Challenge Corner discussion

Seven deadly sins. Seven souls to save. This is the first battle between a savior who doesn't believe and a demon with nothing to lose!

Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about—his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option.

Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. And then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart—and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

I’ll start on Monday, Laura and Megan!

Sounds good, Geri. I may start tomorrow, unless I find another book I want to read more.

I may start Monday too. Found a book I'm not sure I can put down just yet.

Read to Chapter 4 -

The intro chapter was interesting. I didn't completely get the quarterback references, the metaphor sort of worked but I'm not American so the American Football stuff doesn't fully click.

Um is this how this author usually writes? So i'm listening to audiobook for this as I had audible credits and not going to lie. I'm not loving this. Can't put my finger on it

I'm in chapter one and it seems quite a bit different from her Black Daggerhood series. Ha, I wasn't loving it either, Megan. I'll try a little more later today.

I read to chapter 11. I’ll try to get through 11 chapters a day so I can finish by Thursday.

I didn’t read the description before starting. So it took a minute to figure out what was happening. I don’t think I had the same problem with Wad’s writing as you both did. To me Wad does write differently than other romance writers. Black Dagger series isn’t for everyone too. I actually enjoy her style. Kind of a tough, in your face style. LOL What don’t you like, Laura and Megan?

I do like that Ward’s characters are always interesting, flawed and complicated. I found it interesting that Vin (view spoiler)[ has some supernatural powers too. (hide spoiler)] it will be interesting to see how this plays out later. And I wonder what will happen when Vin finds out that (view spoiler)[ Jim had sex with Devina. I found it funny he didn’t figure it out. (hide spoiler)] Marie Therese is interesting to me too. She’s had it tough. Not sure yet where the story is going. I’ll read more today.

I can't put my finger on it. It just feels a little dated.

Read up to chapter 11. I'll try and listen a little more today so I can finish by Thursday too.

So its gotten better. I'm lost at who the love interest is. I think that is what bothers me. Theres too many main characters and its difficult to figure out who is going with who at the moment.

I have a feeling Vin may not end up with Devina for some reason.

Vin:(view spoiler)[Yeah curious how that is going to play out, I wasn't sure if there was going to be supernatural beings in this aside from demons and angels (hide spoiler)]

I'll hopefully catch up tonight or tomorrow!

I have read through chapter 22 now.

That’s funny Megan. I was confused about who the love interest was too. And the book was published in 2009. So it probably is a little dated.

About Devina (view spoiler)[ I did suspect she might be a succubus or something when she was with Jim. It hasn’t been confirmed she is a demon, but I think Vin’s dream about Devina was correct. (hide spoiler)]

Vin’s psychic powers are interesting and have to be pretty freaky. LOL I finally figured out who the unidentified person we are following is. (view spoiler)[It has to be Marie Therese’s violent ex husband who is after her. That wasn’t clear to me at first. LOL (hide spoiler)]

My complaint that I have with a lot of romances is how quickly the MCs fall into insta lust/love. Same here.

Reading more today.

Read up to ch 22

Ah I didn't realise it was that old...

Devina (view spoiler)[ Oh shes a demon. Thats why she slept with Jim that was his test and why they chose him because he gave a stray food but slept with a clearly vulnerable woman at that moment. Thats what I think anyway, hes got the best of both qualities and so it works to be the middle man, also would have gone in their favour if he'd pushed Vin to her out of guilt. (hide spoiler)]

I love the powers Vin is showing. Mediums/seers are my favourite sort of paranormal human power. Its always sort of interesting. (view spoiler)[Yeah I guess it as soon as they described the man with glasses seeing them in the corridor. I figured that was going to come back. (hide spoiler)]

Also regarding Devina. (view spoiler)[ how do you think shes going to handle being broken up with? My guess is not very well (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, there is that. I just don't love, love triangles. And it sort of shaped this to be it.

Gone up to ch 33.
I might carry on. My husbands not home yet so may as well carry on reading.

I will say the sex scenes are interesting. I just don't get the connection between them. It felt a little (view spoiler)[instant love (hide spoiler)]. I'm not loving this and as an intro to this author its not selling me to read more.

The paranormal side is interesting

I'm 1 minute off the ending of the 2nd to last chapter and my husbands come home.

So I will say the commotion kicked off. And the paranormal side of this really came through.

The romance I'm sorry I just don't get it that much. The timeline of this book is very quick. Not super bad but I think it lends itself to the instant love trope just a bit much. The demons angel side saves this from being a proper waste of time.

So after sleeping on this. I'd say its a 3 star. Its not a terrible read but I wouldn't rush and listen to this again. The side plot was really was saved this. It was good and I liked her world building but I think I prefer with these sort of books its almost always the same couple in each book so you get more character growth.. having each book be different couples it just isn't what I prefer I'm realising.

Okay. I read through chapter 30. I have only a few hours left. So I’ll finish today.

I totally agree with you about insta love. That is always my pet peeve with some romances. It happens a lot in paranormal too.

Yeah. So we both got the demon vibe from Devina. Jim thought it was for devine. But I thought devil? LOL

But I may have been wrong about the unknown person going around killing. Sometimes I am not good at figuring things out.

I agree the paranormal is the most interesting part. And the sex is not bad. LOL

I’m done!

I really liked the last 20%. The way the gang helped Vn and Gretchen. It was exciting. And we found out who was killing. I think I will continue with the series. I’m interested enough in the battle to come between Jim and Devina.

Have you made any progress in the book, Laura?

Nope, I 've been reading everything else. I got caught up in my audiobook. (betcha never thought I 'd say that!) It was heart wrenching... all the more so because of the excellent audio narration.
I'll read and finish tomorrow :-)

I just finished chapter 6. I read the synopsis before reading so had a tiny idea what the book might be about but the first was just slow until Jim had his accident! I think all the moving parts of introducing the characters and slowly getting to the point just made the story drag a little. I'm coming off reading two books in the Daggerhood series which I really like so I guess I might be comparing the two series. I'm sure this will pick up.

I'm about to start chapter 17
Is the guy who shot the two college kids the same person who is trailing Marie Therese? It was the glasses and moustache in both characters that make me ask.
I'm interested to see what bargain Vin made that his "abilities" disappeared and now are back.
I think the little snippets into Jim's past history(military, government issued fake ID) Vin's reappearance of abilities and Marie Therese 's running from her ex husband give the story line just the right amount of intrigue.

Yes. Once the story got going, I enjoyed it more. The characters were all a bit rough, troubled. I tend to like that more than just good and likable. LOL

The unknown man was a mystery to me until the end. I kept thinking different things. LOL

Just finished chapter 33
I don't agree with the love triangle vibe. Vin isn't interested in Devinia. He only has eyes for Marie Theresa. There's a bit of a insta love here but the books are dated now that it didn't bother me as most of the romances now seem insta love to me.
I was sad that the young man in the bathroom scene died.
Devinia is freaky weird and her house inside was creepy. I'm not quite sure how this is going to end except for Vin's prophecy coming true. I suspect the rest of the series is the other characters Jim has to help.

In chapter 34
Ok, that was definitely quick. A couple of days and Vin already loves her? Perhaps Ward is the trail blazer of insta love!

LOL Yeah, too many romances are insta love. I wish more authors gave us a minute for the romance to develop. That can be the fun part. I liked Devina as a villain. I looked it up last night. The other books do follow other characters. Jim is the one the is in them all.

Finished
I thought the ritual with Vin was a little weird and perhaps this has to do with when the book was written. I enjoyed the book as entertainment once I got into it. It's a 3. 5 stars read for me. I did enjoy it enough to want to keep reading. I think Geri said she liked Devina as a villain and I have to say I did too. I agree with a previous statement that these characters are colorful, flawed and rough which is more entertaining as a read.

Geri (and Megan) do you want to buddy read the next book? I see where it can fit at least three of the tasks, one letter in the buddy read and possibly the yield if "snow" is in the text.

Would you both like to switch over to the Robyn Carr book - Sullivan's crossing series for a change and then come back to this?

Laura wrote: "Would you both like to switch over to the Robyn Carr book - Sullivan's crossing series for a change and then come back to this?"

Lets switch. Borrowed it just now from the library app. We can always come back to this series next week..

Great! I'll ask for a thread!

I’m up for continuing this series, Laura. It can be in 2 weeks or even later in the challenge. I’ll see if I can get the Sullivan’s Crossing book.

Geri wrote: "I’m up for continuing this series, Laura. It can be in 2 weeks or even later in the challenge. I’ll see if I can get the Sullivan’s Crossing book."

Sounds good I'll ask for the thread for 2 weeks from now and we can decide then