THE DEMONICA SERIES RETURNS…He is the Keeper of Souls. Judge, jury, and executioner. He is death personified.He is the Grim Reaper.A fallen angel who commands the respect of both Heaven and Hell, Azagoth has presided over his own underworld realm for thousands of years. As the overlord of evil souls, he maintains balance crucial to the existence of life on Earth and beyond. But as all the … beyond. But as all the realms gear up for the prophesied End of Days, the ties that bind him to Sheoul-gra have begun to chafe.
Now, with his beloved mate and unborn child the target of an ancient enemy, Azagoth will stop at nothing to save them, even if it means breaking blood oaths and shattering age-old alliances.
Even if it means destroying himself and setting the world on fire…
more
Hellfire and deliciousness! This is one of my favorites of the outstanding series. It has everything I love…angels and demons and other supernatural creatures, old friends and new ones, plots and plans, twists and turns, betrayals and new alliances, death, death and undead, and glorious, epic battles. Azagoth/Grim Reaper has always been a spectacular male with oozing sex appeal and an unmatched fierceness but he goes to another level as his mate, the wonderful Lilliana and his unborn child are kidnapped and held for ransom by the uber evil Moloch. The demand to free Satan is too high but nothing will stop Azagoth from either getting Lilliana back or seeking revenge and ending worlds as we know them. There’s so much going on in this story and if this truly is the series end what a way to go, but I’m crying rivers. I love these characters! And they’re all there. The Underground General crew, the four Horsemen, Reaver and Revenant (they’re in a league of their own ), Angels, Demons, and the list goes on. Outstanding writing as usual from this fantastic author and a superb storyline that is juiced from the start all the way to the end. Madness and mayhem and lots of loving, sexy couple romancing their way through the destruction and rebirth. Loved it! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
3.5 stars. Reaper is a good addition to the Demonica world. This is a continuation of Azagoth, the Grim Reaper, and Lilliana’s story, originally told in Azagoth . In Reaper, the couple is already together and Lilliana is pregnant, but an evil force tears them apart. Azagoth is willing to do anything it takes to get her back, even if it means destroying the world.
I enjoyed this book, but it was not my favorite in the series. There is a lot of action. I found it entertaining, if a bit slow at times in story progression. But I wanted a bit more focus on the romance. The couple is separated through much of the book. There was so much going on besides the romance and so many other characters focused on, which I found confusing at times. Still, I liked Lilliana and Azagoth together. I never doubted their love for each other. I found their story to have a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, this was an entertaining, action packed read. I love this series and I look forward to more from Ms. Ione in the future!
*I received an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review*
Just wow.
I have to be honest here.
I loved it.
LOVED it.
Firstly, you absolutely MUST read the author’s note at the beginning of the book or you are going to be mad at first and possibly not finish the book.
It’s THAT important.
You really, really need to read that author’s note where our beloved author asks us to trust her while reading Reaper.
It wasn’t long before I figured out why.
I cannot tell you why without spoiling most of the story, though!
OMG! I don’t even know where to start here.
The Good
The writing was excellent, editing great, or at least I never noticed anything!
Characters had depth and were consistent with previous books. This means Shade acted like a jerk when he was upset with his brother, but that’s not unusual.
Azagoth… Just saying, there isn’t anything to dislike about this badass. He’s epic. EPIC.
The plot was hands down the most nail-biting story that I’ve read ALL year.
The story kept me reading LONG past my bedtime simply because I had to find out that everything was going to be okay.
I was SERIOUSLY upset and pissed about the events at the beginning half of the book. This is only a good thing because a good story will make you FEEL.
The end of the book. Phew! I was so relieved.
It kept me at the edge of my seat
I’m really glad I decided to read the author’s note, though. Which brings us to…
The Bad
I was SERIOUSLY upset and pissed. I can’t tell you more without spoiling it. I spent half the book wanting to throw my Kindle. That said, the author’s note made me finish. I’m definitely happy I did!
It’s worth mentioning twice, that I was SERIOUSLY UPSET!
This is the last Demonica book, I think!
I was missing the romance, honestly. This book felt more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. That’s not a bad thing, exactly. I love me some urban fantasy, especially when it includes romance. Urban fantasy like that is like a paranormal romance series with only one couple, so it is all drawn out and awesomesauce.
Betrayal and heartbreak. Some things are uber sad in this book, with death and such. And when it is found who the betrayer is? I was upset then too!
My Crazy Thoughts Without Spoilers
I honestly don’t know how to summarize this without giving anything away. I really, really don’t. But I’ll give it a shot.
This book requires a leap of faith from fans to finish and you definitely will want to commit authorcide at one point or another until you get to the end.
You will not be disappointed at the way the author ended this book and this amazing series.
Without giving too much away, Reaper is ending one fantastic series and leading the way into another fantastic sounding series, I think. A series that might be more urban fantasy than paranormal romance, maybe?
So Reaper is the end of one of my favorite series. I feel a reread coming on soon because I miss the Sem brothers (and sister) and it has been a while for me.
I AM looking forward to the next project from this author that seems exciting from the ending of this book, though!
The ONLY reason I didn’t rate this book 5 stars is because it was lacking the romantic feels for me. Azagoth and his lovely wife spent the entire book apart, nearly, and in peril, so it was all action and little in the way of sweetness that I was craving!
But if the author was trying to make her fans insane with emotional upheaval, then she definitely succeeded there.
I have a serious book hangover.
I highly recommend this book for any fan of this serious. But bring tissues and strong faith in the author to do right by our favorite characters.
5 heart-stopping stars!
OMGOMGOMG!! What a fantastic read! Azagoth’s story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And I’m sure my heart stopped a few times along the way. Wow, what an adventure! Full of action, excitement, romance, suspense, heartbreaking lows and dizzying highs, set within an incredible paranormal world. It was everything I was hoping it would be, and I freaking loved it!
This book is the culmination of the Demonica series so far – finishing off the story arc that was created in the Demonica, Lords of Deliverance and Demonica Underworld series. Do not try to read this as a standalone. This is book #20 in the series, so that should be obvious, but I still want to say it. While there is some backstory and explanation given that will catch you up, there is SO much that has built up to this story, I can’t even imagine going into it blind. And as a mad Demonica groupie with multiple series rereads under my belt, I was in fangirl heaven as we get to catch up with pretty much everybody who has featured in the series so far, and the story is a thrilling conclusion to the arc so far, setting the scene for the new spin-off series to come.
This is Azagoth’s story. Yes, he’s already had a novella (Azagoth), but this is his full-length novel. As a former angel and now the keeper of souls and the ruler of the realm of Sheoul-gra (the ‘holding tank’ for demon souls on their way to Hell), he is a being of ultimate power. But things have changed for the grim reaper since we first met him. Now madly in love with his mate, Lilliana, who is expecting their first child, his entire outlook has changed, altering his life, his realm, and what he wants from the future. And suddenly his job and his permanent tie to Sheoul-gra is feeling more restrictive than it ever has.
Azagoth’s place in the Underworld also makes him a target. As the keeper of ultimate evil, there are those that are desperate to break him, and they are prepared to hit him where it hurts the most in order to get what they want. A new bad guy has emerged, and when the unthinkable happens, Azagoth will risk everything to protect the ones he loves.
“The world was going to burn, and he was holding the match.”
It’s non-stop action from start to finish. The story moves at a great pace, getting the adrenaline pumping, and keeping me glued to my kindle as it all played out. I screamed and shouted, I cried and I cheered, and I was completely swept away into this world that I love so much. There is so much happening, and the story is written in multiple POVs so we get to see all sorts of angles. Of course there are Azagoth and Lilliana, but we also get chapters from Eidolon, Reaver, Revenant, Ares, Thanatos, and more! Our beloved characters are dealing with death, destruction and war on an unprecedented level – with their usual wit and sarcasm bringing a lot of laughs – and the outcome will change their world forever.
“Who am I?” he asked, his voice dragging the very pits of Hell. “I’m death, and I’ve come for you, asshole.”
The love story is there, and I love seeing more of Azagoth and Lilliana together as they embrace all of the changes happening for them. They are strong, passionate and completely devoted to each other, and as much as we get the chance to see them showing off their individual strength and epic paranormal badassery, there are beautifully sweet moments and a lot of heart in this book as well, which I loved.
I love, love, loved this book. I can’t gush enough about how much I loved it. A fantastic read that delivered everything I wanted and more, it’s a wonderful finish to the current storyline, and I can’t wait for the stories of the Demonica kids coming soon!
5 huge stars!
Azagoth is known as the Grim Reaper. He rules over Sheoul-gra, an underworld realm that houses demonic souls. Azagoth wants nothing more than to live with his angelic wife and unborn child. When Lilliana’s life is threatened, he has no other choice than to send her someplace safe. However, Azagoth’s plan fails when she falls into his enemy’s hands. He will risk Heaven and Hell’s wrath to rescue her and their child. Can Azagoth save his mate without starting the End of Days? Or will he commit the ultimate sacrifice?
Lilliana is an angel with the rare ability to travel in time and space. She eagerly anticipates the birth of her first child. When she experiences complications, Lilliana knows she must leave Sheoul-gra and her mate to save their baby. She never anticipated Azagoth’s enemy to swoop in and kidnap her. Lilliana believes that Azagoth will come to her rescue. Can Lilliana endure her sadistic captor’s cruelties? Or will she be doing the rescuing?
Azagoth is everything that I adore in a hero. He has the right amount of alpha-ness without being an abusive jerk. I love Azagoth’s snarkiness. He is not the type of man to mince his words. His wisecracks, especially towards those who annoy him, made me laugh. What I like the most about Azagoth is how he understands his limitations. Lilliana inspires him to be a better person and father; however, Azagoth knows he can never banish his dark nature.
Lilliana actually surprised me. She possesses the right amount of spirit and stubbornness to keep my interest. I like how Lilliana’s personality compliments Azagoth’s. She is the ying to Azagoth’s yang, knowing how to smooth his rough edges. What I love the most about Lilliana is her upmost faith in Azagoth. She never once doubted that he would not come to her rescue. However, Lilliana did not just sit by passively, instead, she tried to find a way to escape her captors.
REAPER is book twenty in Larissa Ione’s popular paranormal romance series, DEMONICA. This story is a continuation of the novella, AZAGOTH, found in 1001 DARK NIGHTS: BUNDLE TWO. I have not read any of the novellas in those compilations, including AZAGOTH, so I feel that I missed on the couple’s start. It has been years since I have read a full-length novel from this author, so I could not wait to get my paws on this book. I love how beloved characters from the previous books play important roles throughout the story. I also like the Dungeons & Dragons references.
REAPER is a gripping, nail-biting tale of the sacrifices two souls are willing to make for the other. I am sad that this series has come to an end. It has been a fun and wild adventure.
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies
Whew! What an adventure!
Want an adrenaline-pounding, emotionally-wrought hell of good time? Then you won’t want to miss Larissa Ione’s Reaper.
I won’t lie. I was worried when I began this book because I hadn’t read the novella about Lilliana and Azagoth. It’s been even longer since I’ve read part of the Demonica world, and I was scared I wouldn’t remember or it would pack less of a punch because I just have a horrible memory. I needn’t have worried. I was instantly drawn right back into their world, and I loved every moment.
There’s a lot of POVs and plenty of characters, but it was never overwhelming. Which is a testament to Larissa’s massive writing skills as much as the all-consuming and layered development of the Demonica world and its characters.
From the opening pages, my adrenaline was through the roof! I haven’t had a book that I just couldn’t put down in so long, and picking up a Demonica series novel was just like coming home with all the snark, fighting, humor, love, and friendship that you expect from a family–found and blood ties, both.
The reaper is in trouble. Other members of our family are in trouble. There’s no clear-cut answer to solve the problem and things get much messier before they get better, and ya’ll, just buckle up and settle in for the ride. It’s always worth it.
5+++ stars! My favorite book of the year.
I was so eager and distressed going into this novel knowing it’s also the end of the Demonica series.
I was also excited to have cameos from Eidolon, Shade and Wraith! I’ve missed them so much and it only fits. This series started with them and it makes sense that they would be there as it all comes to its end.
The action starts from the very beginning and it had me electrified and giddy throughout the book! Words like “holy shit”, “WTH?!” and “OMG!!!” ran rampant through my mind.
The intrigue and dread surrounding Lilliana and her baby had a grip on me. Azagoth’s retaliation to Lilliana’s abduction had the hairs on my arms standing up.
I was caught up with the plot and the dread. There are so many twists and turns. You won’t know what comes next. Who will survive? Who will perish? How far will Azagoth go to retrieve the woman he loves?
I flew through the pages. At the same time, however, I wanted to slow down. I didn’t want this story to end. AMAZING!
I had high hopes going into this final book in the series and I was not disappointed. Larissa is back in her element. There was no end to the deluge of action, suspense and all out mayhem and warfare going on. She has gone ALL OUT and has left me quite breathless.
The ending is apocalyptic and I felt and experienced every step on the way to the inevitable conclusion.
Get ready for an action-packed, heart-pounding thrill ride! Reaper is an EPIC ending to a monumental series. Larissa brings it all: Love, angst, action, betrayal, devastation and, eventually, salvation. Can you ask for anything more?
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.