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"Hades"
by
Larissa Ione
paranormal romance in a Kindle edition that was published by Evil Eye Concepts Incorporated on May 26, 2015 and has 155 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Desire Unchained, Pleasure Unbound, Passion Unleashed, Ecstasy Unveiled, Sin Undone, Eternal Rider, Immortal Rider, Lethal Rider, Supernatural, Rogue Rider, Bound by Night, Reaver, Revenant, Snowbound, "Bond of Destiny", "Z", "Azagoth", "Revenant's Epilogue", "Razr", "Hawkyn", "Cipher", Reaper, Bond of Passion, Legacy of Temptation
A novella, second in the Demonica Underworld paranormal romance series (thirteenth in the Demonica Universe and 6.5 in the Lords of Deliverance), revolves around the Grim Reaper and his employees. The couple focus is on Cat and Hades.
My Take
No, no, I would never have imagined Hades as a guy who laughs, pulls pranks, and plays with puppies. It’s all this that attracts Cat to Hades.
Ione uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Cat’s and Hades’ perspectives. And it’s how we know what a clumsy screw-up Cat is, which leads to a lot of trembling.
I love that Sheoul-gra is flourishing since Lilliana showed up. Oh, yeah, behind every good man stands a woman, lol.
Whoa, that’s certainly an unexpected perspective of the Egyptian Seth. Not unexpected is demons having no moral values.
It cracks me up how horny Hades is. On the one hand, he’s remembering the warnings he’s gotten from Azagoth and with his next thought, he’s wondering if sucking on her toes counted.
Oh-ho, we do find out what Hades did to get the no-sex rule, although I do have to agree that the thousands of years ago should be long enough as a punishment. We also learn why Hades was tossed out of Heaven. Got a little too zealous in his judgments.
Naturally, there has to be a nasty side. Yep, even nastier than being betrayed by a fellow angel. A “ritual” has begun that is draining Cat and the human.
Them angels. They’ve got a whole ‘nother side that just ain’t pretty. Cat certainly knows all about it.
For such a short story, Ione has really packed it with action and characters with a reasonably fast pace. Enough that I kept racing through it.
I love that “home is where the people who want you are”.
The Story
It was an accident, letting that human soul into the Inner Sanctum. When Cat tries to fix it, well those illegal demon rituals create some problems. Big problems.
Sheoul-gra is weakening, leaving soft spots demons could break through.
The Characters
Cataclysm “Cat”, a former Seraphim and now an Unfallen Angel, works in Sheoul-gra, but only to earn her way back into Heaven. She’s both minion and assistant to Lilliana, and she loves to cook. In Heaven, her abilities led to her judging Neutrals, a.k.a. Shuns, you know, sociopaths.
The Mohawk-wearing Hades is Azagoth’s second-in-command and the designated Jailor of the Dead. He’s also the only Unfallen who can enter Sheoul without becoming a true fallen. His parents are professors of Angel Ethics.
Sheoul-gra
Azagoth, a.k.a. the Grim Reaper, rules in this purgatory. He’s mellowed recently since he hooked up with Lilliana, a fully-haloed angel in “Azagoth“, 1 (DU), 11 (Dem). Zhubaal is also Azagoth’s second-in-command, and he’s still searching for his beloved Laura.
The Rot is a part of the prison for the worst of the worst. Vipe is a fallen angel guard there. The sadistic Silth is the fallen angel commander of the 5th Ring. Geist is one of the Wardens. Rhoni and Malonius (he screws up big time) are 4th Ring Wardens. Jellybean is part of the prison that feeds on fear.
The Ufelskala is a scale that categorizes the intensity of evil in demons. The Hall of Souls is where Azagoth puts the demons-turned-statues. An Orphmage is one of the most powerful sorcerer-class demon. Hell’s version of Cloud Cuckoo Land is new and built for the good demons, like those who work for Underworld General Hospital.
Satan has been replaced by and with Revenant, Reaver’s brother. Revenant also jailed Lucifer, Gethel who had been a turncoat angel who’s pregnant with Satan’s child, and the archangel Raphael. Cerberus is king of the hellhounds. I think one of the hellhounds is named Crush.
Reaver, a Radiant angel, and Harvester had spent time as fallen angels (Reaver, 5 (LoD), 10 (Dem)).
The Four Horsemen
Thanatos is Death. Limos is Famine.
Angel ranking ranges from Radiant, Archangel, Principality, Throne, and Seraphim (they mostly do administrative work for humans who have crossed over). Primori are humans who will play an important part; they can be good or bad people. Memitim are Azagoth’s children. Created from imps, griminions are Azagoth’s worker bees. Crater Lake is a beautiful place Hades loves.
The Cover and Title
The cover is purples and lilacs. A deep purple for the background with lilac filigrees of triangles and stars. At the top is the novella publisher’s name in lilac. In the first “0” is a sunlight graveyard. The second “0” is a sunset with a naked angel stretching his arms up to Heaven with his deep golden wings stretched out. Beneath this is the title and the series info in a bluer lilac. Beneath this is the author’s name in a deep gold with the middle “i” a staff for the demonic caduceus. Below that is an info blurb in the same deep gold.
The title is all about the male protagonist, “Hades”.
