Deal with the Devil is Orphan Black meets the post-apocalyptic Avengers by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author duo Kit Rocha. Nina is an information broker with a mission–she and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to save the hopeless in a crumbling America. Knox is the bitter, battle-weary captain of the Silver Devils. His squad of supersoldiers went AWOL to … the Silver Devils. His squad of supersoldiers went AWOL to avoid slaughtering innocents, and now he’s fighting to survive.
They’re on a deadly collision course, and the passion that flares between them only makes it more dangerous. They could burn down the world, destroying each other in the process…
Or they could do the impossible: team up.
This is the first book in a near-future science fiction series with elements of romance.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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This novel is outside my usual reading zone, but I was hooked from the first time I heard Mercenary Librarians. The actual book completely lived up to the hype. I am all in for this team saving the world.
I’m a librarian, so if you write a book starring a librarian, it’s a given–I’m going to read it. But I won’t necessarily love it. This book?? This book–I loved.
Set in the same world as the authors’ O’Kane saga, but with an entirely new cast of characters. Super soldiers, meet some intelligent, feisty, enhanced women who can take you down or lift you up, make you a better person, the kind that are necessary if the communities of this damaged world are to survive and prosper.
Post-apocalyptic librarians for the win!
Every book I have ever read from them has so much. So much grit, so much heart, so much hope, so much ass-kicking, so much character, so much love. That love is not only found between the characters, but in the way these ladies write them. They feel real. Truly real. And as a librarian myself, I want to thank you for making us so incredibly bad ass.
Great world building – check
Amazing and complex characters – check
Witty repertoire from band-of-warriors – check
Thrilling action scenes – check
Empowered kick-ass women – check
Heart-pounding romance and sexy love scenes – check
If you love post-apocalyptic novels with unique characters, settings, and professions–get this book. It will not disappoint. The story is masterfully told and as soon as you put it down, you’ll cry for a little bit because now you have to wait for the next book until you can spend time with your new super-soldier friends. But then you remember that there is no law against reading a book more than once, so you pick up this book and read it again, and again, and again.
A roller coaster of nail-biting thrills combined with top-notch world-building, palpable heat, and real emotional stakes. You’re going to love it.
Nina is everything I love in a heroine ― smart and badass, but with a core of hope and kindness. And Knox is jaded, honorable, and so very conflicted. I loved it!
High-stakes action and plenty of chemistry, Deal with the Devil absolutely crackles!
The blurb for this one had me intrigued enough that I wanted to know more and in no way did this book disappoint! It takes place in a post-apocalyptic America where the only thing that matters is greed and might. Nina is an information broker who is trying to bring hope to the people who need it most. She and her “librarian’s” search for information and knowledge and share it with others who need it. Knox is a super-soldier in charge of the Silver Devils-until they go AWOL. They need a biochem hacker to keep their implants stabilized, but theirs is kidnapped and held for ransom. The price? Nina brought to a location unharmed.
Ok let me start of by saying this book is long! And I mean that in a good way! There are so many details about the things going on that if you aren’t paying attention? You may miss something and not fully understand some of the things that are talked about. Nina is this kick a** woman who I absolutely loved right from the start! She is smart, sassy, and isn’t afraid to fight for the people she cares about. She and her team do what they can to help the people in their area, always knowing that it puts them at risk as well. Knox may be doing something that most people would disagree with but his reasons for it make you understand why. He and his team are more like brothers than just a team and I couldn’t help but love them. Throwing these two together put together an epic tale that had me hooked and wanting to know more but not wanting it to end. There were a few things that made me knock it down from giving it 5 stars, and they had to do with interactions with a side character. I don’t want to say too much because it is definitely a spoiler and I don’t want to do that to anyone. But it annoyed me that all was let go so easily. Other than that? I loved it! I can’t wait to read the next one, especially after the tease at the end of this one!! It both made me want to read it now but broke my heart at the same time!!
Looking forward to book two – already preordered!
The Mercenary Librarians are a team of three women, Nina, Dani and Maya, trying to hold together a small repository of information and help their community in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta some 60 years into the future, in a dystopian world where the BioTech giants have basically taken over everything. Approached by a team of ex-military mercenaries with a proposal to find a huge score of digitised information (the Rogue Library of Congress) Nina can’t resist, even though she knows there’s something shady about Captain Garrett Knox. Knox doesn’t want to sell the librarians out, but with his men’s biotech implants degrading by the day, he has no choice if he wants to save them all.
I really loved how badass Nina, Maya and Dani were. Genetically engineered and raised from birth to be weapons (in Nina and Dani’s case) and a living information repository (Maya) they were far more likely to ride to the rescue than need helping out themselves. Whereas Knox’s team were selected, enhanced and trained for their skills as adults (excluding tech geek Conall). Both teams have lost too many loved ones, suffered too much. None of them are prepared to give any quarter in the fight to save the rest… until they get to know each other and realise they’re more alike than they want to be.
The world is well realised – I understand it’s carried forward from a previous series which I haven’t read, but I had no problem understanding what was happening and the information was well conveyed, without info-dumping. There are a couple of very hot sex scenes, more than I’d really expect to find in a dystopian fantasy, but I don’t think it’s really a romance because while Knox and Nina are the primary two characters here, we spend a lot of time in the POV of everyone else… of all the characters featured, I think only the biohacker Luna, who spent most of the book off-screen as a hostage, didn’t get any POV chapters. There are a couple of other romantic pairings which look likely to be centred in the rest of this trilogy, although a couple of late-arriving characters might provide some curve balls in that respect. I’m very much looking forward to finding out, because I absolutely loved this. Five stars for a fantastic dystopian fantasy heavy on the romance.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
If you are looking for an action-packed, post-apocalyptic, steamy romance, look no further. Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha is your answer. It has strong, badass characters, interesting worldbuilding and politics, and, of course, a passionate love story. And did I mention, the main heroine and her crew are mercenary librarians, who collect and preserve books ad other media from before apocalypse? As soon as I saw “mercenary librarians,” I wanted to read this book! And I am happy to say it didn’t disappoint! Deal with the Devil is an exciting start to a promising new romance series. I cannot wait to read the next book!
*ARC provided by the publisher and BookishFirst.
Searching for different then land on this and open up for you are in for a treat. I also was partial to one of the locations even if this is a fantasy. Oh the world were we readers would fit right in. We could help these characters out for sure. Nina and Knox along with others give us one that we could stay and not return but as long as you are reading this also works. The story is refreshing with also the action alive with what does bring more life understandable to us. The two are a great duo with the banter a plus. As the last page in this goes we have to go until we cross into here again.
Sexy, action-packed beginning to a new series. The world is interesting, the characters are great, and you finish the book wanting more. I enjoyed the romance between Nina and Knox, loved the other members of their teams, and look forward to seeing what happens to them in the future and what else we learn about the world the big bads behind the scenes.
I really loved Deal with the Devil and here are a few reasons I think other people will love it too:
1. Great world building-post apocalyptic America! Loved it! (I mean, I loved reading about it-not living it)
2. Team of FIERCE females kicking butt! They hold the power by using information. Love women who use their brains and win. Who runs the world? GIRLS!
3. Solidly intriguing plot-danger, banter, and more combine to create an engaging plot
Seriously-give the new series a shot! I think you will really like it! I can’t wait for more of the mercenary librarians and see where Rocha takes these characters. Nina and Knox are ying/yang for sure and it just works so well. Despite the dystopian setting, Nina is still kind of an optimist. It’s the perfect foil to Knox’s cranky pessimism.
In this first book in a new series from the writing team of Kit Rocha, the reader is introduced to a world that they might recognize from the Beyond series by this author team. Set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world similar (but not exactly the same) to that of the Beyond series, Deal with the Devil takes off with a super exciting scene setting up the two main characters for this book.
Nina is what is called an information broker in a world shattered by the flares. I love the premise for this series and how these “mercenery librarians” use information as their weapon to help those damaged by the flares that caused the collapse of their society. Nina is their idealistic leader and works hard to take care of everyone in her circle.
Knox is immediately intrigued with Nina and that’s a huge driving force for him. A special forces soldier with a team of his own called the Silver Devils, he has his own agenda when dealing with Nina.
Overall, I thought this was a good start to the series. I loved the action of the book, but the characters were harder to get invested in. I did find it hard to connect to most of the characters and found the writing style not as “easy” as that of the Beyond series. There was a lot to take in, but that was expected with a first book in a dystopian, futuristic romance. It did leave me wanting more.
An ARC was provided for review.
Deal with the Devil is an action-packed, humorous, engaging, and sexy sci-fi/dystopian novel. I thought this book was a great introduction to the Mercenary Librarians series. First impressions are everything, and I think the authors did a great job in laying the groundwork for this series. The world-building was done in a very clear and interesting way, which kept me intrigued until the end. The main characters Nina and Knox were very likable and were a great fit. I liked that the progress of their relationship had a steady pace and took time to develop instead of being instant. The authors really gave them time to get to know each other. The side characters were also amazing. Both Nina and Knox have their own crew that they are responsible for, and you could really feel how much they cared for each of them.
What I loved most about this book was just the combination of action, suspense, and romance. The banter between the characters were also done really well. The authors told a lot in this book without making it feeling busy. They were able to introduce each character and make you care for them. I enjoyed getting snippets from their POV, which gave me an idea what was going on in their heads. They were all very unique and interesting in their own ways, and I really look forward to seeing them develop throughout this series. There were a couple of twists added to the plot which I loved. It makes me even more excited to see what will happen next. I think this book was a great introduction to the world Kit Rocha built, and I loved what I read so I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
As a long time fan of Kit Rocha, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the long awaited new series Mercenary Librarians. If you are a fan of the authors, then you know how captivating their dystopian Beyond and Riders series can be. Strap on your tool belts and get ready for a glimpse into the lives of librarians of the future.
Deal with the Devil is centered around a group of female mercenaries that are making their way through the hardships in order to give others a chance to have a few comforts in this tattered and destructive world. Nina comes barreling into the series with a force that will captivate you from the very first chapter. With a past that is shrouded in secret, Nina has found a couple of allies that serve as the family that she desperately needs.
When a band of genetically modified soldiers seek out Nina for a job, life will take on an adventure all its own. Knox is the leader of this band of super soldiers, and he is on a mission that will alter the lives of each of the members in this strange band of travelers. Determined to complete a mission that will have dire consequences, Knox can’t help but find himself attracted to the woman that gives so much to others. With a quest for survival in the backdrop, this trip will reveal more than any of these soldiers could imagine in a world that is crumbling by the minute.
Deal with the Devil is an interesting glimpse into a post-apocalyptic world that will tease your book-lovers heart. With life crumbling around them, Knox and Nina will lead those close to them on a journey that will have consequences that will change all their lives. While the world in Deal with the Devil is interesting, I am still a hard core Beyond Series fan!! The only thing that bothered me were these reports from the lab that would show up between chapters. They don’t list which soldier the report is referencing per say, and I found them extremely distracting in my reading. These lab reports didn’t add to the plot, so they were a distraction I could do without.
All in all – fans of dystopian novels will find a unique glimpse into the world after so much destruction. This novel is lengthy, and I found myself ‘quick reading’ more than absorbing certain parts of the book. With a title like Deal with the Devil paired with my previous experience with Kit Rocha books, I really expected so much more from this novel. After such a HUGE novel, readers will still be struggling to uncover more about the solar flares and the decline of the people left in this world. Without giving more of the plot away, I will also add that there is less ‘librarian’ content and more super soldier. There are several things that transpire that make me question why the plot points were there.
With all that information – I am going to have to say this book is a ‘middle of the road’ read for me. Does it mean I will give up on the series? I don’t think so given the previous books I have read in the Kit Rocha backlist. I am definitely curious as to where this series will lead. Hopefully – the world building will only get better as the series goes on.
***4 Stars***
I’m a huge fan of both the Beyond series & the Gideon’s Riders, HUGE, so to hear that another series, set in the same post-flares, dystopian world but far from the borders of Eden and the Sectors, was coming had me all kinds of excited. But, being a fangirl, I did take note that this series was not going to be like the previous ones, so I prepared and I have to say that I ended up really enjoying this book. There was a bit of information overload, since we are dealing with so much ‘newness’, but it was necessary and after getting used to it I loved getting to know the characters and simply wanting more.
I have to say, I really liked Knox and Nina and found it interesting how similar they were and yet different. Both are protectors and leaders and yet one is more about taking care of as many as possible, while the other is more selective which made for some interesting interactions everytime they found themselves in each other’s orbit.
As for the evolution of their relationship from strangers to lovers…the journey was interesting and enjoyable. There isn’t much waxing poetic style romance going on here ~ which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the situation they find themselves in ~ but there is a lot of finding themselves unable to stay away from each other and telling each other things that they didn’t necessarily mean to but couldn’t help themselves, which I actually enjoyed because it fit them perfectly. Both are just too pragmatic and hardened to be the lovey dovey type. I loved their flow and just how they got each other without trying too hard. The big ‘ole bump in their journey was laid out from the start, so it came as no surprise, but I loved how they worked it all out in the end.
This book was definitely more sci-fi/dystopian with romance added in, but it still had it’s smexy moments and it definitely had a lot of heart and humor. I truly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters ~ Gray and Dani are definitely the ones I’m most curious about ~ but they all fascinate me and have me looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in the series!
~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
Forty-five years before this book opens, the US couldn’t withstand the effects of taking a direct hit from a giant meteor. Our already-failing power grid collapsed leaving the survivors of the meteor to live a life of barely enduring unimaginable hardships. Among the survivors are three women in Atlanta. When Knox, a rogue soldier, approaches the three women with a proposition he knows Nina, an information broker, can’t resist, Nina and her team, agree to help Knox and his team to find a one of the Library of Congress’ servers, hidden before the power grid failed. Knox doesn’t tell Nina that his surgically implanted superhuman abilities are failing as are those of his team. Knox’s real goal is to rescue a biochem hacker who agreed to stabilize Knox and his team. Trust is one of those commodities in short supply.
This is the first in the Mercenary Librarians series and is a very well-written novel with well-developed characters, and a storyline that hasn’t been done to death by every other author of dystopian novels. The world-building in this novel is understated but well done.
Kit Rocha, the best-selling writing team of this dystopian romance, has written a jewel of a book that will appeal to a wide range of readers. Even if you have had no desire to read dystopian novels before, try this one and you will have found new writers to follow.
My thanks to Tor and Edelweiss for an eARC.
Deal with the Devil is set in a future US in the Atlanta area in the 2080s. Solar flares and storms in the 2040s damaged infrastructure and destabilized the government. Energy wars followed. The southeastern US is controlled by a corporation called TechCorps. There is no regulation of genetic engineering, human experimentation and biometric implants. There is more cruelty than kindness, and corporations are more important than people.
Nina is an escaped genetically engineered clone and leads a group of three women. They are a team of information brokers who try to save and distribute books and help their community. Garrett leads a squad of soldiers, the Silver Devils, who defected from the TechCorps.
All of the characters are wanted by TechCorps and have a price on their head. They have special abilities so it’s like reading about superheroes.
Deal with the Devil has non-stop action and intrigue and really cool tech. A steamy yet conflicted romance develops between Nina and Garrett. The banter between the characters is fun and humorous. It was a great read and I’m really looking forward to the next book.