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dtaylorbooks's review
2.0
There was a lot going on in CHAOS RISES that happened prior to the start of this story that isn’t fleshed out too great. A lot to do with The Institute and how it created Gem and Del to be these creatures that killed demons but they escaped. It’s always this looming Big Bad that’s haunting them on top of the Big Bad of the moment that the current story is dealing with. Plus the whole Fall. The veil breached six months prior? The supernatural world bled through to the living one and demons are living among people, concentrated in areas called the nw-zones that people avoid. It was annoying because the book kept talking at me as if these things were things I already knew so it was short on context and it only proved to confuse me.
I’m not sure how I felt about the characters either. They were all pretty crappy and that was continually kind of batted off as them being demons and demons weren’t trustworthy and lied all the time, but it still made them crappy characters. Gem is half demon who’s always struggling to control the demon half of her. But she sells out everyone who gets close to her if she thinks it’ll benefit her in the end, namely to find her brother. It got old when she did it for, like, the third time. She loves her brother and will do literally anything to find him after he’s gone missing, but anything means screwing everyone over. So not too great of a character to follow.
I did like her honesty, though. A moment happens toward the end of the book where Gem allows her demon to surface and she basically revels in the power. She likes it and she’s not all that apologetic about it either. I could really appreciate that.
I didn’t really care for the book. It needed another copy edit. Not the worst I’ve seen, by far. But there were enough missing punctuation and run-on sentences that they stuck with me. The story was just okay. I found myself bored with it pretty early on. Add in the backstory that’s mentioned but not really developed, leaving a gaping hole of context, and the crappy characters doing crappy things (and not just Gem, pretty much every character was out for themselves and worked to screw everyone over to the point where I couldn’t connect with any of them) and there just wasn’t a whole lot for me to like. I won’t be reading on in the series.
2
I’m not sure how I felt about the characters either. They were all pretty crappy and that was continually kind of batted off as them being demons and demons weren’t trustworthy and lied all the time, but it still made them crappy characters. Gem is half demon who’s always struggling to control the demon half of her. But she sells out everyone who gets close to her if she thinks it’ll benefit her in the end, namely to find her brother. It got old when she did it for, like, the third time. She loves her brother and will do literally anything to find him after he’s gone missing, but anything means screwing everyone over. So not too great of a character to follow.
I did like her honesty, though. A moment happens toward the end of the book where Gem allows her demon to surface and she basically revels in the power. She likes it and she’s not all that apologetic about it either. I could really appreciate that.
I didn’t really care for the book. It needed another copy edit. Not the worst I’ve seen, by far. But there were enough missing punctuation and run-on sentences that they stuck with me. The story was just okay. I found myself bored with it pretty early on. Add in the backstory that’s mentioned but not really developed, leaving a gaping hole of context, and the crappy characters doing crappy things (and not just Gem, pretty much every character was out for themselves and worked to screw everyone over to the point where I couldn’t connect with any of them) and there just wasn’t a whole lot for me to like. I won’t be reading on in the series.
2
somecharm's review
4.0
Chaos Rises was my first book by Pippa DaCosta and I went into it with open eyes, it's set in the same world as Pippa's other series of books (ironically I have the first in that series on my kindle and didn't know it) and features a mix of old and new characters.
I can imagine that reading the first series would have cleared up some of my questions about this book but as they say hindsight is 20/20.
I enjoyed Chaos Rises, it had a good concept of demons and humans kind of - and I say kind of in the loosest possible way here - co-existing in LA. It follows Gem or Gamma and her brother Del or Delta in their journey as half-bloods - a cross between a netherworld demon and a human - although it looks like Gamma and Delta were created rather than merged during the Fall.
They were with the Institute just before the Fall and after the Fall they were unleashed by a Prince of Hell on post-Fall LA where they struggled to survive in a world they knew nothing about. Enter Allard - a higher demon with a good human vessel and a taste for the brutal things in life.
We barely hear or see Delta as he is "demon-napped" in the first chapter of the book and we only really hear of him from Gamma where she tries to find him. Allard is a character I didn't like in the slightest - though I think he was written well I just didn't like him, he was a classic abuser and it was disappointing to see Gem fall for it so easily - at least in the beginning.
Towards the end she took him down nicely and that was amazing, totally unexpected. I honestly thought Gem's human character was far too nicey-nice and not hard enough for a life of demon living; she suppressed her demon with a drug invented by the Institute - PC34A - which took away all of her badass demoness until the end.
In terms of characters I think my favourite has got to be Torrent - a higher water demon with a tail! - and he seems to have changed post-Fall. He's a really nice guy in this book though we do find out that before that he may not have been quite so nice.
The concept of Chaos Rises was good if maybe a little short page-wise. I would also have liked to have seen a little more of a build-up on relationship between Gem and Torrent as I ship that but it was more of a "I've betrayed you, you've betrayed me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" kind of vibe for most of the book - though well written!
The concept of demons is one that I've always enjoyed and I like the different types of species of demon in Chaos Rises - ice demons, fire demons, the lesser species of demon (various beasties - the scorpion type one is vicious) and my personal favourite: Chaos demons - I've read some books where a chaos demon is written badly but in Chaos Rises it was written really well.
The next best part about demons is the Prince of Pride - now the ending of the book has opened the next one up real nice and I'm looking forward to its release.
The story flowed pretty good with a couple of minor halts in story-line but they were quickly brought back up to speed with some good dialogue and just the right amount of description. The only thing - I think - that made me not give this book 5 stars was the systematic abuse from Allard towards not just Gem and Del but every demon under his power; the demon fights, the stock auctions, the fact that they were considered stock etc.
Besides this, I enjoyed the book a lot and I'm waiting with baited breath to see when the next one comes up for request.
I can imagine that reading the first series would have cleared up some of my questions about this book but as they say hindsight is 20/20.
I enjoyed Chaos Rises, it had a good concept of demons and humans kind of - and I say kind of in the loosest possible way here - co-existing in LA. It follows Gem or Gamma and her brother Del or Delta in their journey as half-bloods - a cross between a netherworld demon and a human - although it looks like Gamma and Delta were created rather than merged during the Fall.
They were with the Institute just before the Fall and after the Fall they were unleashed by a Prince of Hell on post-Fall LA where they struggled to survive in a world they knew nothing about. Enter Allard - a higher demon with a good human vessel and a taste for the brutal things in life.
We barely hear or see Delta as he is "demon-napped" in the first chapter of the book and we only really hear of him from Gamma where she tries to find him. Allard is a character I didn't like in the slightest - though I think he was written well I just didn't like him, he was a classic abuser and it was disappointing to see Gem fall for it so easily - at least in the beginning.
Towards the end she took him down nicely and that was amazing, totally unexpected. I honestly thought Gem's human character was far too nicey-nice and not hard enough for a life of demon living; she suppressed her demon with a drug invented by the Institute - PC34A - which took away all of her badass demoness until the end.
In terms of characters I think my favourite has got to be Torrent - a higher water demon with a tail! - and he seems to have changed post-Fall. He's a really nice guy in this book though we do find out that before that he may not have been quite so nice.
The concept of Chaos Rises was good if maybe a little short page-wise. I would also have liked to have seen a little more of a build-up on relationship between Gem and Torrent as I ship that but it was more of a "I've betrayed you, you've betrayed me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" kind of vibe for most of the book - though well written!
The concept of demons is one that I've always enjoyed and I like the different types of species of demon in Chaos Rises - ice demons, fire demons, the lesser species of demon (various beasties - the scorpion type one is vicious) and my personal favourite: Chaos demons - I've read some books where a chaos demon is written badly but in Chaos Rises it was written really well.
The next best part about demons is the Prince of Pride - now the ending of the book has opened the next one up real nice and I'm looking forward to its release.
The story flowed pretty good with a couple of minor halts in story-line but they were quickly brought back up to speed with some good dialogue and just the right amount of description. The only thing - I think - that made me not give this book 5 stars was the systematic abuse from Allard towards not just Gem and Del but every demon under his power; the demon fights, the stock auctions, the fact that they were considered stock etc.
Besides this, I enjoyed the book a lot and I'm waiting with baited breath to see when the next one comes up for request.
mousegoddess's review
3.0
I'm in the odd position of giving a decent rating to a story I'm not all that sure I actually enjoyed. I have to give credit to the writing and worldbuilding but... I'm just not in the right frame of mind to enjoy a story about constant betrayal and fuckery. It's well executed imo but... *shrug* I sincerely doubt I'll read more.
bookpauper's review
4.0
My first book by this author and I'm hooked. What's going on?! What's going to happen?! Who do I trust?! I don't know!!
hazel_reads's review
3.0
Gem and her brother Del are half-bloods. They have always been owned or used by someone. Out on a routine mission for Allard to retrieve a lesser demon, things go awry and Del disappears. Allard agrees to help find him, in exchange for Gem snatching an artifact for him. Again, Allard leaves out some pertinent info that lands her in hot water. Can Allard be trusted or is there something else going on. I liked this book, but didn't love it. I was hoping for unique and this wasn't it. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
sarah42783's review
5.0
Actual rating: 8 stars. . Or maybe 10. It's a really crappy book. I have to give it some thought.
⚠️ Friendly warning: I promised I would try not to fangirl too much in this review. I lied.
⚠️ Friendly warning #2: you might OD on the word "glorious" while reading this non-fangirling review. You're welcome.
And just like that, I'm home. And it feels bloody amazing.
Damn, double damn. And triple damn. It is so awesomely awesome to be back in the world of The Veil. What? What did you just say? You don't know what The Veil is? Oh, come on! You have got to be kidding me. I knew you were a clueless bunch, my Little Barnacles, but I never imagined you could be that hopeless. The Veil, you bunch of ignorant decapods, is kinda-sorta one of the very best UF series that ever was and ever will be. Kinda. Sorta. Okay, to be honest, it's nothing I would fangirl about← this is me kinda-sorta being full of crap , but it's still pretty good. Kinda. Sorta.
#sorrynotsorry about the silly gifs. It's one of the many Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome Side Effects (APDCIASE™). It cannot be helped.
But anyway. We are back in the world of That Series You Better Read Before I Unleash The Crustaceans on You, aka Ze Veil. I have to admit that, as much as I worship Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome, I was a bit worried about Chaos Rises. I mean, this is kinda-sorta one of my favourite UF worlds ever, but I wasn't sure what it would feel like without I-Want-To-Be-Muse-When-I-Grow-Up, Yummy-Stefan, Deliciously-Assholish-Akil, and the awesome rest of the awesome cast. Oh me of little faith. I may be nefarious, but sometimes I seem to be as cluelessly hopeless as you, my Little Barnacles. This is Pippa DaCosta, for shrimp's sake! How could I think, for even a second, that this could be anything but gloriously amazing and amazingly glorious?! Shame on me for having such vile, ignominious thoughts. I deserve to be severely punished.
OF COURSE Chaos Rises is gloriously amazing and amazingly glorious! How could it not be? Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome wrote it! The woman can do no wrong. She is 200% failproof. She even has me readingand kinda-sorta loving NA, for shrimp's sake! Now if that doesn't convince you of her utter, complete, total coolawesomeness, I don't know what will.
Sorry? What was that? You've had it with the Silly Pippa Fangirling (SPF™)did you think SPF stood for "sun protection factor?" Hahaha, you're so funny, my Little Barnacles. ? You want me to cut the SPF™ crap and start fangirling about Chaos Rises instead? Sure, no problem. I aim to please and stuff.
So. Chaos Rises. If you think I'm going to recap the story for you and tell you all about the gloriously amazing world it's set in, you are quite mistaken, my Little Barnacles. I aim to please, but not that much. Besides, if I told you all this, there would be no incentive for you to read both That Series You Better Read Before I Unleash The Crustaceans on You and Chaos Rises. So I won’t. You're welcome. All you need to know about Chaos Rises in particular, and Pippa DaCosta in general is:
✎ This world is one of the mostest awesomest ever created. What? I already said that? And? It is. It is what? One of the mostest awesomest ever created, obviously. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ Demons and half-bloods are super-über yummy. And Pippa DaCosta writes super-über yummy demons and half-bloods like no other author. And when I say no other, I mean NO OTHER. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ Gem, our kickass heroine in residence, might be in her early twenties *shudders* but, bloody hell, is she awesome. This girl ain't no silly, immature chick, my Little Barnacles. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
Yep, this is SO glorious the crustaceans—because yes, these are crustaceans—broke into a celebratory dance. And let me tell you, that is quite unheard of in these undersea parts.
✎ Pippa DaCosta writesgloriously fucked-up slightly complex characters like no other author. And when I say no other, I mean NO OTHER. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ Pippa DaCosta viciously and wickedly messes with your feelings. And deliciously turns you into a somewhat neurotic wreck. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ This book is one hell of a roller coaster ride. 300% guaranteed wondrously nerve-wracking, marvelously adrenaline-pumping, wonderfully action-packing packed, fast-pacing paced perfectness. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
➽➽ That's pretty much all you need to know, my Clueless-Hopeless Little Barnacles. So QED. And stuff.
» And the moral of this Fascinating Non-Fangirling Review (FNFGR™) is:
» And the other moral of this FNFGR™ is:
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
· Book 2: Chaos Unleashed ★★★★★
· Book 3: Chaos Falls ★★★★★
⚠️ Friendly warning: I promised I would try not to fangirl too much in this review. I lied.
⚠️ Friendly warning #2: you might OD on the word "glorious" while reading this non-fangirling review. You're welcome.
And just like that, I'm home. And it feels bloody amazing.
Damn, double damn. And triple damn. It is so awesomely awesome to be back in the world of The Veil. What? What did you just say? You don't know what The Veil is? Oh, come on! You have got to be kidding me. I knew you were a clueless bunch, my Little Barnacles, but I never imagined you could be that hopeless. The Veil, you bunch of ignorant decapods, is kinda-sorta one of the very best UF series that ever was and ever will be. Kinda. Sorta. Okay, to be honest, it's nothing I would fangirl about
#sorrynotsorry about the silly gifs. It's one of the many Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome Side Effects (APDCIASE™). It cannot be helped.
But anyway. We are back in the world of That Series You Better Read Before I Unleash The Crustaceans on You, aka Ze Veil. I have to admit that, as much as I worship Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome, I was a bit worried about Chaos Rises. I mean, this is kinda-sorta one of my favourite UF worlds ever, but I wasn't sure what it would feel like without I-Want-To-Be-Muse-When-I-Grow-Up, Yummy-Stefan, Deliciously-Assholish-Akil, and the awesome rest of the awesome cast. Oh me of little faith. I may be nefarious, but sometimes I seem to be as cluelessly hopeless as you, my Little Barnacles. This is Pippa DaCosta, for shrimp's sake! How could I think, for even a second, that this could be anything but gloriously amazing and amazingly glorious?! Shame on me for having such vile, ignominious thoughts. I deserve to be severely punished.
OF COURSE Chaos Rises is gloriously amazing and amazingly glorious! How could it not be? Awesome Pippa DaCosta Is Awesome wrote it! The woman can do no wrong. She is 200% failproof. She even has me reading
Sorry? What was that? You've had it with the Silly Pippa Fangirling (SPF™)
So. Chaos Rises. If you think I'm going to recap the story for you and tell you all about the gloriously amazing world it's set in, you are quite mistaken, my Little Barnacles. I aim to please, but not that much. Besides, if I told you all this, there would be no incentive for you to read both That Series You Better Read Before I Unleash The Crustaceans on You and Chaos Rises. So I won’t. You're welcome. All you need to know about Chaos Rises in particular, and Pippa DaCosta in general is:
✎ This world is one of the mostest awesomest ever created. What? I already said that? And? It is. It is what? One of the mostest awesomest ever created, obviously. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ Demons and half-bloods are super-über yummy. And Pippa DaCosta writes super-über yummy demons and half-bloods like no other author. And when I say no other, I mean NO OTHER. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ Gem, our kickass heroine in residence, might be in her early twenties *shudders* but, bloody hell, is she awesome. This girl ain't no silly, immature chick, my Little Barnacles. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
Yep, this is SO glorious the crustaceans—because yes, these are crustaceans—broke into a celebratory dance. And let me tell you, that is quite unheard of in these undersea parts.
✎ Pippa DaCosta writes
✎ Pippa DaCosta viciously and wickedly messes with your feelings. And deliciously turns you into a somewhat neurotic wreck. And that's pretty glorious, if you ask me.
✎ This book is one hell of a roller coaster ride. 300% guaranteed wondrously nerve-wracking, marvelously adrenaline-pumping, wonderfully action-
➽➽ That's pretty much all you need to know, my Clueless-Hopeless Little Barnacles. So QED. And stuff.
» And the moral of this Fascinating Non-Fangirling Review (FNFGR™) is:
» And the other moral of this FNFGR™ is:
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
· Book 2: Chaos Unleashed ★★★★★
· Book 3: Chaos Falls ★★★★★
dialogy's review
4.0
4.5 'Icy' Stars
I loved this book.I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.This was my first book by Pippa DaCosta. Though it's a spin-off of the Veil series,you won't be confused.
The story gives us the world after the Fall,when the veil opened and the demons surged through from the netherworld creating chaos and destruction.Nothing is the same and the change is shown brilliantly in the story.
The world created in this book was what had me going at the start.I loved the fact that the demons had elemental powers and how they were different from the stories I had read before.
And the characters...
I liked Gem,though at times I couldn't help but shake her senseless and say,"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" :)
The struggle she felt in controlling her demon felt real and her determination to find her brother was admiring.
I would have loved to see Del,Gem's brother, more and know his side of the story.
And well Torrent,I don't know what to say about that guy.This character confused me but there were parts in the story where I felt his pain.
And can we just talk about Li'el,the Prince of Pride??
I honestly loved him.He is by far probably my favorite character in this book,second to Gem.I would LOVE.......... to see more of him.I am hoping that we will more of him in the next book (after that ENDING........!!).(Fingers crossed.)
Chaos Rises is a perfect blend of action and intrigue that will leave you waiting for the next one.
I can't wait for CHAOS UNLEASHED....!!
I loved this book.I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.This was my first book by Pippa DaCosta. Though it's a spin-off of the Veil series,you won't be confused.
The story gives us the world after the Fall,when the veil opened and the demons surged through from the netherworld creating chaos and destruction.Nothing is the same and the change is shown brilliantly in the story.
The world created in this book was what had me going at the start.I loved the fact that the demons had elemental powers and how they were different from the stories I had read before.
And the characters...
I liked Gem,though at times I couldn't help but shake her senseless and say,"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" :)
The struggle she felt in controlling her demon felt real and her determination to find her brother was admiring.
I would have loved to see Del,Gem's brother, more and know his side of the story.
And well Torrent,I don't know what to say about that guy.This character confused me but there were parts in the story where I felt his pain.
And can we just talk about Li'el,the Prince of Pride??
I honestly loved him.He is by far probably my favorite character in this book,second to Gem.I would LOVE.......... to see more of him.I am hoping that we will more of him in the next book (after that ENDING........!!).(Fingers crossed.)
Chaos Rises is a perfect blend of action and intrigue that will leave you waiting for the next one.
I can't wait for CHAOS UNLEASHED....!!
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