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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
I had fun reading it, but it was not particularly good. I wished more from the sexy scenes, and I didn't enjoy the way kinks are presented and viewed by the characters. The book is also very much gender binary.
I did end up invested in the characters, and particularly I am curious to know what will happen to some of the side characters. In this sense, the world building is broad and interesting.
I did end up invested in the characters, and particularly I am curious to know what will happen to some of the side characters. In this sense, the world building is broad and interesting.
Desire Unchained
3.5 Stars
Synopsis
Cursed to suffer eternal torment if he falls in love, Shade has made every effort to avoid the one woman who may make him succumb, Runa Wagner. Runa has sworn revenge against the demon who betrayed her but now she and Shade must work together to escape the dangerous enemy who would destroy them both.
Review
Good story despite the cringe worthy elements (cheating heroes and BDSM are not my thing).
Runa is likeable enough although it is a shame that her Warg abilities are not shown to their best advantage (she always seems incapacitated in some way). Moreover, she starts out enraged with Shade for his past behavior and holds him responsible for the attack that turned her into a Warg. The problem lies in the fact that she is far to forgiving of the first and misguided about the second.
Shade is a jerk and it is difficult to work up much affection for a man who is a) willing to kill someone close to him to save his own ass and b) feels compelled to hurt women ostensibly "for their own good".
Nevertheless, the world building and the secondary plots are well worth the effort. The moral ambiguity of the demonarchy, the conflict with Roag and his minions together with Gem and Kynan's romance and Wraith's intriguing emotional struggles all make this an entertaining read overall.
3.5 Stars
Synopsis
Cursed to suffer eternal torment if he falls in love, Shade has made every effort to avoid the one woman who may make him succumb, Runa Wagner. Runa has sworn revenge against the demon who betrayed her but now she and Shade must work together to escape the dangerous enemy who would destroy them both.
Review
Good story despite the cringe worthy elements (cheating heroes and BDSM are not my thing).
Runa is likeable enough although it is a shame that her Warg abilities are not shown to their best advantage (she always seems incapacitated in some way). Moreover, she starts out enraged with Shade for his past behavior and holds him responsible for the attack that turned her into a Warg. The problem lies in the fact that she is far to forgiving of the first and misguided about the second.
Shade is a jerk and it is difficult to work up much affection for a man who is a) willing to kill someone close to him to save his own ass and b) feels compelled to hurt women ostensibly "for their own good".
Nevertheless, the world building and the secondary plots are well worth the effort. The moral ambiguity of the demonarchy, the conflict with Roag and his minions together with Gem and Kynan's romance and Wraith's intriguing emotional struggles all make this an entertaining read overall.
This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.
Unlike the first Demonica book, the hero and heroine in Desire Unchained have a history. Shade dated the human Runa for about a month. (You read about this briefly in Pleasure Unbound.) But Shade’s always been a playboy, accepting his nature as a kind of incubus. He’s always been about hitting up as many ladies as possible as often as possible. So, he’d play with the quiet and obedient Runa and then screw around with demons and vampires after she left. Until she caught him. And they broke up.
Upon leaving his place she was attacked and is now a werewolf. She’s grown strong, and no longer lets anyone dictate her actions. She’s spent the last year convincing herself she’s over the asshole Shade and trying to come to terms with being a werewolf.
And now she’s been kidnapped, locked in a dungeon cell and who do they throw in with her? Shade. And — damn it — he’s still hot.
The captors know about Shade’s curse. If he were to fall in love, he will fade away literally. He’ll be unable to feed, to touch and will be unable to be with the woman he loves. So, of course, they put him with Runa and force them to become a bonded pair. She’s not limited to him, but he can now never be with another woman. And his demonic side demands he have sex frequently. He needs Runa.
Expect these two to come to terms with who they are, who they’re meant to be and most of all with their feelings for one another. Is it worth dying to keep the other safe? Can they get beyond past hurts, traumas to be truly happy?
In addition to their story, we also get a good story of vengeance and a few OMG moments. Again, Larissa Ione has woven hot romance story, some emotional baggage and a whodunit into a quick-paced read. It’s a great choice for any paranormal romance fan.
Sexual content: Graphic sex scenes
Unlike the first Demonica book, the hero and heroine in Desire Unchained have a history. Shade dated the human Runa for about a month. (You read about this briefly in Pleasure Unbound.) But Shade’s always been a playboy, accepting his nature as a kind of incubus. He’s always been about hitting up as many ladies as possible as often as possible. So, he’d play with the quiet and obedient Runa and then screw around with demons and vampires after she left. Until she caught him. And they broke up.
Upon leaving his place she was attacked and is now a werewolf. She’s grown strong, and no longer lets anyone dictate her actions. She’s spent the last year convincing herself she’s over the asshole Shade and trying to come to terms with being a werewolf.
And now she’s been kidnapped, locked in a dungeon cell and who do they throw in with her? Shade. And — damn it — he’s still hot.
The captors know about Shade’s curse. If he were to fall in love, he will fade away literally. He’ll be unable to feed, to touch and will be unable to be with the woman he loves. So, of course, they put him with Runa and force them to become a bonded pair. She’s not limited to him, but he can now never be with another woman. And his demonic side demands he have sex frequently. He needs Runa.
Expect these two to come to terms with who they are, who they’re meant to be and most of all with their feelings for one another. Is it worth dying to keep the other safe? Can they get beyond past hurts, traumas to be truly happy?
In addition to their story, we also get a good story of vengeance and a few OMG moments. Again, Larissa Ione has woven hot romance story, some emotional baggage and a whodunit into a quick-paced read. It’s a great choice for any paranormal romance fan.
Sexual content: Graphic sex scenes
I wasn't going to write a review for this book book but I changed my mind. I liked this book because you learn a lot of important information about all the characters and about their world. I did not like Shade and Runa though. Okay I know Shade had his issues. He couldn't love anyone yada yada whatevers. But the way he treated Runa and then ohhhh now that she's this badass warg she's alight. I know the circumstances were jacked up and everything worked out in the end but still. Shade is defiantly not my favorite.
The bad guy.. which I will not say who it is but very good bad guy! totally did not see it coming. and he was a devious little man.
I also love Kynan and Gem. Well let me clarify. I hate the way Kynan treats Gem. Clearly he is a dick. But I think they are fantastic side characters. I kinda want to kill Kynan for how Gem looses her v-card though.. Because damn she has to live with that forever. What a shitty story. But I really want to know whats going on with Kynan! I think once they get together (if they get together hopefully) it will be amazing.
The bad guy.. which I will not say who it is but very good bad guy! totally did not see it coming. and he was a devious little man.
I also love Kynan and Gem. Well let me clarify. I hate the way Kynan treats Gem. Clearly he is a dick. But I think they are fantastic side characters. I kinda want to kill Kynan for how Gem looses her v-card though.. Because damn she has to live with that forever. What a shitty story. But I really want to know whats going on with Kynan! I think once they get together (if they get together hopefully) it will be amazing.
Book two of this trilogy featuring incubus brothers features Shade, who is cursed that if he bonds he will fade away. When he is bonded to an old girlfriend, Runa, by force and starts falling for her, it's only a matter of time before he fades away. I enjoyed the romance between Shade and Runa quite a lot. The action part of the book - dealing with their brother they thought dead, was a good counterpoint.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love this book. I love Shade, I love Runa.
The characters are well thought out and all their actions and reactions make sense. They struggle through change and growth. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine when authors just suddenly change a character to make the outcome they want easier. You won’t find any of that nonsense here.
I find it HILARIOUS when people get all butt hurt in their reviews because the characters make mistakes and there are some seriously morally gray areas… but come on people, it’s a series called Demonica…. If you want to clutch your pearls, maybe skip this series.
So, Shade did cheat on Runa a year before this book really starts. However, they had never said they were exclusive (yeah, that matters) but also he’s a freaking sex demon. It’s literally in his nature PLUS he had to do it to protect his heart. He couldn’t risk ever falling in love because then it would activate a curse that he had gotten almost 80 years before. If cheating is a trigger for you, then don’t read it… or keep reading it and actually get the real explanation for everything, not his explanation at the beginning of the book where he’s still guarded.
I love the world this author created, I feel like it’s well thought out and explained.
On the spicy scale I say it gets 4/5
The characters are well thought out and all their actions and reactions make sense. They struggle through change and growth. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine when authors just suddenly change a character to make the outcome they want easier. You won’t find any of that nonsense here.
I find it HILARIOUS when people get all butt hurt in their reviews because the characters make mistakes and there are some seriously morally gray areas… but come on people, it’s a series called Demonica…. If you want to clutch your pearls, maybe skip this series.
So, Shade did cheat on Runa a year before this book really starts. However, they had never said they were exclusive (yeah, that matters) but also he’s a freaking sex demon. It’s literally in his nature PLUS he had to do it to protect his heart. He couldn’t risk ever falling in love because then it would activate a curse that he had gotten almost 80 years before. If cheating is a trigger for you, then don’t read it… or keep reading it and actually get the real explanation for everything, not his explanation at the beginning of the book where he’s still guarded.
I love the world this author created, I feel like it’s well thought out and explained.
On the spicy scale I say it gets 4/5
Oh my gosh! HOT!
Like I said in the review of Pleasure Unbound, never have I read a book with so many horny bitches! xD
But giving that all the main guys are sex demons who can influence others, that is totally understandable! xD
So this time we have Shade, the brother who is cursed with the Maluncoeur.
This means that he can't ever fall in love or he'll vanish and be doomed to an existence of eternal hunger, without love.
And then Miss Runa appears.
She was a human that he dated for a while until the moment she caught him cheating on her. She ran away and now she comes back, stronger, more powerful and a werewolf!
Poor Shade has to deal with this new Runa and his feelings for her.
I must say that I loved this book, though the brother of my heart is still Eidolon. +.+
Shade is a player. He reminded me a lot of Rhage from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series but thank God he is a lot better than Rhage because I am not quite a fan of that particular vampire warrior.
There were times when I wanted to strangled him because he was being a bastard to poor Runa who was, obviously, head over heels for him.
But, eventually, he redeemed himself at my eyes.
Another aspect that caught my eyes in this book - the thing between Kynan and Gem.
Gosh, the angst! I love angst!
It was really like the thing between Tayla and Eidolon, in the beginning, which I loved. :)
I was a bit sad to know that Kynan and Gem don't have a book of their own and I felt heartbroken just like Gem when Kynan left her and sent a message telling her not to wait for him. :'(
I hope that their story doesn't end here.
And, of course, I'm starting right away with Wraith's story. ;P
Like I said in the review of Pleasure Unbound, never have I read a book with so many horny bitches! xD
But giving that all the main guys are sex demons who can influence others, that is totally understandable! xD
So this time we have Shade, the brother who is cursed with the Maluncoeur.
This means that he can't ever fall in love or he'll vanish and be doomed to an existence of eternal hunger, without love.
And then Miss Runa appears.
She was a human that he dated for a while until the moment she caught him cheating on her. She ran away and now she comes back, stronger, more powerful and a werewolf!
Poor Shade has to deal with this new Runa and his feelings for her.
I must say that I loved this book, though the brother of my heart is still Eidolon. +.+
Shade is a player. He reminded me a lot of Rhage from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series but thank God he is a lot better than Rhage because I am not quite a fan of that particular vampire warrior.
There were times when I wanted to strangled him because he was being a bastard to poor Runa who was, obviously, head over heels for him.
But, eventually, he redeemed himself at my eyes.
Another aspect that caught my eyes in this book - the thing between Kynan and Gem.
Gosh, the angst! I love angst!
It was really like the thing between Tayla and Eidolon, in the beginning, which I loved. :)
I was a bit sad to know that Kynan and Gem don't have a book of their own and I felt heartbroken just like Gem when Kynan left her and sent a message telling her not to wait for him. :'(
I hope that their story doesn't end here.
And, of course, I'm starting right away with Wraith's story. ;P
Yessss. This series has surprisingly hooked me. I like Ruhna and Shade and their previous hook up trope. I also loved how elements died in with the first book
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes