*I received a free copy of Base Instincts from Riptide Publishing via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Base Instincts by Larissa Ione Series: Demonica #11.7
Published by Riptide Publishing on 12 September 2015
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 150
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
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As a Seminus demon, Raze’s life literally depends on having sex with females. The problem is that he doesn’t desire females, and it’s physically impossible for him to be with males. Thankfully, he and his best friend, Fayle, have an arrangement that keeps him alive . . . if lonely. He finds some solace in his work as a medic at Thirst, a vampire club known for its rough clientele. But his carefully structured world turns upside down when he meets a mysterious male who makes him want what he can never have.
Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.
Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.
In Base Instincts, love proved to be stronger than species, laws of nature, evil demons and soul-stealing scum!
My Base Instincts review:
It is always a treat to enter Ione’s Demonica world, and the fact that Base Instincts finally explored some of the different sexual preferences of the characters, even those male demons who actually need sex with a female in order to survive, made it even better! When a story manages to have the characters push the boundaries of the universe in which they evolve, that story has the ability to also help readers think about things in a different way in my opinion. Getting to know Slake and Raze and see what Fayle meant to their possible relationship was part of what made this story so good.
Of course, I’m already a big fan of the Demonica series, and of Ms. Ione’s writing. Reading Base Instincts made me realize, once more, just why I’m such a big fan, though. The writing is tight, well done and grabs me into the story so I can experience the characters and what happens to them in an amazing way. And I have to say it was definitely a very nice surprise to find a great fantasy series that includes an LGBT couple as the main characters in one of the installments. While it does happen, it doesn’t happen very often. And I found the story to be very well thought out, and that the way it, and the main plot unfolded was well done.
Because they had to deal with more than the stigma of being a demon, in Raze’s case one who wanted to heal, Slake and Raze also had to deal with hiding the fact that they were attracted to men, rather than women. In Slake’s case, being gay gave him a death sentence with his breed, and in Raze’s it would kill him to not have sex with a female. Saying these to males had their work cut out for them doesn’t even begin to explain things. And there were quite a few other things going on in Base Instincts as well, tying in with the series as a whole and the characters who inhabit this complex universe where angels, humans, demons, vampires and other paranormal creature have to at least try to get along for the world to still exist.
Written in past tense, third person perspective, the narrator allowed for me to follow several characters, even as the main focus was on Slake and Raze. I would recommend to read Base Instincts in order when it comes to both Demonica and Lords of Deliverance, as there might be some spoilers here if you have skipped prior installments. Apart from that, I think you should just delve in, enjoy the story and the thought-provoking questions that may stay with you after you finish reading.
Some of my favorite Base Instincts quotes:
His latest prey had been cunning, maybe his most clever adversary yet, but he’d finally tracked her here. The wily succubus had covered her tracks well, but Slake had a knack for ferreting out secrets, and as good as Fayle was at hiding, Slake was better at finding.
That male was something special. Even his coloring was perfect. Not too tan, but not pale. And given the guy’s reddish hair, shorter in the back than in the front, Slake would bet that close up, he’d have some freckles waiting for the caress of a tongue.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Oh Lex, this sounds fantastic! I love the idea of a gay couple in paranormal. And it does seem as though their world is set against them in this story. I’ve not read this series although it’s been on my tbr forever. Hmm, maybe after I catch up on a few others, I can dive into this series. I know how much you love it. 🙂
Hope you’re having a wonderful day, my friend! **BIG HUGS**
Yes, these two have even more cards stacked against them than other gay couples in literature do, Brandee! You know… the fated mates thing and all 🙂 You should definitely read this series, it’s amazing, but I know you have so many other books already weighing down your shelves, too.
We are having a beautiful, sunny day today! I hope your day is wonderful, too. *BIG HUGS*
Twitter: Mlsimmons
I should’ve picked this up on NetGalley when it was still available. I love this series. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for this book. I knew Larissa Ione could write M/M because she has done it as Sydney Croft.
It was really well done, Melanie! Of course, there’s a lot of action, and there was a lot more than that as well 🙂
Hi Lexxie! I am glad to meet you! I still haven’t tried this author, Felicia has been convincing me for a couple of years, and I keep forgetting. What is wrong with me? I need to remedy that right away. This latest one sounds fantastic! Love that five star rating.
Hi Heidi 🙂 Its nice to meet you, too! I guess I should really help Felicia ‘make you’ read this series! It’s really well done 🙂
It sounds like this one explored some different things to do with sexual orientation of the demons and carrying on the race to survive! Thanks for the wonderful review Lexxie.
It really was refreshing to see a PNR with a gay couple, especially because of the carrying on the race thing, and also because some demons really need to have a female by their side.
I love this series too! I was a little nervous to read Base Instincts, but it turned out to be a fabulous read. Ione is just such a creative writer with her characters and her world building.
I agree, Jennifer, it was really well done, and the way these characters had to work to have any kind of relationship was great!
Twitter: talksupeblog
I don’t think I’ve come across this series, and it’s LGBT too? That’s so cool!
Not the whole series, Braine, but this installment, yes 🙂 And you should definitely try this series, I think you’ll enjoy it 😉
I want to read this series so badly, but I will definitely make sure when I do start that I will read these books in order.
Yes, it would make your enjoyment even greater to read everything in the right order, Renee 🙂
Twitter: Mollykatie112
I haven’t read anything from this series although I have read a book from this author(another series). This one does sound good though : )
I love Ione’s universe here, Lorna, and it was so interesting to see the different set of problems a gay couple had to deal with.
I really enjoyed this one! Tho I am also a Larissa Ione fan-girl, Im pretty sure she hasn’t written anything that i haven’t loved. She definitely has a way of taking something that shouldnt happen or defies natures laws and makes it happen in a believable way. I really enjoyed both Raze and Slake and hope we get more glimpses of them in future books, well now that Slake is Revenants 2nd hand and Raze is at UGH I have a feeling we will. 🙂
Amanda
Where the Night Kind Roam