Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark Book 17)

Wicked Abyss was delicious, tricky, sexy, fun, and full of the danger and violence we come to know, and yes, love with Miss Cole's IAD series! Every book in the series is one of a kind yet Miss Cole NEVER changes her writing style with these books. You can always expect some hate to love relationships from her characters and always expect some serious sizzling, crackling, passionate tension. This book was hold-my-breath, never-ending-excitement, can't-get-enough-of story that was smart, violent, sexy, and almost impish with all the trickery. Damn, what a spectacular book in this series!

I absolutely love this whole series and this book was one of my favorites of them. I just hope we don't have to be kept waiting as long as we have before for the next installment. Lila was a perfect adversary for ruler of Hell, Abyssian. And as always, Nix, my favorite Valkyrie is up to her tricky ways to lead the Accession how she sees. Who knows what her next move will be?! I am wondering when we will see a move toward rescuing Furie because I believe it will make for a huge power struggle and be monumental in the strategies of the three different sides of alliances. Thats just a hopeful guess on my part though. But I am willing to bet that whatever comes next in the series will be a game changer for our characters. I can hardly wait!

I've really liked the recent direction of the IAD serious with the morior, and this story is equally addicting. It's basically a "beauty and the beast" version of the IAD persuasion. Love the sorry line and the attitudes of the main characters in this. Definitely worth it!

Can't really see myself giving this a higher raiting, even though I did enjoy the book. I love Ms. Coles books. I have been engrossed in them for years now, and wait, impatiently for each new release. But I'm becoming very disappointed. I keep opening the covers of the newest releases to find none of the characters I'm so enthralled with. They were all so intertwined with each other. Now we have all these unknown stepping up. I'm sure there is a reason but the last few books have left a sour taste in my mouth about the future of,IAD. I was left wanting more in the end of the Mcreave brothers book. What happened? For God's sake it's been years now and I still wait. Just so disappointed. When will we return to the real IAD?

Definitely worth the read and just what I would expect.
That said, any Disney freaks (like me) out there be forewarned she does screw up a bit in this department. 1 - Disney World is not the HAPPIEST place on Earth. That would be DisneyLAND. Disney World is the MOST MAGICAL. 2 - Disney does not call the people who work for them employees. They are Cast Members. 3 - Cast Members are forbidden to date, much less make out with one another. 4 - there are no 8 o'clock firework shows in the Magic Kingdom. 5 - Disney World is a theme park, not an amusement park. 6 - No face character uses their real hair for their updos. They must be an exact replica, therefore a wig would be used. 7 - Cinderella is not a fairy princess. She's a fairytale princess.

I love Kresley Cole and everything she's written, the IAD series of course being my favorite! The stories and creatures are so well defined that you actually can see and feel them! Paranormal romance is a favorite of mine and kresley Cole does it so well. Don't want to leave spoilers but the gates of Hell have a new addition!

Even kresley Cole's worse books are better than most. I have to admit I was a little disappointed in the last two. But wicked abyss is a winner. Complex tortured hero. Check. Smart, take no crap heroine. Check. Good plot, witty dialogue. Check. Check. This book is a great addition to the Immortals after dark series.

What a story and what a passion....can't wait for the next one. I was planning on taking my time with this book...then i started to read...all excited and as with all the previous once i simply couldn't stop....until i had too.....every single one sweeps you of your feet...passion...intrigues...hot scenes... Kresley makes your motor run...even faster then you like too...can't wait for the next one.... i wonder if Nix might get some.... maybe Orion will take care off that....jumping up and down clapping my hands....ooooh can't wait...did i mention that ?....Cole rocks

Love it! Perfect xox. Thank you for making the man a one woman kinda guy. I loved that even when he was single he only sleep with one woman at time. The woman was physically weak but emotionally strong and loving which is my favorite set up :) loved the book and can’t wait for more. How the author weaves such a large world and used different species is truly a talent.

Ahh...I was getting worried. Kresley Cole is back from wherever she was hiding. While Shadow's Seduction was a disaster, have no fear. Nix and the characters you love to see cause even more chaos. Indeed, Orian, your move.

Excellent book. I finished it in a day. I really love the Morior books. Sweet Ruin was awesome, and this book is great too. The banter between Sian and Lila is probably the best part of the book. The loves scenes are probably some of the greatest in the entire series. Plus I really loved the descriptions of Pandemonia. The plot outside of Lila and Sian felt kind of rushed, but the rest of the book makes up for it. Definitely recommend.

Kresley Cole never disappoints! She takes you on a journey that's fun as well a meaningful and always leaves you wanting more! Loved both the hero and heroine! I love how Kresley Cole lets the ladies be their own hero's too! So many exclamations but I'm just so happy after reading such a great book!

Just like all the other books in the IAD series I loved this book. It has a likeness to the Beauty and the Beast which gave it a more "romance" feeling. It has an all together another view than the previous book Shadow's Seduction (which I LOVED). The book humanizes the Morior group and plays a role in the series as it makes enemies group "owing Nix a favor" because she brings destined mates together before the Accession. Therefore, dwindling the enemies of Veritas. I am looking forward to the every book Kresley publishes, whether it is the IAD or Arcana series (or more books like the Game Maker series). Thank you Kresley.

Several elements of classic fairytales - beauty and the beast, Cinderella, hades and Persephone - reimagined with demons and fey in a hell realm. Calliope is a hotter, badder bitch than Belle or Cinderella could even dream of being. Great addition to this series. Highly recommend!

While I am constantly surprised that additional characters are being introduced and leaving me hanging about those that I anticipate, I've come to adore the new ones. I love this one because I can feel the connection between H/h. Will be adding them to my fave IAD couples!

The castaway fey princess and the freaking hell king. I love how she twisted the story, KC is a freaking genius. (I was thinking that Nix is the reason why Calliope died in her first life so she could be reincarnated to be more fitted as a queen and Abbysian's mate in the future. However, thaT would mean that she's super omnipotent in this series, therefore, all the glory belongs to the author. Sorry Nixie.) I am not very good explaining how amazing this book, the plot, and the characters are, but this is definitely a must read to all IAD fans (just like me).

Oh, and the final part: Nix whispered, "Your move, Orion." Just got me wishing that KC could write as fast as my salary disappears. LOL ?

This latest IAD instalment hAs focused on the Morior instead of our favourite cray-cray gang of feisty Valkyries, though i do miss their antics, it's nice to meet the new set of strong characters (try: THE PRIMORDIALS) with otherworldly appearances and ancient manners.

Absolutely Wonderful! Well worth the wait! Loved the dialogue between Sian and Lila with their arguments and sassy comeback. Made me laugh in so many places. I wish I could rate this one ten!! Looking forward to the next one! However long it takes to get it done!

Really. I freakin love these books!! I can't wait to listen to it on audible. I know it's gonna be 10 times better when Robert Petkoff reads it. I wish he could read all the books I've listened to on audible. He that dang good. Can't wait for the next IAD book!

Wicked Abyss is everything you expect from IAD and maybe a little more. Siam is the second Morior to find his mate and get his HEA. With several open plots in IAD we can expect so many more amazing tales! Keep them coming!

Beauty & the Beast if both are psychotic BAMFs thrown together by Nix. I read the book straight through in one go and was crushed when I came to the end. Possibly the least conventional pairing yet and maybe even my favorite.

The characters and plot felt a bit recycled, though Cole can definitely tell a story. I always enjoy her books but I wouldn't re-read this one. I also felt like her description of the hero made him sound so unattractive that it was tough to move past.

I love Kresley Cole but after reading every book in the Immortals After Dark series, I've noticed the same type of plot again and again. Still, her books are a lot of fun. She weaves wonderful humor into her writing.

1st I would like to say, I love this series. The world of the lore Kresley has created is amazing. The intricate plot that connects every book but still each one is a stand alone novel is amazing. With all that being said, I do have to say I was left a little let down in this book.
I feel like it was a lot of sexy scenes with a bit of story thrown in. Like a filler book. No big improvement in the over all story line of these sites.
Now I have to wait maybe almost another year for another installment and hope this one won't ask just be sex scenes.
I'm kind of disappointed.
Don't get me wrong the book is not bad, I love Kresley's humor and wit and kick as characters but I just feel like this book is missing a true epic story..

Kresley Cole's IAD series is a tied favorite with another author. The suspense of the Accession and how it all plays out is fantastic. Now the wait for the next installment. I can't figure out who's story is next!

I always love these books! They're fun and sexy and I think the pop-culture references are always spot on. People keep complaining about Nix not having a book yet but I say whatever because I have loved all the books in the interim.

It just doesn't get better than this. Drama, humor, pain, love, desire. Impeccable. Must read from the beginning of the series to really comprehend the magnitude of the relationships & interconnectivity of the characters & places. Once you read them all twice you begin to grasp Kresley Coles genius.

I've loved every single Immortals After Dark book and this one was no different. Beautifully developed characters, insurmountable odds, exotic locales, and blistering passion all combine in this book. I loved every word and devoured it in a little under 5 hours even though I tried to pace myself.

My question is: when will Nïx get her own story? Hmmm? That's a book I'd read, and I'm waiting for it.

Absolutely loved this one! It will definitely be another one of KC IAD books that I will read over again and again. Thanks you Kresley Cole, you've done it again, I'm already anxious for your next book. I can't decide if this one tops Dark Skye, I think I have a thing for demons. Lol ?

Just what I would expect from Cole. Pulled in by an amazing story while setting you up for the next one so seamlessly it would less of a world without the integration. I look forward to the Dragons tale with much anticipation...

In this installment of the Immortals After Dark series, we get the story of Abyssian (Sian) and the fey princess Calliope (Lila). For me this story was a take on Beauty and the Beast but with many other paranormal characters and of course featuring our beloved nucking futz Nix and her bat. I loved the way Ms. Cole spins the story so much that I could not put the book down. In this book we also get more information about the Møriør and honestly I am not sure if the lines are very clear when it comes to the good/bad side between the Vertas and Møriør.

I recommend this book to everyone, especially if you like paranormal romance. Although this is not the first book in the series, it could be read as a standalone and once you have read it, you would want to know more about the series.
I cannot wait to find out what comes next in this series and would love to know more about Nix's and Orion's "chess game".

All I can say is AWESOME! This series has been one roller coaster ride after another with each book. The loose ends still in the works I'm sure will be epic! Micrieve's brother, Lathaire's missing niece and his captive brother, the missing leader of the Valkyries and the other single Miroir's with their leader.....who will be Nix's mate?

I absolutely loved this book, !!! These new characters are amazing. Lila is strong, resourceful and witty. Syan makes my heart melt. Loved the plot, the character's chemistry and the description of hell. Kresley didn't just write a new book, she made a whole world. Can't wait for the next one.

I am a fan that has read everyone of your books and loved them all. You are an amazing writer and you deserve a lot of money and you can probably make as much if you just let us millions of fans buy your books at a little lower price rather than pricing so high that a fewer number will be able to afford. You are worth the money... I know this but please don't price us out.
This book about a demon king and fae princess was so gripping and filled with sexual tension and building love it was truly hard to put down. How you can make a gross beast so desirable is unbelievable. Hey did you write beauty and the beast? Your version is better.

I love all of Kresley's books, ALL of them, as soon as they come out I have them and read them over and over just to experience this world she has so wonderfully written. That being said this was not my favorite book in the series. Am I glad a read it? Yes, but I just didn't connect well with the characters like I always do. I wasn't immersed into the world of Pandamonia and frankly it was a bit of a boring read. I think I went into it already knowing it was not going to be one of my favorites when I found out; 1. It's based loosely of Beauty and the Beast. 2. It was not about characters I have been waiting to read about. 3. It was just alittle.... predictable? All in all it was a decent read and I'm glad I read it, but probably won't be re-reading it. Just not very interesting.

She's done it again. Weaved a story I wished I could be a part of!
I loved Lila. She was strong and a perfect match for Sian. Can't wait for the next book!
Did she reveal Nix's match at the end? :o

Kresley Cole is my favorite author. By far. I love the IAD series so much, she ties each one to the last and they all work together. I've never read one of her stories and been bored or disappointed. Wicked Abyss was no different. I LOVE IT.

The way their romance develops felt real. Sian is smart, and unexpectedly endearing for a demonic king of Pandemonia. Lila is generally pretty badass, she's a match for him in every way and I especially loved her feelings for his appearance at the end. I won't spoil it for anyone and go into anything too much but I was all smiles finishing this one up at 4 in the morning. The series gets better with each installment, I really can't wait to see what Nix does next!!!

All in all, major win. Read it!!

Kristoff and Furie.
Cara and Michael.
Annika.
Jadian.
Munro.
Rok.
Desh.
Tera the Fey.
Balery.

Mentioning Nix and (presumably) Orion seems redundant at this point. We are going on 4 years since we got a book that featured a couple that fans actually cared about. That they were invested in. That moved the plot forward. 4 years.

I posted a long review on her last book (well... novella) and everything in that one still applies. Fans are tired of being strung along with these filler books that are no more than a blatant attempt to extend the series for money. 5 years ago I thought this was the best series on the market and eagerly soaked in every available rumor and hint about a glimpse of the next book. 5 years later, I’ve come to realize that Ms. Cole is more Sherrilyn Kenyon and not enough Nalini Singh. In other words, we want substance, not quantity.

Know how to control your series, Ms. Cole - it’s clear your heart was not in this and you didn’t want to write it.

At 10 potential books listed and not even one book a year (plus the wasted characters no one cares about - no doubt - getting starring roles in future books as well) this series will continue for more than a decade. If you’re among those waiting for Nix’s book, I predict a very long wait. Over a decade, I imagine.

And as a note to Ms. Cole’s publisher: I am thankful I did not purchase this book. And every time a new book comes out that feature characters I don’t know, I will continue to spend exactly $0 on it and then eventually (months later) check it out at the library. And I’m not the only reader who feels this way. Eventually there will be enough of us that the bottom line might make you realize that you don’t mess with a winning formula. If it ain’t broke...

You keep peddling quantity over quality, I will give you exactly what that is worth. Nothing.

I loved this book, it was really good. Kresley cole is one of my favorite authors. I wasn't sure if this book would be as good as the others, because I hadn't heard much about the characters beforehand; but it was a really good read. I love this series is highly recommend all of her books

Holy crap! This book was amazing! It was captivating, sweet, angsty, sexy, with a dash of action/violence.

I liked Lila's character. She was strong, witty, kind, determined, and courageous. She did what she did for the good of her kingdom, then ended up falling in love with someone she'd feared her entire life.

Sian was a brute, snarky, lonely, witty, yet loving, kind, protective and possessive, trickster of a demon. I loved seeing his playfulness come out throughout the story.

I can't wait for the next installment of the IAD series!

These books just get better and better, unlike some of the other paranormal series that I've been following. The new characters are so compelling you really don't miss the old ones. Each book is unique and can stand alone. I love all of the Immortals After Dark books but this one in particular was awesome. I woke up last night at 2AM to read it, it was very eagerly awaited. I loved both the hero and heroine's characteristics and personalities. Kresley Cole has a knack for really making you envision the locations the characters are in. Pandemonia makes another appearance and it is just as exciting and compelling as it was in Dark Skye. The magical castle added a nice touch too. The Morior dragon is a hoot, and the various cameos of previous characters always provide a chuckle.
Hopefully the next install will be out soon!

Love all of kresleys books but this one just didnt do it for me. This book was pretty typical to me and most of the banter between the 2 main characters seemed rushed and forced. Didnt hate it but i wont be re reading it again like i do with her other books from this series

Let me start by saying Kresley Cole is on my automatic buy list, but I felt this book had more twists than normal :) It was an enjoyable read but at times I felt the MP was overly moody/stuck in the past. Overall, well done. Can't wait for more!

Kresley Cole is now officially off my "must read" list. This series has been declining and was taken off my "must buy" list a few books ago, but I still enjoyed it enough to get them at the library. Wicked Abyss is the end of the IAD journey for me. Unless maybe some year I will grab beat up paperback copies of the rest of the series for a summer beach read.

First, was a huge let-down that the hints from the previous books about Hag and her Demon being the focus of this book obviously didn't prove to be accurate. I know the grammar of that sentence isn't great, but you hopefully get the intent.

The entire book is sort of a boring sexual interaction with almost no character development. Neither Sian nor Lila are well developed even though they have potentially very interesting back stories. I would struggle to explain why I didn't feel an attachment to the characters but I recently read an excellent post on how to write sex scenes by Diana Gabaldon. She explains how a great author puts you into the scene through exploring the senses and so on (I recommend you actually look her post up on her FB page because it is fabulous and I can't do it justice here). In Wicked Abyss, the author tells us everything with no thought process required from the reader. Nothing painted in ways to immerse the reader into the story. Just a reporting of he said/she said, he did/she did. BORING.

As other reviewers have said, sometimes a series needs to end and that's ok. I imagine it could get pretty tiring to keep going on with a series year after year while trying to keep up the high quality. I had to ditch Gena Showalter years ago. I'm keeping fingers crossed that Larissa Ione doesn't implode. If I was religious, I would pray that J.R. Ward never lets me down (so far she is still kicking @ss!). And of course I still have Diana Gabaldon for at least 2 more books and some novellas. But I am seriously sad that I may never see the story resolutions for Nix, Kristophe, Fury, and the second half of our Macrieve twins. I can't stand another let down like Wicked Abyss.

I have read every one of Cole's books, and the IAD series is just becoming too formulaic. Don't get me wrong, I love clever men and sassy females but this trope has been carried to the extreme by Cole. I miss the old novels that Cole used to write. They would have angst, passion, actual intellect, and different personalities. Since Lothaire, though, the guy hates the girl for some reason, vows vengeance or pain, and they then transcend into bliss. We have such a case here. Girl is sassy, beautiful, defies orders, and is considered an amazing woman by her mate who has never met anyone like her. Guy is not physical perfection, is a fighter, tortures the girl, but loves her because she is special and different from the other girls. They fight, kiss, and makeup repeatedly until the book ends.

Kresley, in her element, can write a steamy romance. Sadly, her spark is waning and she's fallen into a rut. Here's the formula

1) female--she will either be a raging badass tough femme fatale or a tender innocent girl unaware of her own allure
2) male-- some species of immortal, except in one instance, but always a jaded, hard, cruel jerk who cares nothing for the female but needs her for some plot that involves retribution
3) the female surprises the male (but not the readers) by her 'quirky' interests, her cleverness and some other schmaltz that emphasizes how she isn't what he expected. Despite his cruel and abusive behavior to her, the female lead is somehow stupid enough to feel tenderly towards the male and they hook up
4) some contrived plot point occurs and the male makes crazy and wild assumptions about her, reverts to his abusive behavior and they are then separated. he comes to an epiphany and/or learns something about her that of course changes every thing and then, viola! like the meek and moronic character she is, she takes him back and happily ever after.

Ever since McRieve (including) if have had to force myself to finish these books. This would have been inconceiavable to me while reading the earlier IAD installments. This last one was no exception: shallow, one-dimensional characters, basically no plot (take out the banging and you have no intrigue, no conflict).
It is very telling to me that the only parts I've enjoyed in the kast couple of books were the soap-loving dragon and the witch who wants to unleash the Morior on Gaia because her witch-followers haven't been paying taxes.
I am saddened that the series I once loved has come to this. This is probably Kresley Cole's idea of making money by churning out as many books as possible (even at the cost of characters the readers don't care about and stories with no depth). I will borrow the next book that comes out from my local library as a sign of protest against this transparent cashgrab.
PS: no need to churn out another Morior book just to build up the mystique around Orion. I get it: he's probably Nix's fated mate. Just write Nix's book and be done with it.
Just fyi, I care more about Cara and Fury than I do about Nix (call it exhaustion from the overhype).

Lila, a royal heir to the fey throne, gets booted from her kingdom when her fiance (the Prince) exiles her to the human world due to her parents treachery. She's been working at Disney World and managed to keep her head down, though she lives in constant fear of the Morior and more specifically Rune (from Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark Book 16)) who has sworn to wipe out her bloodline.

Sian, the Morior's resident demon, has become the primordial King of Hells and inherited a Hellcurse that's turning him into an ugly monster (rather than the painfully handsome demon he's used to being). For whatever reason (aka probably Nix) he suddenly realizes that his lost mate (who betrayed him) is reincarnated as Lila and he has her kidnapped and brought to his castle in Pandamonium so he can make her pay for his 10,000 yrs of anger and hurt.

I waffled on how many stars to give this one. Sian, the hero, is an idiot and i found him really hard to like at times. Dude's 10,000 yrs old but he's got the maturity of a 14 yr old and refuses to let go of the past. It also seemed like the only thing these 2 had in common was horniness. What sucks is i really like Pandamonium (it's such a cool world even if i can't spell it!) but it seems like Lila and Sian mostly spent their time fooling around, which i found boring. The only thing that redeemed this book for me and brought it up tp 3 stars was the ending (it was a really good ending and showed flashes of Cole's former glory).

I liked Lila (or "Calliope") but didn't like how she kept accepting the situation and caving to Sian. I was also confused by this whole reincarnation thing. Lila never shows any signs of actually being this guy's reincarnated mate aside from her eyes and bloodline yet throughout the book, most of the characters seem to find Sian's anger and hatred towards her for the past she can't even remember as being perfectly reasonable. No one seems to suggest that maybe she's not a reincarnation--including the author--so it was weird. This part of the story just felt like a bad plot device.

Like other avid readers of this series i am also really annoyed with this author for choosing to write yet another book about characters that I'm not really interested in. Kristoff has been languishing in Lothaire's dungeon for like 5+ years and Furie's been drowning in the ocean since before this series even started! This hasn't stopped Cole from trying to create even more cliffhangers with additional characters (most recently Kosmina). And BTW, Nix isn't scheduled to get her own HEA until the very last book of the series (so basically NEVER).

For those of you who are interested in Munro's book though, i read a recent interview where Cole stated that: "I wanted Sian’s book to come before Munro’s because Wicked Abyss will shed a lot of light on the Quondam warlocks and all those captured prisoners." So i guess his book may actually be next (for reals this time), though having read this one i still couldn't tell you who the Quondam warlocks are or what actual light was shed on them in this book (i only remember that the warlocks that 'napped Munro wanted to assemble an army to fight the Morior or whatever and she already told us this way back in Macrieve's book). I probably spaced out during that time (like i said i found some of this book snooze worthy). Cole claimed in that same interview that "in a few years it will all work out" (when she was questioned about Furie, Kristoff, Munro etc). I won't be holding my breath though.

I need to make it known from the beginning that I am a big, long time fan of this series and Kresley Cole. That being said, I am starting to feel like I need to skip a few books then try jumping in again at a later date. There is no resolution of anything from previous books and the long running plot. None. At all. I have been waiting for what feels like forever to find out what happens with so many threads in the plot that I feel let down. While I ended up liking the story overall, I had a hard time getting invested in it. The chemistry and magic I have come to expect from Kresley Cole was missing, at least for me.

Sian struck me as a whiny baby because 10,000 years ago he had a relationship with Lila, at a young age, and it went badly. So he held it against her when he found her again after she was reincarnated. What is there to like about him? I felt like he was too sensitive and not even close to tough enough to be the ruler of Hell.

The Hell dimension seemed way to tame, calm, safe and comfortable to be Hell. It was like a vacation version of Hell. Not at all what I imagined. It kind of ruined the effect of the whole story.

Lila was a heroine I could get into. She was strong, determined, and very well adjusted given her history. I liked her evolution in the book.

In the end I grudgingly liked the book. I won't be reading it a second time, however. Most of the books in the Immortals After Dark series are ones I have read at least 3 times. Maybe in a few years I will change my mind and try this story again. As far as it's contribution to the series as a whole I feel like it was unnecessary. I hope the next book gets back into the swing of the Accession and starts tying things up. This has been a great series overall, but it needs to move forward. Otherwise I will loose interest completely.

My love of this series ends here! The price is outrageous for an ebook and I am not buying it. Ms.Cole's prices continue to rise exponentially, and now has gotten too greedy for my pocketbook. There are many great authors out there so I'm moving on. Thanks for the ride.

Love this series! This one takes a nod from Beauty and the Beast, and Hades and Persephone, which I love both of those stories, so I loved all of that. Abyssian is the ruler of Hell, who was betrayed by his Mate 10,000 years ago. Calliope is that Mate reincarnated, but she has no memory of it. She was exiled from her home of Sylvan, and is offered the chance to return if she spies on Abyssian. She only knows the stories of Abyssian, which are all bad things, so she agrees. Nyx sets up Calliope's kidnapping, which places her in Abyssian's home (Hell). Of course, things aren't all that they seem, and Calliope's eyes are opened to the truth of things. Abyssian treats her poorly in the beginning due to her past self betraying him, but he can't resist her. She's originally his prisoner, but they begin to grow closer as they get to know each other. These 2 have some majorly hot sex scenes! The passion between them is on fire, and they are also really sweet together. I loved Abyssian! He's gruff, but a big sweetheart underneath. Calliope is tough and sassy. The setting was terrific! It was great to see Hell in a new way! It does take a bit too long for some truths to come out, but overall, the story is entertaining. I listened to the audio, and at first I was unsure of the narrator, but as the story went on, I enjoyed the performance. He does get a bit too exuberant with the sex noises; it startled me at times, lol! Overall, I'd recommend the audio. This a dual POV, and can be read as a standalone. There is some previous characters, but the story is its own. Loved it!

Immortals After Dark is a wonderful series written by the talented Kresley Cole. I have been a fan of the series since about book five. So, I am always impatiently waiting for the next book. This is a series that you can jump right into, but you will want to go back and read from the beginning because she has so many wonderful characters and stories.

Wicked Abyss, is a take on the Beauty and the Beast, story. Sian lives in a magical mansion and has a terribly cure places upon him that makes him utterly hideous to look at. His attitude matches his looks. Lila is a beautiful princess who is held captive by the beast. They both have flaws and a hard time listening to each other. There is war, blood, death, fallen kingdoms, love, hate, and humor all within the story.

I don't believe in spoilers, but I think it is safe to say that you can always count on Cole to give you an ending that is filled with the warm and fuzzies.

I read this book in one sitting. I could not put it down! That is one of the things I enjoy most about Cole's books. There is never a moment where I feel like I can put the book down for a little while. I have to know what happens next or I will die!

You can always count on Kresley Cole to make you laugh, cry, and swoon in the same chapter! Read the book. Read the series. Read the author. They are all great!

Happy reading!

Lisa :)

Wicked Abyss is book 18 in the Immortals After Dark series. I adore this series and couldn't wait to get my hands on this installment when I heard it was inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Add in fairytale retellings to a book and I need it. Kresley Cole books are always on my must get as soon as possible so I was happy to see my library got the audiobook for this one in!

Princess Calliope Barbot (aka Lila) was cast out by the fey and working at Disney in the human world when she gets approached by Nix and asked to spy on the hell king, Abyssian Infernas. With no real say in the matter, Lila winds up getting kidnapped and deposited into the hands of Abyssian (aka Sian) before she knows what is going on. While yes, they are mates, Sian is carrying a huge grudge against Lila for something she did in a previous life to him so this isn't exactly a good thing. I was kind of worried he wouldn't be able to get past the betrayal since quite a bit of the book he enjoyed tormenting her and being cruel. I could see the parallels to Beauty and the Beast, and while I'm glad KCole made the story her own, I wasn't a huge fan of Sian and his actions. Lila had so much going against her I felt bad for her a good portion of the novel. I was curious to see if/how they'd be able to put the past behind them and if they would be able to enjoy their mate-hood.

After reading these for so long, we're at book 18 now folks, I do have to notice a trend in some of the books in this series. What I'm talking about in several of the novels is the leading lady will get captured and held prisoner by the love interest who doesn't exactly treat her wonderful, yet they grow closer as each page turns and he gets nicer then they wind up falling in love. I'm not a huge fan of the repeat plots but I haven't really been bothered by it too much since the characters, settings and the character's history are quite different. Another thing I noticed and really missed were all the characters we normally see in a slightly bigger role that were basically MIA this installment. I love Nix and the Valkyries and was sad to see them not play a larger part. All in all though, this installment was good and if you're a fan of Paranormal Romance and/or love previous books in this series you'll enjoy this book.

Four and a half
I'm loving the direction these books are now going and can't wait to see which couple will be up next. I honestly right now don't mind that new characters are appearing since Sweet Ruin as I trust this author to continue to entertain me. The recent introduction of those of the Morior is really changing the perception of what is to come and with this book the author sneaks in the possible idea that these incredible powerful allies are not intended to bludgeon and control but perhaps to steer and save. Alas though before all that can happen Nix just has to do what she does best and our favourite ever knowing and meddling matchmaker is as ever up for the job!
The author herself seems to view this as a Cinderella type story but she's clearly been influenced by so much more. Yes Sian is becoming more beastly and monstrous due to hells curse and I can't deny that he looks at Lila , his mate and sees beauty. Then we add in the fact that he's holding her prisoner and this seems to add a Hades and Persephone vibe which is further encouraged by legendary ideas such as Styxx. Reading through to the end there's a juxtaposition that I can only say reminds me of a more modern fairy tale involving an ogre but all this pales into nothing as yet again I'm immersed in the goodness that is an Immortal After Dark story.
Perhaps not as sexy as a Demon From the Dark but the chemistry is there. Scheming, not to be trusted characters are outed with fabulous consequences that are set to reverberate throughout the next few books. I absolutely loved the setting as a magical sentient castle just upped the ante although I hasten to add I'm still left wondering how and why. We are getting ever closer to the foretold ascension and right now the author is slotting all her pieces in place and this story adds just another domino that topples. I'm desperate to find out which character will feature next but for now can happily report I really enjoyed this book with its irreverent spunky heroine and the demon who made my heart ache. Thank you Ms Cole for showing that perhaps they will all live happily ever after! This review is of a library copy as I collect this series in paperback due to lack of space on my keeper shelf so roll on September!

I have to say that this book ranks up there almost as high as my favorite of Sweet Ruin! Not quite as good for me just because I absolutely love Jo from Sweet Ruin but Lila was a pretty close second place! I wasn't sure about this one at the start. Sian just seemed to be a giant jerk and Lila seemed to concerned with going "home". But then you see what happened to Sian in the past. And how Lila was thrown basically to the wolves over the actions of her parents. I was still iffy about Sian though because he couldn't seem to move past what happened in his past. He blamed Lila for things she did in a different incarnation, not what she would do in the present. But their interactions together, complete with Lila's snarkiness? I LOVED it!! Lila made the whole book for me! She never lets herself get completely down, she always pushes herself to the next step knowing that she has to in order to survive. And her attitude with people who like to talk down to her is great! And the way Sian brings himself around in the end and redeems himself? It was great! Definitely well worth the read! And the author still manages to tell their story and push the main story ARC for the series along with it!

Fey princess Calliope Barbot was 13 when she was exiled to the human world by King Saetth, her cousin and fiancé. Eleven years pass before Lila gets the chance to redeem herself. Lila must go to Hell to steal secrets by seducing her mate King Abyssian, the oldest demon alive. Newly crowned king Abyssian Infernas has held a grudge for 10,000 years. When Sian finds out that the beautiful fey Princess Kari has been reincarnated as Lila, he plans to torture her to make her pay for her treachery in her past life, which had left him heartbroken and maimed. Sian wants to use Lila to break his demon seal, the only way he'll be able to sire children. Afterward, Sian plans to send Lila to another prison far away, then make some demoness his queen and have a 100 heirs with her. When the feisty and wily Lila doesn't receive a warm welcome from Sian, she has a lot of fun at Sian's expense plotting her escape. After Sian and Lila call a truce, they end up spending a lot of time together getting to know each other, and start falling for each other. Too bad Sian can't let go of the past. What happens when Sian probes Lila's dreams and finds out her secrets?

Kresley Cole delivers a funny, thrilling and steamy story that's a must read!

You all know I’m a huge fan of Kresley Cole and the Immortals After Dark has always been one of the paranormal romance series that I recommend any paranormal lover puts in their must read series. WICKED ABYSS is book 18 in the series and when the main characters for this were announced, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t thrilled. See, this world is so big and we’ve left open ended storylines along the way that I am already invested in seeing developed. I know the author is driving forward an overall plot for where the world (and alliances) need to be before the final battle but I didn’t have much interest in these two going in.

That being said, as soon as you turn the first page and Nix is being her usual self… I was hooked. Kresley Cole always has a way of telling a story that grabs my attention because it’s endearing and cute (if all the hell raising she does can be called that). We quickly move into the main part of the story that finds out heroine Lila, a fey princess from Sylvan, in the middle of a plot to be captured and spy on the king of hell. A demon who also happens to be her mate. There are many things that will seemingly stand in the way of their HEA. Kudos to Ms. Cole for never shying away from setting herself up to write huge obstacles that love must overcome. The past cards were stacked against Lila and Sian and it was a lot of fun to see them tentatively grow their trust in each other and explore their attraction at the same time.

One thing that immediately captivated me was the way that fairytales are woven into the story. I LOVE THAT! Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel…. This was done so well and it made the first quarter of the story that much more fun to read about. But while I was enjoying the story, the play between the hero/heroine, and the sexiness factor, I kept waiting for the tie in to come. I don’t want to give anything away here so lets just say I found that this book didn’t advance the overall series arc for me right now. I know in the future the chess moves in this one might come to play, but I was hoping to see more in terms of that developing here. This world just keeps getting bigger and bigger and while it’s definitely exciting, I hope it’s not starting to spin out of control. WICKED ABYSS felt like it could be read as a standalone paranormal romance and you wouldn’t be completely lost. It was, for the most part, the story of Sian and Lila. And while that is fine and I enjoyed them and their story, at book 18 in a series I do hope for a bit more connection to the series.

That being said, lets go back to my love for all things Sian. I mean, lets all agree that the demons in this series are beyond sexy and nobody can write a better horn sexy scene than Kresley Cole. She’s masterful at playing with her creatures in a way that draws me in like a moth to a flame. Horns, claws, pointy twitchy ears… WICKED ABYSS felt like a play on senses and Cole made me love every second of it. Sian is adorable and vulnerable because in the millennia of hurt he’s harbored there’s also a tender part of him that still just want to be loved and cared for as much as his teenage self wanted. I truly adored his character, he was one of my favorite things about this story.

And then there’s Lila. Just when I think a lot of Ms. Cole’s heroines are always the same, and Lila had some traits that seem to be familiar, she was still different. Her personality really shines through in this one and makes you connect with her as well.

In the end, this was a fun read. A bit slower to develop as I kept expecting for more to happen. But in Kresley Cole fashion the last 25% speeds things up and everything seems to happen. Slow and steady build up to that point. I don’t know how to feel about where we go from here. What’s next? I’m at a loss for what the next move will be. I wish this would’ve given us a glimpse of the next book so that the excitement can build up until then, but I guess we just have to wait and see.

Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark)
Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark, #18) Kresley Cole (Goodreads Author)
Adult Paranormal Suspense Romance
I can't express how much I absolutely, emphatically loved this book. For me, Kresely Cole's IAD books are neck and neck with my other #1 favorite J.R. Ward's BDB books. Omg! Could you imagine the 2 of them writing an adult series together! It would probably take the world by STORM! Opps, I digress. This is a review for Wicked Abyss, not my literary author fantasy.
The world build is amazing. You can smell the fire where Abyssian lives. You easily feel and see in your mind both Calliope and Sian. Before you even get to the first word of the first chapter you see this;
FITFO. Figure it the F out. —CALLIOPE “LILA” BARBOT PRINCESS OF THE SYLVAN FEY LINE
That's your first clue what Calliope is going to be like. I loved the saying so much that I keep saying to people when they ask me a question. Lmbo. Love the reactions I get!
Both Sian and Lila are amazing characters. Sian is MØRIØR, so supposedly on the opposite side as Nix, who is Vertas. Lila is Fey and the Fey are allies of the Vertas. You can smell and taste the conflict between Lila and Sian. This story explodes with their passionate personalities.
I never saw a single error of any kind. It is filled with humor, conflict, passion and suspense. Be prepared to be completely captivated by this story. I most definitely was.
May 29, 2017 – Started Reading
May 31, 2017 –
37.0% "Loving this book! Kresley Cole has a talent that shines with every word and page. Amazing!
“If you’re so blameless, open your blocks to me.” “Sure thing.” She did for a split second, blasting out one thought. He raised his brows. “I’d be happy to get f...ed. Are you offering? If so, I’m accepting.”""
June 2, 2017 – Finished Reading

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Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance -April, 25th, 2017
4 ½ stars

Lovely Fae Princess Calliope (Lila) learned young how to survive when she was exiled to the human world. Longing for her beautiful home world of Sylvan, she schemes on staying alive from the deadly Morior who want to kill her entire line and winning her way back into the Sylvan King’s heart. After many years her King and Nix the Ever-Knowing visit her and propose a plan. She will infiltrate the Demon World of Pandemonia, seduce its King Sian. There she will discover his weakness and return to Sylvan. But before she can plan her attack she is kidnaped by two devious Sorceri and sold to Sian. Lila soon finds herself at his mercy and unprepared for the monstrous man that she wees. But for some inexplicable reason she can’t help finding him attractive....

Sian has long awaited the reincarnation of his mate. The Fae Princess that stole his heart, stepped on it and betrayed his race. He has waited over a thousand years for her return and his revenge. And now he has finally found her in Lila. As he plans his devilish tortures for her he is appalled to discover that he is still cares for her. And how can he have his vengeance if she doesn’t remember him at all!

This latest installment in the IAD series will please fans to no end. The author delves deeper into the Immortal world as the Accession draws near. Nix the Ever-Knowing plays a key role -manipulating behind the scenes. It made me wish she was featured more often in the series. This story also questions the Morior role in the Accession as well as their mysterious leader Orion. Sian plays the beast to this retelling of the Beauty and the Beast tale. He has suffered from the betrayal of his mate over a thousand years ago. He has also recently become King with his brother’s death. A side effect of becoming King is that he is slowly transforming from a handsome devil into a brutish demon. And with his transformation he is mental state is eroding and becoming more bestial. With the arrival of Lila, Sian’s demonic state is soothed. And Lila despite Sian’s grueling tasks begins to have tender feelings for Sian. This story is really wonderful because the author takes the time for each to really know each other and I liked how open Lila was to Sian’s appearance. She was not afraid of him or cowed by his behavior. She gave him as good as she got. Her cleverness often tricked him in ways that were very entertaining to read! In fact, Lila really carried the story. She isn’t a quitter and this reader really wanted her to triumph and get the sexy demon on her own terms. I also liked that despite his vows to reek vengeance upon Lilia when it came down to it Sian was kind to Lila more so than her own kind and even encouraged (and was proud) her intelligence and devious antics. They are truly a match made in Hell!

Reviewed by Steph Bookaholics Romance Book Club

When Kresley Cole is good (most of the time) she’s makes you want to do the Snoopy Dance. When she’s goooood, step back because she’s on fire, which is the case of Wicked Abyss, the 18th book in Kresley’s immensely popular, crack addicted Immortals After Dark series. Wicked Abyss could be considered a filler book because it doesn’t really further along the plot (if it does, it’s very miniscule). But that doesn’t matter because you will beyond hooked to the story featuring a tortured, alpha immortal hero, and spunky, fast on her feet thinking heroine that are total opposites in every way but are perfect for one another. Wicked Abyss is an example of paranormal romance done right. It’s a very heavily character driven tale, set in an inventive world with creative terms and situations. Plus there’s a soap opera loving dragon who helps the hero see things more clearly regarding the heroine, who turns his world upside down.

Sian is a demon who rules Hell. He’s obsessed with revenge because his former “mate”, a fey who died centuries ago has been reincarnated, or so he believes. He wants to make her suffer for the injustices he went through in order to gain her love. His reincarnated lover is Lila, who at thirteen-years-old was banished to Earth by her fiancé king because her parents tried to kill him. He killed them in retaliation and blamed her, even though she didn’t have anything to do with the devious plot. Now eleven years later, and working as a princess at Walt Disney World, she has been hiding under the radar. But she’s about to be found out. Her selfish fey fiancé, along with Nix, the crazed Valkyrie seer will help Lila clear her name if she spies on Sian who wants to destroy Lila’s home. If she finds a way to bring down Sian, she cane go home and marry the king, even though he has made her life miserable for over a decade. She accepts, not realizing she’s a pawn, especially when it comes to Nix and her plans for the immortals.
Sian captures Lila and is very cruel to her by locking her in a dungeons of sorts in his castle. He wants to make her suffer, but Lila won’t cower or beg for forgiveness. She has survived on her wits for so long that she’ll try and escape, or drive Sian crazy. Sian acts like she’s beneath him, and his enemy, although he lusts for her. He thinks if he keeps her uncomfortable, such as no clothes, food, bedding, and uses spiders to scare her (eventually she makes two spiders her pets), she’ll bow down to him. He’s in for a world of shock when it comes to Lila.

Sian’s dragon friend, Uthyr pushes Sian to treat Lila better, because she may be more receptive to Sian and his lacking courtship skills. Sian may act like he hates Lila, but he wants her more than he can breathe. After secretly watching her make friends with the spiders she once was not too happy about, including not complaining, he softens, and from there he tries seduction. Lila comes around a bit, even though escape is on her mind. But as they spend time together, each begins to change their opinions, and something blooms between them that could change the way Sian rules is realm, and Lila’s part in it.

Wicked Abyss is a delicious tale for all the sense. Wicked Hot should have been the title, because oh my, oh my, the sex scenes are almost NC-17 erotic. Sian and Lila are on fire for one another. The foreplay scenes alone are better than the actual sex scenes. It’s like a light switch suddenly turns on for Sian when he realizes she wants Lila as his wife, not just to claim her because of his past, but because he now cares for the person Lila is, and not because she might be his reincarnated mate who rejected him. Lila gives and takes as much as Sian does. When these two come together as couple, it’s wonderful because the chemistry between the two is off the charts.

The world building blows my mind away because it’s unlike anything I’ve read in recent memory regarding paranormal romance. I was never bored, and I chuckled a few times because Kresely’s trademark humor with her characters are front and center. Incredible, inventive and fresh is what makes this one an excellent read.

You can’t go wrong with a Kresley Cole paranormal, especially her Immortals After Dark one. Fans of this series will adore Wicked Abyss and place it on their keeper shelves. A must read!

Katiebabs

4.5-5 stars

This was a great story and addition to the series. Originally, I was very frustrated about the story being about characters I hadn't heard of before when there were characters I am familiar with that still hadn't gotten their own stories! However, I really liked both Lina and Sian and enjoyed their story greatly so that frustration faded almost immediately once I started reading. :D

Lila is a Elvin princess that is second in line for the ruling line of the Sylvan kingdom. Lila was engaged to the King of the realm but was exiled as a teen when her parents hatched an unadvised coup and got executed for it. Lila lived in the mortal realm for 10 years, waiting to find a way to get back to her home while avoiding the archer that's hunting her bloodline.

Sian is a primordial demon and the ruler of Pandemonium, the hell dimension. Sian's brother was the ruler but he died in the death-match that took place in Shadow's Claim and Sian took the throne. Unfortunately, the primordial demon tends to degrade to a more and more demonish appearance the longer he has the title and with the ascension starting, Sian is already experiencing the change. He isn't looking forward to seeing what he's going to turn into and has been trying to find the cure.

Sian found a mate thousands of years ago (around 10k I think?) who was a fairy princess. Unfortunately, she was prejudiced against demons and never took his courtship seriously, only using his feelings to find out secrets about his land so her people could attack. She married another and died in childbirth and Sian was left hating her and feeling empty for many millennia. Sian found out that his mate had been reincarnated in current time but he was too caught up in old hatreds to see this as an opportunity for anything other than revenge for what the first incarnation of his mate did to him. He put a bounty out on her head so he could have her in his power to take out his revenge.

Lila was visited right before she was captured by mercenaries (hired by Sian) and was offered a deal that could get her exile ended and restore her position. Unfortunately, the situation Lila expected wasn't what she ended up in and things changed almost immediately leaving Lila adrift and only able to trust herself. Once Lila is in his grasp, Sian takes the opportunity to start taking his revenge but it seems a bit hollow when Lila has no memory of her past life. Also, Lila doesn't have any problem with striking back at Sian with her formidable anger and wit...something Sian isn't used to at all and something that he finds he likes. There's some back and forth as Sian and Lila bash heads, test each other out and find common ground. There's a definite attraction between them but Sian being caught up in the past and things Lila's past-self did makes their growing relationship hard at times...especially when Sian has a big bout of relationship stupidity at a very sensitive time (I really loved Lila's revenge...hilarious!). Thankfully, Sian and Lila do make up and things work out nicely so they end the story with a very satisfying HEA together.

I enjoyed this story greatly. I loved Lila as the heroine. She was smart and gutsy, choosing intelligence and wit as her weapons and wielding them well. Sian was a good hero. He was a bit too caught up in the past but once he was willing to let that go, I really started to like him. The story was pretty much what I expected but it was really well written, the characters were great and it kept me totally engaged until the end so I'd definitely recommend it. :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and the narrator did a great job.

4.5-5 stars

This was a great story and addition to the series. Originally, I was very frustrated about the story being about characters I hadn't heard of before when there were characters I am familiar with that still hadn't gotten their own stories! However, I really liked both Lina and Sian and enjoyed their story greatly so that frustration faded almost immediately once I started reading. :D

Lila is a Elvin princess that is second in line for the ruling line of the Sylvan kingdom. Lila was engaged to the King of the realm but was exiled as a teen when her parents hatched an unadvised coup and got executed for it. Lila lived in the mortal realm for 10 years, waiting to find a way to get back to her home while avoiding the archer that's hunting her bloodline.

Sian is a primordial demon and the ruler of Pandemonium, the hell dimension. Sian's brother was the ruler but he died in the death-match that took place in Shadow's Claim and Sian took the throne. Unfortunately, the primordial demon tends to degrade to a more and more demonish appearance the longer he has the title and with the ascension starting, Sian is already experiencing the change. He isn't looking forward to seeing what he's going to turn into and has been trying to find the cure.

Sian found a mate thousands of years ago (around 10k I think?) who was a fairy princess. Unfortunately, she was prejudiced against demons and never took his courtship seriously, only using his feelings to find out secrets about his land so her people could attack. She married another and died in childbirth and Sian was left hating her and feeling empty for many millennia. Sian found out that his mate had been reincarnated in current time but he was too caught up in old hatreds to see this as an opportunity for anything other than revenge for what the first incarnation of his mate did to him. He put a bounty out on her head so he could have her in his power to take out his revenge.

Lila was visited right before she was captured by mercenaries (hired by Sian) and was offered a deal that could get her exile ended and restore her position. Unfortunately, the situation Lila expected wasn't what she ended up in and things changed almost immediately leaving Lila adrift and only able to trust herself. Once Lila is in his grasp, Sian takes the opportunity to start taking his revenge but it seems a bit hollow when Lila has no memory of her past life. Also, Lila doesn't have any problem with striking back at Sian with her formidable anger and wit...something Sian isn't used to at all and something that he finds he likes. There's some back and forth as Sian and Lila bash heads, test each other out and find common ground. There's a definite attraction between them but Sian being caught up in the past and things Lila's past-self did makes their growing relationship hard at times...especially when Sian has a big bout of relationship stupidity at a very sensitive time (I really loved Lila's revenge...hilarious!). Thankfully, Sian and Lila do make up and things work out nicely so they end the story with a very satisfying HEA together.

I enjoyed this story greatly. I loved Lila as the heroine. She was smart and gutsy, choosing intelligence and wit as her weapons and wielding them well. Sian was a good hero. He was a bit too caught up in the past but once he was willing to let that go, I really started to like him. The story was pretty much what I expected but it was really well written, the characters were great and it kept me totally engaged until the end so I'd definitely recommend it. :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and the narrator did a great job.

Okay. First things first. 13.99 FOR KINDLE...7.99 FOR THE PAPERBACK BOOK...Its supposed to be the other friggen way around. Two. WHY has she not made munroes book? Kristoffs? And its like she completely forgot poor kosmina. I've been feeling disappointed in her books as of late. And all the guy did in this book is woe is me and whine. I hoped the heroine would kick his butt the whole time I read it.

Kresley does it again!

This book was FANTATIC!!

Hades/Persephone themed (what could be better??) with a badass heroine and a hero who only needed to be loved!

ALSO, I CANNOT get enough of Nïx and Orion. I am willing to bet money that they'll be paired - and man will that book be smutty goodness.

Unlike many of Cole's fans, who relentlessly complain that she isn't writing characters they know and love - I love the direction she's going in. I personally LIKE that she's taking her time, not rushing certain characters' stories before she feels comfortable releasing them.

IMO, stop complaining - she'll get to those characters eventually, and wouldn't you rather her write them at her best, rather then just for fanservice? She always delivers, almost every single one of these books are fantastic.

Every book in this series has been well paced and just flat out amazing. I don't care WHO the characters are at the end of the day, because I know I'll be getting a fun, steamy, adventurous story that I'll binge read all through the night.

Be more patient with Kresley - she clearly has a plan for the direction she is going in. She's not aimlessly writing these installments; the plots are clearly connected book by book.

In any case, the next book is with Kosmina, who we all know and love! Her warrior isn't announced yet, but I'm hoping it is one of the Møriør!

In conclusion - this book is the best installment in the series yet, and I have a feeling it's only going to get better from here!

Oh, Kresley Cole, why do I love your 'villains' so much? Lothaire was one of my favorites in the IAD series, and although I had a few issues with Wicked Abyss, it was a lot of fun and the characters are ones I hope to see more of as the series keeps progressing. Calliope is a heroine to love for sure, smart and determined, and she won't be anyone's victim. For all Sian's conflict with Lila in her past life felt a little tired, I could see why he was behaving the way he was. The two of them together are the definition of a power couple! So many great little touches here, and it definitely put me in mind of Beauty and The Beast, and also Darkness from the movie Legend. So good.

Yes I enjoyed this book, yes it was better than the last one “Shadows Seduction” BUT I still felt something was missing. If you were to take out the build-up to Abyssian – (Sian) and Calliope – (Lila) story and the sex then there was not really anything else.

Having said that, I loved the different dimensions and I would love to visit both Salvyn and Hell. Words fail me when I read the beautiful descriptions. Hell sounded amazing!! (Which was a bit odd but still made for great imaginative reading)

Both the characters were great as well, by the end of the book you have tutted, laughed, huffed and puffed at the stupidity of them at times, you know it will all work out in the end but getting there was a riot! I liked Lila…….especially towards the end when she goes all “hell hath no fury……..” and I loved her kick ass outfit. (Can’t say anymore, don’t want to spoil things!!!)

I was glad to read the sarcasm and humour in this book which I missed in the last one. Really made me laugh out loud in some places.

So, to sum up…….It was a good read and Kresley Cole writes beautifully but I just wanted more. If you love this series you will want to read this book and it is worth reading. Even as an avid fan though I think you will feel it lacking in “action” excitement. I actually got my copy from the library so no issue at all with the cost. ;)

As well as being the "All-Knowing". We don't get much of my favorite Valkyrie in this installment, but at least we do get some. In addition to Shades of Cinderella and Beauty of the Beast, we get an exciting Demon finds his Elf Mate. The sex, as usual, is Hot.

I wasn't that fond of the last book, Shadow's Seduction. But this installment was pretty good. Although Valkyries and even Lycans tend to be my favorites, I'm always open to new Lore species or hybrids. I liked this version of Hell and the look into Elven society.

I do wish that some of the older characters were not still left hanging...I'm getting frustrated especially to know about Fury. But I understand that the Author has her own plan to lead the plot into its conclusion, so I will strive to be patient. I just would appreciate it if she would write faster. Note to Author--more Nix please!

If I had to choose only ONE reason WHY I am so in love with Kresley Cole's work - even if it IS an impossible task but if I HAD to choose one - I would have say it's her creativity. To date, I've read about 90% of this author's entire catalog and I've yet to read the same story twice. Her imagination knows no bounds because with each and every new release, Kresley Cole brings to the table something special and very unique to the couple the story is about. The only thing that DOES repeat from book to book is how absolutely kick ass her heroines and insanely sexy her male leads are. This book is no exception! Fantastic addition to an already favorite [fantasy] series of mine, this story, once again, exhibits why Kresley Cole is one of my ultimate favorite one-click authors.

Sadly, neither my vocabulary or my imagination is as as extensive as Ms. Cole's so most of my reviews of her work sound the same but I simply can't get enough of her characters! I think I've said this multiples times before but every new couple she introduces us to becomes my new favorite! Sian and Lila is the latest duo to land on my 'favorite couple' shelf. Absolutely perfect for each other, these two are a match made in Hell and I loved every scorching minute of their journey to their much needed HEA. Exquisitely written [what else is new?], this story's entertainment factor is enhanced by supporting cast that consists of some of Kresley's colorful characters we have a pleasure of meeting for the first time and some of my old favorites. Add to that the banter and the bromance and, once again, you get an amazing reading experience that grabs you on page 1 and doesn't let go till 'The End'.

This book is dedicate to 'those who still dream of fairy tales ...' and, at 43, I still do so thank you, Kresley Cole, for supplying the kind of fairy tales material I am only happy to dream of for as long as I can dream.

Wicked Abyss is her latest in the Immortals after Dark series. We've spent years watching as Nix weaves the future and past together preparing for The Ascension. In this tale we see into the mind of the treacherous King of Hell, Abyssian. Little do we know that Nix has another secret up her sleeve: a story of a fairy princess and wicked temptress.

Meet Calliope, princess of the fey land of Sylvan. All she's dreamed of is protecting her people and having the family she's always dreamed of. But when he betrothed, the king of Sylvan, and the Ever-Knowing Valkyrie put together a plot to take down Sylvan's true enemy, the demonic King Sian, Calliope truly has no idea what she's bargained for.

Trapped in Hell with the brutish warlord, secrets of Calliope and Abyssian's pasts come to light.

Cole did such an amazing job weaving together Nix's story with Calliope's past life and her future one. This truly is the perfect mixture of Beauty and the Beast meets Hades and Persephone. Abbysian is one of the sexiest demons ever... and good gods do I love that man! I've loved the IAD series from the start and Cole seems to get better with each step closer to the Ascension! Can't wait for the next tale!

This was an okay read for me. It took me a while to finish reading. It hit the major points of humor and angst, but it fell short to me. For me, the most exciting parts are with Lila (Calliope Barbot) befriending the creatures in Hell and discovering the beauty of the realm. I kinda wished Sian (Abyssian Infernas) got over his horrible past experiences at the hands of the fickle fey he fell in love with a millennia ago and embraced Lila and all she had to offer now. He spent too many times in his head, that I wanted to smack him upside the same head. Finally the excited parts of the book came at the end. I was clearly surprised at the direction and happy it came to that HEA conclusion.

While the story was okay, I felt that there was not a lot of character development for Sian and Lila. minimal references to their childhood and experiences, but nothing that delved deeply into who they are.

Looking forward to seeing who the next character will be to have their mate and HEA (not Nix, there is more chaos for her to do before she falls over the edge).

✦Review: WICKED ABYSS (Immortals After Dark) by Kresley Cole
Publication Date: April 25, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

I loved WICKED ABYSS! It was a sexy twist on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale with the King of Hell and a fairy princess. I loved this couple and I'm excited about the direction of the series storyline with the Møriør. I'm hoping we'll get another member of the Møriør's story next. Please be the soap opera watching Dragon! The Immortals After Dark series is a series I can read over and over again and never get bored. I love Kresley Cole's heroes and all of her heroines are kick-ass and so much fun. If you're a PNR fan and haven't read this series yet, you should grab them now and settle in for a great binge read. The stories are always exciting, scorching hot and so much fun. Kresley Cole is one of the queens of paranormal romance.

*Review copy provided by Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.

On the way to the Accession this is one of the best book that I recently read, and I was on the verge of giving up this series for good. So I'm patiently waiting for the next one, hoping that it will fulfill my expectations, but at the same time always hoping that maybe it's the last....

Sulla strada dell'Ascensione questo é uno dei migliori libri che abbia letto recentemente, ed ero quasi decisa a lasciar perdere questa serie per sempre. Quindi ora mi metto in paziente attesa del prossimo nella speranza che non mi deluda e, contemporaneamente, sperando che sia l'ultimo....

I absolutely loved it. Yes I understand that some want the main characters back but here’s the thing the author is giving us new ones to enjoy and lead us into the the finale of this series. It’s a well thought out plain. I don’t think this series would have lasted as long as it did with out all these twist and turn as a reader we would get bored and go ok when are you giving us the final book so we can be done. I love this book it made me laugh and just sigh with all the oh mys. I love the hero and the heroine. So another book that’s been well done and place in the crap when’s the next book coming out category. Glad that she’s twisting us up for the almighty end.

This is one of my top 3 series, and I read a lot. This just didn't live up to the other book.

It didn't move the series along at all, and there really wasn't much interaction with other than the two main characters. Past life betrayal,revenge grudge and falling in love despite the lack of trust.

I do like the way KC writes and the dialogue. This one just didn't pull me in.

*4.5 stars*

So good. I don't know how Cole keeps this series fresh but she does. I really liked the storyline and characters. Nix is setting up all her chess pieces and we're finally starting to see it. My only complaint was I thought some of the push/pull would have been condensed. But that ending was so wicked awesome it more than made up for a few boring parts. The narrator was amazing, I loved the audio. As always, I'm looking forward to more. Well done!

*Purchased through Audible*

Are we really supposed to feel empathy with what is ultimately Satan? I didn't make it halfway through because, Satan aside, Cole's writing has gotten mundane and predictable. Horrible male who behaves abusively to the woman he has waited eons for. Somewhat humorous strong minded female stands up to him for awhile but eventually falls for him despite the red flags that most of us would run from. He supposedly changes centuries of behavior overnight. I mostly started reading for the supporting characters but even Nix is boring. There is the potential for a really awesome story about the accession but I've lost faith that we'll ever actually read it.

Dont waste your time. I feel like her last good book was Kiss of a Demon King. After that Kresley Cole has gone off track with these new characters that readers don't care about. If she was bored, why didn't she include them in a new series. I want to know what happens with the original immortals like Kristoff, Fury and Nix. She has kept readers hanging waiting for their stories for years. I for one will not be holding my breath as I think she has no intention of delivering. I was once a devoted fan but no longer.

Being a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast, hearing about the theme for Wicked Abyss of course had me giddy. I was a bit worried because the further authors get into books the less intense and informative they usually get. But I was happily proven wrong and I loved the twists and turns it had the Disney theme but it was all IAD. With great action scenes a budding romance and all the great hilarity. All while still piecing more of the puzzle that is the Accession. (Might not be a lot of info but have to have the reader wanting more of course! !)

I would actually give this book 4 1/2 stars. It is really good. Kresley Cole has a wonderful sense of humor. I enjoyed how Sian and Lila came to love one another. Their journey is one of learning, patience, trickery, fun, and wonder. They both had to learn to trust and to take a chance on each other. Lovely book.

I've followed this series from the beginning and it just gets better with each book. I love how the Møriør were so frightening when they were first introduced, but continue to be revealed as honorable, and not evil. But it's now more confusing than ever what Nix and Orion are doing - are they enemies, working together, setting the stage for something more?

I can't say enough about this book or series. They are so well written. Hot.hot.hot. I so look forward to reading the next book each year. It was nice to see something good comes from those blasted fey. Who will be they next person to fall in love? I will await the next book with bated breath.

Oh my goodness....a soap watching dragon! Lol. This book was amazing. You definitely don't see what's next, I enjoyed that. I love the funny puns throughout, the steamy as well as dark scenes and could not get enough of the dragon. Can't wait to read the next book!

Not my two favorite characters in the series, but heh...it's Immortals After Dark! The world building is fabulous, the characters are intricate and very quirky. Lots of fun to read. Graphic violence, steamy sex and a great teaser at the end of the book.

Kresley Cole has done it again! Her storytelling pulls you in from the very beginning! Characters are extremely well written and very appealing. Action and adventure on every page. Many unexpected twists and turns. I highly recommend this book / series!

I hope this series is immortal. I don't want the stories to stop. If you like stories of the gods and paranormal romance each novel is a great stand alone but for full enjoyment start from the beginning.

Love the story. It was so good I was reading it at every opportunity . Love the cable addicted Dragon. I recommend any of her Immortals After Dark they're sexy, romantic, twisted and funny as (Hell) wink wink

I was really disappointed with the last book in this series, Sweet Ruin, but Wicked Abyss really made up for it. SR was so bland, with none of the world and character building Cole normally does, but it's all back in WA. Loved the characters (except a guest appearance by Rune who is still boring trash) and the world was rich and detailed.

That said I'd rather her have written about other characters Cole has teased in past books. I'm still not a fan of the Morior story line.

Beautiful take on the Beauty and the Beast with lots of hilarious and romantic and dramatic scenes, a beast to fall for, a heroine to get behind all the way (I especially liked how she developed during the book, especially after the fire incident) and a dragon that really piqued my interest. More about him pretty please!

Love Lila and Sian story of Overcoming a bad history of previous life and acceptance. Could not put the book down once I started. Enjoyed Ms Cole's latest book better than previous one. Read all the immortals after dark books, and this is one of the best for me.