the body of a girl named Alice. Clarence tells her that she has been chosen by the big guy to help save the world. The Apocalypse is coming, and it's been prophesied that Lily will be the one to close the Ninth Gate of Hell thereby saving everyone. She's been given this chance because of her good intentions in her previous life. Although she did kill someone, it was with the intent to protect her sister Rose. Zane is helping her to train so that she can take on the demons, and Deaclon is a mystery unto himself. He was a part of Alice's old life, and Lily is trying to figure out what he wants with her. Clarence warns her to stay away from Deaclon because he's evil.
Let me first say that this book ended with the story unfinished. It's going to be one of those series that each book adds more to the story and probably won't end until the last book has been written. But it really sucked me in. As Lily goes through her new life, more and more details emerge about what she's going through and what she has to do to redeem herself. Different characters had me suspicious throughout the story, and I think that's a mark of a great writer. I felt like I was a part of the drama as it unfolded.
I'm definitely going to read the next because I NEED to know what happens lol.
Lily is out to protect her sister when she dies. She's resurrected into the body of a girl named Alice. Clarence tells her that she has been chosen by the big guy to help save the world. The Apocalypse is coming, and it's been prophesied that Lily will be the one to close the Ninth Gate of Hell thereby saving everyone. She's been given this chance because of her good intentions in her previous life. Although she did kill someone, it was with the intent to protect her sister Rose. Zane is helping her to train so that she can take on the demons, and Deaclon is a mystery unto himself. He was a part of Alice's old life, and Lily is trying to figure out what he wants with her. Clarence warns her to stay away from Deaclon because he's evil.
Let me first say that this book ended with the story unfinished. It's going to be one of those series that each book adds more to the story and probably won't end until the last book has been written. But it really sucked me in. As Lily goes through her new life, more and more details emerge about what she's going through and what she has to do to redeem herself. Different characters had me suspicious throughout the story, and I think that's a mark of a great writer. I felt like I was a part of the drama as it unfolded.
I'm definitely going to read the next because I NEED to know what happens lol.
January 12, 2011
As with many of the urban fantasy books I've been reading lately, I was really looking forward to reading Tainted. I actually got excited when I saw this sitting on the shelf in the library, and I couldn't wait to get to it in my to-read pile. A demon fighting assassin heroine may not be original, but it sounded fun and exciting at least. Unfortunately, I was more than a little disappointed with Tainted. First, the age old wake up with powers routine. I've never been bothered when this happens in other books, but this time I was. While training, the main character Lily amazingly knows exactly what to do to kill the crazy demon. A kick butt switch was turned on in her head that makes her a fighting machine. I understand that people may not enjoy reading hundreds of pages of fighting lessons and combat training, but the instant ability is a bit annoying. It felt very unrealistic and unbelievable, and my favorite urban fantasy books have the most realism. My next issue was the characters. I personally did not like Lily. In her previous life she was somewhat of a punk. Yet, when she is reborn as Alice she becomes caring, concerned, and an upstanding citizen. At the same time she is a crazed killer that has a large dose of bloodlust. I just didn't find her character cohesive and enjoyable. Next, the plot. Lily is to take down the forces of evil and save humanity. She is also concerned with making sure her sister is safe, and discovering Alice's past. A large portion of the book is introspection. Lily goes over the same things in her mind time and time again. I didn't mind reading it the first time because I wanted to find out more about her character, but by the 5th or 6th time I had enough. The training and fight scenes were not very interesting to me either. I knew that the main character was pretty much invincible, so why bother reading an action scene when you know the outcome. Overall, the plot felt like 250 pages of boredom followed by 50 pages of excitement, and a huge cliffhanger ending. If the novel was comprised of a 50 page introduction, followed by the 50 pages of excitement, and then continued past the cliffhanger, I really think I would have loved it. Instead, the chapters felt choppy and didn't flow into one another, and the first three fourths of the book felt like a waste.
January 29, 2019
4 Revenge Killing Stars
I love J. Kenner/Julie Kenner however the pen name is given. I have actually never read any paranormal by her and I am actually quite impressed with how this turned out. Lily felt like she was channeling some “ Kate Daniels” energy ( find her in :
). Lily set out one day to avenge the pain brought upon her sister and in a weird twist of fate died by the hands of the man who hurt her sister emotionally/physically. But instead of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel Lily discovered she is an assassin in some one else’s body. Without ruining the book it is her coming into herself and her future and the battles, comedy and sexual attraction she finds along the way. I think this book has some dull moments but it has some great redeeming moments. I love an ass kicking heroine who doesn’t take any shit! I can’t wait till the next edition of this series!
Can I just say that dying sucks? All that bullshit about seeing the light and having this final moment of inner peace, blah, blah, blah. it's crap.
I love J. Kenner/Julie Kenner however the pen name is given. I have actually never read any paranormal by her and I am actually quite impressed with how this turned out. Lily felt like she was channeling some “ Kate Daniels” energy ( find her in :
). Lily set out one day to avenge the pain brought upon her sister and in a weird twist of fate died by the hands of the man who hurt her sister emotionally/physically. But instead of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel Lily discovered she is an assassin in some one else’s body. Without ruining the book it is her coming into herself and her future and the battles, comedy and sexual attraction she finds along the way. I think this book has some dull moments but it has some great redeeming moments. I love an ass kicking heroine who doesn’t take any shit! I can’t wait till the next edition of this series! Can I just say that dying sucks? All that bullshit about seeing the light and having this final moment of inner peace, blah, blah, blah. it's crap.
January 20, 2013
Started to unravel after the first dozen pages. The romance occurs at mach speed with a tag along. An awkward love triangle considering she doesn't even like the second guy.
Not the most inventive story line, done to death in some aspects. I found myself enjoying the writing & the dark urban fantasy atmosphere.
Not the most inventive story line, done to death in some aspects. I found myself enjoying the writing & the dark urban fantasy atmosphere.
January 12, 2019
Born in Darkness is the first in the Redemption Chronicle series. Lily dies trying to avenge her sister and somehow now she’s back fighting evil. I did have a hard time getting into the story at the beginning. I stuck with it and by the end, I’m needing more. Well written with an a$$ kicking heroine and forbidden romance that’ll suck you right in.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
October 26, 2009
Do you think the difference between good and evil is as simple as black and white? Well think again. Lily finds out that she can be good by being bad as an assassin for God. After Lily kills her sister’s attacker in cold-blood, she is given a second chance to redeem herself and wakes up in Alice Purdue’s body. Working for the light as a demon assassin, her job is to prevent the ninth gate to Hell from being opened by demons. But Lily’s new life has her wondering if she’s strong enough to the keep the ninth gate from opening? What happened to Alice Purdue, now that Lily is occupying her body? Will her sister be able to cope without her there to help her?
Tainted was an enjoyable read from Lily’s point of view, and it moves at a brisk pace with it’s eclectic cast of characters and their fun and clever dialogue. Lily is sassy, head strong with street smarts and resilient in her role as the God’s assassin. I found myself easily liking Lily and her attitude towards her new life.
Everyone from her new friend Gracie to her supernatural guide Clarence, tell Lily to stay away from Deacon Camphire. Deacon is a dark mystery to Lily and she doesn’t know if she can trust him but she does know she has a strong attraction to him. And he to her. While Tainted is light on the romance, there is plenty of sizzling tension between Lily and Deacon.
“She’s mine.” he said, pushing my partner aside with little more than a glance. His arms slid around me, his hands on my lower back pulling me close as my body tingled from the electric storm surrounding this force of nature.
“I’m not yours,” I protested, but I stayed in his arms nonetheless, tempting fate and testing the limits to my newfound sensual allure, not mention my self-control.
He took his hand from my back long enough to hook a finger under my chin and tilt my head up. A smug grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Maybe not,” he said with a cocky grin. “But you want to be.”
Tainted is the first book in the new dark urban fantasy series, The Blood Lily Chronicles by Julie Kenner. Tainted is well written, full of mystery and action, saturated with sexual tension and has turns in the plot that you won’t see coming. This book is a must for urban fantasy readers who like their reads to be suspenseful, with a dark, fast moving setting and a sassy, street smart heroine.
I’m looking forward to release of Torn next month because the ending of Tainted left me with more questions then answers.
January 25, 2010
Of all of the urban fantasy I've read, this one comes closest to Buffy. Which is not actually a bad thing. Buffy was great, with wonderful characters and emotional stories that really connected with the audience. I read once that there are really only 8 stories/themes, and every new story is just a shuffling and repackaging of of those originals. The trick is to be entertaining in the telling, and this book was. So sure, there's a young woman suddenly called to fight demons and prevent the end of the world. She has super strength, newly acquired fighting skills, a quirky mentor and is attracted to a hot guy who turns out to be a demon. Possibly a demon seeking redemption. Yup, all very Buffy. But it works. There was enough going on to keep me turning the pages, wondering about the details, and eager to see what happened next. Kenner is a really good writer. I enjoyed her demon hunting soccer mom books and the good ghouls series, but I think this is my favorite so far. Despite having nothing in common with Lily, she's the lead character I identified with the most. Her motivations make sense within the context of the story. And overall, this book was the most exciting of the three series of Kenner's I've read so far.
In fact, and this is sure to be controversial among some fans, there is something here that reminds me of Karen Marie Moning's Darkfever. The comparison didn't occur to me until the last 1/6 of the book or so. There's something about Lily's journey, the darkness of the world that she discovers, her love for her sister, and her determination to do the right thing even when it's hard and scary, that reminded me of Moning's series. There's also a nice sexiness in the series that's reminiscent, and maybe even Deacon's questionable good guy/bad guy/can she trust him status.
Overall, favorable comparisons to two great series is a pretty good sign. I doubt these books will generate the rabid fans that those two series generated, but think the favorable elements and good storytelling are there enough for me recommend the series to friends.
In fact, and this is sure to be controversial among some fans, there is something here that reminds me of Karen Marie Moning's Darkfever. The comparison didn't occur to me until the last 1/6 of the book or so. There's something about Lily's journey, the darkness of the world that she discovers, her love for her sister, and her determination to do the right thing even when it's hard and scary, that reminded me of Moning's series. There's also a nice sexiness in the series that's reminiscent, and maybe even Deacon's questionable good guy/bad guy/can she trust him status.
Overall, favorable comparisons to two great series is a pretty good sign. I doubt these books will generate the rabid fans that those two series generated, but think the favorable elements and good storytelling are there enough for me recommend the series to friends.
November 21, 2009
I have tried on several occasions to jump on the Paranormal Fiction bandwagon and absorb books by recommended authors such as Kim Harrison, Anita Blake, and L.A. Banks. I honestly did try but I just couldn't find a book or author to catch my fancy. It finally happened this week with Tainted by Julie Kenner.
Julie Kenner is the author of many award winning books and he most famous series is about a demon hunting soccer mom. In her new series, The Blood Lily Chronicles, she takes a more serious tone. Book 1 is title Tainted. I loved how the book opened right in the middle of the action of the story. In the opening scene Lily is dying after she goes toe to toe with her little sister's stalker. Lily swears she is dead but she is completely aware of what is going on around her. Is she having an out of body experience? Did Lucas (the stalker) not killer her and she is actually waking up from the ordeal?
Lily's soul goes into another female's body who dies around the same time Lily does. The girl's name is Alice and at first seems to live a very ordinary life as a waitress in a hole-in-the-wall bar. Lily is thrust into the life of Alice with no hint or instructions about Alice's life. Lily does find out quickly that there is a catch to her staying in this body: she is the "chosen one" by God to halt the opening of the 9th gate of hell by slaying the demons that are working to open it.
I really got into this book. The twisting of the plot keeps you turning the pages. Once you think you have the story all figured out, here comes another surprise. I was very pleased with the ending mostly because I wasn't expecting it. I can't wait for the second book to be released on November 24th!
Julie Kenner is the author of many award winning books and he most famous series is about a demon hunting soccer mom. In her new series, The Blood Lily Chronicles, she takes a more serious tone. Book 1 is title Tainted. I loved how the book opened right in the middle of the action of the story. In the opening scene Lily is dying after she goes toe to toe with her little sister's stalker. Lily swears she is dead but she is completely aware of what is going on around her. Is she having an out of body experience? Did Lucas (the stalker) not killer her and she is actually waking up from the ordeal?
Lily's soul goes into another female's body who dies around the same time Lily does. The girl's name is Alice and at first seems to live a very ordinary life as a waitress in a hole-in-the-wall bar. Lily is thrust into the life of Alice with no hint or instructions about Alice's life. Lily does find out quickly that there is a catch to her staying in this body: she is the "chosen one" by God to halt the opening of the 9th gate of hell by slaying the demons that are working to open it.
I really got into this book. The twisting of the plot keeps you turning the pages. Once you think you have the story all figured out, here comes another surprise. I was very pleased with the ending mostly because I wasn't expecting it. I can't wait for the second book to be released on November 24th!
April 9, 2010
While I love Kenner's "Demon Soccer Mom" series, this one was a real stinker. It had none of the humor or snappy wit of the other series. In fact, I found myself actively rolling my eyes in annoyance of the character, her actions, her motivations, her vapidness - just all of it was cheesy and trite.
The "big shock/twist" ending was blatant from about page 4 and honestly made me cry "DUH!" out loud.
I don't know what went so wrong with this one but it was a total miss for me. I will NOT be reading the other two.
The "big shock/twist" ending was blatant from about page 4 and honestly made me cry "DUH!" out loud.
I don't know what went so wrong with this one but it was a total miss for me. I will NOT be reading the other two.
December 22, 2018
To be completely honest, I read this book previously years ago when it was first published under a different name. I read so darn much and so fast, I can’t remember very much of the books I’ve read years ago, but I do remember I liked it. So, when I read the description, it didn’t seem familiar to me, but since I remember I liked it, I decided to give it a go. Wow! It was as great as I remember! The writing is terrific, the plot is unique, and I was engrossed from the minute I started it. I only have a very vague sense of remembering so it was like reading it for the first time. I am so glad I read this again (I generally don’t like rereading books because there’s just so much to read!), and I can’t wait to read the next ones. I do have to warn readers that this is a little dark but worth every second. I do highly recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy who like a tiny bit of romance! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.
September 29, 2020
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This unfortunately felt like a loose copy of Buffy.
There were very few Vampires but still Demons and instead of a stake a knife was used.
The story itself was ok but the characters lacked emotion.
Maybe I am too old for this now.
Not for me.
This unfortunately felt like a loose copy of Buffy.
There were very few Vampires but still Demons and instead of a stake a knife was used.
The story itself was ok but the characters lacked emotion.
Maybe I am too old for this now.
Not for me.
February 13, 2019
Sadly, I couldn't continue after 63%.
I will admit the beginning it totally dragged me in. The imagery was well written. By 30% the story already started to drag and for me its just in total the story was moving too slow. It just wasn't for me.
I will admit the beginning it totally dragged me in. The imagery was well written. By 30% the story already started to drag and for me its just in total the story was moving too slow. It just wasn't for me.
December 26, 2018
The first book in The Redemption Chronicles, Born in Darkness is a great read. A kickass urban fantasy with a no-nonsense, strong heroine, a well written, action driven storyline. This is definitely one I will be looking forward to reading more of and recommending to others
January 28, 2018
Two stars, according to Goodreads, means "it was okay," and that's my take on this book. Although I loved Kenner's Carpe Demon, I neither liked nor disliked this one. Kenner's ability to write clear, detailed action scenes helped me get through the main character Lily's first-person narrative, which tends to stall out on long, introspective rehearsals of her strong emotions, and I like it when a story has a big twist I didn't see coming. Even so, important characters are forever giving cryptic or incomplete answers to Lily's urgent questions, and that didn't heighten the mystery in the plot so much as muddle it for me.
This is another one of those UF books in which the main character dies and wakes up in someone else's body and has to act as that person. The beginning is strong: Lily is stabbed to death while trying to avenge the rape of her 14-year-old half-sister Rose and wakes up strapped to an altar with a rapidly healing stab wound in her chest and enhanced powers. Enter the biggest, ugliest demon ever, and Lily breaks her bonds and, well, she stabs him in the sanctuary with a candlestick without a Clue to what's going on. (I just had to do that.) She escapes into an alley, discovers her body is someone else's, and is picked up by an odd little fellow named Clarence who becomes her mentor.
This is where the cryptic answers start. Evidently Lily is the Chosen One to save humanity with her new powers and rapid healing ability by keeping the ninth gate of Hell from opening at the forthcoming Convergence. Yes, the familiar UF trope, this time with little info on who or how, just that to do it Lily has somehow occupied and healed the body of Alice Purdue, who simply disappeared for a day or two. She must now hold down Alice's job in her uncle's pub and in her spare time get intensive training in demon-slaying. Lots and lots of demons. It's not the bright fluffy demon-slaying you may remember from Buffy, because with each kill Lily-as-Alice absorbs some of the demon's essence, so that her feelings become progressively darker and she enjoys killing more and more.
I thought the scenes with Alice's friends and relatives were well crafted, showing how Lily manages to fake her new persona. But I was never able to connect with Lily, whose actions usually make things worse and whose feelings, though partially offset by her love for Rose, are primarily ones of distrust, anger, vengefulness, and desire to kill. The main male character, Deacon, who pursued Alice and now Lily-as-Alice, is clearly demonic and untrustworthy, though (here comes another familiar trope) Lily is strongly aroused by him; but in every scene that starts to heat up, Lily's distrust and anger bring her to her senses and she pushes him away.
So the only one I really cared for was Rose, whom we never get to know very well. And Alice, whom we never meet, seems to have been a good person in a bad situation. Other than those two, I wasn't engaging with any of the characters.
Beyond the big plot twist (I won't tell even in a spoiler tag), the ending leaves all the major issues unresolved but one , and the publishers' inclusion of the first chapter of the sequel Torn makes it clear that this isn't even book 1 of a set but just the first 45 chapters of a very long novel.
This is another one of those UF books in which the main character dies and wakes up in someone else's body and has to act as that person. The beginning is strong: Lily is stabbed to death while trying to avenge the rape of her 14-year-old half-sister Rose and wakes up strapped to an altar with a rapidly healing stab wound in her chest and enhanced powers. Enter the biggest, ugliest demon ever, and Lily breaks her bonds and, well, she stabs him in the sanctuary with a candlestick without a Clue to what's going on. (I just had to do that.) She escapes into an alley, discovers her body is someone else's, and is picked up by an odd little fellow named Clarence who becomes her mentor.
This is where the cryptic answers start. Evidently Lily is the Chosen One to save humanity with her new powers and rapid healing ability by keeping the ninth gate of Hell from opening at the forthcoming Convergence. Yes, the familiar UF trope, this time with little info on who or how, just that to do it Lily has somehow occupied and healed the body of Alice Purdue, who simply disappeared for a day or two. She must now hold down Alice's job in her uncle's pub and in her spare time get intensive training in demon-slaying. Lots and lots of demons. It's not the bright fluffy demon-slaying you may remember from Buffy, because with each kill Lily-as-Alice absorbs some of the demon's essence, so that her feelings become progressively darker and she enjoys killing more and more.
I thought the scenes with Alice's friends and relatives were well crafted, showing how Lily manages to fake her new persona. But I was never able to connect with Lily, whose actions usually make things worse and whose feelings, though partially offset by her love for Rose, are primarily ones of distrust, anger, vengefulness, and desire to kill. The main male character, Deacon, who pursued Alice and now Lily-as-Alice, is clearly demonic and untrustworthy, though (here comes another familiar trope) Lily is strongly aroused by him; but in every scene that starts to heat up, Lily's distrust and anger bring her to her senses and she pushes him away.
So the only one I really cared for was Rose, whom we never get to know very well. And Alice, whom we never meet, seems to have been a good person in a bad situation. Other than those two, I wasn't engaging with any of the characters.
Beyond the big plot twist (I won't tell even in a spoiler tag), the ending leaves all the major issues unresolved but one , and the publishers' inclusion of the first chapter of the sequel Torn makes it clear that this isn't even book 1 of a set but just the first 45 chapters of a very long novel.
September 10, 2011
This is the first book in the Blood Lily Chronicles and I know that I will be picking up the second one. This book has sat on my shelf for a few months and I think I kept passing it by, for its somewhat cheesy cover. But I am glad that I picked the book up, it was a good easy read, that was action packed and even some romance in there for you.
The book is based around Lily, who believes that she has never been good person. She has done bad things in her life, but they were all to protect her younger sister Rose, but still she has never been on the side of good. Lily's final act of protection is to kill Lucas Johnson, who was a constantly stalking Rose (but it is hinted in the book that he may have abused and/or assaulted her as well). Lily kills Johnson, but Johnson is also able to kill her. Now Lily has awoken in another girl's body (Alice) and is being chased by a demon who is trying to kill her. Enter Clarence (who looks like a frogman), he is Lily's mentor and he informs Lily that she is the chosen one, the assassin for the Light, the one who will defeat the demons and close the ninth gate (gate to the Demon world) forever as she is directly connected to the key for the gate. Lily begins training with Clarence who gives her information about the demons and Zane, an extremely Hot trainer who Lily cannot take her eyes off. Zane has some interesting training techniques, mostly involving letting a demon loose in the ring and seeing how Lily handles the situation. If all this was not enough, Lily needs to become Alice and move smoothly through Alice's life. Enter Deacon, who was a friend of Alice's before she had died, but he is also a Demon. Deacon makes her question Clarence's teachings about all Demons being bad, but she knows she has to focus on closing the gate, she wants redemption for all the bad things that he has done in her previous life. So ready or not, here she goes, trying to the save the world, but Lily soon realizes that she may be trying saving the world, but there are a lot of demons and people that would like to see her fail.
I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I was looking for to read. It is one of those good vs evil books, with all the gray area in between. It has twist and turns and you really don't know who she should trust and listen to and which guy she should go for.
I really enjoyed Lily as a character and her need to seek redemption for her past actions, but never regretting them, other than her promise to keep Rose safe and being there for her. Lily also does not pretend to know it all or know how to fight. Kenner does a good job of explaining how Lily grows in her knowledge and fighting skills and in the first few fights scenes you can picture Lily bumbling through them. I also enjoyed some of the new abilities that Lily was given when she was "reborn". If she kills a demon with her own blade (it has been anointed with her blood), she receives some of the demon's power, either good or bad. For example she kills a vampire like demon that was feeding on a girls blood and she now experience blood lust in one form or another.
I think this is one of the Next Series you need to get into.
Enjoy!
The book is based around Lily, who believes that she has never been good person. She has done bad things in her life, but they were all to protect her younger sister Rose, but still she has never been on the side of good. Lily's final act of protection is to kill Lucas Johnson, who was a constantly stalking Rose (but it is hinted in the book that he may have abused and/or assaulted her as well). Lily kills Johnson, but Johnson is also able to kill her. Now Lily has awoken in another girl's body (Alice) and is being chased by a demon who is trying to kill her. Enter Clarence (who looks like a frogman), he is Lily's mentor and he informs Lily that she is the chosen one, the assassin for the Light, the one who will defeat the demons and close the ninth gate (gate to the Demon world) forever as she is directly connected to the key for the gate. Lily begins training with Clarence who gives her information about the demons and Zane, an extremely Hot trainer who Lily cannot take her eyes off. Zane has some interesting training techniques, mostly involving letting a demon loose in the ring and seeing how Lily handles the situation. If all this was not enough, Lily needs to become Alice and move smoothly through Alice's life. Enter Deacon, who was a friend of Alice's before she had died, but he is also a Demon. Deacon makes her question Clarence's teachings about all Demons being bad, but she knows she has to focus on closing the gate, she wants redemption for all the bad things that he has done in her previous life. So ready or not, here she goes, trying to the save the world, but Lily soon realizes that she may be trying saving the world, but there are a lot of demons and people that would like to see her fail.
I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I was looking for to read. It is one of those good vs evil books, with all the gray area in between. It has twist and turns and you really don't know who she should trust and listen to and which guy she should go for.
I really enjoyed Lily as a character and her need to seek redemption for her past actions, but never regretting them, other than her promise to keep Rose safe and being there for her. Lily also does not pretend to know it all or know how to fight. Kenner does a good job of explaining how Lily grows in her knowledge and fighting skills and in the first few fights scenes you can picture Lily bumbling through them. I also enjoyed some of the new abilities that Lily was given when she was "reborn". If she kills a demon with her own blade (it has been anointed with her blood), she receives some of the demon's power, either good or bad. For example she kills a vampire like demon that was feeding on a girls blood and she now experience blood lust in one form or another.
I think this is one of the Next Series you need to get into.
Enjoy!
January 21, 2010
I'm coming in kind of late with a review here, but I just recently finished this series. Tainted is the first book in the Blood Lily Chronicles.
Lily Carlyle is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Her younger sister, Rose, is raped by a man named Lucas Johnson. When Johnson is released on a technicality and begins to stalk Rose, Lily takes matters into her own hands and kills Johnson. Unfortunately, Lily is also killed during the attack.
Lily wakes up in the body of Alice Purdue, a bar maid at the Bloody Tongue. The Bloody Tongue is owned by her uncle Egan, and, as it turns out, by Alice and Alice's sister Rachel. Lily is soon greeted by an odd creature who calls himself Clarence and who tells Lily that her mission is to assure that the Ninth Gate to Hell is locked before something called Convergence. At Convergence, which is imminent, the legions of Hell will be able to pass through to Earth. Part of what she will have to do is kill demons.
Lily begins her demon-killing training, but is curious about the life she has usurped. She begins to dig into Alice's background, all without giving away the fact that she is *not* Alice, and finds that Alice is an integral part of what is happening. Making things even more interesting is a demon named Deacon Camphire, who was originally befriended by Alice and who seems to have an intense interest in Lily-in-Alice's-body.
I thought this was an original take on urban fantasy. Lily was an engaging character. The story is told in the first person, typical of much UF, and although, Lily can be sarcastic, I still found that I liked her voice. She is smart and has a sensible knack for self-preservation.
I did think that Lily's acceptance of her new life came pretty quickly, but I can understand why she was ready to leave her old life -- except for Rose -- behind. I also wasn't completely sold on the seemingly instant transformation of Lily into a demon-fighting super-girl. Fighting is a skill acquired through practice -- lots and lots of practice -- and it seemed to come too quickly to Lily to be realistic.
The secondary characters were interesting. Deacon is a enigma, who we get to know better over the course or the series. I like that his secrets are revealed slowly. Can't say too much here, because it would be a spoiler.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I would definitely try other books by this author.
Lily Carlyle is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Her younger sister, Rose, is raped by a man named Lucas Johnson. When Johnson is released on a technicality and begins to stalk Rose, Lily takes matters into her own hands and kills Johnson. Unfortunately, Lily is also killed during the attack.
Lily wakes up in the body of Alice Purdue, a bar maid at the Bloody Tongue. The Bloody Tongue is owned by her uncle Egan, and, as it turns out, by Alice and Alice's sister Rachel. Lily is soon greeted by an odd creature who calls himself Clarence and who tells Lily that her mission is to assure that the Ninth Gate to Hell is locked before something called Convergence. At Convergence, which is imminent, the legions of Hell will be able to pass through to Earth. Part of what she will have to do is kill demons.
Lily begins her demon-killing training, but is curious about the life she has usurped. She begins to dig into Alice's background, all without giving away the fact that she is *not* Alice, and finds that Alice is an integral part of what is happening. Making things even more interesting is a demon named Deacon Camphire, who was originally befriended by Alice and who seems to have an intense interest in Lily-in-Alice's-body.
I thought this was an original take on urban fantasy. Lily was an engaging character. The story is told in the first person, typical of much UF, and although, Lily can be sarcastic, I still found that I liked her voice. She is smart and has a sensible knack for self-preservation.
I did think that Lily's acceptance of her new life came pretty quickly, but I can understand why she was ready to leave her old life -- except for Rose -- behind. I also wasn't completely sold on the seemingly instant transformation of Lily into a demon-fighting super-girl. Fighting is a skill acquired through practice -- lots and lots of practice -- and it seemed to come too quickly to Lily to be realistic.
The secondary characters were interesting. Deacon is a enigma, who we get to know better over the course or the series. I like that his secrets are revealed slowly. Can't say too much here, because it would be a spoiler.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I would definitely try other books by this author.
November 29, 2009
Lily is dead; she died in an attempt to kill the man that raped her half-sister, Rose. (Yes, they have flower names.) However, Lily is not gone. At the moment of her death, she's offered a chance to atone for her crimes, apparently because this final crime was motivated by love.
Lily is in Alice Purdue's body; Alice is dead, and Lily doesn't know who killed her. Clarence, Lily's handler, tells her that she shouldn't bother to investigate what happened to Alice, as it's not important.
What is important is that Lily is apparently Prophecy Girl. She's the one that can permanently lock the gates between Hell and Earth, and Clarence helps her train for the upcoming battle.
There's also Deacon, an enigmatic man that Lily feels intensely drawn toward. Clarence tells her that Deacon is dangerous and Lily should avoid him . . .
Clarence tells Lily many things . . . and Lily needs to decide which of them she should believe--before it's too late.
. . .
While this was a decent book, I can't help but be annoyed by the format of it. It's the first in a trilogy, and each book is being published a month apart. The chapters are incredibly short (as in almost James Patterson short), and many of them end with a cliffhanger--which almost functions to make the final cliffhanger seem like a natural occurrence of the plot. Most of these cliffhangers seem forced, and while the final cliffhanger is a doosy, I think this book doesn't function well. It may have been better if all of the books had been published in one volume; artificially extending the plot seems to have weakened the story. I enjoy Julie Kenner's Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series enough that I'm willing to read the next two books, even though I didn't particularly like this one.
I'll have more to say after I read the next books. Torn The Blood Lily Chronicles 2 is currently available. Turned The Blood Lily Chronicles 3 will be available at the end of December.
Lily is in Alice Purdue's body; Alice is dead, and Lily doesn't know who killed her. Clarence, Lily's handler, tells her that she shouldn't bother to investigate what happened to Alice, as it's not important.
What is important is that Lily is apparently Prophecy Girl. She's the one that can permanently lock the gates between Hell and Earth, and Clarence helps her train for the upcoming battle.
There's also Deacon, an enigmatic man that Lily feels intensely drawn toward. Clarence tells her that Deacon is dangerous and Lily should avoid him . . .
Clarence tells Lily many things . . . and Lily needs to decide which of them she should believe--before it's too late.
. . .
While this was a decent book, I can't help but be annoyed by the format of it. It's the first in a trilogy, and each book is being published a month apart. The chapters are incredibly short (as in almost James Patterson short), and many of them end with a cliffhanger--which almost functions to make the final cliffhanger seem like a natural occurrence of the plot. Most of these cliffhangers seem forced, and while the final cliffhanger is a doosy, I think this book doesn't function well. It may have been better if all of the books had been published in one volume; artificially extending the plot seems to have weakened the story. I enjoy Julie Kenner's Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series enough that I'm willing to read the next two books, even though I didn't particularly like this one.
I'll have more to say after I read the next books. Torn The Blood Lily Chronicles 2 is currently available. Turned The Blood Lily Chronicles 3 will be available at the end of December.
April 13, 2012
Lily Carlyle has had a very hard life. Her mother died when she was on 14 years old, leaving her with a little sister to take care of and a drunken stepfather who quickly became to loss in his grief to be of any real help. Lily made a promise to her little sister Rose that she would always keep her safe and if this meant lying, cheating and stealing to the bills, then so be it. When Rose is raped and her attacker was released on a legal technicality, he begins stalking her. Lily remembers her promise to protect her sister, and if that means committing murder to ensure that Rose was safe, then she is more than willing to do it.
What Lily does not count on, is that her act of vengeance leading to her death. Lily dies knowing that with all of her past actions, that there is only one final destination for her - hell. Lily is however offered a chance of redemption, when she is placed into the body of Alice Purdue and told that she is girl who is prophesied to ensure that the demons amassing at the ninth gate are never able to escape. She says yes to this challenge, because the alternative is an eternity of damnation, and so with the help of Clarence and her fighting coach, an incubus named Zane, Lilly/Alice sets out to save the world and in the process keep her promise to her little sister.
As with all plans, things don't run smooth for Lily. Each time she kills a demon she takes on their essence and this means that she inherits all of the dark passions, crimes and urges. Lily is terrified that is becoming that which she is seeking to eradicate.
With Armageddon looming, Lily also find herself deeply attracted to a demon named Deacon. It appears that Demon and Alice had some sort of arrangement and he quickly surmises that though Lily now looks like Alice something is very wrong. There is an extremely strong attraction between the two of them which Lily has great difficulty reconciling. How is it possible that the chosen one - a demon killer, can be attracted to a demon. Is possible that things are not as black and white as she has been told? Do demons possess the ability to be an agent of good?
Read More
What Lily does not count on, is that her act of vengeance leading to her death. Lily dies knowing that with all of her past actions, that there is only one final destination for her - hell. Lily is however offered a chance of redemption, when she is placed into the body of Alice Purdue and told that she is girl who is prophesied to ensure that the demons amassing at the ninth gate are never able to escape. She says yes to this challenge, because the alternative is an eternity of damnation, and so with the help of Clarence and her fighting coach, an incubus named Zane, Lilly/Alice sets out to save the world and in the process keep her promise to her little sister.
As with all plans, things don't run smooth for Lily. Each time she kills a demon she takes on their essence and this means that she inherits all of the dark passions, crimes and urges. Lily is terrified that is becoming that which she is seeking to eradicate.
With Armageddon looming, Lily also find herself deeply attracted to a demon named Deacon. It appears that Demon and Alice had some sort of arrangement and he quickly surmises that though Lily now looks like Alice something is very wrong. There is an extremely strong attraction between the two of them which Lily has great difficulty reconciling. How is it possible that the chosen one - a demon killer, can be attracted to a demon. Is possible that things are not as black and white as she has been told? Do demons possess the ability to be an agent of good?
Read More
March 8, 2011
The premise of the book may not be very original, but it was something which quickly caught my attention.
Tainted, an urban fantasy about a heroine who fights demons, may not be the most original concept, but it certainly is entertaining. It starts off with a gripping opening and is very fast-paced and entertaining throughout.
One thing I really liked about this book were the plot twists. As Lily kills more demons, she absorbs some of their powers and becomes more demonic. Nor suprisingly, this leads to a struggle against her own inner demons. Will she become evil? It's up to the reader to find out.
Another aspect that I praise it the extremely fast pace. The chapters are very short, so it's an easy to stop anytime and pick up where you left off. Most of them end with a cliffhanger which leads to a good amount of suspense. It will be easy for most urban fantasy readers to devour this book in no time. There are little, if any, boring or slow spots. The book quickly jumps from scene to scene without any boring dialogue sequences or filler moments.
Lily is one of the best heroines that ubran fantasy has to offer. Rather than simply an empty vehicle that the author uses to move the plot foward, Lily has a fully fleshed out personality. She has the definite bad girl attitude which is shown through many memorable quotes full of sass and sarcasm. However, her priorities to her family and sister are still deeply rooted in her heart and a character like her never forgets her duties.
One particularly intriguing aspect of the book is the love interest, who, believe it or not, happens to be a demon. This builds up a fair amount of suspense and mystery as Lily has trouble deciding on who to trust. Coming from someone who doesn't like romance very much, Julie Kenner used it in a way to make it suspenseful.
Overall, it's a fairly easy read. (It took me two or three days to finish.) The plot does seem like it could use some more creativity or originality, since there are dozens of urban fantasy books like it. (Hunter Kiss, Black-Sun's Daughter, etc.) However, for what it's worth, it's damn good entertainment.
Tainted, an urban fantasy about a heroine who fights demons, may not be the most original concept, but it certainly is entertaining. It starts off with a gripping opening and is very fast-paced and entertaining throughout.
One thing I really liked about this book were the plot twists. As Lily kills more demons, she absorbs some of their powers and becomes more demonic. Nor suprisingly, this leads to a struggle against her own inner demons. Will she become evil? It's up to the reader to find out.
Another aspect that I praise it the extremely fast pace. The chapters are very short, so it's an easy to stop anytime and pick up where you left off. Most of them end with a cliffhanger which leads to a good amount of suspense. It will be easy for most urban fantasy readers to devour this book in no time. There are little, if any, boring or slow spots. The book quickly jumps from scene to scene without any boring dialogue sequences or filler moments.
Lily is one of the best heroines that ubran fantasy has to offer. Rather than simply an empty vehicle that the author uses to move the plot foward, Lily has a fully fleshed out personality. She has the definite bad girl attitude which is shown through many memorable quotes full of sass and sarcasm. However, her priorities to her family and sister are still deeply rooted in her heart and a character like her never forgets her duties.
One particularly intriguing aspect of the book is the love interest, who, believe it or not, happens to be a demon. This builds up a fair amount of suspense and mystery as Lily has trouble deciding on who to trust. Coming from someone who doesn't like romance very much, Julie Kenner used it in a way to make it suspenseful.
Overall, it's a fairly easy read. (It took me two or three days to finish.) The plot does seem like it could use some more creativity or originality, since there are dozens of urban fantasy books like it. (Hunter Kiss, Black-Sun's Daughter, etc.) However, for what it's worth, it's damn good entertainment.
September 18, 2010
When i first saw this book I was so unsure if I could get sucked into ,but that just proved me wrong because getting sucked in wasn't the problem. The problem was putting the book down.
Lily Carlyle has died protecting her sister. Now given a second chance of life. Lily can earn her way into Paradise by becoming an assassin for the forces of good. It's the job Lily believes she can do, but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out. Lily has come choices to make which will she choose?
My Thoughts:
From the beginning i was really curious how this book would play out. Lily is strong and doesn't pretend to be Lily White. Since she has died protecting her sister she was given a second chance and now is making the best of the choices. Lily ends up going through some changes and getting used to this new life she was given. Now she is an assassin fighting against demons from the dark side. The book has a lot of action that made it a suspenseful read. I found myself questioning other characters in the story and wondering what was true or not because something was off. Towards the end of the book everything Lily thinks turns out to be wrong and throws you for a nail bitter loop.
I am looking forward to continuing the series for sure and so glad I decided to get this book after all. I would recommend this book to all urban fantasy fans.This might be my first Julie Kenner book, but she has gained a new fan. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series Torn.
Lily Carlyle has died protecting her sister. Now given a second chance of life. Lily can earn her way into Paradise by becoming an assassin for the forces of good. It's the job Lily believes she can do, but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out. Lily has come choices to make which will she choose?
My Thoughts:
From the beginning i was really curious how this book would play out. Lily is strong and doesn't pretend to be Lily White. Since she has died protecting her sister she was given a second chance and now is making the best of the choices. Lily ends up going through some changes and getting used to this new life she was given. Now she is an assassin fighting against demons from the dark side. The book has a lot of action that made it a suspenseful read. I found myself questioning other characters in the story and wondering what was true or not because something was off. Towards the end of the book everything Lily thinks turns out to be wrong and throws you for a nail bitter loop.
I am looking forward to continuing the series for sure and so glad I decided to get this book after all. I would recommend this book to all urban fantasy fans.This might be my first Julie Kenner book, but she has gained a new fan. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series Torn.
July 18, 2011
Plot: 4 Stars
It's not every day that a book completely blindsides me. I don't always figure books out before I finish, but when Tainted came to the revelation portion near the end, I was blown away. I was expecting anything except for the direction the story actual turned. The ending did feel a little rushed and lacking finality, but it's not the end of the world because the next book in the series comes out 11/24 and the third sometime in December.
Pace: 4.5 Stars
The story grabbed me quickly and didn't let go. Although it took me a couple days to finish, each time I sat down, I read at least 80 pages at once. The shorter chapters definitely helped expedite the story along, but the main reason it read at such a quick pace is that there wasn't much downtime between action scenes.
Characters: 4 Stars
Although I loved the dynamic between Lily and many of the characters, I felt like we didn't really get to know anyone besides Lily.
Cover: 4 Stars
I liked the font choice for the title and the cover model definitely had some attitude, but I felt like this read like every other urban fantasy cover. If I hadn't gone to the store specifically to pick this book up after seeing some early reviews, I may have passed it by.
Overall: 4 Stars
Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.
It's not every day that a book completely blindsides me. I don't always figure books out before I finish, but when Tainted came to the revelation portion near the end, I was blown away. I was expecting anything except for the direction the story actual turned. The ending did feel a little rushed and lacking finality, but it's not the end of the world because the next book in the series comes out 11/24 and the third sometime in December.
Pace: 4.5 Stars
The story grabbed me quickly and didn't let go. Although it took me a couple days to finish, each time I sat down, I read at least 80 pages at once. The shorter chapters definitely helped expedite the story along, but the main reason it read at such a quick pace is that there wasn't much downtime between action scenes.
Characters: 4 Stars
Although I loved the dynamic between Lily and many of the characters, I felt like we didn't really get to know anyone besides Lily.
Cover: 4 Stars
I liked the font choice for the title and the cover model definitely had some attitude, but I felt like this read like every other urban fantasy cover. If I hadn't gone to the store specifically to pick this book up after seeing some early reviews, I may have passed it by.
Overall: 4 Stars
Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.
September 20, 2011
By the same author, Tainted is the dark version of Carpe Demon. the wholesome socceer mom transposed into a seedy, hardened, lying, stealing woman who will and has done anything to protect her little sister and keep their household running since she was 14-years-old when their mom died and their dad retreated into alcoholism. The story begins with Lily dying as she kills the man who raped and is still terrorizing her little sister. Although Lily's life hasn't been sin-free, her motivations have been good, so she is given a chance to redeem herself if she is willing to join the forces of good to foil a demon plot--in another woman's body. The story involves lots of demon killing, lots of foul language, sexual innuendo, and seaminess, all of which put me off, The action was good and the setting intriguing, like how do you take over someone else's life without people guessing something is off and can you just walk away from your old life. There were some good questions raised, as well. For instance, how much evil is absorbed if you continually deal with evil people? It made me wonder if policemen become tainted or hardened by continual interaction with the dregs of society? Despite good elements, I don't recommend this book because of the film noire coloring--the cynicism, sexual motivations, brutality, and coarseness.
February 2, 2010
Tainted was an interesting read the sucked me in and didn't let go ... well, not even at the end, since it ended in the midst of stuff. So, gotta wait until Torn to find out what happens next.
In this story, Lily kills a man terrorizing her sister, Rose, but dies in the process. She awakes to a frog-like man, Clarence, who tells her that she's been brought back b/c she's the one, the one that will close the Ninth Gate of Hell forever and save the world. She's in the body of Alice and, although Clarence tells her Alice's life (and death) is not her concern, she is determined to find out what happened to her. She has to learn about her life in order to keep others in Alice's life from knowing anything's "off".
She meets Deacon, who she's immediately attracted to, but he also scares her a little. Clarence soon finds out about Deacon and insists that he's a demon and she must keep clear of him.
Lily struggles to find her footing in this new body, with her new job as kick-ass savior and demon slayer. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in the rest of the series.
In this story, Lily kills a man terrorizing her sister, Rose, but dies in the process. She awakes to a frog-like man, Clarence, who tells her that she's been brought back b/c she's the one, the one that will close the Ninth Gate of Hell forever and save the world. She's in the body of Alice and, although Clarence tells her Alice's life (and death) is not her concern, she is determined to find out what happened to her. She has to learn about her life in order to keep others in Alice's life from knowing anything's "off".
She meets Deacon, who she's immediately attracted to, but he also scares her a little. Clarence soon finds out about Deacon and insists that he's a demon and she must keep clear of him.
Lily struggles to find her footing in this new body, with her new job as kick-ass savior and demon slayer. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in the rest of the series.
May 6, 2010
I'm sitting here a little confused as to how exactly to word this review, mostly because I can't reconcile exactly how I feel about the book as a whole. Don't get me wrong; that's not a terrible thing- I really did like it. When the book began I was completely riveted. Then it kind of turned into something I wasn't expecting, but was still very interested. I judge a book on how interested I continue to be in the story, and I was never bored, never skimmed. I realize this is really vague, but I hate reviews that give things away. I appreciated that it wasn't overly descriptive of anything, as I find some authors, yet I was never confused as to what was going on or who anyone was. That to me is perfect. If you're looking for poetry, read a poem. If you're looking for action, a good story, and some twists, you should like this. I also appreciated that there was mostly sexual tension, instead of long drawn out sex scenes- I personally find them unnecessary. The author got her point across just fine, even when in a few parts I thought it was going down that road. So all in all, the characters are painted vividly, the twists are sufficiently curvy, and I will definitely read the next one to see what happens.
September 19, 2010
This is well worth the read, it puts me in mind of Stacia Kane the 'Unholy series', Lilith Saintcrow,Faith Hunter, Natasha Rhodes & Jennifer Armintrout, who turn out gritty, exciting urban fantasies.
Alice or should I say Lily is training to close the ninth gate of hell, she failed to protect her sister, so she is determined to succeed at this. She has a scaley mentor & succumbus trainer, a demon stalking her to reveal what she knows & no-one to talk to, because even though she just has to do one thing to succour her redemption, someone is lying to her.
Lily is an incredibly resilient & unapologetic character, I like that, the story is fast paced & does not let up until the end & is left on a cliffhanger.
This is the first time I have read Julie Kenner & I am now going to go straight on to the next book, as I cannot wait to see where this superb Urban fantasy will end.
If you like gritty urban fantasies with a sassie heroine with flaws, strong supporting characters, none stop action than this is for you. No sappy romantic cheese here thank goodness.
The next book in the series is Torn (Blood Lily Chronicles) Enjoy....
Alice or should I say Lily is training to close the ninth gate of hell, she failed to protect her sister, so she is determined to succeed at this. She has a scaley mentor & succumbus trainer, a demon stalking her to reveal what she knows & no-one to talk to, because even though she just has to do one thing to succour her redemption, someone is lying to her.
Lily is an incredibly resilient & unapologetic character, I like that, the story is fast paced & does not let up until the end & is left on a cliffhanger.
This is the first time I have read Julie Kenner & I am now going to go straight on to the next book, as I cannot wait to see where this superb Urban fantasy will end.
If you like gritty urban fantasies with a sassie heroine with flaws, strong supporting characters, none stop action than this is for you. No sappy romantic cheese here thank goodness.
The next book in the series is Torn (Blood Lily Chronicles) Enjoy....
September 10, 2015
On a quest to avenge a wrong against her sister Lily gets herself “killed”, wakes up in the body of another and has to fight demons in and close the “ninth gate” of hell in order to be redeemed, or so she is being told. Turns out that she is being used and is actually working with the forces of evil and not against them.
I liked the overall story, however the beginning was stretched and repetitive had to fight the urge not to quit reading this book. Lily berating herself for failing her sister is being repeated too much and Lily keeps recounting the same things over and over in her mind.
I liked the overall story, however the beginning was stretched and repetitive had to fight the urge not to quit reading this book. Lily berating herself for failing her sister is being repeated too much and Lily keeps recounting the same things over and over in her mind.
October 6, 2010
Blech.
Seriously disappointing, especially when compared to the recently discovered Kate Daniels books, the first of which is Magic Bites.
Lily/Alice is arrogant, crude, glib, and uninteresting. The premise of the story is worn, and all the supporting characters read like charicatures. I do not plan on continuing with the series.
Seriously disappointing, especially when compared to the recently discovered Kate Daniels books, the first of which is Magic Bites.
Lily/Alice is arrogant, crude, glib, and uninteresting. The premise of the story is worn, and all the supporting characters read like charicatures. I do not plan on continuing with the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews