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Guardians of the Seven Seals #2
Hellbound
For the first time since Lana Wolfe's world had gone to hell in the proverbial hand basket, a spark had ignited in her soul. Hope. Hope for something beyond days of stalking and nights of killing. Hope that maybe she wouldn't become one of the monsters that stalked the night. Because Orion was different. He seemed like he'd been one of what she hunted for . . . well, for a long time. Yet he didn't reek like the others. Quite the opposite. Her heightened senses drank him in like a parched sponge at an oasis. Coming to Orion's every night made her feel safe. There was magic on his farm. Even if for only a couple of hours each night, spending time here had been a welcome break from the hunt. The peace surrounding this place had made her believe the monsters couldn't sully this oasis. Except the stench in the air now warned her that hope was . . . hopeless. She was never safe. And now Orion wasn't, either. Her jaw clenched. She had covered her tracks. She was sure of it. There was no way the monsters could've tracked him from her trail. From the safety of the tree line, she scanned the area. Her fur bristled when she saw lizard-like shapes sprawled across the backyard. Dead monsters. Orion's work. She counted. Six total. Killing one monster was a feat. But six? Arma-freaking-geddon.
- GenresParanormal Romance
232 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2012
103 people want to read
About the author
Berinn Rae
10 books59 followersRACHEL AUKES writes horror stories, and as BERINN RAE she writes sci-fi romance and paranormal romance. Rachel was raised on a farm in Iowa where she boasted the small town’s largest (and only) comic book collection, and she's still addicted to stories starring characters with kickassitude. When not writing, Rachel flies old airplanes in the American Midwest with her awesomely supportive husband and caters to an incredibly spoiled sixty-pound lap dog.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 5, 2012
My Thoughts
Hellhounds. Who would have thought those supernatural creatures could be sexy as all get out? I didn’t. But Berinn Rae certainly showed me how wrong I was. Damn!
In Book #2 of this series, she introduces us to the hellhound guardians that protect the immortal that bears the Seal of Understanding - their Alpha leader, Orion.
Hellhound is interesting, compelling and action-packed. Since I am all about the character development in novels, this one didn’t disappoint me. The author gradually conveyed events that molded them into who they were today. I ended up really caring for the characters in this novel. I felt happy when things went right for them and fretted when they didn’t. Even the supporting characters were presented in such a way that we’re given just enough to whet our appetite for their stories to come.
If you enjoy paranormal romance series like Sentinel Wars by Shannon K Butcher, or Feral Warriors by Pamela Palmer, you’ll like this series.
________________________________________
So about the story…
According the Book of Revelation, seven Seals ensure humanity’s survival. These Seals are worn by seven immortals in the form of markings on their bodies. Even though they are powerful from the Seals abilities, the bearers are still protected by the Guardians. Knights, hellhounds, shifters and mages that give their lives to ensure the Seals do not fall into enemy hands. The “Dominion” is a faction that broke away from the guardians believing protecting humanity should not be their purpose.
In the last novel of the series, the Guardians delivered a devastating blow to the Dominion. However, out of the rubble, a new leader emerged. Cellach, a hellhound, has taken over the Dominion with plans to destroy the seals. But first, his immediate goal is to destroy Orion, the Alpha of the Hellhounds and bearer of the Seal of Understanding. For over a thousand years, thoughts of vengeance have driven Cellach to plan the demise of Orion. With the help of the evil witch, Tatiana, he creates mutant hellhounds believed more powerful than the Alpha’s guardians.
Lana is a human who was turned into a hellhound by her evil ex-boyfriend, Danny. She had no idea that hellhounds or monsters existed or that Danny was one. Since it is near impossible for a female to survive the change into a hellhound, Danny thought he killed her and ran away. However, Lana lived. Fueled by pure rage and a desire for revenge against Danny, Lana learned to live with what she was and killed every monster she encountered along the way to finding him.
That is until she discovered Orion on his farm and felt the call of the Alpha hellhound. Not understanding what he was and still newly turned, she was nervous and suspicious of him.
Having not seen a female hellhound for centuries, Orion could not believe it when one stumbled onto his farmland. Not wanting to frighten her with his size, he stayed in his human form when she came around. In her hellhound form, she bravely ventured a little closer to him each night. After a month of his coaxing, Orion finally got her to come close enough for him to touch her. Once he did, he would be able to find her anywhere through the use of his seal. Having made the connection, their adventures begin…
________________________________________
The Characters…
Lana is absolutely fearless. Her strength and bravery is incredibly inspiring. In her own personal war against the monsters, she would never back away from a fight even if she was outnumbered and knew she would possibly die. She would fight with all she had knowing that if she won, that meant one more person would be safe from them.
This strength also applied to her Alpha. She would never sit back and let Orion or his guardians protect her. She was there - right in the middle of the action. Getting hurt and the battle scars right along with everyone else. If Orion tried to pull any of his alpha male attitude with her, she would leave him. And he was man enough to believe her.
That’s what I liked about Orion. He’s alpha enough to be powerful and deadly and he didn’t like Lana fighting. However, he was man enough to curb his alpha instincts because he loved her, accepted her and was proud of her for who she was. That surprised me given the way he was raised by his father, the former Alpha. Orion and Lana’s relationship is one of respect, friendship and acceptance. A true partnership! And of course that intense chemistry and passion was very enjoyable to read about as well…
There are many great characters in this novel. The author was very skillful in how she gave us the background between Cellach and Orion to understand their conflict. Also, several of the guardians were developed enough so that we got a sense of their situations and difficulties for future stories.
Samael is one in particular that I am very interested to hear more about. He’s a very tortured soul with as awful an upbringing as Orion and we got to see a bit about how incredibly loyal he is to Orion for helping him when he joined the pack.
I enjoyed this story immensely. There are only a couple of reasons why I’m not giving it a 5 star rating. There were several words misplaced in sentences or there twice and a few grammatical errors. This may be because I reviewed the ARC (advanced reading copy). It may have been fixed in the final version. While that’s not a huge deal, I did find Orion’s upbringing in the pack too much like Vischous’ in Black Dagger Brotherhood. Not a bad thing because it was very well written and interesting, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen it. Other than those couple things, I recommend this novel to read.
________________________________________
Bottom Line
In my opinion, Berinn Rae gives us a very intriguing novel and I was completely absorbed in the story. The main characters are compelling and believable, the supporting characters are developed brilliantly and the story is action-packed. There’s never a dull moment. The author nicely sets up storylines for future novels in the series and I am really looking forward to reading more about these immortals and their delicious guardians.
The author has also made me a fan of hellhounds and I will never look at them as ghastly creatures again! They rock!
Happy Reading!!
4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!
Hellhounds. Who would have thought those supernatural creatures could be sexy as all get out? I didn’t. But Berinn Rae certainly showed me how wrong I was. Damn!
In Book #2 of this series, she introduces us to the hellhound guardians that protect the immortal that bears the Seal of Understanding - their Alpha leader, Orion.
Hellhound is interesting, compelling and action-packed. Since I am all about the character development in novels, this one didn’t disappoint me. The author gradually conveyed events that molded them into who they were today. I ended up really caring for the characters in this novel. I felt happy when things went right for them and fretted when they didn’t. Even the supporting characters were presented in such a way that we’re given just enough to whet our appetite for their stories to come.
If you enjoy paranormal romance series like Sentinel Wars by Shannon K Butcher, or Feral Warriors by Pamela Palmer, you’ll like this series.
________________________________________
So about the story…
According the Book of Revelation, seven Seals ensure humanity’s survival. These Seals are worn by seven immortals in the form of markings on their bodies. Even though they are powerful from the Seals abilities, the bearers are still protected by the Guardians. Knights, hellhounds, shifters and mages that give their lives to ensure the Seals do not fall into enemy hands. The “Dominion” is a faction that broke away from the guardians believing protecting humanity should not be their purpose.
In the last novel of the series, the Guardians delivered a devastating blow to the Dominion. However, out of the rubble, a new leader emerged. Cellach, a hellhound, has taken over the Dominion with plans to destroy the seals. But first, his immediate goal is to destroy Orion, the Alpha of the Hellhounds and bearer of the Seal of Understanding. For over a thousand years, thoughts of vengeance have driven Cellach to plan the demise of Orion. With the help of the evil witch, Tatiana, he creates mutant hellhounds believed more powerful than the Alpha’s guardians.
Lana is a human who was turned into a hellhound by her evil ex-boyfriend, Danny. She had no idea that hellhounds or monsters existed or that Danny was one. Since it is near impossible for a female to survive the change into a hellhound, Danny thought he killed her and ran away. However, Lana lived. Fueled by pure rage and a desire for revenge against Danny, Lana learned to live with what she was and killed every monster she encountered along the way to finding him.
That is until she discovered Orion on his farm and felt the call of the Alpha hellhound. Not understanding what he was and still newly turned, she was nervous and suspicious of him.
Having not seen a female hellhound for centuries, Orion could not believe it when one stumbled onto his farmland. Not wanting to frighten her with his size, he stayed in his human form when she came around. In her hellhound form, she bravely ventured a little closer to him each night. After a month of his coaxing, Orion finally got her to come close enough for him to touch her. Once he did, he would be able to find her anywhere through the use of his seal. Having made the connection, their adventures begin…
________________________________________
The Characters…
Lana is absolutely fearless. Her strength and bravery is incredibly inspiring. In her own personal war against the monsters, she would never back away from a fight even if she was outnumbered and knew she would possibly die. She would fight with all she had knowing that if she won, that meant one more person would be safe from them.
This strength also applied to her Alpha. She would never sit back and let Orion or his guardians protect her. She was there - right in the middle of the action. Getting hurt and the battle scars right along with everyone else. If Orion tried to pull any of his alpha male attitude with her, she would leave him. And he was man enough to believe her.
That’s what I liked about Orion. He’s alpha enough to be powerful and deadly and he didn’t like Lana fighting. However, he was man enough to curb his alpha instincts because he loved her, accepted her and was proud of her for who she was. That surprised me given the way he was raised by his father, the former Alpha. Orion and Lana’s relationship is one of respect, friendship and acceptance. A true partnership! And of course that intense chemistry and passion was very enjoyable to read about as well…
There are many great characters in this novel. The author was very skillful in how she gave us the background between Cellach and Orion to understand their conflict. Also, several of the guardians were developed enough so that we got a sense of their situations and difficulties for future stories.
Samael is one in particular that I am very interested to hear more about. He’s a very tortured soul with as awful an upbringing as Orion and we got to see a bit about how incredibly loyal he is to Orion for helping him when he joined the pack.
I enjoyed this story immensely. There are only a couple of reasons why I’m not giving it a 5 star rating. There were several words misplaced in sentences or there twice and a few grammatical errors. This may be because I reviewed the ARC (advanced reading copy). It may have been fixed in the final version. While that’s not a huge deal, I did find Orion’s upbringing in the pack too much like Vischous’ in Black Dagger Brotherhood. Not a bad thing because it was very well written and interesting, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen it. Other than those couple things, I recommend this novel to read.
________________________________________
Bottom Line
In my opinion, Berinn Rae gives us a very intriguing novel and I was completely absorbed in the story. The main characters are compelling and believable, the supporting characters are developed brilliantly and the story is action-packed. There’s never a dull moment. The author nicely sets up storylines for future novels in the series and I am really looking forward to reading more about these immortals and their delicious guardians.
The author has also made me a fan of hellhounds and I will never look at them as ghastly creatures again! They rock!
Happy Reading!!
4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!
March 20, 2012
Lana hates that she has fallen victim to a curse. That’s how she views the furry and vicious side of her life, a curse. She’s had no one around to explain to her what is going on. Lana has figured out that there is a plus side to her new furry self. She can kill the mindless creatures that are similar to her who are thoughtlessly killing innocents.
Orion’s hunt for Dominion leader Cellach has brought him to the human plane. Cellach has been an enemy to Orion for numerous years, he’s been looking forward to the day that he can put him in a grave. Cellah has been creating an army of Hellhounds, with a twist. He has been using wraiths to create his army. Orion and his team consisting of Guardians and pack discover that this is a far tougher opponent than your typical Hellhound.
Lana soon feels drawn to one like her. This one is like her in appearance and he also slays the evil Hellhounds, just in a far more efficient manner than her. Orion is shocked the first time he sees the female Hellhound. As with all Hellhounds, he has thought females simply didn’t exist any longer. Lana is curious about what the curse has done to her, why and how it happened. The answer to all of her questions lies with this sexy man who seems to want her near him.
I liked Lana and Orion. Orion has been in the position as a leader for so long that he’s not used to anyone not going along with all of his plans. Lana makes him see that she isn’t under his command. She is not one of his pack mates that will just follow his orders. She wants her vengeance for what has happened to her. There is more behind her turning than just a turning. She is angry and seeks revenge. Orion is equally angry. He has considered Lana as his from the moment he first saw her. To find out someone maliciously harmed her is just unacceptable.
I have to mention one of the villains. I thoroughly enjoyed his page time. Danny was so narcissistic and full of himself that he was completely delusional. I loved the pages from his point of view. He constantly shocked me with what convoluted idea would sprout from his mind next. Ideas of grandeur are a mild understatement when it comes to this man. His opinions of how the little lady should behave will have every reader personally plotting his painful demise. As a reader I could not help but think that when this fool went down he was going down hard.
I’m not sure where the series will go from here. None of the other Seven had roles in Hellbound. The characters consisted of Orion, the Guardians and his pack. There are still members of the Dominion remaining alive so of course the series will continue. I’m just always super curious at the end of a book and want to know who is next in the series.
Orion’s hunt for Dominion leader Cellach has brought him to the human plane. Cellach has been an enemy to Orion for numerous years, he’s been looking forward to the day that he can put him in a grave. Cellah has been creating an army of Hellhounds, with a twist. He has been using wraiths to create his army. Orion and his team consisting of Guardians and pack discover that this is a far tougher opponent than your typical Hellhound.
Lana soon feels drawn to one like her. This one is like her in appearance and he also slays the evil Hellhounds, just in a far more efficient manner than her. Orion is shocked the first time he sees the female Hellhound. As with all Hellhounds, he has thought females simply didn’t exist any longer. Lana is curious about what the curse has done to her, why and how it happened. The answer to all of her questions lies with this sexy man who seems to want her near him.
I liked Lana and Orion. Orion has been in the position as a leader for so long that he’s not used to anyone not going along with all of his plans. Lana makes him see that she isn’t under his command. She is not one of his pack mates that will just follow his orders. She wants her vengeance for what has happened to her. There is more behind her turning than just a turning. She is angry and seeks revenge. Orion is equally angry. He has considered Lana as his from the moment he first saw her. To find out someone maliciously harmed her is just unacceptable.
I have to mention one of the villains. I thoroughly enjoyed his page time. Danny was so narcissistic and full of himself that he was completely delusional. I loved the pages from his point of view. He constantly shocked me with what convoluted idea would sprout from his mind next. Ideas of grandeur are a mild understatement when it comes to this man. His opinions of how the little lady should behave will have every reader personally plotting his painful demise. As a reader I could not help but think that when this fool went down he was going down hard.
I’m not sure where the series will go from here. None of the other Seven had roles in Hellbound. The characters consisted of Orion, the Guardians and his pack. There are still members of the Dominion remaining alive so of course the series will continue. I’m just always super curious at the end of a book and want to know who is next in the series.
May 29, 2012
Like a dark, sensual piece of chocolate that you want to savor. This book literally was one of the most freshest, original books I’ve read in a long time. This book can stand on it’s own.
What made this book work for me was that this book had a very nice plot, good subplots, strong hero and a strong heroine. Usually with main characters one character is stronger than the other at least in the beginning. That is not the case at all.
I like the fact that we readers are treated to one of the sexiest opening scenes ever. That opening sequence of Lana and Orion in their hell hound forms really was exceptionally hot. My mouth was watering for more of this. The fact that this book takes place in another part of the world separate from where the rest of the Guardians really was nice.
Also the chemistry between the two characters really was intense, fresh, and very believable. What I like about these characters was even though they have past that make them damaged individuals, they see each other very differently. Like the other half of the person that they are seeking.
I felt that this book had some very intense scenes. The domestic violence situation that Lana was in with her ex-boyfriend Danny really was handled well and done with a very good feel about what it is like to be in that situation. That situation made Lana into the strong character she is now, but instead of giving into despair, she used it to forge ahead.
Like the fact that Tatianna from the first book made an appearance, but would have liked to have seen more of her. Cellach; Orion’s arch-nemesis is using her services for his own ends. This had a great long term effect on the book, but never the less Cellach loses in the end.
In the end, Lana and Orion do realize that they need each other, but I love the action scenes, the love scenes were smoking hot. All in all a great steamy read to read.
Rating: Five Hearts
What made this book work for me was that this book had a very nice plot, good subplots, strong hero and a strong heroine. Usually with main characters one character is stronger than the other at least in the beginning. That is not the case at all.
I like the fact that we readers are treated to one of the sexiest opening scenes ever. That opening sequence of Lana and Orion in their hell hound forms really was exceptionally hot. My mouth was watering for more of this. The fact that this book takes place in another part of the world separate from where the rest of the Guardians really was nice.
Also the chemistry between the two characters really was intense, fresh, and very believable. What I like about these characters was even though they have past that make them damaged individuals, they see each other very differently. Like the other half of the person that they are seeking.
I felt that this book had some very intense scenes. The domestic violence situation that Lana was in with her ex-boyfriend Danny really was handled well and done with a very good feel about what it is like to be in that situation. That situation made Lana into the strong character she is now, but instead of giving into despair, she used it to forge ahead.
Like the fact that Tatianna from the first book made an appearance, but would have liked to have seen more of her. Cellach; Orion’s arch-nemesis is using her services for his own ends. This had a great long term effect on the book, but never the less Cellach loses in the end.
In the end, Lana and Orion do realize that they need each other, but I love the action scenes, the love scenes were smoking hot. All in all a great steamy read to read.
Rating: Five Hearts
March 27, 2012
Hellbound is book #2 in The Guardian of the Seven Seals series. Normally, I do not like books whose sequels and what not do not involve the same characters, but in this series, it doesn’t bother me one bit! Gareth and Kerra are mentioned a few times in this book, but they are not the main characters. Orion and Lana are, and WOW, their story is AMAZING!
Right away this book starts off right in the action. Not a fight or anything like that, but it is not as drawn out as Knightfall was. Granted Knightfall was the first, so it had a lot of theme and back building to do. The character of Orion we already knew for we had previously met in Knightfall, so Berinn was able to start the story off fast this time around. Which was really good because I could not stop reading this book!!!!
I would definitely suggest reading Knightfall before this one, as of course it is a series, but you get to learn a lot about Orion from the first book and it helps you understand they things he does in Hellbound. I have to say, I love Lana’s attitude in this book. She doesn’t take crap from anyone, well not anymore, and Orion isn’t any exception. I love their first “human” encounter, and even though its a romance book, it doesn’t feel pushed or rushed. You can feel the sexual tension between these two right away. There is one big romance scene in this book, and it TOTALLY fit! It was VERY well written, and fit so well with these two characters and I think it was a great addition to this story.
This story made me cry, certain parts, which I will not mention, don’t want to spoil it, the authors knows what I am talking about ;) But also, Lana’s back sory is very disheartening and sad. It really makes you pull for her and want good things to happen for her. All and all, I want to live with the Seven and the Guardians! Berinn painted such a beautiful world, although can be ver scary, a world none the less that I would LOVE to be a part of!!
Right away this book starts off right in the action. Not a fight or anything like that, but it is not as drawn out as Knightfall was. Granted Knightfall was the first, so it had a lot of theme and back building to do. The character of Orion we already knew for we had previously met in Knightfall, so Berinn was able to start the story off fast this time around. Which was really good because I could not stop reading this book!!!!
I would definitely suggest reading Knightfall before this one, as of course it is a series, but you get to learn a lot about Orion from the first book and it helps you understand they things he does in Hellbound. I have to say, I love Lana’s attitude in this book. She doesn’t take crap from anyone, well not anymore, and Orion isn’t any exception. I love their first “human” encounter, and even though its a romance book, it doesn’t feel pushed or rushed. You can feel the sexual tension between these two right away. There is one big romance scene in this book, and it TOTALLY fit! It was VERY well written, and fit so well with these two characters and I think it was a great addition to this story.
This story made me cry, certain parts, which I will not mention, don’t want to spoil it, the authors knows what I am talking about ;) But also, Lana’s back sory is very disheartening and sad. It really makes you pull for her and want good things to happen for her. All and all, I want to live with the Seven and the Guardians! Berinn painted such a beautiful world, although can be ver scary, a world none the less that I would LOVE to be a part of!!
March 27, 2012
Hellbound is book #2 in The Guardian of the Seven Seals series. Normally, I do not like books whose sequels and what not do not involve the same characters, but in this series, it doesn’t bother me one bit! Gareth and Kerra are mentioned a few times in this book, but they are not the main characters. Orion and Lana are, and WOW, their story is AMAZING!
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
March 31, 2012
Full of action and steamy romance, Rae introduces us to the sexy and dangerous world of the hellhound, and I for one would like to visit again and again. A great cast of secondary characters gives this story depth and has me craving more. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the Guardians of the Seven Seals series. 5 stars, Ms. Rae. Well done.
June 13, 2012
Review by Gabryyl Pierce
The characters and their actions are believable and entertaining, the plotting is tight and the story was so well-written I immediately bought the first book in the series, Knightfall, to catch up.
Read the entire review at ParaYourNormal
The characters and their actions are believable and entertaining, the plotting is tight and the story was so well-written I immediately bought the first book in the series, Knightfall, to catch up.
Read the entire review at ParaYourNormal
October 19, 2012
See the full Gravetells.com review here: http://gravetells.com/2012/06/05/revi...
Orion, shifter and alpha of all hellhounds, is on a mission to eradicate his archenemy Cellach. Also a hellhound, Cellach is creating an army of wraiths; lizard-like hellhound crossbreeds with the goal of killing Orion. Thought to be only a thing of legend, Orion is sidetracked by the nightly appearance of a female hellhound, Lana. As she fights her feelings towards the Alpha, Lana finds herself in the middle of a war that goes a lot deeper than her nightly missions of killing scaled monsters in the woods.
*Review originally written for GraveTells. No compensation was received.
Orion, shifter and alpha of all hellhounds, is on a mission to eradicate his archenemy Cellach. Also a hellhound, Cellach is creating an army of wraiths; lizard-like hellhound crossbreeds with the goal of killing Orion. Thought to be only a thing of legend, Orion is sidetracked by the nightly appearance of a female hellhound, Lana. As she fights her feelings towards the Alpha, Lana finds herself in the middle of a war that goes a lot deeper than her nightly missions of killing scaled monsters in the woods.
*Review originally written for GraveTells. No compensation was received.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews