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Demonica #3
Passion Unleashed
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.
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.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 31, 2009
About the author
Larissa Ione
105 books10k followersAir Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,266 reviews
August 16, 2016
“All I ever had before you was nightmares. But now I dream. Because of you.”
YES!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK!
This was utterly sensational! I have no idea why it took me so long to pick it up. Passion Unleashed is the third installment in Demonica series and it was so much better than the previous one. Just when I thought Eidolon is the most adorable among his brothers, Wraith proved me otherwise. Who would have thought a super bad boy like him could be such a sweetheart!? After seeing his soft and sweet side, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this demon!
Wraith is a half vampire half Seminus demon. He was shot by the assassin with a poison dart, which slowly killed his libido. There was no cure and he was going to die. There was only one way to save his life, he needed to take a charm from a Marked Sentinel, and the way to get it was that he had to seduce the owner and had willing sex with her because the charm could only be transferred through sex.
Serena is a Marked Sentinel. She'd been protected by a divine charm in order to keep the necklace, Heofon, safe. As long as she was still charmed, nothing could harm her against her will. If she lost her virginity, she would lose her charm too. For the fact that she was bitten by a Mara before she was charmed, and since there was no cure for Mara poison, as soon as her charm was taken away, the disease would advance rapidly and she would finally die.
All Wraith's life, he only cared about himself. He put himself in some serious situation several times just for fun and did many horrible things without caring about the consequences. But since he met Serena, something happened inside of him. She made him see life differently. The way she made him feel, made him laugh, made him realize how wonderful it was to love and to be loved, was the thing he’d never experienced before. So this was the hardest decision he had to make, to choose between his life and hers. However, the time was almost out. If he didn't take her charm, with the brotherly bond, not only he would die but also his brothers.
But when Serena was in great danger from the most deadly and powerful fallen angel, he swore he would protect her no matter what it cost him.
As a fan of paranormal romance stories, I can undoubtedly say that this book totally hit the spot for me. I felt so overwhelmed while reading those scenes where the characters willingly sacrifice themselves in an attempt to save the lives of others. Those moments truly touched my heart. There were also some emotional moments that made me get a little teary-eyed. Moreover, all the plot twists were so darn brilliant, completely surprised me!
If I could, I would definitely rate this book more than 5 stars! Thoroughly loved it!
YES!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK!
This was utterly sensational! I have no idea why it took me so long to pick it up. Passion Unleashed is the third installment in Demonica series and it was so much better than the previous one. Just when I thought Eidolon is the most adorable among his brothers, Wraith proved me otherwise. Who would have thought a super bad boy like him could be such a sweetheart!? After seeing his soft and sweet side, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this demon!
Wraith is a half vampire half Seminus demon. He was shot by the assassin with a poison dart, which slowly killed his libido. There was no cure and he was going to die. There was only one way to save his life, he needed to take a charm from a Marked Sentinel, and the way to get it was that he had to seduce the owner and had willing sex with her because the charm could only be transferred through sex.
Serena is a Marked Sentinel. She'd been protected by a divine charm in order to keep the necklace, Heofon, safe. As long as she was still charmed, nothing could harm her against her will. If she lost her virginity, she would lose her charm too. For the fact that she was bitten by a Mara before she was charmed, and since there was no cure for Mara poison, as soon as her charm was taken away, the disease would advance rapidly and she would finally die.
All Wraith's life, he only cared about himself. He put himself in some serious situation several times just for fun and did many horrible things without caring about the consequences. But since he met Serena, something happened inside of him. She made him see life differently. The way she made him feel, made him laugh, made him realize how wonderful it was to love and to be loved, was the thing he’d never experienced before. So this was the hardest decision he had to make, to choose between his life and hers. However, the time was almost out. If he didn't take her charm, with the brotherly bond, not only he would die but also his brothers.
But when Serena was in great danger from the most deadly and powerful fallen angel, he swore he would protect her no matter what it cost him.
As a fan of paranormal romance stories, I can undoubtedly say that this book totally hit the spot for me. I felt so overwhelmed while reading those scenes where the characters willingly sacrifice themselves in an attempt to save the lives of others. Those moments truly touched my heart. There were also some emotional moments that made me get a little teary-eyed. Moreover, all the plot twists were so darn brilliant, completely surprised me!
If I could, I would definitely rate this book more than 5 stars! Thoroughly loved it!
August 13, 2014
5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
Reading Passion Unleashed, I found myself once again transported to Ione’s sinfully decadent, wickedly dark, and utterly imaginative world of the Demonica with its diverse demon species, fallen angels, vampires, weres/wargs, werebeasts, shifters, slayers, humans, and half-breeds fighting for coexistence and peace. I’m continually blown away by Ione’s brilliance and creativity as a writer and the series just keeps getting better and better. Ione's writing is fresh, inventive, witty, and intelligent, the characters are sexy, original, and genuine, and the story is hypnotic and full of sizzling sensuality and dark humor.
I love level-headed Eidolon and smooth-as-silk Shade, but devil-may-care bad boy Wraith has always been my favorite of the Seminus Demon brothers, so Passion Unleashed is definitely my favorite in the series so far.
In Passion Unleashed, Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin and the only cure is to obtain a charm from spunky, inquisitive, spirited, independent archaeologist Serena. The charm/cure happens to be Serena’s virginity, and she’s pretty darn determined to hold onto it, despite Wraith’s smooth attempts at seduction, since she seals her own fate if she loses it. Wraith’s destiny is tied to Underworld General hospital and his brothers, so as he dies from the poison, UG deteriorates and his brothers’ lives are also at stake, which makes his choice to take Serena’s “charm” even more difficult.
The plot involves forces of good and evil engaging in the ultimate apocalyptic battle for the future of all races, which is also tied to Serena’s charm. Kynan and Gem’s relationship plays an important role in the story, as does the fallen angel Reaver, malevolent villain Byzamoth, and a new character, Lore, who will probably have his story told in the next book in the series.
Serena is a great heroine, loads of fun (sort of like a blonde, virginal Lara Croft), and her chemistry and banter with Wraith is delectable. Wraith has been a blast from the beginning of the series because he’s charismatic, wicked, funny, cocky, arrogant, honest, and lives for only hunting, fighting, and sex. Tortured bad boy heroes are always the most passionate and surprising because when they finally fall, they fall fast, hard, and completely, and Wraith is no exception. Wraith’s transformation and growth from an emotionally distant, reckless, pissed-off-at-the-whole-world, I-don’t-give-a-crap-about-anyone-but-myself, hedonistic bad boy personality to attentive, tender, caring, generous, protective, and affectionate lover is sweet, touching, and funny. Wraith and Serena’s relationship is heartwarming and bittersweet, and the plot keeps you guessing until the very end as to how things will get resolved for the characters to find their HEA.
The book has a Demonica Compendium in the back with all kinds of cool special content that makes for a kick-ass bonus.
Ione is definitely a fresh voice in the paranormal romance genre and her talent as a writer is first-rate. The Demonica series truly stands out for its originality, unique characters, dark wit, scorching sensuality, and raw eroticism. Passion Unleashed is a spellbinding and sexy read...a well deserved 5+ stars.
I’m eager for more of Ione's captivating, wicked hot saga, so I don’t know how I’m going to manage waiting almost an entire year before book four Ecstasy Unveiled comes out in February 2010!
Reading Passion Unleashed, I found myself once again transported to Ione’s sinfully decadent, wickedly dark, and utterly imaginative world of the Demonica with its diverse demon species, fallen angels, vampires, weres/wargs, werebeasts, shifters, slayers, humans, and half-breeds fighting for coexistence and peace. I’m continually blown away by Ione’s brilliance and creativity as a writer and the series just keeps getting better and better. Ione's writing is fresh, inventive, witty, and intelligent, the characters are sexy, original, and genuine, and the story is hypnotic and full of sizzling sensuality and dark humor.
I love level-headed Eidolon and smooth-as-silk Shade, but devil-may-care bad boy Wraith has always been my favorite of the Seminus Demon brothers, so Passion Unleashed is definitely my favorite in the series so far.
In Passion Unleashed, Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin and the only cure is to obtain a charm from spunky, inquisitive, spirited, independent archaeologist Serena. The charm/cure happens to be Serena’s virginity, and she’s pretty darn determined to hold onto it, despite Wraith’s smooth attempts at seduction, since she seals her own fate if she loses it. Wraith’s destiny is tied to Underworld General hospital and his brothers, so as he dies from the poison, UG deteriorates and his brothers’ lives are also at stake, which makes his choice to take Serena’s “charm” even more difficult.
The plot involves forces of good and evil engaging in the ultimate apocalyptic battle for the future of all races, which is also tied to Serena’s charm. Kynan and Gem’s relationship plays an important role in the story, as does the fallen angel Reaver, malevolent villain Byzamoth, and a new character, Lore, who will probably have his story told in the next book in the series.
Serena is a great heroine, loads of fun (sort of like a blonde, virginal Lara Croft), and her chemistry and banter with Wraith is delectable. Wraith has been a blast from the beginning of the series because he’s charismatic, wicked, funny, cocky, arrogant, honest, and lives for only hunting, fighting, and sex. Tortured bad boy heroes are always the most passionate and surprising because when they finally fall, they fall fast, hard, and completely, and Wraith is no exception. Wraith’s transformation and growth from an emotionally distant, reckless, pissed-off-at-the-whole-world, I-don’t-give-a-crap-about-anyone-but-myself, hedonistic bad boy personality to attentive, tender, caring, generous, protective, and affectionate lover is sweet, touching, and funny. Wraith and Serena’s relationship is heartwarming and bittersweet, and the plot keeps you guessing until the very end as to how things will get resolved for the characters to find their HEA.
The book has a Demonica Compendium in the back with all kinds of cool special content that makes for a kick-ass bonus.
Ione is definitely a fresh voice in the paranormal romance genre and her talent as a writer is first-rate. The Demonica series truly stands out for its originality, unique characters, dark wit, scorching sensuality, and raw eroticism. Passion Unleashed is a spellbinding and sexy read...a well deserved 5+ stars.
I’m eager for more of Ione's captivating, wicked hot saga, so I don’t know how I’m going to manage waiting almost an entire year before book four Ecstasy Unveiled comes out in February 2010!
August 25, 2021
I'm totally loving the Demonica series. Larissa Ione writes with really creative world-building and awesome connection between her characters. I love the conflict brought up in each book and also the family connection between the Sem brothers. In this third book, Wraith is featured, and he has to figure out a way to get a charm away from Serena. The charm prevents the person who possesses it from being killed or dying, and the conflict is intense because Wraith has been cursed, so he's dying, and Serena had been given the charm in the firs place because SHE was dying. So, the only way to save himself is to kill her (which frankly, was the only part of the plot that sort of icked me out.)
Wraith gets to be his usual vampire self, has lots of conflict with his brothers, and eventually he and Serena have to figure things out. 4.5/5 stars
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Wraith gets to be his usual vampire self, has lots of conflict with his brothers, and eventually he and Serena have to figure things out. 4.5/5 stars
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
March 22, 2010
This is one of those reviews where I have to admit I'm wrong. I didn't like Wraith at all before I read this book. I thought my feelings would be unlikely to change, even though I love this series, and Larissa Ione's writing. Well, I was dead wrong. There. I said it. I ended up loving Wraith. And I have no regrets.
Wraith is one of those heroes who snuck up on me. I think it was the sign of the high caliber of Ms. Ione's writing. Wraith is very in-your-face with his often unlikeable, selfish nature. But Ms. Ione employed a careful subtlety in crafting his story. I went into it thinking that he was callous and uncaring. But I came to realize that he had a massive defense mechanism going on. There are few people that have the power to make or break another person. And parents are at the top of the list. If someone goes bad, the first instinct is to say that he wasn't raised right. Well, that's not always true. But, I think it's very true in Wraith's case. His mother treated him like he was an abomination. I'm not saying that she doesn't have a reason to feel some bitterness about Wraith being forced on her by his Seminus demon father. But to treat a child the way she did was just plain wrong. It's no wonder that Wraith was lacking in moral character. He cared about his brothers, and killing vampires. Not much else, after that. Sex was important because a Seminus demon will die without it. But I don't even think that sex was all that important to him. It was something that he did to stay alive. To him, seducing females was a biological imperative. When he found out he had to seduce a virgin human woman in order to survive the toxin he had been poisoned with, that's when things got complicated. Because of the tortures his mother afflicted on him, Wraith stays far away from human females. But, he has no choice. And he's almost ready to say no to doing it, until he finds out that the hospital that his brothers and he built will fail if he dies, there's no getting out of this particular seduction.
When Wraith and Serena meet, I could feel the chemistry, but Wraith is still in callous mode. I was still unconvinced of him as hero I could fall for. But slowly that starts to change as I saw how Wraith ended up loving Serena for who she was, how he protected her, and how he continually passed up on opportunities to do 'the deed'. And as I saw how tender his heart was, buried under many layers of scar tissue, I was seduced into softening my own heart to him. How he suffered as his body shut down, but wouldn't take Serena, knowing he'd cause her own demise. How he gave her pleasure without consummation, which contributed to his own agony. That was the mark of selfless love. By the end of this book, I was deeply in love with Wraith. In fact, he's my favorite brother up to this point.
Serena's character was well-drawn as well. She had lived her life knowing she can never be fully intimate with a man, or she'll die. But she's managed to live a full, adventurous life, regardless of that. I liked her passion and her spirit. And her good heart. She was just the woman for Wraith.
Another 'character' that took center stage was the awesome world-building and storytelling. Ms. Ione has this reader impressed. Her world is so rich and fascinating. The way she took this concept to the next level by incorporating fallen angels, one who longs to return to Heaven, and another who strives to bring Hell to Heaven and to rule over earth as a god. What a marked, fascinating conrast. The complexity of the demon species, and their interactions with each other. How very different they all are. In my mind, a demon is a demon. Not so in this series. In some ways this series has an intense, horrific vibe to it. Not that I'm complaining. I am a fan or horror, after all. She gets serious props with the way she's able to make me feel uneasy with some of the aspects of this story. And the action sequences were excellent, with smaller skirmishes and smack-downs, and full on epic battles. The characters get hurt, and sometimes mortally. The cost is higher than you can even imagine.
The tension in this book is sustained, as you wonder how things will work out. In this dicey situation, success can only occur at the expense of someone else. Who will live? Who will die? You don't find out until almost the very end of the book. And things aren't wrapped up in a neat package. A sacrifice has to be made. But at the same time, I came out of this book very satisfied.
It's hard to get everything into words, but I was thoroughly satisfied with this book. I was kept guessing what would happen, in a state of delightful suspense, as this book unfolds. I was completely entertained with the beautiful romance, fiery passion, the family dynamics, the incredibly interesting world-building and lore-spinning, and the grand adventure of it all. This was just a great book all-around.
I can't wait to read Lore's story. I'm already in love with him!
Wraith is one of those heroes who snuck up on me. I think it was the sign of the high caliber of Ms. Ione's writing. Wraith is very in-your-face with his often unlikeable, selfish nature. But Ms. Ione employed a careful subtlety in crafting his story. I went into it thinking that he was callous and uncaring. But I came to realize that he had a massive defense mechanism going on. There are few people that have the power to make or break another person. And parents are at the top of the list. If someone goes bad, the first instinct is to say that he wasn't raised right. Well, that's not always true. But, I think it's very true in Wraith's case. His mother treated him like he was an abomination. I'm not saying that she doesn't have a reason to feel some bitterness about Wraith being forced on her by his Seminus demon father. But to treat a child the way she did was just plain wrong. It's no wonder that Wraith was lacking in moral character. He cared about his brothers, and killing vampires. Not much else, after that. Sex was important because a Seminus demon will die without it. But I don't even think that sex was all that important to him. It was something that he did to stay alive. To him, seducing females was a biological imperative. When he found out he had to seduce a virgin human woman in order to survive the toxin he had been poisoned with, that's when things got complicated. Because of the tortures his mother afflicted on him, Wraith stays far away from human females. But, he has no choice. And he's almost ready to say no to doing it, until he finds out that the hospital that his brothers and he built will fail if he dies, there's no getting out of this particular seduction.
When Wraith and Serena meet, I could feel the chemistry, but Wraith is still in callous mode. I was still unconvinced of him as hero I could fall for. But slowly that starts to change as I saw how Wraith ended up loving Serena for who she was, how he protected her, and how he continually passed up on opportunities to do 'the deed'. And as I saw how tender his heart was, buried under many layers of scar tissue, I was seduced into softening my own heart to him. How he suffered as his body shut down, but wouldn't take Serena, knowing he'd cause her own demise. How he gave her pleasure without consummation, which contributed to his own agony. That was the mark of selfless love. By the end of this book, I was deeply in love with Wraith. In fact, he's my favorite brother up to this point.
Serena's character was well-drawn as well. She had lived her life knowing she can never be fully intimate with a man, or she'll die. But she's managed to live a full, adventurous life, regardless of that. I liked her passion and her spirit. And her good heart. She was just the woman for Wraith.
Another 'character' that took center stage was the awesome world-building and storytelling. Ms. Ione has this reader impressed. Her world is so rich and fascinating. The way she took this concept to the next level by incorporating fallen angels, one who longs to return to Heaven, and another who strives to bring Hell to Heaven and to rule over earth as a god. What a marked, fascinating conrast. The complexity of the demon species, and their interactions with each other. How very different they all are. In my mind, a demon is a demon. Not so in this series. In some ways this series has an intense, horrific vibe to it. Not that I'm complaining. I am a fan or horror, after all. She gets serious props with the way she's able to make me feel uneasy with some of the aspects of this story. And the action sequences were excellent, with smaller skirmishes and smack-downs, and full on epic battles. The characters get hurt, and sometimes mortally. The cost is higher than you can even imagine.
The tension in this book is sustained, as you wonder how things will work out. In this dicey situation, success can only occur at the expense of someone else. Who will live? Who will die? You don't find out until almost the very end of the book. And things aren't wrapped up in a neat package. A sacrifice has to be made. But at the same time, I came out of this book very satisfied.
It's hard to get everything into words, but I was thoroughly satisfied with this book. I was kept guessing what would happen, in a state of delightful suspense, as this book unfolds. I was completely entertained with the beautiful romance, fiery passion, the family dynamics, the incredibly interesting world-building and lore-spinning, and the grand adventure of it all. This was just a great book all-around.
I can't wait to read Lore's story. I'm already in love with him!
June 30, 2013
Re-read from June 22nd-24th 2013
Reading Passion Unleashed (the 3rd book in the Demonica series) gave me the pleasure of loosing myself once again in the magnificent and awesome world Larissa has created. It's full of hot vampires, demons, werewolfs, fallen angels, shifters, slayers, and to sum it up everything you can imagine and want in a book like this one.
Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin and the only cure is to obtain a charm from spunky, inquisitive, spirited, independent archaeologist Serena. In order to do that he has to take Serena's virginity. Even when he senses the cure is within his reach when she begins to surrender, he realizes something - He's falling for someone who he needs to take away life from so he can save his own.
Dear Eidolon and Shade, as much as i loved you guys, i'll have to ditch you for Wraith. Sorry. But he's the one! ;)
Larrisa Ione has a huge talent in writing. Her books are always captivating, action-packed and simply amazing. Her characters are always awesome, kick-ass and very likable. You can easily visualize what's happening because of her well done description. And you can get into the books with ease.
Why i loved Wraith?: Man! There are so many reasons why i simply adored him. First of all...
We know Wraith from book 1 & 2, and we know him for causing disaster everywhere he goes, for his tragic past, and generally for being a bad boy like no other!
With characters like Wraith, when their dark side breaks their surface, watch out, because only a very special woman is going to be able to peal back these layers and find the tenderness inside. Wraith finds that special woman, but loving her comes with deadly consequences.
Why i loved Serena?: Serena isn't you typical virgin. She is bad! And i think that's what makes her and Wraith so perfect for each other. She isn't afraid to be herself. For example, she ain't gonna be drinkin' tea or water when she wants whiskey just because she's in the presence of a hot guy. That's my kinda girl!
And even if she's a virgin, she isn't one by choice. If she could, she would have lost it ages ago. Serena knows about sex, she hasn't got tons of experience (like 'duhh') but she isn't shy about it. And we all know that with Wraith helping her out? It won't be long until she'll become a sex goddess or something like that.
I loved how Serena's kindness and enthusiasm brought the good in Wraith that was hidden somewhere underneath all that muscle *wink*. He changed from being selfish and careless, to actually being thoughtful, protective and loving. And i absolutely adored his development!
The only thing that would make this book better was if we could read more about the previous characters and how they are doing (e.g Tayla&Eidolon, Runa&Shade). We did get glimpses of them, but for me it wasn't enough.
Overall
Passion Unleashed was my first ever actuall re-read, and guess what?...
Wraith is definitely my favorite of the brothers, and his story is my fav as well. There is a lot more action, humor and kick-arsery. And the ending was adorable like always. I'll be re-reading the 4th book next, and i recommend this series to everyone who hasn't read it yet!
“Let's be clear on this," he growled. "You have no idea how badly I want to be inside you. Standing up, lying down, taking you from behind. All of it. Right now."
Reading Passion Unleashed (the 3rd book in the Demonica series) gave me the pleasure of loosing myself once again in the magnificent and awesome world Larissa has created. It's full of hot vampires, demons, werewolfs, fallen angels, shifters, slayers, and to sum it up everything you can imagine and want in a book like this one.
Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin and the only cure is to obtain a charm from spunky, inquisitive, spirited, independent archaeologist Serena. In order to do that he has to take Serena's virginity. Even when he senses the cure is within his reach when she begins to surrender, he realizes something - He's falling for someone who he needs to take away life from so he can save his own.
Dear Eidolon and Shade, as much as i loved you guys, i'll have to ditch you for Wraith. Sorry. But he's the one! ;)
Larrisa Ione has a huge talent in writing. Her books are always captivating, action-packed and simply amazing. Her characters are always awesome, kick-ass and very likable. You can easily visualize what's happening because of her well done description. And you can get into the books with ease.
Why i loved Wraith?: Man! There are so many reasons why i simply adored him. First of all...
We know Wraith from book 1 & 2, and we know him for causing disaster everywhere he goes, for his tragic past, and generally for being a bad boy like no other!
His voice was low and rough … “What about you? Do you like bad boys?”
“There’s definitely appeal,” she breathed.
“Good,” He bent and clipped her earlobe with his teeth … “Because they don’t come badder than me.”
With characters like Wraith, when their dark side breaks their surface, watch out, because only a very special woman is going to be able to peal back these layers and find the tenderness inside. Wraith finds that special woman, but loving her comes with deadly consequences.
Why i loved Serena?: Serena isn't you typical virgin. She is bad! And i think that's what makes her and Wraith so perfect for each other. She isn't afraid to be herself. For example, she ain't gonna be drinkin' tea or water when she wants whiskey just because she's in the presence of a hot guy. That's my kinda girl!
And even if she's a virgin, she isn't one by choice. If she could, she would have lost it ages ago. Serena knows about sex, she hasn't got tons of experience (like 'duhh') but she isn't shy about it. And we all know that with Wraith helping her out? It won't be long until she'll become a sex goddess or something like that.
"I'd drop one hand to your waist, but i don't know if i could be patient enough to unbutton your pants, or if i'd just rip them. Either way, i'd get in. I'd find that sweet place between your legs with my fingers, and i'd play until we were both panting. You'd be wet and ready for me when i dropped to my knees and replaced my hand with my mouth."
I loved how Serena's kindness and enthusiasm brought the good in Wraith that was hidden somewhere underneath all that muscle *wink*. He changed from being selfish and careless, to actually being thoughtful, protective and loving. And i absolutely adored his development!
“No. It was because it was the first time I made love to anyone. You can call me a liar or anything else, but do not doubt me on this. And I swear to you that you were the first, and you will be the last."
The only thing that would make this book better was if we could read more about the previous characters and how they are doing (e.g Tayla&Eidolon, Runa&Shade). We did get glimpses of them, but for me it wasn't enough.
Overall
Passion Unleashed was my first ever actuall re-read, and guess what?...
Wraith is definitely my favorite of the brothers, and his story is my fav as well. There is a lot more action, humor and kick-arsery. And the ending was adorable like always. I'll be re-reading the 4th book next, and i recommend this series to everyone who hasn't read it yet!
“All I ever had before you was nightmares. But now I dream. Because of you.”
July 5, 2020
¡Fabuloso! Desde el primer libro de la serie presentía que la entrega de Wraith, el menor de estos tres medio hermanos demonios iba a ser la mejor y… superó mis expectativas.
Ambientada en distintas localidades de Egipto, lo que ya de por sí le da un entorno muy atractivo, la novela no da respiro desde la primera página. Si bien tenemos a una nueva pareja protagonista, la historia de fondo tiene una continuidad que va ligando distintos sucesos que se arrastran del primer libro de la serie, para llegar a un enfrentamiento final de lujo entre ángeles, demonios, humanos y varias otras criaturas que la autora fue desarrollando en este universo paranormal tan fascinante que creó.
Respecto de Wraith y Serena, qué decir, es una de las parejas que más me ha enamorado en este género que es mi placer culpable. Ese juego de seducción y contención, principalmente por el hechizo que Serena debe proteger con su virginidad, está demasiado bien logrado y lo único que uno espera es que ambos obtengan la recompensa que les permita estar juntos. Pero también individualmente son personajes formidables; a pesar de su secreto, Serena no es ninguna inocentona, por el contrario, sabe bien lo que quiere y no duda en buscar “soluciones alternativas”. Wraith es un personaje terriblemente complejo, con esa dualidad que está en permanente conflicto y que lo asombra incluso a él; nadie mejor para tener el rol fundamental en la batalla final, donde por supuesto, su lado sarcástico siempre va a estar presente:
Kynan aún no se había recuperado del todo cuando Wraith se inclinó, le puso el colgante alrededor del cuello y volvió a erguirse.
-Es tuyo amigo; el destino de toda la humanidad ahora está en tus manos –le giñó un ojo-. Pero no vayas a sentirte presionado, ¿eh?
Entran nuevos personajes en escena, por lo que no me extraña que la serie continúe, aunque perfectamente pudo haber sido una trilogía ya que tiene un final bastante redondo. Pero todo hay que decirlo, el entorno es tan bueno que era difícil que la autora lo desaprovechara y no siguiera con la serie.
Muy, pero muy recomendable.
Reto #3 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con una gran frase inicial : "Cuando comas con el Diablo, usa una cuchara bien larga."
Ambientada en distintas localidades de Egipto, lo que ya de por sí le da un entorno muy atractivo, la novela no da respiro desde la primera página. Si bien tenemos a una nueva pareja protagonista, la historia de fondo tiene una continuidad que va ligando distintos sucesos que se arrastran del primer libro de la serie, para llegar a un enfrentamiento final de lujo entre ángeles, demonios, humanos y varias otras criaturas que la autora fue desarrollando en este universo paranormal tan fascinante que creó.
Respecto de Wraith y Serena, qué decir, es una de las parejas que más me ha enamorado en este género que es mi placer culpable. Ese juego de seducción y contención, principalmente por el hechizo que Serena debe proteger con su virginidad, está demasiado bien logrado y lo único que uno espera es que ambos obtengan la recompensa que les permita estar juntos. Pero también individualmente son personajes formidables; a pesar de su secreto, Serena no es ninguna inocentona, por el contrario, sabe bien lo que quiere y no duda en buscar “soluciones alternativas”. Wraith es un personaje terriblemente complejo, con esa dualidad que está en permanente conflicto y que lo asombra incluso a él; nadie mejor para tener el rol fundamental en la batalla final, donde por supuesto, su lado sarcástico siempre va a estar presente:
Kynan aún no se había recuperado del todo cuando Wraith se inclinó, le puso el colgante alrededor del cuello y volvió a erguirse.
-Es tuyo amigo; el destino de toda la humanidad ahora está en tus manos –le giñó un ojo-. Pero no vayas a sentirte presionado, ¿eh?
Entran nuevos personajes en escena, por lo que no me extraña que la serie continúe, aunque perfectamente pudo haber sido una trilogía ya que tiene un final bastante redondo. Pero todo hay que decirlo, el entorno es tan bueno que era difícil que la autora lo desaprovechara y no siguiera con la serie.
Muy, pero muy recomendable.
Reto #3 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con una gran frase inicial : "Cuando comas con el Diablo, usa una cuchara bien larga."
April 7, 2009
YES! YES! YES! Excuse me, I'm having a private moment ;) I finished "Passion Unleashed" by Larissa Ione and I must say that this is one series I'm so very glad I'm hooked on. Her Demonica novels take place in an intricately built world, with enough differences from the raft of paranormals available to distinguish themselves. The characters are NOT one-dimensional caricatures of one creature or another...oh no, Ione has a vast selection of characters with multi-layered personalities on top of the traits attributable to their species and these differences from the average urban fantasy or paranormal romance today are just a couple of the things that make her novels stand-outs, IMHO :)
In "Passion Unleashed" we finally get the story of Wraith, a sex demon who's 'gotta have it'! So 'have it' he does...often and with vigor. He's the 'bad boy' of the three brothers we've read about so far and Ione certainly puts him to the test in his love story. Wraith has been infected with a poison that has no antidote. He's only got one chance to save his life...find the 'Chosen' virgin and 'deflower' her. Hey! He's a sex demon--no problem.
Serena is one of the 'Chosen'--she holds a relic that would be pivotal in the event of Armageddon. This same relic is all that protects her from an incurable disease she contracted at a young age. So holding on to her virginity isn't really a choice...it's the only thing keeping her alive. Good thing Armageddon isn't on the calendar, huh? Ummm, hold that thought. There's a fallen Angel turned renegade and he's after Serena's relic. So the chase...I mean race, is on. Oh, just one more thing. The fallen Angel can TAKE the relic from Serena, but Wraith will have to seduce it from her. But really, sex demon, no problem, right?
I don't mean to make this book sound like a light-heated paranormal romance, because it's not. Although there is much more humor in this story than the previous two, it's still a nail-biter of a suspense/action novel. And Ione doesn't let the action/suspense overcome the love aspect either. Both Wraith and Serena face life and death decisions that will affect not just themselves, but their friends, loved ones, and heck...the whole world! No pressure.
Others have reviewed "Passion Unleashed" and gone into more detail so I won't take up your time with more words. What I will say is that if you like urban fantasy, spicy paranormal romance, action and suspense, drama, and hot supernatural creatures...RUN, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up this whole series.
In "Passion Unleashed" we finally get the story of Wraith, a sex demon who's 'gotta have it'! So 'have it' he does...often and with vigor. He's the 'bad boy' of the three brothers we've read about so far and Ione certainly puts him to the test in his love story. Wraith has been infected with a poison that has no antidote. He's only got one chance to save his life...find the 'Chosen' virgin and 'deflower' her. Hey! He's a sex demon--no problem.
Serena is one of the 'Chosen'--she holds a relic that would be pivotal in the event of Armageddon. This same relic is all that protects her from an incurable disease she contracted at a young age. So holding on to her virginity isn't really a choice...it's the only thing keeping her alive. Good thing Armageddon isn't on the calendar, huh? Ummm, hold that thought. There's a fallen Angel turned renegade and he's after Serena's relic. So the chase...I mean race, is on. Oh, just one more thing. The fallen Angel can TAKE the relic from Serena, but Wraith will have to seduce it from her. But really, sex demon, no problem, right?
I don't mean to make this book sound like a light-heated paranormal romance, because it's not. Although there is much more humor in this story than the previous two, it's still a nail-biter of a suspense/action novel. And Ione doesn't let the action/suspense overcome the love aspect either. Both Wraith and Serena face life and death decisions that will affect not just themselves, but their friends, loved ones, and heck...the whole world! No pressure.
Others have reviewed "Passion Unleashed" and gone into more detail so I won't take up your time with more words. What I will say is that if you like urban fantasy, spicy paranormal romance, action and suspense, drama, and hot supernatural creatures...RUN, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up this whole series.
October 21, 2015
^^I WANNA UNLEASH SOME PASSION ALRIGHT!^^
I know I am sounding like a broken record, but I am gonna say this again “everyone needs to read this series”. I am just always surprised and excited when I get into one these books, seems like the last book is always a bit better than the previous. This book, good gawd I was cheering, I cried, laughed, lost my pants all at the same time. I call that a fantastic read.
A little recap, this series is the Demonica series, and it revolves around a tight knit group of demons, the first three books have been about the sem bros (seminus demons) and they have been good. We had Dr E, Shade and now we have Wraith, and Wraith is the bad boy, he does what he wants, kills whom he wants and has sex with anything that moves and is a demon. Just a few simple rules, only females and no humans, he dislikes human females but his views are about to change, when the very species he hates, one will have the power to save his life.
Wraith is the bad boy with the troubled past, he does everything for himself and don’t give a damn about nobody. Too bad, he can’t turn of the feelings for his brothers because they are the only one who seems to care about him. Trust comes a long way with Wraith, after the woman who birthed him kept him and tortured him, some mother she was. Therefore, Wraith is all types of assholish due to the emotional and physical pain his mom put him through. As a seminus demon, he is half-vampire and he hates that part of himself, because vampires were responsible for the most painful days of his life. So destroying a few vamps is never a bad thing for Wraith, but there are rules, vamps can’t destroy their own kind but rules were meant to be broken. Wraith breaks them and let me tell you he breaks them like a rockstar.
When taking down a few bad vamps Wraith is attacked and infected a with a poison that there is no cure for, and will eventually shut down and kill his body in a matter of weeks. Thus, begins the search for a cure and what will save his life is the very thing he would give up his life for. Wraith needs to take a charm from a human female, that includes taking her virginity and this will not come easy but Wraith is up for the challenge because he don’t give a fuck about no one. WRONG!!!!! He will come to care he will come to love a lot.
Serena Kelley is charmed, translation she is protected by strong magic. No harm can come to her; only thing is this is only good if she remains a virgin. That’s tough when all you wanna do is get butt naked with a hottie, but getting sentimental this means no intimacy or love for Serena. Only lover she has is her job, and when a most desired artifact is in reach, she makes her way to get it, she would have to meet Josh to receive a key and Josh is all kinds of heavenly with his face tats and blond hair. Never realizing that the Josh she is meeting is Wraith in disguise. Now every feeling is put on the test in close proximity to this walking Adonis. It also seems some crazy man wants her virginity and charm to bring destruction to the world. Good thing she has Josh (Wraith), and all he wants is to get to know her and protect her.
This book is a plethora of information and if I go on it will be review to long to read, but I can’t go without talking about Wraith. I noticed him from the first book, because he is such an ass but I was not in love with him. Now, I am in love with him now he is the epitome of pure awesomeness. He loves fierce like how he kills; his heart is beautiful even though he can’t say it through words. I wanna be the Blob or a snake or something, so I can wrap myself around him and pull him into myself (psychotic much) he is bloody beautiful, he deserved every happiness he got and more. Also, I am convinced Wraith is a little bit gay no matter if he says otherwise, every comment he said was a little bit gay. He likes to talk about lubing up, calling someone daddy, what do you wanna kiss me, Wraith gay is definitely a very good thing.
We got a little bit of everyone in this book, and all of Ione’s characters is never a bad thing. This woman can write and I want to live in her head. I liked Serena and she was the ying to Wraith’s yang. I am just so happy about how much she loved him he deserved it. The info around the charm was sweet and added something dynamite to the plot. It is a showdown everyone, a kickasss showdown.
It has Angels, fallen angels, wolves, hot sex and more hot sex with a dash of hot sex. There is just so much that happens, I can't even think!
This series is A+++++; I am in love with everyone. I am unsure of which bro is my fave is it Shade, is it Wraith I have no clue. I will say I am up for some tag teaming and I don’t care if I can’t walk, move or breathe after. It would be “alright” in my book.
A BIG CHECK THIS SERIES OUT!!!
I know I am sounding like a broken record, but I am gonna say this again “everyone needs to read this series”. I am just always surprised and excited when I get into one these books, seems like the last book is always a bit better than the previous. This book, good gawd I was cheering, I cried, laughed, lost my pants all at the same time. I call that a fantastic read.
A little recap, this series is the Demonica series, and it revolves around a tight knit group of demons, the first three books have been about the sem bros (seminus demons) and they have been good. We had Dr E, Shade and now we have Wraith, and Wraith is the bad boy, he does what he wants, kills whom he wants and has sex with anything that moves and is a demon. Just a few simple rules, only females and no humans, he dislikes human females but his views are about to change, when the very species he hates, one will have the power to save his life.
Wraith is the bad boy with the troubled past, he does everything for himself and don’t give a damn about nobody. Too bad, he can’t turn of the feelings for his brothers because they are the only one who seems to care about him. Trust comes a long way with Wraith, after the woman who birthed him kept him and tortured him, some mother she was. Therefore, Wraith is all types of assholish due to the emotional and physical pain his mom put him through. As a seminus demon, he is half-vampire and he hates that part of himself, because vampires were responsible for the most painful days of his life. So destroying a few vamps is never a bad thing for Wraith, but there are rules, vamps can’t destroy their own kind but rules were meant to be broken. Wraith breaks them and let me tell you he breaks them like a rockstar.
When taking down a few bad vamps Wraith is attacked and infected a with a poison that there is no cure for, and will eventually shut down and kill his body in a matter of weeks. Thus, begins the search for a cure and what will save his life is the very thing he would give up his life for. Wraith needs to take a charm from a human female, that includes taking her virginity and this will not come easy but Wraith is up for the challenge because he don’t give a fuck about no one. WRONG!!!!! He will come to care he will come to love a lot.
Serena Kelley is charmed, translation she is protected by strong magic. No harm can come to her; only thing is this is only good if she remains a virgin. That’s tough when all you wanna do is get butt naked with a hottie, but getting sentimental this means no intimacy or love for Serena. Only lover she has is her job, and when a most desired artifact is in reach, she makes her way to get it, she would have to meet Josh to receive a key and Josh is all kinds of heavenly with his face tats and blond hair. Never realizing that the Josh she is meeting is Wraith in disguise. Now every feeling is put on the test in close proximity to this walking Adonis. It also seems some crazy man wants her virginity and charm to bring destruction to the world. Good thing she has Josh (Wraith), and all he wants is to get to know her and protect her.
This book is a plethora of information and if I go on it will be review to long to read, but I can’t go without talking about Wraith. I noticed him from the first book, because he is such an ass but I was not in love with him. Now, I am in love with him now he is the epitome of pure awesomeness. He loves fierce like how he kills; his heart is beautiful even though he can’t say it through words. I wanna be the Blob or a snake or something, so I can wrap myself around him and pull him into myself (psychotic much) he is bloody beautiful, he deserved every happiness he got and more. Also, I am convinced Wraith is a little bit gay no matter if he says otherwise, every comment he said was a little bit gay. He likes to talk about lubing up, calling someone daddy, what do you wanna kiss me, Wraith gay is definitely a very good thing.
We got a little bit of everyone in this book, and all of Ione’s characters is never a bad thing. This woman can write and I want to live in her head. I liked Serena and she was the ying to Wraith’s yang. I am just so happy about how much she loved him he deserved it. The info around the charm was sweet and added something dynamite to the plot. It is a showdown everyone, a kickasss showdown.
It has Angels, fallen angels, wolves, hot sex and more hot sex with a dash of hot sex. There is just so much that happens, I can't even think!
This series is A+++++; I am in love with everyone. I am unsure of which bro is my fave is it Shade, is it Wraith I have no clue. I will say I am up for some tag teaming and I don’t care if I can’t walk, move or breathe after. It would be “alright” in my book.
A BIG CHECK THIS SERIES OUT!!!
February 6, 2017
The story of Wraith and Serena is a mixture of a paranormal romance (Wraith is a vampire-Seminus demon) and an Indiana Jones archeological adventure (Serena is an archeologist-top adventurer-treasure hunter).
Wraith is the second brother of Eidolon. His upbringing was really tough. Thus, he has become emotional unstable, scarred inside, untrusting, badass. And of course a man-whore. All Seminus demons are like that in order to survive.
Serena has a secret since she was seven years old. She used to be a kid on the verge of death until she was given a charm, Heofon, by an angel which made her kind of immortal. Her immortality is connected to her virginity. As long as she is untouched, the illness will not come back and she will live forever.
Unfortunately bad boy Wraith sets his eyes on her, since he learned that he needs her charm in order to survive. He has been poisoned by an assassin and his only survival is Serena’s charm.
At the beginning, he will pose as her aid and he will help her with her adventures. Innocent Serena will be fascinated by him and she will be tempted. Seminus demons can be very persuasive and Wraith has also the advantage of visiting her dreams and making her see what she is missing. But Wraith will also be captivated by her. He will start finally caring for someone except himself.
Serena is going to have the final say! But Wraith is so crazy in love with her that he will never let her die
– even if he has to bend some of his personal rules
- even if he has to beg
It is great seeing the change in Wraith’s personality. It is awesome accompanying Wraith and Serena at their adventures. It is interesting to understand what is Heofon and guess who will have it in the end.
Note: Gem & Kynan's story occupies also a large proportion of the book. Gemella Endri aka Gem is half demon and the sister of Tayla. Kynan is one of the Aegis Elders (Aegis is the demon-hunters' organization). The development of their story will not be easy because Kynan is not fond of demons.
Wraith is the second brother of Eidolon. His upbringing was really tough. Thus, he has become emotional unstable, scarred inside, untrusting, badass. And of course a man-whore. All Seminus demons are like that in order to survive.
Serena has a secret since she was seven years old. She used to be a kid on the verge of death until she was given a charm, Heofon, by an angel which made her kind of immortal. Her immortality is connected to her virginity. As long as she is untouched, the illness will not come back and she will live forever.
Unfortunately bad boy Wraith sets his eyes on her, since he learned that he needs her charm in order to survive. He has been poisoned by an assassin and his only survival is Serena’s charm.
At the beginning, he will pose as her aid and he will help her with her adventures. Innocent Serena will be fascinated by him and she will be tempted. Seminus demons can be very persuasive and Wraith has also the advantage of visiting her dreams and making her see what she is missing. But Wraith will also be captivated by her. He will start finally caring for someone except himself.
Serena is going to have the final say! But Wraith is so crazy in love with her that he will never let her die
– even if he has to bend some of his personal rules
- even if he has to beg
It is great seeing the change in Wraith’s personality. It is awesome accompanying Wraith and Serena at their adventures. It is interesting to understand what is Heofon and guess who will have it in the end.
Note: Gem & Kynan's story occupies also a large proportion of the book. Gemella Endri aka Gem is half demon and the sister of Tayla. Kynan is one of the Aegis Elders (Aegis is the demon-hunters' organization). The development of their story will not be easy because Kynan is not fond of demons.
July 26, 2016
4 Stars! I LOVED this couple! - Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
July 16, 2023
This is one of the best Paranormal Romance Series I have ever read.
Worth it.
Pleasure Unbound (Demonica #1)
Base Instincts (Demonica Series #13.5)
Worth it.
Pleasure Unbound (Demonica #1)
Base Instincts (Demonica Series #13.5)
November 6, 2015
Ok, so 4 stars might be too high, but I'm astounded that I didn't hate the main characters, nor did they do anything to annoy me. See, astounding.
Story goes Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin with a poison to which there is no cure, except maybe this angelic charm worn by an Aegis human. The catch, if you care about people, is removing the charm from this specific person equals death for the human. Wraith is fine with that, until he meets the charmed human, Serena. Serena is an adventurer-archeologist and wears a charm that makes her invulnerable & kind of immortal. The catch, she has to keep her purity to keep the charm, you know, the one keeping her from dying from an incurable disease.
Wraith was the badass, mouthy, pain in the ass, uncaring, emotionally scarred & unhinged, brother. He also hates humans and would be killing tons if the Vampire Council wouldn't punish him for it. He invests himself in Serena's search for ancient objects and he finds himself actually liking her, a human. It's interesting how kind and caring he is to her, all while protecting her from the multiple demons and villains coming after her. Serena, she's fascinated by Wraith and his hotness, but can't ride that pony. Instead she likes him for that other stuff, like his personality and good deeds. They're sweet together. They're also steamy together.
I liked this book because of the character evolution Wraith goes through, the very evil villain Byzamoth (and his way with loopholes), the coming together of different factions, the whole adventure fueled plot, and the ending. The end hoo-rah was good and creative. The addition of Lore and Kynan was nice.
Speaking of Kynan, the book is 80% Wraith's story, with the rest being Gem & Kynan's story. Now I utterly loathed Gem to the depths of Sheoul in the previous two books, but she wasn't as bad in this book. I still loathe her and wish she'd be a causality, but she was minusculely less annoying in this book. Liked Kynan's part in the hoo-rah and his ending.
Story goes Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin with a poison to which there is no cure, except maybe this angelic charm worn by an Aegis human. The catch, if you care about people, is removing the charm from this specific person equals death for the human. Wraith is fine with that, until he meets the charmed human, Serena. Serena is an adventurer-archeologist and wears a charm that makes her invulnerable & kind of immortal. The catch, she has to keep her purity to keep the charm, you know, the one keeping her from dying from an incurable disease.
Wraith was the badass, mouthy, pain in the ass, uncaring, emotionally scarred & unhinged, brother. He also hates humans and would be killing tons if the Vampire Council wouldn't punish him for it. He invests himself in Serena's search for ancient objects and he finds himself actually liking her, a human. It's interesting how kind and caring he is to her, all while protecting her from the multiple demons and villains coming after her. Serena, she's fascinated by Wraith and his hotness, but can't ride that pony. Instead she likes him for that other stuff, like his personality and good deeds. They're sweet together. They're also steamy together.
I liked this book because of the character evolution Wraith goes through, the very evil villain Byzamoth (and his way with loopholes), the coming together of different factions, the whole adventure fueled plot, and the ending. The end hoo-rah was good and creative. The addition of Lore and Kynan was nice.
Speaking of Kynan, the book is 80% Wraith's story, with the rest being Gem & Kynan's story. Now I utterly loathed Gem to the depths of Sheoul in the previous two books, but she wasn't as bad in this book. I still loathe her and wish she'd be a causality, but she was minusculely less annoying in this book. Liked Kynan's part in the hoo-rah and his ending.
April 18, 2011
Passion Unleashed is another entertaining, exciting installment to the Demonica series, and while I did liked it, I didn’t love it.
I thought the story itself was great. Wraith has been poisoned and to save himself, he has to find a special charm, an amulet whose keeper is a human. He not only has to take the item from her, but he also has to take her virginity. Slight Spoiler - So how can Wraith possibly reconcile himself with what he has to do to stay alive and what will happen to the woman he’s fallen in love with if he does? I really enjoyed the ensuing dilemma, the drama, and the angst of the situation and thought the way it was all resolved was great!
Throughout the first two books, Pleasure Unbound and Desire Unchained, I saw Wraith as this incredibly tortured soul who was so far gone he was nearly beyond redemption. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that same feeling in his book. Even though he was still rough and edgy, he seemed almost to be a watered down version of his earlier self. I kept waiting for the WOW to kick in, but it didn’t happen for me.
The heroine, Serena Kelley, wasn’t someone I became totally invested in. Don’t get me wrong, I felt bad for what her life had become and was destined to remain, but for a character as a whole, I just didn’t connect on a truly deep level with her and I can’t put my finger on why.
I was expecting this to be a five star read, but unfortunately it didn’t reach that level for me. I’m giving Passion Unleashed three stars because while I loved the storyline itself, I feel like almost anyone could have stepped into the role of hero and heroine.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
November 29, 2010
Dear Eidolon,
As much as I loved you, I am leaving you for Wraith. Yes, he's stubborn and selfish and demented in a lot of ways, but he has passion as is evident in the title of his book. I'm sorry. Please don't kill me.
Love,
me
Yup, it's true. I've found a new lover and his name is Wraith. I am absolutely spellbound by this book. It's probably my favourite so far, though I haven't been reading the series in order. There's still Shade's book (which I can't find) and Lore's book (which I have) to look forward to. If Passion Unleashed is any indication for what to expect, I am in for a real treat.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Truth is, I never wanted things to end. Everything was amazing. The plot, the romance, the writing. Superb. Did I really just use that word? I did, because it's the truth.
As much as I loved Wraith and Serena, I must admit I found the thing between Kynan, Gem and Lore to be hilarious. I think my favourite thing about this book is the appearance of the middle finger. It always makes me smile because anger and hatred can be expressed with a single motion. And with so much testosterone in this book, it's bound to get a little crazy!
Favourite Quote:
Speaking of which... the human from last night was standing near the ambulance bay doors, his gaze full of murder. So it was with great pleasure that Lore grasped Gem by her upper arm, pulled her around, and kissed her.
With tongue.
He kept his gaze locked on the human, and as he stepped back from Gem, he flipped the guy off. Cold rage burned in the male's eyes, as well as an unspoken threat that promised pain.
p.192
5 STARS!
As much as I loved you, I am leaving you for Wraith. Yes, he's stubborn and selfish and demented in a lot of ways, but he has passion as is evident in the title of his book. I'm sorry. Please don't kill me.
Love,
me
Yup, it's true. I've found a new lover and his name is Wraith. I am absolutely spellbound by this book. It's probably my favourite so far, though I haven't been reading the series in order. There's still Shade's book (which I can't find) and Lore's book (which I have) to look forward to. If Passion Unleashed is any indication for what to expect, I am in for a real treat.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Truth is, I never wanted things to end. Everything was amazing. The plot, the romance, the writing. Superb. Did I really just use that word? I did, because it's the truth.
As much as I loved Wraith and Serena, I must admit I found the thing between Kynan, Gem and Lore to be hilarious. I think my favourite thing about this book is the appearance of the middle finger. It always makes me smile because anger and hatred can be expressed with a single motion. And with so much testosterone in this book, it's bound to get a little crazy!
Favourite Quote:
Speaking of which... the human from last night was standing near the ambulance bay doors, his gaze full of murder. So it was with great pleasure that Lore grasped Gem by her upper arm, pulled her around, and kissed her.
With tongue.
He kept his gaze locked on the human, and as he stepped back from Gem, he flipped the guy off. Cold rage burned in the male's eyes, as well as an unspoken threat that promised pain.
p.192
5 STARS!
March 18, 2023
This is my favourite so far here we finally get to experience Wraith's story one I was definitely looking forward to rereading. I strangely couldn’t remember that much about this so it also had the added bonus of feeling fresh as well. Selena is a charmed sentinel she wears an amulet that as long as she remains a virgin grants her eternal life and immunity from harm. When small she was infected by a demon virus and this charm is all that now holds her demise at bay and to relinquish it means her card is stamped.
After being infected with a poison from an assassin initially sent by his brother Wraith’s days are numbered with no cure his options are limited that is until he realises just what Serena’s charm could mean for him. The only issue is it needs to be given away freely so now he will need to seduce this human female into willingly relinquishing her virtue and due to his past traumas, Wraith has sworn never to touch a human female.
The clock is ticking as Wraith enters Serena’s life attempting to charm her something he believes as an incubus will be an open and shut case. But Serena is more than Wraith's match in every way and she is no easy mark. Masquerading as a research contact Josh, Wraith integrates himself into Serena’s life but the more he gets to know her the more he realises just how deep he’s in and how much he now wants Serena to live. But there is so much more on the line than these two could ever have imagined.
This had a basis in archaeology and relics because of this we got to spend time in Egypt which appealed to me a lot. Besides this, we had all of the usual paranormal intrigue and background interwoven within the narrative. We also get more Gem and Kynan and Serena’s presence here also adds much more to the picture that’s building. There’s a big event brewing Armageddon for the humans or the reclamation for the demons and both sides are now scrambling around in a panic when it becomes clear what is potentially at stake.
This book definitely upped the anti and it was jam-packed full of danger, passion and a beautiful love story amidst all of the chaos. I adored these two as a pairing and thought they had magnificent explosive chemistry together. I also loved where they eventually ended up and the family dynamic they finally arrived at. My favourite so far and a fabulous addition to the series as a whole. Totally recommend reading this if paranormal romance with extensive world-building is your jam. This series is a top example in its particular genre.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
May 10, 2011
SPOILERS
****I do believe I summarized it a bit, people, consider yourselves warned***
My favorite so far. Not only did I love Wraith, but Serena was his perfect counterpart! And the celibate girl raised by nuns spending time with a seminus demon (sex demon) who wants to take her virginity to save his own life and that of his brothers (and the hospital)...interesting. Very interesting. Of course he finally becomes selfless and falls in love with a human who once she (ahem) does it, loses her immortality and charmed life bestowed upon her by angels. wowzers, what's a girl to do? She is almost raped by a fallen angel who is trying to bring about Armageddon, but he gets her necklace...but Wraith saves her virtue...only to have her give it to him so he can live to save the world. Which he does. And then he gets the girl...but she's dying now...hmm...what's a half-vampire to do? Oh, I know! Turn her...and he does and it's such a great HEA...Gem and Ky are finally together, and Reaver is back in Heaven and it's a great ending...except who is the new mysterious brother Lore? We shall see...
****I do believe I summarized it a bit, people, consider yourselves warned***
My favorite so far. Not only did I love Wraith, but Serena was his perfect counterpart! And the celibate girl raised by nuns spending time with a seminus demon (sex demon) who wants to take her virginity to save his own life and that of his brothers (and the hospital)...interesting. Very interesting. Of course he finally becomes selfless and falls in love with a human who once she (ahem) does it, loses her immortality and charmed life bestowed upon her by angels. wowzers, what's a girl to do? She is almost raped by a fallen angel who is trying to bring about Armageddon, but he gets her necklace...but Wraith saves her virtue...only to have her give it to him so he can live to save the world. Which he does. And then he gets the girl...but she's dying now...hmm...what's a half-vampire to do? Oh, I know! Turn her...and he does and it's such a great HEA...Gem and Ky are finally together, and Reaver is back in Heaven and it's a great ending...except who is the new mysterious brother Lore? We shall see...
November 30, 2017
4.5 STARS
Hasta ahorita mi favorito de lo que va de la serie, ME ENCANTÓ, amé a Wraith mi medio demonio-vampiro torturado, ya habíamos visto su lado sarcástico, me vale la vida y hasta casi egoísta ´pero no su lado tierno, lindo romántico AY ME ENAMORO.
Por otro lado Serena también me gustó muchísimo, ella y Wraith son la pareja perfecta
Además esta historia tiene de todo drama muuucha acción un romance perfecto y hasta momentos de lloradera por si queridos amigos por ahí se me salió un par de lagramitas y como no si me amado Wraith estaba sufriendo, se me partía el corazón cuando Serena se estaba muriendo y él no podía hacer nada para salvarla.
Me alegré bastante que al fin Gem y Kynan estuvieran juntos en el libro anterior era Kynan que me sacó de quicio y en este Gem estos chicos nunca se ponían de acuerdo.
Quiero un libro, espero que tenga Reaver mi hermoso ángel caído, me medio enamoré de él. SOY TAN FÁCIL.
Hasta ahorita mi favorito de lo que va de la serie, ME ENCANTÓ, amé a Wraith mi medio demonio-vampiro torturado, ya habíamos visto su lado sarcástico, me vale la vida y hasta casi egoísta ´pero no su lado tierno, lindo romántico AY ME ENAMORO.
Por otro lado Serena también me gustó muchísimo, ella y Wraith son la pareja perfecta
Además esta historia tiene de todo drama muuucha acción un romance perfecto y hasta momentos de lloradera por si queridos amigos por ahí se me salió un par de lagramitas y como no si me amado Wraith estaba sufriendo, se me partía el corazón cuando Serena se estaba muriendo y él no podía hacer nada para salvarla.
Me alegré bastante que al fin Gem y Kynan estuvieran juntos en el libro anterior era Kynan que me sacó de quicio y en este Gem estos chicos nunca se ponían de acuerdo.
Quiero un libro, espero que tenga Reaver mi hermoso ángel caído, me medio enamoré de él. SOY TAN FÁCIL.
December 14, 2014
This is one of my favorite PNR series and have read all the books - somehow I missed this one!!!!
Wow, I adored Wraith...he's such a cool demon/vampire and sexy too...yes and a bit of a man..or should I say demon whore...until he meets Serena Kelley. And can't say I blame him!!!
Serena is a lot of things....treasure hunter, sassy, interesting and keeper of a charm that gives her immortality...if she remains a virgin!!!!
Now, that is not so easy when Wraith is around....because he needs her immortality charm to save his life...yes, a horrible demon poisoned him and the charm is his only salvation!!! But then he finds out that if he takes it from her, she will die!!!!
Bet you can guess what Wraith does???? No, I am not going to give anything away...just read the book...........it's ultra fabulous!!!!
Wow, I adored Wraith...he's such a cool demon/vampire and sexy too...yes and a bit of a man..or should I say demon whore...until he meets Serena Kelley. And can't say I blame him!!!
Serena is a lot of things....treasure hunter, sassy, interesting and keeper of a charm that gives her immortality...if she remains a virgin!!!!
Now, that is not so easy when Wraith is around....because he needs her immortality charm to save his life...yes, a horrible demon poisoned him and the charm is his only salvation!!! But then he finds out that if he takes it from her, she will die!!!!
Bet you can guess what Wraith does???? No, I am not going to give anything away...just read the book...........it's ultra fabulous!!!!
July 22, 2009
A no-go 2.5 star read for me. I don’t particularly like Urban Fantasy, but I do like romance and the romance in this story had virtually zero development, hardly any emotional investment for the reader or believability when it came to the “love” between Wraith and Serena. There are a few annoying sub-stories that went on for too long detracting from the main romance that bugged me too. The writing style reminds me of a cross between Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breeds and Gina Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld.
The hero, Wraith, is infected with a disease that's killing him and the only way to survive is by taking a charm that the heroine Serena has but to get the charm he has to have sex with her and if he does she dies. And then all the monsters pop up here and there to freak everyone out spreading an 'end of the world is nigh' vibe.
The UF side of this book is well-done and the author provides a good glossary to help you understand the world she’s created so that you don’t get lost. You name the creature it’s in there. There are lots of mean, bad-ass ‘monsters’ all with their own agenda. Lots of chaos and gruesome violence, all very ‘vivid’ UF and if you look at it purely from that perspective it’s probably a good 4 stars. It’s marketed though as a paranormal romance novel which was why I read it and for me it couldn’t have fallen farther from the mark.
I didn’t like the writing because it’s too harsh and silly expressions that just don’t work are thrown in pell mell. It’s as if the author tries to be funny or uses a dry kind humor but for me it came across as dumb and this is why the writing reminded me of Gina Showalter in some ways. You often get those stereotypical dumb guy sentences like “Why didn’t you ever tell Serena you whipped up her baby batter” or “His stung pride put him on the hot side of pissed” –seems even worse out of context but the whole book is peppered with this stuff which was why the writing style just didn’t do it for me. There is also nothing new here or nothing feels new in terms of love story. The ‘romance’ happens too fast. It’s more of lust-fest that suddenly morphs into a sappy “I love you. You are my life” that I couldn’t understand being that they never really did anything apart from jump each other and run away from the bad guys.
Wraith is horribly crass, up in your face and borderline boorish. For a hot bad boy character he was a complete turn-off. Every few words is fuck this, fuck that, fuck it, fuck, fuck from pretty much everyone. It’s so overused that it loses its punch and starts to feel like a poor filler. Serena is all over the place. One minute she’s sane and normal and the next she’s all piss and vinegar mad; blows like the wind that one. Wraith is on her from the moment he meets her and she sort of likes it but then she pushes away but changes her mind and runs hot and cold. There’s no tension building. It’s as if they got it on all hot and heavy in the first 50 pages. Makes for a boring story for the remaining 350 pages. Sure there’s a lot sex and it’s quite descriptive but nothing held my interest. My mind kept wandering and I’d have to go back and reread parts. No investment in the characters. Jack-rabbits in heat 24/7 just don’t do it for me for a story. Poor character development, poor romance. The romance was almost secondary to the UF part of the story.
I think you really have to like UF to enjoy this book and the romance aspect has to be secondary or an added bonus maybe. So I didn’t like this book, but this is not a bad thing --it’s just one less popular/growing series to add to the shelves ;)
The hero, Wraith, is infected with a disease that's killing him and the only way to survive is by taking a charm that the heroine Serena has but to get the charm he has to have sex with her and if he does she dies. And then all the monsters pop up here and there to freak everyone out spreading an 'end of the world is nigh' vibe.
The UF side of this book is well-done and the author provides a good glossary to help you understand the world she’s created so that you don’t get lost. You name the creature it’s in there. There are lots of mean, bad-ass ‘monsters’ all with their own agenda. Lots of chaos and gruesome violence, all very ‘vivid’ UF and if you look at it purely from that perspective it’s probably a good 4 stars. It’s marketed though as a paranormal romance novel which was why I read it and for me it couldn’t have fallen farther from the mark.
I didn’t like the writing because it’s too harsh and silly expressions that just don’t work are thrown in pell mell. It’s as if the author tries to be funny or uses a dry kind humor but for me it came across as dumb and this is why the writing reminded me of Gina Showalter in some ways. You often get those stereotypical dumb guy sentences like “Why didn’t you ever tell Serena you whipped up her baby batter” or “His stung pride put him on the hot side of pissed” –seems even worse out of context but the whole book is peppered with this stuff which was why the writing style just didn’t do it for me. There is also nothing new here or nothing feels new in terms of love story. The ‘romance’ happens too fast. It’s more of lust-fest that suddenly morphs into a sappy “I love you. You are my life” that I couldn’t understand being that they never really did anything apart from jump each other and run away from the bad guys.
Wraith is horribly crass, up in your face and borderline boorish. For a hot bad boy character he was a complete turn-off. Every few words is fuck this, fuck that, fuck it, fuck, fuck from pretty much everyone. It’s so overused that it loses its punch and starts to feel like a poor filler. Serena is all over the place. One minute she’s sane and normal and the next she’s all piss and vinegar mad; blows like the wind that one. Wraith is on her from the moment he meets her and she sort of likes it but then she pushes away but changes her mind and runs hot and cold. There’s no tension building. It’s as if they got it on all hot and heavy in the first 50 pages. Makes for a boring story for the remaining 350 pages. Sure there’s a lot sex and it’s quite descriptive but nothing held my interest. My mind kept wandering and I’d have to go back and reread parts. No investment in the characters. Jack-rabbits in heat 24/7 just don’t do it for me for a story. Poor character development, poor romance. The romance was almost secondary to the UF part of the story.
I think you really have to like UF to enjoy this book and the romance aspect has to be secondary or an added bonus maybe. So I didn’t like this book, but this is not a bad thing --it’s just one less popular/growing series to add to the shelves ;)
March 24, 2013
Philae Island, Egypt, where the Temple of Isis is located.
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★★★★✩ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I was surprised to read some people didn't like the narrator, Renée Raudman, as I thought she did a nice job. Although, I have only listened to the second book by another reader, not both, so that might have something to do with it. (Sometimes we audiobook aficionados get attached to a narrator doing a certain series.)
Ms. Raudman has a gravely, raspy voice that I thought went well with this story. Sort of like she’s speaking following a shot of whiskey on the rocks, after inhaling a bit of smoke in the air. She does get a little "breathy" at times, but for me, that lent an ambiance that fit the story-line.
In this third installment of Larissa Ione’s intriguing Demonica series Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin. In order to heal himself, he needs to find a Marked Sentinel named Serena Kelley, a human virgin who is charmed keeper of a certain necklace that protects her. The thing is, other than him swearing off humans, he’s got to make her give up her virginity, too; but in doing so, she will die.
As callous as this makes him, he has to consider the fate of others. Since he and his brothers have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into Underworld General Hospital, they are strongly tied into the place. Consequently, his health affects the building and its staff. So, he is off to Egypt to seduce Serena. I just love that setting for a romantic adventure, and there is plenty of action in this story.
I liked the world building and will certainly go on with the series that branch off from this one. The characters have a bit more layering this time around. Ms. Ione has a very creative imagination. I wondered if she had painted Wraith into a corner this time, but she manage to have him win me over surprisingly early, considering I didn't like him much in the first two books. Kudos!
P.S. The author has promised a much needed Glossary of Terms on her website, which would be a great help to audiobook listeners. Alas, as of this date it is not there.
Update: March 23, 2013
Woohoo! I got a very nice post from the author, Ms. Larissa Ione. She directed me to the the glossary on her website:
Audio Covers
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★★★★✩ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I was surprised to read some people didn't like the narrator, Renée Raudman, as I thought she did a nice job. Although, I have only listened to the second book by another reader, not both, so that might have something to do with it. (Sometimes we audiobook aficionados get attached to a narrator doing a certain series.)
Ms. Raudman has a gravely, raspy voice that I thought went well with this story. Sort of like she’s speaking following a shot of whiskey on the rocks, after inhaling a bit of smoke in the air. She does get a little "breathy" at times, but for me, that lent an ambiance that fit the story-line.
In this third installment of Larissa Ione’s intriguing Demonica series Wraith has been poisoned by an assassin. In order to heal himself, he needs to find a Marked Sentinel named Serena Kelley, a human virgin who is charmed keeper of a certain necklace that protects her. The thing is, other than him swearing off humans, he’s got to make her give up her virginity, too; but in doing so, she will die.
As callous as this makes him, he has to consider the fate of others. Since he and his brothers have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into Underworld General Hospital, they are strongly tied into the place. Consequently, his health affects the building and its staff. So, he is off to Egypt to seduce Serena. I just love that setting for a romantic adventure, and there is plenty of action in this story.
I liked the world building and will certainly go on with the series that branch off from this one. The characters have a bit more layering this time around. Ms. Ione has a very creative imagination. I wondered if she had painted Wraith into a corner this time, but she manage to have him win me over surprisingly early, considering I didn't like him much in the first two books. Kudos!
P.S. The author has promised a much needed Glossary of Terms on her website, which would be a great help to audiobook listeners. Alas, as of this date it is not there.
Update: March 23, 2013
Woohoo! I got a very nice post from the author, Ms. Larissa Ione. She directed me to the the glossary on her website:
Just wanted to give you the link to the glossary of terms. It's actually the Demonica Compendium and is listed under "Free Reads" on my website. I'll see if I can add something on the site that makes it clearer! http://larissaione.com/blog/books/#fr...Here is the book on GRs:
Audio Covers
February 7, 2017
Serena Kelley and Wraith have a seemingly unsolvable problem. Every single moment in the book makes it even harder for them to deal with it. I loved how everything is resolved.
Passion Unleashed expands the Demonica so much, you almost get to see the Apocalypse.
Passion Unleashed expands the Demonica so much, you almost get to see the Apocalypse.
November 14, 2017
4.5
No tengo palabras. ❤️😭
No tengo palabras. ❤️😭
May 5, 2017
This book started out a little bit slow for me. Maybe because I jumped into it immediately upon finishing Desire Unchained, but I think it was more because I didn't immediately like or dislike Serena like I did Runa and Tayla, respectively. However, it didn't take me long to get into the story and fall for Wraith even more.
Wraith is quite possibly one of the sexiest demons out there. If Shade wasn't my favorite, Wraith would have immediately slid right into that spot. He is so strong yet vulnerable, cold yet loving, hard-hearted yet tender-hearted. He is so many contradictions combined that it's impossible not to love him. I mean, hell, he was going to die and let his brothers die so that he wouldn't have to kill Serena. He was willing to be tortured by the vampires so they would let him turn Serena. Does a guy get more devoted than that? I don't really think so. And I did like Serena, although it came on gradually. She was strong, brave, and intelligent but also sweet and loving, like our beloved Wraith. Her sacrifice for Wraith and humankind, giving up her charm and virginity, made me really like her, though. Although it sucked that she freaked out when she found out Wraith was a demon. But now they are together so I'm happy, and awww, there's a new baby Wraith on the scene!
The biggest surprise of this book was definitely Lore. Holy shit, he is their brother! He's Wraith, Shade, and Eidolon's brother. I know I probably should have seen that one coming, but it totally blind sighted me. Wow. Yeah, still surprised.
The sad thing is, I think I was more tortured by the situation with Kynan and Gem. Good Lord, those two drove me crazy with their back and forth when I just wanted them to be together, damn it. And I was going to hunt someone down and kill them if Ky and Gem's story had ended with Wraith draining him. No fucking way, Jose. I did not suffer through three books of their torturous relationship for it to end that way! And thank God Lore was able to bring Ky back. Now those two are living happily ever after and I couldn't be happier.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was Serena calling Wraith "Josh." I wanted to smash my head against the wall every single time. And each time she called him that, it made me think of Mary calling Rhage "Hal" in Lover Eternal and how much I hated that. Bleck. Thank goodness she finally started calling him Wraith at the end.
Anyway, this was, yet again, another great installment in the series and I don't think Wraith's story could have been any better.
4.5 stars
Wraith is quite possibly one of the sexiest demons out there. If Shade wasn't my favorite, Wraith would have immediately slid right into that spot. He is so strong yet vulnerable, cold yet loving, hard-hearted yet tender-hearted. He is so many contradictions combined that it's impossible not to love him. I mean, hell, he was going to die and let his brothers die so that he wouldn't have to kill Serena. He was willing to be tortured by the vampires so they would let him turn Serena. Does a guy get more devoted than that? I don't really think so. And I did like Serena, although it came on gradually. She was strong, brave, and intelligent but also sweet and loving, like our beloved Wraith. Her sacrifice for Wraith and humankind, giving up her charm and virginity, made me really like her, though. Although it sucked that she freaked out when she found out Wraith was a demon. But now they are together so I'm happy, and awww, there's a new baby Wraith on the scene!
The biggest surprise of this book was definitely Lore. Holy shit, he is their brother! He's Wraith, Shade, and Eidolon's brother. I know I probably should have seen that one coming, but it totally blind sighted me. Wow. Yeah, still surprised.
The sad thing is, I think I was more tortured by the situation with Kynan and Gem. Good Lord, those two drove me crazy with their back and forth when I just wanted them to be together, damn it. And I was going to hunt someone down and kill them if Ky and Gem's story had ended with Wraith draining him. No fucking way, Jose. I did not suffer through three books of their torturous relationship for it to end that way! And thank God Lore was able to bring Ky back. Now those two are living happily ever after and I couldn't be happier.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was Serena calling Wraith "Josh." I wanted to smash my head against the wall every single time. And each time she called him that, it made me think of Mary calling Rhage "Hal" in Lover Eternal and how much I hated that. Bleck. Thank goodness she finally started calling him Wraith at the end.
Anyway, this was, yet again, another great installment in the series and I don't think Wraith's story could have been any better.
4.5 stars
January 16, 2011
4.5 Stars
Wraith is dying. The only way he can save himself is to find a charm, but to do this he must first seduce and take the virginty of a human woman, a human woman who will die without the charm. After being tortured by his insane mother, human women have been off the menu, both sexually and as a meal, but more is at stake then just Wraith's live and so he goes hunting for Serena. But can he really do it, especially when he thinks he is starting to fall in love with the spunky, fearless human?
This one is definitely my favourite in the series so far. Wraith is a great hero, a complete bad boy who excels at two things, fighting and sex and seems to not care about much else, apart from maybe his brothers. In this book, we get to see a different side to Wraith as he starts falling in love with Serena, and as he gets more tender and protective he becomes the biggest danger to a womas heart, a bad boy with a heart.
What I also liked about this one was the progression of the story line, it had a strong plot driving the story and I wanted to see the resolution of that as well as Wraith and Serena's HEA. I also liked the continuation of Gem and Kylan's romance, I love it when books have a secondary romance, and this one was particularly good, and I have enjoyed watching it develop thorughout the last three books.
We also had the introduction of a new brother! Lore, and I go on to reading about him next, Ione left some intriguig hints about him and where he comes from and what he is doing, I can't wait to read more.
Wraith is dying. The only way he can save himself is to find a charm, but to do this he must first seduce and take the virginty of a human woman, a human woman who will die without the charm. After being tortured by his insane mother, human women have been off the menu, both sexually and as a meal, but more is at stake then just Wraith's live and so he goes hunting for Serena. But can he really do it, especially when he thinks he is starting to fall in love with the spunky, fearless human?
This one is definitely my favourite in the series so far. Wraith is a great hero, a complete bad boy who excels at two things, fighting and sex and seems to not care about much else, apart from maybe his brothers. In this book, we get to see a different side to Wraith as he starts falling in love with Serena, and as he gets more tender and protective he becomes the biggest danger to a womas heart, a bad boy with a heart.
What I also liked about this one was the progression of the story line, it had a strong plot driving the story and I wanted to see the resolution of that as well as Wraith and Serena's HEA. I also liked the continuation of Gem and Kylan's romance, I love it when books have a secondary romance, and this one was particularly good, and I have enjoyed watching it develop thorughout the last three books.
We also had the introduction of a new brother! Lore, and I go on to reading about him next, Ione left some intriguig hints about him and where he comes from and what he is doing, I can't wait to read more.
September 8, 2009
Okay, so Ione built up some really dark expectations of Wraith and failed to deliver, but IMO what we're left with is still the strongest in the series.
At the starting point of this book, half-demon half-vampire Wraith has already forced the 'sgenisis, the change all Seminus demons go through that makes them potent and gives them the unrelenting desire to impregnate females. However, it's not working like he thought it would; he thought it was make him a sex-craving animal with no human conscience or emotions, but for some reason, though he craves sex, he's basically still the same. Until he finds out that he has been poisoned by a toxin that has no cure, and unless he obtains a certain charm, he will die. The problem is that the charm is being held by a human female, and to obtain it, he has to seduce her virginity away from her. Because of past traumas in his life, Wraith considers human females off limits, especially virgin ones. But when he finds out that his life force is tied to the existence of Underworld General, and therefore his brothers' as well, Wraith is willing to take one for the team.
The carrier of the charm, Serena Kelley, has something else in mind. Although she's wildly attracted to who she thinks is no one more than a fellow treasure hunter, she can never know sexual intimacy in its fullest, because to do so would cause the disease she contracted as a child to progress and eventually kill her.
As Wraith goes back and forth with pushing forward in his plan to seduce Serena or not, he begins to find out just why his brothers would be crazy enough to take a mate,and how hard it is to choose between your own personal happiness and the well-being of your family and friends.
In reality, Wraith gave in much quicker than I thought he would, and with much less angst, which just made me like him more. And Serena showed a selflessness that was on par with Madeline from Garwood's Honour's Splendor (sp? I know one is spelled with a "u"in the title). A good conclusion to an interesting trilogy, although I was bummed by the quick resultion of Kynan & Gem, and am not at all looking forward to any book featuring Seminus assassin Lore, should Ione choose to write. B
At the starting point of this book, half-demon half-vampire Wraith has already forced the 'sgenisis, the change all Seminus demons go through that makes them potent and gives them the unrelenting desire to impregnate females. However, it's not working like he thought it would; he thought it was make him a sex-craving animal with no human conscience or emotions, but for some reason, though he craves sex, he's basically still the same. Until he finds out that he has been poisoned by a toxin that has no cure, and unless he obtains a certain charm, he will die. The problem is that the charm is being held by a human female, and to obtain it, he has to seduce her virginity away from her. Because of past traumas in his life, Wraith considers human females off limits, especially virgin ones. But when he finds out that his life force is tied to the existence of Underworld General, and therefore his brothers' as well, Wraith is willing to take one for the team.
The carrier of the charm, Serena Kelley, has something else in mind. Although she's wildly attracted to who she thinks is no one more than a fellow treasure hunter, she can never know sexual intimacy in its fullest, because to do so would cause the disease she contracted as a child to progress and eventually kill her.
As Wraith goes back and forth with pushing forward in his plan to seduce Serena or not, he begins to find out just why his brothers would be crazy enough to take a mate,and how hard it is to choose between your own personal happiness and the well-being of your family and friends.
In reality, Wraith gave in much quicker than I thought he would, and with much less angst, which just made me like him more. And Serena showed a selflessness that was on par with Madeline from Garwood's Honour's Splendor (sp? I know one is spelled with a "u"in the title). A good conclusion to an interesting trilogy, although I was bummed by the quick resultion of Kynan & Gem, and am not at all looking forward to any book featuring Seminus assassin Lore, should Ione choose to write. B
May 1, 2013
I wanted to give this book five stars I really, really did. I loved the story, dilemma, all the twists and turns Ione can catch you off guard with but what I was missing was Wraith! As I'm quite worked up I'm going to pass on recapping the details of the actual story and I'm going to focus on the issues that's bothering me.
The build up to Wraith's story in the first two books was great, so unsurprisingly my expectations were high, the whole story definitely did not disappoint, what did disappoint was the guy who suppose to be Wraith! The Wraith who's possessed with insatiable lust and madness, who's soul is so tormented he scares everyone with his look, the Wraith who don't give a shit about anyone but inside is scared to care, the Wraith who needed to fight his past demons really hard to come out on the other side! What I got was a mellow version of the most broken and haunted character I was expecting. I feel cheated. I do understand his life has changed since he's been poisoned and going to die, but I felt like it was to easy for him to flirt, charm and care for Serena knowing how much he hates women. Especially since we learn his real past and let me tell you things he's been through don't disappear in a matter of days. Shade's story and his inner battle now seems a lot more powerful than Wraith's, and it suppose to be the other way around.
In previous story I found Gem and Kym's relationship really interesting but here they got on my nerves quite a few time. Especially Gem, she's been in love with the guy for years while he's been married, now that he's available and wants her she pushes him away. Come on girl, make up you mind!
Never the less the action, dilemma, great characters and off the wall humor made me sail through the book in a day. I still really enjoyed it. I think Ione has a great talent of making the readers love the characters despite the fact that they can be really disturbing and flawed. I might have a little break from Demonica for now, but will definitely return to finish the series.
The build up to Wraith's story in the first two books was great, so unsurprisingly my expectations were high, the whole story definitely did not disappoint, what did disappoint was the guy who suppose to be Wraith! The Wraith who's possessed with insatiable lust and madness, who's soul is so tormented he scares everyone with his look, the Wraith who don't give a shit about anyone but inside is scared to care, the Wraith who needed to fight his past demons really hard to come out on the other side! What I got was a mellow version of the most broken and haunted character I was expecting. I feel cheated. I do understand his life has changed since he's been poisoned and going to die, but I felt like it was to easy for him to flirt, charm and care for Serena knowing how much he hates women. Especially since we learn his real past and let me tell you things he's been through don't disappear in a matter of days. Shade's story and his inner battle now seems a lot more powerful than Wraith's, and it suppose to be the other way around.
In previous story I found Gem and Kym's relationship really interesting but here they got on my nerves quite a few time. Especially Gem, she's been in love with the guy for years while he's been married, now that he's available and wants her she pushes him away. Come on girl, make up you mind!
Never the less the action, dilemma, great characters and off the wall humor made me sail through the book in a day. I still really enjoyed it. I think Ione has a great talent of making the readers love the characters despite the fact that they can be really disturbing and flawed. I might have a little break from Demonica for now, but will definitely return to finish the series.
March 29, 2024
My heart can’t handle this book ! All the feels! 💓
Everything happened! Like EVERYTHING!
A vampire/incubus being poisoned and can only survive if he gets a charm from a woman carrying “a little piece of heaven”. Problem? In order to get the charm he will be the reason she dies! Oh and top it of .. Armageddon is kinda happening! Sweet chocolate muffins I LOVED it!
The storyline is so interesting and the world is SO well written that it actually feels real. And this is PARANORMAL. How great is it if the author can sell a underworld hospital to you and you actually buy it?
I was sold! Like “take all my money because I will buy the rest of this series”-sold.
Getting inside Wraith head was epic. Learning what happened to him as a child was so heartbreaking and you really understands why he is such an ASS! #alphaassholesArethebest
And Serena. A woman with an adventures bone in her body! Loved it!
And the sacrifice she made. BEAUTIFUL! Love going on adventures, and for her to love that too. #bonding #same
Read: 17/03/2018
1st rating: 5 Stars
Genre/sub-genres: urban fantasy/vampires/demons/paranormal/romance
Cover: 3 Stars
Will I recommend: STUPID question because damn well I will! If you love paranormal THIS is for you!
Everything happened! Like EVERYTHING!
A vampire/incubus being poisoned and can only survive if he gets a charm from a woman carrying “a little piece of heaven”. Problem? In order to get the charm he will be the reason she dies! Oh and top it of .. Armageddon is kinda happening! Sweet chocolate muffins I LOVED it!
The storyline is so interesting and the world is SO well written that it actually feels real. And this is PARANORMAL. How great is it if the author can sell a underworld hospital to you and you actually buy it?
I was sold! Like “take all my money because I will buy the rest of this series”-sold.
Getting inside Wraith head was epic. Learning what happened to him as a child was so heartbreaking and you really understands why he is such an ASS! #alphaassholesArethebest
And Serena. A woman with an adventures bone in her body! Loved it!
And the sacrifice she made. BEAUTIFUL! Love going on adventures, and for her to love that too. #bonding #same
Read: 17/03/2018
1st rating: 5 Stars
Genre/sub-genres: urban fantasy/vampires/demons/paranormal/romance
Cover: 3 Stars
Will I recommend: STUPID question because damn well I will! If you love paranormal THIS is for you!
April 6, 2009
This book was much more plausible for me. Both characters were developed, full and layered, and they did suit each other. I understood both of them; their conflicts were touching and they were very real characters, rather than archetypes. They were both likable, especially Wraith, who's really a big softy and an ideal vampire when he's not, LOL. ;)
I think it helps when the conflict is from without, not from within the relationship because otherwise it's easy to get into contrived land. The action plot was excellently executed too- it flowed very well; there was no confusion, etc. and the villain was truly dastardly.
It also felt less rushed and there was less eye-rolling dialogue (inner and outer). Ione worried less about trying to make him come off as smart-alecky and more as a serious character. Overall, I liked this one better than the second (she's been redeemed), and I'm looking forward to the next.
I think it helps when the conflict is from without, not from within the relationship because otherwise it's easy to get into contrived land. The action plot was excellently executed too- it flowed very well; there was no confusion, etc. and the villain was truly dastardly.
It also felt less rushed and there was less eye-rolling dialogue (inner and outer). Ione worried less about trying to make him come off as smart-alecky and more as a serious character. Overall, I liked this one better than the second (she's been redeemed), and I'm looking forward to the next.
May 3, 2016
Más bien 4 estrellas y media, porque si bien es un libro casi perfecto, difícil es que llegue a las 5.
Como historia de romance paranormal tiene de todo, protagonista masculino torturado por la vida, al estilo de Zsadist de J.R. Ward. Y una protagonista fuerte y voluntariosa, que si bien inocente, lucha por lo que quiere, y es Wraith.
También podría decirse que tiene todos los tópicos del romance paranormal. Uno de ellos debe morir al final para salvar al otro etc., pero la autora ha sabido hilvanar muy bien el desenlace, y nos ha preparado sorpresitas para futuros libros.
No es el mejor libro paranormal que he leído (aún creo que a ésta mujer no termino de asimilarla), pero sí se acerca bastante a un libro de romance perfecto.
Como historia de romance paranormal tiene de todo, protagonista masculino torturado por la vida, al estilo de Zsadist de J.R. Ward. Y una protagonista fuerte y voluntariosa, que si bien inocente, lucha por lo que quiere, y es Wraith.
También podría decirse que tiene todos los tópicos del romance paranormal. Uno de ellos debe morir al final para salvar al otro etc., pero la autora ha sabido hilvanar muy bien el desenlace, y nos ha preparado sorpresitas para futuros libros.
No es el mejor libro paranormal que he leído (aún creo que a ésta mujer no termino de asimilarla), pero sí se acerca bastante a un libro de romance perfecto.
July 25, 2014
5 stars
This series is getting better and better.
Loved it.
Wraith <33
This series is getting better and better.
Loved it.
Wraith <33
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