i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the world that was built. I really hope there is more in the series.

This is the latest book in the Urban /Paranormal Fantasy genre to hold my attention - one filled with a mix of action, romance, and demonic intrigue .
Gisele has been training as a Bounty Hunter for years - are her job skills in question ? - why has a demon , Shade . been hired to help with her latest assignments . Can she trust him ? she can't figure him out .
When she takes a on a private client assignment she finds that all is not as it seems - the curio she is sent after is actually a portal to Hell , which she accidently opens - consequences ? off course there are consequences .

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the book , the characters were great - where else would you get a Minotaur as a roommate/ bodyguard ? a flesh-eating balvelgr medical examiner with a twisted sense of humor ?

I was given an arc of the book by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review

I read an Advanced-Reader copy provided by Net-Galley. Half-blood Gigi does not like her new coworker, takes a side job her boss does not know about and ends up in a contract with a devil...or at least his sister-in-law. Urban fantasy set in Baltimore, Maryland and the 6 gates of hell. I would rate this one 3.5 if I could, Gigi is a fun new character and I look to reading more about her. However, there were some huge plot gaps that left me a bit disappointed.

An interesting paranormal book with some dark humor, romance, and a bunch of action. It had well written, interesting characters. The action scenes were also written well, so I could easily visuallize everything that was happening to the characters.

Gisele, a half-demon paranormal bounty hunter, works with Shade, a demon, to save Baltimore after it burns and hell is unleashed.

I enjoyed this book a lot and thought it was very interesting. I liked the romance between Gisele and Shade. Beast was also great.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title.

5 stars
I think this could definitely read as more of a New Adult than Young Adult!
Anyway, great plot, great characters, and great writing.

En epic Quest ! This Book was a funny but also thrilling read. A interesting Twist between Angels and Demons.

3.75 stars.

For the most part, I quite enjoyed this book. Absolutely gorgeous cover, I think it's perfect! But don't let it fool you into thinking this is a YA novel because it definitely isn't. I think it fits in nicely in the 'new adult' category.

The world had me feeling lots of 'Grimm' mixed with 'Supernatural' vibes. I loved the characters. I loved Beast's loyalty & I really really liked Shade's vulnerability, I thought his character was spot on. The 'romance' was pretty good, though I can definitely see it being problematic for some readers, I personally liked it. But there were a few things that irked me enough that I can't give it a full 4 stars.

It was a bit repetitive, both in the writing and in the plot itself. The main characters could easily be nicknamed - 'sweaty everything', 'ash-brown hair' and 'teal side-slitted eyes'. Sometimes using just 'eyes' or just 'hair' is absolutely okay!!

Also the constant bickering and back and forth got really tiring. Gigi also had me frustrated at times with her persistent denial of things that couldn't have been laid out more clearly for her to see. I wasn't a fan of the ending either unfortunately. Both the climax and the 'cliffhanger', I believe it had the potential to be so much better.

With the right exposure, I think Gigi & Shade could have a die-hard following.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a rollercoaster of a slow-burn paranormal romance. Gisele is a half demon that is desperate to gain her freedom and open her own paranormal detective agency
She resents her co workers, Shade, interference as he always seems to appear when she is in trouble. Shade's relentless loyalty and determination to protect her was sweet but a bit tiresome to the reader as it seems he is always being tortured or compelled to kill Gisele. We learn he is a soul-bound and is being used by an evil demons. Gisele begins to learn the truth about her past and her true nature. I admired her strength and bravery.
Overall, the novel was well written and compelling. The only thing I found difficult enjoying was all of the torture and agony they both endured to free themselves of their evil masters.

Half demon Gisele has been training to be a bounty hunter through her adopted family since she was 14 years old. She would give anything to run her own company, but when another demon is hired out of the blue to help her with her assignments, she can’t help but feel like her job skills are being questioned. Shade seems to show up wherever she goes, and his unwanted help infuriates her. Why is he here and where did he come from? Despite her best investigative efforts, she still can’t figure him out. All she knows is that he’s dangerous and she definitely shouldn’t trust him.
When a private client offers her an opportunity to start fresh, she can’t help but grasp at the chance, only to discover the item her client desires is actually a curio portal to Hell which she accidentally opens on the job. Something triggers and Gisele starts to have dreams about Shade as a child growing up in Hell, which of course is impossible, surely she would remember such a thing? When her client sends a demon with a life-threatening message, Gisele has no choice but to follow Shade into the depths of Hell to discover the truth about her past once and for all.

I have to say, enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. I thought the story was great, the characters were well written and the atmosphere was brilliant. A Minotaur that takes the role as a roommate/ body guard, howler demons from the realm of nightmares, an elghoul that takes pleasure in reliving your greatest fear, a flesh-eating balvelgr medical examiner with a twisted sense of humor, not to mention a soul-bound dragon in love. What more could you want from a fantasy story? And that’s just what’s lurking on the surface. The story continues to get better as they dive into the depths of Hell.
I wasn’t sure what to think of Gisele, on her own at first she was determined, strong, intelligent and calm in the face of danger, but I felt like whenever Shade was nearby, she became weaker and emotional. I wasn’t sure whether it was because it was a part of her character, or whether Shade just made her so mad all the time she couldn’t think straight. Even when she started developing feelings for him, she would still make stupid decisions at times and although Shade took the blame, it was definitely because she wasn’t thinking clearly.
Shade was an enigma wrapped in leather. It’s clear he’s dangerous and fresh out of the depths of Hell, but how dangerous is he really when he’s so utterly smitten with Gisele and following her around like a puppy? Without spoiling the plot, I have to say, he really needed to step up his game. He’s clearly more than capable of looking after himself, but whenever he’s around Gisele, he just messes things up instead of being the protector he choses to be. His dark past haunts him regularly and his determination to shield her from everything shows us who he truly is, even if Gisele can’t see it.
The way the two characters dance around each other is maddening, you don’t know whether they will kiss or end up with Gisele pointing yet another gun to Shade’s head. It’s enough to drag you further into their world and the mystery surrounding their connected childhood.

I really liked how the author set the scenes in the book, it was dark, mysterious and descriptive enough to place yourself there without taking you away from the characters, whether it was roaming the isolated streets, being trapped in a dark broken elevator with an uncontrollable demon in the morgue basement, a simple empty apartment or traveling through the various dimensions of Hell experiencing the dark twisted magical pull of the sins each gate represents. It’s brilliant and capturing, you won’t want to put it down.

It took me a while to get into this one. As in, I nearly quit about three times in the first fifty pages. I couldn't figure out what was going on. The pacing was strange. I was not into it. (Sorry, book. It was a rough start.) But then! It took a turn for the significantly better. You can't quit a book that has a giant paranormal fight scene in a morgue. Gisele is a half-human/half-demon detective-bounty hunter-PI. She gets pulled into a giant mess of drama after she steals a cursed object for a contract. Shade is her co-worker and (basically) body guard, since she can't seem to keep herself out of trouble.

This book was really funny and fairly snarky and had cool mythology. (I suspect it will be popular with fans of Laurel K. Hamilton and Nalini Singh.) Shade is great. (And the slow burn between Gisele and Shade is even better.) The world building is really awesome, and the characters are well-crafted and likable. There's even a bloodthirsty and hilarious enchanted sword that talks.

I will say that I think this one could have benefited from tighter editing with regard to the pacing and fewer descriptions of what everyone was wearing, but overall, it was fun. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is really hard to write. I'm so sorry, but I didn't like this book. The heroine Gigi frustrated me to no end and it seems like I can't write a constructive review without my bad feelings getting in the way.
All I can say is that Gigi was driving me nuts from her back-and-forth-opinion on the Hero. She also wasn't very "kickass" in my opinion because she constantly ran away, leaving Shade to fend for himself and getting him hurt. She even ran away from her memories... I know that being badass is not always about fighting well and kicking ass in every situation but I couldn't help but think that Gigi is not my kind of kickass heroine. I'll give 1.5 Stars for Beast. The only aspect of this story that I truly liked and adored.

Disclaimer I received a copy as an ARC via NetGalley


I sped through this book, very captivated. I place it in the same fantasy/romance genre of Sarah Maas which I really enjoy. My comparison to Sarah Maas is no way in saying this book is not original. The story feels very original. I am referring more to the fast paced world building, steamy romance, kickass female lead which they both share.

I did guess some of the plot before it was revealed, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the story and the path that got us there.

I'm intrigued to read more from this world. I want more detail.

I honestly loved this book. So many times I find myself leery about starting yet another PNR series, but this one was easy to fall in love with. Great Plot. Lovable characters. Heart-pounding action. Just great. Can't wait to read more from this series!

If you wanted something that was a blend of Ugly Americans, Devil May Cry, and Constantine (the 2005 movie with Keanu Reeves), look no further than this bombastic fun time. Gisele Walker finds herself in some hellish malarkey when a contract accidentally rips open a new entrance to the underworld and she finds herself with a dashing demon in tow. He's definitely got some ulterior motives and someone is out for blood, and it's up to Gisele to find whomever is hunting her to save Baltimore and herself.

The dialogue and structure of this book completely spoke to my video game heart. The monsters are things ripped straight out of The Evil Within. The elghoul was probably my favorite-least-favorite part because of how spooky it was. There was much more body horror than I expected, but I shouldn't have been surprised, given that there are half-demons and shadow governments.

The flirtation between Shade and Gisele is just so good. They're definitely an enemies-to-lovers pairing, which really takes its time in the enemies stage. But for every retort, there's a daring rescue and the relationship is just so good.

A fantastic Halloween read for people who want more half-demons and scoundrels in their life.

There was literally so much to fangirl about when it comes to this book! I love when a new-to-me author snags me from the start. Every scene was depicted in such a way that I could easily picture it, whether it was the false calm found here on Earth or the scary things that go bump in the night in the author's version of Hell. The characters came to life with ease and I couldn't help but be intrigued by them... especially Shade. Gosh, I would have given anything to really get his perspective on things. ANYTHING!!

I had a real hard time liking Gigi. She was impossible. I happen to love strong and fearless heroines and she was definitely all of that. But she was also impulsive, reckless, rash, rude, and a huge brat. She was impudent and irrational and it drove me absolutely nuts! However, her character gave me one heck of a story so I can't really complain. Actually, yeah I can. She did many things that stuck in my craw, but the most glaring error she made was hitting a man with no provocation other than her own insane thoughts. That's a major no-no in my book. She was also quick to abandon Shade although he constantly put himself in harm's way to protect her. Harm's way that she created!!

~ She'd done something horrible and rash. She'd bolted and left him to the wolves, knowing he was too hurt to fend them off. She'd known and hadn't cared. What the hell kind of person was she? ~

See? Awful! Shade was forever at the edge of death because of her and she was always picking a fight with him over some nonsense and then not trusting him and abandoning him. WTH?! There were other things that bothered me, such as Gigi's memories and the fact that she kept ignoring them, forcing everyone into problems that could have been avoided. This girl was a mess. And yet, I couldn't get enough. I burned through the pages and now I'm anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that we'll get Shade's voice throughout and that Gigi's experiences in this book have matured her for the future.

If you like fierce heroines, mysterious heroes, and creatures that will scare the snot out of you, read this book!

While the cover almost threw me off wanting to read House of Ash & Brimstone, I was happy I gave it a chance. Despite the teen looking image, it is very much an adult fantasy novel. Gigi is a half demon bounty hunter who find herself in one predicament after the other starting on the very first pages. She kind of blunders her way through life directed by her emotions, even when she knows that is not the way to go. Along the way she makes some wonderful friends and frienemies. As this is from Gigi's perspective, you truly feel her emotions and confusion when she starts realizing there is more to her life than she originally thought. Flashbacks and weird dreams make her want to run straight forward into that River Denial but the world just won't let her.

Starks' characters are wonderfully flawed and fleshed out with chances to grow further. The main characters evolve as you read into a small family that both helps and hurts each other. And the interactions add more to the mystery and frustration that Gigi are going through. Set in a world where demons and normal humans live side-by-side with an uneasy truce, it is easy to see how Gigi is walking a fine line, especially when dealing with governmental agencies. The world picks up elements from other fantasy books but builds well in its own ways. There is wonderful detail and imagery to help one truly sink into the modern world as well as the realms of hell.

A forgotten memory, a love story to remember for all time - this is what Megan Starks has created with this wonderful debut novel! I loved it from start to finish and really never wanted it to end. I fell in love with the characters from the start, and Megan seamlessly blended in backstory that gave the reader a taste for the past without being overwhelmed by it. Truly genius writing. The storyline was also very unique. In a world where romance readers frequently are drawn to the paranormal and fantasy genres, it can be hard to find a story that truly has its own original ideas, but this author has done just that. Very original, intriguing, and ultimately not a book to be missed.

Gisele Walker has no memory from before she was eleven years old, when she was first cared for by a convent of fanatics who deemed her evil, and then when she was taken in by her now-guardian and put to work as an investigator. She has two years left on her contract and then she can break free to be on her own. But everything changes when her new coworker turns out to be a lot more than what he seems. Shade is constantly where she is, always, and getting in the way most of the time. But lately he's seemed more protective, and now she finds herself having flashbacks to a time long ago. A time when Shade wasn't just some guy - he was everything.

Such a romantic story, I absolutely loved it. A forgotten past, a hidden romance, a villainous family - it all makes for a thrilling ride. Shade and Gisele were a beautiful couple, not just physically but also in their personalities and the way they interacted with each other. The chemistry was off the charts, and you could feel the tension in what was not being said. Their history made everything seem so much more intense, and the seductive quality to their banter put me on the edge of my seat. I kept waiting for them to come together, finally, and when they did, it was magical. Shade was a wounded soul, Gisele was lost without realizing it, and together they were powerful and inspiring. I never wanted the story to end, and thankfully it's just the first in a series.

A unique story that I believe any romance reader could enjoy, I highly recommend House of Ash & Brimstone. I can't wait for the next entry in this saga, coming out in 2020!

4.75 Stars – rounded up.(links to blog/goodreads provided)

Goodreads synopsis: (Normally I would write my own, but I did not want to risk spoiling the book!)

Hell has come to collect…

…but Gisele Walker has no plans to pay the debt.

As a half-demon paranormal bounty hunter, Gisele is used to flirting with death, but stealing a curio and opening a portal to Hell’s demon court is more than your average day job.

Now, she’s partnered with an infuriatingly handsome demon, Shade, who has more levels of grey than she can count.

Who can she trust to help save the city as Baltimore burns to the ground and ghouls roam the streets?

With a white-hot attraction burning between them and secrets blocking their path, Gisele must face her past and venture into the twisted heart of the demon royal court.

But with no memory of her past…

…will she be able to save their future?

This book is a dark and delicious romantic urban fantasy with magic, demons and the supernatural entwined into a complex and mysterious story.

As you may know, I am not an avid reader of pure romance, but I don’t usually mind it in fantasy if it does not dominate the story. Don’t get me wrong, I watch and read fantasy with romance, but prefer to know if it will be romantically dominant before I start. However, I did make an exception for House Of Ash & Brimstone which is heavily romantic because it was labelled as such and the romance is important to the story. Let me tell you- I definitely made the right decision and I will tell you why.

Starting with the narrative and writing style. House of Ash & Brimstone, by Megan Starks is written from the viewpoint of the main character, Gisele, which allowed me to see her point of view, thoughts and emotions. All of which enabled me to connect with the main character much easier. Moreover, because we see everything from Gisele’s perspective it maintains the mystery and suspense throughout the novel and kept me guessing about how it would end or why the characters were behaving as they were. I loved the narrative choice and found it added significantly to the story. Similarly, the weaving of the present day and the flashbacks or memories is well done and creates a new dimension of interest to the story. Furthermore, Megan Starks writing style is easy to read, well crafted, and manages to find a balance between being direct and beautifully metaphorical. Starks writes her scenes with a wonderful intensity that makes you enjoy and experience the scenes with the characters, particularly the fight scenes which were very well written and great to read about, and her descriptions are truly amazing.

The plot and the world building/magic. The plot of this story is incredibly interesting and, despite using ideas that often appear in fiction, the story is very original and completely individual. The story moves at a good pace and is able to keep you interested all the way through. The characters go through a lot of twists and turns that maintains interest and makes it less predictable. Though we can work out some elements of the story, it is only elements that you have been allowed to work out and, despite this, there are many points that come as a surprise or a shock because the story is complex and only reveals enough information to get the theories brewing but not enough to ruin it. Moreover, the world that Starks has built is complex and clever. The modern day setting is intriguing as normal humans and demons live alongside each other, though it is not liked, and they don’t conceal themselves from humanity like in most other fantasy’s. The way they have been incorporated into daily life and the rules around this, status given depending on where they are born or if they are half human etc… gives the world a sense of realism. Furthermore, the background on the demons in relation to Hell, their powers, the use of gates and the way travel occurs is unique and clever, it maintains a sense of structure in this world while also creating an in-depth mythological system surrounding Hell and its demons. The diversity of demons and their types, mixed with stereotypes or beliefs surrounding them is reminiscent of human society, again creating a sense of realism while maintaining a complex mythological structure.

The characters. Starks characters are well developed, well crafted and in-depth. They are flawed, yet lovable – making them realistic and easy to connect with. Gisele, the main character, is amazing. She is a half-demon with a penchant for recklessness and determination. The character is reminiscent of Buffy (Vampire slayer) in her capabilities and headstrong behaviour but is also entirely individual. Gisele is strong, independent and clever but she is also reckless, quick to act, and naive. The balance of strength and vulnerability was clever and believable. It makes her more likeable and she is very easy to connect with because of this. Moreover, she is kind. She is strong and reckless but maintains her kindness towards those who need help. This is the perfect mix for a heroine and made the book much easier, and more fun, to read. Gisele’s relationships with those around her are also interesting to read about. Her connection with Beast is funny, sweet and an amazing friendship that I will never tire of reading about. Her relationship with Shade is more reminiscent of that of Buffy and Angel or Elena and Damon (tv series) with there being a lot of ups and downs, sweet and yet with hints of darkness or uncertainty. The relationship is one that I did enjoy reading about, the connection between the two makes sense and goes beyond the ‘insta-love’ I use to see a lot of. It is a deep and complex relationship that I am intrigued to see develop as I have so many questions!

Shade’s character is a bit of an enigma. I love it. He is difficult to place on a scale or morality because he is sweet and protective but obviously keeping a lot of secrets throughout the book. His character is incredibly complex and his story is extraordinarily interesting. Though I could go on about is character I won’t as it is far too spoilery! But, I love his relationship with Gisele and his interactions with Beast are by far some of the best and most entertaining.

Beast. Now, Beast is one of my favourite secondary characters of all time. He subverts the stereotypes around his race, as he is a Minotaur, and is a creature of few words. Yet when he speaks, he speaks with wisdom, despite making seemingly little sense. Beast is a wonderful friend and extraordinarily protective, but has a habit of acting before questioning- which is great because it makes his scenes so amazing and funny. Beast is well crafted and is definitely a wonderful character. But, you will have to read to find out more because spoilers!

The other side and minor characters – who I will refrain from mentioning to avoid spoilers- are also well developed, extraordinarily evil (if meant to be) and are also great to read about. The conflict and tensions created between all the characters and villains is amazing, and really draws you into the story and gets you rooting for the heroine.

The only reasons I did not give this a full 5 stars: Firstly, though there is diversity of demonic characters (since all the primary characters are mostly demons of some sort) and some ethnic/racial diversity with the few human characters, I feel the book could have more diversity in terms of other minorities – perhaps this is something we will see later on in the series. Though I appreciate the diversity that is created! Secondly, at points in the book I would have liked to see Gisele manage on her own a little more without Shade’s help, since we already know she is very capable- it would be nice to see more of that, perhaps when she has learnt to be a little less reckless.

Content warning: this is (imo) and adult fantasy, so there is a lot of violence (which is awesome and well written and intense) and minor spoiler … there is a single detailed/graphic sex scene…. which is again well written, though if you dislike them it is literally only one scene, i’m pretty indifferent to them but I appreciate it is well written and not an irrelevant filler, it is actually relevant and so it does add to the story and really shows the characters connection.

Overall: This is an amazing story that is masterfully crafted, the world is ingeniously built and the characters are multi-dimensional and easy to connect with. For a debut novel, it certainly stands out in the fantasy genre.

I would definitely recommend this to people who love fantasy, romance, demons and everything in between. I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of the series!

*I received an eARC of this via Netgalley (publishers BroadUnivers/City Owl Press) after a review request from the author, Megan Starks @fictivate, in exchange for an honest review! This review is entirely my own honest thoughts on House of Ash & Brimstone.*
https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/house-of-ash-brimstone-gatewalkers-1-by-megan-starks/

The action starts right away in this debut urban fantasy novel with Buffy-esque vibes. Gisele is a kickass half-demon bounty hunter who has no idea that her latest bounty is setting her on a collision course with the past that she can't remember and the family that she's better off not reacquainting herself with.

When she saves a Minotaur from imprisonment, she gains a bodyguard/partner she can trust. Something she relishes given that her day job has saddled her with a partner she doesn't trust at all, the mysterious Shade who keeps popping up where he shouldn't. But as the past unravels itself into Gigi's present, the pull she feels toward Shade begins to make sense.

But as deals with the Devil come due, Gigi and Shade must venture into the circles of Hell in order to free themselves from a future that has already been prescribed by evil intentions. Action-packed and full of will-they-won't-they tension, this is the kind of story that leaves you with a massive hangover and aching for more.

**House of Ash & Brimstone will publish on October 22, 2019. I received an advance copy courtesy of Netgalley/City Owl Press in exchange for my honest review.