Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance)

I felt so incredibly bad for Thanatos. He was left in a position by his very own family that kept him from living his life. Then he finds out the secret his family has been keeping from him since his, well, you have to call it what it is, imprisonment. I don’t know how he got past what Limos and Ares did to him. Even with the best intentions. He was royally screwed over by his family, by the Aegis, and Regan. Now he is determined to deal with the betrayal. At least he now knows this agimortis is not what he thinks it is and he is free from the restraint he has put on himself for thousands of years.

I had a hard time really dealing with Regan’s character. I was incredibly pissed at her. She starts to rethink what she did, sure. But she put herself in that position. Ugh, she just really irritated me. I can’t believe it took her so long to realize what was going on around her and change her plans and ideas. I’m so glad that Thanatos at least fought her a little. He wanted that baby, despite it’s purpose of conception. He wants a family and man, I just wanted him to have it.

When they all finally realize what Thanatos’s agimortis is, I was devastated. How were they going to get things lined up so perfectly so it all happened when it was supposed to? It was intense and I was so scared for Thanatos, Regan and the baby.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Definitely not a fan of Regan, but by the end, I felt a little bit better about her.

Guardian Regan Matthews is pregnant and almost ready to deliver. Normally women in her situation would be thrilled, counting the minutes and preparing everything for the new arrival... but hers is a quite different situation.

First of all, her baby was conceived in a very unorthodox way, one that made the father-to-be freak out and decide to kill her. So now she's in hiding and he's in an induced 'coma' of sorts, thanks to his siblings. A very strange situation, indeed. But it gets weirder. How? Well, the father is Thanatos, the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse. A.k.a Death, if his Seal breaks.

And in Thanatos' mind, Regan, an OCD Aegis Guardian and psychometric empath with other gifts, has tried to purposefully break his Seal. After drugging him with an aphrodisiac and trapping him in his own body with one of her abilities. Practically 'raping' him to end the world. Even if he did enjoy it immensely and wants to do it again, he's still majorly pissed off and wanted to kill her. Until he found out she was pregnant with his baby, of course. He did get pissed off all over again when she told him they wouldn't be raising the baby.

Regan feels terrible for what happened that day. She really regrets it, but she was drugged as well, by one of Than's vampires, and didn't notice that Thanatos was 'restrained' by her powers at all. She also was not aware that there was a possibility os his Seal breaking and releasing the Apocalypse on Earth. As a matter of fact, she was made to believe quite the contrary. And now she's knocked up by a very, very mad Horseman. Very hot, too. Who wants her to make up for the eight months in which he was trapped by his siblings so as not to kill many people with his rage. And he wants her to make up for this time sexually. While they try to understand each other, his brother, whose Seal broke and is now known as Pestilence, is wreaking havoc all around the world. And he wants to kill his baby.

Oh, man. I've been waiting patiently to read this gem for months now!!! Thanatos is the perfect example of the wounded, flawed hero. And super hot and damaged. How can a girl not go crazy over that?

It was kind weird to read about a man going on about how his virginity/his seed/his innocence were stolen, though. You usually expect a heroine to whine about that kind of thing. LOL. But it was completely understandable. He wasn't overly whiny about it, thankfully. Just indignant for a while. Then things became much more interesting.

Larissa Ione always manages to surprise me with the depth of her characters and the twists in all of her plots. When you finally think you're getting something... everything changes. LOL. It should be frustrating, but it's really refreshing. Thanatos has been my favorite character ever since the first book in the series, so I was in absolute heaven just reading more and more about him. He suffered so much... it felt good to see him finally find some happiness.

Also, her angels are very different from what we are used to expect from angels, so that, too, is quite fascinating to read about. No perfect little goody-shoes in these books. They are good, of course, but even they are not perfect... and even their goodness can go bad. LOL.

But I particularly want to see more of Harvester. She gives me very mixed feelings. Oh, and I'm dying to know what really went on in Reaper's past. And what awaits him in the future... The curiosity is burning me up!

Not to mention that I want to see more of Reseph/Pestilence. Like, right NOW. You are killing me, Mrs. Ione!!! In a good way, obviously. Sort of. LOL. That first chapter only served to make me squirm! December, come quick. :X

If you don't mind some spoilers, check out the synopsis for Rogue Rider. It sounds like it will be out-of-this-world good. :)

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

*NO SPOILERS

Larissa Ione has done it again! Lethal Rider is a fantastic romance with incredible fast-paced action that will leave you breathless and break your heart.

With every book I read from Larissa Ione, I am more and more amazed with her ability to write with the perfect balance between HOT Romance and an Action packed adventure. I can honestly count on one hand's finger how many author have that incredible talent. Every single book I read by Larissa Ione feels so effortless and is absolutely impossible to stop reading for a second!

Lethal Rider is the story of Thanatos, the Horseman of the Apocalypse also known as Death. Than's road to happiness started back in Immortal Rider, but we get the whole of it in Lethal Rider and what an amazing ride it is.

Than is damaged, to say the least, and after 5 thousand years of life, a terrible curse, uncountable deaths and losing a brother to Evil, Happiness is the furthest thing from his mind and heart, regardless of how much he might desire it.

Regan is a Guardian/Warrior of the Aegi, the human organization that hunts demons. Ever since the dominos have started fallen and the Apocalypse has become more imminent, the Aegi has been changing its ways, allying with Demons and Vampires with like minds and trying to find a way to save the World.

When Regan follows an order from the Aegi in accordance with a prophecy, her fate interconnects with Thanatos' and both their lives will never be the same. Regan is just as damaged as Than, she just has had a shorter life span. Born from an Aegi Guardian Mother's coupling with her Guardian Husband while possessed by a Demon, Regan has incredible powers that the Aegi fear and therefore treat her like a freak.

Feeling unwanted from birth, Regan has only the Aegi to call her own, but when her fate joins Thanatos', life as she knew it will never be the same and it is time for her to create her own destiny.

One of the most incredible things about Larissa Ione's novels is that they are never just about the Happily Ever After of a couple. We have so much going on and so much fast-paced action that it is impossible not to be enthralled by the stories Larissa weaves. Not to mention her talent in making the Demonica and the Lords of Deliverance series almost one and the same by giving
us glimpses of our favorite Demonica characters! All I can say to that is: YAY!

Lethal Rider is the perfect addition to the amazing Lords of Deliverance series. If you have yet to
read this series or author, get off your butt and so right now! If you are a fan like me, you will absolutely LOVE Lethal Rider!

4.5 Feathers
Lethal Rider
Reviewed by Francesca & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

This has been a highly anticipated book for me. We are getting close to the Apocalypse, will they be able to prevent it or will all hell literally break loose?
At the end of Immortal Rider Regan, a member of the Aegi, had volunteered to have sex with Thanatos and get pregnant. The whole thing went down with all kinds of betrayal and I couldn't help but feel like beating Regan to a pulp by the end of that book.

Lethal Rider starts eight and a half months later. Regan is very much pregnant and in the custody of the Aegis and Thanatos has been in a hellhound saliva induced frozen state for that whole time, not knowing Regan was pregnant. When the hellhound saliva wears off before it should and he's able to escape and goes straight for that pull he has towards Regan, he finds it's not just her, she's carrying his child, so he kidnaps her to bring her to his home and keep her safe until she gives birth to his agimortus, or baby.

I know some people are thinking "How could I be ok with her after what she did?" and I admit I felt a little bit like that but I understood her reasons why in this book perfectly. It's her past, the way she views herself and her relations with others and her loyalty to maybe the wrong people. I thought it was great that Thanatos took his time getting past that and it wasn't a magical "everything is ok now" moment. And of course, this is Thanatos we are talking about. Sexy bad boy, I just can't get enough of him!

What a rollercoaster of destruction and mayhem everywhere! The land down under has been taken over by hell, Pestilence is causing so much chaos everywhere, getting allies in all the wrong places, and destroying everything in his path.

What can you expect? Some things are not what they seem, angels, Aegi and vampires will throw you for a loop. Seems like you can't trust anyone! I loved seeing some of the past of Reseph's life, it wasn't much but it showed a caring side to him, and I admit I had to laugh at his music preferences! I feel this started setting him up as a character that we should like.

There are also some minor and major clues about the origin of the horsemen so watch out for the clues in this book, as well as more information about the daywalker vampires and Thanatos role in their existence.

There's just enough of the secondary characters that I love. Kynan, Wraith, Shade, Eidolon, Conan, Limos, and even a bit of Arik. I can't help but love that Ms. Ione keeps her old characters present and involved in her series.

So am I ready for Reseph now? Since I won't tell you what happens in this book, then I can only say after this one, you'll only want to get Rogue Rider that much faster!!!

*ARC provided by publisher

My Review:

This is another one of those books...taken by itself and ranked against just everything else that I read, it absolutely is an A or A+, but taken against all the other books in this series, it wasn't my favorite. That probably can be blamed on the fact the heroine was 8 1/2 months pregnant throughout the entire book so the normal chemistry and heat between the hero and heroine wasn't there. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely HEAT, but it's different in this book.

I just love this series. The creativity. The writing. The characters. It's all so well-done!!! This love story is the Third Horseman's, Thanatos, or Death. In the last novel, we saw him get basically raped by Regan, although there were extenuating circumstances. Since then, he's basically been kept in stasis and has no idea that she's pregnant with his baby...who has a monumental role in the Apocalypse. Because the baby is pivotal, everyone is after it. As for Regan, she has resolved to giving the baby away, knowing that will keep him safest. She knows that once Than is free, he is going to be livid and out for her blood and she accepts that she deserves that. She truly had feelings for Than and feels horribly guilty about what happened, although she wasn't in control of all her faculties during the event either.

There were certain aspects of this book that I loved...Regan's OCD and how she teaches Than some of her coping mechanisms. I loved his connection to the baby and how the baby protected her. The whole vampire thing was a HUGE surprise...I did not see that coming. The details about Than's tattoos and the way that all ended...really well-done!

As with all these books, there is a LOT happening here. The Apocalypse is right on the verge and the world is most definitely going to hell in the literal sense, so there is lots of scrambling going on. We get to see almost all the characters from both the Horsemen books and the Daemonica books, which was awesome...even though most of them are getting beaten into the ground at the time....not so good. It was still fun to see glimpses of them all.

I am so excited about Reseph's and Reaver's books coming up. Both their stories took some unexpected twists, although you knew something HUGE had to happen and I just can't wait to see where Larissa takes us next! Wherever she goes, I know I can count it's going to be a wild and extremely entertaining read!

4.5 Feathers
Lethal Rider
Reviewed by Francesca & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

This has been a highly anticipated book for me. We are getting close to the Apocalypse, will they be able to prevent it or will all hell literally break loose?
At the end of Immortal Rider Regan, a member of the Aegi, had volunteered to have sex with Thanatos and get pregnant. The whole thing went down with all kinds of betrayal and I couldn't help but feel like beating Regan to a pulp by the end of that book.

Lethal Rider starts eight and a half months later. Regan is very much pregnant and in the custody of the Aegis and Thanatos has been in a hellhound saliva induced frozen state for that whole time, not knowing Regan was pregnant. When the hellhound saliva wears off before it should and he's able to escape and goes straight for that pull he has towards Regan, he finds it's not just her, she's carrying his child, so he kidnaps her to bring her to his home and keep her safe until she gives birth to his agimortus, or baby.

I know some people are thinking "How could I be ok with her after what she did?" and I admit I felt a little bit like that but I understood her reasons why in this book perfectly. It's her past, the way she views herself and her relations with others and her loyalty to maybe the wrong people. I thought it was great that Thanatos took his time getting past that and it wasn't a magical "everything is ok now" moment. And of course, this is Thanatos we are talking about. Sexy bad boy, I just can't get enough of him!

What a rollercoaster of destruction and mayhem everywhere! The land down under has been taken over by hell, Pestilence is causing so much chaos everywhere, getting allies in all the wrong places, and destroying everything in his path.

What can you expect? Some things are not what they seem, angels, Aegi and vampires will throw you for a loop. Seems like you can't trust anyone! I loved seeing some of the past of Reseph's life, it wasn't much but it showed a caring side to him, and I admit I had to laugh at his music preferences! I feel this started setting him up as a character that we should like.

There are also some minor and major clues about the origin of the horsemen so watch out for the clues in this book, as well as more information about the daywalker vampires and Thanatos role in their existence.

There's just enough of the secondary characters that I love. Kynan, Wraith, Shade, Eidolon, Conan, Limos, and even a bit of Arik. I can't help but love that Ms. Ione keeps her old characters present and involved in her series.

So am I ready for Reseph now? Since I won't tell you what happens in this book, then I can only say after this one, you'll only want to get Rogue Rider that much faster!!!

*ARC provided by publisher

My Review:

This is another one of those books...taken by itself and ranked against just everything else that I read, it absolutely is an A or A+, but taken against all the other books in this series, it wasn't my favorite. That probably can be blamed on the fact the heroine was 8 1/2 months pregnant throughout the entire book so the normal chemistry and heat between the hero and heroine wasn't there. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely HEAT, but it's different in this book.

I just love this series. The creativity. The writing. The characters. It's all so well-done!!! This love story is the Third Horseman's, Thanatos, or Death. In the last novel, we saw him get basically raped by Regan, although there were extenuating circumstances. Since then, he's basically been kept in stasis and has no idea that she's pregnant with his baby...who has a monumental role in the Apocalypse. Because the baby is pivotal, everyone is after it. As for Regan, she has resolved to giving the baby away, knowing that will keep him safest. She knows that once Than is free, he is going to be livid and out for her blood and she accepts that she deserves that. She truly had feelings for Than and feels horribly guilty about what happened, although she wasn't in control of all her faculties during the event either.

There were certain aspects of this book that I loved...Regan's OCD and how she teaches Than some of her coping mechanisms. I loved his connection to the baby and how the baby protected her. The whole vampire thing was a HUGE surprise...I did not see that coming. The details about Than's tattoos and the way that all ended...really well-done!

As with all these books, there is a LOT happening here. The Apocalypse is right on the verge and the world is most definitely going to hell in the literal sense, so there is lots of scrambling going on. We get to see almost all the characters from both the Horsemen books and the Daemonica books, which was awesome...even though most of them are getting beaten into the ground at the time....not so good. It was still fun to see glimpses of them all.

I am so excited about Reseph's and Reaver's books coming up. Both their stories took some unexpected twists, although you knew something HUGE had to happen and I just can't wait to see where Larissa takes us next! Wherever she goes, I know I can count it's going to be a wild and extremely entertaining read!

Wow, this book was just jam packed with all sorts of storyline progress. There's the usual sexy goodness and witty banter that I expect from Larissa Ione, with so much action that I couldn't put the book down.

We meet up with Than and Regan almost 9 months after she got pregnant. She's been held at the Aegis headquarters to try to keep her safe. She's still conflicted and sad, but very determined to save her baby. Than has been drugged and going out of his mind. Through some magical meddling, Than escapes his caring captors to find Regan, drawn by the baby. This sets off a huge set of events that can't really be summarized. Reseph is still on a rampage, bad things are still happening around the world, we still don't know who the horsemen's father is, but the pieces are really starting to come together.

I'm especially glad that I read the short story in "Supernatural" before this one, and the short story in the "Apocalypse" compendium. It gave some insight that I appreciated while some things were coming together. I really like that the series spent so much time giving a nice HEA to Regan and Than, while I thought this book might spend more time on another pair of doomed mates. I absolutely can't wait to continue with this series.

I recieved a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

During his eight months of being paralyzed, Than can think of nothing but getting revenge on the woman you stole his virginity by force. When his "medication" (aka Hellhound saliva) wears off, he makes a bee line to make her pay. And he intends to do just that, until he finds out she is pregnant with his child. Talk about a double whammy. Not only did she basically rape him, but now she is carrying his child.

This book in my opinion, is the best in this series so far! There are lots of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I fell for Than and even Regan. I really didn't want to like her, but I just couldn't help it. There are lots of great characters in this book. I love that we got to see the Sem brothers again! Wraith shows up a lot in this book, and that is great for me, cause he's my favorite Sem. Lots of action and suspense. And some heart wrenching moments. You get to see the softer side of Than. I didn't want to put this book down. You also, get to see more of Reaver and hopefully, this is a sign that we will be getting his book soon. This book is sexy and riveting. I wouldn't expect anything less from Larissa Ione! You also get a sneak peek of Reseph's story, which promises to be EPIC!

Larissa Ione is one of my favorite authors right now! Ever since I picked up her Demonica series a few years ago I have been hooked. The Lords Of Deliverance series is a stand alone series but I fully recommend reading the Demonica series first because they are based in the same world and a lot of the characters cross over.

Lethal Rider is the third book in this series about the four horseman of the apocalypse. Up to this point we have read about War and Famine, aka Ares and Limos (who happens to be a female horseman- horselady, whatever). Each trying desperately to make sure their seal doesn't break because if it does they turn evil. Reseph (Pestilence) wasn't so lucky and now he has made it his mission to break the remaining three and turn them against the world.

Thanatos is Death, doomed to be attracted to the destruction his brother is creating across the globe. Though he carries a huge burden he is fun loving and carefree when he's with his family. It was previously thought that him losing his virginity would break his seal but at the end of Immortal Rider, drugged and out of their minds, Thanatos and demon slayer Regan managed to get a little nookie. Not only did he get some sex, he knocked her up with the help of Shade from the Demonica series. He is angry for being practically raped at the hands of this gorgeous woman and in a fit of anger he nearly kills everyone on the same island as him which results in his family putting him out of commission for 8 1/2 months. Coming to and finding out he's about to have a son leaves him feeling both excited ans extremely pissed off.

The thing I love about this series is the action Ione packs into every page. There is always something going on and the lore of the horseman runs deep with every twist and turn the book makes. Lethal Rider puts Thanatos and Regan in impossible predicaments. I really enjoyed Regan and her complex personality. She suffers from OCD that seems to be triggered by extreme nervousness or being scared. It made her feel "real" and since I have tend to have some of the same reactions, I instantly connected with her. It's nice to see real flaws in a heroine. She just desperately wanted to belong and finding out those she trusted did not have her and the baby's best interest at heart really tore her down. Turning to Thanatos and deciding to trust him was her biggest hurdle. I wanted them to be happy. Happiness for Death wasn't something he thought he could ever have but looking at Regan ripe with his child made him realize that he could. Trading the best interest of his growing family for the life of Reseph who he realized he just couldn't save. His over the top alphaness never failed to make me catch my breath or snort with his ridiculousness. He's hard.....everywhere. *Smirk*

Speaking of Reseph...good lord I am so looking forward to his book! I WANT IT NOOOOOOOOOW! I can't wait....just can't wait. That is all.

Lethal Rider is a fantastic book and a great third installment to the Lords Of Deliverance series! Filled with action packed awesomeness and smexy goodness between death and a gorgeous preggo demon slayer. You want this series, trust me.

I give Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione 5 stars!

Nikki @ Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind

Larissa Ione is fast moving up my list of favorite authors. With her latest installment of The Lords of Deliverance she pulls the reader in and keeps us spellbound! What a fantastic story, full of hope, love, betrayal, loyalty, friendship, lost hope, redemption and oh yes they get to save the world! So basically just your everyday story!

Thanatos, otherwise known as Death, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse always thought that he must remain chaste in order to remain a living functioning reasonable horseman. That he would become Death only when his seal was broken... and if he remained chaste that seal would not break. It seems the Demons had another plan and found a way to trick the alleged good guys into sending a woman in to seduce him.. Fortunately for the world those in the know had misunderstood the prophecy!

Regan was sent to Thanatos to seduce him and get herself with child. Believing that is the only way to save the world she agreed to this, along the way she found that Thanatos was a pretty good guy. Funny, charming, sweet and concerned about those around him. This was not some gruesome harbinger of death..

This was all leading up to Lethal Rider in the books Immortal Rider and Eternal Rider. Lethal Rider starts with Regan 8 and a half months pregnant and Thanatos having been kept captive for those same months. Held hostage by his brother and sister who only want him alive. They don't want him to go into a blind rage and destroy everything he cares about. Thing is, they keep him in complete ignorance.. Oh sure they allow him TV and spend time with him but as Thanatos so very obviously points out you can only watch so many episodes of The Jersey Shore before you want to gouge your eyes out.. and oh yeah, it's less than you would think.

Finally, Thanatos finds a way to be free and works his way to the Aegis secret compound and discovers a very pregnant Reagan.. Kidnapping her with promises of dire circumstances, revenge sex and assorted other indignities. They retreat to his home surrounded by his allies.. Everything should be secure, right? No sooner does Thanatos start to soften then the betrayals begin. Beset by those from within and without these two can't seem to catch a break and still they manage to find their way to each other. Rediscovering what they had barely begun almost nine months ago. In a way this is one of those gee we have to get married because you are having my baby stories but.. yeah there's this huge twist. The baby is demon, angel and human and that leads to all sorts of fun.

Not only are Thanatos and Regan fighting to find their way, save the world AND keep their child alive they must deal with the prejudice of the self righteous.. the ones who steep themselves in tradition with total lack of compassion and great willingness to destroy innocence just so they can be right. These people are just slime and Ms. Ione paints them perfectly. We all know them, the hypocrites who sit in the front pew at church all the while judging each and every member and finding them lacking. The ones who insist that their way is the ONLY way and the rest of us are at best failures at worst sinners.. The zealots, the ones cloaked in their own self righteous fury.. yeah those people.. They are horrible and you find yourself coming up with new and unusual ways to destroy them.

Ms Ione leads us along a twisted path full of traitorous turns and tempting torments.. This story is the one of extreme good and evil.. and yet shows the shades of grey. no not those shades of grey. The intensity of this story makes it one of those books you just can not put down. You insist on reading it to the very last page and into the preview of the next book, which will be Reseph's book. And that one promises to be the best one yet! We still don't know who the horseman's father is yet, we aren't sure of anything really. Only that Ares, Limos and Thanatos have found their happily ever after.

If you haven't read this series read it! If you have missed out on Larissa Ione all together start with her Demonica Series! It leads into this one and is just as spectacular..

Shauni

My Rating: 4.5 stars: Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Originally posted at THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

Lethal Rider opens roughly 8 months after the exciting conclusion of the second Lords of Deliverance book, Immortal Rider. We are quickly brought up to speed on the state of Regan Matthews, long-time Aegis demon hunter who is 8 months pregnant with the child of the fourth Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Thanatos aka Death. In the previous book we followed Regan as she was tricked into believing that a child by Than would stay the impending Demon Apocalypse. At the end of the book, Than's brother and sister put him into a coma-like state and did not tell him about the child. Now Than has escaped his catatonic state and tracked down Regan. He is hell-bent on revenge until he finds out she is carrying his child, after which Than experiences an array of emotions and isn't certain which direction he should take.

First of all... I LOVED this book. I tell you, each subsequent book of Ms. Ione's series gets better. The opening chapters of Lethal Rider are superb. The story seamlessly moves into the next phase of the story while bringing the reader up to speed on pertinent events from the previous book. The details from the past are woven into this story in a manner that doesn't seem intrusive.

Regan and Than have a lot to overcome, and it's not a smooth ride. She was brought up to hate demons and although she knows they aren't all bad, it's still tough for her to trust in and believe them. Yet she also has a major guilt complex over what happened to Than (she tricked him into having sex with her), even though she was mislead and drugged. Finally, she has low self-confidence, believing that once the baby is born, she will be unwanted by her Aegis family. Than... well, he's an immortal half angel-half demon, and harbinger of death. He lead a celibate life for roughly 5,000 years, believing if he had sex, his seal would break and he would become the demon, Death. He is alternately lusting after and admiring Regan, then hating her for her part in his "deflowering."

I will say that I felt sorry for both characters - my heart ached because I felt that they were both victims, and they were both hurt by the situation. I felt that there slow journey to love was well-played and extremely sensual. Although even I had a rough time in the beginning when Than was determined to use Regan as a sex slave to "make up" for the 8 months he was placed in a coma. The section of the book when this issue comes to a confrontation made me very nervous. There is a very fine line -- although, Than may have said to himself he's not going to force Regan to have sex, his words are very much to the contrary. It made me squirm, even with Regan refusing to beg and taking charge of her situation.

Although this is Regan and Than's story, the supporting characters all play significant rolls. Pestilence, the first Horseman and only sibling to turn evil, is gaining power and control over the Earth. Several times while reading the book, I wondered what an average human was experiencing during these dark days. We see what the demon population is going through, but what about someone like me? I would love to read about that! Pestilence is still utterly wicked and the perfect villain.

There are also a wide array of characters that will continue to be significant in the next book. Some of the Aegis brethren are of particular interest. They make some (in my opinion) really bad decisions and draw a line in the sand. I cannot wait to see what happens next! Plus we have the heavenly watchers Reaver and Harvester... knowing that Reaver's book is coming out after the final Lords of Deliverance, I am already putting pieces of the puzzle together trying to figure out what will happen. Finally there is an unknown "baddie," someone helping Pestilence, and WOW - will there be some fall out in the next book. Although I like the twists that lead to some of the actions in Lethal Rider, I was not entirely on board with the reasons behind the biggest one. Unfortunately, I can't discuss much of that without major spoilers, so you get cryptic here.

Finally, I have to say that the humor in these stories is incredible... Dry, witty and fantabulous!! Sarcasm is infused into almost every character's persona... Here is a little sample from Regan: "Hanging out with her colleagues in her spare time would be about as fun as unclogging a toilet with a spoon."

In conclusion, Lethal Rider truly is the best book yet from the series. The story had me on the edge of my proverbial seat almost the whole book. The plot was fantastic, the twists and turns suspenseful, and there is still so much to be resolved. I can only imagine where Ms. Ione will take us from here!

Thanatos, the Horseman known as Death, has kept himself apart for his very very long life. Cursed, he doesn't dream about a family, a wife, a real life. Or at least, he tries not to dream of those things. Because some things can't be changed.
Until Regan, an Aegis slayer, comes into his life. Regan and Thanatos meet in book two, Immortal Rider. And if you haven't read book two yet, I suggest not beginning at book three. These two built up their turbulent relationship in book two, and book three is where it finally explodes. You won't want to miss any second of it.

I loved Thanatos, a strong yet tortured guy. Sure, he may harbor souls he collects as death in his armour, and yes, they may threaten to be unleashed at any mortals at any time, killing them instantly, but hey. We all have our problems. He was such a wonderful contrast to the other males in the two series so far. He has a deep sensitivity, totally hidden because of his curse and job as Death. He has problems expressing himself, and the slightest touch can send Regan into a spin. Because beneath it all, Thanatos is a gentle soul with a hell of a job. But he's also crazy mad at Regan, for her betrayal in book two.

No, I'm not going to tell you what she did.

Regan is tough as nails, but she's had a hard life. Constantly passed around after being orphaned, her only self worth lies in being a slayer. And whatever that life may entail, good and bad.

Fun, very sexy and warm hearted, this is my favorite book in the series so far. The story is fast, and there's a lot happening in this book. It's the strongest yet, in my opinion, and I can't wait for book four.

Why are you even here? You need to run out and buy books two and three. (and one, while you're at it.)
Sheesh. Some people.

Come visit me and read more reviews:
[...]

Heart Throbbing Exciting!

What a brilliant story! I love this author, she has weave a story that captures your heart in a thrilling world wind drama between good and evil. I love the fact that evil is not necessary bad/evil.

I love Than and think he is what a perfect man should be, Handsome, Charming, Sexy, Built, Tough, Bad Boy, and an Azzz at times but an azzz that is humorous and sincere when you least expect it. He's deadly and dangerous but tender and sweet when it's called for.

The characters connection between Than and Regan was heart warming electrifying and so hot! The tenderness and passion Than showed Regan even with her being pregnant was so emotionally beautiful.

The plot of the story kept me glued to the pages and the words flowed and visually came alive for me in color as if I was watching a movie. The excitement and action packed events between the games of evil Reseph played upon his siblings and the betrayal of the Aegis kept me on the edge of my seat. One word comes to mind about this series and that is the word - Addicting!

I always loved the new findings and clues the author gives us towards solving the myth/lore about keeping the Apocalypse from starting and how to keep the horsemen's seal from breaking. Between the legendary Daemonica and the Holy Bible, the fight for truth and interpretation of the scriptures makes the story even more mysterious.

The ending was perfect, my emotions were running wild in the end and had me nearly in tears of sadness and tears of joy and then a surprising holy shite revelation about Reseph and the knife Deliverance.

All the secondary characters added fun and humorous excitement to the story and made me want a hellhound - LOL I totally loved this book and I highly recommend everyone to read this series or actually any of Larissa Ione's books. She is truely a gifted and talented writer and I'm a true fan. Now I am patiently waiting for the 4th book in the series to come out "Rogue Rider".

Excellent Read!

Thanantos, aka Death, is not a very happy camper. He has been a prisoner for the last 8 months, thanks to the his loving big brother and sister. So it is no wonder when feeling starts to return to his body the first thing on Than's mind is revenge. Revenge for the woman that betrayed him. Revenged towards his brother and sister, for imprisoning him. Revenge for Pestilence, for not being Reseph anymore. So Than comes up with a plan: step one get to the woman that betrayed him and make her pay. Step two..... Well Than is not ready for step two because this involves something he never planned on. Becoming a father.

Regan knows that she must protect the baby by any means necessary, but she keeps having nightmares of Thanantos killing her, taking the baby and not being able to stop the Apocalypse. All because she betrayed him. Betrayed him in such a horrible way, that no amount of sorry can explain away the hurt. But there is one thing that Regan never counted on. Than's protectiveness over her and the baby.

What can you say about an author and a book that just totally blows you out of the water. I am totally convinced that Larissa can't write a bad book. Lethal Rider gives us everything: love and lust, laughter and tears, betrayal, revenge, sacrifice, trust, redemption and forgiveness. We get to see many characters for Larissa's other wickedly good Demonica series. And it is so nice to see the Horseman and the Demon kind working so well together. :) I am SO in love with this series and am on pins and needle for Rogue Rider, Reseph's book and the last of the Lords of Deliverance series. But never fear!!!!!!!!!!!! Reaver's will be getting a book..... SO can't wait to see what Larissa has in store for the angel. How she is going to redeem Reseph and where she is going to take us next...

Thanatos the Horsemen of the Apocalypse Death rages over what has happened to him. For centuries this Lord of Deliverance knew he must remain sexual abstinent to prevent his Agimortus seal from breaking. An ancient prophecy claims that his offspring will save the world so two of his Horsemen siblings (Ares and Limos) drugged him so that Aegis Guardian Regan Matthews could seduce him in order to become pregnant (see Immortal Rider).

Feeling date raped and betrayed Thanatos abducts Regan in order to make her his sexual prisoner. However, he finds an obsessive compulsive disorder individual filled with remorse and eight months pageant. Stunned Thanatos realizes the baby is his Agimortus and the fourth Horseman Pestilence, whose seal was broken (see Eternal Rider), hunts them for he knows killing the infant will fuel the Apocalypse.

The third Lords of Deliverance romantic urban fantasy is a superb apocalyptic thriller that grips the reader from the moment Thanatos realizes he has been betrayed and never slows down until the final confrontation. Though it helps to have read Immortal Rider as the drugged seduction occurs as a secondary plot; that is not necessary as this fast-paced story line filled with betrayals can be read alone; while setting up the Ione apocalyptic mythos final doomsday confrontation.

Harriet Klausner

I was pleasantly surprised reading Thanatos' story - not because I expected it to be bad, but because I found Immortal Rider to be unreadable after the first time. I had a hard time liking Limos after all her revelations and found Arik to be too good for her.

Lethal Rider was good, REALLY good. Not going to rehash the plot, but I absolutely loved Thanatos in the book. He was so protective and possessive of Regan and the baby,(another surprising thing as I didn't find Ione's other books to have over the top jealous Alphas in them like in here) it was adorable. Regan was very vulnerable and remorseful of her actions in Immortal Rider, and while some might hate her for what she did, I understood it, and so did Thanatos (though it took him a while).

It was good to see characters from the Demonica series helping out Thanatos and Regan and getting a bit of updates on their lives. I was half wondering if we were going to see a truly happy ending because so many bad things kept on piling on for the couple, but Ione didn't disappoint. Definitely a keeper!

P.S. - Reaver plays a big part in this book, and I know I am not the only one hoping he gets the happy ending he deserves, but NOT with who I am starting to think it might be, which would pretty much disgust me.

This one starts right where Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 2) ended, with Thanatos (fourth horseman of the Apocalypse) in the induced comatose state. He is being kept there by his siblings, since his anger and its consequences are renowned. If you remember from the previous book, Thanatos had just discovered Regan's duplicitous action and he was raging. Limos & Ares decided to buy time and figure out how to deal with Pestilence while hoping Thanatos' wrath will subside.

After eight and a half months, Thanatos' paralysis wore off before his next dose of hellhound saliva, and he escaped. He goes after the Aegi guardian, Reagan Matthews, whom he believes betrayed him. He tracked her to an Aegi headquarter and he kidnaps her. Initially he planned to force her to compensate him for the lost eight months by being his beckon and call girl. She must fulfill his every sexual desire at his every whim. But upon returning to his keep, Thanatos discovers that Regan is pregnant with his child, and worse, she plans on giving their child, Thanatos' agimortus, away.

Thanatos is forced to reexamine his desire for revenge. Is it worth giving up the one thing he has always desired, a child and a family of his own? Is it even possible to form a family with a woman that he believes untrustworthy and loyal to the wrong people? Finally, how will he deal with Pestilence (Respesh), who wants to kill the baby as soon as it is born and the pending apocalypse?

This book was my favorite of the Lord of Deliverance series. It was packed with action, great dialogue, emotional highs and lows. It was wrought with sexual tension as well as romance. It was dark, yet full of humor. It was everything a great book ought to be. Ione did a great job fleshing out Regan's character, her OCD behaviors and her private pain. It allowed us to understand Regan and her relationship with the Aegi. She also made Thanatos into one of my favorite heroes. He is so damaged, yet compassionate. As the Rider of Death, he seems so cold, deadly and lethal, but he actually is the most fragile of the horsemen. He was in so much pain, that it was hard not to sympathize with him. It was a joy to observe how he opened himself up to the possibility of having a family. I just couldn't put this book down. I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one.

At the end of this book was a preview for Rogue Rider, but I didn't read it. I can't take the teasing. I will wait until the entire novel is ready. Larissa Ione is definitely one of my favorite authors.

I strongly recommend, actually I insist that you must read the Demonica series, all five books in order before starting the Lord of Deliverance series. Eidolon, Shade, Wraith, Lore and Sin all make appearances with their mates. Their history will help you understand their talents and gifts.

***Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette group for the complimentary copy of this book.***

The Demonica Series
Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1)
Desire Unchained (Demonica, Book 2)
Passion Unleashed (Demonica, Book 3)
Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica, Book 4)
Sin Undone (Demonica, Book 5)

Lord of Deliverance Series
Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 1)
Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 2)

For thousands of years Thanatos, fiercely guarded his own celibacy to prevent his seal for the Apocalypse from breaking. As the Rider of Death, the destruction unleashed would be catastrophic as his rages quickly turn uncontrollable and deadly. His sacrifice wasn't too much of a burden considering the alternative. At least is wasn't until Aegis Guardian Regan came into his life. Due to a set of unforeseen circumstances and Regan's betrayal, his resolve crumbles, yet his seal didn't break. Little did he know that it wouldn't be the act itself that would break the seal, but the child that resulted from such a union. The fate of the world rests on keeping his child safe, and for now that includes Regan despite how much he would like to destroy her for her betrayal. Yet even as he rages at her, Thanatos also cannot tame the desire he holds for her. But can he risk having her when the slightest things could trigger a rampage and the destruction of the world?

Each of the Riders is damaged in their own way, but Thanatos, being the rider of Death may just carry the hardest burden. Of course on the outside, he appears to be the coldest and most deadly of the Riders, but that is really only a front to hide just how much his circumstances weigh on him. He endures so much suffering and the rage from all of the deaths is all consuming at times, sending him into an endless downward spiral. His self-loathing and hatred of himself knows no bounds, and my heart nearly broke as I watched him struggle. All he has ever wanted in life was a family to call his own, ever knowing that it was impossible. So, when faced with the reality of it happening through a stunning betrayal leaves his already fragile psyche in shatters. He wants more than anything to rage and rail at Regan for that betrayal, yet he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. I really enjoyed watching this big broken brute of a man as he started to give into feelings that he had long been denied.

The absolute best thing about all of Larissa's books is the way she effortlessly blends romance and passion with heart pounding action to make for the perfect combination. This especially holds true in Lethal Rider. I mean the sexual tension between the Thanatos and Regan is so palpable, you can practically taste it. And once they give into their fierce desires, they practically steam off the page. Then a blink of an eye later, they are in extreme life or death fights with everything, and everyone, on the line. In fact, the stakes felt so much higher and more real this time because everything really came to a head in Lethal Rider. I won't tell you the outcome, but but suffice it to say that things will never be the same as everything is irrevocably changed.

Yet again, Larissa Ione has thoroughly impressed me and knocked my socks off with a no holds bared, action packed, steamy romance that I just couldn't put down once I started. Seriously, this woman knows how to entertain, and if you haven't read all of her books, then you just don't know what you are missing. I can't wait to get my hands on the final installment in this series, and I'm even more excited to see what Larissa comes up with next!

*This is pretty spoiler free, if there are any, they are pretty minor.

All I can say is wow! Larissa Ione has done it again, she is absolutely a master at what she does. She is one of the best authors of this genre in my opinion and I read a lot from the paranormal genre. There is no one else quite like L. Ione. Ok, enough about being an Ione fan girl and on to Lethal Rider!

This is the third book of the series and the best in my lowly reader opinion; it may even be the best Ione book to date. Thantos has been my favorite Horseman throughout this series and I have been impatiently waiting for his book, so I am that much happier that this book did not disappoint! It has everything I have come to expect from an Ione book, and that is seamlessly weaving death/violence, sensuality and humor together into an exciting, entertaining tale. Her writing tends to be on the darker, edgier side but she never loses her sense of humor, this book is a perfect example of Ione at her best. The characters both the main and supporting are fully fleshed out and full of life, you feel like you know them inside and out. You know what makes them tick, their fears that they don't even want to admit even to themselves, their thoughts, their hopes they don't dare to dream about, everything. By the end, hell not even the end f the book you know Thantos, you know Regan. You've laughed with them, you've rooted for them, you feared for them, and you may have even cried for them. You are all in.

I was prepared hate Regan, after what she did to my Thantos, what she did in book 2 was inconceivable. I thought I'd be cursing her through the whole book how dare she hurt my Thantos and bring down the Apocalypse. I don't think I was able to hate her longer than the first couple of chapters; her vulnerability and backbone of steel pulled me in and had me on her side rooting for her. It turns out that is an irresistible combination in a heroine for me. I love a girl that has some backbone and can stand up to a strong Alpha man (Which undoubtedly describes Thantos), but maintains a bit of vulnerability that makes her human. In Regan's case she is human with a bit of a kick, she has a couple of abilities that make her more than the average human being a bit of empathy through tough and a soul sucking ablity that can turn deadly oh and a killer baby intent on protecting her. After being a part of the Aegis for so long it's all she knows, but they never let her forget that she is not quite human and that they let her live when they should have killed her as is the usual Aegis policy for something such as Regan. This constant reminder did a real number on Regan, and has made her feel unworthy and unwanted her entire life. She feels like the only way she would be wanted is if she had something to offer someone. This also makes her doubt that she could be a real mother to a child, makes her feel like she could never be a good mother to her own child, which really makes you feel for her. No woman should feel like that, no woman should be made to feel so unworthy that they feel like they couldn't even be a good mother to their own child. This is just one of the many things that makes your heart reach for Regans.

Thantos, oh Thantos, Larissa Ione told me that I could have you if I could wrest you away from Regan... via Twitter and I am taking her on her word so if it's the last thing I do, you will be mine.. oh yes you will! LOL! He is my tortured, tattooed, alpha male, virgin type. My ultimate weakness! Thantos was raised by a peaceful tribe 4000 years ago. At the heart of it, he's a peaceful guy and prefers a peaceful existence with his books. However, when he became one of the horsemen, he became death. Now his whole existence revolves around killing and death, 4000 years is a lot of death and too much of it was at his hands from his uncontrollable rages. His entire body is tattooed with the scenes of deaths he has dealt out. One of the few things that has been in his control has been his seal and he has held onto that with his infamous control, for 4000 years he believed that his virginity was his seal, so for 4000 years he never partook in those pleasures. When Regan came around he wanted sex more than he had ever before, and that control has slipped further then it has ever has before in his existence. After 8 months of captivity in his own body, Thantos, has plenty of time to plot revenge, but when hefinally gets Regan in his grasp he has so many conflicting emotions. He wants his revenge, but he also has an overwhelming need to protect and bed her. Then he thinks maybe he can bed her and get his revenge at the same time, his emotions are all over the place which is new to Thantos, but he does know one thing, that he wants his child. There is no way he is going to let anyone take that from him, not Pestilence, not Regan and certainly not the Aegis. What he doesn't let himself think of is that he could finally have everything he ever wanted right within reach....his own family.

Again, I cannot reiterate enough how much I loved this book; it has everything, violence, masterful sensuality, a wicked sense of humor, and characters that feel so real that remember them for a long time to come. With the looming Apocalypse, you can be assured that this book is packed to the brim with action, Pestilence, is determined to bring about the end of the world as we know it. Terror reigns, the Aegis can't keep up, the horseman can only do so much, the UGH staff has been working non-stop for about a year. Even with everything falling apart there is still an underlying feeling of hope in this book, a feeling of they will beat this thing and they will stop Pestilence and the Apocalypse, because now with the baby, they have a way whereas before all they could do was hope that they could hold Pestilence off. Even the characters themselves start to hope and plan, for an end. So amidst the dark, there is light, but of course this is still an Ione book, so there is still jaw dropping twists and turns, betrayals, holy crap what just happened, did she really just go there, moments... If you have not yet picked up a Larissa Ione novel, you need to, but don't start with this one, start at the beginning. The Demonica Series, Book 1, you will not be sorry!

I received a copy for an honest review from netgalley.com no other compensation was given.

Without a doubt, this is the best installment in the Lords of Deliverance series so far. Ever since she introduced us to the Demonica world back in Pleasure Unbound, Larissa Ione has seamlessly woven all of these amazing characters and threads of storylines together into a giant ongoing masterpiece of action, betrayal, romance, epic world-building, and mind-blowing sex. Each book builds on the last. Each leaves me excited, satisfied, and still wanting more.

It's been eight months since the events of Immortal Rider, and Regan is just a couple of weeks away from delivering her baby. Thanatos has been drugged and immobilized all this time. But suddenly, he is able to overcome the drugs and make his way to her. He is drawn to his child, though he has no idea that is the case until he comes face to face with Regan. He is enraged and yet still attracted to the woman who took his virginity. Unsure of where his feelings for her will land, he kidnaps her from an Aegis stronghold and brings her back to his home.

Regan struggles to convince Thanatos that she never intended to rape him. That she was drugged. That she was trying to save the world. But his forgiveness is slow in coming. The story follows the two of them as they try to sort out their feelings for one another and protect their unborn child from Pestilence, who knows that destroying the baby with break his brother's seal.

Both Thanatos and Regan have some serious issues to overcome. But I really enjoyed their journey. Regan has never had a place she truly belonged and it's gratifying to see her finding a home with the new family she is creating. Thanatos has some major secrets and he's a very dangerous guy. (He is Death after all.) But he is such a softie underneath it all. All he wants in life is a family. Well, that and to get laid. Ione has got some serious skills to make pregnancy sex sexy. Having been nine-months pregnant twice, myself, I can tell you that is no small feat. Yet she does it, so big, big props for that.

I love that we're still seeing old familiar characters like Eidolon and the UG folks, front and center in the book. Not only are we getting updates on their lives, but they are part of the ongoing plot. In addition, there are major developments in the Demonica world, from an overhaul of the Aegis --to Pestilence and the overall horsemen arc-- to dire straights for our friend Reaver. Oh Reaver, I love you so. As much as I am looking forward to Reseph's book, it's Reaver's story I am dying for. Reaver and... Harvester? Anyone with me?

I loved it.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, ReganCooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.
Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted- a family.

REVIEW: Oh...my...GOD. It was so worth the wait. What a fantastic read. Ms. Ione pulls you into her world and wraps you into her cocoon, bringing suspense, action, and a lustful read right to your fingertips. Literally.

This book was truly a humorous read and at times, had me laughing out loud. There were also times that I was arguing (outloud!) with different things going on. I won't give any spoilers to it, in order to protect those that want to read it - and you totally should!

Thanatos was such a swoon-worthy male in this piece and I have to say he had captured my heart from the very first moment Ms. Ione introduced him. This piece just solidified that adoration. Regan is the perfect fit for him, once again proving that Ms. Ione surely knows her characters.

It was a fast read even though it was some 300 and something pages long. I just couldn't put it down. The except for Rogue Rider at the end also made the entire read that much better. If you haven't picked up the book I would run, not walk, to the nearest store and do so NOW!

Five out of five stars for a fabulous adventure.

Yet again, author Larissa Ione has produced a story that is not only sexy, gritty, and intriguing, but is so damn gripping you attack it like a starving dog devours a bone.
Awake into the wee small hours, I just could not put Lethal Rider down until I was finished.

Larissa Ione's talent for writing with equal measures of sex, violence, and impending doom - and a little hope, has yet again blown me away.

Her character developments are such, that you cant help loving every player including the ultimate bad ass!
Fearsome and sexy, this latest roller coaster ride will leave you exhilarated and gasping for more - I for one am eagerly awaiting another ride(r).

5 out of 5 Stars ~<;]

A fan of mythology-based paranormals would probably enjoy this even more than I did. Although my knowledge of supernatural beings is light, I still enjoyed this story. The characters are easy to identify with, even if I don't understand all the supernatural stuff around them, and the details are well explained without talking down to the reader or going too far above my head. Unfortunately, all the characters talk alike, most seem interchangeable, and there were far too many to keep track of, but this may be because I haven't read the previous books in the series.

I loved Ione's Daemonica series, so I have really tried to like her Lords of Deliverance series as well. However, after 3 books, I just don't find the same level of excitement, romance or mystery that was in her first series. With that said, it is still an enjoyable series to read; just not a favorite. So far, though, this is my least favorite book in the series. I can't stand Regan, the female lead, which pretty much wrecked it for me.

LETHAL RIDER

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.
Review (By Debbie Talbot, Guest Reviewer for Literal Addiction Paranormal Book Club)
When I received Lethal Rider from NetGalley to read and review, to say I was happy is an understatement. Larissa Ione is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books and have been waiting for what feels like forever to see how she fixes things and gives Thanatos and Regan a happily ever after.
Lethal Rider is the 3rd book in the Lords of Deliverance series and when it starts Thanatos and Regan's relationship is already so messed up I really wondered how it could possibly work out. In Limos's book Immortal Rider Regan is manipulated by the Ageis who she works with into seducing Thanatos to get pregnant and prevent the apocalypse. She feels extremely uncomfortable with what they are doing when it comes time to "do the deed" but, she follows through, gets pregnant and tries to deal with the emotions she is feeling for tricking Thanatos. Thanatos and his siblings thought that Thanatos's virginity was attached to his seal so he has spent the last 5000 yrs. celibate in order to not become The Horseman, Death. When he finds out what happened and why he goes ballistic and his siblings drug him in order to keep him restrained until the baby is born. So after all of this happened in Immortal Rider I was a little worried that Larissa wouldn't be able to bring these two together as a family.
It has been about 8 months from the end of Immortal Rider when Lethal Rider starts. Thanatos is still restrained by hellhound saliva and Regan is very pregnant. She has spent the last 8 months trying not to get too attached to the baby since she is supposed to give it to Kynan and Gem to raise and keep safe. She is feeling really guilty over what happened with Than but has no idea how to fix it and still stay with The Ageis . She has had a very rough life and has really low self esteem. She suffers from OCD and her powers are going a little crazy since she gotten pregnant but she hasn't told anyone. When Thanatos gets free and kidnaps her and takes her back to his keep I really started cheering for them. Can they get past all that has happened and become a family?
The book is filled with passion, action, betrayals and prophecies. Finally getting to see Than and Regan get together and both start to drop the walls they had built to protect themselves from the world was beautiful. Larissa really showed the beauty in pregnancy and how much a man can want that in their life. The way she writes the pregnancy, OCD and emotional issues was so very real it brings the characters that much more to life for the reader. There was just enough action in the book to keep you on the edge of your seat. Pestilence or Reseph seems to be one step ahead of his siblings and working to bring about all of their seals breaking and starting the apocalypse. I was excited to see so many characters from Larissa's Demonica series in this book. I felt like it really was a perfect blend of the two series for those of us who have read them both. For people who haven't I don't feel like it would really hurt but you definitely get a lot of background information on the side characters and the wonderful world that the book takes place in. Wraith was in the book a lot as well as the rest of the Seminus family. I am happy to say that reading this book reminded me that I really trust Larissa as an author and that's good because now we have to trust her to somehow give Reseph a happily ever after. At times I was wondering if I even wanted him to get one since he made me so mad. In this book she really showed how seamlessly she can write a book and make something magic happen in the mist of chaos. I am now very excited to read Rogue Rider when it comes out.
I gave this book 5 stars and would recommend it to EVERYONE!!! It will appeal to any Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, or even Erotica reader. There's enough steam for those of us who like it that way but not so much that it will be hard for those that don't. Thank you Larissa Ione for another awesome book.
ARC provided by NetGalley, Thanks

This was recommended when I searched for books similar to Kresley Cole's IAD series. Sadly, it is not up to par at all. I have my own issues with Cole's IAD books, but at least the sex is steamy and it's well written. I've read two and a half books from this author. The first, I finished simply because there seemed to be insurmountable odds against the union between the lead female and male partners and I was curious how Ione would resolve those conflicts--which was unfortunately anti-climatic.

This is the "half" book which I continued from the second because the idea of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is intriguing (and this kept popping up on my recommendations). As usual, the characters were disappointingly boring! They were one-dimensional and predictable. **SPOILERS** Thanatos, the main male character, is hell-bent on killing the one woman who seduced him and brought about the apocalypse (or so he thought)but then suddenly changes into a weak-kneed, overprotective caveman when he sees her pregnant with his child (even though she raped him). Also, even though the author tries to spend some time writing about Thanatos and Regan's past(the main female character), they only come across as sob stories. Regan had no family, the Aegi are her adopted family (and she's suddenly pained when Thanatos pointed out that the Aegi made her an Elder/only value her because of her rare ability even though really, if you're part of an ancient organization trying to eradicate "evil" you should realize that you're a tool, just like everyone else) and she starts to trust/love Thanatos because really, he's just a tragic, tortured man looking for love. And she's a pitiful orphan looking for a place (or a man) to belong to.

Also, after living hundreds of lifespans, the Horsemen seem to have not garnered any strategy/knowledge on how to effectively prevent the end of the world. Ione uses Greek mythology to build the foundation for her world, but then doesn't draw upon it any further to enrich it beyond the plot/characters. In short, I don't believe it. And how could the Aegi exist for so long if they're so disorganized, single-minded, and ineffective? After reading all this, I gave up. I kept reading (or rather, skimming) because I hoped the writing and characterization would get better.

The sex in all three books is forgettable, the sexual tension is done badly, the plot is interesting in concept but the execution is poor. The writing style is very simple and has little sophistication. There were too many things that made me roll my eyes. I will not be reading from Ione again.

I love this book and this series! Than and Regan fit with each other perfectly. This was a fast pace book with lots of interaction with the characters from the previous books. I love how angry Than with Regan's betrayal, and yet she makes him feel that he can finally have what he wants more above all, which is family and Regan is his salvation. I love Larrisa and the world that she has created. I cannot wait for the next book and other characters. I read this book in one setting, you will not be disappointed!!!

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

LETHAL RIDER is one of Ione's signature wild rides bursting with violence, politics, and passion. These books operate on the extreme ends of the range of emotion, which helps differentiate the seriously-evil-cheer-when-they-die bad guys (like the racist Aegi) from the hidden-depths-maybe-retrievable bad guys (can't name names without spoilers), or even the still-kill-a-lot-of-people-but-not-so-bad good guys (like our hero, Thanatos). An even balance of plot and romance, LETHAL RIDER is my favorite of the series to date, if only because several of the big bads get their just desserts by story's end.

Though the themes driving Thanatos and Regan are fairly cliche (stuck together for the sake of a baby, etc.), this did not detract from my enjoyment of their story. As the distasteful as the circumstances of their first disastrous coupling is safely in the past tense (a comedy of roofies, misinformation, and miscommunication), LETHAL RIDER is all about enjoying Thanatos and Regan cautiously dealing with their soon to be born child and fledgling connection. "Fragile" is a good word for both of these emotionally abused warriors, and their back and forth dance of low self esteem is my least favorite part of the book. Ione doesn't over do it with this cycle, however, and the low points were prety well balanced by Thanatos's hilarious inner monologue. He conjured up some of my favorite aspects of The Black Dagger Brotherhood and their shellans, with both his ferocious protectiveness and red hot passion (even for his 8 month pregnant lady). Though this level of violence and politics isn't my favorite brand of Paranormal Romance, Ione wraps up a lot of lose ends that I found satisfying. I won't rush to pre-order of ROGUE RIDER, but I'll keep my eyes peeled.

I have a spotty reading history with the Lords of Deliverance books (I've only read IMMORTAL RIDER and the first few Demonica books that inhabit the same world), but my background was more than enough to be invested in the politics raging around these love birds. A new reader, however, would have a very hard time untangling the loyalties and betrayals intertwined in LETHAL RIDER. For those who enjoy godly violence to go along with their otherworldly romance, however, backtracking and reading more of Ione's books will be no hardship.

Sexual Content: Several sex scenes.