Jackie Kessler - The Road to Hell
Oct. 4th, 2007 11:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
naomi_jay
Last week I was lucky enough to win an ARC of the second book in the Hell On Earth series, and yesterday I finished reading. (I was so tempted to toss aside Rebel Fay to read this, but I managed to resist. But it was hard! And I love Barb & JC Hendee!)
Anyway, I loved Hell’s Belles, the first book, and was somewhat overly excited at finding out what Jesse did next, whilst at the same time worried that Road wouldn’t be quite as good. I needn’t have worried – former succubus-turned mortal exotic dancer Jesse is back in all her acid-tongued glory. And being mortal hasn’t made her life any less complicated. Her boyfriend doesn’t really approve of her dancing career, demons are threatening her wherever she goes and it seems everyone wants her back in Hell. Throw in the wickedly seductive incubus Daun and a cherub trying hard to become a succubus and you’ve got (wait for it) one Hell of a book.
Reasons why Road is just as good, if not better than, Belles;
1. More Hell! More time spent in the city of Pandemonium in the company of its inhabitants. Characters like Lillith, Queen of the Succubi, and Michael, King of Hell, leap off the page, as well realised and vividly drawn as Jesse herself.
2. Paul, the boyfriend, is a more rounded character than in Belles. You get to see a lot more of his personality this time round, and whereas in Belles he was a little hard to connect with, here he was a thoroughly convincing hero.
3. An upping of stakes: you learn that there may be bigger forces behind Jesse’s original decision to leave Hell, and there are implications that these forces aren’t done with her yet.
4. Megaera the fury – Jesse’s best friend. I just loved their friendship in Belles, and it was taken to a new level in Road.
As if all that wasn’t enough reason to convince you to pick this book up, let me assure you that this is a fun, witty read. Jesse is wonderful – sparky and brave and unapologetically sexual. Road also has moments of surprising darkness to offset the comedy, and you find yourself completely caught up in Jesse’s journey.
The excellent Ms Kessler assures me that there’s plenty more fun to come with Jesse and her crew. Hotter Than Hell is out in August next year, and since there’s a rather delicious teaser at the end of Road, I already know I’m going to love that too.
I leave you with the command to go forth and lay claim to a copy of The Road to Hell as soon as possible.
Go now!
2. Paul, the boyfriend, is a more rounded character than in Belles. You get to see a lot more of his personality this time round, and whereas in Belles he was a little hard to connect with, here he was a thoroughly convincing hero.
3. An upping of stakes: you learn that there may be bigger forces behind Jesse’s original decision to leave Hell, and there are implications that these forces aren’t done with her yet.
4. Megaera the fury – Jesse’s best friend. I just loved their friendship in Belles, and it was taken to a new level in Road.
As if all that wasn’t enough reason to convince you to pick this book up, let me assure you that this is a fun, witty read. Jesse is wonderful – sparky and brave and unapologetically sexual. Road also has moments of surprising darkness to offset the comedy, and you find yourself completely caught up in Jesse’s journey.
The excellent Ms Kessler assures me that there’s plenty more fun to come with Jesse and her crew. Hotter Than Hell is out in August next year, and since there’s a rather delicious teaser at the end of Road, I already know I’m going to love that too.
I leave you with the command to go forth and lay claim to a copy of The Road to Hell as soon as possible.
Go now!
