Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

Sin and Con's book



Sin Undone Book 5

By Larissa Ione

Book Blurb:
HER TOUCH IS DEADLY As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she'll die before she'll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin's innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.
HIS HUNGER CAN'T BE DENIED Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she's no stranger: He's bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld's most wanted and Con soon learns he's the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

It took me a long time to get into Sin Undone. My problem was that I couldn't stand the female protagonist, Sin. I really didn't like her in the previous book so I was wary going into Sin Undone knowing that the entire book was going to be about her story. Ultimately I did like Sin Undone but thankfully it was the other characters and story line that carried me through. 

Sin had a hard life but geez which one of these characters from the Demonica series didn't? What annoyed me was that out of all the hard luck stories of personal tragedy, why is it that the female out of the group is the one that ended up whiny and defensive and quite frankly, unlikable. Personally I think Wraith had it worse that Sin and even as messed up as he was, he was a likable character. There was honestly a time where I just wanted to pack the book in and call it quits. She grated on my nerves that badly. 

However, the story line of the mutant virus effecting the warg and werewolf worlds was excellent. I absolutely loved the side story of Kar and Luc and in fact, I wished the that Kar and Luc would have been the main story with Sin and Con the secondary.

I loved the slipped in updates from the previous couples. I loved the pending battle build up and I loved the ending. Even though Sin eventually stopped being whiny and a martyr of sorts, I still never really warmed up to her. Regardless the story itself was excellent so ultimately I am granting a strong 4 heart finish.

Teasers - mutant virus, new use for a snow ball, special coin, assassins galore  

Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione

Idess and Lore's book




Ecstasy Unveiled Book 4

By Larissa Ione

Book Blurb:
A DEMON ENSLAVED Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master's assassin. Now to earn his freedom and save his sister's life, he must complete one last kill. Powerful and ruthless, he'll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.
AN ANGEL TEMPTED Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side, sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting. She's determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary-even if that means risking her vow of eternal chastity. But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns into a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.
Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again-one hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.

I found myself being a little frustrated with Ecstasy Unveiled. My frustration was based on the constant misunderstandings and at times, the character Idess. 

At times Idess appeared to be a strong level headed female (ok Angel) and then there were times I was shaking my head thinking to myself, 'for a lady 2000 yrs old, she sure isn't with it' She seemed to get the fashion down  pat with the designer clothes and she seemed to be able to fight and hold her own but she was so socially immature. I get that flaw was a part of her character essence and fundamentally who she was but it just got annoying to me. Sometimes it just came off as her acting like a dumb blonde.

Lore was a great character. I liked him and I understand why he has scores of fans. However, Lore's twin sister Sin drove me absolutely nuts.  I couldn't stand her. Once again, I understand that she had a crappy life, still has a crappy life but the attitude was more a spoiled child. I know that her character was specifically wrote for the reader to feel those emotions towards her because another character, Con, listed off everything that drove me nuts about her. So intentionally done or not, I dislike her.

I have grown tired of the villain Roag. I may have groaned when I read his presence in Ecstasy Unveiled. The other villain was a totally genius idea. I won't say to much about him for spoilers but I thought it was very creative. 

The plot was really cool and it get high marks for me. There were a few gaps and other things that caught my attention. Like if the special demon manacle temporarily takes away Lore's power, why doesn't he just wear it as a bracelet of some sort when he wants to fulfill his incubus needs.

Sometimes the plot was so good that I got frustrated with the author having the characters pause for sex. For example, there was one climax point of the story where a baby is kidnapped and this is the time they decide to have sex? I realize that there was nothing they could have done at that moment to save the child but for the reader, I couldn't get into that scene and be happy for Idess and Lore when I knew that Lore's family was heartbroken. So times like that annoyed me. 

Well, Sin's book is next and although I am not as eager to dive into as I was with the other books, I am interested in the story line was was cleverly put together in Ecstasy Unveiled. 

    

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Wraith and Serena's book





Passion Unleashed Book 3

By Larissa Ione

Book Blurb:
FORBIDDEN TEMPTATIONS

Serena Kelley is an archaeologist and treasure hunter-and a woman with a secret. Since she was seven, she's been the keeper of a powerful charm that grants her health and immortality . . . as long as she stays a virgin. But Serena isn't all that innocent. And when a dangerously handsome stranger brings her to the brink of ecstasy, she wonders if she's finally met the one man she cannot resist.

FATAL DESIRES

Wraith is a Seminus demon with a death wish. But when an old enemy poisons him, he must find Serena and persuade her to give him the only known antidote in the universe-her charm. Yet, as she begins to surrender to his seductions and Wraith senses the cure is within his grasp, he realizes a horrible truth: He's falling for the woman whose life he must take in order to save his own.

Wow book 3 of the Demonica Series, Passion Unleashed, was by far the best one yet. I simply loved it. Passion Unleashed was action packed from the beginning to the very exciting end. 

I liked Wraith in the first two books. I felt that his vulnerability meshed well with his "whatever" attitude. There are many tragic heroes written in oodles of Paranormal and Urban Fantasy novels yet I felt Larissa Ione did an excellent job of having Wraith own his character without duplication. Wraith's past is truly heartbreaking.  

Serena was a perfectly written match for Wraith. It was easy to believe that the bad boy Wraith was going to fall heavy and hard for her. It felt the couple was in a doomed situation and the angst story line was excellently written. I wasn't sure how much more conflict and interference the pair could take. The pair endured a lot and it made for great reading.  

A new character Lore was introduced and I am interested in learning more about him. In fact the Demonica series has a great secondary cast of characters that I'm just as eager to read about. Gem and Kynan had a great side story that fit perfectly into Passion Unleashed. I think their interesting story line completely enhanced the book.

One thing I really like about this Demonica series is that each book tidies up the main plot but leaves just enough questions to pick up the next book in the series. I have no idea who the next book is about but I can't wait to see what next adventure or tragedy hits Underground General Hospital. 

Teasers - sexy mind dreams, virginal sacrifice, two new family members for the Seminus demon family, a piece of Heaven

Desired Unchained by Larissa Iona

Shade and Runa's book



Desire Unchained Book 2

By Larissa Ione

Book Blurb:
Pleasure is their ultimate weapon

Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn't resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy.

A Seminus Demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he'd seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever. 

As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts-or succumb to a madman's evil plans.

I liked book 2 Desire Unchained more than the first book, Pleasure Unbound. I was more comfortable with the characters and basically all around I preferred the story plot line better.

The beginning immediately delivered action and angst. I was right there in the dungeons with Shade and Runa. Excellent villain ploy. I also loved that the entire dungeon hostage situation was not over and done with quickly. It was far better for character development to have Runa and Shade be held captive for a bit just as Larissa Iona wrote.  

I'm in love with Shade's cave home in Costa Rica. Brilliant creative mind of the author to describe the dwelling and speaking of creative, I love the Harrowgate transportation method. 

As much as I loved the story line premise of the horrible curse that was placed on Shade, I couldn't help but be constantly reminded of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel's "don't be content curse or you'll lose your soul".  They just seemed so closely related. Granted the curse in Desire Unchained held up well  the entire story line. I was worried that it was going to feel old but it was not over used and it added lots of sympathy and angst.

The one thing I love about a book series is that there is usually action from the moment you start the book  right to the end. There are loose dangling carrots that were left over from the previous book you are dying to dive right into. Then of course at the end of the book a carefully placed angsty cliffhanger is left teasing the readers for the next book. 

So off to read Passion Unleashed book 3. 

Teasers - strange bug bite on Runa unexplained,  Shade's sexual torture chamber, waterfall shower, Kynan mystery

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

Tayla and Eidolon's Book

Pleasure Unbound (Demonica Book 1)

By Larissa Ione

Book Blurb:

In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life . . .

She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul...

Last week I made a post asking for book series recommendations. Overwhelmingly my comments were Larissa Ione and the Demonica Series. So I took out my gift card and away I went. I bought the entire series. A lot of the blog comments told me that the first book was the not best book but to keep going. Okay, so once again I shall take their advice. 

Pleasure Unbound is book 1. I thought it was a great starting book. You were introduced to a cast of characters, an awesome setting (more about that in a sec) and you have yourself a villain(s)...or do you? So yes, you even have a bit of a mystery too. 


I was very confused first chapter. Right off the reader is introduced to a lot of characters where some are related (brothers) and some are secondary. It was a lot for me to absorb so I had to go back and re-read the beginning so I could have my bearings in place better. 


The setting premise for a demon hospital is an amazing idea.  Underworld General Hospital will offer lots of great story lines and an excellent cast of interesting demon characters. You would think with TVland loving every hospital show that premieres it is strange that the idea for a demon hospital hasn't come up before in a book series. At least not that I have heard of. Very original idea that Larissa Ionecreated for sure.


I like the idea that some of the demons are good and some are really bad...just like humans. That intrigues me how it is all positioned. As such you can't really take sides to determine who exactly are the bad guys and who are the good guys between Demons and humans. I also really like the the typical human behaviour of ignorance is used for the back drop of the story. If you don't understand or like something, then you seek to destroy it. Long time human history is peppered with such attitudes. I loved reading about Tayla coming to terms with that issue and self-discovery. 


I felt a great chemistry between Tay and "Hellboy" (lol love that nickname) It was hot and all sexed up. Not over the top erotic but sexy hot. Perfect blend for Pleasure Unbound. 


I can't wait to go on to the next book Desire Unchained.


TEASERS - UGH, aphrodisiac seamen, s'genesis

   

What I'm Reading this Week

Last week I made a post asking for new book series suggestions. I really wanted to sink my teeth into another series that would grab ahold of me and take me away to my little fantasy world. You see I had recently finished the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning and loved it. I sooo loved it. 

Anyhow, an overwhelming result of votes came back to Larrisa Ione's Demonica Series. So I went out and used my gift card and bought the entire series. 

I haven't started yet. I had planned to but with all the Karen Marie Moning news about a movie deal with Dreamworks, I decided to re-read the Fever series. I am so glad I did because I was in such a hurry last time that there were things I missed and then there are things that make so much more sense now. I am just over half way on ShadowFever and I am equally loving it as much as I did the first time around. I just love when a series does that to you. Don't you? 

Do you have a favourite series that you look forward to re-reading?