PRAISE FOR BLACK DOG AND REBEL ROSE:
TWO LIPS REVIEWS' 5 LIPS RECOMMENDED READ:
A dying demon's tip leads Rose to an abandoned town off the beaten path, a place once called Paradise Hill that's no more than an unfortunate run-down shadow of the nice little place it once was, a place where people worked and kids went to school. Now, it shelters things that go bump in the night: vampires, ghouls...and the worst of the worst. Demons. Just what Rose is looking for. As a hunter, it's her job – and her pleasure – to rid the human world of such deviant abominations.
Skriker does two things well. Fuck and kill demons. Women and his father's kind fell at his feet, though in different ways. Handsome as sin, he was glorious to behold, both in bed and in battle against the same monsters that had killed his mother and little brother and dragged his old man off to Lucifer knew where when he was just eleven. Half human, his demon side provides him with all sorts of useful weapons, from his inner hellfire to the black claws that pop out of his fingertips when he shifts into the hideous beast that lurks beneath his rock star looks.
When Skriker arrives in Paradise Hill to hunt the derelict town's newly reported nest of vampires, he finds that another hunter has arrived before him. And Rose, he quickly discovers, doesn't like to share. Skriker has always been able to love 'em and leave 'em, but Rosie...she's not like any woman he's ever known. She's big, tough, and dangerous. And her inner light intrigues the hell out of him, no pun intended. From where did she draw such pure white power? Who was she? And where does she come from?
As they work their bloody way through the vampires and ghouls residing in the Paradise Hill Elementary School, Skriker finally discovers why Rose has a set of wings tattooed on her back. But it's when Rose discovers what Skriker really is that she must decide where her heart lies. Is she with him? Or against him? Zafira, the demon daughter of Lilith, might have something to say about that, since she wants Rose dead in the very worst of ways.
Sequel to Psyche's Gate (Liquid Silver Books), Black Dog and Rebel Rose by Danielle D. Smith is the best Urban Fantasy love story I've ever read. It's a short but action-packed adventure centered around the most unlikely of couples – one of darkness, the other of light. One rides an All-American Harley, the other a “Eurotrash” Ducati. He carries a shotgun, she carries a Glock, and they can both slice and dice with ninja accuracy. Together, they deal in blood, gore, and bodily fluids. Believe me, their raunchy sex does more than just fill up pages. It's profound and entrancing. And most of all it's love – pure, deep, and intense. Each would give his or her life for the other. And you know that they will stand side-by-side against any adversity, something that both Zafira and Rose's all-powerful father find out rather convincingly.
Skriker is tough, strong, and determined to wipe out every single demon single-handedly if he has to. Yet, there's a depth of heart to him that allows him to cry with and for someone else. I loved that about him, even more than I loved his blonde sex appeal. And HE...IS...HOT, ladies! Black leather-clad HOT! In all respects, Rose is his perfect foil. She's a black-haired bitch on wheels, a hard-core killer in combat boots and a body-hugging’ jerkin. But her soul is the other half of his. Together, they're better than Bonnie and Clyde. Better than Bogart and Bacall. Better even than peanut butter and jelly.
Ms. Smith is now hard at work turning Black Dog and Rebel Rose into a graphic novel and screenplay. I would love to see her write a story about Skriker's father, who – if he's even half as tough as Skriker – just has to be alive somewhere and in need of his own Rosie to rescue him.
***
With a cascade of dark curls and a body loaded with lush curves, she looks like an angel, but that is only half the story. Rose is a ferocious and relentless hunter in search of the demons who killed her mother. A loner, she prefers to track down and deal with her prey by herself; she does not need or want help from anyone, including her father.
He looks like Billy Idol and kisses like a devil, which is probably because he is the son of a beautiful Swedish stripper and the True Native of Hell who gave up everything to be with his human love. Skriker is as skilled a lover as he is a demon hunter and with his fascinating tattoos and sinewy body, he leaves a trail of satisfied women and dead demons in his wake.
While dispatching another evil demonic being, Rose learns of an abandoned town settled by vampires, but when she arrives there, she meets up with a fellow hunter and is forced to work with him to destroy their common enemy. Surprised to find a female hunter already staking out his quarry, Skriker looks into her eyes, which surprisingly are two different colors, and knows she is his future. But how will Rose feel when she discovers her sexy new partner carries the very blood of the creatures she has sworn to extinguish?
Danielle D. Smith delineates in raw detail the destructiveness in a world full of destiny and demons. From the very first sentence, the reader is pulled into a violent and brutal existence where two gorgeous individuals with tragic pasts fight their way to their own serenity. Skriker and Rose are strong characters who cannot be overlooked in either their actions or appearance. Our hero is as bad as a bad boy can get and yet, maybe, it is the Catholic schoolgirl in me, but I could not help but find him attractive and intriguing. Rose is the kind of superhero I always wanted to be, gorgeous and deadly. The type of woman men can only dream about. The details in the description of this story were fantastic and the wry humor was greatly appreciated in the face of such brutally honest demon butt kicking. This is not a meek and mild vampire love story but rather an edgy and graphic tale of hope. Hope that relative goodness will defeat evil and that we all have a soul mate out there just waiting for us.
*Rating: 4 Cups*
--Venus
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Rose and Skriker's story was a combination of sweet forbidden love and ass-kicking hunters who rid the world of evil...while having fun doing it. Packed with gritty action scenes and gruesome details this story does the horror genre proud. Not to mention the sex scenes steam it up also. Overall, this was a good quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed!
--A reader, Goodreads.com
"...drifting (in)to a dreamworld of a 70's porno mix with a Vampiric Mad Max situation...groovilicious!"
--A reader's comment at FromTheShadows
PRAISE FOR PSYCHE'S GATE:
"Long ago, warrior angel Alexius was banished from heaven and brutally stripped of his wings. Now he has a chance at redemption. He must stop a powerfully talented human artist from being used by a demon to to create something that can bring forth the most deadly of evils. However, after seeing Psyche, the woman whose life he cannot spare, Alexius knows that he cannot go through with his task. Instead, he will do all in his power to keep Psyche from harm. But a romance between angel and human is forbidden and their actions will impact not only their own destiny, but the fate of all creation.
Enter the world of angels, demons, and art in the evocative Psyche's Gate. Danielle D. Smith has penned a fantastically vivid tale of good, evil, and everything in between. I admit I found Psyche's Gate to be a fascinating read. It's interesting, frequently dark, and each character is developed with great care...I absolutely loved Alexius...I admire how Ms. Smith brought the world of Psyche's Gate to life in such great detail and look forward to reading more of her work."
--Joyfully Reviewed
Psyche is an extremely gifted young, unknown artist who is struggling day to day to earn enough for life's necessities. Seemingly, out of the blue, she is offered a commission to paint a mural for a very wealthy, generous benefactor. She is overjoyed, believing her dreams will be fulfilled. What she finds instead is a nightmare of celestial dimension.
Shunned by his Immortal brethren, Alexius is a tormented soul cast out from his home thousands of years ago because of a consequential error in judgment. He has finally been given the opportunity to regain his rightful position as one of the highest ranking and most fierce of the Angelic Warriors. His mission is simple - the mural must not be created.
This novel casts the eternal battle of heaven and hell, good and evil into a sonorous mosaic. Very little is as it seems. This time the battlefield is on earth and Psyche the unwilling pawn upon which the outcome hinges. It takes every ounce of strength and determination that Alexius possesses to protect his beloved Psyche.
It is difficult for me to describe how very unusual and haunting this story was for me. The sentence structure flowed with a rhythmic cadence that was glorious. The author flawlessly created a gothic, brooding type atmosphere that was maintained throughout the entire book. The cadence of the story pulsed with lyrical complexity. Filled with Angels, Demons and all manner of other denizens of mythology this story will at times astound and shock with its brutal, unflinching candor.
Be aware that there is, on occasion, frequent and repetitive use of the "f" word. At times, this became rather off-putting to me personally even though I do not consider myself to be particularly prudish. It is my feeling that some of the conversations would have benefited without the obscene slang. I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories of immortal conflict written in a dark, gothic tone with richly patterned descriptions and who can overlook occasional excessive profanity.
*FOUR out of 5 STARS*
--Amazon.com Review
This is a tale of good vs evil with an unusal twist. I loved her characters in this book, you really got involved with them...loved the good guys and really hated the bad guys... I do recommend this book to all, it is a great story.
*4 OUT OF 5 STARS
--A reader, Goodreads.com
This story was very interesting and very vivid. It took me a while to get into the book but by the middle it kicked in and was full of action. This book gives good insight on angels and God's Wife as the mother of all Angels which I totally liked a lot. Some of the parts were very wickedly evil and there were times I felt I was there...Very well written with all the details and you can tell that the writer spent time studying the history of angels for it was very imformative.
*4 out of 5 STARS*
--A reader, Goodreads.com
