The Devil's Reprise

Devils #2

by Karina Halle

Given a second chance, music journalist Dawn Emerson and guitarist Sage Knightly are reunited, only to have their lives threatened again by a demonic bargain. The sequel to THE DEVIL’S METAL, from USA Today bestselling author Karina Halle.

When Dawn Emerson got the chance to go on tour with her favorite metal band, Hybrid, she thought she landed the writing gig of the century. But what started off as a dream for the budding music journalist quickly turned into a nightmare that she and guitarist Sage Knightly barely escaped alive.

Now, months after they went their separate ways, Sage invites Dawn to accompany him on his first solo tour across Europe and write about it for Creem Magazine. But like the last tour, nothing is as easy as it seems. Sage is a broken man on the path to self-destruction and Dawn isn’t sure if she’s the right person to save him. And aside from having to pick up the pieces of their burgeoning relationship, they have to negotiate the mysterious new photographer assigned to Dawn’s story, as well as vindictive promoters and demonic groupies they thought they’d never see again.

Because this time, it’s Dawn who made a deal with the devil and the only thing worse than having to uphold a bargain with the prince of darkness is not remembering how you’re supposed to pay it back.

It may be with their souls.

Genres: Paranormal, Horror, Romance, New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Demons, Music

302 pages, ebook

First published October 28, 2013

About the author

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, a former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author of River of Shadows, The Royals Next Door, and Black Sunshine, as well as 70 other wild and romantic reads, ranging from light & sexy rom coms to horror/paranormal romance and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever genre you're into, she's probably written a romance for it.

When she's not traveling, she and her husband split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, their sailboat the Norfinn, and their condo in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what took me so long this second installment of the series which is so much better, thrilling, terrific ride!
I loved Sage and Dawn. And great thing is I’m reading the Veiled in the meantime so I can read their old times and learn what really happened to my favorite manager Jacob!
I’m big fan of EIT series so it was real pleasure to read horror series of Karina Halle. I love romcoms and dark romance books. But these are really something special!
I hope in near future she writes more horror romances.
I had really fantastic time when I was reading them!

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Rock and Roll style Stars

Despair and Yearning and Frustration.



It is not the music. It is not the time.
It's the beat and the lyrics, the roaring crowd and the bare-chested lead singer. It's the manager and the roadies. The backstage fans and the drugs. The sex against the wall with all your clothes on. And the demons inside your soul that will be haunting you forever...

Because I’ve faced my demons. In the flesh. And I’ve won. But it’s the ones inside your head that don’t die.

SEX, DRUGS & ROCK N' ROLL

A haunting melody, a heartbreaking song, an uneven fight against forces beyond their power and comprehension.

Dawn and Sage two broken humans, two survivors that foolishly thought they have put the past behind... and neither their feelings.

"I fucking love you. I. Love. You. You are my reprise, my encore, my finale. You’re every single note wrapped up in the world’s most beautiful package. My love for you sings, and it’s a song that will never stop playing. It will play through our deaths and beyond that. And this I know.”



On the verge of launching his solo career, rock-star Sage Knightly is haunted by the choice he made and the loss of his Hybrid band-mates. Drowning in sex and drugs, his tour in Europe will be the excuse he needs to see Dawn again and stop refusing his love. But Dawn is in debt and now they are coming to collect...



Holly freaking hell.... Karina once again delivers! Fast-paced and emotional, raw, gritty and brutal, this book made me despair and love along with our heroes. Her books make the heroes humans and flawed, basic creatures that you can relate to. Bastards and liars, junkies and frustratingly stubborn males. The only thing I missed? Hybrid... I hoped for a glimpse or a reunion. Or even for the others to band together and kick Sage's ass! But a girl can't complain. This book featured 2 ginger bastards and I kinda fell in love with one of them.

Karina Halle, you are a bloody genius!



Pre-release
The conclusion to the Devil's Duet, coming October 29th 2013



Be careful what you wish for...

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 SEXY,SCARY STARS!!

"She was the song and I was the composer, and I knew all the right notes to hit, again and again."


This is a scary and sexy ride!It opens up in a very graphic rock star sex and drugs scene...I all ready want to blame Sage for his fuck ups!None of his issues are good enough excuse to be acting that way...and at the beginning I was disappointed by him..but then when he is again with Dawn and he finally talks and says everything..I realize that I forgive him!Because I love him and whatever he does he is still the sexy rock star!!

This book delves into the idea once again of making a deal with the devil..and Devil always collects..



We pick up a few months after the end of The Devil's Metal with Dawn not able to move on after the supernatural events and the things that happen between her and Sage.When Sage goes on a solo European Tour, Dawn gets the invite to cover as a Music Journalist, only this time Creem Magazine sends along a photographer !Maximus Jacobs, to help document....

Yes yes yes yes he is Maximus from the EIT series :)))))

The chemistry between the characters is still excellent!



Sage is a character I just LOVE reading about!!He makes my heart melt and pisses me off but I can’t help but absolutely love him. Dawn is absolutely a bad ass,strong and determined character!But also she is very honest and vulnerable.I love how real she is… I can relate to both Sage and Dawn in so many ways!!

Also this book is extremely hott!!!




I like this book a lot, and I'm happy with the story goes, but I think The Devil's Metal is still my favorite in this series.I miss Hybrid...


What can I say about Karina Halle???
She is definitely one of my favorite authors!! She is amazing!She can manage so well the character development and she is so good creating an atmosphere that places the readers inside the story with the main characters!!I love her and I love all her books!!!
If you need a sexy,scary,heart-wrenching read...This is what you need!!!

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel book to the novel The Devil's Metal ( See review...HERE ).

This sequel rocks!!! (Pun intended)

I am truly glad that I was already hooked to the series when the cover of the second book was released, because, no offense, but this isn't the kind of cover that a male reader would say: "Wow! I can't wait to read this book!!!" No, really, it wouldn't. Maybe I am wrong, but at least I am honest expressing my real thinking about this cover. But, in any case, I can assure you that you mustn't have worries to read this book and in fact the whole series (two books so far it seems), since this story can be enjoy by readers of any sexual genre.

Nevertheless that I had read the first book just a couple of months ago, I had some degree of "nostalgic" feeling when I returned to the series and reading again in this sequel about such great characters like Dawn, Sage and Jacob.

It was kinda of sad not having Robbie and Noelle in this sequel. I understood why they can't be there, but still it was sad not having them around, specially Noelle since I like her character.

I was truly glad knowing that Jacob was back, since due explanations at the final climax of the first novel, I didn't think that he would be around again. You can bet that the story wouldn't be the same without the great Jacob.

Too bad that Mel was again relegated to a VERY secondary character, important but without much "screening" time on the story.

You have new characters in this sequel, and everybody is great in particular ways.

Max is a photographer assigned to help Dawn in her covering of the European solo tour of Sage. What I didn't like that there is a "mystery" around Max that if you read the first book with the same attention than me, you will know in a split-second who Max really is, but the narrative "reveal" it too much later, so being reading the guesses of Dawn and Sage about Max was maddening.

Angeline is a representative of the French promoters to help in the tour. While the "mystery" around Max was dumb to any clever reader of the first book, I enjoyed a lot the real mystery around Angeline since she is indeed a hard to understand character and even you will keep many doubts about her.

Tricky is a new bassist to assist the presentations of Sage, who is now a solo singer, since the metal rock band "Hybrid" is no more. While the role of Tricky isn't truly relevant to the main storyline in the book, he is a wonderful and believable character.

A great thing about this sequel is that Karina Halle, the author, did different things on this second book to avoid to repeat herself in the impact of the reading. While in the first book you had only the point of view of Dawn Emerson, in here, you have chapters, not only told by her, but also by Sage Knightly, which improved a LOT the impact and rhythm of the story.

While you'll experience the details of being in a music tour around cool cities like Paris, Nice, Rome and Prague, don't fool yourself, this is story with horror elements and you will be scared... oh yes... you'll be scared bwa ha ha ha!!!

The first book had many creepy moments, but I think that Karina Halle exceeded herself on this sequel with even more truly scary scenes.

But if you're wondering about the good old "sex, drugs and rock & roll", don't worry, they all are here!!!

I like Sage since the first book, but reading chapters from his point of view and knowing his tastes in movies and TV series, it made me to like him even more.

I love sweet Dawn, but I think that while the sequel is very centered about her, I felt that the character of Dawn was less strong and definitely less self-sufficient than in the first book. Her role of "damsel in distress" was too overwhelming and basically she can't do anything by herself.

And Jacob, ... Jacob rules!!! 'Nuff said.

Everything comes to an end, but if you all can be so kind and let me being a little selfish, I do hope that Karina Halle would return to this wonderful series in the future with a third novel. One can always hope.

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

QUICK PACED, SEXY and SCARY! In the world full of cliché contemporary stories, I was glad to find this unique series which are able to hold my full attention from the beginning to the end.



The Devil's Reprise is written in dual POV. Firstly, we have Sage Knightly, member of former band Hybrid who fought with demons (literally) and won. But for what cost? Than there is Dawn Emerson, a journalist who gets invited for Sage's solo tour in Europe, hoping for a second chance for their romance. But is a man like Sage Knightly capable of real love and relationship? Will he stand by her side when HER demons come to haunt her?

Karina Halle doesn't beautify anything in this book. Sexual orgies of drugged rock stars? Graphic. Depressive thoughts of characters? No censorship. Especially when it comes to Sage's POV. It was really pitiful to witness Sage's behaviour at the beginning. It was breaking my heart to see this man so sad, so desperate, so broken. He wasn't dealing with his past very well...



Also, author managed to scare the hell out of me with all that demons stuff as well as make me swoon over the hero. And all of that in one book. And the bonus? This can be read as a standalone. Although, I highly recommend you to read book #1 The Devil's Metal too. You definitely do not want to miss that one out!



*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[La-Lionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4 ½ Long live the Rock 'n Roll stars***



(SPOILER FREE REVIEW)

Aahh, what a treat that was. Holy cow did Karina Halle outdid herself this time. I've read all Halle's books and this one is definitely the scariest and the hottest so far. She really got down and dirty creating characters in The Devil's Reprise :).

I'm not even going to comment on the writing. It was superb. I'm in awe of K. Halle's ability to describe things, make them seem alive and make them feel real. She doesn't tell a story, she grabs you by the goddamn collar and drags into the eReader, places you in the story and makes you watch, suffer, love and hate together with the characters.

In this second book it's Dawn who is in trouble.



She have may or may not made a deal with the devil. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are, right? If you've read the first book you know that Sage and Dawn are not together. Down went back home to work as a music journalist and Sage went to pursue his career as a solo artist.
One day, she gets a call from Sage asking her to come with him on the tour to Europe to "document his journey". :) There are a lot of unresolved feeling between those two. Remember the ending of the first book? She agrees, not only because it's good for her career, but mostly because she needs some answers.

And then we have Sage.



If you look in the dictionary, under the phrase "Emotional rock bottom" you will see a picture of him. He lost his bandmates, his woman. That completely f@cked him up. He's already at the rock bottom, and he is still digging... Sex, drugs and Rock 'n Roll, a little bit more drugs and a little bit more sex.
God, how much coke did he snort though out the story. A kilo? :-).



But even with all that stupid sh!t he does, trying to f@ck his way into a coke induced oblivion, it's hard to hate him. You see how that whole "I made a deal with the devil and things went to sh!t" messed him up. He lost everything that was dear to him. His struggles feel genuine and raw. Half of the time he is drunk out of his mind and the other half he is high as a kite.
When Dawn arrives there is a lot of miscommunication between them, which is very fun to read. Sage: "Since you didn't (...) I assumed..." Dawn "Since you said (...) I assumed...".

Aside from from all that bad blood between Sage and Dawn, there is a devil lurking the the shadows, waiting for Dawn to keep her end of the bargain. And that's when the fun starts :).



The scary scenes in the book is absolutely terrifying. The hotel scene with the flies, yuck. The bathroom scene , ugh :-S, and the scene on the train, were my favorite.

Now, for the hot scenes. I don't want to spoil the story so I'm just going to say that they did it the rock-start-style ;-).

"You feel too good," I hissed through my teeth as the pressure build. "Too good for me.. And angel.
"Just don't fuck me like one."

I loved that on the outside Sage was hard core, filth-talking, can't-feel-anything-no-more rock star. And on the inside this deeply caring, sad, and just lost man. He had moments where I just wanted to bitch-slap him, but he also had some that grabbed my heart and squeezed it tightly. (God I hope I won't get flagged for this one, it was a beautiful moment :-S)


But it's not just the main characters that I liked. I loved Jacob and his drill sergeant ways :). And Trick. My god. He defies the phrase "Drugs, sex and rock 'n roll" :-D.

But here comes the reason for 4 ½ stars. I gave The Devil's Reject 3 stars. I often give 3 stars for mediocre reads, but that's not the case with Karina Halle's books. I felt like many of the characters in TDR was way to similar to hers EIT series, and not because it was badly written or lacked something. To some extent I still do. Even though I did love this book I felt that there were too many similarities to EIT for my liking.
(I know I've said that's it's a spoiler free review, but I really want point this out. It's not a major spoiler, but feel free to jump over it if you want to ;-)).
Among other things, there was a character, we got to meet, that made me go "oh, no". Max. Not because I didn't like him, but because he was exactly as the Max we already know (If you've read EIT). Tall, ginger, mysterious. You don't quite know if he is bad or good, his intentions is not very clear, because of the smirks he gives to Sage when he's around Dawn. Sounds familiar :-S? Yeah.
His character took quite a bit of space in the book and that's why I feel like I should take not just ½ star, but the whole star away. But my hands refuse to listen to my brain, because the book left me nostalgic. I didn't live in the 70's, but I lived in the 80's. Boy did I lived in the 80's :-D. It brought me some good memories. No snorting coke for me though (I wonder if I missed out on some major fun by not trying it. I will never know :-( :-D). There were some scene that made me feel like I was there, at the concert, being squeezed from all sides by people jumping up and down, singing along and having the time of their lives.



All and all, this book left me feeling good and happy. I enjoyed it tremendously.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
24.10.13
I really don't know how this happened, but holy sh*t I got an ARC of The Devil's Reprise! Thank you Karina!

Cover me, I'm diving in!

[Fathima · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dawn ," he groaned into my mouth . " I want to fuck you so bad . I won't be able to play my guitar until I play you . "
I gripped his head , my fingers lost in his curls , and was overtaken by the passion burning through me . " Then play me . Make me scream your name , and then make the crowd scream your name . "


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You know its coming , oh yeah you do ...

You know exactly what I'm gonna say next ...

Wait for it ....

THIS.BOOK.WAS.FREAKIN.AWESOME !!!

I don't think Karina Halle can ever write a bad book ... I've read every single book that she has written so far , and I don't think I've hated any of it . The woman I tell you , writes from her soul I feel . That being said , Sage , Dawn and Jacobs are back baby ...


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My name is Sage Knightly. One of the few surviving members of the metal band, Hybrid.
I’m about to embark on my first solo tour, to be the rock star I was always supposed to be.
But something tells me I’m not coming out of this alive.
And neither is she.

If you ask me to describe this book using a few words , you'd find me using the following .....

SCARY , FREAKY , UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE , Ummmm WTF! , SEXY , OH LORD - THIS IS SOOOO HOT , YAAAAY , Ummmm HELL NO ! , SAY WHAT , SAY IT ISN'T TRUE , WHHHHHHY And did I say SCARY !

Wow .. Wow and just wow !

If you thought that The Devil's metal was scary , then I gotta tell you , you are in for a spooktacular ride whilst on The Devil's reprise 'hell bound' express .. ! Literally !

Sage is a rockstar , but is guilt driven .. He thinks he is responsible for what happened to Hybrid and its members . To drown his guilt he constantly uses alcohol , drugs and 'senseless/mindless' fucking as his life line . Little does he know that the danger is far from over . The demons are back and this time they want Dawn . Dawn doesn't remember striking a deal with the devil , but there is no way out . They know what they want and they know how to get it ...


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Can Sage save Dawn ? Or will he succumb to 'THE END' too ?? You'll just have to find that out for yourself !

u> MY THOUGHTS :

To say that I freaked out 'n' number of times while reading this book would be a.... putting things a bit mildly . Now , don't get me wrong . I love horror .. And I may cringe or squirm or have a 'think Ima gonna cover my eyes and watch/read through the space between my fingers' expression on my face , I STILL LOVE IT !

But .. Karina Halle really has a way of toying with your emotions and expressions using the paranormal forces ! It's about time she be crowned the queen of horror . Everytime she writes a new book in the EIT series , I'm all pumped up to see where she takes the readers as far as the 'horror' aspect of the story is corncerned . Similarly , I was excited to see where she takes this whole 'selling your soul to the devil ' thing , because she had mananged to scare the crap out of us in TDM . Groupies from hell , Demonic entities lurking in the shadows at night etc etc . I was all for how she's gonna up that game and I can proudly say she does not disappoint !

If I have to pick out one of my fav 'crap in your pants' moment from this book , then it would be that one scene where Sage wasn't prepared to see what he saw .. And honestly speaking , I wasn't either . I may have ended up looking somewhat like this .....


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Hell , I'll say this .. You won't be prepared for it either .. Because you wouldn't even be thinking about it ! That scene was like a curveball , a cold splash of water that manages to jar your senses for a bit .. And no , I'm not gonna spoil it for you .. !

Lets talk about the characters ... Sage , you broke my heart you rocker dude you ! Sage is on a guilt trip . Constantly blaming himself for the events that transpired in TDM , Sage just made me wanna hug him and tell him that its over ! Whats done is done , no point in going on about it . But that's easier said than done . And his relationship with Dawn ! Holly Molly , while things were absolutely hot , steamy and sexy on the physical front .. Emotionally , they were both clueless about what the other felt . Some regrets , some unexpressed feelings and emotions .. always a feeling of being left out .

What really made The Devils Reprise an awesome sequel for me , was that Karina not just focuses on demons of the nether world , but also those demons that tend to reside in our heart and in our mind . Feelings of guilt , lose , uselessness , irresponsibility , not being good enough . I loved how Karina really projected the ugliness that makes mess out of a man when those above mentioned feelings makes home . And Dawn ... If you gotta be brave , that's how you do it ! I love Karina Halle's leading ladies ! They are all bad asses with a whole lot of sass !

The setting was perfect .


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The story was perfect and the ending rocked !

I'm gonna shut my trap now ... You guys need to pick this up ASAP !

A perfect read for Halloween , you definitely don't wanna miss it !

Good night ! ;)


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[Kristalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final rating: 4.5/5 stars

“But you have to. This is your life, Sage.”
“You’re my life,” I blurted out. I hoped to God she couldn’t see me blushing like a fucking girl because what I’d just said was borderline hokey. But it was the truth. “You are, and I will put the rest of my life on hold if it means keeping you safe.”

Interesting conclusion to Devils duology - it did not disappoint me. The only thing that did was that i don't love it as much as i love the first book,hence 4.5 stars. But, don't worry, this book all in all is great as well.

Karina Halle is a master of horror. Whenever i read her books i am always spooked out and its interesting how i can always imagine every single scene. I love how this woman writes and i have read many of her books and i just damn love her.

To you who didn't know, this series IS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO EXPERIMENT IN TERROR series. Some of the characters from there you may even recognize... and i won't spoil but a certain someone is back and its hard to like/hate him....

And that plot twist near the end killed me -_-...my poor feelings,how could you -_-........

___________________________________________

STORY :
___________________________________________

Dawn and Sage went their separate ways after the tragedy hit the band Hybrid. Sage ended up a broken man who basically destroyed everything he could have (without intention and with intention to do so). He also ended up forming his own band, which will never be Hybrid.

Dawn is struggling to understand how her family changed - and we are not talking about small changes. Until the freaky things start...

They are reunited when Sage called her to accompany him and be his reporter for his Europe tour.... Except they find out that in the end... Dawn made a deal with the Devil too.
___________________________________________

CHARACTERS :
___________________________________________

"If anything, watching you play live, being with you in all these foreign places, no matter what is going on at the time, keeps me sane. It keeps me going. And it tells those fuckers that we aren’t giving up. They can throw whatever they want at me, but I’m not breaking.”

♦ Dawn:

Dawn is interesting,loveable type of character and i can't help but love her. She sometimes cares too much for her own good and sometimes i wanna slap her (but not really)... Anyway, she stayed strong and great.

♦ Sage:

Irritated the hell out of me for the first half of the book. And i mean litterally, most of the times i wanted to jump in the book and shake him and strangle him (and i am becoming too violent over fictional characters). What he needed in his life was Dawn, and he couldn't function properly without her... But in the end he redeemed himself!

♦ Other characters:

Uh...new characters were interesting, but some of them were pissing me off (like Tricky?)... But then again, we have an addition of photographer Max who hides secrets... and Jacob, whom i loved from the start... And so on and on, i am tired to explain, so just read.
___________________________________________

OVERALL :
___________________________________________

ALL IN ALL - THIS SERIES IS AWESOME... The first book was mindblowing but the second book wasn't as good as the first one - don't worry i am talking about little bit part. I still loved it and enjoyed it. I was endlessly frustrated,irritated,i was smiling,clapping my hands like a crazy fangirl,got creeped out and spooked but it was all worth it! And i will always remember Dawn and Sage and their deals with devils!



This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...

[Kim Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be careful what you wish for ...

Good to know.
Thanks to Karina Halle I will forever try to avoid:
1. Wishes
2. Desperate pleas to unknown demonic forces
3. Sleepwalking deals made with the devil
4. Hotel bathrooms
5. Half-awake dream sex with super hot rock gods

A wonderfully scary romp through Europe. I did not get as much of the amazing '70's music vibe as I did from The Devil's Metal ... but all the other elements were there - including an additional familiar nod to the EIT series. Sage & Dawn are a crazy couple - and I love them. This was a great ending to their terrifying adventure.
Karina Halle really knows how to write horror! I am always glued to the pages of her books & get that feeling of fear & anxiety right along with her characters. Oh yeah - she can write a pretty steamy sex scene too ;D
I can't wait for her next release ... although I will be sure to skip #1-4 and move straight to #5 while waiting - because, let's be honest - who really wants to avoid #5?!



**Pre-release**
Karina Halle is trying to toture me, I know it! Such a tease!

[Brenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil’s Reprise is the sequel to The Devil’s Metal and the final book in this series. You can read this as a stand alone, but because I have SO MUCH LOVE for TDM, the suggest reading both! So, last year, we met Dawn Emerson and Sage Knightly on Hybrid’s “tour that would go down in history.” Having gone through hell and coming out on the other side, Dawn and Sage are now dealing with the aftermath… and the consequences of their survival.

There comes a time in every man’s life where he must face his demons. It sounds cliché, I know. But I break the mold. Because I’ve faced my demons. In the flesh. And I’ve won. But it’s the ones inside your head that don’t die.

Now that Sage is a household name and a solo star, he is about to embark on his very first European tour. Jacob, being the awesome manager that he is (I freaking love this guy) has the bright idea that he should ask Dawn to come along on tour, you know, for old times sake ;)

“I really miss you.” I fucking meant it. But she’d never know how much. She’d never know that I’d give anything for her to try and fix me again. We could save each other. Right?

As Dawn joins Sage, things get really complicated. First of all, there are so many unknowns between these two. Feelings, things left unsaid, issues unresolved. Then there’s the fact that Dawn’s family life was suddenly perfect when she got back home (dad no longer drinking, brother magically cured of Tourette's Syndrome) and ever since, she has had an eerie feeling that that is no coincidence. To top it all off, Sage is trying to cope with the grief over the lost band members of Hybrid and his bad dealings. This leads to loads of meaningless sex and copious amounts of drugs and alcohol.

Sage’s rock and roll antics and the feelings between him and Dawn make for an INTENSE ride. These two have such a connection and are both such passionate people that I could feel everything. I was so invested in their relationship that every down felt like a punch to the gut and every high was pure perfection.

Forget the show— that was the highlight of 1975. Being inside her, so close to her, making her come with me, watching her want me…I got hard again just thinking about it, and my heart…my heart was getting soft.

Their chemistry is off the charts and the steamy moments in this were some of my favorites I’ve ever read. I just can’t get enough of these two and I loved that this book had a huge focus on their relationship.

“You were amazing last night.”
There was sincerity in that. It hit deep, the warmth spreading. “Thank you.”
Then I smiled and added, “You were amazing, too.” A blush crept up on the apples of her cheeks, and she looked down at the floor with a grin.
“That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“But it’s what I meant.”

Then there’s the music. After reading this, all I want to do is go to a rock concert. The way Halle describes the music, Sage, the band, the crowd… I feel like I’m right there. It’s amazing how vivid the descriptions are; I can just feel like passion flowing of the page.

I fell in love all over again. It was practically impossible to be objective. But that’s what his music had always done to me—I couldn’t help that the man was just as enigmatic, just as layered, as his music was.

…

He was owning it. From ballad to bass- driven to full-out drums and distortion, he owned every second of it and he knew it. He sauntered up and down the stage, his fingers making quick work of the guitar strings, and sometimes, when he turned to face the band, playing off of Tricky, he was smiling like a little boy. In his element. This place where nothing could touch him.

The storyline is very much centered around Sage and Dawn’s relationship, which I loved. With their feelings for each other, that only makes for a more emotional ride, especially with danger is lurking around every corner. There is a constant feeling of anxiety and suspense because the creep factor is kicked up a notch in this one and their future is in such a precarious state. Seriously, there are some FREAKY moments in this one. *shivers*

There are fantastic side characters at play here, as always. Jacob and Maximus (yes, THE Maximus EIT fans!) round out the Trifecta of Gingers. I love Jacob in general, he’s just hilarious and then Maximus and Dawn’s dynamic was awesome! There are some moments of pure gold. This one had me laughing so hard my sides were hurting, it was just so random and perfect! Dawn really shined in this book with her comebacks and one-liners, I’ve gotta say.

“Hey, little lamb,” he said.
“Hi, giant red potato.” He snorted.
“Red potato? That’s a new one.” I sat down on the bed and smiled into the phone.
“Oh, I have plenty more. That was the most flattering one.”

The Devil’s Reprise was such a TRIP! It’s emotionally charged, passionate, scary, and sexy. Everything I love in a great book, this one has in spades. With the usual easy to read, vivid, gritty writing style I’ve come to known from Halle, this one did not disappoint. Not one bit!

She was everything, and at that moment on stage, I had everything. A world at my feet and a woman with my heart.

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[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another day to face, another day to die.

Devil's Reprise : Horror-lite clashes with rock god sexuality.

We left Almost Famous behind this go-round, other than a few "golden god" mentions, and I don't know what to think about that.

On the one hand...I liked being in Sage's head better than I liked being in Dawn's. He came across as a fair representation of a rock star - complete with flaws and all.

On the other hand...something wasn't quite as punchy this time around with the story, although I loved the characters and the bonds formed in book 2. The personal connections were stronger for me, even if the plot could have used a jolt of adrenaline.

On the other hand...oh wait, I don't have three hands. Never mind.

The story was creepy, although not necessarily scary. The sex was still hot. And rock stars will be rock stars. So I was good.

It should have been me. But it wasn't. And the music played on.

And I can't find fault with a book which pays homage to the hotness of "fashionable denim bell-bottoms and a paisley shirt," if for no other reason than to make me laugh. Because try as I might, I have a hard time imagining Sage now (to be fair though, this pic isn't exactly rock star gear)...

For my own personal note taking on my someday love/drug reference list : "You're better than any drug."

This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan • Reading Books Like a Boss (book blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“My name is Sage Knightly. One of the few surviving members of the metal band, Hybrid. I’m about to embark on my first solo tour, to be the rock star I was always supposed to be.

But something tells me I’m not coming out of this alive.

And neither is she.”

The Devil’s Reprise is the long-awaited follow up with last year’s spooky and sexy, The Devil’s Metal. In the first book, we met Dawn Emerson, a rock lover and aspiring music journalist. She gets the job of her dreams and lands a gig with Cream magazine. Her assignment is to follow around her favorite band, Hybrid, on their American tour. Set during the 1970s during the height of the sex, drugs, and rock and roll era, you’re taken on a journey back in time to where peace was the name and chilling was the game. However, there was something evil lurking around Hybrid and Dawn was set on finding out what it was and it was all Sage Knightly’s fault.

At the end of book one, Sage and Dawn parted ways. Dawn went back to her dad and brother in Washington and Sage went back to his life of rock and roll, but without his former band, Hybrid. Sage is flying solo and about to embark on his own European tour. But he needs two things – a music journalist and a photographer to document the tour. Who better to fill those shoes than Dawn Emerson and Maximus Jacobs? (Experiment in Terror fans, did you catch that? MAXIMUS!)

The Devil’s Reprise, picks up several months after Sage got out of his deal with the devil. Since the emotional demise of Hybrid, Sage carries around a lot of guilt. Sage’s version of therapy is of the sexual nature – sex and lots of drugs. Karina Halle is the master at drawing you in from the very first chapter. Let me tell you, chapter one of Reprise will having you sweating, panting, and blushing all at the same time. Threesomes anyone?

Dawn has her own issues to work through in this book. Okay, maybe “issues” a bit of an understatement when we’re talking about Satan himself coming after her. Suddenly, her home life turned around for the better without explanation. Her dad quit drinking cold turkey and her brother’s Tourette’s Syndrome mysteriously disappeared. What’s more, Dawn has a chilling encounter with something evil in the pasture during her going away party. Could Dawn have made a deal with the devil like Sage did? The bad omens don’t end there. It gets much, much worse.

I’ve read a lot of other rock star books, but Sage Knightly is easily one of the sexiest and most alluring fictional rock gods. Not only is he incredibly talented (in more ways than one), he will go to hell and back to protect the woman he loves. In this book, you learn a lot more about the man behind the music, as it’s told in both his and Dawn’s POV. For most of book one, you (and Dawn) were left wondering what was going on in that gorgeous head of his. What we find out in The Devil’s Reprise is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Sage missed Dawn (though you wouldn’t know it from all the chicks he banged). Sage has a rough rock and roll exterior, but on the inside he’s just as insecure as Dawn is about where they lie as friends and as a couple.

“I tried to dream of Dawn, her beautiful face that pulled me out from so many buses, sun through so many clouds. Innocence, passion, life…even after everything she’d seen. Faith. In me.

I tried to dream of Dawn but dreams don’t work that way, especially when you fall asleep with an empty bottle of whisky in your clammy hands.”

Sage and Dawn are an insanely hot couple. They have a crazy amount of chemistry and just click. The Devil’s Reprise delivered a good dose of romantic tension and angst without it being over the top. After they finally got together, the steam factor was off the charts.

“I made sure I kept eye contact with him, no matter how intimate was, and dug my fingers into his waist, driving him forward into me. His body never lost the rhythm that was so deeply engrained in him, always on beat, always in time.”

When crazy and demonic things start to worsen and Sage realizes Dawn is in danger, he transforms in this amazingly protective man. I loved that seeing that side of him come out unashamed.

“Fuck the tour! Fuck all of this. I’m not doing anything until we deal with Dawn.” He looked at me with wide-eyes. “I am not going to lose you.”

We meet some new characters, including Tricky and Garth, members of Sage’s band. Tricky was a little on the vile side, but I still really liked him. He’s does a lot of drugs and a lot of chicks – mostly both at the same time. He’s a multitasker. ;) Right as Sage and company land in Paris, we meet Angeline. I didn’t like her from the beginning simply because she was coming on to Sage. But also, Jacob didn’t seem like a fan of her either. She’s was too perky and too nice.

One of the BEST parts of The Devil’s Reprise (aside from the steamy sex scenes) was the bone-chilling, spooky scenes. This book contains the scariest imagery Karina Halle has ever written. I’ve read her entire Experiment in Terror series, which is classified as romantic horror, and this tops any of the scary scenes in those novels. What made these scenes so terrifying were the way in which Halle describes them. Through her vivid descriptions, I could feel the sense of dread in those scenes. It was so palpable. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and got heeby geebies. I don’t know what Karina Halle has against bathrooms, but I’m here to tell you that I have a newfound fear of bathrooms after this book. The bathroom scenes (yes, plural) were unsettling to say the least.

I must mention how much I loved Jacob and Maximus in this story. Those two loveable guys and Dawn make up the Devils series’ GINGER TRIFECTA. Both Jacob and Maximus are Sage and Dawn’s protectors, always around with a watchful eye and some comedic relief. Jacob absolutely cracked me up. He had no problem telling Sage to straighten up and get his head out of this ass. Maximus was equally enjoyable, especially since Experiment in Terror readers already know so much about him from that series. It was hilarious to see that, like in the present, nicknames didn’t escape Maximus in the ’70′s. He dished the nicknames and Dawn dished them right back.

The Devil’s Reprise wrapped up Dawn and Sage’s story perfectly. Although, I would mind seeing a little Dawn Sage/Maximus reunion in a future Experiment in Terror book or even in Maximus’s upcoming novel.

*I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I enjoyed The Devil’s Metal so I was excited to pick up The Devil’s Reprise, but sadly for the most part this didn’t live up to the first one for me.

The Sage I met in The Devil’s Metal is not the Sage in The Devil’s Reprise, and while that may be in line with what his character went through in the first book, it didn’t make for an enjoyable read for me. In the first book Dawn and Sage gradually formed a friendship and that turned into a powerful romance. Sage was the responsible, quiet, and broody member of Hybrid, but he was also caring and protective of Dawn by the end. So this is the Sage I thought I’d be getting here. Not so much.

His methods of dealing: drink, drugs and girls. The first scene made me want to puke. I get that he was going through a lot due to the tragic events from the last book but his behavior made him unlikeable to me. He does stop his man whoring when Dawn comes back on tour with him, but he still continues other crappy behavior making me want to slap some sense into him. Dawn was being terrorized and put through hell, and she needed him, and it took a while for Sage to get with the program. I didn’t even start to warm up to Sage again until about half way through the book.

Sage was not my cup of tea, but those willing to forgive and forget destructive behavior quickly may have more success with this read. For me it ruined my feelings for him and even when Sage finally turned around I had a hard time forgetting.

I was happy with the final outcome, but still, overall The Devil’s Reprise was a disappointment. I have other friends who enjoyed this story a lot more than I did, so I’d check out other reviews before making a decision to read.

I still plan on reading Karina Halle’s work because I love everything I’ve read with this exception. This was just one miss out of several hits for me.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Star ♥ for the Ginger Trifecta!! This is such a unique series, I LOVE it! Pulled me in from the first page.

"Well, if it ain't a trifecta of gingers," he said with a smirk. "I feel like the apocalypse is coming."

What you will find in this story : Sage Knightly. Passion. Rock-n-Roll. Love. Fear. Darkness. Jacob. A Giant Red Potato. An interesting telephone call. El Diablo. and A Little Lamb.



The Devil's Reprise picks up where the Devil's Metal left off. After barely surviving the fall of Hybrid - Dawn is back home, with her newly sober father and miraculously healed brother, while Sage is working on his solo career drowning in guilt, grief, sex, drugs and alcohol. But when Sage calls up Dawn asking her to come cover his European tour, things heat up quickly.

Lots of unresolved issues, feelings, and hurt make the reunion a bit more complicated than either expected, then throw in a few demons and things get interesting. Has someone been making deals with that pesky Devil again??? Looks like someone is looking to collect...

Debt collectors were an insistent bunch, and these ones had teeth, horns, and claws.

I loved the romance between Dawn and Sage, the push/pull, these two have chemistry in spades. But will Dawn and Sage be able to keep away the things that go bump in the night and find their happily ever after?

And yes, I did get a little scared...

[☆ Sammy ☆彡]

I WON AN ARC ON FACEBOOK! Oh my gosh, this is like the best week ever! :)))

If you haven't liked the Experiment in Terror page on Facebook yet, you should go do it! https://www.facebook.com/Experimentin...

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be careful what you wish for.

The second and final book for the Devils series totally lives up to my expectation and offer so much more. Karina Halle gives us the romance, the creep factor and a plot that is full of surprises. Nothing turns out as I expected, yet everything turns out perfectly towards a feel good ending.

From the ending of The Devil’s Metal, Dawn is back to Washington to finish up her college and take care of her family. While, Sage embarks on his music career as a solo artist. These two obviously miss each other but the distance of being apart led them moving on with their lives separately. Mind you, they are in the 70s and there isn't cellphone or internet.

The old Sage that I knew from previous book is a bit of a recluse and keeps to himself, but he loves his music. The current Sage is a different man after his ordeal with the demon and the tragedy that happened upon his Hybrid’s band mates. He is total fucked up now with all the drugs, sex and booze and living a totally shitty rock star life. If not because I’m half in love with him from the previous book, I might attempt to DNF upon reading his manwhoring ways. He better redeem himself for me to enjoy the story.

He was a hot mess but, unlike me when I was a hot mess, he was still hot

Upon probing from Jacob, Sage’s manager cum best pal, Sage called up Dawn and invited her to his Europe tour as the music journalist that she is. We know Dawn is in love with him and she was over the moon to be able to see him again. But all the fantasizing and dreams didn’t prepare her for the reality upon seeing Sage for the first time after 10 months. He’s a mess; he doesn’t seem to reciprocate her feelings and worst of all he turns into a total stranger.

I felt like Paris was the closet and we were two awkward teens thrust into a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven.

This time we got a bit more up close and personal with Sage. Through his POV we learned what he is going through and we sympathize with him. He had a lot on his plate and he wanted to numb himself from the world. I totally hates what he had done in the beginning, but he totally make me see past all the ugliness and focus on the now. I’m glad with Dawn’s presence and Jacob’s lecturing, he manages to straighten up himself and be there for Dawn.



I thought I will feel a whole load of angst, but actually I don’t feel angsty at all. Whenever they confront each other, I just grab my popcorn, sit back and enjoy the ride. Finally, a couple that actually communicates to clear the air. How refreshing is that. I love seeing Dawn give Sage the shit. I wish that she will hurl more than words at him, maybe a chair, a knife or something for being a total douche. Then seeing Sage being all miserable and feeling thrashed satisfy all my inner sadism.But you know what is the best part is? They didn't take half the book hating each other and that works out great because I rather they put the past behind and give us some smexy scene.

Now back to the paranormal element of the book. This time is Dawn who make a deal with the devil and she needs to pay up. Her brother magically cured of his Tourette’s Disease and her dad is sober for the first time in years. She still had one last wish that is left unfilled, but there is just no way is will happen. Together with the help from Jacob, Max (surprise, surprise) and Sage, they tried to protect Dawn and prevent the devil from taking her away.

The horror factor was totally creep-tastic. There was one scene where I nearly drop my Kindle and shriek ‘Holy fuck. Shit. Fuckity fuck. Holy Mother of God!’ along with a string of intelligible curses. What the fuck. Karina ready does know how to scare the shit out of me. *shudder*



This bring us to one of those epic conclusion that had my adrenaline pumping till the end. I’m still reeling from the shock from the things that unfold and I kid you not, there are so many surprises that keep me glue to my Kindle. What a brilliant ending to the Devils and for Dawn and Sage. I’m looking forward to Maximum story. This red potato deserves his own HEA. Ciao.

She was everything, and at that moment on stage, I had everything. A world at my feet and a woman with my heart.

You are my reprise, my encore, my finale.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sex, drugs, the 70's, rock and roll, and ... the scariest fucking demons Halle has delivered to date. I love scary, I love horror, I love to be terrified. Halle delivered all of those for me with The Devil's Reprise.

The second, and final, book of the Devils series picks up months after Dawn and Sage finish the terrifying tour that threw their lives into a blender and spit them out. Sage is in a completely dark place, plagued with guilt and a dangerously decadent lifestyle. While Dawn is back home trying to pick up the pieces of the life she left behind to tour with Hybrid. Her father is no longer drinking, her brother's cured of his disease while Dawn is seeing things that shouldn't exist.

Now it is Sage's turn to help save Dawn from a deal with the Devil and he isn't in the best shape to do that. I have to say, the man (who I LOVE, ADORE, DESIRE) pissed me the hell off on more than one occasion. Luckily, Dawn also had the help from another of my favorite Halle Book Boys. Maximus. Maxi-poo, the Original Ginger Elvis, takes a little break from The Experiment in Terror series to lend a strong shoulder for Dawn to lean on.

"I screamed until a hand went across my mouth, silencing me. Then the hand pulsed and expanded and grew until it was a thick tentacle forcing its way into my mouth, trying to move past my tongue and down into my throat. I was choking, the air being sucked out me, my mouth feeling like ti was being ripped apart."


Shoulders to lean on are definitely needed with all the big bad demonic scary stalking Dawn's ass. It's not often that I get so creeped out that I have to pause, set my Kindle down and take a breather, because I don't scare easily. There was more than one of those instances in The Devil's Reprise. In fact, I'm not sure I will ever look at hotel bathrooms quite the same.

Not only does The Devil's Reprise deliver more of the fright but it also gives us more steamy sex courtesy of the Sage, a.k.a. The Walking Sex Stick. It also delivers a sensitivity that was not as prevalent in The Devil's Metal. It really is a heart warming love story, just riddled with hauntings, demons, drugs, alcohol and rock music.

"We came together, hearts and bodies and souls joined as one."


As sad as I am to say goodbye to these characters, it really is a fun, yet terrifying, series with a wonderfully fitting ending. It's a great read anytime of the year but it is a fantastic Fall read, when it is colder, foggier and darker.

*copy provided for honest review*

[Keighley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blew me away- one of the creepiest (if not the creepiest) books Karina Halle has written. And the love scenes were freaking HAWT!

Meet Sage

Messed up Rock god, drowning in sea of JD and groupie vadge, he feels so guilty for his past dealings with the devil he doesn't feel he deserves ...

Dawn

A lot more together than the starry eyed student journo in Book 1. But still madly in love with Sage, and willing to hop back in to bed with him at first opportunity (hey, I'm not complaining, hate overly drawn out separations)

Dawn meets Sage on his solo tour of Europe, guided by ex-immortal Jacob , the ultimate rock manager..


And along for the trip, to complete the Ginger Trifecta, is Max:
Who fans of Experiment in Terror series will already Love to Hate, Hate to Love.

This book was HOT!!! , straight off the bat I was reminded that Karina Halle excels at writing love scenes, with just the right amount of smut. Without going into snoozeville erotica territory.

Then the Creep Factor began to slowly build.. As the band travel across 1970s Europe, Demons from their past come back to reclaim what they are owed..






Short & sweet, conflicts weren't dragged out unneccasarily. And even tho I Loved the 'Ginger Trifecta' throughout, I was taken by surprise by how much the ending punched me in the gut!

Sidenote: I read this book after having read The Devils Metal 9book 1) and Experiment in Terror series. I preferred this novel to the Devils Metal, and would recommend jumping straight into this one if you dont fancy TDM for whatever reason.
There is some cross over with the Character of Max, and some of the mythology of The Experiment in Terror series is revealed here, but this can be read independently from EiT. (Though you should read EiT, they are awesome!)

Perfect creepy Halloween read!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karina Halle, you rock my world! I read The Devil's Metal back in January. It was such a unique book and I basically devoured the story of Sage and Dawn and I was anxiously awaiting the conclusion of their journey. And oh what a journey it was. Ms. Halle took me on a European tour with the rock god himself! There was sex (hot), drugs, rock and roll, and demons. It was sexy, creepy, and fantastic!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!

In this world, it was only me and Sage, the muse and the master, the man who created bliss for me in of many fucking ways.

The Devil's Reprise was the follow up story to The Devil's Metal, wherein Sage Knightly, rock god and sex symbol of the former rock band Hybrid, sold his soul to the devil and his minions for talent, fame, and fortune. They delivered on their half of the bargain giving him his every wish, but in the end were cheated out of their due by an innocent newcomer to the scene...

Dawn Emerson, an innocent and beautiful young journalist was assigned to tour with the band by Creem Magazine, to cover their final stand, their last tour, their requiem mass. Dawn's article was meant to memorialize the events that would eventually end the band and capture their tragic downfall for all the world to witness. She just didn't know it at the time.

And in baring witness to Hybrid's curse, what she didn't see coming, the love that she shared for the band's most cursed one, Sage Knightly, it was this love that eventually saved him in the end. It was a love he couldn't return... but one she couldn't deny.

The Devil's Reprise begins ten months later...Dawn has returned to her hometown, and her old life, to finish school and take care of her family. Meanwhile, Sage is left to pick up the pieces of his broken band and his grieving soul. And despite his minimal efforts, he finds his music back on top again. And all on its own this time. He has a new solo album, and with the help of his old manager Jacob Edwards, he is putting together a new band for a solo tour across Europe.

But Sage is not handling this new fame well. He is struggling with his guilt and his grief for his old band, his old friends, and yet for Dawn, the one he can't seem to stop thinking about. Burying himself in drugs, alcohol an women, Sage struggles to forget all that he's lost and the guilt that is threatening to destroy him.

"You may be the best cure for stage fright this world has ever known."

So Jacob makes a suggestion...get her back. Have her join us again on tour. Let her help you overcome this grief. And so he does... but what he doesn't realize is that the demons he so desperately needs to forget are coming back with her, and this time, it's her soul up for auction. And can he love her enough to save her like she saved him?

Well, if it ain't a trifecta of gingers," he said with a smirk. "I feel like the apocalypse is coming."

This book brings it all back, and this time it seems the devil may be cheating. But who's going to call him on it? I just love how all of these metaphors of fame and fortune come into play with the whole depraved existence of the "ROCK STAR" and his lost and tortured soul. And isn't that what really happens at the top? ...the trade off that must occur to have all of your dreams come true in the music world. Your must sell out your innocence and give up on real love... because how can you ever find anything pure again, without questioning the motives?

She was the song, I was the composer, and I knew all the right notes to hit, again and again until her nails were digging into my arms, begging me to stop, to let her catch her breath. But we were only getting started.

I loved this story from beginning to end. And I loved the way Karina told it. The writing was extremely creative and truly terrifying at times. And I also loved her return to The Thin Veil and its connection to her other stories. And yes... even Max, the Red Potato, that I'm actually growing quite fond of.

Sage and Dawn were fabulous together, and I was totally sucked in by their connection. Only Dawn was able to bring him the peace and love he so dearly craved in his life. It's funny how once the stardom is achieved... it is so easily thrown away and traded for the simple need for love.

"Dawn Emerson. I fucking love you. I. Love. You. You are my reprise, my encore, my finale. You're every single note wrapped up in the world's most beautiful package. My love for you sings, and it's a song that will never stop playing. It will play through our deaths and beyond that. And this I know."

My pics...

Sage Knightly and Dawn Emerson

[M. ~ B&B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The few living things on this earth that could live forever, even beyond their own end—bands, groups, music. They were all vampires through art.

First off, do not read this review if you haven't read The Devil's Metal.

Second, if you haven't read The Devil's Metal yet, read The Devil's Metal.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for the sequel to The Devil's Metal. After finishing the first book, I had to know how Sage and Dawn's story continued. And maybe continued is not the right word, because their story kind of started over again. After the end of book one, Dawn went back home and Sage wrote a solo album. Months later, Sage is about to go on a European tour and calls Dawn to ask her to cover the tour for Creem Magazine, again. Guess who his manager is? Yup, Jacob! Okay, I love love loved Jacob in this one. He was equal parts hilarious and wise. He was caring, but also bossy. He set everyone straight, kind of like the voice of reason. And did I mention he was hilarious? He made me laugh out loud several times.

Anyway. Things seem to be going well for Sage, but even though he has fought the real demons and won, he's still fighting his personal demons. He's dealing with guilt, regret and more guilt over what happened to his friends and Hybrid. He's become a...

Self-entitled rock star who is drowning in his own self-loathing, handing out favors for the pity party.

And by dealing I mean numbing himself from feeling anything. He avoids having to think about anything that happened and when he does think, he thinks about Dawn.

I’d give anything for her to try and fix me again.

So insert Rusty.

She had never been "hot" in that cheesy supermodel way, and she wasn't a refined beauty like Angeline, but she was gorgeous to me all the same.

Their relationship is kind of strained, because they hadn't spoken for months and Sage is not the same person he used to be when they last met. He's gone downhill and neither one of them is quite sure where they stand with each other. It's written in a dual POV, so you get both sides of the story. Don't worry though, this doesn't become an annoying book with relationship issues and misunderstandings. They don't have time to waste on that, because now it seems like Dawn is the one who made a deal with the devil. And so the battle against demons starts again.

I wished I could have gone back in time and never wished for anything to change, to just try and make the most of it and keep going on with my life.

What strikes me in this story and the previous one is the wish for something more. No matter how much we have or don't have, human beings are greedy and always want more. We sell our souls to the devil just to get more, and I mean this as a metaphor, but Karina made it literal. Sage made a deal with the devil, because he wanted succes, a career, talent and love. It wasn't until after the deal that he realized that he could've accomplished all that by himself too. And no matter how dire our circumstances may seem and no matter how much we wish things would've been different, we should appreciate what we have and make the best of it. We all have the ability and the talent to accomplish what we want in life. We just need to believe in it and make it happen ourselves.

I already mentioned this in my review for the first book, but again, Karina has a way with words that makes me feel every emotion she wants me to feel. At the beginning I didn't get that creeped out, because I like to believe I'd developed some kind of an immunity to all the creepiness after reading the first book. I was taking it all fairly well, until somewhere halfway I think, I went like - holy fucking shit - that scene!! My brain was screaming close your eyes, stop reading!! But I couldn't and just kept reading. Somehow fear seems to be addictive. Who would've thought. Karina did it again. Made me shit my pants and afraid to keep reading, but reading nonetheless. That last wish.. Damn.. talk about disturbing. But as creepy as this book was, it was also funny and sometimes emotional. It was a mix of everything and I loved it.

We were all joined together in this poetic web, maybe all feeling different things and taking away different stories and lessons, but we were all feeling. And sometimes in this world full of war and strife and daily shit that made you numb, that's all you really needed.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: Between 4.0 and 5.0 stars, still deciding but I'm headed towards the 5 star rating. If you liked the Experiment in Terror series, then you'll most likely like Ms. Halle's Devils series about a rock star named Sage Knightly and his love Dawn Emerson. This series kind of reminds me a little of the movie Almost Famous, however the paranormal elements are so creepy and horrific and done in such an innocuous way.

The Review:
After having thought about this book and discussing it with my co-blogger Regina over at Badass Book Reviews, I think I'll stick to a 4 star rating for now.

It's 1975. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, and general debauchery follow Sage Knightly who is now on a solo tour in Europe. The Devil's Reprise picks up right where The Devil's Metal left off and it hits the ground running.

This is a fast paced book about life in the fast lane. All the blood, sweat, and tears that go into organizing and pulling off a rock and roll tour and the deals and sacrifices that must be made - all in a backdrop of the chaos that is the band on tour. In true Karina Halle fashion, nothing is as it seems - there is an element of the supernatural to this book, and whoa, is it ever creepy.

Sage Knightly is now on his own. He's managed to break off a deal he made earlier in his life but he is still in a self-destruct mode. He misses Dawn terribly, but can't reconcile the fact that he could love someone.

Meanwhile, Dawn is stateside and missing Sage. Things are looking up for Dawn. Her article on the band Hybrid was a resounding success and her career prospects are looking good. Her father has stopped drinking and her brother has been miraculously cured of his Tourette's. Dawn is invited back to chronicle Sage's first solo tour.

Strange things begin to happen and Dawn notices a few scary things. In Europe, even stranger and creepier things begin to happen. Now, I'm a real wimp when it comes to horror books. I do not intentionally pick them up, however, Ms. Halle has a way of writing horror that kept me turning the pages and reading on and on.

Oh, and let me just add - there are some very hot sexy scenes in this book.

I enjoyed this series immensely and I am sad that it's over. Luckily, there are more books by this author that I have yet to read. I'm looking forward to catching up on those. If you have not yet experienced the awesomeness of Karina Halle yet, the first book in her Experiment in Terror series Dark House is available for free on Kobo, Amazon, and Smashwords. Bet you can't just read one book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Diversion Books for a review copy of this book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

ON SALE right now: Devil's Reprise--> http://amzn.to/1z7PdrE ($0.99)

I just finished reading this novel yesterday, and I have now read every Karina Halle published novel. I adore her work! When you ease into one her books you can expect originality and excellent writing. That's why I keep coming back for more. Most of Karina's books are Horror Romances and this one is scary, but it also takes a dark turn and not just the spooky kind. I don't want to say why it seems darker to me because that would spoil part of the story.

The Devil's Reprise takes place eight or nine months after The Devil's Metal (Devils #1) ends and Dawn and Sage have not seen each other in that time. Sage invites Dawn to cover his European solo tour for Creem magazine. Dawn has now finished college and is a part-time music journalist. Meanwhile, Sage is struggling with the loss of his band Hybrid and trying to promote his first solo album.

Sage---Grrr! I stayed pretty mad at him for a big chunk of this book. He really pissed me off with his behavior. I know he was struggling with what happened to his bandmates, but turning to all the drugs and women bothered me. But hey, it's rock 'n' roll in the 1970's. It hurts my heart when the hero of a book fucks someone other than the heroine, however it adds to the angst and emotion of the story which kept me reading.

I did enjoy seeing Max Jacobs in this book. He's an Experiment in Terror character and had a big roll in this book as the "Big Red Potato". I actually liked him more in this one than I do in EIT. Also, those damn demonic GTFO's are back to terrorize and also the Prince of Darkness himself makes an appearance. There is also one trashy slutbag character named Angeline that has me questioning if we may hear more about her in a future Halle novel.

The Devils two book series is the perfect blend of romance, music, angst, horror, sexiness, and nostalgia. It's obvious the author had fun creating these characters and this story. I especially enjoyed reading her acknowledgements at the end.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are my reprise, my encore, my finale. You're every single note wrapped up in the world's most beautiful package. My love for you sings, and it's a song that will never stop playing. It will play through our deaths and beyond that. And this I know."

Brava, Karina! I was kind of miffed with the first book in this series but I thank the rock gods that this second instalment turned out to be completely magnificent. It had everything I expected and wanted from a Karina Halle novel and needless to say... I LOVED IT.

I still feel like reading the whole EIT series first proves to be a huge disadvantage to this one because you can't help but compare, especially with them being similar in many ways. But in a way, the Devil's Reprise did save this series for me. It picked up right from where the Devil's Metal ended and quickly took me on a ride that really blew me away.

The scare factor, the sex, the passion, the twists, and all the emotions were so raw and gritty just the way I like it. Devil's Metal felt like a novella and this one was the real thing. Sage and Dawn's chemistry was off the roof and it felt more believable to me this time around. Jacob was still an interesting supporting character and lo and behold, another (and familiar) ginger was also thrown into the mix: Hello Maximus!. It got really crazy towards the end, as expected, but I was truly shocked with how things wrapped up. It was a HEA for Sage and Dawn but there was this lingering feeling at the end that it wasn't really the end.

And on a related note, I'm all hyped up and ready to get my Dex fix soon!!!

[Ji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow wow wow!!! This book was truly GOOD!!!!!!!!

This book gave me the creeps!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it was scarier than the first book!!!!



There are so many parts of this book that keeps replying in my head...





ENOUGH of the creepy stuff... I want to talk about the good stuff!!!!






I loved the dual POV of this book.
It was great to see things through Sage's eyes.
He was being a douche at times, but I'm glad he comes to his senses.
He is still sexy as ever.

I like how things have changed between Sage and Dawn.



I like them together!!!
There sex scenes are HOT!!!



There was a new side to Dawn that I didn't see in book 1.
She was more vulnerable and scared...(well I would be too if I went through all that scary shit!)
I'm glad these two got their HEA!!!
They really deserve it after going to hell and back TWICE!!!!!


The only reason I did not give it 4 stars is because there is a lot of EIT overlap.
The whole Jacob/Max. It was nice to see these characters here, but I felt like maybe things should have been a little different.

Other than that!!!!
This book was GREAT!!!
I'm going to miss Sage and Dawn!!!!!!!

[JB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! I love Dawn to pieces and Sage...oh, Sage, Sage, Sage. What a hot mess of man you are - but I heart you anyway <3. And I love Dawn and Sage together. They're one of those couples you can practically feel the heat burning between them. Great stuff :P

As always, Karina does an incredible job building up the tension, and then WHAM! Bring on the scary! I had some serious nail-biting moments in the final 1/3 of the book. The train scene in particular - I could see it a little too perfectly in my head, like I was watching it in a movie, and it totally freaked me out LOL.

I wouldn't have minded more turn-your-hair-white scary moments, and I felt like the ending was rushed a tiny bit, but overall, this is a fantastic book. If you haven't read it or book 1 in the Devils dualogy (The Devil's Metal) you should definitely add it to your list!

[Keshia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spring? Does that mean March? April? May?
I need more Rusty and Sage! And Jacob! And Soul sucking Demons!

October 11: THE COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




October 31:.
3.75!
Very good sequel. Not as scary as the first one though. I did miss the atmosphere of the first book- characters such as the member's of Hybrid/its crew, the many awesome references to 70s musicians and vibe.

More Thoughts:
Maximus IS IN IT. EIT FANS START SCREAMING. SOOOOOO When is Max going to get his own book? MISS KARINA HALLE I AM WAITING.

The rape scene involving the demon/Lucifer was the scariest scene in the entire book. Just bone chilling.

I'm sad that I didn't really connected with any of the new characters. And what the hell kind of deal did Angeline make?

GET JACOB OUT OF HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

But it was still a very good book and I am sad to see Rusty's & Sage's journey end.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sage has gone off the rails following the events of book one. He’s become a cliched “rock star”, heavy into booze, drugs and women and Jacob desperate to get him help convinces him to call Dawn to accompany him on his solo European tour. When she arrives it becomes clear that he isn’t the only one in need of saving as the devil arrives to claim his debt, this time from Dawn.
I liked this a lot. I loved an out of control Sage. The creepy factor was dialed up a notch and she has a new “Jacob” named Max to protect her, as well as a now mortal Jacob. The four of them make a great team. This was fun.

[Nila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I'm worried about how much lighting you have when you read "The Devil's Reprise." I'd say 300-400 watts in a small room would be the minimal requirement. Pillows? Do you have enough to hide under effectively? Can you scare up a bag of chips or some soft chocolate/marshmallow things? Make sure your beverage of choice has soothing qualities, too. ... Now, I've done what I can to prepare you.

Dawn is delighted, forming her fantasy about Sage and the romantic greeting they'll share when she gets off the plane in Paris. (Paris! City of Lovers; imagine.) But no, it doesn't work that way. Sage is a guilt-ridden, drunken mess who sends his manager to greet her and Maximus, a photographer. Very let-down, Dawn readjusts her expectations. She's a journalist and she's here to work after all. Sage is a solo act now, and his previous band members are dead, in mental hospitals or not speaking to him. He's a great performer and composer, but he's drinking and whoring himself into a very bad place.

Dawn and Sage both have some ideas that need adjustment and some re-acquainting to do. The re-acquainting is sexy and satisfying and leaves both of them thinking love thoughts. Unfortunately, love and sexy times are not the only items on Dawn's and Sage's agenda as he wows European audiences in his debut abroad. As Dawn and her friends discover, they are being haunted again by vile apparitions and awesomely frightening events. Seems Dawn once made a pact with the devil (one of which she is unaware)hoping to cure her brother's illness, her father's drinking and to see her dead mother again. At the time it was just a young girl's heartfelt wishes.

Devils don't think that way, and Dawn gets no credit for her selfless wishes. So many terrifying things happen and neither Sage, Jacob or Maximus can protect or save her. Dawn spirals into a depressed acceptance of her coming death and her banishment to hell. A fearful, gruesome death in a crypt in Prague seems to end Dawn's story. What follows is heart-breaking and there's more...

Why not move in a few lamps and find out how Dawn and Sage and Jacob and Maximus maybe find a way to save Dawn and finally get the better of the devil. Hint: No one should bet against the Devil.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Rock'N'Roll stars


Awesome! I think this may be the scariest Karina Halle book yet,i might just have to sleep with the lights on tonight and i think i have developed a fear of bathrooms. I think i loved The Devil's Metal more than the first book it was also great to see Maximus from the EIT series i can't wait for his book maybe we'll get a glimpse of Sage & Dawn in his story. I don't think i will ever read a Karina Halle book which i don't love and i can't wait for her next one.