DemonessTenebrae

Plot:

The End of Days has been averted. Pestilence was sent to Sheoul. Thanatos, Regan and Logan are safe and Limos is trying to get pregnant with Arik. They all believe Pestilence to be dead. And he was worse than that. He was sent to Sheoul as Reseph but with all the memories of Pestilence's crimes. Needless to say, it was driving him mad. Until Reaver stepped in.

Reaver as the Watcher to the Horsemen is supposed to be neutral but he always loved the Horsemen more than he should, almost like a father. Seeing what Reseph was going through was ripping his heart out. So he broke the rules, again. He descended to Sheoul and got Reseph out. Back to the surface with his memories wiped clean. He left him in a place where he hoped his heart and his mind will heal and strengthen. The only problem was, now Reaver was trapped in Sheoul and no one knew he was there.

Jillian Cardiff is a young woman who was trying to escape the memories of a vicious demon attack she barely survived by moving to this remote mountain town. One day, while patrolling her property, she found a naked man unconscious in a pile of snow. Despite her fears and the fact that she was living alone and that they were in a middle of a blizzard, she managed to drag him to her cabin. She helped him as best as she could. When he woke up he knew nothing about himself except for his name - Reseph.

Jillian and Reseph spent some time together until the blizzard ended. They were fond of each other and they started to fall in love. Soon enough, their happiness ended. Reseph was discovered and his memories came rushing back. Knocking him down and making him lose his mind all over again.


Review:

Everyone who has read this Series vigilantly as I have, knows everything about the bastard called Pestilence. His sins are beyond measuring and it is safe to say, everyone hates his guts. Rightfully so.

But what about Reseph?

All we knew about the guy was that he was a womanizer, always drifting somewhere, restless, unreliable, like a mixture of a bohemian / hippie / surfer with a taste for country music. Carefree was the adjective that suited him best. But that's it. We didn't know much from his point of view. He turned Pestilence too early in the story. That left us only with resentment towards him.

Now, Reseph is back. Even though his memories aren't. He is everything but what we knew about him. Except for his love towards country music and hate towards clothes. He seems to be a gentle, reliable, loving sort of a man who suffered hell and is trying to put his pieces back together.

And I agree with the lot who say that the injured hero grows so much more adoring. True in the "Rogue Rider", well, at least for me. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and ultimately I started to really like him. His injured soul was making me go awwww... I rarely go awwww, to be honest. But it didn't take nothing of his masculinity and his raw desire away. It was a perfect mixture.

Jillian was a good pair for him. Down to earth, also baring scars (visible and invisible) and smart. Everything he always avoided. Now he finds it attractive. If not for her, he would probably be killed by his brothers and sister somewhere along the way.

"“Also, fair warning. The sedative might have a mild aphrodisiac effect.”
“Aphrodisiac?”
“Thanks to our mother’s side of the family, when we have side-effects, they’re usually of a sexual nature.”
Huh. Well, if someone had to have a side-effect from a medication, she supposed arousal would be better than dry mouth, nausea, stroke, or heart attack."

Reaver was always a fascinating character for me. Since the beginning of the Demonica Series. I'm so happy that he was given a larger role in all of this and that the next sequel is his story. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanatos is still awesome (I had no doubt about it). He is overprotective and hot only in a way he and Wraith can pull it off. They still have the most amusing friendship going on.

"Wraith’s gonna be pissed!” Kynan shouted, even as he ducked a swipe from a Soulshredder’s claws. “He ordered Lance for dinner.”
Thanatos flashed a set of wicked fangs. Fangs? Did Reseph have them, too? “I’ll take him a doggie bag of leftovers.”

I don't know why, but Arik pisses me off. There is just something about his attitude that gets on my nerves every single time. I guess you can't like everybody. Like Lance for instance for whom I am shedding no tears. They should have done the same to Juan. But oh well, they have time.


The author, Larissa Ione, has mastered the genre. She can turn the most hated man into a brilliant hero. I applaud her for that. Not many of the writers would dare tread into this. But she pulled it off. The only thing missing here (again, for me) is more passion or more chemistry among the protagonists. It is difficult to explain but until the point where Reseph's memories have returned they didn't have enough heat. And then it just stopped. It was assumed they are madly in love. I wish she put more of the sparks in it even after Reseph left.

Regardless, it is a must read for all the fans out there and crucial piece of the story. Even if it doesn't heat you up as Thanatos or Seminus brothers, you will enjoy it and read it in one sitting (if you have the time ofc). I definitely recommend it.