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nelljustice's review
4.0
First of all, this is a paranormal romance that is mostly urban fantasy than romance. The protagonist is an antihero, which is not my norm. There is a little sex, but not much. There is some brutal killings and a demon living in the guy’s head and a mystery to solve. Pretty cool, right?
I loved this book, ok? I’m just getting that out there for all the world to see. The cover guy? Nope, he does not even come close to E.L. Speare, the anithero, and his appearance in my head. That guy is too pretty for the crap Speare goes through.
The ending is perfect. Nervous Nell warning, it is a bit of a cliffhanger but not so much that it detracts from a good story. It’s perfect. It had to end that way to lead in to the next book and I am so very ready to read the next book. Don’t freak out over the cliffhanger warning. If I liked it I think anyone will, even though it kinda leaves you hanging. It’s awesome.
The mystery of who and why people are being killed isn’t the focus of the book. I mean, it is, but mostly what I was reading for was the relationship, how Speare got the demon and how working as a PI helped Speare find a place in the world. Plus, how do you keep sinning to keep a demon happy? That was intriguing.
I loved this book, ok? I’m just getting that out there for all the world to see. The cover guy? Nope, he does not even come close to E.L. Speare, the anithero, and his appearance in my head. That guy is too pretty for the crap Speare goes through.
The ending is perfect. Nervous Nell warning, it is a bit of a cliffhanger but not so much that it detracts from a good story. It’s perfect. It had to end that way to lead in to the next book and I am so very ready to read the next book. Don’t freak out over the cliffhanger warning. If I liked it I think anyone will, even though it kinda leaves you hanging. It’s awesome.
The mystery of who and why people are being killed isn’t the focus of the book. I mean, it is, but mostly what I was reading for was the relationship, how Speare got the demon and how working as a PI helped Speare find a place in the world. Plus, how do you keep sinning to keep a demon happy? That was intriguing.
berls's review
3.0
Meh. I know part of my problem is that I expect so much more from Stacia Kane after Downside Ghosts. But I just didn't connect with these characters and never really got invested in the plot. Wasn't bad - I never felt the need to DNF. But I doubt that I'll continue the series.
rachelini's review
2.0
I really need to stop trying back catalogue for this author. They just don't work for me.
audiobookmel's review
3.0
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
3.5 stars
I’ve been a huge fan of Stacia Kane for several years now. I started off reading her Megan Chase series and then really fell in love with her after starting theDownside Ghosts series (Downside is especially good on audio). It has been since since 2012 that I’ve gotten a full length book from Ms. Kane. Needless to say, I was pretty excited.
Made for Sin is a story that, of course, is set in Sin City itself, Las Vegas. The story is told by E. L. Speare (don’t ask him his first name), a PI with a dark side. He has a demon inside him. He must commit a sin everyday or the demon takes over, only to leave Speare waking up to carnage. It can be any of the mortal sins, but the bigger, the longer the demon will let him go before he has to commit the next sin. Shoplifting is one of the smaller sins we see him commit to pacify his demon.
When a body start to turn up with a piece missing, as in a whole arm taken from the shoulder, Speare is on the case to help look for what is going on. Then even more bodies with missing pieces start to turn up. There is also a demon sword involved. Speare decides the best place to start looking is for someone who just got their hands on the demon sword. He recruits a thief, in Ardeth Coyle, who also dealer in occult artifacts.
This was a good story. It has all the things you expect from a solid Urban Fantasy book. The world that Kane built in Vegas does it proud. Add in the magic and it is a solid location that any UF fan would enjoy. Speare is a great tortured hero, who is working hard to be “good”. Ardeth is a solid heroine who isn’t trying nearly as hard to be good. The suspense and action are all there. All in all, this is a solid story. That being said, I didn’t love it as much as I expected to. I think this book might have suffered from “too high of expectations” and “over anticipation”. As much as I loved Kane’s first two series, I think I expected this one to blow me out of the water and it just didn’t do that. Kane mentions on her blog, that this book could be a stand alone or possibly a start to a new series. If there is a book two, I will definitely give it a go. I know that it is often that the first book of a series is okay, but get way better with more stories. I’m sure Kane could do that, as I’ve loved her other series. I really hope that there is a book two.
Narration
This is my first book with Aiden Snow as narrator. I really liked him. I thought he did a great job with our tortured hero. I also liked his women’s voices. The pace was great. I thought he really brought the darker side to the story. He is definitely a narrator that I will be on the look out for in the future.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
I’ve been a huge fan of Stacia Kane for several years now. I started off reading her Megan Chase series and then really fell in love with her after starting theDownside Ghosts series (Downside is especially good on audio). It has been since since 2012 that I’ve gotten a full length book from Ms. Kane. Needless to say, I was pretty excited.
Made for Sin is a story that, of course, is set in Sin City itself, Las Vegas. The story is told by E. L. Speare (don’t ask him his first name), a PI with a dark side. He has a demon inside him. He must commit a sin everyday or the demon takes over, only to leave Speare waking up to carnage. It can be any of the mortal sins, but the bigger, the longer the demon will let him go before he has to commit the next sin. Shoplifting is one of the smaller sins we see him commit to pacify his demon.
When a body start to turn up with a piece missing, as in a whole arm taken from the shoulder, Speare is on the case to help look for what is going on. Then even more bodies with missing pieces start to turn up. There is also a demon sword involved. Speare decides the best place to start looking is for someone who just got their hands on the demon sword. He recruits a thief, in Ardeth Coyle, who also dealer in occult artifacts.
This was a good story. It has all the things you expect from a solid Urban Fantasy book. The world that Kane built in Vegas does it proud. Add in the magic and it is a solid location that any UF fan would enjoy. Speare is a great tortured hero, who is working hard to be “good”. Ardeth is a solid heroine who isn’t trying nearly as hard to be good. The suspense and action are all there. All in all, this is a solid story. That being said, I didn’t love it as much as I expected to. I think this book might have suffered from “too high of expectations” and “over anticipation”. As much as I loved Kane’s first two series, I think I expected this one to blow me out of the water and it just didn’t do that. Kane mentions on her blog, that this book could be a stand alone or possibly a start to a new series. If there is a book two, I will definitely give it a go. I know that it is often that the first book of a series is okay, but get way better with more stories. I’m sure Kane could do that, as I’ve loved her other series. I really hope that there is a book two.
Narration
This is my first book with Aiden Snow as narrator. I really liked him. I thought he did a great job with our tortured hero. I also liked his women’s voices. The pace was great. I thought he really brought the darker side to the story. He is definitely a narrator that I will be on the look out for in the future.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
cmira2027's review
4.0
I have been a fan of this author for a long time, so I was excited to see this book was out. The story has a noir detective novel feel - Speare, like Marlowe or Spade, is a PI who lives by his own moral code. I liked Speare as a protagonist, he is damaged and kinda heartbreaking because he thinks he is damned by the sins he commits fighting his demon, never realizing that fighting and caring and remembering all those sins is what proves he is a good man.
The setting is not as layered or complex as Downside, but it doesn't need to be, it's Vegas and easily recognized and understood. There was a lot of setting the scene and introducing the players, since it is hopefully the first in a new series, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing where she takes the story from here.
The setting is not as layered or complex as Downside, but it doesn't need to be, it's Vegas and easily recognized and understood. There was a lot of setting the scene and introducing the players, since it is hopefully the first in a new series, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing where she takes the story from here.
amym84's review
3.0
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
E.L. Speare is cursed. With a demon inhabiting his body, Speare is forced to sin in order to keep the demon assuaged, otherwise all hell literally breaks loose. Fortunately Speare is a PI in Las Vegas, the city of sin itself, so there are lots of opportunities to keep his other half under wraps.
While Speare is investigating some grisly murders for the local mob, he discovers the victims were killed with a demon-sword. Speare enlists the help of thief Ardeth, who was potentially hired to steal the object, to help shed light on the killer’s intentions.
I missed reading Stacia Kane’s stories something Terrible. So there’s the slight possibility, in my excitement, I put too much pressure on this book seeing as how it’s the first new thing from Stacia Kane we’ve seen in a couple of years (I apologize if that statement is incorrect).
Unfortunately, Made for Sin just failed to grab and keep my attention. There were elements that were so promising. The first interaction between Ardeth and Speare is full of so much chemistry and mystery, I was hooked. Unfortunately, shortly after the story just kind of became meh.
Made for Sin is told, third person, from Speare’s point of view. I did like his character, sins aside, and I think that Stacia Kane did a great job of really making the reader understand all that he has to deal with and go through on a daily basis being a host for a demon. How this utterly effects his life, and it really made me think about what his character could become if he were free from his demon. The idea of Speare housing a demon and all the metaphorical connotations that come with that statement (coupled with the sins he must commit) is pretty cleverly done. Kane’s characters quite frequently have vices *cough* Chess *cough*, but in Speare’s case you could totally see that if/when he has a way out of his current predicament, he would take it and never look back. It’s not a crutch or an excuse to do bad things, he genuinely doesn’t like who he has to be when he sins.
Beyond this, what loses the story for me is I felt everything else kind of falls flat. I wanted so much more for Ardeth’s character. The first encounter with her and Speare is so promising, but then I feel like we don’t truly get to know her character. We start to see her as Speare sees her, which is this hot unobtainable woman and even her dialogue and actions don’t get to the heart of her character. I wish this story had been from both Speare and Ardeth’s points of view, honestly.
Since I think the main objective of Made for Sin is setting up Speare’s character, which granted Kane does, I wasn’t really interested in the murder mystery plot either. I think if the true conflict of the story had revolved around Speare’s plight, I would have been more invested.
I’m not sure if there are plans for more stories in this world, but the way things end, it’s a definite possibility. After getting through this first book with everything we find out along the way, if Stacia Kane writes more about Speare, I’d definitely read it. I think that the potential is totally there; just this introduction didn’t completely work for me.
E.L. Speare is cursed. With a demon inhabiting his body, Speare is forced to sin in order to keep the demon assuaged, otherwise all hell literally breaks loose. Fortunately Speare is a PI in Las Vegas, the city of sin itself, so there are lots of opportunities to keep his other half under wraps.
While Speare is investigating some grisly murders for the local mob, he discovers the victims were killed with a demon-sword. Speare enlists the help of thief Ardeth, who was potentially hired to steal the object, to help shed light on the killer’s intentions.
I missed reading Stacia Kane’s stories something Terrible. So there’s the slight possibility, in my excitement, I put too much pressure on this book seeing as how it’s the first new thing from Stacia Kane we’ve seen in a couple of years (I apologize if that statement is incorrect).
Unfortunately, Made for Sin just failed to grab and keep my attention. There were elements that were so promising. The first interaction between Ardeth and Speare is full of so much chemistry and mystery, I was hooked. Unfortunately, shortly after the story just kind of became meh.
Made for Sin is told, third person, from Speare’s point of view. I did like his character, sins aside, and I think that Stacia Kane did a great job of really making the reader understand all that he has to deal with and go through on a daily basis being a host for a demon. How this utterly effects his life, and it really made me think about what his character could become if he were free from his demon. The idea of Speare housing a demon and all the metaphorical connotations that come with that statement (coupled with the sins he must commit) is pretty cleverly done. Kane’s characters quite frequently have vices *cough* Chess *cough*, but in Speare’s case you could totally see that if/when he has a way out of his current predicament, he would take it and never look back. It’s not a crutch or an excuse to do bad things, he genuinely doesn’t like who he has to be when he sins.
Beyond this, what loses the story for me is I felt everything else kind of falls flat. I wanted so much more for Ardeth’s character. The first encounter with her and Speare is so promising, but then I feel like we don’t truly get to know her character. We start to see her as Speare sees her, which is this hot unobtainable woman and even her dialogue and actions don’t get to the heart of her character. I wish this story had been from both Speare and Ardeth’s points of view, honestly.
Since I think the main objective of Made for Sin is setting up Speare’s character, which granted Kane does, I wasn’t really interested in the murder mystery plot either. I think if the true conflict of the story had revolved around Speare’s plight, I would have been more invested.
I’m not sure if there are plans for more stories in this world, but the way things end, it’s a definite possibility. After getting through this first book with everything we find out along the way, if Stacia Kane writes more about Speare, I’d definitely read it. I think that the potential is totally there; just this introduction didn’t completely work for me.
book_grinch's review
3.0
2.5 Stars
Arc provided by Loveswept through Netgalley
Release Date: August 30th
Here's the thing is, I love the author's "Downside Ghosts" series.
Even when the thing is breaking my heart, I am loving it. From the plot, to the amazing characters, not forgetting that amazing setting, that series is a must to all urban fantasy addicts.
And then you start reading this, and you have to adjust your expectations, because when it comes down to the characters, this story feels too paranormal romance, and I've stopped being a fan of it...
"Made for Sin" had a potentially amazing storyline. Not that it hasn't been done before, but, this is queen Stacia Kane, so yeah, great expectations.
The idea of a normal guy having to share his body, more precisely his mind with a Demon is a great one, and the author knows how to write: this was an engaging story from first page to last.
Thing is, I didn't care about the characters.
I didn't even memorized their names: his seemed to come from an old noir movie. Hers? Well it could be at home in "Lord of The Rings". lol
So E.L. Speare is supposed to be this big shot PI who occasionally does the dirty jobs of this Mafia boss guy. Also, he may be related to said Mafia guy, so things are even more complicated, as if hosting a Demon in his head wasn't enough trouble already.
We get the story from Speare's pov, but the thing is, at time he felt way too young for all that he had gone through. I don't know if it was just me, but with the exception of the steamy parts, he felt a little too YA: too emo. I got a little tired of being in his head.
As for Ardeth, most of the times she was just this red haired Barby, with the great body, and with a plastic personality. She's supposed to be this master thief, but it was hard to get on board with that, since she spends most of the time bickering with Speare.
And it isn't as if that bickering led to great sexual tension. Because it didn't!
Most of the times they just came out as two (okay, she more than him) stubborn, moronic people, wasting time on frivolities. Yes, Ardeth, I'm looking at you.
The plot was nicely done in a macabre way. Think Buffy and the Initiative episodes...
Towards the end, the pace picks up a little more, the story becomes more interesting with possibilities, some truths were revealed, and the pages flew faster.
I don't know if this is going to be a series, but if so, I really hope Ardeth gets a new personality. That, or that we get a new leading lady.
As for the ending, there's no cliffhanger, but there are obvious possibilities for this to get turned into a series.
Although, I would much prefer a new "Downside Ghosts" book.
Author's Official Blog
helensbookshelf's review
4.0
Well, I really enjoyed reading this one, it was one of those books where I would happily have turned the world off and stayed at home curled up on the sofa until I'd finished it.
I liked Speare and Ardeth, they were both interesting and the attraction between them sizzled nicely. I want more of them though, it can't end the way it did! And I want to see Ardeth again, using her thieving skills more and generally being clever, and winding Speare up.
The only thing that felt a bit off for me was that I couldn't picture Speare very well Near the end of the book it says that he's tall but other than that I didn't get a good mental picture of what he looked like.
I liked Speare and Ardeth, they were both interesting and the attraction between them sizzled nicely. I want more of them though, it can't end the way it did! And I want to see Ardeth again, using her thieving skills more and generally being clever, and winding Speare up.
The only thing that felt a bit off for me was that I couldn't picture Speare very well Near the end of the book it says that he's tall but other than that I didn't get a good mental picture of what he looked like.