Joint Review – Revenant (Demonica #11; Lords of Deliverance #6) by Larissa Ione

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: Out now
Reviewed by: E & MinnChica
How we got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgallery

HELL HATH NO FURY
For five thousand years, Revenant believed he was alone in the world, a fallen angel beyond any redemption. Now he finds he has a twin brother who had all the light and love Revenant was denied. Caught in a tug of war between Heaven and Hell, he must weigh his thirst for revenge against his desire for a mysterious female named Blaspheme-a female whose very origins could deliver him into salvation . . . or destruction.
LIKE AN ANGEL SCORNED
Blaspheme has a deadly secret: she’s the forbidden offspring of an angel and a fallen angel. Hunted by both heavenly and satanic forces, she has survived only by laying low and trusting no one. When Revenant claims he can save them both, how can she possibly believe him? But the powerful angel is persistence incarnate and for Blaspheme, there’s no place she can hide in Heaven or Hell where he won’t find her . . .
This blurb came from the author’s http://larissaione.com/blog/ website.

E: I have been a fan of Ione’s writing since I discovered the first in her Demonica series several years ago. I have eagerly devoured each one and while I enjoyed some more than others she has never let me down. After some surprise revelations during  Reaver a year ago I really couldn’t wait to find out how things were going to be resolved. Along the way to a really lovely resolution Ione provided angst, guilt, double-crossing, hidden secrets, temper tantrums, humor, and the incredible power of emotion.

MinnChica: I’m a big fan of everything that Ione writes. Between her Demonica series and her new vampire series, anytime I see her name on the cover of a book it’s an auto-read for me! I was so anxious to find out what was going on with Revenant, and where the Demonica series was heading overall. I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with this book!

E: Revenant was so torn and angry. Discovering his entire life had been a lie yet uninvited and unable to live where he thought he should have been welcomed didn’t help any and neither did the continual partial truths he received. He was also fighting against Satan’s demands and a lifetime of obedience to them as he attempted to figure out who he could be. Yet, he had this inner hidden caring piece of his soul, which emerged in unexpected moments leaving him vulnerable to rejection. I loved seeing the contrasts in his character especially as he spent more time around Blaspheme and as a result around others who weren’t part of Satan’s circle. Several times, I had some serious doubts he was going to find an equilibrium without destroying both Heaven and Hell along the way.

MinnChica: I loved Revenant. The poor guy was so tortured and so broody and angsty and I loved every second of it! With his back story, getting to see him fight and struggle with finding out the truth was so beautiful. I loved the constant fight he had with himself in the whole good versus evil aspect. He genuinely wanted to be a good guy, and I loved the fact that he really had to fight with himself to become the kind of man he wanted to be. I loved that he wanted to be a better man, to be worthy of Blaspheme, and he fought hard in order to get there.

E: Blaspheme was also a great contrast. Hunted by all, she hid in plain sight concealed by a spell powered by the death of another her time was running out as the spell’s expiration date passed. She really wanted to maintain her job as a doctor at the Underworld General Hospital, and keep her life but not at the cost of sacrificing someone else. And then there was the complication called Revenant who kept showing up in her life demanding her attention and involving her in world changing events. Like Revenant, Blaspheme’s past was filled with lies and half-truths which colored every decision she made. It was fun watching her stick to her principles regardless of the potential cost and whose plans she derailed.

MinnChica: I agree, Blaspheme was such a wonderful opposite to Revenant. She was pure in so many ways, and I loved that she was so genuine. I liked getting to know more about her abilities and power, and loved the way she was so fierce about staying on the path of good and right when it came to the spell her mother wanted her to cast. I think Blaspheme might be one of my all time favorite Ione heroines, I loved her that much!

E: While Revenant and Blaspheme were working their way through their relationship of give and take, arguing and flirting punctuated by moments of sweetness things were also happening in the outer world. Satan hadn’t given up on his plans involving Harvester and the still unborn Lucifer as tools to take over Heaven and Earth. As I have suspected for a while it appeared as if not everyone in Heaven was actually playing on the heavenly side so their interference made things even more challenging for Revenant and the future of the world.

I loved how it took some desperate moments for Reaver and Revenant to have a conversation, which did not disintegrate into a fight. The result of their cooperation was very impressive. I really enjoyed how Ione managed to tie up the threads into a very satisfactory conclusion. I am glad she has at least one more story coming because I this series has never lost its magic. The combination Ione provided of world building, strong diverse characters, lots of shades of grey, love, and mayhem has been irresistible for me.
I give Revenant a B+

MinnChica: All in all, I thought Revenant and Blaspheme had such a wonderful chemistry and romance throughout the book. I loved the way they challenged each other, and desperately wanted to be better for the other. I loved the way the series is wrapping up, but am so sad at the thought of it all ending! The Demonica series is a must-read for PNR fans, and I can’t wait for more!
I give Revenant an A-

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