Review: Demon Bound by Meljean Brook

Posted November 3, 2008 by Holly in Reviews | 6 Comments

Review: Demon Bound by Meljean BrookReviewer: Holly
Demon Bound by Meljean Brook
Series: The Guardians #4
Also in this series: Demon Night, Demon Forged, Guardian Demon, Demon Angel, Demon Moon
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 2008
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 326
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five-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

Novice Guardian Jake Hawkins has a power that could help Alice Grey out of her deal with a demon. But in helping her, he never expects to fall in love. Now fleeing for their lives, they’re about to discover a secret that will change their universe forever.

Alice Grey has been a Guardian for over a century. When she was a human, she made a bargain with the demon Teqon. She agreed that she would give him the heart of the head Guardian Michael. This bargain has been haunting her all this time and now Teqon is asking that fulfill her debt. Jake Hawkins, a novice Guardian has trouble controlling his gift of teleportation. He teams up with Alice to help her find a loop-hole in her bargain with Teqon.

 

This is the most recent addition to Meljean Brook‘s Guardian series. It’s no secret that I’m 100% obsessed with this series and that I have a major girl crush on Meljean herself. I think she’s brilliant as an author, and what I know of her as a person is just as wonderful. Having said that, I almost didn’t finish this book. Actually, I almost didn’t read more than a chapter or two before setting it aside. It’s a testament of my love for her that I finished it at all.

Alice Grey was trapped into a bargain with the demon Teqon in which she promised to deliver the heart of The Doyen Michael or forfeit her soul. As she struggles with her decision, she avoids close contact with all the other Guardians. Not just because she’s afraid of coming to care for them, but more because she’s afraid of what might happen if they come to care for her.

Jake Hawkins is a novice Guardian who’s still trying to master his talent – teleporting. He stumbles upon Alice when he accidentally shifts and lands in some ruins Alice is investigating, though he doesn’t realize at first who she is. Once he finds out she’s “the” Black Widow, he’s intrigued by her. The more time he spends with her, the more fascinated with her he becomes. Especially since she’s determined to keep him at a distance when he only wants to get closer to her.

Of course, the attraction they’re battling is the least of their worries. Alice’s bargain, nephilim, demons, other Guardians; all are coming together to put both of them in danger. When Jake and Alice end up in Hell, it’s just the icing on the cake. But what they find there isn’t something they ever could have predicted. Will the information they come away with free Alice from her bargain, or doom her to an eternity in Hell?

I loved this book. Well, after I got past the first few chapters I loved it. Ok, and even after the first few chapters I had a few issues, but…well, I suffer from arachnophobia. Having said that, this book wasn’t easy for me to get through. Alice’s Guardian gift is the ability to communicate with arachnids (I don’t say the “S” word, it’s dirty). I’m sure you can imagine how hard that was for me to deal with. As I said above, it’s a testament of my love for Meljean that I even continued reading it. I’m glad I did, because the story was amazing. Meljean more than made up for torturing me in the beginning. g

Alice was very interesting. She starts out as a creepy, weird woman who hides in the archives in Caelum and frightens the novices. But as the story progressed I found her to be such a contrast of independent yet vulnerable. On her own she was a wonderful character – aloof and standoffish, yet warm and loving and yes, creepy. But with Jake she really shined. I really loved watching her come out of her shell. They complimented each other so well. Watching them grow and mature together is what really made this story.

Jake. Ah, Jake. What can I say, I loved him. He was such a beautiful counterpart for Alice. He was strong, caring, loving, honorable…perfect. Though he seems unsure of himself in the beginning, it isn’t long before we see his well of inner strength. And the way he attached himself to Alice and became her champion made me all melty inside. He had demons of his own to face, and he did, but it was the way he stood up for Alice, stood by Alice, that made his character for me.

The storyline takes more twists and turns with this entry. If you thought you had the world and all it’s complexities figured out, you’re sure to be surprised. A new element is introduced in this novel that once again throws the Guardians for a loop. I can’t wait to see where these new changes take the overall story arc of the series.

Besides my one issue I found this entry in the series to be just as well done as the previous ones. I was concerned that because Jake was described as so young earlier in the series that I’d have a hard time connecting with him, but as always Meljean showed us appearances can be deceiving. He may have only been a novice guardian, but he was just as complex as all her other characters. The overall storyline was as complex and beautifully done as always. I can’t wait for the next installment.

4.75 out of 5 (I had to take away from the grade because of the sheer creep factor..I’m still having nightmares)

This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

five-stars


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6 responses to “Review: Demon Bound by Meljean Brook

  1. heeeee

    So I was thinking of rereading Demon Night first and then Demon Bound… want me to call you and read you ssssssssscary parts?

    I would do that for you *g*

    Did MM cover the house in fake *s* for Halloween?

    I so can’t see how Meljean is going to pull this off, I think I am scared to look. OMG this might be the first Meljean book I HATESss.

    hmmm that could be fun too… so win/win either way *eg*

  2. Jake had me the moment I met him in Demon Night. But it will always be Michael who has my heart first.
    There were some major OMG moments that will rock everyone’s world, mainly about Michael.
    Alice is my second favorite character behing Lillith.

  3. Holly, you have to take a peek at this. It would have been the perfect graphic to go with this review. *g* I have about 50 pages of the book to go…

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