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mrella's review against another edition
4.0
Seth is a healer, but with every person healed, he himself is getting closer to death. Knowing what healing in the long run entitles, he decides to break free before it's too late. "Not so fast, brother!" says handsome black man Zed with his James Earl Jones's voice, and makes Seth stay, rending him unable to leave the circus revival.
Abaddon is a soul collector. The Hell he lives in, tho I am sure hellishly horrible, sounds pretty amusing and sometimes funny. He is buried in paperwork and is under pressure to collect souls.
MCs meet, they fall in love, they suffer, they cry, they offer all kinds of sacrifices to save the other and, I don't believe this is much of a spoiler, they live to be together. All the usual works.
Now, angels, hippy revivals, devils, soul collectors don't entice me in any way. I read this book for a challenge in which I needed a book with a devil, and only because it's Marie Sexton so I knew it would be as good as I could get. On the whole, it was 3 star-ish for me. Once again, it's me, not the book.
BUT! Just like Abaddon found a bright soul in Bible Belt, I found a bright couple of lines in this not-my-fav-trope book.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick did if for me. I am bumping my rating up to 4. 'Cause PATS! 'Cause BRADY! =) This wasn't just bright, this was brilliant! :D And funny :)
Abaddon is a soul collector. The Hell he lives in, tho I am sure hellishly horrible, sounds pretty amusing and sometimes funny. He is buried in paperwork and is under pressure to collect souls.
MCs meet, they fall in love, they suffer, they cry, they offer all kinds of sacrifices to save the other and, I don't believe this is much of a spoiler, they live to be together. All the usual works.
Now, angels, hippy revivals, devils, soul collectors don't entice me in any way. I read this book for a challenge in which I needed a book with a devil, and only because it's Marie Sexton so I knew it would be as good as I could get. On the whole, it was 3 star-ish for me. Once again, it's me, not the book.
BUT! Just like Abaddon found a bright soul in Bible Belt, I found a bright couple of lines in this not-my-fav-trope book.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick did if for me. I am bumping my rating up to 4. 'Cause PATS! 'Cause BRADY! =) This wasn't just bright, this was brilliant! :D And funny :)
digthewriter's review against another edition
4.0
As someone who legit knows nothing about the Bible, who maybe kind of skimmed it in college in Intro to Fiction Class yes it was a required reading for that class, haha, I was quite impressed with the author and the way they were swooping in with verses that seemed to go with the flow of the story.
This was an adorable story, and I appreciated that it was a short audiobook, also. John Solo did a great job.
I was anticipating the sex between the two main characters, thethe devil and the angel, so to speak , and it didn’t disappoint.
I thought the ending with the wholewe need to get married in order to have sex again kinda put a damper in my mood, however, this story was enjoyable nonetheless.
Man, he really was a horrible devil. Seth was adorable, and the whole snakes thing freaked me out and intrigued me at the same time.
This was an adorable story, and I appreciated that it was a short audiobook, also. John Solo did a great job.
I was anticipating the sex between the two main characters, the
I thought the ending with the whole
Man, he really was a horrible devil. Seth was adorable, and the whole snakes thing freaked me out and intrigued me at the same time.
sreberko's review
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
tresdem's review
1.0
While the idea behind this story is a fairly interesting one, the story itself has a lot of problems.
Firstly, it felt rushed. At 170 pages (in Kindle format) there's just not a lot of time to get things done. And there is a lot to get done. There is set up, a bit of world building, a meet cute, a mystery and building up to a romance and huge life changing decisions. Not to mention revelations. All of that is hard enough to do in three hundred pages let alone 170. Even in universe, things are rushed. This story basically covers two weeks. Even accounting for insta-love, there should be more time dedicated to the life changing decisions that are made. (Not that these decisions have any real consequences, but that's another story.)
The rushed pacing doesn't help the story's overall tonal problem. Is it a comedy? A melodrama? A romance? Are we meant to take it seriously? Or is it more lighthearted? It's hard to get a good grip on it because it seems to bounce all over the place depending on the needs of the moment. And there seem to be so many shortcuts in order to introduce the appropriate feeling of the moment.
Added to all that, the characters don't feel solid enough. They're there just for a concept it feels like but the characterization isn't all there. Abaddon is the soft hearted bad-boy (ish) type, Seth is the innocent ingenue type. Granted Abaddon isn't exactly hard to pin down, but that's because there isn't enough of him.
We're given some backstory but so little. Like he's supposed to be English but...he's apparently not any more? And all we get about his pre-demon days is that his lover betrayed him (who and how are never explained) and he sold his soul for a ticket home. I just... I mean granted maybe it was a little more complicated than that. Maybe he was tired of the war (WWI) or maybe it was just a guarantee of getting to stay home. But we're not given anything. The fact that it's tacked onto the end as an after thought really doesn't help.
While we're on the subject of characterization it's really hard for me to believe that Seth didn't realize what sin felt like until he was 23 fricking years old. I mean there's innocence and then there's innocence. And yeah, maybe he was never tempted to sin, but he's part demon too isn't he? And he didn't slip up once? He was just 100% perfect all the time? Even Zed the Problematic Angel had more rough edges
All in all, it just doesn't work. I feel like maybe with more time and attention to detail and really digging into some back story or motivation it might have worked, but as it is-- it's just not that great.
And..for one last thing that made me seriously wtf.
Snek sex- Um... why? I get that getting bitten by snakes is a thing but... why make it so erotic? At least it seemed to be consensual but it makes no sense.
Firstly, it felt rushed. At 170 pages (in Kindle format) there's just not a lot of time to get things done. And there is a lot to get done. There is set up, a bit of world building, a meet cute, a mystery and building up to a romance and huge life changing decisions. Not to mention revelations. All of that is hard enough to do in three hundred pages let alone 170. Even in universe, things are rushed. This story basically covers two weeks. Even accounting for insta-love, there should be more time dedicated to the life changing decisions that are made. (Not that these decisions have any real consequences, but that's another story.)
The rushed pacing doesn't help the story's overall tonal problem. Is it a comedy? A melodrama? A romance? Are we meant to take it seriously? Or is it more lighthearted? It's hard to get a good grip on it because it seems to bounce all over the place depending on the needs of the moment. And there seem to be so many shortcuts in order to introduce the appropriate feeling of the moment.
Added to all that, the characters don't feel solid enough. They're there just for a concept it feels like but the characterization isn't all there. Abaddon is the soft hearted bad-boy (ish) type, Seth is the innocent ingenue type. Granted Abaddon isn't exactly hard to pin down, but that's because there isn't enough of him.
While we're on the subject of characterization it's really hard for me to believe that Seth didn't realize what sin felt like until he was 23 fricking years old. I mean there's innocence and then there's innocence. And yeah, maybe he was never tempted to sin, but he's part demon too isn't he? And he didn't slip up once? He was just 100% perfect all the time? Even Zed the Problematic Angel had more rough edges
All in all, it just doesn't work. I feel like maybe with more time and attention to detail and really digging into some back story or motivation it might have worked, but as it is-- it's just not that great.
And..for one last thing that made me seriously wtf.
Snek sex- Um... why? I get that getting bitten by snakes is a thing but... why make it so erotic? At least it seemed to be consensual but it makes no sense.
anitalouise's review
4.0
I have to say that I am shocked that I 4-starred a book about demons! Paranormal, devils, demons, things that go bump in the night, etc are really not my thing but this book blew me away. Abaddon is not the greatest devil so he is desperately seeking a soul because he is way under his quota. He finds Seth, a blind musician at a revival, whose soul shines brightest. Wittily written, mysterious and at times icky that snake bit grossed me out! , the story of Abbadon and Seth's travails to happiness were engaging, funny and sweet. Loved Zed! That line and I'll spoiler tag it since it appears close to the end "Even angels seem to go for the bad boys!" left me roaring with laughter. I have to say that the Biblical quotes were spot on. So well done and interwoven with the story that both emphasized the points and brought a level of credence that was refreshing. Lot of thought went into telling this compelling story. The likening of hell to long lines at the DMV, 70's era copy machines with exploding toner and unending paperwork were so clever. Not many secondary characters but I have to give a shout out to Baphomet!! What a great best friend. Not a lot of heat but what was there was appropriate and more importantly, so reinforced the sweetness between Abbadon and Seth. Great read!!
bakarena's review
4.0
4.5 stars
Very cute and funny, but I'm not sure if the mix of cotton candy and honey tastes any good...
I liked the idea of life and work in hell being hell. I bet the guys in heaven have more slack with their boss being on permanent vacation.
Very cute and funny, but I'm not sure if the mix of cotton candy and honey tastes any good...
I liked the idea of life and work in hell being hell. I bet the guys in heaven have more slack with their boss being on permanent vacation.
ld2's review
4.0
Marie Sexton’s description of hell was truly terrifying. All that paperwork…that endless paperwork…in an office setting that would drive anyone insane. No wonder Abaddon is doing such a horrible job of being a devil. There’s no morale and no motivation to succeed…until Abaddon gets the ultimatum that he either picks up his performance or he gets demoted to some darker portion of hell.
Seth is a young man with humble aspirations (he wants to see the Grand Canyon!) but great power. He’s trapped by his genetics and blindness. Until one day, a devil named Abaddon bargains for Seth’s soul.
Seth and Abaddon are an unlikely couple, but their love is strong and true.
John Solo is a fantastic narrator who brings both joy and humor into the audiobook version of this book. His performance makes it easy to listen to the story with enjoyment.
Overall, this is a 3.5 stars book for me. The concept was cute and well done, with a unique twist to it. I wished it was a bit longer and we had more time with Abaddon and Seth together. I loved watching their relationship grow and develop and I wanted more of it.
Seth is a young man with humble aspirations (he wants to see the Grand Canyon!) but great power. He’s trapped by his genetics and blindness. Until one day, a devil named Abaddon bargains for Seth’s soul.
Seth and Abaddon are an unlikely couple, but their love is strong and true.
John Solo is a fantastic narrator who brings both joy and humor into the audiobook version of this book. His performance makes it easy to listen to the story with enjoyment.
Overall, this is a 3.5 stars book for me. The concept was cute and well done, with a unique twist to it. I wished it was a bit longer and we had more time with Abaddon and Seth together. I loved watching their relationship grow and develop and I wanted more of it.
swamphag's review
3.0
This was a short and sweet romance between a devil and his prey: Seth. But is Seth more than he appears to be? Is Abaddon really evil or can he change despite the odds against him? *gasp*
I really liked Abaddon and his avoidance of all things work: paperwork, soul gathering, being evil. It was very relatable to me. He is basically the worst demon ever because he is just too good to be properly evil. He’s trying to get Seth’s super-pure soul, but naturally ends up in love with him despite their differences.
Seth was a bit meh but I am not really into goody two shoes, bible dudes so that isn’t much of a surprise. He was a virgin, faith-filled, blind orphan who just wants to get out and see the world. If you like the whole naive/sweet/good guy thing then you’ll like Seth.
The differences between the two made the romance more interesting even if it was a bit predictable. Sometimes that’s just what you need. However, I wish that instead of having a lot of scenes where Abaddon was running around hell or Earth, Sexton would have used those scenes to build more on the growing relationship between the two. Also the religious aspect was overdone a bit; but in all fairness Sexton did warn us before the book started. If that bothers you though you might want to pass on this book.
All in all this was a bit of a ridiculous fluff piece but very satisfying in terms of tropey romance goodness.
Originally posted over at JLRomance
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/damned-if-you-do-marie-sexton/
I really liked Abaddon and his avoidance of all things work: paperwork, soul gathering, being evil. It was very relatable to me. He is basically the worst demon ever because he is just too good to be properly evil. He’s trying to get Seth’s super-pure soul, but naturally ends up in love with him despite their differences.
Seth was a bit meh but I am not really into goody two shoes, bible dudes so that isn’t much of a surprise. He was a virgin, faith-filled, blind orphan who just wants to get out and see the world. If you like the whole naive/sweet/good guy thing then you’ll like Seth.
The differences between the two made the romance more interesting even if it was a bit predictable. Sometimes that’s just what you need. However, I wish that instead of having a lot of scenes where Abaddon was running around hell or Earth, Sexton would have used those scenes to build more on the growing relationship between the two. Also the religious aspect was overdone a bit; but in all fairness Sexton did warn us before the book started. If that bothers you though you might want to pass on this book.
All in all this was a bit of a ridiculous fluff piece but very satisfying in terms of tropey romance goodness.
Originally posted over at JLRomance
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/damned-if-you-do-marie-sexton/
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