Book Reviews

Book Blurb

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Being summoned was not one of them. Isaac Braden was used to being summoned. He was a demon after all, but the night he was called to service a master in a satanic ritual, he knew his night was not going to end well.

 

Isaac Braden spends most of his time being a rich recluse, but every so often he's introduced to someone new when he's summoned… a blood sacrifice. And tonight Jory Daniels has been chosen to be that sacrifice.

 

In a satanic ritual summoning gone wrong, Isaac finds himself eternally bound to Jory. He has to have the man's blood in order to survive. But when Jory wants something in return, can Isaac submit enough to allow it, or will his demon nature take over and cause him to lose the best thing that ever happened to him?

 

 

Publisher's Note: This book was previously published under the title Blood Sacrifice with another publisher. This updated version has been extensively revised and expanded an additional 18,373 words.

 

Book Review

This is a fairly rare breed of story: demons are usually not funny, but large parts of this story are. Yes, there is a gruesome ritual and a really bad guy, but the story is written with lots of humor. Some of the antics and inner thoughts of both main characters, one demon and one human, made me laugh. The serious undertone is all about "free will" for demons. The stance Stormy Glenn takes here is that being born a demon is no different from being born a human, or a shifter, or anyone else. It is just genes. Does it mean you have to like it? Her answer is a resounding "no". Playing with that idea and all its consequences made this a great story for me.

Jory is the human part of this couple, but he is not just any human. First he ends up in a satanic ritual, then he gets bonded with the demon, only to find out their relationship is neither as easy nor as straightforward as he expected. I attributed that to the fact he isn't exactly your average human, and Isaac is certainly not what I imagine a "normal" demon to be like. Jory is a great character who keeps Isaac, the demon, slightly unbalanced. The surprising twist about who Jory is was as delightful as the bantering between him and Isaac.

Isaac has been around the block a few times, and he thinks he knows what to expect from Jory. After all, from Isaac's point of view all humans are pretty much alike. Imagine his shock when Jory is different – and different enough to completely throw Isaac off his game. Suddenly Isaac has all these feelings he doesn't know what to do with, and even though he wants to submit, he doesn’t think he can do it without being forced. Not something Jory is willing to do to him, and therein lies the dilemma.
There are a few things that emerge more clearly in this extended second edition. I really liked the story the first time around, but the additions made it feel more complete. The miscommunication – or rather, lack of communication – that almost ended Jory and Isaac’s relationship before it even began was more poignant. Both men suffer from not being together, but neither of them can figure out what the problem is until it’s almost too late. And Jory’s grandmother – a powerful witch and true matriarch – is as hilarious as ever.

If you like stories about unusual pairings between a demon who thinks he knows it all, and a human who believes in free will, if you enjoy watching two men battle for a deeper understanding of each other, and if you're looking for a very hot, mostly funny, and intense story with more than a touch of the supernatural, then you will probably enjoy this novella.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Siren Publishing for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 146 pages/41511 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	16-June-2016
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.bookstrand.com/book/primal-oath