What do you think?
Rate this book
As Above, So Below #1
As Above, So Below
When the succubus Lorelei sees the angel Azaziel from across the bar, she knows he's been cast out of Heaven, but is not yet Fallen. She resolves to do whatever it takes to bring the angel down. She trails him back to his lair in the warehouses outside of downtown Los Angeles, where they seduce each other. Together on the streets of L.A., they encounter Ashleigh Johnson, one of Azaziel's mortal charges, dying of hepatitis in the street. The angel rescues Ashleigh's soul from two harpies poised to devour it -- then uses it to possess Lorelei. Other angels don't foresee any positive outcome to any of this. In their eyes, their brother has endangered a mortal soul and compromised his own standing in Heaven. When they intrude, Lorelei flees -- taking Ashleigh along for the ride. Lorelei's sister Floria tracks down a defrocked priest willing to exorcise Ashleigh's mortal soul from Lorelei's infernal flesh. The intimate little ritual swells into a virtual Who's Who of Hell's presence in L.A.!
392 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2014
1 person is currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Loren Rhoads
54 books336 followersLoren Rhoads is author of 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Wish You Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel, and its sequel Still Wish You Were Here: More Adventures in Cemetery Travel.
Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.
Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.
Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.
Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 26, 2014
I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
When I offered to read and review Ms. Loren Rhoad's Paranormal Romance As Above So Below, she happily accepted and thanked me for offering to read it. I checked it out and was not disappointed. Here is what the story is about:
Lorelei's mission as a Succubus Demon is to damn souls to hell. When the Angel of misery and melancholy Azaziel catches her eye at the Lost Angel's Club/bar, She follows him out in order to seduce and make him fall. However the angel has other plans. He captures Lorelei and makes love to her before he entrapped a human soul into her body by way of holy water and a holy oil. Now Lorelei and her human soul Charge Ashleigh who she is hosting inside her are on the run from her fellow demons who intend her harm and chaos. Can they save themselves and get Azaziel's protection before they are doomed? Read this book and find out for yourself.
I enjoyed this paranormal romance. The concept of a demon with a human soul inside of her as well as a demon and angel falling in love was very interesting. I enjoyed the whole story but went la la la in my head during the sex scenes. If you enjoy paranormal romances, demons, and angels, then definitely give As Above, So Below a try. You'll enjoy it. Look for the book on Amazon.
When I offered to read and review Ms. Loren Rhoad's Paranormal Romance As Above So Below, she happily accepted and thanked me for offering to read it. I checked it out and was not disappointed. Here is what the story is about:
Lorelei's mission as a Succubus Demon is to damn souls to hell. When the Angel of misery and melancholy Azaziel catches her eye at the Lost Angel's Club/bar, She follows him out in order to seduce and make him fall. However the angel has other plans. He captures Lorelei and makes love to her before he entrapped a human soul into her body by way of holy water and a holy oil. Now Lorelei and her human soul Charge Ashleigh who she is hosting inside her are on the run from her fellow demons who intend her harm and chaos. Can they save themselves and get Azaziel's protection before they are doomed? Read this book and find out for yourself.
I enjoyed this paranormal romance. The concept of a demon with a human soul inside of her as well as a demon and angel falling in love was very interesting. I enjoyed the whole story but went la la la in my head during the sex scenes. If you enjoy paranormal romances, demons, and angels, then definitely give As Above, So Below a try. You'll enjoy it. Look for the book on Amazon.
November 21, 2016
Lost Angels: As Above, So Below by Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas is not your average boy meets girl love story. This story is more of an angel meets succubus, they fall in love and both have agendas type story. It all started when the succubus Lorelei goes into a night club in Los Angeles and sees the angel Azaziel. Azaziel has been cast out of heaven and Lorelei has the task of getting Azaziel to become one of Hell’s minions. Lorelei thinks its going to be easy to turn the angel, little does she know that Azaziel has an agenda of his own.
Azaziel has claimed the soul of a young woman named Ashleigh and wants to use Lorelei’s body as a host for Ashleigh so he can show her a night of love in exchange for him being able to save her soul. After Azaziel puts Ashleigh’s soul in an unsuspecting Lorelei, Lorelei flees and tries to find someone to exorcise Ashleigh from her body. If things aren’t already complicated enough, the city of Los Angeles is swarming with harpies, demons and angels all trying to get Ashleigh’s soul and punish Azaziel and Lorelei.
As Above, So Below is a complex novel that could be called paranormal romance but it also works as horror and erotica even though the sex scenes aren’t over the top like some erotica books I’ve read. The best part of the book was the characters. Since Lorelei is a succubus that has works for Hell, you expect her to be an evil character. In reality she is a sympathetic character that I liked quite a bit. I felt that she was much more compassionate than Azaziel. I would have thought that Azaziel would be the ultimate good but you quickly find that he is more of a shade of grey. None of these characters acts like you think they would act and the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Another thing I liked about the book was the amount of research that had to go into it. This book gets deep into theology and as I read, I found myself thinking this is probably how angels and demons would really act. The idea of a human possessing a succubus was an original concept and I enjoyed how there were different situations where each one had to take over the body.
It may sound strange but As Above, So Below reminded me a little of Romeo And Juliet because it’s a forbidden romance and they represent two groups of people who are at war. There were some memorable scenes in this book, in particular at the end where a battle between good and evil takes place in Los Angeles which also seemed like a character in the book. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Lorelei’s demonic master Asmodeus states that “Demons deal in truth, life is painful.” I found myself liking the demons more than the angels in this book. If you enjoy theology and the idea of angels and demons at war among us, you need to check this book out. You won’t be disappointed.
Azaziel has claimed the soul of a young woman named Ashleigh and wants to use Lorelei’s body as a host for Ashleigh so he can show her a night of love in exchange for him being able to save her soul. After Azaziel puts Ashleigh’s soul in an unsuspecting Lorelei, Lorelei flees and tries to find someone to exorcise Ashleigh from her body. If things aren’t already complicated enough, the city of Los Angeles is swarming with harpies, demons and angels all trying to get Ashleigh’s soul and punish Azaziel and Lorelei.
As Above, So Below is a complex novel that could be called paranormal romance but it also works as horror and erotica even though the sex scenes aren’t over the top like some erotica books I’ve read. The best part of the book was the characters. Since Lorelei is a succubus that has works for Hell, you expect her to be an evil character. In reality she is a sympathetic character that I liked quite a bit. I felt that she was much more compassionate than Azaziel. I would have thought that Azaziel would be the ultimate good but you quickly find that he is more of a shade of grey. None of these characters acts like you think they would act and the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Another thing I liked about the book was the amount of research that had to go into it. This book gets deep into theology and as I read, I found myself thinking this is probably how angels and demons would really act. The idea of a human possessing a succubus was an original concept and I enjoyed how there were different situations where each one had to take over the body.
It may sound strange but As Above, So Below reminded me a little of Romeo And Juliet because it’s a forbidden romance and they represent two groups of people who are at war. There were some memorable scenes in this book, in particular at the end where a battle between good and evil takes place in Los Angeles which also seemed like a character in the book. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Lorelei’s demonic master Asmodeus states that “Demons deal in truth, life is painful.” I found myself liking the demons more than the angels in this book. If you enjoy theology and the idea of angels and demons at war among us, you need to check this book out. You won’t be disappointed.
July 18, 2015
As Above, So Below by Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas is not your average boy meets girl love story. This story is more of an angel meets succubus, they fall in love and both have agendas type story. It all started when the succubus Lorelei goes into a night club in Los Angeles and sees the angel Azaziel. Azaziel has been cast out of heaven and Lorelei has the task of getting Azaziel to become one of Hell’s minions. Lorelei thinks its going to be easy to turn the angel, little does she know that Azaziel has an agenda of his own.
Azaziel has claimed the soul of a young woman named Ashleigh and wants to use Lorelei’s body as a host for Ashleigh so he can show her a night of love in exchange for him being able to save her soul. After Azaziel puts Ashleigh’s soul in an unsuspecting Lorelei, Lorelei flees and tries to find someone to exorcise Ashleigh from her body. If things aren’t already complicated enough, the city of Los Angeles is swarming with harpies, demons and angels all trying to get Ashleigh’s soul and punish Azaziel and Lorelei.
As Above, So Below is a complex novel that could be called paranormal romance but it also works as horror and erotica even though the sex scenes aren’t over the top like some erotica books I’ve read. The best part of the book was the characters. Since Lorelei is a succubus that has works for Hell, you expect her to be an evil character. In reality she is a sympathetic character that I liked quite a bit. I felt that she was much more compassionate than Azaziel. I would have thought that Azaziel would be the ultimate good but you quickly find that he is more of a shade of grey. None of these characters acts like you think they would act and the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Another thing I liked about the book was the amount of research that had to go into it. This book gets deep into theology and as I read, I found myself thinking this is probably how angels and demons would really act. The idea of a human possessing a succubus was an original concept and I enjoyed how there were different situations where each one had to take over the body.
It may sound strange but As Above, So Below reminded me a little of Romeo And Juliet because it’s a forbidden romance and they represent two groups of people who are at war. There were some memorable scenes in this book, in particular at the end where a battle between good and evil takes place in Los Angeles which also seemed like a character in the book. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Lorelei’s demonic master Asmodeus states that “Demons deal in truth, life is painful.” I found myself liking the demons more than the angels in this book. If you enjoy theology and the idea of angels and demons at war among us, you need to check this book out. You won’t be disappointed.
Azaziel has claimed the soul of a young woman named Ashleigh and wants to use Lorelei’s body as a host for Ashleigh so he can show her a night of love in exchange for him being able to save her soul. After Azaziel puts Ashleigh’s soul in an unsuspecting Lorelei, Lorelei flees and tries to find someone to exorcise Ashleigh from her body. If things aren’t already complicated enough, the city of Los Angeles is swarming with harpies, demons and angels all trying to get Ashleigh’s soul and punish Azaziel and Lorelei.
As Above, So Below is a complex novel that could be called paranormal romance but it also works as horror and erotica even though the sex scenes aren’t over the top like some erotica books I’ve read. The best part of the book was the characters. Since Lorelei is a succubus that has works for Hell, you expect her to be an evil character. In reality she is a sympathetic character that I liked quite a bit. I felt that she was much more compassionate than Azaziel. I would have thought that Azaziel would be the ultimate good but you quickly find that he is more of a shade of grey. None of these characters acts like you think they would act and the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Another thing I liked about the book was the amount of research that had to go into it. This book gets deep into theology and as I read, I found myself thinking this is probably how angels and demons would really act. The idea of a human possessing a succubus was an original concept and I enjoyed how there were different situations where each one had to take over the body.
It may sound strange but As Above, So Below reminded me a little of Romeo And Juliet because it’s a forbidden romance and they represent two groups of people who are at war. There were some memorable scenes in this book, in particular at the end where a battle between good and evil takes place in Los Angeles which also seemed like a character in the book. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Lorelei’s demonic master Asmodeus states that “Demons deal in truth, life is painful.” I found myself liking the demons more than the angels in this book. If you enjoy theology and the idea of angels and demons at war among us, you need to check this book out. You won’t be disappointed.
December 14, 2017
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5
The angel Azaziel was sent from above to watch over mankind in their earliest days, but Azaziel fell in love with a granddaughter of Cain and he and she lived out her life in love and joy. But Azaziel suffered for his once love. Now he is imprisoned in the Lost Angeles city area (how appropriate!) and mocked by the other series of fallen or lost angels because they don't understand his longing for love.
On the other side of the spectrum is Lorelei, a succubus. She knows nothing about Azaziel when she sees him, other than that he's an angel and she knows that bringing about the fall of an angel will bring glory to hell and much acclaim to herself and so she sets her sights on taking him and taking him down. But he has plans for her as well and we're going to need an exorcist!
I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, and I'm not quite sure what I got, either! Paranormal romances are a popular item these days and I've wanted to check out a few, hence my request for this. And yes, I think that's what I got: an erotic paranormal romance.
The paranormal aspect is pretty clear right from the get-go. A succubus. An angel. Fallen angels. This is definitely in a world outside the 'norm' but authors Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas put this world in our backyard and it feels very real and possible.
The romance is classic romance lit style. He has a past but wants her. She wants him. Both want to change the other.
And the romance is secondary to these two hot commodities - an angel and a succubus - getting it on! And they do get it on, in some pretty steamy scenes.
This is a really nice blend of story-driven action with a pause for steamy sex, which drives the characters. This could be erotica, except that the story is still important here - unlike much of the erotica I've read/reviewed here, in which the story is only a device to get to the next sex scene.
I wasn't nearly as interested in Azaziel as I was in Lorelei and I think I would have preferred a better balance of the two, but that does change the dynamic of whose story this belongs to.
Overall, this was a fun read and I'd definitely be curious to see what happens next.
Looking for a good book? Lost Angels by Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas is an erotic paranormal romance that is story-driven but has enough erotic, romance, and paranormal elements to satisfy the reader interested in this category of fiction.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The angel Azaziel was sent from above to watch over mankind in their earliest days, but Azaziel fell in love with a granddaughter of Cain and he and she lived out her life in love and joy. But Azaziel suffered for his once love. Now he is imprisoned in the Lost Angeles city area (how appropriate!) and mocked by the other series of fallen or lost angels because they don't understand his longing for love.
On the other side of the spectrum is Lorelei, a succubus. She knows nothing about Azaziel when she sees him, other than that he's an angel and she knows that bringing about the fall of an angel will bring glory to hell and much acclaim to herself and so she sets her sights on taking him and taking him down. But he has plans for her as well and we're going to need an exorcist!
I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, and I'm not quite sure what I got, either! Paranormal romances are a popular item these days and I've wanted to check out a few, hence my request for this. And yes, I think that's what I got: an erotic paranormal romance.
The paranormal aspect is pretty clear right from the get-go. A succubus. An angel. Fallen angels. This is definitely in a world outside the 'norm' but authors Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas put this world in our backyard and it feels very real and possible.
The romance is classic romance lit style. He has a past but wants her. She wants him. Both want to change the other.
And the romance is secondary to these two hot commodities - an angel and a succubus - getting it on! And they do get it on, in some pretty steamy scenes.
This is a really nice blend of story-driven action with a pause for steamy sex, which drives the characters. This could be erotica, except that the story is still important here - unlike much of the erotica I've read/reviewed here, in which the story is only a device to get to the next sex scene.
I wasn't nearly as interested in Azaziel as I was in Lorelei and I think I would have preferred a better balance of the two, but that does change the dynamic of whose story this belongs to.
Overall, this was a fun read and I'd definitely be curious to see what happens next.
Looking for a good book? Lost Angels by Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas is an erotic paranormal romance that is story-driven but has enough erotic, romance, and paranormal elements to satisfy the reader interested in this category of fiction.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2014
As Above, So Below is the story of Lorelei, a succubus who sees an angel across a crowded bar and decides he’ll fall for her, no matter what she needs to do. It's also the story of Azaziel, an angel who came to Earth as a Watcher before the Flood and has searched for the perfect love ever since.
It was co-written with Brian Thomas, who came up with the brilliant idea of a devil possessed by a mortal girl’s ghost. I was the one who wanted to write the exorcism. Brian made it the biggest party in LA.
I'd written with other authors on shorter projects before, but usually one of us would write one character's scenes and the other would write someone else, then we'd weave the scenes together once they were done. As we wrote As Above, So Below, Brian and I got to a point where I needed to fly down to LA so we could work together. He would dictate, I would type, then we'd both edit and add things until it's impossible for me to remember any more where his work ended and mine began.
The novel includes my story “The Angel’s Lair,” previously published as a stand-alone story in Sins of the Sirens. It features the protagonist from my story “Never Bargained for You,” which appeared in the Demon Lovers anthology.
I look forward to hearing what you think of it.
It was co-written with Brian Thomas, who came up with the brilliant idea of a devil possessed by a mortal girl’s ghost. I was the one who wanted to write the exorcism. Brian made it the biggest party in LA.
I'd written with other authors on shorter projects before, but usually one of us would write one character's scenes and the other would write someone else, then we'd weave the scenes together once they were done. As we wrote As Above, So Below, Brian and I got to a point where I needed to fly down to LA so we could work together. He would dictate, I would type, then we'd both edit and add things until it's impossible for me to remember any more where his work ended and mine began.
The novel includes my story “The Angel’s Lair,” previously published as a stand-alone story in Sins of the Sirens. It features the protagonist from my story “Never Bargained for You,” which appeared in the Demon Lovers anthology.
I look forward to hearing what you think of it.
September 30, 2014
Anyone who has read my reviews in the past can probably infer that I don't read much romance. There is a touch of romance in nearly any narrative, but this is probably the closest thing to pure romance that I have read outside of a class assignment. That being said, there is a healthy dose of the paranormal here, driven by a vast amount of demon and angel lore. The heroes(?) of our story, an angel and a succubus, have a strange relationship that seems to pull them both closer to the level of the mortal humans reading the boo, particularly what could be seen as an examination of human love, expressed through paranormal characters. Lorelei and Aza are strange outsiders to both sides of the paranormal war surrounding them, but the further they are cast from their armies, the more relate-able they become. It's an interesting concept that Rhodes works with very efficiently. There is plenty of tension, sex, and literary writing to keep you reading as the narrative comes to a climax (pun intended). If you like paranormal romance, you will probably like this book, but it has something to offer readers of horror who generally steer clear of such uplifting concepts as romantic love.
June 17, 2020
Lost Angels: As Above, So Below Book 1 is the story of an angel who falls in love with a succubus. He finds a way to infuse her with a soul in order to teach her what love is in hopes she will love him. All of the inhabitants of both Heaven and Hell hate the idea.
At first, the succubus wants the soul out of her. Then she finds it beneficial for the two of them to cooperate.
I won't spoil the ending but I enjoyed reading this story and am looking forward to book two next.
At first, the succubus wants the soul out of her. Then she finds it beneficial for the two of them to cooperate.
I won't spoil the ending but I enjoyed reading this story and am looking forward to book two next.
April 1, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I really enjoyed this book...it has angels, demons, ghosts, and succubus with battles and sexy scenes. Holds your attention all the way to the end.
December 12, 2016
Lots of world-building and intriguing characters, but for me the book really took off after the two women got together.
April 21, 2020
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. The whole book I was thinking, how are they going to get out of this alive. The book was a solid thrilling, dark, paranormal read.
September 5, 2016
SPOILER ALERT
I do have to begin this review, with, this is not the type of story that I generally read. I will try to be objective as I can because I tend to prefer science fiction, some fantasy, and most definitely cyberpunk and some dystopia, usually without pretty teenagers. I have read paranormal romances before, but they are not my usual fare. I do have to say I almost never read horror, romance and erotica which this story has in abundance. I think that is important to understand.
So I first ask the question: Was this a romance or erotica, since there is quite a bit of overlap between the two genres. I wasn’t sure, since there was quite a bit of well described sex, but it did have a sub theme of Romeo/Juliet star crossed lovers romance, in that the heroine was a dyed in the wool succubus, meaning she was really out to bring the angel to fall into hell. And the hero was an angel teetering on the brink of a fall, hopelessly in love with the succubus in her natural winged red-skinned form. So I think it is more a paranormal erotic romance since there is a boy meets girl thing going on between the succubus and the angel. I won’t really spoil what is is about by giving the plot. So if you are not into paranormal, or erotic, or romances, STOP HERE.
But if you think you are, when you will want to give the book a read, since it full of fairly juicy sex and a fun storyline. As far as the sex, tt tends to be mainly male-female sex with little oral sex except from the female. There is no boy on boy and only girl on girl until near the end. I’m not sure if it needs to be more graphic because it may have been classified a porn then. Maybe the author is treading that fine line and doesn’t want to descend into the porn realm, which I understand.
There were a few things that I had issue with. For me it was a bit difficult to understand the basis for the attraction. I think it needed to have a better build up in the beginning. I understand that readers can get really impatient to get to the meat and sex of the book as soon as they can, but I still felt this needed a bit more build up. It was a bit midway through the story that I picked up on the Romeo/Juliet sub theme. Although I don’t think it needs to be overt, I think a bit more build up would be better for me.
The large bulk of the book deals with the succubus Lorelei after she leaves Azaziel and is bound with a dead girl’s soul inside her. Again this could have been shortened and tightened up somewhat.
I would have liked a bit more to understand the love between the angel and Ashleigh. He finds her, she is dying of hepatitis, living on the street, then he has sex with her because she wants to die knowing love. I think there needed to be flashbacks or something where we see real romance make in the ‘Ivanhoe’ grand romance so we understand why she really wants to have sex before she dies. All in all, it is fun to read especially if the reader is into paranormal erotic romance.
I do have to begin this review, with, this is not the type of story that I generally read. I will try to be objective as I can because I tend to prefer science fiction, some fantasy, and most definitely cyberpunk and some dystopia, usually without pretty teenagers. I have read paranormal romances before, but they are not my usual fare. I do have to say I almost never read horror, romance and erotica which this story has in abundance. I think that is important to understand.
So I first ask the question: Was this a romance or erotica, since there is quite a bit of overlap between the two genres. I wasn’t sure, since there was quite a bit of well described sex, but it did have a sub theme of Romeo/Juliet star crossed lovers romance, in that the heroine was a dyed in the wool succubus, meaning she was really out to bring the angel to fall into hell. And the hero was an angel teetering on the brink of a fall, hopelessly in love with the succubus in her natural winged red-skinned form. So I think it is more a paranormal erotic romance since there is a boy meets girl thing going on between the succubus and the angel. I won’t really spoil what is is about by giving the plot. So if you are not into paranormal, or erotic, or romances, STOP HERE.
But if you think you are, when you will want to give the book a read, since it full of fairly juicy sex and a fun storyline. As far as the sex, tt tends to be mainly male-female sex with little oral sex except from the female. There is no boy on boy and only girl on girl until near the end. I’m not sure if it needs to be more graphic because it may have been classified a porn then. Maybe the author is treading that fine line and doesn’t want to descend into the porn realm, which I understand.
There were a few things that I had issue with. For me it was a bit difficult to understand the basis for the attraction. I think it needed to have a better build up in the beginning. I understand that readers can get really impatient to get to the meat and sex of the book as soon as they can, but I still felt this needed a bit more build up. It was a bit midway through the story that I picked up on the Romeo/Juliet sub theme. Although I don’t think it needs to be overt, I think a bit more build up would be better for me.
The large bulk of the book deals with the succubus Lorelei after she leaves Azaziel and is bound with a dead girl’s soul inside her. Again this could have been shortened and tightened up somewhat.
I would have liked a bit more to understand the love between the angel and Ashleigh. He finds her, she is dying of hepatitis, living on the street, then he has sex with her because she wants to die knowing love. I think there needed to be flashbacks or something where we see real romance make in the ‘Ivanhoe’ grand romance so we understand why she really wants to have sex before she dies. All in all, it is fun to read especially if the reader is into paranormal erotic romance.
April 26, 2014
Technically 1.5 stars, but I feel it it worthy of rounding up.
As the summary above states, As Above, So Below pits angel against succubus, then adds into the mix a not yet saved and not yet damned human soul. As the story progresses things change and what was once a sort of feud turns into something else.
Ok, I have to admit, I really don't know how to review this book. I don't want to say it's bad, because it's not, but I can't honestly say I loved it either. I was confused through much of it, especially at the beginning where I felt like I was just thrown into the middle of the ocean and expected to swim. However once I started moving I went from doing the doggie paddle to a nice gliding in the waters of Rhoads and Thomas' words...I think I finally got it, but then all these other characters started showing up. Who was this? Did I miss an introduction to this character? Am I supposed to know more, oh wait they are gone already. I definitely felt there were too many minor characters. I would have rather the stronger characters been more fleshed out and have more to do.
I loved the dialogue. It felt natural Lorelei is smart and sassy, very sexual as per her succubus nature. Her inner monologue with Amanda felt real and true to how I would imagine the conversations would go in a situation such as theirs. Azaziel, being an angel cast out of heaven is a kinder and gentler spoken man, but he definitely has his own "demons" which is a story I would have love to have had more detail regarding. I will, also, let it be known that, As Above, So Below is very sexual without passing into the realm of true erotica, in my opinion.
From this reader's point of view, I cannot highly suggest As Above, So Below but I do know that tastes vary and I would encourage you to download a sample if the summary of the story intrigues you. What wasn't great for me may very well strike your fancy...and I hope it does! Happy reading!
As the summary above states, As Above, So Below pits angel against succubus, then adds into the mix a not yet saved and not yet damned human soul. As the story progresses things change and what was once a sort of feud turns into something else.
Ok, I have to admit, I really don't know how to review this book. I don't want to say it's bad, because it's not, but I can't honestly say I loved it either. I was confused through much of it, especially at the beginning where I felt like I was just thrown into the middle of the ocean and expected to swim. However once I started moving I went from doing the doggie paddle to a nice gliding in the waters of Rhoads and Thomas' words...I think I finally got it, but then all these other characters started showing up. Who was this? Did I miss an introduction to this character? Am I supposed to know more, oh wait they are gone already. I definitely felt there were too many minor characters. I would have rather the stronger characters been more fleshed out and have more to do.
I loved the dialogue. It felt natural Lorelei is smart and sassy, very sexual as per her succubus nature. Her inner monologue with Amanda felt real and true to how I would imagine the conversations would go in a situation such as theirs. Azaziel, being an angel cast out of heaven is a kinder and gentler spoken man, but he definitely has his own "demons" which is a story I would have love to have had more detail regarding. I will, also, let it be known that, As Above, So Below is very sexual without passing into the realm of true erotica, in my opinion.
From this reader's point of view, I cannot highly suggest As Above, So Below but I do know that tastes vary and I would encourage you to download a sample if the summary of the story intrigues you. What wasn't great for me may very well strike your fancy...and I hope it does! Happy reading!
September 18, 2016
Originally posted on horrorblog.co.uk
I do not normally review erotica, but as I belong to a social media group with Loren, I decided to give it a go.
I will start by stating this is not horror, at least not in my opinion and I wouldn't say it was erotica either, the sex scenes whilst descriptive seemed more romance/fantasy if I had to label it. However, it was fun and sexy! Made a nice change to read something a bit different. If the sex was toned down, this would have a made a brilliant young adult novel.
Lorelei, is a succubus who sees an angel across a crowded bar and decides he’ll fall for her, no matter what she needs to do. It's also the story of Azaziel, an angel who came to Earth as a Watcher before the Flood and has searched for the perfect love ever since. Then there is the human soul.
It was at times confusing with characters that turned up with poor characterisation, this was quite a weakness within the story. The same could be said about the beginning. It was very vague to just drop the reader in without any backstory, having two writers the entire novel was disjointed and I am not convinced it worked. The first chapter, to be honest, was poor and barely kept my interest. Having said this, my favorite character was Azaziel, I wanted to know about him, not the Succubus, whom incidentally I found irritating.
This is not a book for those of a sensitive persuasion. Instead, it is best enjoyed with tongue firmly in cheek........ Nothing’s sexier than first love and first intimacies, and this tale twists the trope into a story about unexpectedly falling in love and the discoveries, sexual and otherwise, that ensue.
If you enjoy fantasy romance and an uncomplicated plot, then give this a go, I recommend as a holiday read.
I do not normally review erotica, but as I belong to a social media group with Loren, I decided to give it a go.
I will start by stating this is not horror, at least not in my opinion and I wouldn't say it was erotica either, the sex scenes whilst descriptive seemed more romance/fantasy if I had to label it. However, it was fun and sexy! Made a nice change to read something a bit different. If the sex was toned down, this would have a made a brilliant young adult novel.
Lorelei, is a succubus who sees an angel across a crowded bar and decides he’ll fall for her, no matter what she needs to do. It's also the story of Azaziel, an angel who came to Earth as a Watcher before the Flood and has searched for the perfect love ever since. Then there is the human soul.
It was at times confusing with characters that turned up with poor characterisation, this was quite a weakness within the story. The same could be said about the beginning. It was very vague to just drop the reader in without any backstory, having two writers the entire novel was disjointed and I am not convinced it worked. The first chapter, to be honest, was poor and barely kept my interest. Having said this, my favorite character was Azaziel, I wanted to know about him, not the Succubus, whom incidentally I found irritating.
This is not a book for those of a sensitive persuasion. Instead, it is best enjoyed with tongue firmly in cheek........ Nothing’s sexier than first love and first intimacies, and this tale twists the trope into a story about unexpectedly falling in love and the discoveries, sexual and otherwise, that ensue.
If you enjoy fantasy romance and an uncomplicated plot, then give this a go, I recommend as a holiday read.
December 26, 2018
DNF
Lorelei the last traces of soul from her lips. The barbed tip of her tail twitched as she scanned the dance club. Seeking for prey. Her violet eyes locked on the creature at the bar: an angel of melancholy. Hers. There was a margin of emptiness around him. He was doing his best to ignore. What was going on around the club. Which was a shame. Fun was what lost angels were all about. Lorelie wanted to see if this angel would be won without a fight. The angel ignored her when she leaned across the bar. She bought the angel a drink. He continued to ignore her, tense and miserable. She reached around him and held him close. When she asked his name he said Aza. Than her said” maybe I came looking for you Lorelie.” Deep down in her hips , the succubus felt a connection made. Not fallen yet, but hers. Than a mortal asked Lorelei if she wasn’t there with him. Lorelei asked the angel if he wanted to go. Than Aza looked at Steve= the mortal- the shady stockbroker over her shoulder and said he should go and left. Lorelei’s sister Floria glided across the dance floor. She asked Lorelei if she was ready to leave and gave Lorelei a drink and she gave it to Steve who after ge drank it slumped. Floria helped Lorelei get the mark out of the club. Aza had been cast out of heaven but not lost. Lorelei realized the angel was older than dirt. He’d seen the beginning of the world, the Wars Of heaven, The Fall, yet remained subservient. Here he was trapped in the mortal , longing for heaven. His condition was they could kiss but nothing else because he knew of Lorelei’s kind way.
I couldn’t get into this book. It just didn’t hold my interest. I am sure others will enjoy this just wasn’t for me.
Lorelei the last traces of soul from her lips. The barbed tip of her tail twitched as she scanned the dance club. Seeking for prey. Her violet eyes locked on the creature at the bar: an angel of melancholy. Hers. There was a margin of emptiness around him. He was doing his best to ignore. What was going on around the club. Which was a shame. Fun was what lost angels were all about. Lorelie wanted to see if this angel would be won without a fight. The angel ignored her when she leaned across the bar. She bought the angel a drink. He continued to ignore her, tense and miserable. She reached around him and held him close. When she asked his name he said Aza. Than her said” maybe I came looking for you Lorelie.” Deep down in her hips , the succubus felt a connection made. Not fallen yet, but hers. Than a mortal asked Lorelei if she wasn’t there with him. Lorelei asked the angel if he wanted to go. Than Aza looked at Steve= the mortal- the shady stockbroker over her shoulder and said he should go and left. Lorelei’s sister Floria glided across the dance floor. She asked Lorelei if she was ready to leave and gave Lorelei a drink and she gave it to Steve who after ge drank it slumped. Floria helped Lorelei get the mark out of the club. Aza had been cast out of heaven but not lost. Lorelei realized the angel was older than dirt. He’d seen the beginning of the world, the Wars Of heaven, The Fall, yet remained subservient. Here he was trapped in the mortal , longing for heaven. His condition was they could kiss but nothing else because he knew of Lorelei’s kind way.
I couldn’t get into this book. It just didn’t hold my interest. I am sure others will enjoy this just wasn’t for me.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews