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Bound to You
She's a power-hungry battle angel
Coriel is determined to rid the world of demons and prove she has what it takes to be archangel. But when a fierce battle ends in tragedy on her orders, she is banished from the Heavens--and finds herself at the mercy of Hell's sexiest and most powerful demon knight.
He's the demon knight who wants her
Rather than take his rightful place on Hell's throne, Zagan prefers to spend his days in the human realm corrupting souls--and he'll end the life of any angel who tries to stop him. But rather than slay the beautiful battle angel when he has the chance, he binds her to him with his life-saving kiss, forcing her to obey his every command.
The line is drawn
Coriel has no choice but to submit to her captor, though the curse of his kiss is not what lures her to him. While Zagan takes great pleasure in exerting his dominance over the Heavens' fiercest warrior, he soon wants her to do more than just his bidding. As the war between angels and demons rages, he wants her by his side ... to rule Hell as his queen.
Coriel is determined to rid the world of demons and prove she has what it takes to be archangel. But when a fierce battle ends in tragedy on her orders, she is banished from the Heavens--and finds herself at the mercy of Hell's sexiest and most powerful demon knight.
He's the demon knight who wants her
Rather than take his rightful place on Hell's throne, Zagan prefers to spend his days in the human realm corrupting souls--and he'll end the life of any angel who tries to stop him. But rather than slay the beautiful battle angel when he has the chance, he binds her to him with his life-saving kiss, forcing her to obey his every command.
The line is drawn
Coriel has no choice but to submit to her captor, though the curse of his kiss is not what lures her to him. While Zagan takes great pleasure in exerting his dominance over the Heavens' fiercest warrior, he soon wants her to do more than just his bidding. As the war between angels and demons rages, he wants her by his side ... to rule Hell as his queen.
242 pages, Paperback
Published August 7, 2020
172 people are currently reading
743 people want to read
About the author
Alyson Caraway
2 books17 followersI’ve been writing since middle school. I’ve always been a fan of paranormal, fantasy, and supernatural fiction. I’ve consumed it in many forms, including from books, movies, video games and anime. I would walk home from school hoping a black cat with a crescent moon on its forehead would come to me and tell me I was a reincarnated superhero, just like in the anime Sailor Moon. When that didn’t happen, I wrote my own Sailor Moon fanfiction, then original stories, all with strong heroines with magical powers. I realized my own magical power was my love for storytelling and world building.
I’m in love with my characters falling in love. I love putting them in impossible situations and seeing how they figure things out and persevere. I really hope that you enjoy their journeys, too!
When I’m not writing about lusty demons, angels, and other paranormal beings, I enjoy spending time with my husband, two children, and maltipoo. I’m an avid video gamer, student of Japanese, tea aficionado, crafter, reader, and all-around nerd. I strongly believe in the healing powers of retail therapy.
I love making friends from all over the world, especially if they’re into the same things I am!
I’m in love with my characters falling in love. I love putting them in impossible situations and seeing how they figure things out and persevere. I really hope that you enjoy their journeys, too!
When I’m not writing about lusty demons, angels, and other paranormal beings, I enjoy spending time with my husband, two children, and maltipoo. I’m an avid video gamer, student of Japanese, tea aficionado, crafter, reader, and all-around nerd. I strongly believe in the healing powers of retail therapy.
I love making friends from all over the world, especially if they’re into the same things I am!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 11, 2020
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens and am leaving a review voluntarily.
My main thought after reading: How in the world have so many people missed this brilliantly delightful tale??
Coriel wants nothing more than to be elevated to archangel.
But after more than 30 years of trying to prove herself, she’s still not there. It doesn't help that Coriel refuses to follow her own archangel’s orders when it comes to protecting humans, for Coriel lusts after the demon-killing aspect of her job and delegates others to protect humans. This works for Coriel … until it doesn’t. Until Coriel loses massive numbers of humans and angels in her zeal to smite Zagan, a hot and powerful demon knight.
Thrown from heaven to earth, Coriel is now fallen, without a weapon and without protection. Zagan, who hasn’t been able to get Coriel out of his head since their battle, is determined to make her his … and to hell with the consequences.
This book was a fabulous, rocking and rolling trip through heaven and hell and all places in between! I LOVED Zagan from the moment he stepped from between the pages with his sexy, lustful, horned self. And golden-winged Coriel, with her auburn locks and passion to destroy evil, was a perfect foil for him.
This book hits all the enemies to lovers buttons on my list: Smoldering demons, soulful angels, hot and sexy carnal relations, and true, true love. Sigh.
I adored the romantic aspects of it because it was just gritty enough to make me salivate. But what I really loved was the underlying message that good and evil are qualities not so easily definable, and that we are all blends of both, with many shades of grey in between.
The action in this was also a delightful surprise. I read through this in one sitting and kept reading past dinner time. Zagan was quite enough to satisfy me, thank you very much.
One other bit I want to mention is the author used actual angel and demon names for, I believe, nearly every single character. And I know this because I looked them up. Kudos to Alyson Caraway for this added touch of authenticity! So if you love angels, demons, hot bodies, and blurred lines, then you need to stop what you’re doing and read this book.
Now.
My main thought after reading: How in the world have so many people missed this brilliantly delightful tale??
Coriel wants nothing more than to be elevated to archangel.
But after more than 30 years of trying to prove herself, she’s still not there. It doesn't help that Coriel refuses to follow her own archangel’s orders when it comes to protecting humans, for Coriel lusts after the demon-killing aspect of her job and delegates others to protect humans. This works for Coriel … until it doesn’t. Until Coriel loses massive numbers of humans and angels in her zeal to smite Zagan, a hot and powerful demon knight.
Thrown from heaven to earth, Coriel is now fallen, without a weapon and without protection. Zagan, who hasn’t been able to get Coriel out of his head since their battle, is determined to make her his … and to hell with the consequences.
This book was a fabulous, rocking and rolling trip through heaven and hell and all places in between! I LOVED Zagan from the moment he stepped from between the pages with his sexy, lustful, horned self. And golden-winged Coriel, with her auburn locks and passion to destroy evil, was a perfect foil for him.
This book hits all the enemies to lovers buttons on my list: Smoldering demons, soulful angels, hot and sexy carnal relations, and true, true love. Sigh.
I adored the romantic aspects of it because it was just gritty enough to make me salivate. But what I really loved was the underlying message that good and evil are qualities not so easily definable, and that we are all blends of both, with many shades of grey in between.
The action in this was also a delightful surprise. I read through this in one sitting and kept reading past dinner time. Zagan was quite enough to satisfy me, thank you very much.
One other bit I want to mention is the author used actual angel and demon names for, I believe, nearly every single character. And I know this because I looked them up. Kudos to Alyson Caraway for this added touch of authenticity! So if you love angels, demons, hot bodies, and blurred lines, then you need to stop what you’re doing and read this book.
Now.
August 7, 2020
*** Note: I received e-ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Vulpine Press. ***
Bound to You was action packed paranormal fantasy that revolved around fallen angel and how her life changed after she was bound to the most powerful and to-be-king Knight Demon. It was about manipulation, betrayal, guilt, regrets, and love.
Writing was easy to follow and fast paced that took me right into the fascinating world of angels and demons. There was lot of action and killing and sex. All characters were interesting. Romance was steamy and passionate. I liked enemy-to lover-trope here but I have to say the spark and lust was instant. In fact, they realised they loved each other a bit early but had internal conflicts. Their love was tested, they both had doubts initially but at end heart won over mind and trust issues.
World was fascinating, I liked reading rules of heaven and hell and seeing it from characters’ perspective. I enjoyed reading powers of other Knights. I did recall Lucifer’s dialogue while I was reading this, “Hell is hell and heaven is… hell.” something like that which was true here. I was surprised how both worlds behaved contradictorily. I wasn’t expecting goodness from demons and manipulations from angels and gods.
Overall, Bound To You was fascinating, action packed, quick paranormal romance with enemy to lover trope, interesting characters, and mystery. It was enjoyable first book in series and I wish to see what will come in next books.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link - https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/...
Bound to You was action packed paranormal fantasy that revolved around fallen angel and how her life changed after she was bound to the most powerful and to-be-king Knight Demon. It was about manipulation, betrayal, guilt, regrets, and love.
Writing was easy to follow and fast paced that took me right into the fascinating world of angels and demons. There was lot of action and killing and sex. All characters were interesting. Romance was steamy and passionate. I liked enemy-to lover-trope here but I have to say the spark and lust was instant. In fact, they realised they loved each other a bit early but had internal conflicts. Their love was tested, they both had doubts initially but at end heart won over mind and trust issues.
World was fascinating, I liked reading rules of heaven and hell and seeing it from characters’ perspective. I enjoyed reading powers of other Knights. I did recall Lucifer’s dialogue while I was reading this, “Hell is hell and heaven is… hell.” something like that which was true here. I was surprised how both worlds behaved contradictorily. I wasn’t expecting goodness from demons and manipulations from angels and gods.
Overall, Bound To You was fascinating, action packed, quick paranormal romance with enemy to lover trope, interesting characters, and mystery. It was enjoyable first book in series and I wish to see what will come in next books.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link - https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/...
August 11, 2020
Come on, angel. Take back the heavens
Coriel is a battle hungry angel determined to rid the world of demons and prove she can be an archangel. Although he's next in line for Hell's throne,Zagan prefers to spend his days in the human realm corrupting souls and ending the lives of any angel who tries to stop him. However, rather than kill Coriel, Zagan binds her to him, forcing her to obey his every command. As the war between angels and demons rages on, Zagan can't help but want her by his side, as queen of Hell.
I didn't really have any expectation when going into this, but I did read it in about 5/6 hours so in hindsight it can't be that bad.
The book itself is immensely readable. One thing I've found with most angels and demons stories is, even though most of the time the plot is very simple, they are very easy to read and get into and this one was no different. Is there anything special about the plot? Not particularly. It's the classic; she's an angel, he's a demon. It is in their nature to want to kill the other yet they can't help but be drawn to each other emotionally and sexually. Big battle between angels and demons, usually with the angel realising that Heaven isn't as pure as they were lead to believe. At it's core, that is what this book is.
With that being said however, I will admit that there are a few twists that did surprise me and added a little authenticity to the story. My only criticism for said twists though, were that they were executed rather quickly. You get about 2/3 revelations across two chapters at one point, which is only about 20 pages as the chapters are quite short. While this does keep things interesting and certainly ramps up the tension and stakes, it doesn't really give you much time to take in and process what you've learnt.
The characters are decent. The only ones you really spend enough time with are obviously Coriel and Zagan but even with them you don't go too deep. Their personality traits are pretty limited, in my opinion, to the cocky bad boy and the feisty, stubborn female. It didn't feel like it went further than that. I do like a good enemies to lovers and this had great potential. My only critique is that they went from enemies to lovers to I love you in like 150 pages. I get that the book is short but that is fast as hell. I would also have liked more from the other characters. There were a handful there but other than names and a basic physical description that's pretty much it. I want to relate to these characters and feel for them and really connect but it's difficult to do so when you aren't given much to go on.
Ultimately, I think the books biggest strength and weakness is its length. It's short. So things get going quickly everything gets banged out (figuratively and literally if you know what I mean) and then it's done. There's no real reason for you to not finish it once you've read the first couple of chapters because it is engaging. However, some things do come at you quite fast and there's no real depth, to the story or the characters. If the book was a hundred or so pages longer it could have opened the door to really add the layers and substance that it unfortunately lacked.
In all, I'm annoyingly on the fence. There's something there. I'm not sure what it is, but there's something because if there wasn't I wouldn't have read it as quick. I actually didn't intend on reading it when I did, I was just going to look at the first page or so, and then I was 10 chapters in. It has something but I need more. I need layers, I need depth. Not just bloody fights, sex scenes and manipulation. I also have no idea where this is going! This is a series, yet it feels like they already won. Where do you go from here?
***I received an e-pub from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback***
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August 10, 2020
Excellent Debut!
I'm blown away.
OK, I admit I had some preconceived notions about this novel -- demon king plus angel? Classic good vs. evil story. I expected this to read like an episode of Supernatural, my favorite show.
It was so much more.
I was hooked before I'd read 3 pages and the book did not follow the path I expected. I was captivated by the writing and these characters are not what they seem. You'd think an angel would be perfectly good and a demon would be perfectly bad.
Nope.
The author found ways to add unexected nuances to both characters so even though each is not human, both are nevetheless flawed and their flaws provided some high-level conflicts. About the only thing I expected that did indeed happen was the romance between the two main characters and even that was deeper than I'd expected.
Every bit of this book surprised me in the best way. I eagerly look forward to the next book from this author.
I'm blown away.
OK, I admit I had some preconceived notions about this novel -- demon king plus angel? Classic good vs. evil story. I expected this to read like an episode of Supernatural, my favorite show.
It was so much more.
I was hooked before I'd read 3 pages and the book did not follow the path I expected. I was captivated by the writing and these characters are not what they seem. You'd think an angel would be perfectly good and a demon would be perfectly bad.
Nope.
The author found ways to add unexected nuances to both characters so even though each is not human, both are nevetheless flawed and their flaws provided some high-level conflicts. About the only thing I expected that did indeed happen was the romance between the two main characters and even that was deeper than I'd expected.
Every bit of this book surprised me in the best way. I eagerly look forward to the next book from this author.
May 27, 2020
Reading the first couple of pages, I wasn't sure I'd really get into this book. It posed a new and uncomfortable (to me) perspective on angels and demons. As I kept reading, I quickly decided that not only could I get into this story, I was enthralled.
Spoilers ahead.
When Coriel was cast from Heaven, I was hurt by how she'd been betrayed and used. I found her continued strength to be a testament to her character, and wondered if it was HER, or simply that she knew nothing but Angelic purpose.
Zagan is nothing like any other Demon character I've ever read, and I couldn't decide at first if his loyalty, honesty and emotions were strength or weakness in a successor to the throne of Hell.
Watching the relationship between Coryn and Zagan develop showed me that the strength was hers, and his character (while not traditionally "demonic") was nothing close to weak.
When the true extent of her betrayal was revealed, I was outraged by how cruelly Heaven behaved, and impressed by the honor of Demonkind.
While this book is a completely different portrayal of the fight between Good and Evil, it is compelling, well thought out, and extremely well written. I truly want more!!!
Spoilers ahead.
When Coriel was cast from Heaven, I was hurt by how she'd been betrayed and used. I found her continued strength to be a testament to her character, and wondered if it was HER, or simply that she knew nothing but Angelic purpose.
Zagan is nothing like any other Demon character I've ever read, and I couldn't decide at first if his loyalty, honesty and emotions were strength or weakness in a successor to the throne of Hell.
Watching the relationship between Coryn and Zagan develop showed me that the strength was hers, and his character (while not traditionally "demonic") was nothing close to weak.
When the true extent of her betrayal was revealed, I was outraged by how cruelly Heaven behaved, and impressed by the honor of Demonkind.
While this book is a completely different portrayal of the fight between Good and Evil, it is compelling, well thought out, and extremely well written. I truly want more!!!
February 9, 2021
Overall I enjoyed this book. I loved the demon and angel aspects and the romance. However there were a couple areas that made this 4 stars instead of 5. Coryn was a bit to passive when it came to Zagan's demands and let him control her more than I would have liked. If their relationship was more balanced and had not been so fast in happening, I would have enjoyed it more. So overall 4 stars. I am interested to see where this series goes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 26, 2020
Original review
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Alyson Caraway!
Bound to You is the first book in The Demon Knights Series and tells the story of Coriel and Zagan.
Bound to You is Alyson Caraway’s debut novel and she did an amazing job! After reading the synopsis and having seen the cover, I just had to know how the story was going to end. Bound to You is such a good book because it isn’t your average angels and demons book, it’s a different take on good and bad.
Now about the characters. I really liked Coriel because she’s such a badass warrior and not your average angel. She questions things, she’s intrigued by Zagan, … Speaking of Zagan, he’s such a good book boyfriend. He’s not your typical demon and while reading in his POV, you get to know more about his feelings and I loved that.
Bound to You was such a good Paranormal Romance with a different take on angels and demons. The story was really original and I really liked reading about Coriel and Zagan. Bound to You was such a fast-paced and interesting read, and I cannot wait to read the next book in The Demon Knights Series!
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Alyson Caraway!
Bound to You is the first book in The Demon Knights Series and tells the story of Coriel and Zagan.
Bound to You is Alyson Caraway’s debut novel and she did an amazing job! After reading the synopsis and having seen the cover, I just had to know how the story was going to end. Bound to You is such a good book because it isn’t your average angels and demons book, it’s a different take on good and bad.
Now about the characters. I really liked Coriel because she’s such a badass warrior and not your average angel. She questions things, she’s intrigued by Zagan, … Speaking of Zagan, he’s such a good book boyfriend. He’s not your typical demon and while reading in his POV, you get to know more about his feelings and I loved that.
Bound to You was such a good Paranormal Romance with a different take on angels and demons. The story was really original and I really liked reading about Coriel and Zagan. Bound to You was such a fast-paced and interesting read, and I cannot wait to read the next book in The Demon Knights Series!
October 29, 2020
**I received this ARC for free in return for a voluntary review.**
Let me just defend my three star review here. I hate to just give three stars to a new (to me) author, but I really detested the opening chapter. It soured the book for me for a very long time. I don't think I recovered until more than halfway through.
So the premise is, an angel comes down to Earth to fight demonic forces. In the process, she falls in "lust" with one of the demonic knights of hell. Yeah, it was a lot to wrap my head around too. Anyways, it picks up after that. Yes, there is the requisite smut, but there is also intrigue, snide remarks and general run-amuck-ness. It was quite good by the end.
I'm not sure you can skip the first chapter and still have the book make sense. But, I would have gone high four, possibly five if the weird idea of this book and been introduced to me better.
Let me just defend my three star review here. I hate to just give three stars to a new (to me) author, but I really detested the opening chapter. It soured the book for me for a very long time. I don't think I recovered until more than halfway through.
So the premise is, an angel comes down to Earth to fight demonic forces. In the process, she falls in "lust" with one of the demonic knights of hell. Yeah, it was a lot to wrap my head around too. Anyways, it picks up after that. Yes, there is the requisite smut, but there is also intrigue, snide remarks and general run-amuck-ness. It was quite good by the end.
I'm not sure you can skip the first chapter and still have the book make sense. But, I would have gone high four, possibly five if the weird idea of this book and been introduced to me better.
June 30, 2021
Despite that I don’t consider this book a good read, I find it difficult to rate. There were things I liked (all of which came in the beginning) but they were outweighed by things I didn’t like. By 25 - 30% into the story, I’d grown underwhelmed, and by the time I stopped reading, I was thoroughly disappointed.
Take my opinion as you will. I’m a published author, editor, and writing coach.
When I first started reading Bound to You, I was a little shocked that it wasn’t unreadable, because the majority of self-published books I try out are very poorly written. There’s a scene in the beginning with Zagan (the hero) and a group of humans that I found particularly well-written. This got me excited.
But my excitement was not to last.
The author definitely has potential. However, this book would’ve benefitted from several more revisions.
Coryn, the heroine, is annoying; she’s quite possible the most insufferable heroine I’ve ever read about. She’s immature and self-centered and doesn’t act how you’d think someone who’s lived her life would act. Every time she and Zagan share an intimate moment, she’s immediately pissed off at him (or herself, for surrendering to him) afterward. She loves him, she hates him, she loves him, she hates him, and I’m wanting her to just stop already. It’s exhausting being in her head. My advice to the author: there are other ways to build drama besides making one of the characters overly dramatic.
And the relationship between Coryn and Zagan is… confusing and chaotic. It takes a while for them to grow close. Despite this, the first sex scene happens about a third of the way into the book, and the way it’s written doesn’t correlate with their feelings for one another at the time. If they’re the type to engage in casual sex, that’s one thing. But they aren’t the type, and the tryst in question, along with their supposed feelings during it, weren’t casual and weren’t believable. It’s almost as if this sex scene was originally written between a different couple and the author inserted it into this book and changed the names.
My second critique is how much TELLING of emotions there is. I don’t know if I’ve read a book where emotions are so often told (sometimes ridiculously) and not at all shown.
Some examples (these are direct quotes):
“A mixture of emotions—shock, happiness, and … disappointment?—played across her features in quick succession,”
can you imagine what this would look like in real life? I can, and it doesn’t look good.
“Zagan looked dumbstruck and hurt.”
“Her face, so recently filled with forgiveness for him, had turned so quickly to sadness. And while he struggled to find the right thing to say, her sadness transitioned to rage.”
“When Zagan’s expression morphed quickly from confusion to shock and then utter delight,”
how quickly, I wonder?
“As Zagan’s expression turned from surprise to contemplation to regret,
“He panted as he looked into her eyes, a mixture of confusion and disappointment and hurt reflected back at him.”
The entire book is like this. Now, maybe you’re not like me and this method of writing doesn’t bother you. It drives me crazy. It’s simply lazy writing. Not to mention what a face must look like portraying several emotions in a short amount of time. What are the other characters doing while the subject contorts their face into different expressions? It’s unrealistic, as expressions (or eyes—don’t get me started about book characters and their uncanny ability to discern how someone’s feeling by their eyes) don’t work that way. Nor do emotions, really.
There were some inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but neither were so prevalent that most readers would notice them. I am NOT most readers.
I DNF this book. The characters and the writing bothered me too much to see the story through. It got sloppier as it progressed. You may like this book if you can’t relate to my criticisms. I am not a fan of a lot of books that other people obsess over. If the premise interests you and you have a high tolerance for writing that, while not abysmal, needs improvement, give Bound to You a chance!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this is my voluntary and unbiased review.
Take my opinion as you will. I’m a published author, editor, and writing coach.
When I first started reading Bound to You, I was a little shocked that it wasn’t unreadable, because the majority of self-published books I try out are very poorly written. There’s a scene in the beginning with Zagan (the hero) and a group of humans that I found particularly well-written. This got me excited.
But my excitement was not to last.
The author definitely has potential. However, this book would’ve benefitted from several more revisions.
Coryn, the heroine, is annoying; she’s quite possible the most insufferable heroine I’ve ever read about. She’s immature and self-centered and doesn’t act how you’d think someone who’s lived her life would act. Every time she and Zagan share an intimate moment, she’s immediately pissed off at him (or herself, for surrendering to him) afterward. She loves him, she hates him, she loves him, she hates him, and I’m wanting her to just stop already. It’s exhausting being in her head. My advice to the author: there are other ways to build drama besides making one of the characters overly dramatic.
And the relationship between Coryn and Zagan is… confusing and chaotic. It takes a while for them to grow close. Despite this, the first sex scene happens about a third of the way into the book, and the way it’s written doesn’t correlate with their feelings for one another at the time. If they’re the type to engage in casual sex, that’s one thing. But they aren’t the type, and the tryst in question, along with their supposed feelings during it, weren’t casual and weren’t believable. It’s almost as if this sex scene was originally written between a different couple and the author inserted it into this book and changed the names.
My second critique is how much TELLING of emotions there is. I don’t know if I’ve read a book where emotions are so often told (sometimes ridiculously) and not at all shown.
Some examples (these are direct quotes):
“A mixture of emotions—shock, happiness, and … disappointment?—played across her features in quick succession,”
can you imagine what this would look like in real life? I can, and it doesn’t look good.
“Zagan looked dumbstruck and hurt.”
“Her face, so recently filled with forgiveness for him, had turned so quickly to sadness. And while he struggled to find the right thing to say, her sadness transitioned to rage.”
“When Zagan’s expression morphed quickly from confusion to shock and then utter delight,”
how quickly, I wonder?
“As Zagan’s expression turned from surprise to contemplation to regret,
“He panted as he looked into her eyes, a mixture of confusion and disappointment and hurt reflected back at him.”
The entire book is like this. Now, maybe you’re not like me and this method of writing doesn’t bother you. It drives me crazy. It’s simply lazy writing. Not to mention what a face must look like portraying several emotions in a short amount of time. What are the other characters doing while the subject contorts their face into different expressions? It’s unrealistic, as expressions (or eyes—don’t get me started about book characters and their uncanny ability to discern how someone’s feeling by their eyes) don’t work that way. Nor do emotions, really.
There were some inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but neither were so prevalent that most readers would notice them. I am NOT most readers.
I DNF this book. The characters and the writing bothered me too much to see the story through. It got sloppier as it progressed. You may like this book if you can’t relate to my criticisms. I am not a fan of a lot of books that other people obsess over. If the premise interests you and you have a high tolerance for writing that, while not abysmal, needs improvement, give Bound to You a chance!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this is my voluntary and unbiased review.
November 7, 2020
Note: I received an ARC of Bound to You for free in exchange for an honest review. Rated 3.0-3.5.
Alyson Caraway delivers her debut novel, Bound to You, within the realm of paranormal romance. Aspiring archangel Coriel desires nothing more than the destruction of every demon. If that gets her a position among angel top-brass, then obviously that is where she belongs. However, when a battle goes awry and Coriel disregards orders one time too many, her hubris lands her in hot water. Enter the hottest demon in all of hell, Zagan. When a chance to prove herself results in Coriel's banishment from heaven, the headstrong angel finds herself at the mercy of the most powerful demon knight. Caraway combines action, romance, and snark in an exciting tale of discovery and corruption.
One of my biggest concerns with ARC-ing debut novels is the strength of negative/neutral reviews, so let me preface this review by saying that even the most incredible author has room to improve and there is almost always going to be people who love stories others just do not like. Okay, off that soap box and back to the review. Bound to You is a full length angel/demon enemies-to-lovers romance with a whole lot of action. One of the things I most appreciated about this novel was how Caraway elaborated on worldbuilding specifics. For example, the differences in demons, especially demon underlings. She worked to utilize familiar elements of angel/demon stories, while also adding her own mark.
Overall, Bound to You is a 3.0-3.5 story for me. While I believe that Caraway's world-building had a good foundation, many details and specifics that could have enhanced the story were simply missing. Despite getting glimpses into the world Bound to You was set in, I never got much more than a tunnel vision view. Characterwise, I enjoyed how Caraway addressed the dilemmas Coriel faced in consorting with a demon despite being an angel. However, Zagan and Coriel's relationship felt much too rushed and lacked important transitory stages that occur in a more realistically developed relationship. Granted, Caraway is dealing with angels and demons, but added some of these elements would help elevate the story from a 3.0/3.5 to a higher score. I don't mind insta-love stories, but to be good the author needs to be careful how they write the relationship. I found it hard to couple several of the actions undertaken by Zagan with "love", which could be used by the author to describe a demon who doesn't understand love over lust. Then, the author can showcase a major character development. Which brings me to another point missing from Bound to You: development. Generally, I felt like few of the characters had any real development. Combing over the story and tuning scenes to specifically display character development could enhance this story further.
As a whole, Bound to You has things to work on, but that does not make it a do-not-read. Would I read it again, not necessarily. However, I found several of the supporting characters, specifically Zagan's fellow demon knights, to be quite compelling and interesting. If Caraway employed what she learned from her debut novel in successive novels focusing on the other knights, I would most likely give those books a try. If you like angel/demon romances with action then Bound to You might just be for you, so support a debut author and read away.
Alyson Caraway delivers her debut novel, Bound to You, within the realm of paranormal romance. Aspiring archangel Coriel desires nothing more than the destruction of every demon. If that gets her a position among angel top-brass, then obviously that is where she belongs. However, when a battle goes awry and Coriel disregards orders one time too many, her hubris lands her in hot water. Enter the hottest demon in all of hell, Zagan. When a chance to prove herself results in Coriel's banishment from heaven, the headstrong angel finds herself at the mercy of the most powerful demon knight. Caraway combines action, romance, and snark in an exciting tale of discovery and corruption.
One of my biggest concerns with ARC-ing debut novels is the strength of negative/neutral reviews, so let me preface this review by saying that even the most incredible author has room to improve and there is almost always going to be people who love stories others just do not like. Okay, off that soap box and back to the review. Bound to You is a full length angel/demon enemies-to-lovers romance with a whole lot of action. One of the things I most appreciated about this novel was how Caraway elaborated on worldbuilding specifics. For example, the differences in demons, especially demon underlings. She worked to utilize familiar elements of angel/demon stories, while also adding her own mark.
Overall, Bound to You is a 3.0-3.5 story for me. While I believe that Caraway's world-building had a good foundation, many details and specifics that could have enhanced the story were simply missing. Despite getting glimpses into the world Bound to You was set in, I never got much more than a tunnel vision view. Characterwise, I enjoyed how Caraway addressed the dilemmas Coriel faced in consorting with a demon despite being an angel. However, Zagan and Coriel's relationship felt much too rushed and lacked important transitory stages that occur in a more realistically developed relationship. Granted, Caraway is dealing with angels and demons, but added some of these elements would help elevate the story from a 3.0/3.5 to a higher score. I don't mind insta-love stories, but to be good the author needs to be careful how they write the relationship. I found it hard to couple several of the actions undertaken by Zagan with "love", which could be used by the author to describe a demon who doesn't understand love over lust. Then, the author can showcase a major character development. Which brings me to another point missing from Bound to You: development. Generally, I felt like few of the characters had any real development. Combing over the story and tuning scenes to specifically display character development could enhance this story further.
As a whole, Bound to You has things to work on, but that does not make it a do-not-read. Would I read it again, not necessarily. However, I found several of the supporting characters, specifically Zagan's fellow demon knights, to be quite compelling and interesting. If Caraway employed what she learned from her debut novel in successive novels focusing on the other knights, I would most likely give those books a try. If you like angel/demon romances with action then Bound to You might just be for you, so support a debut author and read away.
November 14, 2020
Disclaimer: I did receive this book as an ARC through Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. I am happy to leave this voluntary review.
In "Bound to You", Book 1 of the Demon Knights Series, by Alyson Caraway, Coriel is an erelim warrior angel who desperately wants to be an Archangel like Michael. Although young and immature, she is a glory seeker who hungers for power and will do anything to prove herself worthy ro Michael. When she is called upon to lead a battle for human souls between demons and angels, she seizes the opportunity to show her skills and her worth by killing as many demons as possible. When one of the Heavens biggest adversaries, Demon Knight Zagan, joins the battle, Coriel sees glory within her reach if she can only kill the demon. Zagan is impressed by her skills and her determination. But the angels are called from th battle back to the Heavens, where Coriel learns that she has failed in her mission. She battle for human souls. When these and many angels are lost because her her failure to follow orders, she is stripped of her weapon and punished by her commander.
When later she is ordered to Manusya to battle once again for human souls, Coriel is so excited to have another opportunity, that she doesn't wait for the rest of her team. She flies off into battle against the Demon King's Knight and heir to the throne all alone, and only realizes that she is on her own once it is too late. She realizes then that her commander is still punishing her. Zagan hasn't stopped thinking about her and wants her more than anything. But Coriel's desperate wish is to kill him, and he won't allow that to happen. So as they battle, Coriel receives a mortal wound. Zagan immediately regrets what he has done and offers her the chance to live. She must drink the antidote to his poison from his tongue. To live to fight another day, Coriel does this. Afterwards she learns she is now bound to this demon and must obey his every command. In a rage at herself, she flies into the heavens. Here, once Michael learns of what has happened, she is cast from the heavens as a Forsken. Coriel can now only submit to and follow every command of the Demon Knight.
What I like most about this book is the character development and the chemistry between Zagan and Coriel. Zagan, though a demon, is not all bad. He demonstrates this over and over in the book. And Coriel, an angel, is not without faults. She shows this with her eagerness for power and glory and her qick temper. They are great antagonists in this enemies to lovers book. The storyline is interesting and drew me in right from the beginning.
I gave the book four stars of five and this was primarily because I felt there was more opportunity for the writer to give more detail in her world building. There are three realms in her book, Heaven, Hell , and Manusya. Ms. Caraway gave us a glimpse of Heaven and Hell, and little detail of earth. I would have liked more detail here and more of the battles.
Overall a very good book, and I look forward to Book 2.
In "Bound to You", Book 1 of the Demon Knights Series, by Alyson Caraway, Coriel is an erelim warrior angel who desperately wants to be an Archangel like Michael. Although young and immature, she is a glory seeker who hungers for power and will do anything to prove herself worthy ro Michael. When she is called upon to lead a battle for human souls between demons and angels, she seizes the opportunity to show her skills and her worth by killing as many demons as possible. When one of the Heavens biggest adversaries, Demon Knight Zagan, joins the battle, Coriel sees glory within her reach if she can only kill the demon. Zagan is impressed by her skills and her determination. But the angels are called from th battle back to the Heavens, where Coriel learns that she has failed in her mission. She battle for human souls. When these and many angels are lost because her her failure to follow orders, she is stripped of her weapon and punished by her commander.
When later she is ordered to Manusya to battle once again for human souls, Coriel is so excited to have another opportunity, that she doesn't wait for the rest of her team. She flies off into battle against the Demon King's Knight and heir to the throne all alone, and only realizes that she is on her own once it is too late. She realizes then that her commander is still punishing her. Zagan hasn't stopped thinking about her and wants her more than anything. But Coriel's desperate wish is to kill him, and he won't allow that to happen. So as they battle, Coriel receives a mortal wound. Zagan immediately regrets what he has done and offers her the chance to live. She must drink the antidote to his poison from his tongue. To live to fight another day, Coriel does this. Afterwards she learns she is now bound to this demon and must obey his every command. In a rage at herself, she flies into the heavens. Here, once Michael learns of what has happened, she is cast from the heavens as a Forsken. Coriel can now only submit to and follow every command of the Demon Knight.
What I like most about this book is the character development and the chemistry between Zagan and Coriel. Zagan, though a demon, is not all bad. He demonstrates this over and over in the book. And Coriel, an angel, is not without faults. She shows this with her eagerness for power and glory and her qick temper. They are great antagonists in this enemies to lovers book. The storyline is interesting and drew me in right from the beginning.
I gave the book four stars of five and this was primarily because I felt there was more opportunity for the writer to give more detail in her world building. There are three realms in her book, Heaven, Hell , and Manusya. Ms. Caraway gave us a glimpse of Heaven and Hell, and little detail of earth. I would have liked more detail here and more of the battles.
Overall a very good book, and I look forward to Book 2.
December 6, 2023
3.5
There’s not a lot of arc angel demon pairing books out there, so I was really interested in listening to this audio. I’m normally not a fantasy paranormal book reader but this intrigued me. Coriel, an angel desperate for Arch Angel status, through hasty actions, falls from Heaven. She becomes bound to Sagan the Demon from Hell. His goal is to become the God of Hell itself. She’s trying to get back into heaven and redeem herself. But their attraction to each other seems to have a mind of its own and is getting in the way of their plans. How do they make this work while being on opposite sides. It’s a fight of good vs evil… or is it? Deception and secrets make this romance compelling.
The author, Alyson Caraway, spends time explaining the angel hierarchy so I appreciate the attention to detail she gave to that. It made me curious to do a little research of my own on the different levels of Angels. Coming from a Catholic background it was fascinating to look into that.
I was initially captivated by Sagan with his dark demon attributes and mind manipulation. However, once he started falling for Coriel he became too compassionate too quickly for my taste, given that his character is supposed to be a demon from Hell. And Coriel seemed to switch to the dark side too quickly. I wish that push/pull between their consciences, or lack of a conscience in his case, lasted longer as I think it would have built the tension better. But I loved the way he loved her, despite that.
Spoiler ahead on plot twists. If you are a Christian this book may irk you.
So read ahead at your own risk.
This is a personal opinion but I didn’t allow it to affect my rating.
I’ll preface this by saying I’m a catholic but not devout by any means. (I’m a wedding, funeral and holiday catholic) I have no problem with bad angels, and I don’t believe in the Catholic concept of Heaven and Hell. But I felt in some way that the focus was on the angelic realm of Christianity. Although Arch Angel Michael (AAM for quick reference from here) is represented in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, it seems in this instance it’s from the Christian faith given the detail of the angel hierarchy explained. At least that’s how I’m seeing this.
I can only speak from the POV of a Catholic while reading this book. AAM is a HUGE presence in the Catholic faith and is kind of the Angel of all angels. THE dude to fight evils and injustices. But to make him a lying manipulative bad angel really put a bad taste in my mouth for this story. I wish the author used a different angel as the antagonist. Or small group of angels who wanted to be vigilantes. And the manner in which the AAM story ended actually hurt me in the gut.
Again, this is my own personal opinion. So, I’ll leave it at that.
There’s not a lot of arc angel demon pairing books out there, so I was really interested in listening to this audio. I’m normally not a fantasy paranormal book reader but this intrigued me. Coriel, an angel desperate for Arch Angel status, through hasty actions, falls from Heaven. She becomes bound to Sagan the Demon from Hell. His goal is to become the God of Hell itself. She’s trying to get back into heaven and redeem herself. But their attraction to each other seems to have a mind of its own and is getting in the way of their plans. How do they make this work while being on opposite sides. It’s a fight of good vs evil… or is it? Deception and secrets make this romance compelling.
The author, Alyson Caraway, spends time explaining the angel hierarchy so I appreciate the attention to detail she gave to that. It made me curious to do a little research of my own on the different levels of Angels. Coming from a Catholic background it was fascinating to look into that.
I was initially captivated by Sagan with his dark demon attributes and mind manipulation. However, once he started falling for Coriel he became too compassionate too quickly for my taste, given that his character is supposed to be a demon from Hell. And Coriel seemed to switch to the dark side too quickly. I wish that push/pull between their consciences, or lack of a conscience in his case, lasted longer as I think it would have built the tension better. But I loved the way he loved her, despite that.
Spoiler ahead on plot twists. If you are a Christian this book may irk you.
So read ahead at your own risk.
This is a personal opinion but I didn’t allow it to affect my rating.
I’ll preface this by saying I’m a catholic but not devout by any means. (I’m a wedding, funeral and holiday catholic) I have no problem with bad angels, and I don’t believe in the Catholic concept of Heaven and Hell. But I felt in some way that the focus was on the angelic realm of Christianity. Although Arch Angel Michael (AAM for quick reference from here) is represented in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, it seems in this instance it’s from the Christian faith given the detail of the angel hierarchy explained. At least that’s how I’m seeing this.
I can only speak from the POV of a Catholic while reading this book. AAM is a HUGE presence in the Catholic faith and is kind of the Angel of all angels. THE dude to fight evils and injustices. But to make him a lying manipulative bad angel really put a bad taste in my mouth for this story. I wish the author used a different angel as the antagonist. Or small group of angels who wanted to be vigilantes. And the manner in which the AAM story ended actually hurt me in the gut.
Again, this is my own personal opinion. So, I’ll leave it at that.
January 8, 2021
Coriel is a battle angel who fights demon for the sake of heaven’s order. By doing so, she tries to prove her worth so she could be elevated as an archangel. But, one day, a battle between angel and demon went terribly wrong on her orders, and she was banished from heaven. She becomes a forsaken, and almost died, but saved by Hell’s most powerful demon knight, Zagan. With the kiss that they shared, she’s bound to him, she becomes his pet, and forced to commit to his every command. But Zagan is not just a demon knight, he’s also the next in line to be the Demon King. And once he was reluctant to take over the throne, he’s now eager to sit on it with the heaven’s fiercest angel as his queen - since she couldn’t deny his command - but, is it enough?
I was soooo giddy after reading this. This starts my new year amazing. I never heard about this book before, and now after I finished it, I wonder how could this book hasn’t gotten its recognition, yet?
Because it totally deserves it.
The story tells us about angel and demon who live their life according their own purposes. But If I used to find that angel is always good, and demon is always bad, here I find a difference. Both angels and demons are more on morally gray characters. Like human. We find angels with ambition, anger, and blood lust, then we find demon with honesty, and compassion. How weird are those?! The world building is solid and easy for me to understand. And the main characters.... I LOVE THEM! Especially Zagan. I LOVE HIM! I was reluctant to read the first chapters, but the moment Zagan came, game on baby! I’m whipped! The sexual tension was burning, and the romance was so so so CUTE! I also like how Coriel developed along the story. This is an easy read and a fast reading book, but still serves you with a good plot. Definitely a must read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, but my thoughts are my own.
I was soooo giddy after reading this. This starts my new year amazing. I never heard about this book before, and now after I finished it, I wonder how could this book hasn’t gotten its recognition, yet?
Because it totally deserves it.
The story tells us about angel and demon who live their life according their own purposes. But If I used to find that angel is always good, and demon is always bad, here I find a difference. Both angels and demons are more on morally gray characters. Like human. We find angels with ambition, anger, and blood lust, then we find demon with honesty, and compassion. How weird are those?! The world building is solid and easy for me to understand. And the main characters.... I LOVE THEM! Especially Zagan. I LOVE HIM! I was reluctant to read the first chapters, but the moment Zagan came, game on baby! I’m whipped! The sexual tension was burning, and the romance was so so so CUTE! I also like how Coriel developed along the story. This is an easy read and a fast reading book, but still serves you with a good plot. Definitely a must read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, but my thoughts are my own.
August 9, 2020
I really enjoy enemies to lovers books there is something about the tension that just makes the story so fun to read, this book is a little different in that there is a very clear divide between Coriel and Zagan, one is from Heaven and one is from Hell, but to be honest it just made the story all the more intriguing.
It has been a while since I read a supernatural book and I’m happy that I jumped back in with this one, it was so entertaining. I’ll be honest at the beginning of the book I wasn’t sure I was going to be all that keen on Coriel, thankfully she very quickly showed that there was a bit of conflict within her and I knew that I was going to enjoy the push and pull between her and Zagan even more for it.
The set up of the story is something that I really appreciated, it would be too easy to fall into the Heaven good, Hell bad situation, I liked that there was a grey area to each of them, and that characters from each side could be both good and bad. This grey area is what makes is so easy to really get behind Coriel and Zagan and really boosts their chemistry every time they interact.
What surprised me the most about this book was how much action there was, I suppose I thought it was mostly going to be about the fight against their feelings between Zagan and Coriel, but actually there was a lot more to it than that. Something exciting seemed to happen when I was least expecting it and very quickly I found myself glued to the pages waiting to find out how the characters would all fare at the end.
If you are looking for a book with a bit of adventure, a bit of sizzle between its main characters and a really intriguing supernatural element then I really would recommend Bound To You.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
It has been a while since I read a supernatural book and I’m happy that I jumped back in with this one, it was so entertaining. I’ll be honest at the beginning of the book I wasn’t sure I was going to be all that keen on Coriel, thankfully she very quickly showed that there was a bit of conflict within her and I knew that I was going to enjoy the push and pull between her and Zagan even more for it.
The set up of the story is something that I really appreciated, it would be too easy to fall into the Heaven good, Hell bad situation, I liked that there was a grey area to each of them, and that characters from each side could be both good and bad. This grey area is what makes is so easy to really get behind Coriel and Zagan and really boosts their chemistry every time they interact.
What surprised me the most about this book was how much action there was, I suppose I thought it was mostly going to be about the fight against their feelings between Zagan and Coriel, but actually there was a lot more to it than that. Something exciting seemed to happen when I was least expecting it and very quickly I found myself glued to the pages waiting to find out how the characters would all fare at the end.
If you are looking for a book with a bit of adventure, a bit of sizzle between its main characters and a really intriguing supernatural element then I really would recommend Bound To You.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
August 5, 2020
Bound to You is a paranormal romance about a warrior angel and a demon knight. When the pair clash while fighting, Coriel, the angel, decides to make it her goal to destroy Zagan, the demon knight. But after the battle ends, and tragedy is revealed, Coriel is punished. She then finds herself bound to the demon she swore to destroy. What's a forsaken angel to do?
Zagan finds himself intrigued and fascinated by Coriel. He lusts for her, and binding her to him was more than just a way to save her life at the time. Soon, he realizes that his bond to her means more to him than anything else. And he plans to make her his queen.
Unfortunately, plans don't always go accordingly. Secrets, lies, betrayal... it's all here in Bound to You.
I'm a sucker for stories about angels and demons. I'm not a huge paranormal romance fan, but I will always give a book with angels and demons a chance. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It showcases angels in a way that I always suspected them to be (at least in terms of lore): uncaring jerks who believe human souls are lightened when they are punished (there's a scene where this happens, and it's not pretty). Demons, though, aren't much better. Zagan seems to be the exception, although he does have his moments where he gives in to his demon ways. And Coriel, after she becomes forsaken, still finds herself wanting to slaughter demons, as well as humans and other angels too.
I did find the book a little slow in a couple of spots, but once it gets to around 60% or so, things start to really pick up, and the last 40% of the book is a bit crazy. There's a lot going on, and it's a bit intense. I enjoyed it.
If you're a fan of PNR novels with angels and demons, definitely check out Bound to You.
4 stars.
Zagan finds himself intrigued and fascinated by Coriel. He lusts for her, and binding her to him was more than just a way to save her life at the time. Soon, he realizes that his bond to her means more to him than anything else. And he plans to make her his queen.
Unfortunately, plans don't always go accordingly. Secrets, lies, betrayal... it's all here in Bound to You.
I'm a sucker for stories about angels and demons. I'm not a huge paranormal romance fan, but I will always give a book with angels and demons a chance. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It showcases angels in a way that I always suspected them to be (at least in terms of lore): uncaring jerks who believe human souls are lightened when they are punished (there's a scene where this happens, and it's not pretty). Demons, though, aren't much better. Zagan seems to be the exception, although he does have his moments where he gives in to his demon ways. And Coriel, after she becomes forsaken, still finds herself wanting to slaughter demons, as well as humans and other angels too.
I did find the book a little slow in a couple of spots, but once it gets to around 60% or so, things start to really pick up, and the last 40% of the book is a bit crazy. There's a lot going on, and it's a bit intense. I enjoyed it.
If you're a fan of PNR novels with angels and demons, definitely check out Bound to You.
4 stars.
August 21, 2020
I am so torn by this book and I hate when that happens.
Here’s the thing: I saw this book on a Facebook ad and added it to my KU stash to read this evening out of sheer curiosity. I am now 35 percent of the way through it and I have been well entertained so far. This author knows how to write, and the two main characters are well thought out and strong personalities. I love the world that’s being built and the battle scenes were great.
UNFORTUNATELY, what was gassing up to be a good story took a hard left turn into porno land for no reason.
Don’t get me wrong! I read PNR all day long and I have read some raunchy stuff...and there was chemistry between the two characters....but the author gave it no time to develop naturally and, instead, just crammed a sex scene in randomly for what feels like no reason.
This angel has fallen from heaven. She has lost everything. And she is being humiliated and controlled by what is supposed to be her arch nemesis. In the beginning of this book she was painted as this ferocious warrior! Yes, she was cocky and prideful but she was ferocious! It was awesome.
Then suddenly she just gets her ass kicked and becomes a mewling weakling.
I feel almost like the author had this badass story planned but forced it to be “romance” in the hopes of gaining readers. I want to finish this book but I am cringing so hard every time Coriel is ordered to do something. Or every time she throws herself at the creature who basically killed her and then made her his sex puppet.
So, I’m going with three stars. Very talented author, the makings of a great story, but the execution of one who just really wanted to skip to writing sexy parts with no substance.
Here’s the thing: I saw this book on a Facebook ad and added it to my KU stash to read this evening out of sheer curiosity. I am now 35 percent of the way through it and I have been well entertained so far. This author knows how to write, and the two main characters are well thought out and strong personalities. I love the world that’s being built and the battle scenes were great.
UNFORTUNATELY, what was gassing up to be a good story took a hard left turn into porno land for no reason.
Don’t get me wrong! I read PNR all day long and I have read some raunchy stuff...and there was chemistry between the two characters....but the author gave it no time to develop naturally and, instead, just crammed a sex scene in randomly for what feels like no reason.
This angel has fallen from heaven. She has lost everything. And she is being humiliated and controlled by what is supposed to be her arch nemesis. In the beginning of this book she was painted as this ferocious warrior! Yes, she was cocky and prideful but she was ferocious! It was awesome.
Then suddenly she just gets her ass kicked and becomes a mewling weakling.
I feel almost like the author had this badass story planned but forced it to be “romance” in the hopes of gaining readers. I want to finish this book but I am cringing so hard every time Coriel is ordered to do something. Or every time she throws herself at the creature who basically killed her and then made her his sex puppet.
So, I’m going with three stars. Very talented author, the makings of a great story, but the execution of one who just really wanted to skip to writing sexy parts with no substance.
October 16, 2020
**I received an advanced review copy for free**
I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn't get into the book! Maybe it was getting over the overall theme (Angels vs. Demons), but I'm not sure. I love reading enemies to lovers' books but I think Coriel and Zagan's love was a little underdeveloped and too insta-love for me. It seemed more like infatuation on Zagan's part and settling on Coriel's. I just didn't see why they were so fascinated by each other. To be frank, it feels like he likes the idea of being with an angel and not so much being with Coriel and vice versa.
The story was a good pace and I felt like it was easy to understand and get invested in the characters. However, I do think that some of the action scenes, and the conclusion seemed a little rushed. I actually found myself saying "wow that was it?". All in all, I do think it was in between "I like it" and "it was ok".
Will I re-read it? probably not. However, I don't think this review should discourage you from reading it. It's definitely a creative wild-ride and if you are a fan of the genre you will probably enjoy this book!
I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn't get into the book! Maybe it was getting over the overall theme (Angels vs. Demons), but I'm not sure. I love reading enemies to lovers' books but I think Coriel and Zagan's love was a little underdeveloped and too insta-love for me. It seemed more like infatuation on Zagan's part and settling on Coriel's. I just didn't see why they were so fascinated by each other. To be frank, it feels like he likes the idea of being with an angel and not so much being with Coriel and vice versa.
The story was a good pace and I felt like it was easy to understand and get invested in the characters. However, I do think that some of the action scenes, and the conclusion seemed a little rushed. I actually found myself saying "wow that was it?". All in all, I do think it was in between "I like it" and "it was ok".
Will I re-read it? probably not. However, I don't think this review should discourage you from reading it. It's definitely a creative wild-ride and if you are a fan of the genre you will probably enjoy this book!
November 12, 2020
Bound to You is the first book in the The Demon Knights Series by Alyson Caraway.
ARC kindly provided by BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t normally read this genre of paranormal fantasy but wow this was overflowing with action. This is also my first book by Alyson Caraway. This was about a fallen Angel after being bind to the to be King Knight Demon.
Coriel’s main goal has always been to become an archangel. It has been a long 30 years of working towards her goal and becoming strong. She is determined of proving she is good enough to become an archangel by consistently showing that she can get rid of demons in the world easily.
After going against orders, she ends up losing a large amount of humans and angels in a fight with Zagan and his demons. Zagan is the next in line to the throne and is one of the strongest demons. After their first meeting, both Coriel and Zagan can’t stop thinking about the other.
After saving her life by binding Coriel to him, he soon realized that the bond is proven to be more than what he bargained for. And he plans for something greater for them.
This was definitely a big enemies to lovers with a lot of actions. This was fast paced and quite easy to read. This was a world of angels and demons. There were a lot of fighting, betrayals, rejections, devastation, internal conflicts, and sex.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. And I can’t wait to see the next one by Alyson!
ARC kindly provided by BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t normally read this genre of paranormal fantasy but wow this was overflowing with action. This is also my first book by Alyson Caraway. This was about a fallen Angel after being bind to the to be King Knight Demon.
Coriel’s main goal has always been to become an archangel. It has been a long 30 years of working towards her goal and becoming strong. She is determined of proving she is good enough to become an archangel by consistently showing that she can get rid of demons in the world easily.
After going against orders, she ends up losing a large amount of humans and angels in a fight with Zagan and his demons. Zagan is the next in line to the throne and is one of the strongest demons. After their first meeting, both Coriel and Zagan can’t stop thinking about the other.
After saving her life by binding Coriel to him, he soon realized that the bond is proven to be more than what he bargained for. And he plans for something greater for them.
This was definitely a big enemies to lovers with a lot of actions. This was fast paced and quite easy to read. This was a world of angels and demons. There were a lot of fighting, betrayals, rejections, devastation, internal conflicts, and sex.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. And I can’t wait to see the next one by Alyson!
August 3, 2020
*** Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Vulpine Press. ***
If you like an emotional roller coaster with twists, turns, and more turns, then this book is for you!
This is fantasy with Heavens and Hell, gods and demons, archangels, cherubim, manifestation, and so much more. It is not a religious book. The author presents a whole new paranormal world with new systems, hierarchies, and rules. I approached it as I did any mythology, and I wasn't disappointed. It left me thinking about balance and perspective.
Narration: I finished this book in two days! The pacing is fast and kept me on edge the whole time. There was no dull moment.
Characters: Also, from the beginning I was captivated by the characters. Each voice is so strong, the description so well-made, I could imagine them perfectly, and also feel their emotions. So many conflicting thoughts, reactions, and ideas! If anything, this novel made me argue with myself (If that makes sense), but in a good way. :)
What confused me...: My only disappointment was how toward the end some of them were acting out of character. Although it didn't ruin the book for me, it did confuse me a little.
Final Words: I definitely recommend the book though: getting to know Coriel and Zagan is absolutely worth it!
If you like an emotional roller coaster with twists, turns, and more turns, then this book is for you!
This is fantasy with Heavens and Hell, gods and demons, archangels, cherubim, manifestation, and so much more. It is not a religious book. The author presents a whole new paranormal world with new systems, hierarchies, and rules. I approached it as I did any mythology, and I wasn't disappointed. It left me thinking about balance and perspective.
Narration: I finished this book in two days! The pacing is fast and kept me on edge the whole time. There was no dull moment.
Characters: Also, from the beginning I was captivated by the characters. Each voice is so strong, the description so well-made, I could imagine them perfectly, and also feel their emotions. So many conflicting thoughts, reactions, and ideas! If anything, this novel made me argue with myself (If that makes sense), but in a good way. :)
What confused me...: My only disappointment was how toward the end some of them were acting out of character. Although it didn't ruin the book for me, it did confuse me a little.
Final Words: I definitely recommend the book though: getting to know Coriel and Zagan is absolutely worth it!
December 6, 2020
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review and I loved this book. I can't wait to see how the next book in the series compares to this one. It is NOT your average good versus evil book. Coriel wants nothing more than to be elevated to archangel but the heavens don't think she is ready. It doesn't help that she is an independent thinker and doesn't always follow orders which leads to her becoming a fallen. In her last battle she faces Zagan the fiercest of the knights of hell and the next in line for the throne, should he wish to take it. They meet again after the battle and Zagan forces Coriel to his will by kissing her. The twists and tuns in this book is amazing and it kept me enthralled until the last page. The journey between the two and the build up to the final battle between good and evil is amazingly well-written.
I absolutely fell for Zagan from the moment he stepped from between the pages with his sexy, lustful, horned self.
This book hits all the enemies to lovers buttons on my list: Smoldering demons, soulful angels, hot and sexy carnal relations, and true, true love. Sigh.
I adored the romantic aspects of it because it was just gritty enough to make me salivate. But what I really loved was the underlying message that good and evil are qualities not so easily definable, and that we are all blends of both, with many shades of grey in between.
I absolutely fell for Zagan from the moment he stepped from between the pages with his sexy, lustful, horned self.
This book hits all the enemies to lovers buttons on my list: Smoldering demons, soulful angels, hot and sexy carnal relations, and true, true love. Sigh.
I adored the romantic aspects of it because it was just gritty enough to make me salivate. But what I really loved was the underlying message that good and evil are qualities not so easily definable, and that we are all blends of both, with many shades of grey in between.
January 14, 2024
Rocky start, ended great
I really liked the worldbuilding in this book, the different levels of angels, archangels and demons, and their interconnected nature, with all returning to the Lake of Souls after death, an element of karmic resurrection impacting the soul’s next life.
I was put off somewhat when intimacy between the MCs came on a bit suddenly, and I thought there could’ve been more buildup, and they didn’t have to fall in love or into bed as quickly as they did. I was worried it would make their happy ending feel unearned, but I had no reason to be worried. The characters themselves seemed to also be aware of the speed with which they fell for each other, and even as they make choices that would’ve been ill-advised if their loved one was going to betray them, they are rewarded for their leaps of faith in a very satisfying way.
The book ends with the biggest antagonists dead and the MCs succeeding in their quest, but it leaves open some unresolved questions that could neatly lead into other books: will FMC be able to remain healthy as an angel with continued exposure to hell? What will happen with the dissenting demon factions in hell? What will happen to the host of Heaven? With those questions on my mind, I would be really excited to continue reading this series and more by this author!
I really liked the worldbuilding in this book, the different levels of angels, archangels and demons, and their interconnected nature, with all returning to the Lake of Souls after death, an element of karmic resurrection impacting the soul’s next life.
I was put off somewhat when intimacy between the MCs came on a bit suddenly, and I thought there could’ve been more buildup, and they didn’t have to fall in love or into bed as quickly as they did. I was worried it would make their happy ending feel unearned, but I had no reason to be worried. The characters themselves seemed to also be aware of the speed with which they fell for each other, and even as they make choices that would’ve been ill-advised if their loved one was going to betray them, they are rewarded for their leaps of faith in a very satisfying way.
The book ends with the biggest antagonists dead and the MCs succeeding in their quest, but it leaves open some unresolved questions that could neatly lead into other books: will FMC be able to remain healthy as an angel with continued exposure to hell? What will happen with the dissenting demon factions in hell? What will happen to the host of Heaven? With those questions on my mind, I would be really excited to continue reading this series and more by this author!
August 3, 2020
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser.
A paranormal romance with plenty of bite, BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway is an exciting and fiery start to what is sure to be a dynamic series.
Coriel is strong, stubborn, and determined to become archangel and extinguish demons forever. While she doesn't always agree with the angels in charge, she is a fighter and always willing to go that extra mile to get what she wants. But when she finds herself banished and abandoned to one of the strongest demons, Zagan, it will set Coriel on a path that will change everything because although Zagan may be her captor, he cares for her far more than he should. As hell becomes divided and the heavens launch a cunning plan. will Coriel ascend to old heights again or remain in hell as Zagan's Queen?
With plenty of action, sizzling chemistry, and likeable characters, I thoroughly enjoyed BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway and will definitely read the next book in this series. I haven't read paranormal romance in a while and this book reminded me just how much I love this genre.
BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway is sure to please paranormal romance fans everywhere and I'm looking forward to more from these beguiling characters.
A paranormal romance with plenty of bite, BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway is an exciting and fiery start to what is sure to be a dynamic series.
Coriel is strong, stubborn, and determined to become archangel and extinguish demons forever. While she doesn't always agree with the angels in charge, she is a fighter and always willing to go that extra mile to get what she wants. But when she finds herself banished and abandoned to one of the strongest demons, Zagan, it will set Coriel on a path that will change everything because although Zagan may be her captor, he cares for her far more than he should. As hell becomes divided and the heavens launch a cunning plan. will Coriel ascend to old heights again or remain in hell as Zagan's Queen?
With plenty of action, sizzling chemistry, and likeable characters, I thoroughly enjoyed BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway and will definitely read the next book in this series. I haven't read paranormal romance in a while and this book reminded me just how much I love this genre.
BOUND TO YOU by Alyson Caraway is sure to please paranormal romance fans everywhere and I'm looking forward to more from these beguiling characters.
March 1, 2023
I did not expect that!
First of all, look at the first line of the book : "Ouranos lay there, with his broad, muscular chest and hard stomach fully on display, looking every bit the god he was." Hot man? I am down for that!
Zagan is exactly the hot demon you can think of. But, demons aren't capable of loving, are they? Zagan has never experienced love, yet he falls first for Coriel.
Coriel is a strong angel as you can expect. She always want more and she's ready to do what she has to for it. Fierce, she fights her feelings for the sexy demon Zagan, bound to be the next King.
Being bound to Zagan, their love story is so slowly building while the tension between them gets hotter and hotter. I could feel the passion between them. While that happens, there's a fight between angels and demons and Coriel is the chess piece of that.
The ending was surprising and it made the book even better! I couldn't put the book down and read it in 24 hours.
I love the author writing, giving enough details to really feel every scenes. I can't wait for book 2!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First of all, look at the first line of the book : "Ouranos lay there, with his broad, muscular chest and hard stomach fully on display, looking every bit the god he was." Hot man? I am down for that!
Zagan is exactly the hot demon you can think of. But, demons aren't capable of loving, are they? Zagan has never experienced love, yet he falls first for Coriel.
Coriel is a strong angel as you can expect. She always want more and she's ready to do what she has to for it. Fierce, she fights her feelings for the sexy demon Zagan, bound to be the next King.
Being bound to Zagan, their love story is so slowly building while the tension between them gets hotter and hotter. I could feel the passion between them. While that happens, there's a fight between angels and demons and Coriel is the chess piece of that.
The ending was surprising and it made the book even better! I couldn't put the book down and read it in 24 hours.
I love the author writing, giving enough details to really feel every scenes. I can't wait for book 2!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 25, 2024
The main characters don't keep their values consistent through the whole book. The main female lead keeps despite being a warrior flips back and forth to be a fragile flower to a strong warrior. She loves the main male lead but then doesn't the next moment. The male lead is usually consistent in his feelings at least but its so bland and he goes back and forth to having confidence in her to needing her to be protected even though she is meant to be as strong as him.
But the romance is decent its generally there and kinda linger. We do get a plot point of why they feel that way but it is swept under the rug at the ending without concern. They do sleep together a couple of times but almost always ends in FMC getting mad at MMC for whatever reason she has in head at the time.
The general plot is a good. Ending does feel a bit rushed and its clear fighting is not the strong suite of the author.
Regardless good read. It was quick and wrapped up at the end of the book. I would recommend if your a fan of star crossed lovers and can overlook some more basic writing styles.
But the romance is decent its generally there and kinda linger. We do get a plot point of why they feel that way but it is swept under the rug at the ending without concern. They do sleep together a couple of times but almost always ends in FMC getting mad at MMC for whatever reason she has in head at the time.
The general plot is a good. Ending does feel a bit rushed and its clear fighting is not the strong suite of the author.
Regardless good read. It was quick and wrapped up at the end of the book. I would recommend if your a fan of star crossed lovers and can overlook some more basic writing styles.
August 6, 2020
This story does not follow the traditional lines of good versus evil. It explores the concepts of heaven and hell and the supernatural fantasy beings that reside there. Coriel is an angel destined for great things she believes this and so do many others, but she impetuous and rails against authority, so she has enemies too. Zagan is a demon knight the next king of hell until he clashes with Coriel.
Betrayal and passion define this story. The first in the series there is considerable world-building which slows the pace a little but is necessary for the series development. Conflict, deceit and lust threaten the stability of the two worlds and draw the characters into danger.
If you enjoy escaping to a different world with omnipotent characters, and hot passionate attraction this is for you.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher in return for an honest review.
Betrayal and passion define this story. The first in the series there is considerable world-building which slows the pace a little but is necessary for the series development. Conflict, deceit and lust threaten the stability of the two worlds and draw the characters into danger.
If you enjoy escaping to a different world with omnipotent characters, and hot passionate attraction this is for you.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher in return for an honest review.
December 29, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.5/5 stars. This was my first Demon book and it was delightful.
The beginning was a bit much for me, that’s why a half star. It was a bit much just because of all the names and tiers and whatnot and I didn’t really liked how the Coryn was portrayed but after reading all of it she’s awesome in my opinion.
I love Zagan from the beginning! He is deadly but also adorable.
I loved how Coryn began changing from the better, I loved witness her journey towards being an Angel but also doing right by those who need it and the ones she loves.
I loved their romance and their ascendence to the throne! I never doubted Coryn, I knew she would do right by Zagan and his Knights.
I can’t wait for book 2 and although I want more of them, I also wouldn’t mind having the second book about another Knight. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more.
4.5/5 stars. This was my first Demon book and it was delightful.
The beginning was a bit much for me, that’s why a half star. It was a bit much just because of all the names and tiers and whatnot and I didn’t really liked how the Coryn was portrayed but after reading all of it she’s awesome in my opinion.
I love Zagan from the beginning! He is deadly but also adorable.
I loved how Coryn began changing from the better, I loved witness her journey towards being an Angel but also doing right by those who need it and the ones she loves.
I loved their romance and their ascendence to the throne! I never doubted Coryn, I knew she would do right by Zagan and his Knights.
I can’t wait for book 2 and although I want more of them, I also wouldn’t mind having the second book about another Knight. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more.
August 18, 2020
So I was very generously gifted with an ecopy of this book before release in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed this story very much. I had a sense of nostalgia as I used to read this genre of books all the time during college and university.
Both Coriel and Zagan had a great enemies to lovers dynamic and the world building was intriguing enough that I would want to read more.
Though I do love to balance things out and one negative comment I would give is I felt the very end after the final climax could have been better. There didn't seem to be any evidence of growth for the characters (apart from one) and the world simply reverted to how it was in the beginning. Possibly this is something which will have more focus on as the series goes on.
Overall though a great book to read. I would rate this 4/5 star ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this story very much. I had a sense of nostalgia as I used to read this genre of books all the time during college and university.
Both Coriel and Zagan had a great enemies to lovers dynamic and the world building was intriguing enough that I would want to read more.
Though I do love to balance things out and one negative comment I would give is I felt the very end after the final climax could have been better. There didn't seem to be any evidence of growth for the characters (apart from one) and the world simply reverted to how it was in the beginning. Possibly this is something which will have more focus on as the series goes on.
Overall though a great book to read. I would rate this 4/5 star ⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 19, 2020
In a world where Demons and Angels of free will wage war against each other, the author tells a story of two contrasting characters on either side of the spectrum as their worlds and ultimately journeys meet. The characters are humanised through the expectations others have on them and the final choices they make, which shows the world is never black and white. In fact it is full of ulterior motives, misunderstandings and ignorance, which the author has again illustrated really well.
I found this book easy to read and devour. It made a nice change from the vampire and shifter stories that dominate PNR. Bound to you a standalone novel which is great when you dont want to commit to a series. Overal a great read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I found this book easy to read and devour. It made a nice change from the vampire and shifter stories that dominate PNR. Bound to you a standalone novel which is great when you dont want to commit to a series. Overal a great read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
May 10, 2021
This is an intricate book with a wealth of detail and interest. If you are wanting a quick, easy and straight forward read this is not really the book for you. It is wonderful in its itself but do be prepared to keep track of what is happening to enjoy it properly. Coriel is having the day from Hell it seems that is until she is actually cast out of the Heavens and sent to Hell. She soon leanrs that there is more plotting, intrigue and suterfugue above that she even believed there to be below. Zagan bound the fallen angel to himself before ever truly realising what he had caught. He planned to become the king of Hell and yet something about Coriel, now called Coryn to show if her disgrace, just draws him. Could he actually be falling in love with her? Will he lose her in his plan to make himself king even if he wants her as his queen?
April 30, 2024
Not sure how I felt about this one. I liked the MC and how he was true to his character but also felt he fell in love a bit too easily. I really disliked the FC, as it tends to go I guess. She’s supposed to be a warrior angel but she might as well have been a human for all that was worth. I did not like how she was not true to herself. She’s supposed to be a warrior not a dainty fragile thing. But the author really liked to write her as something fragile making squeaks and moans like a virgin FC lol Wish she was true to her warrior status. I also felt the book should’ve been shorter. It sort of dragged and by the time they admitted their love to themselves (not each other) I still had 4 friggin hours left! I don’t know how I’ll be able to take more of the push and pull of the FC any more.
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