Review: Emotionally charged, passionate, scary, and sexy!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 29, 2013
The Devil’s Reprise is the sequel to The Devil’s Metal and the final book in this series. You can read this as a stand alone, but because I have SO MUCH LOVE for TDM, the suggest reading both! So, last year, we met Dawn Emerson and Sage Knightly on Hybrid’s “tour that would go down in history.” Having gone through hell and coming out on the other side, Dawn and Sage are now dealing with the aftermath… and the consequences of their survival."There comes a time in every man’s life where he must face his demons. It sounds cliché, I know. But I break the mold. Because I’ve faced my demons. In the flesh. And I’ve won. But it’s the ones inside your head that don’t die."Now that Sage is a household name and a solo star, he is about to embark on his very first European tour. Jacob, being the awesome manager that he is (I love this guy) has the bright idea that he should ask Dawn to come along on tour, you know, for old times sake ;)“I really miss you.” I [meant] it. But she’d never know how much. She’d never know that I’d give anything for her to try and fix me again. We could save each other. Right?As Dawn joins Sage, things get really complicated. First of all, there are so many unknowns between these two. Feelings, things left unsaid, issues unresolved. Then there’s the fact that Dawn’s family life was suddenly perfect when she got back home (dad no longer drinking, brother magically cured of Tourette's Syndrome) and ever since, she has had an eerie feeling that that is no coincidence. To top it all off, Sage is trying to cope with the grief over the lost band members of Hybrid and his bad dealings. This leads to loads of meaningless sex and copious amounts of drugs and alcohol.Sage’s rock and roll antics and the feelings between him and Dawn make for an INTENSE ride. These two have such a connection and are both such passionate people that I could feel everything. I was so invested in their relationship that every down felt like a punch to the gut and every high was pure perfection. Their chemistry is off the charts and the steamy moments in this were some of my favorites I’ve ever read. I just can’t get enough of these two and I loved that this book had a huge focus on their relationship.“You were amazing last night.”There was sincerity in that. It hit deep, the warmth spreading. “Thank you.”Then I smiled and added, “You were amazing, too.” A blush crept up on the apples of her cheeks, and she looked down at the floor with a grin.“That’s not exactly what I meant.”“But it’s what I meant.”Then there’s the music. After reading this, all I want to do is go to a rock concert. The way Halle describes the music, Sage, the band, the crowd… I feel like I’m right there. It’s amazing how vivid the descriptions are; I can just feel like passion flowing of the page."I fell in love all over again. It was practically impossible to be objective. But that’s what his music had always done to me—I couldn’t help that the man was just as enigmatic, just as layered, as his music was."…"He was owning it. From ballad to bass- driven to full-out drums and distortion, he owned every second of it and he knew it. He sauntered up and down the stage, his fingers making quick work of the guitar strings, and sometimes, when he turned to face the band, playing off of Tricky, he was smiling like a little boy. In his element. This place where nothing could touch him."The storyline is very much centered around Sage and Dawn’s relationship, which I loved. With their feelings for each other, that only makes for a more emotional ride, especially with danger is lurking around every corner. There is a constant feeling of anxiety and suspense because the creep factor is kicked up a notch in this one and their future is in such a precarious state. Seriously, there are some FREAKY moments in this one. *shivers*There are fantastic side characters at play here, as always. Jacob and Maximus (yes, THE Maximus EIT fans!) round out the Trifecta of Gingers. I love Jacob in general, he’s just hilarious and then Maximus and Dawn’s dynamic was awesome! There are some moments of pure gold. This one had me laughing so hard my sides were hurting, it was just so random and perfect! Dawn really shined in this book with her comebacks and one-liners, I’ve gotta say.“Hey, little lamb,” he said.“Hi, giant red potato.” He snorted.“Red potato? That’s a new one.” I sat down on the bed and smiled into the phone.“Oh, I have plenty more. That was the most flattering one.”The Devil’s Reprise was such a TRIP! It’s emotionally charged, passionate, scary, and sexy. Everything I love in a great book, this one has in spades. With the usual easy to read, vivid, gritty writing style I’ve come to known from Halle, this one did not disappoint. Not one bit!"She was everything, and at that moment on stage, I had everything. A world at my feet and a woman with my heart."