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Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles #1)

by Carol Goodman (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 1,765 ratings · 584 reviews

‘This is where all stories start, on the edge of a dark wood…’

Dr. Callie McFay travels to the small college town of Fairwick in New York State for a job interview. Despite it being her second choice she finds herself talked into accepting a job offer from the Folklore Department to teach a class on demons and vampires. She also finds herself drawn to an old house in the wo...more

Paperback, 466 pages

Published July 21st 2011 by Ebury Press

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Sep 24, 2011 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: it's too complicated

Shelves: arc-galley, paranormal-fix, fat-kitty-judges-you, evil-horned-ones, fanged-and-deadly, hop-on-a-broom, whiny-bitches, d-oh, yep-it-was-the-cover, reviewed-2011, a-bit-of-mush

I wasn’t so excited to start this book. Why? It may sound shallow but it was the title. Yes, I thought “Oh demon lover, typical romance story. *yawns* Boring stuff”. But (again shallow, I know) the cover was great and I had to make sure it’s alright by reading the summary. After it passed inspection I requested the galley. After a few days I got the confirmation email *happy dance* and started reading. And I had such a wonderful surprise. The story was amazing (I probably was in the mood for som...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Ceridwen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: america-and-environs, books-about-books, faeries, gothic, lgbt, necrophilia, netgalley, sexy-nihilists, urban-fantasy

Cross-posted on Readerling

For the last month, I've been working my way through the ridiculous number of NetGalley titles I downloaded in a big frenzy once I remembered I had an account there. Of course I started with the stuff I knew was in my wheelhouse, to very good results. So time to start in on the goofier stuff! I'm generally not looking for taxing on my Sunday on the couch reads (or Sunday on the back porch, in more clement weather), and I figured something called The Demon Lover with tha...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

really loved this! was a great break from all my ya! although i did have a few things figured out, still an awesome story!

5 likes · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Anthi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, gothic-romance, atmospheric, interesting, demons, fairies, witches-wizards, vampires, magical-creatures

I am a bit shocked that I really liked this book, I was certain for no apparent reason that it would be a let down, probably due to the fact that I have grown weary to pnr novels. But this one turned to lean more to the UF side and the romance, though it played an integral part to the plot wasn't its linchpin. So I was pleasantly surprised by the worldbuilding with the reach folkrore, the haunted imagery ( I have a thing for forests and magic passages eversince I was a kid and read the Cronicle

...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, paranormal, adult

When I first started The Demon Lover I was really surprised that it was not a YA novel. Not In the least. I guess it's my fault for simply skimming the blurb and not taking in the "erotic dreams" part. Oops. Although it was fine by me since I was in need of an adult read soon. I seem to not be the only one surprised by this discovery as well. =) So this is my heads-up to you!

Even though I was never bored, once my surprise at it being an adult book wore off I started to wonder where the plot was...more When I first started The Demon Lover I was really surprised that it was not a YA novel. Not In the least. I guess it's my fault for simply skimming the blurb and not taking in the "erotic dreams" part. Oops. Although it was fine by me since I was in need of an adult read soon. I seem to not be the only one surprised by this discovery as well. =) So this is my heads-up to you!

Even though I was never bored, once my surprise at it being an adult book wore off I started to wonder where the plot was heading. It takes quite a while for the plot to start moving along. However when it does, the multiple plot lines weaved together never ceases to captivate you. Although, it can get confusing at times, especially with the abundance of literary references which may even be overwhelming to some.

The Demon Lover brings out a really different paranormal being - the incubus. As my first book delving into this mythological creature, I was really intrigued by the legend of this peculiar demon. Consequently, the character both terrified and fascinated me. It was an entertaining plot brimming with great detail and obvious research, therefore giving us a wonderfully built world filled with all sorts of paranormal beings; The world building is by far the book's best aspect. The imagery used in the book is also excellent. It left my mind filled with detailed scenery so that I could clearly see the story taking place in.

As a protagonist, Callie was not my favorite. She never saw what was clearly in front of her. All the plot twists were obvious to me but Callie saw right through them. I realize the incubus had a strange effect on her which may have put her in denial, but it still stopped me from being able to connect with her personality. I found the Demon Lover to be the better and most interesting character in the book. I felt his emotions, sadness and longing, that I never got from Callie. Almost like I was cut off from her emotionally. However, this undoubtedly made the romance in the book quite engrossing. One second I had faith that Callie would and could exercise this demon, but the next second I deeply wanted her to fall under his spell no matter the consequences.

The Demon Lover is a mystery-filled adult novel with excellent world building and fascinating folklore. If you're looking for something different, make sure to give this one a try!

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads (less)

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Oct 30, 2011 Wicked ♥ (Wickedly Bookish Reviews) aka Bat-Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, favorites, mythology-inspired, paranormal-romance, smut, summer-reads, supernatural, pre-release-review, fey, first-in-series, series-pararom-uf, series-up-to-pub, urban-fantasy, vampires, witches, demons

Reviewed for Wickedly Bookish Reviews
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/

Callie McFay has taken a job teaching at Fairwick College that she wasn’t sure she wanted in the first place, and has bought an old Victorian house that her instincts are screaming for her to stay away from. Something has drawn her to become a part of the community that is not what it appears to be at first glance. Just when she feels she is settling in, Callie is visited by a demon lover that is determined to suck the life...more Reviewed for Wickedly Bookish Reviews
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/

Callie McFay has taken a job teaching at Fairwick College that she wasn’t sure she wanted in the first place, and has bought an old Victorian house that her instincts are screaming for her to stay away from. Something has drawn her to become a part of the community that is not what it appears to be at first glance. Just when she feels she is settling in, Callie is visited by a demon lover that is determined to suck the life out of her. Night after night, the insatiable demon brings her to new heights of pleasure and ever closer to death. As time goes on, Callie becomes less and less sure she minds.

There is really only one word that describes The Demon Lover accurately and that is lush. This book is filled with deliciously ripe detail that echoes my fondest memories of classic gothic literature while utilizing the trend of today’s popular paranormal fiction. The academic atmosphere of Fairwick College and Callie’s scholarly analysis of her situation are engrossing and give this novel the intelligent edge that a great deal of today’s paranormal fiction is missing. Juliet Dark’s attention to detail is truly what makes this story so breathtakingly beautiful and heart wrenchingly real.

The writing style and Callie’s character can be a bit frustrating, at times. She is constantly changing her opinion on her present situation and for the first half of the book she is in denial, coming up with a logical explanation for everything that happens to her. This frustrated me to no end until I hit a moment of clarity the same moment Callie did in the story. The writing style and content are meant to be confusing and frustrating at points to reflect Callie’s state of mind as it has been altered through her interactions with the incubus. Once I realized this I was completely enthralled. It was like a slap in the face and I had to admit to myself that the demon lover had hypnotized not just Callie, but me as well.

It is difficult to describe the romance of this book. Callie falls in love with many things through the course of its pages. She begins to feel at home in Fairwick and finds a mish mashed sort of family in the people that she interacts with on a daily basis. The magic and mystery of the town beckon to her deeply buried roots until she finds a piece of herself she didn’t know she had to begin with. Finally there is the incubus. I easily felt the same indecision towards him as Callie did. At first she thinks him a dream, but as he becomes more and more real to her, she can no longer deny his appeal. I will not spoil any of this story for you all, but eventually you will have to ask yourself, just as Callie does, “Is it possible that he could truly love her and become flesh?”

It was pointed out to me about half-way through this book that it was the same book as Incubus by Carol Goodman published by Ebury Press on July 21st, 2011. The only real reason I could come up with in my research for why two different publishers would publish the same book, under different titles, and authors six months apart from each other would be to maximize marketing. Incubus was published in the UK and therefore the publishers probably felt that particular title and its cover art would appeal to the European audience whereas the U.S. requires a bit more of a sexualized title and mysterious author pseudonym. Whatever the reason, it was a bit confusing, but did not divert from the overall appeal of the book itself.

These days, it has become excruciatingly popular for authors to end their books on a huge cliff-hanger, forcing you to read the next just to find out what happened, even if you didn’t really like it that much. The Demon Lover wraps up its loose ends nicely and all major plot points are developed so that the reader is satisfied. This book doesn’t need any cliffhangers to get its hooks in you; it’s just that good. I look forward to a sequel, which is all but promised by the subtext of the Incubus version declaring it as Fairwick Chronicles #1. Juliet Dark, and by extension Carol Goodman, has a new loyal fan in this Wickedly Bookish reader.
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Aug 28, 2011 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Juliet Dark is a pseudonym for Carol Goodman. Goodman writes historical gothic fiction and literary mysteries. This is her first romantic paranormal fantasy and she succeeds beautifully. The imaginary she creates is vivid and her attention to detail has you immediately loving the small college town of Fairwick in upstate New York and the characters residing there. “The Demon Lover” is the type of book you want to savior, like that perfect cup of coffee on a cold fall morning. This book immediate...more Juliet Dark is a pseudonym for Carol Goodman. Goodman writes historical gothic fiction and literary mysteries. This is her first romantic paranormal fantasy and she succeeds beautifully. The imaginary she creates is vivid and her attention to detail has you immediately loving the small college town of Fairwick in upstate New York and the characters residing there. “The Demon Lover” is the type of book you want to savior, like that perfect cup of coffee on a cold fall morning. This book immediately made me think of “A Discovery of Witches” with its gothic, myth and folklore imagery. I found this aspect of the story as intriguing as the suspenseful mystery.
Dr. Cailleach (Callie) McFay is our young protagonist; she has recently graduated from college and published a book entitled “The Sex Lives of the Demon Lovers”. Callie arrives at Fairwick College to interview for a position teaching folklore at the campus. She isn’t sure about taking the job; her dream is to be in New York, but while visiting there, she comes across an old Victorian home called Honeysuckle House and learns its for sale. It was originally owned by historical romance writer Dahila LaMotte. The realtor informs her that all of LaMotte’s notes, journals and unpublished books come with the house, but that these books can never leave the home. Callie sees this as an opportunity for a new book. Callie accepts the teaching position and moves into Honeysuckle House. Every night she is visited by a man of shadow and moonlight, who seduces her and leaves her aching and satisfied in the morning. As Callie reads LaMotte’s journals and explores the college town she begins to realize there is a lot more going on here. Callie is a strong educated character and you can’t help but like her. She battles with her brain, and looks for solutions head on. She is flawed, but tries to do the right thing.
I would love to share so many details about the book, but do not want to spoil the story for you. For those of you who love to read, you will get a kick out of the references to authors, such as, Charlaine Harris. Dark made me laugh out loud with these references and some off handed comments to those who scorn paranormal /urban fantasy literature.
I know some of you will detest the ending, but although I can find no reference to it, this book has ended in such a way that I feel another book will be coming. This reader certainly hopes so.
You can see more of my reviews at http://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewe...

This book will be released December 2011. A special thank you to netGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. (less)

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Jan 08, 2013 Susana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who liked the movie remake of the serie "Bewitched"

Recommended to Susana by: Myself: The idiot

Shelves: 2013, fantasy-contemporary-mess

1,5 stars

I lost four days of my life with this story (I'm stubborn), so..excuse me some ramblings.

I'm sorry, but this was one of the most boring books i've ever read!!

What happened here?

Where was the story of the demon lover?

Where was the romance?

Where was the intensity?

Each night I woke—or thought I awoke—to a moonlit room. The shadows reached for me and swelled into the dark lover. I’d feel his weight on my chest and then, just when I thought I’d suffocate, he’d press his lips to mine and blow...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Blair rated it 1 of 5 stars

I should have known I wasn't going to enjoy this. The strapline of 'if you love Stephenie Meyer's books and Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels...' should have set off big enough alarm bells to dissuade me altogether. But it's Carol Goodman. She's by no means my favourite author of all time or anything, but I've read three very enjoyable books from her oeuvre of gothic mysteries, and have always found her work to be excellent comfort reading - well-written and packed with themes I relish...more I should have known I wasn't going to enjoy this. The strapline of 'if you love Stephenie Meyer's books and Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels...' should have set off big enough alarm bells to dissuade me altogether. But it's Carol Goodman. She's by no means my favourite author of all time or anything, but I've read three very enjoyable books from her oeuvre of gothic mysteries, and have always found her work to be excellent comfort reading - well-written and packed with themes I relish: solitary protagonists, mysterious deaths/dark secrets, classical references, twists galore. I could see from the plot summary that this latest book, apparently the first in a series, had been given a 'paranormal romance' spin, and it's true that this wouldn't normally appeal to me. But I do like stories with spooky, magical underpinnings, and I was hopeful that Goodman's talent would elevate this and turn it into a successful blend of literary fiction, fantasy and romance.

So I really did try to like it. I honestly did my best. But it's DREADFUL. Right from the first few pages, I had misgivings - the book feels very rushed, and is full of spelling and grammar errors and frequent repetition (I was ready to scream if I had to read the phrase 'Queen Anne Victorian' one more time). Even the layout of the pages looks cheap and tacky. The character names are ridiculous (there is no way I'm ever going to take someone seriously if they're being referred to as 'Dean Book') and as for the utterly cringeworthy sex/dream scenes... the less said the better. By the time I reached chapter six, I couldn't bear to waste any more of my time on it.

NB: This book is to be published under the title The Demon Lover in the US, and under a pseudonym, Juliet Dark - which just goes to show exactly how much of a departure it is for Goodman, and how different the target market is. It will probably give greater enjoyment to readers who typically enjoy stories of this genre, but as far as I'm concerned, Goodman should stick to the aforementioned gothic mysteries.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-paranormal

Reviewed by Vickie for www.BookChickCity.com

Callie McFay is a young lady who is just venturing out into the world after having finished her Ph.D. She has had her first book published, which was a continuation of her thesis on Demon Lovers, and is now looking for work in a university whilst she writes her next book. I guess I am not spoiling anything when I tell you that she ends up working at Fairwick College which is “a second tier college with a second rate staff” according to Grandma Adelaid...more Reviewed by Vickie for www.BookChickCity.com

Callie McFay is a young lady who is just venturing out into the world after having finished her Ph.D. She has had her first book published, which was a continuation of her thesis on Demon Lovers, and is now looking for work in a university whilst she writes her next book. I guess I am not spoiling anything when I tell you that she ends up working at Fairwick College which is “a second tier college with a second rate staff” according to Grandma Adelaide, as opposed to N.Y.U where she had originally hoped to take a job. It's here she ends up meeting some fascinating, albeit odd people, that give you some ups and downs along the way. Callie buys an old Victorian house in which she sees herself settling down with her long time love, Paul, but she wasn't prepared for the uninvited guest that comes with the house. Enter the Incubus, and the steamy dreams!

Callie is a lovely young lady, kind and enthusiastic about her work, colleagues, and the students she teaches. She rolls with everything that happens to her in a very quiet way, and doesn't seem in the least bit phased by all that’s going on. I am not entirely sure if this is believable and in all honesty she isn't a particularly strong heroine but then none of the characters are...yet. It seems to be a good starting point with plenty of scope to build up in the future. I am hoping that the following books in the series will fill in the gaps a bit more.

There is another storyline running throughout the book, which gives us a mystery to think about. I have to say the answer to the problem is pretty easy to spot, but it doesn't make the story any less enjoyable. There is also a heartbreaking decision to be made, which definitely put a lump in my throat, and had me wishing for a different outcome! Perhaps this is where the continuing story will pick up the thread.

I have to say, I think my favourite character is Ralph. He is an endearing chap, and a good friend to Callie, as well as something of a hero, although in quite a small way.

The settings throughout “Incubus” are beautifully done without being over described. I felt as though I could actually see the doorway in the clearing which leads into a magical world and the snow covered landscapes seem to me like a faerie land in the making.

I enjoyed “Incubus”, even if it did totally throw me for a loop. Anyone who has been following my tweets will know that it confused me in the beginning, however I have to admit to this being totally my fault. I was expecting “Incubus” to be a paranormal romance. How wrong I was. I was also expecting a strong male character, the sort you would find in PNR, but there isn't one. Yes, there is a male love interest, or two, but that is not the focus of the story. I am really looking forward to reading more books in this series. I can't wait to see what else happens in Fairwick.

There are a couple of things I wasn't too keen on however. The pace of the book is very slow, for me at least, as you don't start to find out much about the other characters until you hit at least page 100. The other thing I groused about was the need to have a dictionary by my side. I consider myself to have an above average vocabulary but this book certainly taught me a few new words. Not always a bad thing, but when you just want to sit back and enjoy the book, it can be somewhat frustrating.

VERDICT:

I couldn't put the book down despite the slow pace and dictionary requirement. I definitely want to see what happens in the rest of the series. If you are thinking that this all seems a little similar then you may have read 'Demon Lover', by Juliet Dark, which is the other name/author it has been released as.
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Feb 18, 2013 Patrice Hoffman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

I must admit when I first saw the cover of The Demon Lover, I was completely under the impression that it was just another poorly written YA take on the Twighlight series. I am pleased to say I was very wrong and I guess that's why they say never judge a book by it's cover. The only problem is that judging a book by it's cover may keep me from reading a gem of a novel and getting the opportunity to open the doors to a genre of literature I've never really delved in before.

The overview of this no...more I must admit when I first saw the cover of The Demon Lover, I was completely under the impression that it was just another poorly written YA take on the Twighlight series. I am pleased to say I was very wrong and I guess that's why they say never judge a book by it's cover. The only problem is that judging a book by it's cover may keep me from reading a gem of a novel and getting the opportunity to open the doors to a genre of literature I've never really delved in before.

The overview of this novel is that Callie Mcfay is a young author who comes to Fairwick for an interview with the college there. Fairwick is a small town that harbors secrets that Callie is unaware of until she is confronted by the incubus that appears in what she thinks are extremely vivid dreams. Suffice it to say, her incubus is not a member of the band I love that sings one of my favorite songs "Dig". Callie's incubus wants to be freed from the borderlands and the only way he can do this is by draining the life from her. Clearly if someone drains your life away you'd end up pretty dead. This is not good... AT ALL.

What I love most about this novel is that it is superbly written. It is vividly atmospheric and believeable. Although purely fantastical, Dark/Goodman has made me want to believe in fairies, demons, gnomes, vampires, ganconers, and everything else folklore. An even stronger testament to the writing style of this novel is that I want to believe there are sleepy towns with secret enchanted societies, magical professionals, and even an IMPIA- Institute of Magical Professionals Internal Affairs department.

Back to our leading lady Callie, the novel is written from her point of view but it does not hinder in any way the character development. Although Callie's meets more people and getting to know them in Fairwick, the reader is grows to care about them as she does. Callie is a well developed heroine, although she makes bad decisions at times, there needs to be conflicts. Of course the conflict comes in her budding romance(um...sex) life. But it's no surprise since the dawn of time and in the earliest written books, love and romance come hand in hand with sacrifice.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this novel and found that I will never judge a book by its cover. I've become acquainted with folklore on a level I never have before and am open to reading more novels of this nature. I only fear I wouldn't know where to start. This novel is a great mixture of romance, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, and magic. I look forward to reading the next book in the Fairwick chronicles. Callie is developing into a heroine I can really root for once she fully realizes her potential.
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Sep 10, 2011 Tana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First let’s say this book was not what I expected. When I received Demon Lover from Net Gallery I thought oh this looks good and it did not disappoint. The beginning the book started off a bit slow but do not get discouraged it moves along pretty fast and before you know it your half way done. There are some twists and turns in the novel which kept me very intrigued.

Juliet Dare writes this story in the first person; it flows nicely, easy to read and is well written. This seems to be her first...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Sarah ~Slow reader, or slowly reading? ;) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, netgalley, i-do-believe-in-fairies, i-vant-to-suck-your-blood, demons, witchcraft-and-wizardry, succubi-oh-my, arc, paranormal, urban-fantasy

This galley was kindly provided to me from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley.

What initially drew me in to The Demon Lover was it's gorgeous cover. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover... but I have a bad habit of doing this. I briefly skimmed the summary, found it was to my interest, and requested it on NetGalley.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Demon Lover's story. As I mentioned, I had really only skimmed the summary of the book, so a lot of the book's content was dif...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Sue Grimshaw rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Do you enjoy books that contain demons, faeries, witches and more? This story is for you! Our heroine is Callie McFay who basically has had some very sexual dreams throughout her childhood; now an adult & teacher at Fairwick College she is having these dreams once again. Her demon lover is an incubus of which she tries to exorcise with the help of some of the other instructors who have secrets of their own. I wouldn't call this a romance as much as just a good paranormal story. Romance reade...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Melanie Knight rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this in a giveaway with Goodreads First Reads. Although I enjoyed Twilight and Fallen, I wasn't initially sure about this book. But after a few chapters, I was drawn in. I enjoyed the blending of ordinary life with the magical inhabitants of the town, but I think Callie would have been a little bit more surprised when she found out! Everything was wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end, but it set the scene for a sequel. I would definitely recommend this to adult readers who enjoy fantasy...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Lexxie (un)Conventional Bookviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, kindle, paranormal-adult, romance, read-in-2013, review-books, strong-female-protgagonist, suspense

*I received a free ARC of The Demon Lover from Ballantine via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.*

This and other reviews can be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.

When Callie decides to take the job she is offered in Fairwick, little does she know just how much her life will change. She is amazed at their folklore department, and the library at the college is more than she could ever dream of.

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May 16, 2013 Alice Liu rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, I have to laugh at some of the negative reviews in which readers took offense at Callie McFay having sex with a "demon" because if those kind of things bother you, you probably shouldn't read a book called "Demon Lover." Having said that, I did take offense at Callie's obliviousness. She prides herself in not telling lies, yet she lies to herself all the time about her (non)relationship, her roommate's need for an intervention, and the supernatural happening all around her. Her bigges...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really my review should be more of a 2.5 stars, but since there are no halves I'm giving it a 2. So for why it should get the extra half point; the plot was actually interesting and has quite a bit of potential. The main character Callie McFay takes a professor job in the town of Fairwick, she is soon after seduced by an incubus, she attempts to banish said incubus and thereby discovers her half fey half witch ancestry. With this discovery comes the discovery that the town of Fairwick is the loc...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

I'd like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
At one point, I swore up and down that the author was from New Orleans, or had an obsession with New Orleans because of two very vague, left-field sentences in the entire book. One of them wasn't quite vague, but unless you had gone through it, you wouldn't really get the true reference. The second one had me scratching my head and running to my computer, insisting that she had to be a N...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Khanh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really good premise (hot demon lover that comes to you every night? Yes, please!) but ultimately falls flat. Callie McFay is a little too unbelievable of a character to be true. She's 26, has a Ph.D, and is a successful author of a book on demon lovers. She's pretty knowledgeable since one has been visiting her since her parents' untimely demise when she was but 12 years old (12 years old? Ew, pedo incubus much?). Callie accepts a teaching position at a small, second-rate university in a sleepy...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Theresa Jones rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So… I don’t know how to really review this book. So, Ill just do my best.

First off, the book was so long. I don’t know how long it was, because it was on my kindle, but it FELT so long! It seemed to drag on forever!

The plot was so strange. There were too many subplots, so many things going on, that it was hard to follow along. The MAIN plot, about a woman being stalked by a demon-incubus, that was cool. but that wasn’t all. Even the part about the school being home to fairies, demons, witches,...more So… I don’t know how to really review this book. So, Ill just do my best.

First off, the book was so long. I don’t know how long it was, because it was on my kindle, but it FELT so long! It seemed to drag on forever!

The plot was so strange. There were too many subplots, so many things going on, that it was hard to follow along. The MAIN plot, about a woman being stalked by a demon-incubus, that was cool. but that wasn’t all. Even the part about the school being home to fairies, demons, witches, etc (a whole LOT of etc) was awesome. But then you had Phoenix. What the hell was the point of added SO much about her, when she leaves anyways? She had NO major addition to the story at all! I mean, she spent SO much time writing about Phoenix, and she added NOTHING at all to the story. Waste of time.
And with Dahlia LaMotte. I kept feeling like there was going to be a point about all her writing and diaries and journals, but there wasn’t. she was the last owner of the house… and an incubus took advantage of her too. Sum it u in a few paragraphs, not 10 chapters!

The writing was great. It is obvious that the author is a professional, bestselling author. Still again, it only felt like there was too much of it. For example, I normally read a good book in a day- even if I don’t have much time to read. But I started reading this book a month ago! I even had several days where I could spend hours reading it… and it just kept dragging on. I thought a few times about stopping- but I was still curious. I wanted to know what would happen. So like I said, the writing was good.

So, I think the story was ok. it could have been great if it was broken into 2 different books, and had a lot of extra cut out of it. But it was still good enough, that even though I was frustrated with it, I still wanted to keep reading anyways.
I wasn’t fond of the ending… I kinda felt like the real climax was about 60% through the book, and the rest was… just more words on the page. I didn’t feel like there was a big climactic ending… really it just stopped.

I haven’t decided if I will pick up the next book yet. I don’t know if I want to invest another 30 hours into 1 book…

Rating: 3/5 Stars. It was good, but not a favorite and I wont read it again.
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Feb 23, 2013 C.H. SCARLETT rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review for DEMON LOVER by Juliet Dark

First, the cover...

Absolutely beautiful. I love the gothic romance favored art. I spend a lot of time browsing places like deviantART just because of it. So once I seen a cover teasing me with that sort of eye candy, of course I had to have it.

Second, the book itself . . .

This is probably the most difficult review I have written in a very long time. A writer myself, I haven't picked up a book just to read it, in a very long time. Classics tempt me-- having a...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Inkyfox rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed the writing immensely. Too many books recently have been trying to push the gothic angle without having more than one ounce of gothic conventions (did you know, that just because your book has a vampire in it, it doesn’t mean it’s gothic literature?). I love gothic literature, so I am quite satisfied with this novel. I have mostly bored of typical gothic literature, but this offers the paranormal side as well.

The beginning is the best part. Before everyone becomes a witch or a fairy o...more I enjoyed the writing immensely. Too many books recently have been trying to push the gothic angle without having more than one ounce of gothic conventions (did you know, that just because your book has a vampire in it, it doesn’t mean it’s gothic literature?). I love gothic literature, so I am quite satisfied with this novel. I have mostly bored of typical gothic literature, but this offers the paranormal side as well.

The beginning is the best part. Before everyone becomes a witch or a fairy or some other magical creature. In the beginning, it is just Callie and the house. And a succubus. There are some hot and spicy scenes that were well written (disclaimer: I have not read any erotica so I have nothing to compare it to). I really didn’t care about Paul, her long distance relationship. I cared about the spooky house and the succubus’s nightly visits. More spooky, less teaching classes.

There are way too many characters. Overall, I couldn’t care about 70% of them at all. Diana, her numerous students, Fiona, Paul, her grandmother, Dory, Brock, Ike, Nicky, Frank, Annie…and don’t get me started at the pointlessness of her pet mouse, Ralph. He serves no purpose. Also, this book is way too long. It seriously needs to be culled at the edges and given a sharp focus. I have to wonder…who edited this? If a story line or scene or character does not essential components to the story, get rid of it.

Along the way many red herrings are thrown at the reader, but they are obvious. Additionally, the novel presents the “who’s the evil party now?” question WAY TOO OFTEN. Every five minutes we are supposed to be figuring out who did something. These could be culled, but then, yes, there would be giant gaps of nothing happening, surrounded by nothing. So, for the red herrings, I knew they were not the guilty culprit. The ultimate badie took me by surprise through. I wasn’t expecting it!

The Norse mythology is a little off, though she might be bending it to her own needs. Using the name Freya for a human jerks you away from the mythology-Freya was born a God, her father was the God Njord. I’ve never heard or read that she was a human before. I argue that she should have used another Norse figure or made one up.

Some people take the news that there are witches and fairies way too easily. Examples of this are Annie and Phoenix. You could argue that Phoenix has a drinking problem and is therefore more susceptible, but even Annie takes it easily.

Overall, I highly recommend it. When I requested it, I thought it was a YA book, but it is not-and good thing too, or else we would have missed out on all the sex. My only qualms are that it is long, and it has too many characters. I would also warn potential readers that there is a lot of sex in it, so prudes be warned. It sounds like a lot of gripes from me, but I enjoyed the writing and the gothic feel. For me, these two qualities alone makes it work reading.
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Feb 08, 2013 Zoobaaruba rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First, I'd like to thank netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book, but I wasn't blown away by it.

The protagonist, Callie, had an interesting background story, but didn't really feel fleshed out to me. She described her past and her family/bf with a kind of surgical indifference, like she was retelling a story of someone else's life, not her own. (view spoiler)...more First, I'd like to thank netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book, but I wasn't blown away by it.

The protagonist, Callie, had an interesting background story, but didn't really feel fleshed out to me. She described her past and her family/bf with a kind of surgical indifference, like she was retelling a story of someone else's life, not her own. (view spoiler) I honestly cannot understand what is going on in that girl's mind, first she wants a fancy NYC career, then, unexpectedly decides to buy a house in the middle of nowhere. My main issue is basically that Callie's actions were not well explained, unless everything she did was based purely on instinct and had no logical thought process behind it.

The setting was beautifully described and I could see it clearly in my mind's eye. Fairwick was described in detail, the architecture and the landscape, everything was clear and I loved it. We get a bit of an intro into the fantasy side of their world when Callie does, but the dean is a bit absentminded/busy/tired and doesn't give Callie/the reader the entire story, which was disappointing plot-wise and kept nagging at me throughout the book (you don't know what you're doing Callie!!!)

I liked the phantom-prince character at the beginning of the book a lot, a shadowy knight in shining armor who comforts Callie in her time of need. When his motives became clearer though, I started to have second thoughts...(view spoiler)

The most interesting part of the book is the Faerie world, I'm intrigued by what we hear about it (very very little) and want to know more. So many questions!(view spoiler)

I will definitely be reading the sequel to hear more about Faerie and the borderlands.(less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Cheryl M-M rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At one point I felt that reading this book was tantemount to having the life sucked out of me. Sometimes less is more. This was filled to the brim with so many different ideas, sub-plots and possible future twists that I think the author lost sight of the actual main plot.
The reader starts out imagining the seductive powers of the demon lover, who has the physical capability of a solid enitity (nudge nudge, wink wink)and yet in reality is barely a wisp and breath of a shadow. That guilty excitem...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Cocktails and Books rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

Callie McFay, our main character, has come to this small town of Fairwick to interview for a teaching position at the local college. We learn in the book that Callie has lost both of her parents and a shadow/spirit has comforted her ever since with stories like the ones they use to share. Callie soon learns that that she is special and that there are supernatural creatures in the small town of Fairwick.

The Demon Lover somewhat slow and has a plot that is not quit clear. The incubus is banished f...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Jeannie Zelos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles 1) Carol Goodman

I received this via Netgalley in return for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

Having reviewed and been transfixed by the magic in the second book The Water Witch I just had to read the first novel. I was lucky enough to be supplied with a copy via Netgalley and eagerly rushed in to the beginning of the story. Callie is a teaching prof...more Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles 1) Carol Goodman

I received this via Netgalley in return for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

Having reviewed and been transfixed by the magic in the second book The Water Witch I just had to read the first novel. I was lucky enough to be supplied with a copy via Netgalley and eagerly rushed in to the beginning of the story. Callie is a teaching professed and is offered a job at Fairwick College. She buys a local house that entrances her from the moment she sees it. Locals tell her the house is haunted and she begins to have vivid erotic dreams. Her new colleagues tell her about the legend that goes with the hauntings – about an incubus demon who was enchanted by the Fairy Queen. Gradually Callie learns that not all her colleagues are as they seem and that she also has supernatural Qualities. It comes as a shock to find the college tutors and local people consist of witches, fairies, shape-shifters and other supernatural creatures and Callie is drawn into a huge problem surrounding their lives. It places her in danger, affects her relationship with her log distance boyfriend, brings her a new romance and changes her long held beliefs of herself and where she's going in life.
From the start the book sucks the reader into a magical world. Having read book two I knew some of what was going to happen but this didn't affect my enjoyment – indeed this is one of those novels so full of detail and excitement that it bears reading over and over. I'm really keen to read the ending of the trilogy – sadly I think that’s a good few months away :( but once its out this trio will go in my re read collection for those novels good enough to bear reading multiple times and yet still retain freshness and interest.
As with the second book its well written and edited, not a light quick read but one where you can get lost in another world and feel you are there with the characters. I love a good meaty book to really get into, and this trilogy fits the bill perfectly. Carol
writes sex scenes that are seductive and erotic without being overly graphic which upsets many people. Its more sex of the imagination than written in print, the suggestions planted to the readers mind.

To sum up – fantastic well written beginning to trilogy, excellent value for money. I'm a great fan of re reading great books and this series will join that file so I can dip back into that world when I want to escape from mine for a while...

This series reminds me very much of two other favourite series – Deborah Harness All Souls trilogy and and Allison Pang's fabulous series that begins with A Brush of Darkness and if you like either of those I'd suggest this trilogy will suit you. Its great value and 482 pages for £4.74 on kindle and its also available in paperback for £5.24 from Amazon.

My star rating: full five – great book, fantastic value read.
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Jan 22, 2013 Katherine Adams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Based on the title, I was expecting a steamy, slightly dirty romance. And to be honest, the book had quite a bit of steam, but it was so much more. It was an intense, character driven, detailed read. The book tells the story of Callie, a woman who is looking for a job to teach paranormal lore as a college professor. While interviewing at a small middle of nowhere school 3 hours outside her beloved Manhattan, she is drawn to a house nearby as well as the woods around it. The townspeople show conc...more Based on the title, I was expecting a steamy, slightly dirty romance. And to be honest, the book had quite a bit of steam, but it was so much more. It was an intense, character driven, detailed read. The book tells the story of Callie, a woman who is looking for a job to teach paranormal lore as a college professor. While interviewing at a small middle of nowhere school 3 hours outside her beloved Manhattan, she is drawn to a house nearby as well as the woods around it. The townspeople show concern over her interest and try to steer her away from the house, acting as if it has a personality associated with it. Because her instincts say she has to, Callie jumps at the job opportunity offered by the college as well as buying the house, uprooting her life to follow this feeling. Meanwhile, her dreams from her teen years with a mysterious man present have returned, but the intensity of the dreams has been uped to include amazing sex with her dream prince. And yes, here is where the title comes into play. Callie believes it is her overactive imagination, but is it really? What is going on with her? The house she purchased belonged to her favorite gothic author Dahlia LaMotte, whose books featured paranormal elements as well as demon lovers visiting the heroines at night. Callie settles into her new house and new teaching job, having new characters from school and the town pop up to play important roles in her discoveries. I like the character of Callie, she was strong, independent, and went for what she wanted. I will admit to really liking Liam, even with knowing all the details about him, maybe he is not all that they think he is. There are so many characters in the book, yet they each play an important role in the story's forward progression. The book is very modern, even having pop culture references, yet everything felt like I was reading a gothic novel. The vocabulary alone transported me back in time to a more proper way of life, being words not used in today's society. At some points the detailed descriptions made me feel like I was reading a more condensed Charles Dickens style of writing with a modern flare. And yes there was plenty of detailed steamy sex, but this was not a romance novel. It was a paranormal mystery, with demons and witches, vampires, villains and even a cat that can communicate. The ending wrapped up nicely as if the book was a standalone, yet with so much going on that the sequel will have plenty to follow up on. Definitely not what I expected when I began reading. I received this book from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Geraldine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

****READ THIS REVIEW AND MORE AT http://www.corrallingbooks.blogspot.com/************

I picked up the Demon Lover, written by Carol Goodman under the pseudonym of Juliet Dark, interested in a town full of magical beings, being a lover of paranormal beings. The introduction shied me away from reading the book, but in the end my love for the paranormal and the fantastic cover pushed me into reading it.

This book took a while to get into. I wasn't all too interested in reading about the circumstances...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Kelsie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

Holy Gothic Novels, Batman!!! I love a good Gothic novel! Howdy Jane Eyre! They are so overly dramatic and full of prose. The imagery is so awesome in this book. This type of writing tends to be on the more flowery side of things, but even so I still enjoy one ever once and awhile. Ms. Dark does an awesome job of combining Gothic elements with other popular paranormal folklore. It was spooky, eerie, and filled with romance. I loved all the secondary characters and everyone had something to add t...more

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About Carol Goodman

Carol Goodman is the author of The Lake of Dead Languages. Her work has appeared in such journals as The Greensboro Review, Literal Latt, The Midwest Quarterly, and Other Voices. After graduation from Vassar College, where she majored in Latin, she taught Latin for several years in Austin, Texas. She then received an M.F.A. in fiction from the New School University. Goodman currently teaches writi...more

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Trivia About The Demon Lover

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Quotes from The Demon Lover

“No," I said, answering the last question Liam had asked me. " A lie told out of love isn't the worst thing.” — 19 people liked it

“Winter Liar" by Liam Doyle the Incubus

What come once here will never come again,
no matter monument nor memory;
all sunwarmed green succumbs to winter's wind.
And you, my love, were also my best friend,
and had your life to live. The tragedy
was not just my youth's recklessness, although
I trusted much to impulse, whim, freedom,
a destiny excluding doom. Frankly,
youth can be our insanity. But now I'm cured
of that fever, although the price was high;
and chilly April wind can only sigh
at my regrets, yet sun will brighten wind so,
one knows that soon green stirs, and wild bees hum.
And summer once more will make winter liar,
but I won't warm. You're all I'll ever desire.” — 7 people liked it

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Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles #1)

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