Stephanie C W. (stephanie13w) reviewed The Devil Inside (Morgan Kingsley, Bk 1) on + 300 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Start of a new series. I liked it but it took me awhile to get into it. If reading about m/m sex scenes bothers you then you might want to skip it. It can be a dark book sometimes.
Helpful Score: 5
I thought the premise was good (woman exorcist) but it wasn't as good as I'd hoped. It felt like the author was trying to force tension into the book by using s&m scenes. The main character was also pretty whimpy for an exorcist.
Helpful Score: 3
Heads up on this book - rated R for very explicit S&M scenes, heavy on the S. This is a Urban Fantasy with a different set-up. Demons are real. However, they don't really match the biblical idea of demons. They're simply incorporeal beings from another realm. Of course, they do posses humans, and certainly have a somewhat different view of the world than humans do as well. People can volunteer to be possessed by a demon. They gain certain advantages - strength, healing, the knowledge of a being that has been around for quite a while. However, they also live out the rest of their lives as a spectator in their body. Demons can also posses people against their will. If they are found out they are arrested and an exorcist called in. If the exorcist fails the host is burned alive. Either way results in the death of the demon.
There are fanatics on both sides - those who adore demons and those who despise them. Morgan was brought up in a family of adoring fanatics. When her older brother was of legal age he chose to become a host. Morgan doesn't really have any soft spots for demons, which certainly makes her job as an exorcist a bit easier. Then things start going wrong. During an exorcism in Kansas the host escapes the restraints and touches Morgan's bare skin - normally all that's needed for the demon to pass from one host to another. Except that it doesn't and she succeeds in exorcising him.
Over all I enjoyed the book. The Sadism was a bit much occasionally, but I didn't find it that bad. The thing that really drove me nuts about the book was Morgan. The author was clearly going for a smart-ass heroine with a few hang-ups. Instead we got protagonist that was b*tchy, whiny and judgmental. I wanted to slap her sometimes. Due to her attitude problems she kept shoving away people trying to help her, at one point almost getting one of them arrested for murder. I understand that a lot was happening to her, but I had a difficult time sympathizing with her. It got a bit better toward the end.
The supporting cast was excellent though. Looking at some other reviews book 2 gets better, so I'll definitely keep going.
There are fanatics on both sides - those who adore demons and those who despise them. Morgan was brought up in a family of adoring fanatics. When her older brother was of legal age he chose to become a host. Morgan doesn't really have any soft spots for demons, which certainly makes her job as an exorcist a bit easier. Then things start going wrong. During an exorcism in Kansas the host escapes the restraints and touches Morgan's bare skin - normally all that's needed for the demon to pass from one host to another. Except that it doesn't and she succeeds in exorcising him.
Over all I enjoyed the book. The Sadism was a bit much occasionally, but I didn't find it that bad. The thing that really drove me nuts about the book was Morgan. The author was clearly going for a smart-ass heroine with a few hang-ups. Instead we got protagonist that was b*tchy, whiny and judgmental. I wanted to slap her sometimes. Due to her attitude problems she kept shoving away people trying to help her, at one point almost getting one of them arrested for murder. I understand that a lot was happening to her, but I had a difficult time sympathizing with her. It got a bit better toward the end.
The supporting cast was excellent though. Looking at some other reviews book 2 gets better, so I'll definitely keep going.
Helpful Score: 2
First in the series about an exorcist with a kick-butt attitude. I enjoyed the book and will probably read the next when it comes out, but it's not "collection" material for me. Kind of a different view on the whole "demon" thing, with the demons being either legal or illegal depending on how they end up possessing a person. The sex scenes did seem slightly uncomfortable and not well written...too bad there were so many of them. The plot line felt rushed at the end and there were quite a few loose ends that could have been tied off.
Helpful Score: 2
I really couldn't get into this story, and the writing style irritated me. I wouldn't recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
I have heard about this series before and wish now that I got around to them a lot sooner! What an incredible group of characters! Even though at times I want to shake Morgan out of her stupidity, I still could not put this book down and I have already started book two.
Ms. Black introduces us to Morgan Kingsley, exorcists extraordinaire. She is definitely the kick ass first ask questions later heroine! After an exorcist gone wrong, she finds out that she is illegal possessed by none other than the King of the Demons aka Lugh, who was forced there by his enemies. Now people are trying to kill her, including her best friend and fellow exorcist Val and her brother, Andrew (who is possessed by a demon named Rapheal)! Now her only hope is trusting Adam who is a demon possessed police officer. I tell you what, this book is non-stop action and I highly recommend this book to any one that loves this genre. Not recommended for the young adult, there is strong sexual content within these pages...:)
Ms. Black introduces us to Morgan Kingsley, exorcists extraordinaire. She is definitely the kick ass first ask questions later heroine! After an exorcist gone wrong, she finds out that she is illegal possessed by none other than the King of the Demons aka Lugh, who was forced there by his enemies. Now people are trying to kill her, including her best friend and fellow exorcist Val and her brother, Andrew (who is possessed by a demon named Rapheal)! Now her only hope is trusting Adam who is a demon possessed police officer. I tell you what, this book is non-stop action and I highly recommend this book to any one that loves this genre. Not recommended for the young adult, there is strong sexual content within these pages...:)
Helpful Score: 1
This one's not for everyone. I liked it because I think the characters and the plot is good enough to manage the S&M scenes. It's not my thing but it won't keep me from reading the next one.
Helpful Score: 1
I read quite a number of supernatural romances / urban fantasy novels. One thing that this book is ~not~ is a mystery. We are introduced to the bad guy early on, and as the bad guy at that. Then the main character proceeds to not really investigate anything.
It's not a romance. The social dynamic between the main character and the various romantic interests is nonexistent.
So what is it? Well our main character dresses in leather pants to go to work as an exorcist. She works closely with people who are possessed by entities called demons. The defining feature of demons seems to be an obsession with pain, both giving and receiving.
Our main character has never heard of BDSM, but is thrust into the world of supernatural BDSM. S&M is even used as a way to interrogate someone at one point. (Honestly, I'll give the author that one. It's a common enough mistake to make when one knows nothing about modern and historic interrogation methods.)
So what is this book? Is "bad" a genre?
It's not a romance. The social dynamic between the main character and the various romantic interests is nonexistent.
So what is it? Well our main character dresses in leather pants to go to work as an exorcist. She works closely with people who are possessed by entities called demons. The defining feature of demons seems to be an obsession with pain, both giving and receiving.
Our main character has never heard of BDSM, but is thrust into the world of supernatural BDSM. S&M is even used as a way to interrogate someone at one point. (Honestly, I'll give the author that one. It's a common enough mistake to make when one knows nothing about modern and historic interrogation methods.)
So what is this book? Is "bad" a genre?
This book was ok. Started out slow and the S&M scenes were unexpected and M/M scenes were uncomfortable. Again not a great book but went ahead and read the next one and WOW was I glad I did. The series gets much better.
Interesting story, I was grateful not to be able to guess where it was headed. Can't wait to read the next Morgan Kingsley book!
This is the first book by this author that I've read. It won't be the last. Jenna Black in some ways does for demons what Laurell Hamilton has done for vampires, but not exactly... I don't want to tell you any more, or I'll spoil the suspense for you ...
From back cover:
Posession. Murder. Mayhem. Let the games begin...
Exorcism isn't a job, it's a calling-and a curse. Just ask Morgan Kingsley, a woman who has a stronger aura than any Demon. Or so she thought. Now, in a pair of black leather pants and a kick-ass tattoo, Morgan is heading back to Philadelphia after a nasty little exorcism-and her life is about to be turned upside down...by the Demon that's gotten inside her.
Not just any Demon. Six foot five inches of dark, delicious temptation, this one is to die for-that is, if he doesn't get Morgan killed first. Because while some humans vilify Demons and others idolize them, Morgan's Demon is leading a war of succession no human has ever imagined. For a woman trying to live a life, and hold on to the almost-perfect man, being possessed by a gorgeous rebel Demon will mean a wild ride of uninhibited thrills, shocking surprises, and pure, unadulterated terror...
From back cover:
Posession. Murder. Mayhem. Let the games begin...
Exorcism isn't a job, it's a calling-and a curse. Just ask Morgan Kingsley, a woman who has a stronger aura than any Demon. Or so she thought. Now, in a pair of black leather pants and a kick-ass tattoo, Morgan is heading back to Philadelphia after a nasty little exorcism-and her life is about to be turned upside down...by the Demon that's gotten inside her.
Not just any Demon. Six foot five inches of dark, delicious temptation, this one is to die for-that is, if he doesn't get Morgan killed first. Because while some humans vilify Demons and others idolize them, Morgan's Demon is leading a war of succession no human has ever imagined. For a woman trying to live a life, and hold on to the almost-perfect man, being possessed by a gorgeous rebel Demon will mean a wild ride of uninhibited thrills, shocking surprises, and pure, unadulterated terror...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - a bit on the dark side but very interesting. The heroine is gutsy and not afraid to speak her peace while admitting she needs to reach out for help sometimes.
Christine H. (solarawynn) reviewed The Devil Inside (Morgan Kingsley, Bk 1) on + 724 more book reviews
Was good, has a unique plot and characters. Will purchase the Devil You Know when it comes out.
