The Devil's Metal (The Devil's Duology Book 1)

I started this book without reading the description (silly me, was referred, saw that it was free with Kindle Unlimited and dove right in). After learning this was taking place in the 70's and written in the first person I was a little hesitant, but glad I pushed on. It's from an era I'm not familiar with, so lots of the references were lost on me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Karina Halle paints vivid imagery and really sucks you into this dark world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, with dashes of supernatural along the way. It wasn't straight up filled to the brim with supernatural elements but delivered big enough with a great ending, albeit somewhat predictable. I loved the pacing of this read, as some in its genre tend to be too quick.

This is my first taste of Karina Halle's work and I'm excited to read more, including The Devil's Reprise next.

Almost Famous is one of my top-five favorite movies of all time, so when I heard that Karina Halle's newest book, The Devil's Metal, tells the 1970s-era story of a young female journalist commissioned by Creem magazine to follow and document a rock band's latest tour, I knew I had to read it. But The Devil's Metal isn't just Almost Famous...it's Almost Famous meets a horror-movie version of Faust. Now if that doesn't make you want to drop everything and start reading right now, then...well...I really can't help you! So the question, of course, is whether The Devil's Metal lives up to this amazing premise--and the answer is a resounding yes!

As in her popular Experiment in Terror series, Halle writes in a very casual, fun, readable, yet witty and evocative style. Here our narrator is 21-year-old Dawn Emerson, a strong, intelligent budding music journalist with some major family baggage. Dawn's absolute passion for music, her guts and determination, her compassion and loyalty to her family, and her very relatable insecurities all combine to make a heroine you can't help but root for.

In any book where music plays a large role, it's absolutely crucial to me that the author describe the music in a way that I can really hear and experience it. I'm happy to say that as a former music journalist herself, Halle really knows her stuff, and her descriptions of the music shine. She captures not only the intricacies of the music itself, but the experience of being part of a live rock show, in passages like this one:

There were lights and smoke, from the stage and from the audience, and Robbie and Sage gave the crowd everything they had. They were dueling against each other, pushing themselves for glory, and by that act, pushing each other. They were both winners here with Robbie leaping into the crowd like a soaring Messiah, making love to the microphone pole, telling the world his secrets with the deepest of growls; and Sage slinking along the sides, surging forward to join his equal, then disappearing into the shadows of the stage, giving the audience only a glimpse of his blistering fingers and the incinerating peels of sound he demanded from his guitar. It was an epic, flawless, tingling-deep-in-my-belly type of show.

Like any good music journalist--or rock musician--though, our narrator doesn't take herself too seriously, and on the very next page she adds, "It was all the purple prose in the world," which made me smile.

Halle has also clearly done her research into the 1970s rock scene, and while the band Dawn tours with, Hybrid, is invented, the book is full of real-life musical references. There's a visit to Creem magazine headquarters and a run-in with Lester Bangs; a live performance from an up-and-coming Tom Waits; and plenty of mentions of Patti Smith, Lisa Robinson, and Pamela des Barres. In fact, one thing I really appreciated about the novel was the honest portrayal of women's place in the 1970s rock culture, including the sexism they faced. While Almost Famous touched a bit on these issues, as a story seen through the eyes of a teenage boy, it did romanticize the rock scene a bit. The Devil's Metal, on the other hand, tells it like it is. In a particularly powerful scene early in the novel, Dawn is first belittled by the other (male) journalists backstage, and then she retreats to the band's dressing room, where she finds the male band members' behavior...well...hard to stomach. (For the record, I didn't find it all that bad...or maybe I just read too many rock star biographies.) Overall, I was really glad that Halle showed the dark side of sex, drugs, and groupie culture as well as the allure.

Now I'm sure everyone is wondering, how does the horror element fit into this? Can it possibly work? The fact is that the horror in The Devil's Metal works very, very well for a few reasons. First off, Hybrid is a heavy metal band, and Halle really uses the black magic/occult/horror-movie-inspired aspect of metal to her advantage, with many references to Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath. In addition, the late 60s and 70s marked a HUGE explosion in horror films, as the idealism of the early 60s shifted to the darker economic and political climate of the 70s. George Romero, John Carpenter, and Wes Craven all debuted in this era, along with classics like The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Halle doesn't refer to any of these movies directly--which I think was a good call--but she definitely references the economic and social climate and its impact on the novel's characters. That darkness, combined with the eerie, supernatural, horror-movie-like imagery, infuses the novel with a constant, underlying sense of dread. I also loved that Halle has Dawn reading a book called Carrie by "some new author"!

The number-one reason the horror works so well, though, is that as in all the best horror movies and books, the scares take their resonance from real-life situations and emotions--situations that are just amplified to a supernatural, metaphorical extreme. Everyone who's watched an episode of Behind the Music knows that seeking fame and fortune, especially in the rock-and-roll world, is a bit like selling your soul to the devil. Most of the issues the band faces--the drummer who was hired out of necessity and doesn't really fit in, the emotionally unstable female bassist whose band-member boyfriend cheats, the seemingly psychopathic groupies--are very believable, just taken to a newly terrifying level. In addition, Halle skillfully combines many of the scary scenes with Dawn's memories of and pain over her mother's death. Grounding the supernatural elements in true-to-life emotions makes them feel all the more real, and all the more horrifying.

Of course I can't end this review without saying something about our love interest, Sage Knightly. Sage is the ultimate dark, brooding, tortured rock star, and he is HOT. While Sage is, of course, a handsome guy, it's his talent and love for music that really makes him attractive. Sometimes I have a hard time believing the tortured love interest is a real person, rather than an idealized character, but Halle gave Sage enough faults and insecurities to make him feel very real. In addition, Halle's writing has a wonderful physicality to it (and I'm not just talking about the sex scenes...) that makes Sage a powerful, authentic presence throughout the book.

As for the ending...I had a sneaking suspicion about something throughout the book, and just when I'd decided I was wrong, the author caught me by surprise! I also had a how-did-I-not-realize-what-that-meant, smack-myself-on-the-forehead moment, and I always appreciate it when a book does this! Overall, The Devil's Metal has a satisfying conclusion...along with the perfect horror-movie ending that sets us up for the sequel.

Karina Halle has become one of my favorite authors not only for her writing style but her strong character developments and fantastically written plots. She's an auto buy for me and I'm so happy to read something new straight from the mind of this creative genius.

The characters... Dawn is a great lead character. She's authentic and deals with everything that is thrown at her with a strong spine. So much crazy stuff happens but she keeps her cool. Sage is a mystery but a great one at that. He's like a present at Christmas time that you can't freaking wait to unwrap. I wanted to unwrap Sage for more than one reason. ;) The cast of characters is varied and they all add different layers to this book. I enjoyed all of them immensely. Even the creepy ones. Those are the ones you have to watch out for.

The plot... From the start the plot is set at a great pace. We aren't overwhelmed with too much information and are given just enough to give us clues for what is to come and keep us on the edge of our seats. The scenes flow from one to the other very smoothly and set up a wicked pace for the last half of the book. The horror elements are laced in with fantastic imagery and build-up to a terrifying speed.

Some of my favorite things in this book include Dawn and Sage. Sage is, well, something else entirely. Not paranormally speaking. He's just this sexy, dark and mysterious puzzle that slowly unravels. His page time with Dawn is fantastic and eagerly had me flipping pages to see what would happen next. Jacob! Another fantastic addition the the story arc! As far as Jacobs are concerned, I had some questions answered but a whole slew of them were raised as well. As an EIT fan, I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

Another highly enjoyable part of the book is all the music. Music is a passion and I love how this is not only rich with decade inspired fashion and language, but how authentic all the music aspects are. The clubs, the tours, the fans... I was thrown into a decade long since passed and I loved every minute of it.

I just have to finish by saying two things. The last two chapters. HOLY CRAP! Seriously! Grab onto your seat 'cause it's a wild ride! Karina finished the story arc perfect in my opinion and left a few lingering questions as a great segue for the sequel. Fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a different conclusion. Second thing I want to say? Holy hell Batman hot steamy sexy times! Whew! She knows how to write a sex scene without being too crude or having it be unbelievable. The scenes were perfect and complimented the story completely.

If you are in the market for something new and unique, this book is for you. It's sexy and terrifying all at once. Give it a try today!

Karina Halle is known for her ever-growing series, Experiment in Terror. While's Halle is still writing more books for EIT, she has also had time to write this very different novel. Sh has shown me as a reader that Perry and Dex aren't the only characters I wish to follow along with.

I seem to always be drawn to a well written book that involves music in such a prominent way that The Devil's Metal does. I feel that the way Halle has written the experience of touring with a metal band, written the shows, and the views of outsiders looking in on a 70′s band is very consistent with books I've read on similar topics. At first I wasn't sure how a book set back a few decades would work, when the author herself wasn't around to experience it first hand. She proved me wrong with that and I feel this novel had to take place in that decade. It fit perfectly.

Another aspect of the writing I greatly enjoyed was the characters. Sometimes in books there are a few well written, deep characters. You get to know them well and secondary characters seem to fall short in some way or another. That's not the case here. There wasn't any characters in this book that seemed flat in the least. Even characters the reader might only see for a scene or two feel like they are very real. The reader's able to get to know and enjoy everyone. Nothing seemed glossed over and this also helped in sympathizing for the characters, no matter how small their role was.

So, you get that this is about a rock band and a journalist. You can get that from reading the description. But what sets this book apart from some other book about touring with a band? I'll make it simple. Think about the movie Almost Famous. It's similar in the sense that a young aspiring journalist is touring with a band in the same era. Now act as if it were written by someone like Stephen King. Yea, f***ed up right? The horror element of this story set it apart from anything else similar I've read. What I liked about it was that it seemed less on the paranormal side (as far as I'm used to in paranormal books) and more straight up horror. There's a very real world feel to the novel. I never really expected anything abnormal to pop up. Then it did. But did it really? Were the characters just delusional or on drugs? Then it happens again, but I still was questioning it. I enjoy that. Sometimes I need a break from just accepting the fact that something paranormal or supernatural is common place for characters. Karina Halle KNOWS how to write horror into the real world expertly.

This is the first book in a two-part "series." In ways I'd be happy having this as a stand alone, one book only story line. But I fell in love with the characters and will need to pick up the next book as soon as it comes out. I have a feeling the next book will knock me on my a** with more intensity. Things can only get even better from here!

4.5 stars

Be careful what you wish for...

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll... oh my! When Karina Halle said that we were in for a wild ride with this book, she wasn't kidding. As her first book outside of the Experiment in Terror series, I'd say she knocked it out of the park.

The Devil's Metal is told from the perspective of our narrator, Dawn. She's a sweet, but strong 21 year old red-head (I am too so I obviously love that detail) who is determined to complete her article and make a name for herself as a music journalist. Then there's her best friend, Melanie, who is funny as hell with a whole lot of sass. She tells Dawn just how it is and doesn't apologize for it. I absolutely love Mel! When we finally meet the band they are...well some of them are great. Others not so much. Then there are those that you won't be able to form an opinion on for a while. Like Jacob. Good guy/bad guy, love `em/hate `em? I'll tell you I could do without Graham, that's for sure! I was excited by Robbie and his crazy flirtatious ways, torn by Noelle and Mickey's relationship, and more than a little curious about the seemingly quiet (and sexy as hell) Sage... Sage who Dawn has had a crush on since she became a fan of Hybrid. The same Sage who does not want her covering their tour and apparently wants nothing to do with her.

Quote:
"But try as I did, I could not keep me eyes off of Sage Knightly. I just couldn't help myself. Seeing this man on stage was like watching a lion prowl along the crest of his kingdom."

As the story progresses so does Dawn's fascination with him...

Quote:
"I don't get you."
"No one said you had to," he said casually. "I'm not some puzzle to be solved."
But you are, I thought.

You'll find yourself wanting to get closer to him just as Dawn does. At times he's actually vulnerable, dare I say loveable, and always overwhelmingly sexy! Did I mention Sage was hot? I did? Ok. Because he is. WICKED!

What I respect most about Halle's writing is the thought she puts in to developing her characters and the relationships between them. Dawn's relationships with the different band mates were unique and grew slowly and realistically. There was no insta-love bullshit to contend with. Attraction? Definitely. Angst? Absolutely. Hot, mind-blowing sex? You betcha (and frankly, I wanted MORE of that). But everything the characters did made sense. Each had their own distinct voice and motivations. When she writes, nothing ever feels forced. Her characters are not perfect. All of them have flaws. All of them could be real. Let's be honest, I wish some of them were real.

As is the case with all of her books, Halle uses a simple, yet descriptive writing style. The perfect pace and plot line of The Devil's Metal will have you reading well into the night and all the musical references may have you ringing up your itunes bill. But be aware, this is not just a simple beach read. It is an experience. It will subtly wrap around you and pull you right on that tour bus with Dawn and Hybrid. You'll be waiting in the shadowed wings watching the band from on stage; you'll stand in the audience being jostled about, the smell of pot and sweat in the air; you'll be freaking out because of creepy groupies with violet, dead eyes; you'll be fighting a constant sense of foreboding and dread; you'll be on the tour bus trying to convince yourself you didn't see or hear what you just thought you did; you'll be sitting in a bar with Sage getting blitzed... You'll laugh, you'll cringe, you'll feel like your heart is going to burst out of your chest, you'll feel pain and loss, but there's hope too.

In the end, you'll have answers to some things and big questions about others. The conclusion is totally satisfying and perfectly sets up the sequel. It's not a cliffhanger, but you'll definitely be anxious wondering what's up next for Dawn. If you haven't bought this book yet, do. Now. And make sure you move it right to the top of your to-be-read list. Thanks to Karina Halle for another awesome read!

Karina Halle writes yet another marvelous and a bit terrifying work with The Devil's Metal. Set in 1974, The Devil's Metal takes readers through the world of rock and roll complete with sex, drugs, and just a smidgen of the creepy supernatural. Maybe a bit more than a smidgen, but Karina Halle has a remarkable talent for writing hair-raising stories, without being cheesy or too over the top scary. My favorite part about The Devil's Metal is how the story and the writing really sucked me in, and pulled me out of my reality into the story for a few hours.

The main character Dawn is given the opportunity of a lifetime as both a fan and as someone who hopes to become a music journalist; she is asked to go on tour with her favorite band, Hybrid. Dawn is a small town farm and rodeo girl, who has been taking care of her father and brother since her mother's death. Dawn jumps at the chance to find out what goes on behind the scenes of the rock and roll world. It is not too long before Dawn starts to feel out of her element, but she sticks in there anyway. I really like how she perseveres even through some of the tougher situations that sex, drugs, and even rock and roll brings on. Throughout the story, Dawn grows and changes which I really liked experiencing.

As for the eye candy, the boys of Hybrid are not bad looking at all. There is Robbie the charismatic, and charming lead singer, and Sage the mysterious leader of the band. Mickey and Noelle are a tragic couple trying to keep their relationship alive in the midst of all the temptations of the road. Out of all the band members though, Dawn wants to discover the mystery behind the man that is Sage.

I think the author's insight into music journalism lends to the authentic feel to the story, and the rock and roll lifestyle. Even though I was not even alive during the 70s, the story still feels like it could have happened minus the creepy supernatural aspect. There is a lot of drugs, alcohol, and some sexual situations in the book, and this book is categorized as New Adult. That means that this book is not meant for anyone under the age of 18. I cannot wait to see what the second book holds.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received a copy of this book for the tour, in exchange for an honest review**

The Devil's Metal is something like Almost Famous, had it been written by Stephan King. It is a demonic thrill ride that takes you from the innocence of a small town to the drug induced, sex addled corruption of a group of musicians willing to do almost anything to make it big.

Dawn starts off as a young woman looking to break into music journalism and show her ex-boyfriend that she's more than just a small town rodeo queen. When she accepts an offer to chronicle the tour of her favorite band, she gets so much more than she bargained for.

Dawn gets a bassist who hates her, a singer who wants to screw her, a Devil worshiping drummer that scares her, a lead guitarist that just wants her gone and a few groupies that seem to want her dead. All she wants is to get her story.

The story itself starts out a bit slow but you're able to get a great sense of who Dawn is and what her life is really all about. You have a chance to meet her brother who suffers from his own debilitating issues and her spunky best friend Mel, who makes a wonderful side kick.

It all picks up when she hits the road and the ambiguous Sage Knightly enters her life. At first he doesn't give her the time of day except to say he doesn't want her there, but when dark forces show their presence and their deep desire to take down the band and all associated with it, he is the one person Dawn can rely on. The sexual tension between the two grows at a nice simmer, but once the heat is turned up the pot boils over and you get one steaming hot relationship. Halle writes her sex scenes as if she was a man who has a full grasp on what women like. Does that make sense? You don't get NC-17 here, it's full on R and she doesn't soften her words like you may expect from some female authors.

The paranormal aspect also grows slowly. It's peppered in from near the beginning but doesn't hit a full assault until much farther along. Again, Halle does not soften these attacks. They are gory, spine-tingling scary moments and I loved every minute of them.

The 1970's setting and all the music references leave you with a bit of nostalgia and may just have you pulling out your old Led Zeppelin vinyl. Though, you probably don't still have anything to spin it on! It gives you a nice peak at what life on the road for groupie swarmed musicians may have been like back then. Grittie, dirty, sexy and swimming in liquor.

The Devil's Metal is the first book I've read of Karina Halle's but I'll tell you, immediately after finishing I headed to Goodreads to check out all her works and marked a few as to read. What can I say? I'm a fan!

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ~ it kinda rocked!

Karina Halle writes yet another marvelous and a bit terrifying work with The Devil's Metal. Set in 1974, The Devil's Metal takes readers through the world of rock and roll complete with sex, drugs, and just a smidgen of the creepy supernatural. Maybe a bit more than a smidgen, but Karina Halle has a remarkable talent for writing hair-raising stories, without being cheesy or too over the top scary. My favorite part about The Devil's Metal is how the story and the writing really sucked me in, and pulled me out of my reality into the story for a few hours.

The main character Dawn is given the opportunity of a lifetime as both a fan and as someone who hopes to become a music journalist; she is asked to go on tour with her favorite band, Hybrid. Dawn is a small town farm and rodeo girl, who has been taking care of her father and brother since her mother's death. Dawn jumps at the chance to find out what goes on behind the scenes of the rock and roll world. It is not too long before Dawn starts to feel out of her element, but she sticks in there anyway. I really like how she perseveres even through some of the tougher situations that sex, drugs, and even rock and roll brings on. Throughout the story, Dawn grows and changes which I really liked experiencing.

As for the eye candy, the boys of Hybrid are not bad looking at all. There is Robbie the charismatic, and charming lead singer, and Sage the mysterious leader of the band. Mickey and Noelle are a tragic couple trying to keep their relationship alive in the midst of all the temptations of the road. Out of all the band members though, Dawn wants to discover the mystery behind the man that is Sage.

I think the author's insight into music journalism lends to the authentic feel to the story, and the rock and roll lifestyle. Even though I was not even alive during the 70s, the story still feels like it could have happened minus the creepy supernatural aspect. There is a lot of drugs, alcohol, and some sexual situations in the book, and this book is categorized as New Adult. That means that this book is not meant for anyone under the age of 18. I cannot wait to see what the second book holds.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received a copy of this book for the tour, in exchange for an honest review**

Karina Halle is brilliant!!Not only are the characters so real and likable but the plot moves so well.It felt like a movie being played out in my mind!!
She has become one of my favorite authors not only for her writing style but her strong character developments and the fantastic plots!!
Let's start our trip back in the summer of 1974..
The main character Dawn is given the opportunity of a lifetime as both a fan and as someone who hopes to become a music journalist.She is asked to go on tour with her favorite band, Hybrid.
Dawn is a small town farm and rodeo girl who has been taking care of her father and brother since her mother’s death.
Dawn jumps at the chance to find out what goes on behind the scenes of the rock and roll world..
Dawn is thrust into the world of Hybrid and is seeing and experiencing things that she never has before.But she takes it all in her stride.
She try to handle to be near the man whose posters she has on her wall. The man who is her musical crush,Sage Knightly...
Sage is totally hot and drool worthy!!I want a Sage for myself..I loved the moments he was around and the sex scene..
But then not long into the tour she starts seeing and hearing strange things. At first she tries to write them off, but eventually they can't be ignored...
The demons in the story,they were seriously creepy. Definitely not your usual paranormal fair...
I look forward to the next in this series to see what demons Sage and Dawn must face together!!!

~Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

"If you take ALMOST FAMOUS and you throw in a decent amount of QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, minus the vampires but keeping it paranormal, then you will get THE DEVIL'S METAL. And if there is one author out there that can pull that off and make me want to read it and like it, then that's Karina Halle." ~ Under the Covers

Let me start by saying that this book scared the bejesus out of me! No, not all the time, but I did have to put it down for the night because it was not what I wanted to be reading at 1am while everything was dark and I was getting creeped out. LOL But I enjoyed every bit of it!

If you take ALMOST FAMOUS and you throw in a decent amount of QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, minus the vampires but keeping it paranormal, then you will get THE DEVIL'S METAL. And if there is one author out there that can pull that off and make me want to read it and like it, then that's Karina Halle.

This is a unique story set in the 1970s of a young aspiring reporter and music reviewer who gets the chance of a lifetime... going on tour with her favorite band to write an article about them for Creem Magazine. It's a tough world out there for a female journalist and this is the piece that will make her known. Of course, it helps she's with the band.

Dawn is 21, her mother killed herself, her dad is an alcohol and her younger brother has Tourette Syndrome. To say she's had a tough life is an understatement. She still has a great attitude and a lot of drive. The love interest in this story is the dark and brooding guitarist of Hybrid, Sage Knightly. I had an instant fascination with him but it wasn't until closer to the end of the book that he started puling at the strings of my heart. And then there's the band.

"We all lost our souls when we joined this band...... "

The band has issues, and they don't know it yet. I won't tell you what the book is about because it was fun to be surprised and spooked along while reading it, but I will say this... Be careful what you wish you.

This book had a bit of everything. Crazy rockstar sex and drug antics, near death moments, creepy gross moments, and a whole lot of WTF?!?!? Karina Halle didn't pull any punches and dug in. I've come to think of her books as MUST WATCH because, quite frankly, this would make a great horror movie!

The ending was not how I expected things to go down, and the twist (or would that be a cliffhanger) at the end was something I had seen coming for a little while. The clues were there, but it still doesn't make sense to me. I just don't think Dawn did the same as Sage, so how did she find herself in that position. But that's a story for the next book to explain.

On a side note...

From the blurb..."The Devil's Metal is the first book in a two-part New Adult Horror/Paranormal Romance and very (very!) loosely based on the author's exploits as a music journalist. Hell comes in different forms."

What? Seriously!? I just have to know which parts are the "loosely" based on...teehee.

Favorite Quote:

"Finding someone you truly love is much harder than finding someone to love you."

*Review copy provided by publisher via Netgalley

Thanks to Netgalley and Diversion Books for providing me with a copy of this book!

This was my first Karina Halle book, whom it seems has quite the following of fans. Her books are all very well-received according to Goodreads and I was very interested to read what seemed like a different spin on the trendy New Adult genre.

I found this to be a very entertaining read. I loved all the research that Halle had to have done about what was going on in the music world in 1974 and I found myself giggling at the descriptions of clothing and especially the male characters' facial hair. Different standards of handsome back then, that's for sure!

Dawn was a really great heroine. She knew what she wanted and where she was going. She wasn't a shrinking violet and she definitely could hang with the boys. I liked that she had her own personal issues to deal with, things to work through as she went on the tour, and also that she had a family to ground her in reality. The "new adult" part about being in a transition period in your life was certainly true here - Dawn was given a "big break" in her career as a music journalist and as result of her experience on the Hybrid tour, she makes a mature choice for the next step in her journey. She also didn't do the "girl" thing in the end, which I appreciated. The other characters are lots of fun, particularly Robbie, Sage and Mel, and I enjoyed getting to know them.

The parts that threw me a bit were the paranormal elements. I didn't quite feel that the "system" of demons and contracts was solid and I didn't totally understand the purpose of all the players. Halle waited an awfully long time to fill us in on the truth of what was going on - for most of the book, part of me wondered if we were really dealing with monsters or was this a psychological or drug thing? Despite all the incidents and "evidence" I felt it could have gone either way. It was around 80% in when we finally learned what was really going on - and the build was relatively subtle. This is also quite a long read and while it never became a chore to read, I wonder if it maybe could have been edited down a bit more.

3.5/5 - I liked it and found it to be a refreshing in a sea of NA sameness. I'll definitely be looking out for the sequel!

Great book to read for October and the playlist which I think fits perfectly for this time period is below. Thanks to my parents, I grew up listening to all of the music in this book.

This is 1974 and it took me a little while to remember that. The drug thing threw me off totally at first but quickly I remembered the day and age. People were a lot looser in what they did and who they trusted. It was the age of bra burning, free living, sex, drugs and of course rock n roll.

That being said, this was a really interesting twist of a story. The basic plot is great, Dawn, who is called Rusty through most of the book because of her red hair, is hanging out with a popular band while doing articles for Creem. That's where it starts but boy does it get weird fast! Dawn starts to see stuff and you're left wondering if it's just the drug induced atmosphere that is getting to her but I can tell you Dawn doesn't do the hard stuff so you're left trying to put together what she's seeing with what she's being told. Which of course is basically nothing!

Dawn's a strong, smart girl, a bit stubborn but I love that about her. She doesn't let things get to her even when there is absolutely no explanation for what is going on. She feels like she can't turn to anyone to find out what is really going on because who would believe what she's been seeing? Vampires? Demons? They'd think she was mental right? So she's left to deal with quite a bit of weird stuff on her own as well as her own personal issues. Not something that most could do easily. Dawn's best friend Mel, who kind of reminds me of Mel B from the Spice Girls, quirky, fun, a little on the loose side, is crazy but super fun. She reminds Dawn that life is fun not all serious, keep your feet on the ground stuff. I absolutely love her!

The band is crazy. Seriously. I guess they're your normal hard rock band from the 70′s. Trying to push the limits but being pushed by themselves, the fan, peer pressure, pressure in general. Plus the stigma of dying before you turn 28 is a huge fear. All the greats died right before their 28th birthday and the lead guitarist's birthday is looming. This just adds into the freaky atmosphere. Plus the fact that Dawn walks in on some pretty interesting situations...

It gets really weird before the end and I absolutely loved it. I read straight through not wanting to put the book down, plus as things get worse and worse you're left trying to add things up that just don't seem possible. In the end it's left on a cliff hanger but I didn't think it really all came together. I'm left asking questions for Dawn but I'm really curious for book two in the series, The Devil's Reprise which will hopefully answer those questions!

Definitely NOT a teen book. Sex, drugs and rock n roll for adults. But it was a fun, easy read, albeit freaky enough for October!

**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review**

I'm a big fan of Karina Halle, ever since I read Sins & Needles. After that, I picked up every single book of hers that was out (the entire Experiment in Terror series) and devoured them! When I saw this on NG, I HAD to request it and I was so happy when I got approved!

I read it immediately and loved it! I thought I wrote a review awhile back, but apparently I was wrong. :/

The Devil's Metal is about a rock band whose lead singer has quite the interesting past, and a music journalist/groupie who is fresh out of school and ends up touring with the band.

I don't want to give away too much because part of the fun of this book is discovering the story behind these characters as you read - but I will say that Karina knocks it out of the park again. Her characters are (as always) well fleshed out, gritty and realistic, interesting, and all around awesome. She also sneaks in a little of the horror element that fans of her Experiment in Terror series will know and love.

Definitely check this one out! I purchased the sequel and haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I can't wait!

Aspiring music journalist Dawn Emerson is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity: Tour with her favorite band, Hybrid. Wanting to earn a credible reputation, Dawn strives to get her story, but stay above the scandalous adventures the band has behind the scenes. The lure of drugs and seduction is hard to resist, particularly when it's offered by your idols. Day by day, Dawn becomes closer to the band, and even begins to join them in the fun. But soon enough, the demons come out to play, and people begin to die. Turns out, someone made a dangerous deal to secure Hybrid's place in the music industry, and it's time to pay up.

The best way I can describe The Devil's Metal is... Almost Famous with demons. Sounds incredibly strange, yes? Much like that iconic movie, you have a young protagonist (but in this case, older and female) touring with her favorite band, in an effort to get the "big" story, and make a name for herself as a music journalist. Because I consider Almost Famous one of the best movies ever, and because I'm obsessed with music, this story held automatic appeal for me. If The Devil's Metal had been simply that story, I would have been fine with that.

But, this isn't simply that story. This is also the story of a band that paid a steep price for success. A price that is now being collected. Karina Halle is fantastic at delivering the creepy. I'm a huge fan of all her books, surprising since I don't typically read or watch horror. But I find her style works for me. It's scary enough to give me the heebie-jeebies, but not so much that I'm tempted to sleep with a steak knife under my pillow.

I tend to like my books with a contemporary setting. I usually find myself annoyed by the constant references that are meant to remind me of the specific time in which the story is set. The exception are books set in the 1990s (THE BEST!!) and 1980s. The 1970s are my hard limit. This era is doable; any further back and I'm done. The fact that The Devil's Metal is set in the 1970s means that you get tragic fashion and decor, but rad music. Due to the very thorough inclusion of the era's lingo, trends, and pop culture, Karina Halle gives the reader an authentic look at at that place in time.And truly, from a rock history stand point, the story is fascinating.

From beginning to end, I found The Devil's Metal to be a very good book. The story had a fairly solid resolution. The Prologue, however, delivered another big dose of WTF, and you better believe that I'll be on board for book two.

The Devil's Metal is another solid, unique story from the very gifted Karina Halle.

I have devoured everything Karina Halle has written. The EIT series is one of my favorites and I highly anticipated her first non EIT full length novel, The Devil's Metal. Did I think it would be good, yes- I love Karina's unique writing style: perfect detail, witty, engrossing, personal with a mind-blowing supernatural creepiness. Her characters are ones that you fall in love with, route for, hate, cry over and never ever forget. Did I think I would love this new book, first in a series- I was not sure, but after finishing TDM in the wee hours of the morning, I was on a Karina Crack Book high once again.

What I loved most:

* The depth of the characters
* The setting-seventies rock band on tour across the country in a funky old bus
* The musical references
* The suspense and eerie-factor -the demons scared the crap out of me
* The sexual tension between Dawn and Sage
* Sage- one beautifully sculpted, talented and dark soul
* And.. the fact that I have at least one, hopefully more *pretty please* books in this series to look forward to.

Favorite Quotes-

Dawn on a rival journalist:
"I really couldn't stand his chauvinistic opinions, nor the fact that he always had one long nose hair sticking out of his right nostril"

Dawn on Sage:
"I briefly wondered if the body of a god was one of the things he had bargained for as well, then I decided he was just damn lucky with genetics"

Sage to Dawn:
"He put his face right up to mine, his eyes were blazing. "I am not going to let you die. You hear me? I won't let that happen. No matter what."

"God, you're beautiful, Dawn"

Wasn't that into this book. The "scary" parts of the book weren't scary and the build up of all the events happening to the band was a disappointment in how it was resolved. Also the "love" story aspect wasn't that satisfying either.

The "scary" was suppose to be demons going after your soul. But what ended up happening instead was a bunch of girl groupies following the bad around and bullying Dawn. The GTFO girls didn't seem so scary at all. The explanation of why the GTFO girls were there was really predictable. The ending seemed so short and the resolution wasn't really spectacular.

Towards the end, I started to read a bit more about the Jacobs and the Thin Veil which was interesting only because I had already read most books in the Experiment in Terror series. But the little that I did read in this book didn't even say a lot.

Skip this one of Karina Halle's - read Experiment in Terror instead.

Don't know how to hide spoilers on an the store review, so see my profile's website link for spoilers.

I became addicted to the Experiment in Terror series by Karina Halle months ago and have followed *stalked* her goodreads, facebook and twitter pages ever since, just to see what is up and when I can get my next fix. Well.... Jackpot! The Devil's Metal is something fantastic and it certainly filled my EIT void, or perhaps made my addiction that much stronger. I loved the characters in this book and the story was delivered in such a creative and consuming way that had me turning pages until the wee hours of the morning. This author is so gifted and unique, she puts her heart and soul into her work to the point that her passion is felt in every page of her books. So... I am writing this through dazed consciousness and blurry eyes, and I have so much more to say about this book... but HEY... the best thing I can say right now is- Read This Book and find out for yourself.

Ah, the 1970's... sex, drugs, and rocknroll. This was supposed to be my Halloween read, but it kept getting pushed back because honestly, I was too afraid to read it. I know I'm a big chicken sh't. It ended up being a Christmas surprise because I really, really liked it.

This is a coming of age story for 21 year old Dawn Emerson that takes place on a Heavy Metal tour bus in the summer of 1974. Think 'Almost Famous' but with a female college student, rock journalist. Add in some demonic groupies, a possessed drummer, and a band that may have made a deal with the devil for money and fame and you have THE DEVIL'S METAL.

Yes, this book had some scary parts but not too scary. There was a little bit of a romance blooming that I believe will take off in book #2 between Dawn and her rock idol Sage Knightly. I was left feeling this book was about Dawn discovering herself, finding her place in the world, and becoming a woman. All the while, battling inner demons, as well as, the hellish kind of demons.

I should've known I would love this. Katrina Halle does it again. I'm a huge fan of her Artist Trilogy, and I really liked the first book in The Experiment in Terror Series. (A series I plan to finish)
I don't read paranormal all that much, but I do enjoy it. Especially with the way this author writes, she sucks you and then spits you out, leaving you wondering what the HECK just happened.
The story was slow at first, took me a bit to get into. When we meet the band, the suspense picks up, and I couldn't put it down after that.
I definitely recommend for fans of N/A Genre with a twist of paranormal.
I gotta read the second, the epilogue has my head spinning.

It's Almost Famous with a demonic twist. The Devil's Metal is a creepy look at life on the road for a 1970's rock band through the eyes of a journalist. My family and friends know what a baby I am about anything remotely scary (and I was a bit nervous to pick this book up. I had visions of sleepless nights and mega nightmares when I began reading.) but I was able to handle this novel just fine.

Karina Halle does an amazing job of taking a plot that could turn out hokey and making it believable and creepy. Whether Dawn (aka Rusty) is on the tour bus with the band, back stage, or in a bar, it is easy to imagine the scene Halle paints. Feeling the emotions of the characters is equally simple . Everyone is well developed and you see many facets of each personality, not just the part that makes them the stereotypical character. Even the bus driver has more going on than trying to out-run the groupies.

The Devil's Metal is described as a paranormal romance, but it's a lot heavier on the freaky than the getting freaky unless you count the band members' random hookups. There is a romance, but it takes a bit to get there.

The spookiness also takes a bit to get there after a strange and creepy man speaks to Dawn in the very beginning of the novel. It gradually increases though and comes from surprising people. The demons are especially frightening to imagine and pop up in many unexpected places.

This insider's look at a touring band also provides insight into 70's rock that I found intriguing. I just missed this era, so I loved the nostalgia and the tidbits about bands that were popular at the time. Because Halle gives a sense of what life on the road is really like, there are sexual situations, drug use, and cursing that make The Devil's Metal inappropriate for younger readers. It didn't bother me in the least, but I also wouldn't let a 13-year old read it; it's New Adult instead of Young Adult for a reason.

And, while it doesn't play into the plot too much, I loved that Halle didn't ignore the fact that the basic premise of the story is just like the movie Almost Famous. In fact, she incorporates it into her book and has Dawn find out that the band requested "that kid from Rolling Stone" before she was contacted.

If you're looking for something a little scary to read around Halloween, The Devil's Metal is the perfect pick.

I received a copy of this book to review with my honest opinion, not for any type of compensation.

Sex. Drugs. Rock & Roll. Karina Halle? HELL YES!

I was interested to read a new book from this author. I went into it with extremely high expectations after reading, and falling madly in love with, her EIT series. I was not let down.
I will admit that I was a little disappointed in the end when Sage & Dawn didn't fall madly in love, but that's not what this story is about. It's not a romance. It's a gritty and creepy tale of a young girl and her experiences with a band indebted to a group of demons. It's intense and not afraid to break your heart. I loved the ending. It left so many questions that made your head spin, but it was perfect.
Another great book from an author who has quickly risen to my favorite authors list.

The Devil's Metal is something like Almost Famous, had it been written by Stephan King. It is a demonic thrill ride that takes you from the innocence of a small town to the drug induced, sex addled corruption of a group of musicians willing to do almost anything to make it big.

Dawn starts off as a young woman looking to break into music journalism and show her ex-boyfriend that she's more than just a small town rodeo queen. When she accepts an offer to chronicle the tour of her favorite band, she gets so much more than she bargained for.

Dawn gets a bassist who hates her, a singer who wants to screw her, a Devil worshiping drummer that scares her, a lead guitarist that just wants her gone and a few groupies that seem to want her dead. All she wants is to get her story.

The story itself starts out a bit slow but you're able to get a great sense of who Dawn is and what her life is really all about. You have a chance to meet her brother who suffers from his own debilitating issues and her spunky best friend Mel, who makes a wonderful side kick.

It all picks up when she hits the road and the ambiguous Sage Knightly enters her life. At first he doesn't give her the time of day except to say he doesn't want her there, but when dark forces show their presence and their deep desire to take down the band and all associated with it, he is the one person Dawn can rely on. The sexual tension between the two grows at a nice simmer, but once the heat is turned up the pot boils over and you get one steaming hot relationship. Halle writes her sex scenes as if she was a man who has a full grasp on what women like. Does that make sense? You don't get NC-17 here, it's full on R and she doesn't soften her words like you may expect from some female authors.

The paranormal aspect also grows slowly. It's peppered in from near the beginning but doesn't hit a full assault until much farther along. Again, Halle does not soften these attacks. They are gory, spine-tingling scary moments and I loved every minute of them.

The 1970's setting and all the music references leave you with a bit of nostalgia and may just have you pulling out your old Led Zeppelin vinyl. Though, you probably don't still have anything to spin it on! It gives you a nice peak at what life on the road for groupie swarmed musicians may have been like back then. Grittie, dirty, sexy and swimming in liquor.

The Devil's Metal is the first book I've read of Karina Halle's but I'll tell you, immediately after finishing I headed to Goodreads to check out all her works and marked a few as to read. What can I say? I'm a fan!

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ~ it kinda rocked!

4.5 Stars!!!!!!!!!
Wow!! Karina Halle does not disappoint with this rock star/paranormal story with all it's unexpected surprises. I really enjoyed seeing things through the eyes of Dawn Emerson and how she portrays life on the road. Ooooohh and lets not forget the captivating and handsome Sage Knightly. But what ultimately had me captivated was the paranormal element that was thrown into the mix. I can honestly say the last 100 pages had me intrigued with all things that go bump in the night. This book def had the EIT vibe. I am so looking forward to reading the 2nd book.

After anticipating the release of The Devil's Metal for so long, I was worried I might be disappointed....but nooooooo, there's not a disappointed bone in my body! This story was everything it was cracked up to be and MORE. I loved Dawn and Sage... With the story taking place in 1974, it threw me back in time, since I graduated high school that year. So, I could actually relate to a lot of the background plot. I don't think there's anything Karina Halle could write that I wouldn't love. Her characters come to life in the best way.

It's like 'Almost Famous' meets Satan. I LOVED this book! I LOVED Sage and I'm hoping he will have more involvement in the next book. As well as cameos at least from Robbie, Noelle, and Jacob! And I LOVED Dawn. She was smart, strong and sassy. I felt like I could relate to her in so many ways, along with her kick ass taste in music. This book was sexy and terrifying. You cannot expect anything less than awesomeness with Karina's books. Karina Halle you are one of my favorite authors!

Read The Devil's Metal, and everything else from this author. She hooks you with fast paced stories and fantastic characters. This book is 271 pages, it's shorter than all her other books in the Experiment in Terror series. Sex, drugs, rock, and demons. A tour bus on the highway to hell!

In 1974, the college in Ellensburg was still called CWSC, Central Washington State College. It became CWU in 1977.

That said, please don't judge this book as less just because I am too immature to resist pointing out an error I was excited to catch. I haven't read the book, so I gave it a neutral 3 stars. Best wishes to the author from someone who was in Ellensburg in 1974.