| Title | : | Her Soul to Take (Souls Trilogy, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 493 |
| Publication | : | First published April 10, 2021 |
I earned my reputation among magicians for a reason: one wrong move and you're dead. Killer, they called me, and killing is what I'm best at.
Except her.
The one I was supposed to take, the one I should have killed - I didn't.
The cult that once controlled me wants her, and I'm not about to lose my new toy to them.
Rae
I've always believed in the supernatural. Hunting for ghosts is my passion, but summoning a demon was never part of the plan. Monsters are roaming the woods, and something ancient - something evil - is waking up and calling my name.
I don't know who I can trust, or how deep this darkness goes.
All I know is my one shot at survival is the demon stalking me, and he doesn't just want my body - he wants my soul.
Her Soul to Take is book 1 in the Souls Trilogy. Although all the books are interconnected, they are stand-alone and can be read in any order.
Content Warning
This book contains graphic sexual scenes, violence, kink/fetish content, horror elements, and depictions of hard kink/edgeplay. This book is strictly fictional and is not meant to represent realistic expectations of BDSM or kink.
Kinks/Fetishes Within: consensual non-consent (CNC), breathe play/choking, bloodplay, spit, needle play (body modification fetish), pain play, fear play, public play, bondage, restraint, spanking/impact play.
Her Soul to Take (Souls Trilogy, #1) Reviews
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sometimes true love is a goth bimbo velma lookalike and her hot demon boyfriend who is totally trying to steal her soul
it was hot, the mcs were bi, the plot was sorta interesting/fun and leon (demon boy) could get my soul among other things π
3.5 stars
cons:
too long
repetitive as hell
ending felt too easy and anticlimactic
leon did not feel as powerful and scary as he kept claiming he was π₯΄
also I didnβt buy the whole theyβre in love thing, sure they were hot together but there was only like one scene of genuine conversation between them that wasnβt flirtatious banter or dirty talk so I donβt buy it fully -
this is the horror romance book of my dreams
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Her Soul To Take is a full-length standalone.
I swear, each time the author writes a book, she proceeds her previous work. This book is like no PNR I have ever read. Ever. Add erotica on top it. Now I know what some are thinking it's over the top. I am here to tell you it's not. The author's vivid imagination and her writing talent give you the perfect balance of the two. This book is delicious, and I see a reread in my future.
My review will be vague. You will see no spoilers. All I will say is read your trigger warning and don't take it lightly. It's not a really dark book, meaning it's not black; on my dark scale, it's a medium gray to gray. The warning is more of the kinks involved in this book.
Rae returns to live in her birthplace after her parents move to Spain. She dabbles as a paranormal investigator while attending college. Where she first runs into Leon, who is in human disguise and working as a security officer. Leon is instantly attracted to her. And Rae is very much intrigued by Leon. She goes looking into somethings she just shouldn't, and she gets herself into some trouble, and that is an understatement.
Rae is what I love to see in a heroine. A strong, independent woman, not ashamed of her sexuality and far from a damsel in distress. Plus, she knows how to ask for help and stands by that person. Leon is the perfect Demon. He pushes Rae's limits and knows when to back off. His comebacks are the best. So sarcastic.
βI canβt just keep severed heads around my yard,β I said.Β βOh, Iβm sorry.β Leon turned to face me. βDo they not fit your aesthetic? Would death suit your aesthetic better?βThat was mild compared to his other comebacks
I was all over the place in this book. I went from saying, β You in danger, girlβ (sound familiar ? ) to βI freaking love Leon. β I just couldnβt get enough and wanted to cry when the book was over. The plot and character growth are astronomical. Parts of this book remind me of Stephen King's early work. And the steam is out of this worldβone thousand out of five.
Maybe I should put you over that table and spank your ass until itβs a nice, bright, cherry red. Maybe I should make you hold your own panties in your mouth while I do, to keep you quiet. Maybeβ¦β He was so close, his lips brushed my ear, his voice a whisper that slithered into my head and wrapped around my brain. βI should make you spread your legs while I spank you, so I can see just how wet you get every time I leave another mark on your skin.β
I canβt wait for the next book in the series and see who and what it is about. If you like PNR and erotica, Her Soul To Take is for you. -
For people who were fans of Hush Hush and Twilight in the early 2000s and need the same vibes but adult and very kinky
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βAll the time you've spent playing in the dark β is this what you were waiting for?β
this was the best romance i've read... in years. it can be a bit darker at times, so please make sure you check out the authors warnings below, but this book just completely worked for me. i loved the main characters, i loved the set up, i loved the queer rep, i loved the steamy scenes, i loved the spooky setting, i truly just loved it all. i cant wait to read everything by this author now.
Content Warnings from the author:
This book contains graphic sexual scenes, violence, kink/fetish content, horror elements, and depictions of hard kink/edgeplay. This book is strictly fictional and is not meant to represent realistic expectations of BDSM or kink.
Kinks/Fetishes Within: consensual non-consent (CNC), breathe play/choking, bloodplay, spit, needle play (body modification fetish), pain play, fear play, public play, bondage, restraint, spanking/impact play.
other cw/tw i found while reading:
captivity, enslavement, death, murder, human sacrifice, self harm to get blood for magic, needles, mention of insects, mention of cannibalism in past, anxiety depiction, trauma depiction, gore blood depiction, drugging, vomiting, scenes that i believe could be trigging for claustrophobia, torture, and cults.
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"Living forever isn't so terribly important."
"What's important then?"
"Freedom."
Ending the year with a light read π
In case that wasn't clear, I'm being sarcastic, because this was every bit of fucked up as I was promised it'd be.
πΉπππ₯ π¦π’π¨π π§π’ π§πππ - ππ¬ πππ₯πππ¬ πππ₯π’π¨π«πΉ
β πππ‘ππ π₯ππ§ππ‘ππ¦: ββββ
β π¬π/π‘π/π: π °οΈ
β π¦ππ₯πππ¦: ππΎππ»π πππΈπ»πΎπΆπ #π·
β π£π’π©: π³πΎππ±π»π΄ πΏπΎπ - π΅πΈπππ πΏπ΄πππΎπ½ - πΏπ°ππ ππ΄π½ππ΄
β πππ‘π₯π ππ‘π π¨π‘πππ₯π§π’π‘ππ¦: π³π°ππΊ ππΎπΌπ°π½π²π΄, πΏπ°ππ°π½πΎππΌπ°π», π·πΎπππΎπ, π΄ππΎππΈπ²π°
β π§π₯π’π£ππ¦: π΄π½π΄πΌπΈπ΄π ππΎ π»πΎπ π΄ππ, ππΎππ²π· π π°π½π³ ππΎπ π³πΈπ΄, π°πΆπ΄ πΆπ°πΏ
β ππππ₯πππ§ππ₯π¦: π₯π₯π₯π₯/5
β πͺπ₯ππ§ππ‘π: βπΌβπΌβπΌ/5
β π£ππ’π§: ππππ/5 (π΄π½ππ΄πππ°πΈπ½πΈπ½πΆ π°π΅)
β πππ₯π π§πππ ππ¦ & π§π₯πππππ₯ πͺππ₯π‘ππ‘ππ¦: πππππ/5
β π¦π π¨π§ π€π¨ππππ§π¬: π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯x100/5 (π²π·π°πΏππ΄π πΈπΉ!, πΎππ°π» ππ΄π, π±πππ ππππ΅π΅, πΆπΈπ°π½π ππΎππ, πΏπΈπ΄ππ²πΈπ½πΆπ π³πππΈπ½πΆ π²π»πΈπΌπ°π, π²πΎπ»πΎπππ°π» π³π΄πΌπΎπ½ π³πΈπ²πΊπ, πππ±/π³πΎπΌ π³ππ½π°πΌπΈπ²π, π±π³ππΌ, π²π΄πΌπ΄ππ΄ππ ππΌππ)
β π¦π π¨π§ ππ‘π§ππ‘π¦ππ§π¬ & π€π¨ππ‘π§ππ§π¬: πππππππ/5
β ππ«π£πππππ§π‘ππ¦π¦: π€π€π€π€π€/5 (π³πΈπππ ππ°π»πΊ, π²ππππΈπ½πΆ, πΌπ°ππππ΄ π»π°π½πΆππ°πΆπ΄, πΆππ°πΏπ·πΈπ² π³π΄ππ²ππΈπΏππΈπΎπ½π πΎπ΅ π πΈπΎπ»π΄π½π²π΄/ππ΄π, π³π΄π½πΈπΆππ°ππΎππ πΏπ΄π π½π°πΌπ΄π)
β π₯π’π ππ‘ππ: πΉπΉπΉ/5
β ππ’π©π π§π₯πππ‘πππ: β
β π πππ‘ π₯π’π ππ‘ππ: π΅/πΌ
β π₯ππ£: π±πΎππ· πΌπ²π (π°π½π³ π°π½πΎππ·π΄π ππΈπ³π΄ π²π·π°ππ°π²ππ΄π) π°ππ΄ πΎπΏπ΄π½π»π π±πΈ π°π½π³ πΈπ'π πΌπ΄π½ππΈπΎπ½π΄π³ ππ·π°π ππ·π΄π'π π΄ π±π΄π΄π½ πΈπ½ ππ°πΌπ΄-ππ΄π ππ΄π»π°ππΈπΎπ½ππ·πΈπΏπ πΈπ½ ππ·π΄ πΏπ°ππ
β ππ‘ππ πππ¦-π§π’-ππ’π©ππ₯π¦π‘ππ¦π¦: π€π€π€π€/5 (π²π°π½'π ππ΄ππΈππ ππ·π°π π³π΄πΌπΎπ½ π)
β°β°β°β°β°β°β°β°β°β°β°β°
Fifty Shades who, said this book, then put poor Christian Grey on its kness for a spanking session worthy of its name.
Holy moly, Harley Laroux. I'll have to send you a fruit basket, sometime in the future, for the service you've done to this community.
And by community I mean me. And by service I mean I HAVE SINNED.
Her Soul To Take is so filled with dirty and dark stuff I found myself shrugging and nodding (and also panting a little) at the craziest stuff that happened y the end of it.
You've got a kink? Raelynn and Leon are here for you with their piercings and giant dildos. You don't feel represented enough as a bisexual person? Scoot over, pour yourself some wine and let Daddy Laroux introduce you to two of the sexiest bi disasters this fictional world has to offer.
Can you tell I had fun?
I also had one of the worst episodes of insomnia last night, which means I had some time on my hands and basically devoured this.
And here's the funniest part.
I may have picked this book up for the smut, but I totally stayed for the plot. I know, right??? I definitely didn't expect this to be so entertaining and bone-chilling as it was.
I was totally absorbed into the story and was kept on the edge of my seat for the entire night.
It gave off
The Hollow Gods vibes, which is another book I totally loved; the whole small town eerie halo, the cult of fanatics, the freaking mystery. It was better than a movie, and Laroux wrote it so well I almost didn't care about the kinkiest sex I've ever read about.
(Although it was indeed the dirtiest stuff I've ever encountered in a book. And I'm not complaining, mind it.)
On the other hand, I found the dialogues to be a bit stiff at times, and it took me at least 200 pages to finally get into it properly.
I also couldn't seem to notice this seems to have mild anti-religious tones, but I suppose that's to expect on a book where sin personified is one of the main characters.
Raelynn and Leon's chemistry is on another level. I wasn't fully convinced by their romance, at first, but once they started becoming friends, it was undeniable that these two are made for each other and would do anything to keep the other from suffering.
And they would also do anything to each other, if we had to be 100% precise.
Please, remember to read this book only if you've got a very open mind (basically spread out) and if you're not sensitive about certain topics.
In case you're like me and aren't easily impressionable and collect kinks like they're Pokemon cards, this can't miss in your collection.
π©πΏπΎπππΈπ±π»π΄ πΏππΎπ±π»π΄πΌπ°ππΈπ² π²πΎπ½ππ΄π½π π°π»π΄ππ!*π©
*ππππ ππππ ππππππππ ππππππππ, ππππππππππ, ππππππππππ πππ/ππ πππππππππππππ ππππ ππποΏ½οΏ½π ππππππππ πππππππππππ/πππ‘ππ/ππππ ππ πππππππ πππππππ’ ππππππππππππ.
πΈ, ππ π ππππππ πππ πππππππ ππ ππππ ποΏ½οΏ½ππππ , ππππππ πππππ ππππ ππππ ππ πππππππ πππ πππ ππππππππ ππππππππππππ, πππ, π πππππ πππ ππππππ ππ ππ’ ππππποΏ½οΏ½οΏ½οΏ½π π£πππ, ππππππ πππ ππ πππ ππ ππππππ ππ’ πππππ’πππππ ππ πππππππ, πππππππ:
-πΈ ππππ πππ ππππππππππ ππππ πππ πππππππ πππ πππππππ’;
-πΈ πππ'π πππππππ πππππππ πππππππππ ππ ππππ ππππ;
-πππ’ ππππππππ ππππ ππ πππππππ πππ ππππ πππππππ "πππππππππππ" πππππ/πππππππππππππ/ππππππππππ, πππ'π πππ πππππππ'π ππππππ ππ ππ π ππππππ;
-πππππππππ π’ππ ππππ πππππ ππππ πΎπ½π΄ πΎπ΅ ππ·πΎππ΄ π±πΎπΎπΊπ, π’'ππππ ? -
Maaaaaan Iβm so sad Iβve finished itπ
This was such a fun read! I didnβt expect this at all.
The writing style, dual pov, an intriguing plot line and the right amount of smut was just on point. A whole page turner.
It was filthy af and I loved it. Iβve learnt new things about myself..I wonβt elaborate any further. But let me tell you that demons are my new kink.
Also, apparently I like pnr genre now. Definitely reading the rest of the series. Even though I will be missing my man Leon as the main characterπ€§ He can put that split tongue down my throat, I donβt mind.
Could do without the whole βbaby girlβ though..
Her Soul for Revenge review -
2 "Rae is TSTL" stars
I genuinely want to know, does anyone like a h that has to be constantly rescued?
That first 20% had me so optimistic about this book but then once the danger started our dear heroine Rae truly turned into the biggest TSTL h I think I have ever read. Even other characters in the book made mention of the fact that she was hard to keep alive because her self preservation was non existent.
"Tell her to hurry up. It's hard enough keeping Raelynn alive. Damn woman's sense of self preservation is broken"
I understand that when supernatural elements are there that yeah, you would be skeptical about some stuff but Rae, even after seeing and accepting the fact that demons existed still refused to listen to Leon and believe him.
Here are some examples of how smart she was:
Told to stop walking home at night so she wouldn't get attacked by beasts that were drawn to her. Ignores it and gets attacked by beasts.
Told to stay inside where it's safe so that the strong demon can fight another demon. Ignores that and goes outside anyway and what do you know, almost gets attacked.
Knows that a group of people are out to kill her, knows exactly who they are. Goes to a party with them and accepts drinks from them. Gets roofied and has to be rescued.
"I'll listen. Doesn't mean I'll obey"
No kidding lady, and you really showed them didn't you *eye roll*
Really disappointed that her character ruined this book for me. I enjoyed the supernatural elements and like Leon. The sex was hot and creative and Leon has some different anatomy going for him which was actually really hot.
I'm interested in the other books BUT from what I have seen of the other h she seems to be another brand of annoying and stupid so I think I'm just gonna give this series a miss. -
β₯ 4.5 Stars *:ο½₯οΎβ§
Leon withdrew his fingers, and I leaned back heavily against the wall in the afterglow. I had no words that would suffice for the rush of that experience: the frantic pleasure, the fear of being caught, the disbelief at what I was doing. Without my noticing, Leon had taken my vape from my pocket, and he held it up to my lips as he also held up his slick fingers to the streetlightβs glow. They glistened as I took a slow, light-headed drag from the pen.
βBeautiful,β he said softly. He put one finger into his mouth, and sucked it clean as I exhaled. The smoke swirled around his face as Zane came to his side.
βThat was fucking gorgeous,β he said, slinging an arm around Leonβs shoulder and looking me hungrily up and down. Then Leon held up his middle finger, still glistening, and Zane took it slowly into his mouth, licking it clean.
βAlways the middle finger,β Zane muttered, straightening his jacket as he licked his lips.
βFor you? Always.β Leon stepped away, looking me over as I buttoned my jeans with clumsy fingers. He held out my vape. βThanks for playing. See you on campus, doll.β He gave me a two-finger salute, and he and Zane left the alley side by side, chuckling as they went.
βββββββββββ β‘ βββββββββββ
It's about time I wrote a review for this one. This was probably the book that really cemented my love for Harley Laroux's books. They're all so intense, hot but also sweet and squeal-worthy. This book is definitely in need of a reread <3β₯ Rae (h) was not my favourite fmc that HL has written. Since I'm writing this review after I've read
The Dare and
Her Soul for Revenge, I think Rae is my least favourite. She doesn't have that fun brattiness that Jess does, nor is she as hot and badass as Juniper. She made some silly decisions and wasn't as engaging with Leon as I would have liked her to be. I think it's more fun when both mcs are on very even playing field (like in
Her Soul for Revenge). That's the main critique of mine that lowered my rating by 0.5 stars. But other than that, I loved (nearly) everything else.
β₯ Leon (H) is so hot woah. He's definitely one of my top book bfs and even tops Zane from the second book. He's so protective but funny and sweet inside. He's just everything. Probably the best example of an "I hate everyone but you" man. And although I complained about Rae's damsel complex, I must say, I absolutely loved it every time he had to save her hehe. The only thing that broke my heart was the use of "baby girl". It began around the 75% mark and it killed me because it would have been perfect without it. It's down to personal preference of course, but I can't help but cringe every time I hear it. It's like I can actually hear Massimo saying it π "bebigorl".
βIβd gladly admit I was generally a dick, but Rae made me want to be...nice...to her. Only to her. Everyone else could get fucked.β
Honestly, this book exceeded all my expectations. I was never once bored; both the romance, smut, and plot had me very entertained. Leon, as mentioned, is just delectable and a reminder to me that hot men exist. Sometimes dark romance love interests are too cringey to me because they're always yelling and barking which makes me unable to take them seriously, but Leon is all cool and calm, that's how he maintains his power and it's hot af. The sex scenes were so unique and well-written. I really do recommend this for anyone who's looking to get into dark romance. I love how, although this is dark romance, HL still makes it so that the act is always consensual and both characters can always use their safeword.βThe ache of looking at her was almost too much, the sweetest pain in my chest as I brushed her hair back from her face before turning to leave her. Love. What an odd thing.β
As my last little complaint, I'd probably critique that if the characters are separated, we deserve a sex scene when they're back together again. I loved the drama, the stakes, the requiring all of it, but a little bit more steam towards the end would've been nice. Especially something nice and tender since they were in looove then hehe. Maybe in future, I'd like a threesome scene... maybe between Leon, Zane and Rae or (even better) Juniper, Leon and Rae. There was just so much chemistry in that one moment at the beginning... (the featured quote lolol). Leon could slap me any day, bye.βββββββββββ β‘ βββββββββββ
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If youβre looking for a monster/horror romance, this is a great read! Very unexpected but I loved the gothic vibes, the intensity, and of course the STEAM. It gets kinky here so make sure to check the CWs in the blurb. Weβve got a demon whoβs supposed to kill the heroine, but finds that he canβt do it. He chooses to help her and keep her safe instead, all the while making all her dark, twisted sexual fantasies come to life. Heβs got some anatomy that made for an interesting read π I liked the heroine too, though I wish she was able to do more when it came to protecting herself. Still, this book is an incredibly entertaining read and Iβm hoping the other two books in the series will be about the teased couples!
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5 stars β§
βiβll rip heaven and hell and this goddamn earth apart before i let them steal you from me.β
every time i reread this book i get the biggest book hangover ever. my life can be spilt into two parts; my life before this book and my life after. itβs a perfect halloween book: i loved the gothic vibe, the descriptions were so fucking good and immersed me into the story and the characters, the writing is unreal, the plot was so fucking good and the smutβholy fucking shit. the graveyard, the coffee table, THE PIERCING SCENE YES.
leon is the epitome of the βi hate everyone but youβ trope and that just really does it for me. and honestly if a hot demon came up to me and told me heβd protect me from LIFE THREATENING things just for my soul which means weβd spend eternity together ID SAY YES STRAIGHT AWAY TF???? he can have my soul and ANYTHING ELSE he wants. this man really has me crawling on the floor, orgasming at the mere SIGHT of him <3βiβd gladly admit i was generally a dick, but rae made me want to be...nice...to her. only to her. everyone else could get fucked.β
his friendship with zane makes me so soft because they just look out for one another and theyβre both just hot motherfuckers (the scene where leon fingers rae and letβs zane lick it off his middle finger mhm)βasshole.β i shoved my knuckles against his shoulder as i turned to go, and he caught my wrist, holding it captive.
βhey. donβt get yourself killed,β he said softly.
i scoffed. βiβll be fine.β
βyouβll be reckless.β
βhasnβt killed me yetββ
βhis fingers moved from my wrist to my throat, squeezed, yanked me forward so we were face to face. βdonβt. get. yourself. killed. each word punctuated by a squeeze. the bar in his tongue flashed silver as he spoke, the mark iβd put there ages ago. βgot it, kid?β
i scowled. βi fucking hate that.β
βi know.β he let me go with a shove, and took another long drag from the joint. βcall me if you need me.β
βand youβd better do the same.β
i stalked away up the beach toward the road, where the truck was parked beneath a flickering streetlamp. just before i reached it, i turned and yelled, βhey! iβll be fucking pissed if you die!β
he laughed. βwell, iβm not trying to piss you off, leon. iβve seen what happens to the poor bastards who do.β
i love you too, asshole.β
leon really is such a romantic and it just warms my heartβthatβs my girl,β he murmured, and held my head in his hands. βyou took it so well, fuck, look at you.β his eyes moved over me β my face, my chest, down to my shaking legs. βbeautiful girl.β he kissed my forehead, my cheek, the breast heβd just pierced, while i floated in ecstasy, the aftershocks trembling through me. βone more, baby girl. one more. ride that cock again.β
like actually the definition of romance, thank you <3 okay but actually heβs so soft with rae, it just makes my heart weep <3βi brushed my fingers over her lips, her cheek, through the soft strands of her hair. i wasnβt good at being gentle; it made my fingers twitchy. but it was worth the self-restraint to feel her lean her face against my hand.β
rae is annoying as fuck because she has no self preservation at all. with every reread, i dislike her less and less, but this book still holds a place in my heart over βher soul for revengeβ. leon would specifically tell her not to put herself in harms way and sheβd do it anyway?? itβs so frustrating to read, but it does sweeten the deal when leon keeps saving her. i have to admit only harley larouxβs men can make me blush and giggle and kick my feet (and certain fanfics but shush) but other than that i like rae for leon yβknow; thatβs my man .βhe leaned over me, pressed his forehead to mine, and asked softly, βmercy?β
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4.5 Take-My-Fucking-Soul and Call-Me-Baby-Girl Stars
Oh my God... What a ride!
I'm not gonna lie... I didn't knew what to expect when my friends convinced me to read this book.
If you look into my read books, you won't find any paranormal romance, or paranormal books at all.
It's not my gem, and it's okay... There are books for everyone out in the world.
That said, I FUCKING loved Leon, aka The Demon! ππππππ
The story started slowly, building the scenery and the characters and I wasn't too impressed... I was like: okay, that's it? All that fuss just for a gothic girl in a city controlled by a cult with a slaved demon? Yeah... Boooo!
That was until around 30%.
Oh boy... How I loved to be wrong!
After a few ongoings, the book catch up in a fast pace, full of action, sex, suspense, sex, chase, blood, sex and tears. (Did I mentioned sex? Because holy cow... The man can fuck! And I'm not even talking about that tongue π₯΅π₯)
I loved how the author build up Leon's personality, and how he was such a grumpy protector of Rae, and girllllll... Rae was a full plate to be carried!
She was a little annoying at first and the girl couldn't help herself in anyway at all! She was always putting herself in danger and seeking the type of situations that makes you the first death in a horror movie...
Lucky girl to have such a hot and protector demon on her team!
Leon suffered like hell to keep her alive!
I'm kinda of obsessed with all demons in this book, they're truly way better than the humans here...
Leon, Zane and Callum can have my soul and body (specially body π₯΅) anytime they want!
I loved the way she finished their story, even if it took forever to Rae grow some balls! πππ
I would have melted for Leon at the first Are you fucking lost? π₯΅π₯π
I cannot wait for my other babies books!
Bring it on my Zane and my Callum!
Highly recommend it!
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Dnf. I might have to come back to this oneβnot vibing with it like I thought.
-
The only warning I needed for this book was that he was going to call her βbaby girlβ as a term of endearment. Gross.
Two other important points of information:
1. The BDSM relationship IS consensual.
Both are into it. This isnβt a Christian Grey type of thing. No one needs convincing. All parties are on board.
2. The cat survives the book.
Nothing makes me jump ship on a book or movie faster than when I learn the main character has a pet. It rarely ends well (for the petβ¦and me). But, this time it did. Brave cat named Cheesecake lives a long, happy life. All I can really ask for in a story, tbh. -
4.5 stars (check the author's synopsis for TWs)
When I started this book, the beginning was definitely slow. It took me about two days to get through just 30%, but once the paranormal aspects of this book really started to come into play, I could not get enough of this story. I loved Leon and Rae's relationship and how Leon started falling more and more for Rae. She definitely didn't make some very smart decisions (trusting people she obviously shouldn't), but Leon couldn't help but protect her from the evils of the world. Then, when things started to get crazy, I didn't know how/if they were going to make it out alive and I could not stop reading. I was so addicted to the romance and loved how Leon was a demon who was supposed to kill Rae for a sacrifice but ended up falling for her instead. I'm already dying for book two and cannot wait to see who that book will be about! -
4.5 stars
man.. this was so good, the plot, the smut!! the romance. i really hope the author writes more paranormal romance because this was everything. every different from other paranormal romances iβve read and i loved that. the ending was corny as hell tho ngl. cant wait for zaneβs book iβm hoping for some reaaal freaky shit to happen in that one. -
#1
Her Soul to Take β β β β β
#1
Her Soul for Revenge β β β β β
In French, thereβs a phrase for the random urge to jump from high places, the irrational desire to swerve into traffic despite imminent destruction: l'appel du vide, the call of the void. Those sudden feral impulses tend to be shoved away immediately, but humans still experience them. What if you jumped? What if you touched the fire? What if? What if?
When I looked at him, staring at me, the void called.
What if?
This was incredible. I'm not even sure how I'm going to formulate a review that isn't just incoherent gushing and rambling. I loved these characters and this world so much, and I adored the genuine blend of romance AND horror. Too many books that claim to mesh another genre with horror don't actually carry many horror elements, but Her Soul to Take does a good job of relaying this cosmic horror, dark fantasy aesthetic with a legitimately violent demon love interest and some very creepy monster descriptions.I was a killer. A hunter. Not a protector. Not even for tiny mortal girls with no sense of self-preservation.
Beyond how much I loved the writing and the world itself, there are the characters, so many of whom I was immediately drawn to. Even Rae, for all her clumsiness and bad decisions, was incredibly enjoyable to spend time with. Leon was even better, with his angst and dark, long history. I feel that most demonic characters in romance books are practically basic humans with a few mildly different traits, and that's it, but Leon never quite lets you forget that he's a murderous, vicious demon with a mean streak a mile long and a lot of revenge to seek out β and I loved it. He won't be the love interest for everyone, but he was one of my favorites I've seen in a romance book in a very long time. I also can't complain about the fact that both leading characters were casually queer, and we even got to meet one of Leon's former lovers: another demon named Zane, who I adored and can't wait to spend more time with in book 2!Every path Iβd taken, every seemingly inconsequential decision, had led to this moment. The choice between two eternities, a choice that was mine alone. Iβd chosen. I knew to whom my soul belonged, and it wasnβt to a merciless God.
Again, I can absolutely see how this book won't work for everyone, and I think it's very important to check the content warnings before going into it. Not only is there BDSM and heavy dom/sub talk, but part of being a demon involves a carnal need to "own" souls, so any reader who is triggered by possessive speech probably won't love this one. That said, there is a lot of talk about consent, a lot of softness and comfort added in, and the communication between the two of them when it comes to ensuring they're on the same page and that Rae doesn't feel forced into anything is phenomenal. I consider myself extremely picky about dom/sub pairings, but this one checked all my boxes and left me so excited to continue the series!
Buddy read with the ever-so-lovely
Malli! π
β¨ Representation: Rae, Leon, and Zane are all casually queer; multiple BIPOC side characters
β¨ Content warnings for:
βββ
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Rae Lynn was so DUMB and exasperating that I was actually rooting for her to get shot in the head. Likeβ what the fuck is not clicking, queen? Everything, apparently.
Choosing to look the other way and let Jesus take the wheel after youβve just been explicitly informed that youβre currently being roofied because said drink tastes good and you donβt want to stop drinking it is honestly iconic behavior. I mean, wow.
βDespite the anxiety shooting off alarm bells in my head, I gulped down a mouthfulβ¦β
ββYou need to stop drinking that, babe.β
But the thing was, I didnβt want to stop drinking. Whatever Jeremiah had made me was goodβ¦β
ββ¦they were good hosts, even if they were secretly plotting to kill me.β
β¦she thought that in earnest.
Iβmβ
SHE THOUGHT THAT IN EARNEST.
They were both clowns. Leon is out here making impassioned monologues, claiming heβll rip Heaven and Hell and Earth apart before he lets anything happen to Rae Lynnβ¦ and thenβ¦ thingsβ¦ keep repeatedlyβ¦ happening to her.
We got the stupidest human of the bunch and the stupidest demon of the bunch falling in love. Why donβt you both just stop talking. Just let us enjoy yβall looking hot, donβt ruin it by speaking or doing anything. Our fictional Megan Fox and MGK. -
[ πΉ.π» / π» β© ]
My soul was his to take, to love, to own β forever.
[ πΌπππ πΌππππ β« ]
β
π²πππππ
| ππ·π°π. π°. ππΈπΌπ΄. βΏ |βI canβt just keep severed heads around my yard,β I said.
βOh, Iβm sorry.β Leon turned to face me. βDo they not fit your aesthetic? Would death suit your aesthetic better?β
Her Soul to Take was a decidedly interesting little book.
Okay, it was definitely more than a little weird, but also oddly addicting at the same time? To be honest, I'm not really sure what HSTT was supposed to be⦠and, if I'm being honest, I'm not at all mad about that fact.
In fact, Her Soul to Take gave me major
Split vibes. It was basically Split, except this time the heroine in this book actually does get fucked by the demon she "accidentally" summons. I mean⦠You only live once, am I right?
don't even lie, my mans is hella droolworthy π€€
That being said⦠there's a definite reason this book didn't fully work for me. The first reason being, I wanted more in terms of the supernatural aspect of the story. In my opinion,
Harley Laroux could have taken things a bit further. Cause, not to be rude, but⦠For a demon Leon was low-key kind of lame. Which, gah. I feel so bad even saying, but idk⦠It's kinda true.
The second reason was, Raelynn. Oh. My. God. This girl was to stupid to live, turned up to 11. Seriously, this heroine needed to go to the doctors cause she had an extreme case of TSTL syndrome. It was near fatal at some points. Our girl Raelynn is the kind of heroine who would actively run out into the middle of the road and then simply stand thereβ¦
Basically, her sense of self-preservation was complete and utter shit⦠Oh, and she was also ridiculously horny at the most INCONVENIENT times.
That being said⦠I kinda, sorta, fully loved this book. I know I know, I'm a gosh darn hypocrite. Idk, this was one of those books where the things that didn't work for me only added to the entertainment factor.
Surprisingly though, the thing that worked the most for me was actually⦠the romance. See, Leon and Rae were nice as individuals, but together? So. Damn. Cute. I was actively rooting for their collective happily ever after the entire time.
| πΈπ½ πππΌπΌπ°ππ βΏ |β¦ βIf you gave me your soul, neither gods nor men could take you from me. And that frightens you.β
[ ππ°π΄ π Ύπ Ί ] our lovely heroine had NO sense of self-preservation. Literally none at all. She put herself in the absolute WORST situations time and time again. I don't know how she functioned in the world without Leon, I swearβ¦ Oh and in case you were wondering, no I do not buy the below explanationβ¦My sense of self-preservation hadnβt just been bad β it had actively driven me to this place, to this cold cave deep underground, to fall at the feet of my God.
[ π»π΄πΎπ½ β ] was basically a lonely sad-boy who kept reminiscing about his glory days as a killer. Like, he was hot, but he also got a bit annoying at times. Also, he fell in love with Raelynn because of reasons. Show me why, please. However, I think my main "issue" with Leon was the fact that he kept getting beaten up by EVERYONE. So because of that, it was really hard to buy that he was this badass demon. I'm sorry, but please explain to me how I'm supposed to find Leon intimidating when everyone and their mom kept wiping the floor with his face. Leon just needed a win so badly, but alasβ¦ it seems he never got one.
he fully encompassed this gif.
[ ππ·π΄ ππΎπΌπ°π½π²π΄ β₯ ] was actually really sweet. I just loved their dynamic so much. The fact that Leon was all like, "wha -?? i have them [emotions] β¦ FOR A HUMAN?!?!" Adored that. All in all, the romance was incredibly heartwarming, but also extremely steamy.βCan you kill it?β
β¦ βFor you, baby girl, I can kill anything.β
[ ππ·π΄ ππ΄ππ ππΈπΌπ΄π β₯ ] were very sex. I meanβ¦ Who knew getting your nipples pierced while having sex could be hot? Cause I sure didn't. The dynamic between Rae and Leon dirty, hot, sexy, and oh so good. If anything I wanted a bit more. If I had to complain about one thing, it would the extreme case of insta-lust. I wanted their initial cat and mouse dynamic to be drawn out and explored a bit more. What can I say, we love that good good sexual tension in this house.βHopefully Iβve fucked those anxious thoughts out of your head. Donβt waste that sweet fear on vile beasts, not when Iβm here.β
[ ππ·π΄ π΄π½π³πΈπ½πΆ β ] was soooo disappointing. Like why didn't Harley Laroux let Leon kill at least one, just one, of his former psychotic captors. TBH, it really pissed me off. I was expecting this glorious revenge killing spree, because for fucks sake Leon's nickname is literally The Killer. So let him KILL for heavens sake.βHeβs dead, baby girl. I wish I could say Iβd done it, but they got to him first.β
[ π»π΄πΎπ½'π π°πΏπΏπ΄π°ππ°π½π²π΄ β ] and general vibe could have been way more fleshed out, in my humble opinion. I wanted more details on his appearance, powers, or hell, even the rules of summoning a demon. Things were kinda vague which is such a shame. This world is so very cool and because of that I wanted more.
[ π΅πππππ΄ πΈπ½πππ°π»π»πΌπ΄π½ππ β₯ ] have me so very excited. JuniperZane seem like such a badass power couple. Their book comes out on October 30 and you can best believe I am gonna count down the days. Everly and her demon also have me hella intrigued. Basically, you can count me in for any future books in this wonderfully dark and weird series.
| πΈπ½ π²πΎπ½π²π»πππΈπΎπ½ βΏ |βIf the Reaper doesnβt kill me, you can summon me again.β He grinned, but it didnβt reach those smoldering eyes. βIβve never given anyone permission to summon me. But if you can, bring me back to you.β
Overall, Her Soul to Take was an extremely, balls to the wall, fun ass time. The main characters (RaelynnLeon) were⦠sorta meh, but they each had their compelling moments.
The plot was a bit of a hot mess and was just a touch dissapointing. I expected HSTT to go out with a bang but instead it went out with a half-hearted shrug.
Where the Her Soul to Take truly shined was the romance. Which look. Was this bookinstalustinstalove to the max? One thousand percent. But at the same time I couldn't help but love it. I am such a sucker for a prickly-brooding-badboy-hero who loathes to admit that he is falling in love. That trope just gets me every damn time. Rae and Leon were the kind of couple that completed each other. Also, I have to give them major props for making nipple piercing seem sexy. If that doesn't catapult this book to an instant three stars, well then⦠I don't know what will.
Ultimately, Harley Laroux created a very intriguing world and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the trilogy is going to shake out.
[ ππΎππ»π πππΈπ»πΎπΆπ ]
π±πππ πΎππ: π·ππ ππππ ππ ππππ - πΉ.π»
π±πππ ππ π:
π·ππ ππππ πππ πππππππ - πΉ.π»
π±πππ πππππ:
ππππππππ - πππ -
This is a paranormal romance with some horror and lots of heat. Totally new author for me and got to say I was impressed I loved this and it was mostly because of Leon I adored him in all his dominant demotic sexiness.
So here Rae moves back to her childhood stomping ground Abelaum Itβs the small town where she grew up and she has fond memories of it. Her parents have retired to Spain and she is currently occupying their old cabin whilst attending college.
Rae has some unusual extracurricular activities she hosts a vlog where she discusses the paranormal and sheβs also a keen urban explorer. Unbeknown to Rae the town she grew up in is home to a cult that worship an old god and moving back home puts her directly in their sights.
Leon is a demon that has been summoned and kept captive by the Hadleigh family for generations in their service and theirs to command. They possess a grimoire that has Leonβs true name the only written record in existence when this ancient tome goes missing Leon finds himself for the first time in a century free from their control. he just now needs to find the grimoire and destroy it.
When these two meet there are instant sparks and Leon finds himself desperate to keep Rae alive even without knowing quite why. Rae is also in turn fascinated by this demon equal parts turned on and scared.
The heat and chemistry between these two was ridiculous like nuclear and incredibly hot. They both play on the dark side and thereβs lots of blood sweat and tears involved. there's most definitely a dominant vibe and these two like to play hard at Hunter and prey. The fear adding a delicious sweetness to it all.
Thereβs danger and plenty of monsters that are after Rae and her only defence is Leon who initially wants her soul in return for his protection got to say I was on the edge of my seat in apprehension over just what could happen here.
I loved the snarky back and forth banter and also the dirty talk was so incredibly hot. There were also breadcrumbs dropped for future books (definitely two)
Rae could be a bit suicidal in her total oblivion and reckless self-endangerment but it all added to the drama if I was Leon I would have just tied her arse up so she couldnβt stumble into the constant mishaps she seemed prone to.
This easily kept my attention and I enjoyed it a lot definitely recommend and I will be picking up the rest of the series when it releases.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com -
β³ 2 stars
dnf @80%
(gloria darling look awayπ)
harley laroux made the amazing impression on me after βthe dareβ and i thought i would like this one too but.. there were just too many things that i either didnβt care about or they just annoyed me.
first of all, i expected this book to be very smutty, but it was more based on the plot?? even though there were some steamy scenes, but it was more based on the other plot lines and it was dull for me so i couldnβt concentrate on what was going on at all. i like romance as a subplot, but it requires the plot to be very intriguing. this one didnβt have such thing. i love when authors add their versions of hell/heaven in books, because itβs a big space for different ideas, but harleyβs hell wasnβt written well enough for me to care so i didnβt even understand half of the plot aspect. and itβs mostly the reason why i couldnβt finish the book.
anyway, for me the main thing was leon(H) ofc. i found out that he was blond only @ ~20%, so i was shocked. thank god for hair dye, so we can work out this problem of hisππΌ. but the fashion style was even worse. tight jeans and converse?? this isnβt u, leon. i refuse even thinking about it. nonetheless, in the first half of the book he was a real hottie and i just ate up everything he was saying. he was so funny i canβtπ.
βYouβre an asshole,β I whispered.Β
βYou are what you eat.β
βYour ploy for my soul wonβt work. Iβll survive without your deal just fine, thank you very much.β
βSays the girl who was just fucked by a demon.β
we also need a minute of appreciation of harleyβs writing style. even tho itβs the dark romance, leon still gave the safe word to rae(h), just like manson did give it to jessica in βthe dareβ. itβs rare that a dark romance doesnβt have non-con sex scenes and lately i became very disturbed by it. i canβt hep but think about how the mmc doesnβt respect his woman enough to stop when he was told to. iβm glad that harley writes only consensual ones(in the books i read so far). her heroes respects the heroinesβ choice and itβs so hot and preciousππππππ.
βMercy," he whispered. He made that simple word sound beautiful, like poetry, like something tender. βThat's all you have to say, and the game will stop immediately. Make sense?β
βTell me you remember, Rae. what makes the game stop?β
βMercy,β I whispered.
βGood girl.β
AHWW??? β¨good girlβ¨ HITS VERY HARD EVERY TIME. and he said that for her remembering the safe word and it made it 100x times sexier.
βIf youβre going to be damned, you need to go willingly.β
u just canβt change my mind that this is A LOT better than non-con dark romances.
despite all the above mentioned i felt no mental connection between raeleon. it was the insta lust, but i still canβt understand why leon liked rae, because sheβs so dumb. firstly she summoned demon for her youtube blog and after that she put the fucking demon in the magical circle to make him help her even though earlier he offered it willingly?? rae is brainless and so annoying. later in the book she became more bearable, but i still canβt stand her. leon babe, itβs so obvious that u have no taste.
later in the book leon had something like a demon brain damage so everything instantly went down.
βyour blood, piss, sweat, cum β i want it all. mine. abandon your inhibitions now. you wonβt have a use for them anymore.β
i get that heβs a demon and he has his own type of thinking process, but he wants her piss??πno man i canβt think of this because itβs so hilarious, like why u want her piss??π he had the nickname βdollβ for rae and i kinda liked it, but then something unexpected happen, that i still donβt know how to process it.
βAh...fuck, baby girlβ¦β
my world was torn apart. it also reminded me that i still havenβt watched β365 days part twoβ. shame on me, guys.
βRemember what I am, baby girl,β he growled.
did i mention that leon really likes to growl?? what a wolf frπ€i couldnβt stop cringing when he did it along with βbaby girlβ thing. i just know that manson would has a second-hand embarrassment for him.
now i have the most important question for the author. WHERE WAS THE THREESOME?? zane, leon and rae had so much potential for a threesome and when i found out that there isnβt any scene like this i started screaming.
βBeautiful,β he said softly. He put one finger into his mouth, and sucked it clean as I exhaled. The smoke swirled around his face as Zane came to his side.
βThat was fucking gorgeous,β he said, slinging an arm around Leonβs shoulder and looking me hungrily up and down. Then Leon held up his middle finger, still glistening, and Zane took it slowly into his mouth, licking it clean.
how can u write a scene like this and donβt write threesome??all of them are bisexuals and the scene would be amazing, so WHERE WAS IT?? i deserved to get the threesome scene idc. iβm just a horny teenager leave me alone.
my final thoughts: this book was such a disappointment honestly. iβm not sure if the book in this trilogy are stand-alones, but if they are, then i want to read at least the second book to form my opinion on the series. but even the smut in this one couldnβt make me keep going. -
Done with my reread to prepare for Her soul to revenge that is being released in a few days!!!
I didn't write a proper review for this book the first time, so I thought I would try now. And by try I mean I'll tease with some SPICE this book has to offerπ
Ok but first of all, I love this on so many levels. Ngl tho, most of the levels being Leon. But also the story and the suspense - this is the part I love with urban fantasy.
The heroine, Rae, has no self-preservation at all. She's basically throwing herself in the arms of danger constantly. She's literally running towards monsters, taking drinks that are obviously drugged from people who want her dead (why π) Is it annoying? Yes. Do I enjoy her forcing poor Leon to save her all the time? Yep. Call me a hypocrite but I'm not sorry. I freaking love Leon coming to her stupid ass to rescue her."Do something?" He shot me a narrow-eyed glare, and said mockingly, "Oh Leon, do something! Save me, please, oh please! What happened to Be gone, demon? What happened to trying to bash my head in with a crucifix?"
Rae's face: π€‘π€‘π€‘
Also he's so fucking funny I can't"I can't just keep severed heads around my yard," I said.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Leon turned to face me. "Do they not fit your aesthetic? Would death suit your aesthetic better?"
Leon is not your typical demon. He's allegedly one of the worst who ever walked the earth, his nickname is the Killer π€‘π and I've never seen a more β¨softieβ¨ demon like him. Would I enjoy him going on a killing spree, being a bit more badass? Yaas. But I love him anyway.
OK SPICE TIME FOR MY DIRTY FRIENDS"I'll make you scream for more pain. I'll make you weep for your own destruction."
Ok tell me more"No matter how much you squeal and beg, you don't fool me; you're going to love every second of what I'm about to do to you. I'm going to fucking ruin you.
Here we have a guy who's promising A LOT. Now you're asking yourself, ok cool but DOES HE PAY UP? To that, my answer is, and I want to make this perfectly clear: I would not only let Leon slap my face, but I would encourage it.His hold on me wasn't gentle, but the kiss he laid on my forehead was.
"You're mine, even if you don't believe it. And I treasure what's mine. Now, open your fucking mouth."
ok If you say soπ
My closing argument is, move your ass to the content warnings and see if this would suit you. Then go and fucking read this book. -
Dnf @77.8%
Yeah. Am in the super small minority with this one. I didn't like it. I think this is my first dnf for a paranormal book. I just can't even make myself pick up this book just to finish it and I was so close. Rae ruined the book for me, I can't stand the girl. She got on my nerves from the start and wouldn't stop. I really tried to like it but just couldn't. Not even Leon's split tongue could do it for me. -
I.. I fucking love this book!!!!! Hands down this is top 3 fave reads in 2121!! Now I'm say this now up here its darkish I have all the triggers below if you wanna check out and I know this one won't be for everyone. So be warned before diving in!!
Cults, demons oh my!!! I love Leon and Rea they have a amazing chemistry together when they first meet its very grrrrrrr between the two but that spark!!! Rea she is a ghost girl goth!!! Yashh something I love Rea is into videing ghost stories and places she love that type of stuff and she's a curious person that how she meets Leon the new "security" at the school and well they butt heads that first moment that sexual tension lorddd I love it and when they keep meeting it gets more yummy.. but Leon isn't a ordinary guy nope no sir he is a demon who is bound to a certain family and when he finds out they don't have the grimoire to control him things get exciting and annoying for him when he finds out who has the book.
Leon... he just been promoted to Book HUSBAND!!!! yess mean to others smitten and obessed with his Rea.. well he's only mean to Rea when she's being a brat lol and he can fuck it outta her π€£
Now that these two know more about eachother and what Leon is their play time is more wicked and spicy and π₯π₯π₯ but not all is fun and games they still have other monsters and a cult after them
Low angst, no ow/om drama, No cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-YES
Cover-βββββ
Heat level-πΆπΆπΆπΆπΆ
Slow-burnish
Push away from h
Older/younger couple (hello he a demon)
BI MCs
consensual non-consent (CNC)
breathe play/choking
bloodplay
humiliation/degradation
No condoms
Masturbation
Violence
Anal play/sex
needle play (body modification fetish)
fear play
public play
bondage/restraint
spanking/impact play
Hea
Epilogue -
4 Demon Stars βοΈ
I am not catholic, but I feel like I need to see a Priest about confession and splash some Holy water on my face to cleanse me of my sins. I am not going to be ashamed to say that this book is deliciously dirty and salaciously sinful. But seriously whilst it does have a fair few mentions of Demons and Magic and a total badass "vibe" of spooky-darkness, the real darkness comes from the lustful icing on the kink-filled cake. There was kink in here that I didn't even know existed! But OH BOY, I feel like I have gotten a full-on education, and can I just say that I paid SUCH GOOD attention in the class that if you asked me to write a test on it RIGHT NOW - I am sure I'll pass with an A+.
This story follows our goth "Velma" look-alike Raelynn, who returns to a small family cabin in the woods in the town of Abelaum with her cat Cheesecake after her parents have decided they no longer want to live on the US side of the Atlantic and move to Greece. Of course, Rae is "Not like the other girls" and has this paranormal obsession that finds Ghost Hunting in abandoned buildings "Fun". In town, she meets Leon, a campus security guard but he is not what he seems. Unknown to her Leon is actually a Demon, enslaved to a cult in the town that wants nothing more than to sacrifice Rae to their long lost "Cthulhu-look-alike-mine-shaft" God. But Leon does not want Rae to be sacrificed. No...he wants her Soul and wants to keep her as his new shiny toy - to break her and make her scream.
Rae, is the epitome of Too Stupid to Live, and as Leon once said, "Damn woman's sense of self-preservation is broken". She has the common sense of a rock which is equivalent to the stupid girl in a Horror Movie. You know the one that suggests everyone should split up and instead of running out of the house, she wanders down into the basement alone.
Daddy Leon is taken directly out of the trope handbook for "I hate everyone but you". At times he is an asshole, I mean he is a Demon. But if he told me to bend over and beg you wouldn't find me saying "Mercy" any time soon. Any man that is going to run out into the night and fight a monster and PROTECTS YOUR KITTY is an OK MAN in my book. Also Harley Laroux, this review would have been a WHOLE lot different if Cheesecake died. I can handle a LOT of triggers...BUT DON'T YOU DARE KILL A CAT!
Speaking of cats...I absolutely LOVED the cat-and-mouse game between Leon and Rae. The chemistry between the two oozes off the page and you can feel the tension and constant push and pull between the two. I also liked that all their interactions were driven by mutual consent.
This book also has a fantastic balance of smut vs plot. Often times one could overbalance the other and you are either left unsatisfied with one, or the other. In this book, the smut enhances the plot, they work in perfect tandem and I can say that I am blissfully content with both. They were both captivatingly enticing and highly enjoyable!
Overall I highly recommend this book if you want something kinky and dark to read. It was everything I needed it to be to cure me of the HEADACHE my last book caused, so can imagine it would probably cure a "reading slump". It has romance, action, obsession, suspense, hot steamy scenes and a lot of kinks I am sure there will be something in there for everyone...
BUT PLEASE PLEASE read the trigger warnings in this before you pick this up. I understand this is a work of fiction and not a reality. My rating and enjoyment level of the book doesn't mean I'm agreeing or condoning the content. The book is not meant for the weak-hearted so please read the TW carefully and decide if this would be something for you β€οΈοΈ
β±-------------------------β°
Of course the best cure for a crappy book is pick up something with a long list of trigger warningsβ¦.ππ
This should be GOOD
β€οΈβπ₯π₯΅β€οΈβοΏ½οΏ½οΏ½π₯΅ -
4 β¨
This book was everything I wanted it to be. There was suspense, romance, action, and a twisty plot. The spice was h o t and Leonβs character was amazing.
My only problem with this book was Raeβs character at points. The βcuriosityβ just felt like an excuse for her to do dumb sh!t. She claimed to be into the occult but when sheβs faced with an actual demon and a town full of cultists sheβs like na itβs fine. Her decision making pissed me off at points. And we were OWED a scene for after she (spoiler) gave her soul to Leon, okay??
Overall this book was very entertaining. I loved the way Harley handled bisexuality in such a way that it didnβt feel forced but totally normal (as it should be).
I heard Zane and Juniperβs story is even better so canβt wait to jump into that ππ»ββοΈ -
I accidentally deleted my review of this book so if you're seeing this on your feed again...no you're not.
A PLEASANTLY SURPRISING 4 STARS!
Okay so here's what happened. I bought this book at like 3 in the morning based off a tiktok video I didn't even finish watching, and then promptly forgot about it. A couple days later this book shows up and I have ??? no idea what it is ??? Just a vague memory of someone recommending it online with what must have been a few keywords that much have triggered my impulse to buy (let's be honest, it is very easily triggered). Whatever, I'm game, I like going into books blind so lemme just jump into this.
Cut to me opening the book and seeing the Content Warning 0__0 WHAT DID I BUY???? But you know what, I've opened the cover of the book and my inability to DNF anything won't let me turn around so we're staying the course!
This is where I should mention that I...do not like Dark Romance as a genre (β_β) I find a lot of the genre to either blur the lines of consent or entirely demolish them and present assault and stalking as romance which I am very much not about, so when I tell you this Content Warning SCARED THE EVERLOVING S**T OUT OF ME.
But you know what, it shouldn't have! Looking back, the fact that the author had the forethought to put a Content Warning IN the book ON PAGE ONE should have been my first indication that she was going to write this all in a very safe way, AND SHE DID! The consent in this book is just *chef's kiss* so good. The repeated, vocal, ENTHUSIASTIC consent over and over again, HELL YEAH! And the inclusion of aftercare? Incredible.
It's also mainly focused on plot, which I personally love. There are books where the smut enhances the plot, and there are books where the plot exists solely to string together smutty scenes (and ain't nothing wrong with either) and this is definitely the former. It takes center stage when it's there, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot and I was heavily invested in the story. Could not put this book down. The FMC is a little too "horror movie" for me sometimes (consistently makes choices that should definitely be getting her killed), but I had a REALLY good time with this book! Will absolutely be picking up the second book when it comes out -
3.75 stars?? Idk. Iβm conflicted with my feelings for this book.
Basically, Rae is moving back to Abelaum her home town because her parents are retiring in Spain and she wants to adult and get some independence. But this town is creepier than she remembers, thereβs creatures in the forest and she found a very old and very scary grimoire in her childhood best friends book store. Sheβs a ghost hunter, so when she gets this grimoire she decides to summon a demon because she thinks itβll just be a good video for her YouTube channel, exceptβ¦ she actually summons a demon. Leon. Who also happens to be the asshole guard on campus that sheβs had some hot and tense moments with. We also get Leonβs POV, so we understand that he has been enslaved by the head family of this town for hundreds of year and is aching to destroy them for keeping him confined.
This book was culty and the story is very interesting, Leon was an AMAZING character and i loved everything he did. The steam was hot and out there but not supperrrr crazy. Mostly cnc, degrading, rough kink. Leon also says that demons like marking their lovers so he pierces her nipples because he takes that as a mark. BUT, I really did not love Rae. She was so dumb. Who summons a demon for a video??? Thatβs just asking for bad juju. And then she kept making weird decisions like that, being reckless and not listening to Leon. Refusing to give her soul to him for protection and hot sex even tho she clearly needed both and they were obviously falling for one another. My friend who read this before me said βMilina, Youre siding with the DEMONβ and logically sheβs right. Rae probably handled this how a normal person would, but that for some reason was my one gripe. Iβm VERY excited for this plot line to continue and for the other two couples- they seem much more up my alley and Iβm pumped to see their story. -
βI could forget all the danger outside these walls, and let darkness be my shelter here. I could let wickedness be my sanctuary, perversion my therapy, and a monster be my lover.β
This was the perfect horror erotica and monster romance. Iβm obsessed. And it gave me bisexual main protagonists, so I couldnβt ask for more.
This book plays beautifully with complicated kinks such as consensual dub-con, humiliation, sexual asphyxiation, erotic painβ¦ And everything is portrayed under an insistent message of consent and desire that elevates the whole thing up. The psychological aspect of these desires was so well explored, too. I canβt recommend this book enough.
The horror and mystery of the story was really well done. This was the perfect read for La Noche de Los Muertos. The idea of a Cthulhu-like God dormant underground, awaiting Its sacrifices to return and destroy Earth was terrifying and fascinating.
The romance was done so cleverly, it was impossible to stop reading. Leon was the perfect monster boyfriend. He was scary and dark, with long claws and sharp teeth and glowing eyes. But he was also the perfect combination between kinky and tender. The way he exuded control was so sexy. And the idea of a demon covered in tattoos and piercings who smoked pot and looked like a goth was simply irresistible.
I thought I would get past this craving for monster romance but the need is only growing stronger. Oh well. -
βIβll rip Heaven and Hell and this goddamn Earth apart before I let them steal you from me.β
HELLO CONSENT! WE LOVE YOU! AHHHHHH!
I actually really fucking loved this book!
I'm not going to lie... My expectations going in were low because I was expecting it just to be a hardcore SMUT book but it's sooooo much more than that. The PLOT! I was hooked from the start. From Demons, cults, mythical/paranormal creatures that make your skin crawl and blood chill with goosebumps down your skin. I was literally flinging myself off my bed at points from the amazing spice. Everything came back to consent which just made the spice 10x hotter.
If you are into dark romances this should be on your tbr.
Lastly, where do I find myself a demon to offer my soul to?
