From Goodreads:
Daddy's little girl.
That's what clairvoyant Viola Ashwood has been her entire life. She wouldn't mind quite so much if her father hadn't been possessed by a powerful, and nasty, demon nearly a decade earlier. After recovering from a horribly tragic confrontation with Daddy Dearest, Viola wants nothing more than to get back in to the federally-funded but privately run demon-hunting Network. Duke, her brother's ex-best friend and the guy she's crushed on since she was six, stands in her way. As Network regional head, Duke's got plenty of reasons for keeping Viola out of his region, and that's before he considers the fact that her father's on the Network's most wanted list
Just when Duke grudgingly allows Viola into the Network, Daddy Dearest, still possessed and more obsessed with Viola than ever, reappears. While trying to stay one step ahead of the demon, Viola struggles to overcome fears about her surprise demonic heritage while learning to control her new abilities. Especially the one that has her raising zombie squirrels in the middle of the afternoon. Together, Duke and Viola deal with dangerous demons, centuries of family secrets, and a mysterious link that may bind them for life.
My review:
The first thing that hit me when I started reading were the character’s names: Duke, Viola, Olivia, Sebastian. Wait a moment. That’s Shakespeare! Twelfth Night. Okay, now I’m definitely intrigued. Anyone who alludes to the great Bard has my attention. :)
And the book just got better from there. Seriously, this is a great start to a new series, and I can’t wait to read the next books!
I fell in love with Duke almost immediately, he had bad-boy, yet protective older brother, yet still hot vibe going on. And, Viola was my kind of heroine - tough, smart-ass, funny, yet broken and vulnerable. Duke was just the guy to help her get back on her feet. Their verbal sparring throughout the book is excellent, and had me laughing out loud at spots. The sexual tension between the two is also excellent, and made me want them to just get it on! :) Viola has loved Duke, her older brother’s former best friend, since she was young, and I loved reading their back story.
Duke works for the Network, a government-type organization of demon hunters. Viola used to and wants back in. Duke reluctantly agrees, as long as he’s her partner so he can keep an eye on her, or so he tells himself. The demon hunting action is fast-paced and it was fun to read about the different demons the author invented. I felt immersed in the characters’ world and was never lost when they discussed demons, the author did a great job of integrating the details of the world into the story.
You really get to know Duke and Viola, see their vulnerabilities, learn why they are the way they are, and you want them to just shut up and admit their feelings for each other - though I really enjoyed their ribbing of each other. And when Viola drugs Duke - hilarious!
Viola goes through so much emotional stress in this book - I just love her for being tough and handling all the news she gets in a way that was both realistic, and amazing. She feels betrayed by almost everyone she has ever loved and trusted and Duke is there to help her stay sane. He is her rock, and their relationship is so endearing.
I could go on and on about how much I loved this book, how I stayed up until 2 AM, staring at my computer screen, to read it, how the plot moved quickly and the action was great, how I was drawn into the story and felt like I really got to know the characters. And then the author went and added extras at the end - little snippets from the past, showing the beginnings of the relationships between Viola and her brother and sister, and Duke. Those extras really gave you the extra information to see how the relationships had evolved and why.
I’m rating this book 4.5 stars out of 5 simply because - and this is the picky English major talking- there were many, many typos and errors that need to be fixed. They were almost distracting - and that they weren’t a major distraction is telling to how great the story really was. However, in one section of the book, there were whole sentences and chunks of sentences missing- major flaw that I hope the author corrects.
Otherwise, one of the best I’ve read recently, and I will definitely be checking out the next installments.
I'll have an exclusive excerpt and will be giving away a copy of Daughter of Deception here on May 21st! Make sure you stop by, you'll want to read this book! :)
