Jessa SladeCritiques

First things first: this book is exceptionally well written. It's very lyrical and poetic, which might explain why it took me forever to read. I had to stop to look up words or admire a particularly evocative passage. Lovely, lovely prose. Having said that, the same stunning writing confused me numerous times while I was reading. The action became murky at times, and I had a difficult time figuring out what was happening. I also had some issues with the romance between the characters -- it never quite felt believable to me, even at the end. Despite that, the beautiful writing and the intriguing worldbuilding made this a fairly entertaining read. I will look for the next book in the series. (B )

The heroine lives is a shadow of her old life. Crippled in a car accident when her mother kidnapped her and tried to drown them both in the lake she now lives with constant pain-both psychically and psychologically. So it's really no surprise when her lack of joy with the world attracts the attention of a demon. What is a surprise however is the beautiful and equally tortured man who comes to her in her darkest time of need. Demon possessed himself the hero stays with her-looking after her as she goes through the possession. Though he says his motivations are to kill her if the wrong demon comes through, he secretly grows attached to the tortured woman who manages to make him feel more alive in the few days he's known her than in the 200 years since his own possession. He's her guardian, her teacher and the one constant thing in her life of chaos and confusion. But he's own somber and depressed SOB. He's always quick to note the dark side to every positive she minds. But it actually helps her in a lot of ways. Firstly he's brutally honest-nothing sugar coated or frosted over with pleasantries. He tells it like it is-lays it out in the open. But his habit of spurting out melodramatic metaphors and overall being a Debbie downer allows the heroine to become a more positive person. No way can both of them be super depressed and emo. She's now become the first demon possessed female in recent memory and with that title comes the ability to not just drain the demons that they hunt but to actually banish them back across the void. Something that changes everything. Suddenly they feel a small sense of hope for a future where once they was none. I really really liked this story. I thought It to be super imaginative and dark and moody but charming and real. I loved the hero with his dark cloud and overall lack of positivity. I found it actually quite funny at times-as the heroine did. He was tortured but charming and extremely quick witted. In fact both of them were and their conversations were at times heavy and other times teasing with banter. I loved the heroine who could be stupid at times but smart enough to learn from her mistakes. I loved the fact that her becoming possessed and damned was just the thing she needed to feel alive again. As I said, it was a clever story with engaging story telling and character development. Highly recommend this author for anyone with a dark sense of humor.

The heroine knows about the dark side of life but she's unprepared to discover she's inadvertently granted permission for a demon to possesses her. Though she's generally a content woman albeit more than a little tortured, she's had a very hard life. Being raped as a young woman and having no one believe her or do anything about it, she vowed to always be in control of her own body. She does this in a, I believe very empowering way. She strips for a living. She makes man desire her and want her but she knows that she holds all the body and all the cards. Until she meets the hero. Though he can't hide his attraction to her, she's not used o dealing with such a prudish and missionary man, especially not one possessed by his own demon. The hero is a study in contradictions and it's something that grates on her nerves, frustrates her to no end but also intrigues her. The hero's story is a sad one. Once a missionary in Africa, he was bitten by a spider and lay dying before his beloved wife commanded he live as she had nothing to live for if he wasn't with her. So, in his weakness, he was possessed by a demon and now lives in constantly misery of what he's become and the loss of his soul. On top of that, he's recently sacrificed his hand to save the life of a friend and now feels like he has nothing to offer to the demon fight and feels completely useless. Until the heroine. She makes him feel powerful an needed as he guides her through her own possession and controlling her new powers. She looks to him like a hero and his ego badly needed the encouragement. Though she's very frustrating and flippant about her new demon possession and has a tendency to strip off her clothes because she knows it bothers him, she's also loyal and, as it happens, a very capable warrior. In fact, he's almost threatened by her strength that makes him seem that much more pitiful. He was so unsure and very much an innocent in the ways of woman. I absolutely loved this story. I loved the heroine and hero with such a passion. They were both so completely different but at the same time they were so very much alike. Both had trauma in their lives and live with the daily struggle of their memories. Both used their words like a knife to hurt the other person to deflect the hurt off themselves but both needed the other with such a ferocity. I loved the way they spoke to each other, it was like poetry. I so freakin' recommend this story to paranormal romance readers and to those who doubt the genre can be anything other that smutty vampires. This book is amazing!!

For as long as he can remember all the hero ever wanted in life was to be a BookKeeper. As the second born son. however, the secret world of the demon possessed should have remained just that-a secret. But his older brother was disillusioned with the inheritance so with an eager heart, the hero began to take over his training. He fought hard and worked hard to earn the respect of his father but knew that it would take something truly special to finally be accepted by the rest of the coven. Traveling to America, to Chicago to observe the group of demon possessed first hand and study their history and present, he is met with a cold welcome. Hard to blame the men and woman who fight every night battling evil demons from dismissing the geeky and rather weak hero as an annoyance. Still, on his first night in the big city, fate seems to smile upon him and tosses a rogue possessed female into his path. Unknown to the rest of his kind and completely ignorant of the world and about herself, the girl immediately clings to him. He in turn is a little disturbed by her sudden and consuming attachment and event though he desires her he treats her as nothing but a bug under his microscope. He's never harsh with her or mean but he has the BookKeeper's detachment. Meaning he sees everything through a filter, never truly experiencing the world as himself. Regardless, he fights hard to see her protected and safe among the other possessed when they start out mistrusting. They've never heard of a possessed individual surviving as long as the heroine did by herself and ignorant of what she's become. But all her life the heroine was surrounded by good and evil. As a servant in the days of witch burning, she knows that devil's truly exist and she knows that she harbors evil inside of her that compels her to kill other demons but she has no idea what to do with all her powers. As such, her presence causes a disturbance with her new companions and it can only be balanced out by her finding her mate. Too bad the only man she's ever loved, the only one she trust implicitly and with such fierce loyalty, doesn't feel the same about her. But as the story goes on, the hero finds himself drifting more and more from the role as BookKeeper and deeper into the role of warrior and lover. When he finds himself possessed, it's the final straw and he knows he can never return home, never see his father again. But deep inside he knows that none of this matters because he can never see himself leaving the heroine. Though he restricts his feelings until the very end, at the last he's finally able to admit to himself that all he ever wants to be is the man who loves her. Another stellar addition to the series and one that sees a different change of pace then the first 2 books i've read. The first major difference in this story is the fact that the hero isn't possessed at first, it's the heroine. And she's a bad ass, bare footed fighter but she's childlike both is her brilliant loving openness towards the hero but also in the fact that she does come across as a little crazy. The hero, even when he's taken over by his own demon is never truly a warrior in the sense of being like the other hero's but i enjoyed that. He was deeply flawed and rather cold at times. He was an outcast from the others because of his tendency to act superior to them and never taking the time to actually see them. He thought about himself and how the heroine could benefit his rank as a BookKeeper even when she obviously thinks the world of him. But he changes as the story goes on. He becomes less and less a bystander and more involved in the battle surrounding him. And the heroine learns that she's not helping him or herself by being so vulnerable and learns that a man must see what he'll lose if he doesn't step up. I will say that i didn't LOVE this book as much as i LOVED the first 2 of the series but i found this amazing in it's own right and still highly recommend this author to anyone looking for a more in depth romance novel.

Three Sci-Fi/Fantasy novellas, three authors, all with romance as a major theme.

All That Glitters features the idea of corporate "royalty," so that the wedding of Mica Sol's sister is a major Event, for which she must return to the planet. I found the first chapter somewhat confusing, much world-building description packed densely together. As Mica flees the scavengers to avoid being held for ransom, and her former lover realizes it was HER ship his Robin Hood band shot down, we know a steamy reunion is coming, and it does. As the story progresses, the details are better sprinkled among action, and there were many parts I loved - that Mica is painting her toenails with the ship on autopilot, the small flying media cameras that buzz around each event and personality in the capital like huge electronic mosquitos. The romance is great, the lovers each likeable and capable, and the bond between sisters Mica and Pilar a nice touch.

To Buy a Wife is a futuristic dystopia reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale, set in almost medieval times - men are in charge, women are possessions, but for whatever reason, also rare. There is electricity powered by personal generators, but no grid; people travel by foot or by horse, but there's also a portal to a parallel world from which fuel and other items can be brought. Microbiotics cure or prevent illnesses, and can also reverse aging, and are another item in short supply.

Lake, the heroine, is sentenced to execution for being caught using a computer (why, if wombs are so precious and rare, wouldn't they just chop off her fingers?); Hudson sees her and claims her as his wife. Despite not even having seen a beautiful woman in ?years?, he is a super-patient husband, superlative lover, operates a large farming complex and can easily track down his runaway wife. The story really took off when they began working together, and the tattooing scene is HOT.

Enslaved by Starlight uses another pseudo-princess using her wiles to enlist mercenary captain to help save her planet, under imminent attack by raiders. Some nice touches, like the crystal ?dust? embedded in the skin of the l'auralya in sensual swirling patterns. I liked Etta and Corso, and their romance was steamy, but the story itself... dragged a bit. There were a lot of cliche characters, from the old wise teacher/authority figure, to the secret traitor, to the greedy baddies who wanted to capture the planet crystals so they could rule the Galaxy, mwuh-ha-ha-ha. It was well-written, but there were few surprises.

As a complete collection, I did enjoy it. There is a second volume, with additional stories by these authors, about these characters, however, each novella here stands alone and has its own Happily For Now.

Hotter on the Edge by Erin Kellison, Kc Klein, Jessa Slade
Hotter on the edge is an anthology that include the stories All That Glitters by Erin Kellison, To Buy A Wife by KC Klein, and Enslaved By Starlight by Jessa Slade. Hotter on the Edge is a really cool book for any paranormal/fantasy fan. Of course there is romance to be found but above all there is strength, action, and a whole lot of fun.
All That Glitters by Erin Kellison snagged my attention because I have a thing for reunited lovers and Erin did a fabulous job bringing Mica and Simon back together again. I really had a great time being a part of her unique world, it never ceases to amaze me how much detail a fabulous writer can bring to life so quickly.
To Buy A Wife by KC Klein really fascinated me before I even read it, I mean how do you not read a story when its lead male and female have the names Land and Lake? Already my interest was peaked. A couple who's political interests lay on opposite sides of the Rebel chain. Opposites attract once Hudson saves Lake from an execution and buys her as his wife. Even though they both seem quite innocent and virginal, there is more to both of them than meets the eye.
Enslaved By Starlight by Jessa Slade reaches into the emotional vein and touches into something deeper. Corso and Benedetta rally together against the destructive raiders seeking power above everything else. The clash of their two personalities win quite a lot of laughs as well as quite a few heart warming scenes. Despite Corso's stubbornness Benedetta really seems to bring out a softer side of him once he lets down his emotional barriers. I love the clash of minds and wit Jessa brings together so well.
Hotter on the Edge is sweet, fun and explosive rolled into one. An absolutely fantastic read you can't go wrong!

I wanted to give it 3 stars, but I just couldn't. While I like the storyline idea, the 'religious' portions were just too technical and 'too' much. I really don't think I can explain myself adequately, but I felt like the author was trying too hard to make her world metaphysical, and it just became confusing.

I also found it hard to believe that one lone woman, who shows up and is around for less than 2 weeks, is able to do and say things that changed the makeup of a man who has been alone for centuries and this little demon fighting group.

I think when it comes down to it, I like the synopsis of the book, better than the book itself. I say that because I just read the one for Liam and it makes me want to read that one as well. But I'm afraid the setup will be the same.

this is just an amazing series and a hot hot cover. I loved it can't wait to read the others.

Liam and Jilly are the perfect mismatched couple. The emotion in this is always on the surface, and the battles--both real and emotional are truly the stuff of good and evil, of guilt and forgiveness, and of the power of love.

I can't wait to read the next one in the series. I can see many, many books in this world. I only wish she would churn them out faster.

I've been following this series and I have to admit I'm a sucker for wounded soul stories--even though I don't usually like demon possession stories. This is the third installment in Jessa Slade's urban fantasy Marked Souls series. In this one "Naughty Nymphette" faces off with a missionary man. Both are possessed with demons, but each one handles it differently. Though on the face of it, both the setting and the relationship are impossible, Jessa Slade makes it work.

Original review here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-dark-hunters-touch-by-je...

Dark Hunter's Touch is a story about a phae named Imogene. She is on the run from the phae world because she is tired of the Queen's tyranny. Her eyes have been opened and she wants to be free. Of course, her freedom comes with a price. She escapes the phae realm and enters the human realm. The Queen has sent her Dark Hunters after her to bring her back, but Imogene continues to outrun them. But one day she comes across a fellow runner named Vaile (she runs for sport) and they fall hard for each other. But there is something about him that is different that may make things worse for Imogene.

Slade is a new author for me. I thought I would like to start off with her novella. I liked this, but I wanted to love it. Slade definitely has a way with words and kept me on the edge of my seat. I have every intention of starting her Marked Souls series which looks delicious. The problem I had with this is book however is that it was too much for 67 pages. It felt like 250 page book condensed down to 67 pages. It was a bit overwhelming because it is so much packed into something so little.

I really liked Imogene and Vaile. Imogene is scared and wants her freedom from the crazy queen. She wants a life not full of deception and illusions. I like the instant attraction between her and Vaile. Vaile has been running into for a while and he has finally gotten the chance to talk to her. But things fall a little short when they start running for their lives from the Dark Hunters. I liked the chase, but the chase alone revealed things that I expected very early in the book. Vaile is suspicious from the beginning because he didn't seem like your average runner. But it was odd because given his inner dialogue you would have thought something completely different. This will make sense once you read it.

I liked the plot a lot and think this book has a great premise. But as I said 67 pages is just too short for this. The world is huge and very complicated. From the get go I felt a little overwhelmed by the story. But once we meet the characters and get some of their story, things start to fall into place. So it is best to keep to the book until the end. But even when you get to the end and things are explained, it felt a bit contrived and rushed.

If this had 50-100 more pages, it would have been great. I think the suspense would be a lot better and drawn out. I figured things out pretty quickly because there wasn't that much build up there, but still. I liked the characters and I like the story though. I heard that this will be a series and I am extremely curious to see where it goes. The ending of this was pretty complete, so I don't know what the series will be about, but I am guessing there is more to this that we missed. Jeez, I usually don't write long reviews for short stories, but I just had to get this off of my chest. Overall, this is a good read, but could have been great.

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/03/darkness-undone-marked-souls-4-by-jessa-sla...

This is the first book I’ve read by Jessa Slade (I know, shame on me), and all I can say is…wow! Sidney Westerbrook, fresh from London, a bit stiff in his tweeds, is attacked by lesser demons in a rather dark Chicago alley. Along comes the lovely Alyce Carver, feral, wild, and unearthly, and rescues him from almost certain death. All I could think of during her fight with the demons was the fight between River and the Reavers in Serenity (if you haven’t seen that movie, download it, buy it, whatever you need to do), but I digress. I couldn’t help comparing Alyce with River during the entire novel, and it really endeared her to me. She very old, yet she was never properly bonded with her demon, resulting in certain…oddities. Lots of divergent traits, our Alyce has. These oddities are something that Sid is happy to research, since he is to be the Chicago League’s temporary Bookkeeper. What is a Bookkeeper in this case, you might ask? Well, each member of the League is possessed by a repentant demon, or teshuva. They’ve taken on the responsibility to protect their respective areas from lesser demons. The problem is that Sid is inexplicably drawn to Alyce, but he’s determined to maintain his distance. After all, his job is to catalog the history and traits of the talyan and their mates, from a distance. You can bet that’s not gonna happen, but it’s not for his lack of trying…

Darkness Undone knocked my socks off. Yes, it’s the 4th in the Marked Souls series, and since it’s the first one I read, I had a bit of catching up to do, but that’s ok. It was very easy to get attached to each member of the League and especially our main couple, Alyce and Sidney. Well, it was easy to love Alyce. Sid took a bit longer:-D Ahh, Sid. It’s fairly likely you’ll want to slap him more than a few times as you read Darkness Undone. His resistance to love is eye-rolling at times, but he has his reasons. You’ll still want to shake him though, hard. Jessa Slade has created a rich, dark, complex world and populated it with equally complex characters. Luckily, she included a handy glossary in the back. Don’t let that scare you. It’s a pretty short list, and if this is your first read from her, you’ll only have to consult it once or twice. Seriously, her world of possessed humans is all her own. The light of the talyan is counteracted by the darkness of the djinn-men, or humans possessed by not-so-nice angels, and she introduces a villain, Thorne, that you find is not all black and white. He’s pretty firmly in the grey zone, and I found myself sympathizing with him at different points. Don’t worry though, he commits plenty of nasty.

The romance between Sid and Alyce is everything I like in my love stories: lots of push and pull, frustration, cold shoulders, resistance, desire, and plenty of heat. Kick ass fight scenes punctuate this wonderful book, and did I mention the writing is top notch? I didn’t? Well, it is, and Alyce has a dry wit that will delight you, and frankly, make you want to give her a hug. Exploring her mysterious past and mining her relationship with Sid and the League was a delight, and I can’t wait to return to this wonderful world. This series will appeal to Urban Fantasy and Paranormal fans alike, and it’s a must for your bookshelf. I’ll be devouring books 1 through 3, like, now, and will count the days until the next one!

After losing her mother to suicide as a child, her father to dementia, and now her job after a car accident that left her emotionally and physically broken, Sera Littlejohn unwittingly succumbs to temptation in the form of a demon - damning herself to a semi-immortal life waging an unending war against evil. Ferris Archer, who himself was damned at the time of the (American) Civil War, is charged with watching and guiding her through her transition to her new life - or killing her, if necessary.

The world building is complex and the language walks the edge of purple prose through much of the book, with the word-play resulting in occasional missteps. I'm actually okay with the author's willingness to experiment and play with prose, though. It makes reading this more fun and distinguishes it from the slew of of nearly-identical plot-lines in the paranormal romance genre at the moment. I also like Sera's constant questioning of everything and how she and Ferris try so hard to do the right thing.

There are maybe a handful of love scenes, none of which are overly graphic. There are some references to torture, mostly off-scene. Most of the violence is of the cartoon, battling demons variety. There are some references to (Christian) religion in general terms, but it's more in a questioning way than a preaching way.

All in all, this was a lot more enjoyable than I expected - don't get me wrong, there's minimal humor and lots of angst - but as a fast-moving romantic adventure story, it really hit the spot.