Demon's Curse (Imnada Brotherhood, #1)

Jan 17, 2013 Jess rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paused-started-but-set-aside, for_review

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: D

Mac is one of a group of four shifters, or Imnada, who have been cast out of their clan after one of the men, Adam, killed a group of people who knew about their existence. But one of those people cast a spell on them right before he died, cursing them to live their lives in their shifter form every night. Their shift is forced on them and it’s because of the curse that they were cast out and have been on their own ever since. Adam has found...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: D

Mac is one of a group of four shifters, or Imnada, who have been cast out of their clan after one of the men, Adam, killed a group of people who knew about their existence. But one of those people cast a spell on them right before he died, cursing them to live their lives in their shifter form every night. Their shift is forced on them and it’s because of the curse that they were cast out and have been on their own ever since. Adam has found a cure for the curse, but he’s killed before he can share that information. Mac now wants to find Adam’s killer and figure out what the cure is so he can try to go back to his old life with the clan and to a piece of his life that’s been missing for well over a year. Along the way he meets Bianca an actress and friend to Adam, his rumored mistress, who’s been accused of being the murderer. She’s innocent and she starts to work with Mac to figure out what happened and she attempts to decode Adam’s journal, the only piece of information they have that has details about how he broke the curse. They’re also fighting for their lives because the real killer who took out Adam is out for revenge and that includes killing Mac and the other two men who were there the night they were all cursed.

This book was, in a word, confusing. The history of the Imnada and the wars between different supernatural groups throughout history was so detailed and descriptive it was hard to keep track of everything. Unfortunately, all the page time given to their history, the fighting and folklore dragged down the story and stopped the flow of the current day action. I found this to be a very boring aspect to the book.

The romance between the hero, Mac, and heroine, Bianca, just sort of happened. There was no buildup, there really didn’t feel like much in the way of sparks between them on page. One second they’re together in a room trying to figure clues out, or trying to escape being captured, the next thing you know, they’re kissing. It came out of left field and I never felt any connection between these two people.

The dynamic between the cursed men, Mac, Gray and David was an interesting aspect and I’d have loved more time between these three men on page. We get a sense about Gray and David’s characters in bits and pieces, enough to build them up prior to them leading their own books, I just wonder about them all separating after the curse. I am curious how their current friendship (using that term lightly since they’re not very close now) develops throughout the series.

This was overall a disappointment. I was bored for much of the story, confused for the rest of it and it wasn’t a book that kept my attention. While I am curious about the cursed men and what the future holds for them all, it won’t be enough to have me picking up the next book in the series.(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 MåїÐÂ»-(¯`v´¯)-» rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-romance-hot-stuff, books-of-2012, favorite-series, favorites, own-it-have-read-it, sexy-warriors, paranormal-romance

***I would like to thank Alexa Egan and her publicist Stephanie for providing a review copy in exchange for a honest review! :D***

I don’t know what it is about shifter books but they always manage to pull me in - and Demon’s Curse was no exception. Ms. Egan crafted a fascinating, historical world full of shifters, fey, ancient enemies and passion inducing romance. I enjoyed immersing myself in the intriguing, suspense-filled plot and getting to know the captivating characters. I cannot wait to g...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, edelweiss, buddy-read, for-review-read, read-in-2012

Buddy reading with Aly & Maru (will update with links to their reviews later).

I'd probably give this 2.5 stars if I could but I didn't like it enough to upgrade to 3.

Mac is part of an elite military unit who are gathering intelligence during the war, they are also part of a secretive race of shapeshifters called the Imnada. The Imnada were supposedly wiped out by the Fae related Others centuries ago but in reality they have just worked hard to remain in hiding. When threatened with discovery...more Buddy reading with Aly & Maru (will update with links to their reviews later).

I'd probably give this 2.5 stars if I could but I didn't like it enough to upgrade to 3.

Mac is part of an elite military unit who are gathering intelligence during the war, they are also part of a secretive race of shapeshifters called the Imnada. The Imnada were supposedly wiped out by the Fae related Others centuries ago but in reality they have just worked hard to remain in hiding. When threatened with discovery Mac's team do what they have to to protect their clan but as a result of their actions they find themselves cursed. Now with one of his until murdered Mac believes someone has uncovered their identity and that he is their next target. Bianca is a popular actress but when rumours link her to the murder of her close friend she is asked to take leave from her job. She is grieving for her friend and desperate to prove her innocence but she can only do that with Mac's help. Can they work together to catch Adam's killer and possibly find a way to break the curse?

After reading the prequel novella Awaken the Curse I had high hopes for Demon's Curse when I picked it up but unfortunately I found myself feeling let down by the time I finished it. I normally love the combination of a paranormal romance with a historical setting but in this case the book just really struggled to hold my attention and I even found myself skimming sections which is something I never usually do. Firstly I was surprised to see that there was no link between this story and the prequel novella, I wasn't expecting to see much of the previous couple but I did think that Lucas might have an important role to play in the series so it confused me that he wasn't even mentioned. I do wonder if he will crop up in future books but at this point it kind of feels like there was no point in reading the prequel, it certainly didn't give me any information that I needed to read this story.

At 400 pages this isn't a massive novel but the pacing really drags in parts which made it feel much longer than it was. You have to wait a long time between the action scenes and I just found myself getting bored. I know there is always a certain amount of world building to be done in the first book of a new series, in fact that is something I usually enjoy because I like finding out the details, but in this case I had so many questions and it took forever to get any answers. Perhaps it's just me but I didn't even understand what the curse on Mac and his team did to them until about half way through the book! I still don't know much about the Imnada or the Others (on a side note I have to mention what a boring species name Others is - especially when you compare it to Imnada!) and the whole feud between the two groups seems ridiculous.

Mac and Bianca were likeable enough characters but neither of them stood out in my mind, in fact barely a week on from finishing the book I can hardly remember anything about either of them without looking at the notes I took while I was reading. I did like the fact that Bianca's past isn't brushed under the carpet as soon as she meets Mac. She had suffered a great deal at the hands of her abusive husband and that made her especially wary of Mac. Even when she got to know him better and decided to give in to the attraction between them she still had moments where her memories would surface and effect the way she reacted to Mac. I felt that this was a very realistic reaction for someone who had been abused and I really liked the way Mac was so patient with her and helped her work through her issues. I also liked the fact that Bianca wasn't a useless female who sat around waiting to be rescued by her man and that she helped him as much as he helped her.

I would like to find out more about the Imnada and I really want to know what will happen with Lucas (from the prequel) but I'm really not sure if I'll continue reading this series. I can't say that I hated the story but I can only say it was OK, nothing about it blew me away or made me excited to carry on reading future instalments. I may well be in the minority with that though so I don't want to put anyone off giving it a try. Hopefully you'll enjoy it much more than I did.(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Unfortunately this is one of those books that really didn't work for me. I know plenty of people love paranormal romance by Jennifer Ashley, Jacquelin Frank or Kresley Cole. I'm not one of them, but if you are, don't discount this book because of my very short review.

What went wrong? What you have here is a great promise to deliver, fabulous cover, mysterious synopsis... I was expecting something akin to Firelight by Kristen Callihan, beautiful, Gothic, fairytalish, - what I've got is a jerky, s...more

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May 01, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-michelle

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A good concept for a historical paranormal, but didn’t deliver in the way that would keep my interest.

Opening Sentence: One of the mythical race of shape-shifting Imnada and a member of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery suffers under a ruthless curse.

The Review:

Demon’s Curse by Alexa Egan is the first book in the Imnada Brotherhood series. Set in a historical setting, Egan tells the tale of a secret race of shape-shifters who dem...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Amy Jacobs rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Demon's Curse is the first book in the Imnada Brotherhood series by author Alexa Egan.

I was a little hesitant in reading this book. I haven't read many paranormal romance books written in the Regency era. If I am going to read a historical book, I usually want it to be pretty straight forward. I have to say though that this book was pretty good. While it was different in ways with shape-shifting in the historical world, it still had the basic structure of one without the shape-shifting. There wa...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Jenn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifters, paranormal-romance

I love a good Regency romance every once in a while and so I couldn't wait to give Alexa Egan's series a try. On the whole, I enjoyed it, though it did have some flaws.

To start with the good stuff, though, I have to say how much I loved the setting and world building. Alexa Egan has created a very cool world and the mythology is nicely explored without overloading the reader. In this world, there are the Imnada, a race of shapechangers decended from aliens, and there are the Others, who are fey...more I love a good Regency romance every once in a while and so I couldn't wait to give Alexa Egan's series a try. On the whole, I enjoyed it, though it did have some flaws.

To start with the good stuff, though, I have to say how much I loved the setting and world building. Alexa Egan has created a very cool world and the mythology is nicely explored without overloading the reader. In this world, there are the Imnada, a race of shapechangers decended from aliens, and there are the Others, who are fey (at least as far as I can tell). The Imnada and Others are engaged in an ancient blood feud which have forced the Imnada to live in secret. Mac Flannery and three fellow Imnada and soldiers in the British military are cursed by a dying Other, and are forced to shift every evening, as soon as night falls. As a result, they've been exiled from their people because they're considered tainted. It's a pretty crappy lifestyle and they've all dealt with it in the own ways. They come back together after one of their number, Adam, is murdered, and learn that Adam has found a cure for the curse. Mystery, danger, and romance ensue, in ways that really kept me interested.

There's also a really interesting subplot that revolves around the politics between the Imnada and Others. The Imnada have been in hiding for generations but there are some Imnada who want to reveal themselves and make a truce with the Others. It's a divisive topic and I really got into this plot line. I hope there's more of it in future novels in the series.

In terms of characters, things are less well done. I thought Bianca was an excellent heroine. She's smart, a bit battered by life but still plucky. I instantly empathized with her and really enjoyed how her story was revealed. I also liked Mac, though not as much as Bianca. He's a damaged guy with a ton of baggage, mostly having to do with being exiled. He deals with some of his problems over the course of the novel but some of this resolution felt a bit forced to me. Some of the supporting characters were also quite memorable but others were a bit murky. For example, I had some difficulty separating Mac fellow exiles from one another for a large part of the novel because they felt underdeveloped, though this was generally resolved towards the end as they accrued more page time. There are also some reveals about certain characters (who shall remain unnamed to avoid spoilers) that were big surprises, which I usually love. Except in this case, I felt like I'd missed out on a really good chunk of story, to the point where I started wondering if there was another novel before this one involving these characters. I also found the main baddy to be a bit flat. We're told her motivation, we're shown her bad deeds, but I didn't find her to be a compelling foe.

Despite my issues with some of the characters, I did enjoy DEMON'S CURSE and plan to try AWAKEN THE CURSE, an e-prequel that's available now. If you're looking for a Regency romance with a brave heroine and an interesting supernatural landscape, you should keep DEMON'S CURSE in mind.

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Jan 01, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

DEMON'S CURSE Three Friends Fight a Curse
ORIGINAL POST:

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DEMON'S CURSE
Imnada Brotherhood #1
By Alexa Egan http://alexaegan.com
Pocket/Simon & Schuster
on sale 12/26/2012 official release date January 2013
Mass Market Paperback (400 pages) and E-Book Formats

ARC sent by Publisher with expectation that any review would be fair. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions herein are my own unless I note otherwise.

A rising star on the Covent Garden stage, Bia

...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Again, I have the dilemma of discussing a superior debut novel, this time by author Alexa Egan, and there's only so many adjectives to use before it sounds like I'm gushing like a total fangirl (not altogether a bad thing) instead of objectively reviewing? Straight off, I'd say Demon's Curse is riveting with a one-of-kind mythology that is unlike any shapeshifter book I've read, with a delicious romance that defies the odds and tugged at my heart strings.

Max Flannery is Imnada, a powerful race o...more Again, I have the dilemma of discussing a superior debut novel, this time by author Alexa Egan, and there's only so many adjectives to use before it sounds like I'm gushing like a total fangirl (not altogether a bad thing) instead of objectively reviewing? Straight off, I'd say Demon's Curse is riveting with a one-of-kind mythology that is unlike any shapeshifter book I've read, with a delicious romance that defies the odds and tugged at my heart strings.

Max Flannery is Imnada, a powerful race of shapeshifters that once betrayed King Arthur and were subsequently purged from existence by the fey-blooded, with any survivors left to live in the shadows for fear of being hunted. During the battle of Waterloo, Max and his friends, Adam, Gray, and David, all shifters working for the military, killed a mysterious traitor that was also fey-blooded and were then cursed with his dying breath into forcibly changing form each night as the sun set. This curse also caused them to be forever banned from their clans. Now, the daughter of the slain fey wants revenge and she is a powerful force to be reckoned with, tainted with her need to kill. She's already succeeded in murdering Adam and has turned her attention to Mac.

When Mac learns of Adam's death he vows to discover the truth, which is how he meets actress Bianca Parrino, the beautiful woman rumored to have been Adam's mistress. Most of London believe she is a skilled actress, nothing more than a common harlot, and that she killed Adam to make room for another lover. Mac doesn't trust her, Bianca doesn't trust Mac, but they must work together to find the real killer.

I loved everything about this book! The use of Arthurian myth was unique and well planned, the setting of Regency England was impeccably described, the conflict wasn't rushed or overly drawn out, and the romance was beautiful and very hot. I confess to being a little in love with Mac. Once I finished reading I jumped online because I was dying to know more, and was thrilled to see a novella (list title) available. This will be only the fourth book I've purchased in the last 6 months or so, but I just had to have it. I'm crossing my fingers like mad that another book will follow Demon's Curse, sooner rather than later because I can't wait to see what happens with Gray and David, plus I want to see how some of the subplots get resolved, especially with Jaime.
(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-read, edelweiss, review-book-2013, 3-5-wine-glasses

Read for Review (Edelweiss)
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.25
Character Rating: 3.75

First Thought When Finished: Really strong ending with some great characters (Primary & Secondary) make this a series that I will be giving another go!

Story Talk: I am going to admit up front that the first time I started this book I got a little lost and set it down. I just couldn't pinpoint exactly what was losing me. I am glad I came back to Demon's Curse because the second half of the story was very st...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Jenni Ebba rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Imnada are an ancient race of shape-changers that have nearly been decimated by the Others (a type of fairy descendants). The Others have worked centuries to be rid of a species they find inferior and after thousands of years, they think they have succeeded... at least most of them do. A small group of Imnada during Waterloo were at a sight of a massacred Others family- the remaining Other cursed them all for his families death and almost a decade later they're still paying the price of thei...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Cocktails and Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

"With a historical setting, the first installment in this shifter series by Alexa Egan was absolutely fascinating! I love that there are not only shifters, but fey as well. I love that she has painted a brilliant world with an unforgettable cast of characters. I love the intense suspense and the beautiful romance. I love the extremely steamy and sexy scenes between our hero and heroine.

Bianca and Mac are the two main characters in the story. Bianca is strong, confident and determined. Mac is fu...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

A sweet romance with two damaged characters that aren't too damaged to love with some paranormal elements thrown in.

I am not sure if I would have liked this better without the paranormal elements. This book was a pretty standard romance (besides the paranormal elements) and I think it could have worked just as the two characters getting together because of Bianca's friend's murder and them trying to find the killer and...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Literary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mandy's Review:

This is a classical romance in that it has the main basic elements:

- Girl in trouble who is independent and determined to stay that way due to past hurts
- Sexy man alone and determined not to become entangled in love affair due to hidden secret
- A potentially dangerous situation forces the two to come together, work together, and, eventually, fall in love

Now, take those basic elements and throw in shape-shifters, faes, magic, murder, and the anger of a clan and you've got yourself...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dft, read-2013, romance, paranormal, historical, fiction

Review posted on Dark Faerie Tales.

Demon’s Curse by Alexa Egan is the first book in the Imnada Brotherhood series. Set in a historical setting, Egan tells the tale of a secret race of shape-shifters who demand secrecy in order to survive. With a life long rival with the Fae Blood, the Imnada Brotherhood must do what they can to protect their race from the Other and from human knowledge.

Captain Mac Flannery and his Imnada brothers have gathered in the funeral of their late brother, Adam. In a br...more Review posted on Dark Faerie Tales.

Demon’s Curse by Alexa Egan is the first book in the Imnada Brotherhood series. Set in a historical setting, Egan tells the tale of a secret race of shape-shifters who demand secrecy in order to survive. With a life long rival with the Fae Blood, the Imnada Brotherhood must do what they can to protect their race from the Other and from human knowledge.

Captain Mac Flannery and his Imnada brothers have gathered in the funeral of their late brother, Adam. In a brutal and public murder, Mac and his brothers gather in the first time since their banishment from their clans. Mac must find Adam’s murder, and he needs to start with the rising actress, Bianca Parrino. Bianca is an actress on stage and off. She brings forth a persona to keep others at bay. Bianca feels she has her independence and her wealth, and that is more than enough to keep her life content. When her close friend Adam is murdered, Bianca is one of the main suspects. She must prove her innocence, and depend on the one man she least expected.

Set in historical England, in a regency era, Bianca is independent and a free thinker. She survived an abusive marriage, is a successful and sought after actress, and is coveted by many eligible bachelors. Bianca built up a wall, shutting off her heart from the rest of the world. My connection to Bianca was a little slow. For one thing, she didn’t stand out. In the beginning of Demon’s Curse, I kept mistaking her for the antagonist, and that is never a good thing.

Mac was a difficult man to get to know. One minute he was tough and against his current life, and the next he couldn’t stay away fast enough. I didn’t think the transition between his feelings were smooth enough. It wasn’t realistic for me to accept. Mac was so focused on the murder and the curse that it wasn’t easy to accept that he could love a woman so easily. At least not to me.

I couldn’t connect to a lot of things within Demon’s Curse, but what I couldn’t connect to could be the thing that you do. It was a little difficult for me to engage with the characters. I felt the way they were introduced, there wasn’t anything tangible for me to grab on to. The details that I did grab onto wasn’t enough to keep me engaged.

The history of the Imnada was a little confusing, and I felt that the message was lost in translation. There wasn’t a simple laid out backstory of the Imnada brotherhood and their culture. I felt myself skimming through the pages looking for little bits of information. The culture of the clans, the shape-shifters, and the Imnada is what really intriguied me, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Everything was detailed, maybe too much to a point. It seemed like that Demon’s Curse had too much of everything.

With so much information and events taking place, I felt the pacing was a little slow. The first half of the book seemed to drag for me. A lot of my personal preferences kept me from connecting, often times feeling that I was bored with the page. It was a little disappointing, mostly because the idea of the Imnada and the curse was different and interesting.

In the end, this wasn’t for me. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t for you.
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Jan 15, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting mix of genres in a book. To me, it was mostly a historical romance and a PNR with a dash of fantasy for flavor. It held all three of these genres and it blended it nicely. I would however, disagree with part of the book's blurb. It isn't a fast paced book, but rather slow paced as some historical romances tend to be with some fast paced action on occasion.

In this story 4 shapeshifters of the clans of Imnada all go to help the war effort and defeat Napoleon. As they are ga...more This was an interesting mix of genres in a book. To me, it was mostly a historical romance and a PNR with a dash of fantasy for flavor. It held all three of these genres and it blended it nicely. I would however, disagree with part of the book's blurb. It isn't a fast paced book, but rather slow paced as some historical romances tend to be with some fast paced action on occasion.

In this story 4 shapeshifters of the clans of Imnada all go to help the war effort and defeat Napoleon. As they are gathering information, they find themselves exposed for what they are and they are bound by their clan law to eliminate any threat. When the threat comes from a fay-blood they become cursed and must endure the shift to their animal nature every night. This makes them anathema to the clans and they are banished. All are looking to eliminate the curse while a member of the fay-blood is looking for revenge. One was murdered and this is what brought them back together after their cursed night and expulsion from the clans.

The love interest is between Bianca, the friend of the murdered man Adam, and Mac, a clansman to Adam. Mac falls for her not because of her beauty nor popularity, but because of her strength of character. Of course this is not easy for either of them as Bianca has PTSD from a previous marriage and Mac is suspicious of everyone not in the clan. Can you say frustrating romance with periods of aw? :)

I have to admit that I was not always thrilled with Mac. I really loved the fact that he cared enough for Bianca to help her through her PTSD, but found him infuriating when he would trigger her problem because he couldn't decide what he wanted. He knew he triggered her problem and yet he didn't. Yes, I wanted to kick that shifter in his hind end. :P However, this became a nice contrast for Bianca and I found her to be someone who had great strength within. I know many of you love this kind of frustrating tension, but I sometimes think enough is enough. But that is just me. :)

I give this mix of genre book 3 stars. I really do think that this series will take off now that this world is established and I'm curious as to what happens next. It's not a cliffie, but not everything is solved and I want to know how they solve it. I recommend this book to those that love historical romance and want something a bit different.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-stephanie

Actress Bianca Parrino had no idea going to her friend Adam's funeral would plunge her into a paranormal world. Captain Mac Flannery is Imnada, a secret race of shape shifters. Even though his kind turned their backs on him after he was cursed by a Fae, Mac thinks it's vital to his people's survival that they remain hidden. Fearing his comrade revealed himself to Bianca, Mac inserts himself into her life to see if she knows anything as he looks for Adam's murderer. Not one to sit idly by, Bianca...more Actress Bianca Parrino had no idea going to her friend Adam's funeral would plunge her into a paranormal world. Captain Mac Flannery is Imnada, a secret race of shape shifters. Even though his kind turned their backs on him after he was cursed by a Fae, Mac thinks it's vital to his people's survival that they remain hidden. Fearing his comrade revealed himself to Bianca, Mac inserts himself into her life to see if she knows anything as he looks for Adam's murderer. Not one to sit idly by, Bianca joins the search and uncovers a world she never knew existed. A world that, despite a growing attraction, she has no place in.

In Regency era England, Bianca's independent thinking is ahead of her time. Free from a abusive marriage, she's a successful actress who has closed her heart off from love and wishes to live alone. A panther shifter, Mac was shunned by his own people after he was cursed. Since then, he's grown cold and wishes for nothing more than the end of his curse so he may return to the clan that brutally cast him out. Having read similar books, it was easy to predict that Bianca and Mac would alternate from giving into the burning desire and denying it exists because they can't possibly have a future together. Neither the romance nor either of these characters are terrible, both are strong individuals who really care for each other but have obstacles to overcome, but it's nothing I haven't read before.

What attracted me in was the Imnada. They've hidden themselves away after a war with the Fae that nearly killed them all. Now, it's their ancient way of thinking that's inching them closer and closer to extinction. There are those who believe, including Mac towards the end, that things need to change before their kind is no more. There's shape shifting action and some history revealed but I thought the surface was only scratched. I really want the light shinned on this mysterious race because everything I've learned so far has been very interesting and the possibility of learning more will have me coming back.

Bianca and Adam's main focus, aside from failing to ignore their obvious feelings, is to find their friend Adam's killer and also learn how he broke free of the curse he, Mac, and two of their Imnada comrades share. But the killer has not gone away and has Mac and Bianca next on the hit list. It's no secret as to who the killer is or what the motives are because that's revealed early on but the anticipation and uncertainty of when everything is going to collide added suspense and I believe paid off well in the end.

Demon's Curse is an engaging, well-written story with a lot to offer. The romance and main characters were predictable but it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the HEA. Some parts were slow, I usually anticipate some lagging in historical books, yet I thought this was a good start to something that could grow to be great.
- Stephanie(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A lovely paranormal/historical romance! Though there were a few minor issues. However, despite those few problems, this book was amazing.

Can we just take a moment to admire that gorgeous cover? Seriously, the cover for this book is phenomenal, one of the best romance covers I've ever seen. Kudos to whoever designed it, because it is fantastic.

Now, to the actual book.
I really liked the idea of a combination of historic...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, from-publisher-author

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Bianca, an actress, has many admirers but few actual friends, so when her good friend, Adam, is murdered, she attends his funeral and this makes her a suspect as well as bringing the unwanted attention of his enemies. Mac, his brother in arms and closest friend, seeks her out since he knows she was the last one seen with him. He also catches her whispering to Adam's casket that she will keep his secrets which to Mac, is a worry since he and Adam are part of the shape-shifting...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Adria (Romance Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-and-reviewed

Originally posted on I Smell Sheep (Guest Reviewer)

Mac Flannery is in trouble. A lot of it. As a member of an elite military unit, he's used to having to fight for survival and is good at what he does. However, when night falls he is forced to shift into his animal form. He is an Imnada, a member of a shape shifting race who's survival depends on secrecy. Cast out of their clans after he and his friends are cursed by a Fae, Mac becomes a loner. When one of his cursed friends is murdered, Mac beg...more Originally posted on I Smell Sheep (Guest Reviewer)

Mac Flannery is in trouble. A lot of it. As a member of an elite military unit, he's used to having to fight for survival and is good at what he does. However, when night falls he is forced to shift into his animal form. He is an Imnada, a member of a shape shifting race who's survival depends on secrecy. Cast out of their clans after he and his friends are cursed by a Fae, Mac becomes a loner. When one of his cursed friends is murdered, Mac begins a quest for answers that lead him to Bianca Parrino, an actress with secrets of her own.

Bianca can't seem to run from her violent past fast enough, but just when she thinks she's found a safe haven, her friend is murdered and she finds herself the suspect in his murder, then later she is caught up in a war between the Imnada and the Fae. It's enough to break a woman, but not Bianca. She's tough, stubborn and brave, just the type of woman a man like Mac needs. The attraction between the two is almost instantaneous but it takes a while to develop, all the while creating some serious sexual tension.

Demon's Curse is packed with details, action, suspense, mystery, and of course, romance. Author Alexa Egan made sure that the story had enough details to capture the reader's attention and created vivid scenes without slowing down the pace of the story. Her hero is an unwilling and tarnished knight trying to save the beautiful damsel from the clutches of evil, while the damsel does some fighting of her own and isn't as demure as she might seem.
There is so much magic and shape shifting going on that at times I forgot that Demon's Curse is actually a historical paranormal romance and not just a paranormal romance. Readers who shy away from historical romance shouldn't pass this book up, and fans of paranormal romance will love the heavy paranormal element.
My only issue with Demon's Curse was the number of characters who were in and out of scenes throughout the whole book. There are almost too many to keep track of and that could confuse readers or turn them off completely. At times I had to stop and take notes to make sure I didn't confuse characters. Sometimes these interesting but largely superfluous characters took too much attention away from Mac, Bianca and the problem at hand.
Overall, Alexa Egan did a good job of setting up her Imnada series. She created a solid world to place her characters in, giving them a powerful adversary that at times seemed to have them beaten and making sure she didn't skip out on the sexy chemistry between Mac and Bianca.(less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: gr-giveaways, 2013-read-challenge, read-gave-away

****Recieved from Goodreads giveaways*****

I was really enjoying this book (thinking a 4 star rating) until I got about half way through the book and it kinda started dragging. It was a good story and had interesting characters, but their inner struggles deciding what they really wanted could have been resolved a lot sooner than it was and it would have added to the story more, I think, as it would have allowed more time to introduce some of the characters that show up at the end. As it was the e...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Demon’s curse written by Alexa Egan is her debut book. Four comrades at arms have to clean up the mess, the mess only one of them made, but with his death two years later they find that they will pay, and pay dearly. He was protecting their clans, their people from an ancient enemy, but it cost the four more than they ever planned. They are cursed, now clan-less, now broken from all they hold dear. They are Cursed to transform against their will breaking all bonds of nature, of their goddess, to...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't think I've read that many paranormal historical romance books, so I was really excited to try this one out. I like paranormal and I love historical romance, so I figured this book had to be a great read.

Mac Flannery isn't your ordinary Captain, he's part of the shape-shifting Imnada, meaning he can shape shift any time he wants. But when one of Mac's friends and fellow Imnada kills an entire family in order to protect their secret, Mac and three of his friends are cursed so now they are...more I don't think I've read that many paranormal historical romance books, so I was really excited to try this one out. I like paranormal and I love historical romance, so I figured this book had to be a great read.

Mac Flannery isn't your ordinary Captain, he's part of the shape-shifting Imnada, meaning he can shape shift any time he wants. But when one of Mac's friends and fellow Imnada kills an entire family in order to protect their secret, Mac and three of his friends are cursed so now they are forced to shift every night at sundown. What once was a gift is now a horrible curse that prevents the men from ever living a normal life. And now that they're cursed, they're cast out of their clan, cutting Mac off from the woman he was going to marry and the only family he has ever known. The only answer Mac can find to fixing his life is finding a cure for the curse, but when one of his fellow cursed Imnadas is found dead, Mac learns he was close to finding a cure and is lead to Bianca, an actress with a troubled past of her own. Can Bianca really help Mac get back to his clan?

I really loved how there was way more to this story than the romance. Don't get me wrong, the romance was awesome, but it was nice to have actual substance and a goal the characters were striving for. I was kept wondering how Mac was going to find this mysterious cure or if the cure even existed in the first place. The villains were really interesting too and I loved being able to see some chapters/excerpts from their point of view. The whole paranormal aspect with shapeshifting was also a great part of this story; it wasn't your usual werewolf story, but a species that was a lot more interesting. They had a whole history and had to keep their race a secret because the other paranormal creatures thought they had gone extinct.

So overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were some parts that were slow, but you pretty much get that in every book. The romance was great and the paranormal side of the story was even better. If you're a fan of historical romance and paranormal, you should definitely give this book a try. Now I can't wait to see what the author has in store next with the Imnada Brotherhood. (less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Alana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2013

slightly confussing at first due to lack of background explination. although, once i found the glossary in the back, things made a lot more sense. (hopefully the glossary will be in the front or with a note that it can be found in the back for final publication).
that aside, the story was a great action adventure/mystery/romance. loved the tension of mac and bianca trying to decide to trust each other or not. as always with a first book a little rough around the edges but nothing that takes aw...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

A dark and intriguing start to a series based in an interesting historical London.

1815 – Three men walk through a house that has destruction all around, dead and dying bodies lay both outside and inside the house. The men are Imnada, a group of shape-changers and telepaths and they are trying to find out what happened and who is responsible before they go back to the war. The three find Adam, their comrade inside and find he is the one responsible for the deaths, however they do not blame him as...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

The Imnada consists of several clans of shapeshifters which were thought to have been wiped out in a great war with the Fae. Yet enough Imnada survived the war and four of those Imnada were cursed by Fae magic. These four men now seek a cure to their curse and when one of them is murdered, they must find the truth to save themselves from the same fate. Enter Bianca Parrino, a stage actress who may hold the secret to breaking the curse. Mac Flannery must now find out what she knows; not only to s...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Belinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley-edelweiiss

I just finished reading Demon’s Curse by Alexis Egan and it a pretty good read. I love the theme and characters. You get to know what is taking place at the beginning and then it slows down at bit Captain Mac Flannery and his fellow men were cursed at a massacre at the end of Waterloo. Each one of them would turn into beasts at the darkness begin and ended at dawn. Mac’s beast was that of a sleek and dangerous panther. All of the men have lived in fear and anguish of never being able to have fam...more

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Dec 10, 2012 The Window Seat added it

When I started working with this blog I was the novice to the whole Paranormal side of romance. Since that time I’ve had my eyes opened and gained more of an appreciation for stories involving the darker side of life and embracing all the things that go bump in the night. I won’t go so far as to say that I’m a connoisseur, but I can speak from the heart. Demon’s Curse was a book that I liked, but it took some time to get there.

I will admit that the story got off to a rough start by introducing t...more

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Dec 11, 2012 CaroleDee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Demon's Curse was a great beginning to a series that has a lot of potential and tons of story to build on. If you're not a fan of historicals don't be shy. The time period is almost a moot point. Yes, you get carriages and some mention of the ton and aristocracy, but for the most part the story could very easily take place in modern times.

Bianca and Mac's unlikely pairing was great to read. With both suffering past hurts,prejudices, and uncertain futures their ultimate coming together was wonder...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, paranormal, never-ending-aka-never-finished

*ARC courtesy of Pocket Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
The review is for the 40% that I have read

This one was one of the most promising books I've seen this past months. Unfortunately it didn't live to my expectations of it. What attracted me to it first was the title and the pretty cover(shirtless guy with a sword? SOLD!) then I read the blurb and I was even more eager to get the ARC.

What I expected:
-a cool new series with an intriguing world and action
-a strong, honorabl...more

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Demon's Curse (Imnada Brotherhood #1)

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