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A Dark Love Series
Devil's Descent I: purgatory:
LOVE KILLS Lily Walker—a human with dangerous ancestry. Julian Douglas—a vampire with Pureblood legacy. She hated him, loved him, left him, and now waits solely for the night when her misery can finally end. He hated her, needed her, abandoned her, and now exists solely for the night when his misery can finally end. Julian finds Lily. Lily lets Julian inside. May their hell begin once again. If you like your romance sweet, your vampires gentle, and your heroines flawless—this series is not for you. Julian and Lily’s dark, miserable, love story is meant for readers who prefer morally ambiguous tales. Meaning Julian is one psychotic mess. Lily is so beyond broken it is nearly impossible to believe she could have ever loved Julian. Also, please know there is a love story in there. Somewhere.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2010
140 people want to read
About the author
Claudia D. Christian
14 books42 followersI am a writer who craves to create literary experiences that makes you question your beliefs. I want to push you out of your safety zone. I want you to walk away from reading my fiction and feel, "I am that person," no matter how ugly or scary the character may be.
Why? Because that's what I want to experience as a reader of my work.
I use my fiction as a way to see myself beyond what I present. I hunger for a connection that feels real. Dark romance is the canvas but the paint is how I use the words.
You will never find easily identifiable characters in the hero and villain roles. There are none. Every character is wicked and pure. Just like me. Just like you.
Why? Because that's what I want to experience as a reader of my work.
I use my fiction as a way to see myself beyond what I present. I hunger for a connection that feels real. Dark romance is the canvas but the paint is how I use the words.
You will never find easily identifiable characters in the hero and villain roles. There are none. Every character is wicked and pure. Just like me. Just like you.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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March 15, 2025One of my favourite B/Aus Fanfiction writers original fiction. I'm not surprised the main character has DID very on brand. On my to read list if I'm looking for a dark anti fairytale
April 24, 2011
Review also posted on my blog: AsianCocoa's Secret Garden
Please take notice of the warning in the Goodreads blurb. This book is an extremely dark love story. There is nothing beautiful about it except for the protagonists. Anyone that is uncomfortable with anything besides romantic sweet love stories should not read these books. These characters are really dark and this “love” story is pretty twisted. But if you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone, buckle up and take a ride into this “Miserable Love Series.”
Devil’s Descent I: purgatory starts in the middle of Julian and Lily’s story. Julian Douglas has chased 21 year old, Lily Walker to Montreal, Canada. Lily has been on the run for 2 years, ever since she was expelled from the town of Vickery Hill, Georgia. Lily is the former Resurrector of this secret town that is inhabited by twelve families of mixed human and vampire lineage.
When Julian shows up at her apartment Lily is both shocked and relieved to see him. Though she knows she should make him leave, Lily’s sick need for her vampire lover has her submitting to him all over again. Lily is so obsessively in love with Julian that she allows him to physically and emotionally torture her. Beatings, drowning, forced orgies, infidelity - it doesn’t matter what twisted, humiliating things Julian subjects her to, Lily always comes back for more. Julian is a sick, sadistic bastard who gets pure joy out of breaking Lily down. He knows that she craves the violence and disturbingly she enjoys it. But Lily also yearns for Julian’s love only he doesn’t seem capable of giving it to her.
”Time has proven to me that I’m not worthy of sustaining love, only destroying it. That’s what I do. That’s all I am…all I’ll ever be. I won’t survive love. I’d rather be dead than know I’m in love with this pet.” ~ Julian
Julian and Lily have a love hate relationship with each other. As a reader I had those same feelings for these two characters. I wished both of them would just finish each other off. But at the same time I was completely captivated by their perverse obsession with one another. Oh and the sex scenes were jaw-dropping, twisted goodness. Claudia D. Christian is a gifted storyteller who draws her readers into this warped and miserable tale. As I said before this is an intensely dark read but I found myself wanting to know more about these complex characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this Miserable Love Series.
I give Devil’s Descent I: purgatory 4 out of 5 stars.
Please take notice of the warning in the Goodreads blurb. This book is an extremely dark love story. There is nothing beautiful about it except for the protagonists. Anyone that is uncomfortable with anything besides romantic sweet love stories should not read these books. These characters are really dark and this “love” story is pretty twisted. But if you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone, buckle up and take a ride into this “Miserable Love Series.”
Devil’s Descent I: purgatory starts in the middle of Julian and Lily’s story. Julian Douglas has chased 21 year old, Lily Walker to Montreal, Canada. Lily has been on the run for 2 years, ever since she was expelled from the town of Vickery Hill, Georgia. Lily is the former Resurrector of this secret town that is inhabited by twelve families of mixed human and vampire lineage.
When Julian shows up at her apartment Lily is both shocked and relieved to see him. Though she knows she should make him leave, Lily’s sick need for her vampire lover has her submitting to him all over again. Lily is so obsessively in love with Julian that she allows him to physically and emotionally torture her. Beatings, drowning, forced orgies, infidelity - it doesn’t matter what twisted, humiliating things Julian subjects her to, Lily always comes back for more. Julian is a sick, sadistic bastard who gets pure joy out of breaking Lily down. He knows that she craves the violence and disturbingly she enjoys it. But Lily also yearns for Julian’s love only he doesn’t seem capable of giving it to her.
”Time has proven to me that I’m not worthy of sustaining love, only destroying it. That’s what I do. That’s all I am…all I’ll ever be. I won’t survive love. I’d rather be dead than know I’m in love with this pet.” ~ Julian
Julian and Lily have a love hate relationship with each other. As a reader I had those same feelings for these two characters. I wished both of them would just finish each other off. But at the same time I was completely captivated by their perverse obsession with one another. Oh and the sex scenes were jaw-dropping, twisted goodness. Claudia D. Christian is a gifted storyteller who draws her readers into this warped and miserable tale. As I said before this is an intensely dark read but I found myself wanting to know more about these complex characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this Miserable Love Series.
I give Devil’s Descent I: purgatory 4 out of 5 stars.
April 27, 2020
"Sometimes it is said that the value of a man's existence lays in how he treats the woman by his side. Based on that piece of wisdom, Julian Douglas was undoubtedly a piece of shit."... Claudia D. Christian
The writing is fantastic but this book is a tough read. I do not recommend this for anyone who only wants to read about sweet, kind and loving vampires. Julian is far from those things. He is the anti-Edward. He is a mentally ill vampire who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. He was once the sweet and loving Ian who worshiped Lily and would do anything for her and then became evil, selfish, abusive narcissistic Julian. His cruelty and abusive behavior is beyond anything I have ever read. If you have read Captive in the Dark, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., compared to Julian, even Caleb will seem like a Disney Prince. This book is really fucking dark.
REVIEW MAY BE SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH (but not really):
This book starts off with Julian in a club spying on Lily. She left him two years ago and he has been looking for her ever since. At this point, he's not sure what he wants to do with her, he hates her but she's his and he is obsessed with her, he is possessive and OTT jealous of her being with anyone else but him. He will not tolerate it and she will pay if she is/was with anyone else while they were apart. She is no longer the resurrector of Vickery Hill. Now she is just human. She does not have the supernatural strength she once had so she is no match for Julian in her fragile human state. She left him not because he abused her mentally and physically, but because he cheated on her and lied to her. Amazingly, she was more focused on the infidelity in their relationship than the constant mental and physical abuse. Most of the story focuses on them arguing over their past relationship and then Julian will lose his shit, hurt Lily and then they engage in the rough sex that they both want. Lily is so screwed up that she actually enjoys getting him pissed off, so he'll hurt her. It's as if she has no self-preservation at all. She knows what he is like and what he will do to her, yet she still eggs him on. Julian is a psychopath. Lily is crazy too. They are both sick and love to play these mind games with each other. Their love is poison. They are the most abusive and dysfunctional couple I have ever read about. There is one scene in particular that is so heinous. It will turn your stomach. She should have killed the bastard after that. After that scene, there was some comic relief, thank God.
Does Julian get some redemption? Maybe a little, but I don't think it could ever make-up for all of the shit he has done to this girl. However, their psychotic love story is still being told. Book 2 is a prequel and tells the story of how they met and what happens when Julian stops being Ian and Ian becomes Julian. I recommend reading Book 2 first.
A warning to those who are interested but hate cliffhangers, Book 3 is still not out yet, so you may want to hold off on reading these until it is finally available.
The writing is fantastic but this book is a tough read. I do not recommend this for anyone who only wants to read about sweet, kind and loving vampires. Julian is far from those things. He is the anti-Edward. He is a mentally ill vampire who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. He was once the sweet and loving Ian who worshiped Lily and would do anything for her and then became evil, selfish, abusive narcissistic Julian. His cruelty and abusive behavior is beyond anything I have ever read. If you have read Captive in the Dark, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., compared to Julian, even Caleb will seem like a Disney Prince. This book is really fucking dark.
REVIEW MAY BE SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH (but not really):
This book starts off with Julian in a club spying on Lily. She left him two years ago and he has been looking for her ever since. At this point, he's not sure what he wants to do with her, he hates her but she's his and he is obsessed with her, he is possessive and OTT jealous of her being with anyone else but him. He will not tolerate it and she will pay if she is/was with anyone else while they were apart. She is no longer the resurrector of Vickery Hill. Now she is just human. She does not have the supernatural strength she once had so she is no match for Julian in her fragile human state. She left him not because he abused her mentally and physically, but because he cheated on her and lied to her. Amazingly, she was more focused on the infidelity in their relationship than the constant mental and physical abuse. Most of the story focuses on them arguing over their past relationship and then Julian will lose his shit, hurt Lily and then they engage in the rough sex that they both want. Lily is so screwed up that she actually enjoys getting him pissed off, so he'll hurt her. It's as if she has no self-preservation at all. She knows what he is like and what he will do to her, yet she still eggs him on. Julian is a psychopath. Lily is crazy too. They are both sick and love to play these mind games with each other. Their love is poison. They are the most abusive and dysfunctional couple I have ever read about. There is one scene in particular that is so heinous. It will turn your stomach. She should have killed the bastard after that. After that scene, there was some comic relief, thank God.
Does Julian get some redemption? Maybe a little, but I don't think it could ever make-up for all of the shit he has done to this girl. However, their psychotic love story is still being told. Book 2 is a prequel and tells the story of how they met and what happens when Julian stops being Ian and Ian becomes Julian. I recommend reading Book 2 first.
A warning to those who are interested but hate cliffhangers, Book 3 is still not out yet, so you may want to hold off on reading these until it is finally available.
July 25, 2012
Clever! Initially it takes some getting into, and I wasn't familiar with the role of a resurrector in the world of vampires and humans. Basically, you have a schizophrenic vampire, he has been Ian but is now Julian. Julian despises Ian, but Ian is supressed, gone but referred to. He is a psychotic Vampire in love with a former resurrector now human, Lily, and I think this has to have a prequel that I've read out of chronological order. As such I found I had to read 20% before I understood what was really happening. Sex scenes between vampire and human are rough, yet arousing. The main theme is the psychological mind games and mind play being used on each other to manipulate and control the other in order to get what each wants. Occasional typos few and far between and won't distract. I find it difficult to give it four stars as I endured it rather than enjoyed it. It is dark and not for those who like their HEA. However, it is better quality and content than my 3 star would suggest. I guess 3.5 would be my ideal rating combining the clever psychological play with my limited pleasure from reading of such a psychotic love conundrum that this is. Ms Christian obviously has a good understanding of the psychotic mental processes. Ms Christian gives her forewarning that this is a dark psychotic story and she was right to do so.
September 6, 2013
This was an interesting read. I felt like I was ease dropping on a wicked babysitter telling a not so appropriate love story. As I stood by the door listening and realizing I've missed the first part of the tale; I couldn't stop it or walk away. A bit confused but glad I stayed for the ending.
I usually detest books about vampires who are romanced, sparkly and humanized, soft......
Julian is not that kind of romance vamp. He is closer to the animal being than the human being
This is narrated and you are not allowed in the characters heads which was hard to get used to. We only got glimpses of their thoughts. We are left with a big WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE which makes me wonder if book two should have been read first against the author flow. of course it's too late for me so I will read book 2 not because I'm dying to know what the hell started Julian and Lily but because I think when the 3rd book comes out I am going to be glad I stayed.
I looked into Claudia D. Christian books because I loved The Last Girl by Kitty Thomas and she gave Claudia credit. Glad I did.
I usually detest books about vampires who are romanced, sparkly and humanized, soft......
Julian is not that kind of romance vamp. He is closer to the animal being than the human being
This is narrated and you are not allowed in the characters heads which was hard to get used to. We only got glimpses of their thoughts. We are left with a big WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE which makes me wonder if book two should have been read first against the author flow. of course it's too late for me so I will read book 2 not because I'm dying to know what the hell started Jul
I looked into Claudia D. Christian books because I loved The Last Girl by Kitty Thomas and she gave Claudia credit. Glad I did.
August 8, 2024
This story could have been much better (written), but Julian and Lily's soap opera-like romance and destructive/twisted relationship were exaggerated. The dialogue felt redundant. I was excited after reading the prologue, I really thought there would be further word-building, but sadly, I was disappointed and robbed of 2 hours of my life. I did not like the book or the characters, I just liked what they could have been.
January 21, 2012
I've mixed feelings about this one. I liked it but the story seemed to lack substance sometimes... I didn't feel a connection with the characters.
On that note, it was interesting to watch their stormy relationship coming undone.
Although I enjoyed the book, I'll not be reading the second in the series.
On that note, it was interesting to watch their stormy relationship coming undone.
Although I enjoyed the book, I'll not be reading the second in the series.
Want to read
January 13, 2013This author was rec'd by Kitty Thomas. Also? The Goodreads warning totally sold me :)
"WARNING: If you like your romance sweet, your vampires gentle, and your heroines flawless---this isn't for you. This is a dark, unconventional love story meant for readers who prefer morally ambiguous tales."
"WARNING: If you like your romance sweet, your vampires gentle, and your heroines flawless---this isn't for you. This is a dark, unconventional love story meant for readers who prefer morally ambiguous tales."
August 17, 2011
I DEVOWED THIS BOOK IT WAS A SADISTIC LOVE STORY OF SORTS LILYS AND JULIAN LOVE IS SICK IN EVERY WAY WITH THEM LOVING AND HATING AS WELL AS WANTING TO KILL EACH OTHER THEY SHAIR A DESETFULL LOVE OF HATREAD & PAIN
March 29, 2015
This was quite a dysfunctional novel...though I loved the font that the author used for the writing. I got the impression that there was quite a bit of back history to this novel...wouldn't mind reading the second one. It also had quite a dark feel to it as well.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews