Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

3.5 stars

So here's the thing about DEMON SONG . . .

Before this rerereread, it was my favorite book in the BLOOD SINGER series (thus far). It was actually one of my favorite installments of an urban fantasy series ever.

BUT.

This time around . . . not so much.

Before I get into the specifics, I need to emphasize a qualifier or three:

1. I still feel that the basic plot line is fantastic.

Demon hell gate, Atlantis, JOHN-effing-CREED . . . Seriously, what's not to ?

2. Escalation of the budding problem in book 2---too many important things happen off page.

And we hear about them after the fact. In passing. *frowns and squints*

3. "Fuck a duck."

Feels nitpicky, probably is nitpicky, but I DESPISE that phrase, and Celia uses it eleventy billion times more in this installment than in the previous books.

Ugh.

SO. The bulk of my issue is all the random-yet-important details that transpire . . . somewhere else.

Maybe it's just me, but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of telling a story?

For example, in SIREN SONG, Celia gives Queen Lopaka one of the HEP BIG magical Bruno knives as tribute. It was very emotional, blah blah, FEELS, but in chapter two of this book, Celia is somehow in possession of both blades again.

In this case, I think the why of how she came into possession of the second blade again is eventually explained, but in many of the other incidents there's nothing.

There's also weird stuff that makes no sense.

when Edgar needs to feed, and a Big Deal is made about Jones' super special magical blood. Jones allows him minimal sustenance (b/c busy night ahead), then when Edgar is finished, Jones starts eating his own people food meal, blood dripping down his arm all the while . . . b/c he can't be bothered to bandage himself up to preserve that shit? Or Edgar's not going get annoyed at the waste? *frowns and squints AGAIN*

Then there's the major breach of doctor/patient confidentiality when Celia's therapist casually discusses the nature of her deceased friend's treatment (under the care of an entirely different doctor).

Some of these things are isolated incidents, but they're all symptoms of the same problem: SLOPPY. B/c it's everywhere. And without the equivalent of reading beer goggles on, it greatly decreased my ability to sink into the story and just read. And YES, I know that the majority of readers don't notice these kinds of things, but for me, it's the difference between a decent book and a great book.

VERDICT: MEH. Somewhat recommended.

angels-and-or-demons dead-things it-came-from-the-sea ...more8 s Teea385 2

This series is a "turn your brain off" series. Don't look for incredible writing, deep engaging characters, or a plot line that leaves you breathless. It's predictable, and cliche at every turn. Just an episode of Buffy or Dark Angel. Sometimes it was quite painful to read. Overall, I'd give it a "meh" and would not recommend it.However, sometimes it's nice to succumb to mind numbing fluff.paranormal3 s anjuli405 20

So, the series continues and so does Celia's messed up life. I feel bad for her at times. She just cannot catch a break. This book continues pretty much after Siren Song left. Her life is one chaotic incident after another. There's hell gate and then, there's Atlantis. Yes, the Atlantis....

As if her plate is not full enough that the demon that is stalking her is back in this one. He's obsessed with her and wants to, of course, have her (besides taking over the dimension). Not to mention, both, Emma and Dawna are dealing with the aftermath of the taint from what happened to them. Celia is still trying to figure out the mystery why did Vicki leave a crap load of money to a complete stranger. Well, we do get to find out why and it is quite interesting. I'm liking queen Lopaca (Siren Queen) and her slow growing relationship with Celia. Adrianna is growing on me as well. I love how Celia is always thinking and is a bit paranoid. She doesn't trust easily and it is what keeps her alive. There is a show down at the end and some sacrifices have to be made. I was a tad sad. I want to see how things develop in the next book without a certain character.

Romance, is still not the major plot of this series. It is definitely now heading towards a triangle factor of which I am not a fan. Both, John Creed and Bruno, are back on the scene vying for Celia's attention. However, it is not a teen angst at all. As I said, romance is not the major plot. It is barely there. There are some series you just want to keep reading even though you're trying to figure out WHAT is so special. I cannot pinpoint it yet. But, I am enjoying listening to this series thus far. I believe the main plot is definitely interesting and I want to keep finding out where it will lead.

And, oh I am #teamCreed.3 s Liv596 23

This novel was a continuation of Celia's adventures, picking up immediately after book #2 in the series. I was originally disappointed with book #1, but I thought that overall the series had progressively improved and became more interesting as we followed the storyline.

There were lots of actions and adventures, and I was quite happy that I saw some character growth in Celia. It was clear that she was well aware of her developing siren abilities, and meanwhile she worked hard to keep her vampire instincts in check. She tried hard to live a somewhat "normal" life, despite some of the things that happened to her in the last two installments. The plot got more intense as the climax was reached and it was very amazing to see that all people, regardless of magical backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc worked together to conquer evils.

From a romantic perspective, I was quite pleased to see that there were more romantic elements in Celia's unusual life. Between her two major love interests, John Creede and Bruno DeLuca, both powerful mages, I'd say that I held higher regard for John simply because he was a more intriguing character. Bruno was attractive too but I held no interests or respect for him whatsoever, largely due to his past history with Celia. In any case, I'd really to see further romantic development and resolution in the next installment (whenever that will be) between John and Celia (at least I remain hopeful for it).

Even though I thought this book was written well, I had some issues with it and I didn't feel justified to give it a higher rating. First off, I often felt that Celia was pulled in all directions and she seemingly didn't have much control over the things that happened to drop onto her laps. Being the heroine in the story, I would have expected that she would start to take more control over her life, somewhat, as the series progressed. I thought that was a wee bit disappointing that she continued to be driven by circumstances beyond her control and planning. Second, I really didn't see the point of Celia's encounther with Edgar, other than that the existence of the important "artifacts" was introduced. What was the point of that? Why would a vampire, of all folks, want the "artifacts", from Celia?!?! It almost felt as if the author introduced this notion and then forgot all about it afterwards. Third, I was a bit peeved with the fact that Celia didn't seem to know with whom her heart lies, so she took an "easy" approach for now in accepting both men (John and Bruno) in her life??! I know the guys were supposedly allowing things to move slowly, but I still thought that it was a bit unnatural for such two men to be able to tolerate each other's presence as well as Celia's indecision in matters of love.

All in all, this was a good book - an action-packed, interesting and crisp read and I'd definitely read the next installment. 2 s Steph2,017 301

Demon Song , the 3rd book in Cat Adams' Blood Singer series, finds Celia still coping with her fight to not go full vamp, while also dealing with the demon that just won't leave her alone and her recently discovered heritage. Troubles a brewin' and she finds herself smack in the middle of it.

The action in this series is non-stop. Trouble follows Celia around, but the girl carries some major weapons, many hopped on magic and always gets the job done. This addition to the series has a bit more romance than the previous books, although not you'd expect. As with everything in this series, it's fresh, unique ~ just Celia herself. For the first time, she finds herself in the midst of a hottie triangle. Her ex-fiance, Bruno, is back and wants to try again. But, prior to that, the magnetic draw between Celia and mega mage, John Creede, continue to prove to them both that their attraction is not going away. And, personally, I hope it doesn't! I love those two together. Neither mage seems anywhere near close to backing down and each one of the men evoke different emotions for Celia. Un most triangles, this one proves to be interesting. I look forward to seeing how it plays out in future editions.

This is definitely one of my favorite urban fantasy series to date. I continue to be impressed with each book, each better than one before it. I am anxious to read The Isis Collar in March 2012.

This series is hard to review without spoilers, but I believe I blocked the only one I've included in my review. Please note that each book's blurb tends to provide spoilers for the previous books in this series. So, it's best to read only the blurb for the next book in your TBR list.

Series Reading Order:
author-? series-ongoing sos-games-bsb-r2 ...more2 s Leah Blacklock139 11

Okay, so I'm reviewing this when I was on page 324. This book centres around Celia dealing with normal life and oh a mental facility filled with supernatural creatures that demons have overrun. If that doesn't draw you in, Celia's love life starts to heat up after the last two books not being so filled with it. I really forgot how much I loved this series. Celia is a kick ass Part Vampire, Part Siren. Human in a world filled with supernatural creatures such as werewolves, demons and so much more. Its set is a made up town near L.A but the world building really had me convinced that it was a real place. Celia is such a well written and deep character and she is easily one of my favourite lead females. I love the complexity of the stories and the drama. If you haven't read these books by this 3rd review.. what are you doing :D2 s All Things Urban Fantasy1,921 617

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

*Spoilers for previous books in this series*
DEMON SONG masterfully juggles multiple storylines all revolving around the cool-as-they-come Celia Graves who by this book is a bodyguard who has survived a vampire attack, learned she’s a half siren princess, and discovered that she has an unliftable demon death curse.

As with the previous Blood Singer books, DEMON SONG is masterfully plotted. Every moment, character, and discovery has a significant purpose. It is unbelievably satisfying to read a series where you know the ending of each book has been planned out perfectly to peak at just the right moment.

Speaking of satisfying, one thing that I just loved about this installment was the inclusion of the Atlantis legend. The mythical island plays a key role in the story. Some fun twists and new magical explanations for it’s disappearance link both sirens and demons, which of course put Celia smack dab in the middle of the action.

Of the three Blood Singer novels, DEMON SONG is by far the most romantic to date. Celia is dealing with her unwanted siren attraction, and for the first time in her life she has two men pursuing her: her ex-fiancé Bruno, and the enigmatic John Creede. Both mages, both evoke very different responses from Celia, and neither one appears willing step down. And since Celia’s life never slows down long enough for her to eat regularly (dangerous for a vampire) let alone to consider who she wants to be with, the romantic tension stays taut throughout the book.

Overall, this is another thrilling urban fantasy led by a character whose ongoing battle to balance the magical and mundane aspects of her life is endlessly entertaining. The plot is intricate and layered with romance, heartache, and explosive magical action sequences. But it’s the world building which is dense and ever expanding in new and exciting ways--this time including the legend of Atlantis--that makes DEMON SONG my favorite of the series and has me eagerly awaiting the next Blood Singer book.

Sexual Content:
A magical sex scene that is mildly graphic.reviewed-by-abigail1 Jennifer WardripAuthor 5 books516

Reviewed by Breia "The Brain" Brickey for TeensReadToo.com

Being around Celia Graves is hard - heck, BEING Celia Graves is even harder.

Celia is getting used to being a half-vampire siren. As if that wasn’t enough, she has faced off against both a Siren Queen and a demon who wants her dead, and she’s done all of this while dealing with a heart that's been broken twice by the same man.

Just as we think Celia may get a little rest, she learns that an ancient rift between a demon dimension and our own begins to open. With all of the life-and-death struggles that she's going through, she is actually uniquely gifted to handle such a problem.

But she's still going to need help from friends - as well as from people she no longer trusts.

How many ways must I say how awesome this series is before everyone believes me? Suspense, drama, action, and even a little romance thrown in just to spice it up a bit. Very few authors come close to writing stories such as this. I’ve seen few movies that I actually enjoy as much as the BLOOD SINGER series.

Cat Adams is a joy to read each and every time. With these books and this author I know that my interest will be held and my expectations exceeded before even opening the cover. Definite Gold Star reading material! trt-gold-star-award-winner trt-posted-1 Sheyla ?1,886 577

Celia is as always attracting bad luck. She has a Demon obsessed with her. (This is never a good thing, unless you are reading a diff series, where demons are awesome - AL- Kim Harrison's series, the Demon Lord- Diana Rowland seires) I really Creede but I wish there was more of him here. I am on his team, he respects her. He has not betrayed her. She can trust him. With DeLuca I have a problem, he has left her twice. And now, we have a 3 guy into the mix.
The action of this book is fast paced. The Sirens are more present too.
I'll have to wait for more Creede....This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review1 Kathy Martin3,630 94

Celia is balancing two (or maybe 3) boyfriends and a greater demon. Of course, she is also battling her siren heritage and a possible end of the world scenario. Along the way she has to manage her vampire needs and help her friends get over major trauma. This was an action packed adventure and the end indicates that more adventures are on tap for Celia too. The story was exciting and entertaining with lots of danger.1 Melissa435 15

Another solid entry in the series.

I am not usually a triangle love interest kind of person but I really didn't mind it in this story since she wasn't all angsty about it. It is what it is and both men know about it and Celia knows at some point she will have to pick one. Also since this is UF, it is not the focus of the story.uf1 Dan657 23

So many works of fiction develop impossible romantic triangles which stretch on for ages, long after any sane group of people would have either moved on or else declared polyamory. There are hints of the latter here, but I doubt they will come to much.

The romance-novel thing has so far been tidily contained in subplots. I'm hoping that continues.1 Brianna1,418 13

very good. Picks up right where Siren Song left off. and it has a love triangle with Bruno, Celia and John Creede. I really can't wait if there is another book in this series (which i am hoping), if not , oh well.adult fantasy must-buy ...more1 Rachel-RN2,199 26

Great cast of characters, lots (and I mean lots) going on! Celia loses people close to her, makes new friends, and the love triangle is a go. Not crazy about those, but in this book it works. FYI- book ends on a mild cliffhanger- but it's not one of those "OMG!!" moments.read-20131 Aven McNab26 6

Overall a 3.5 or 4. The ending was a little cheesy.1 Kathy Davie4,766 714

Third in the Blood Singer urban fantasy series about a full-human bodyguard-turned-vampire/siren/human.

My Take
Oh, I cannot believe that Emma actually said that! Especially after the events in Siren Song ! W. T. F!

It's just too cute — and thank god for friends — how Dawna and friends keep an eye on Celia's food intake. The romantic action also heats up in Demon Song. With Creede, Bruno, and Gaetano. With some very interesting graphic displays! Certainly none I've ever come across…*chuckling as I think about it*.

I do that Celia doesn't just roll over for the Landinghams. She makes them understand just what they did to her.

?It's odd in some ways, this was a very smooth story, but as I look back...wow...there is so much that happens! The problems Celia's mother has in prison. Kevin's imprisonment. The truth about what's going on at the zoo. The fun at the vineyard and the spa although the personal demon invasion there was pretty scary! Taking down a drug lord. Trying to figure out Bruno and Creede. Then there's the interactions with Adriana and the queen followed by the Murphys and Fulbright. Just in the nick of time there! The "minor" vampire problems. Running about finding those artifacts with the back history on the sirens and the last time calamity hit…! Phew...I'm exhausted.

Then there's the sacrifice.

The Story
It's John Jones' invitation to rescue Kevin that opens up the situation at the California State Paranormal Treatment Facility, a.k.a., the zoo. Thank god for Vicki's help and ability to assure Alex! The police also have a two-sided offer to make — or is it demand? — of Celia. And poor Alex is stuck in the middle.

In the meantime, Celia is getting too cocky and when she finds La Cocina y Cantina closed when it should be open she gets Barbara to explain the problem. Well, four vampires ain't no big...she thinks. Until their sire floats down...and comes with some nasty reinforcement! It's a nasty wake-up call. What Edgar wants from Celia could well excite some pretty intense reactions.

Celia does have some good karma built up when twelve-year-old Maria shows up needing help. Sent by Ron of all people. Young Maria holds the key into the FBI's heart...or at least SA Rizzoli's! Celia will need all the goodwill she can get when the demand goes out for mages, warrior priests, AC card holders, and leave is canceled for the National Guard and police agencies.

You know, Celia, she won't want to be left out of the fun. And it's a good thing for Alex that she is on site. It's also a good opportunity to try out the TBBs John made as hell comes crashing through.

The Characters
Celia Graves is part vampire, part siren, and still human while working as a suddenly very much in-demand personal security consultant — all those celebs just gotta have the latest must-have. Ivy is her ghostly sister who is protecting their mother from the other inmates. Her mother, Lana Graves, and Gran have made some radical changes.

Dawna Long is the receptionist/secretary for Celia's building which she shares with Ronald, a real jerk of a lawyer, and Bubba, a bond bondsman who is not as happy to see Celia these days. Could be that loss... Dawna is still traumatized by events in Blood Song and Dr. Talbert believes that Celia can help. David and Inez were the caretakers at Vickie's estate with Celia in the estate's guesthouse; Vicki's will has created some changes here.

Dorothy "Dottie" Simmons is a hypnotist who works part-time work for Celia and company helping out Dawna. Celia has hired Shawn Beall to locate Mick Murphy, the surprise beneficiary.

Vicki Cooper is a dead clairvoyant who is still around helping Celia. Detective Heather Alexander, a police detective, was her girlfriend. Cassandra Meadows and Jason Cooper are Vicki's parents, movie stars both. Cassandra hates Celia with a passion and is contesting Vicki's will.

John Creede is a powerful mage who is rebuilding Miller and Creede after events in Siren Song and is very interested in Celia. Seems he's also been playing in the vineyards with Pam and Sam Darby. Andrew is Creede's personal assistant and down with getting John and Celia together.

Bruno DeLuca is a mage on the East Coast and really screwed up his relationship with Celia. He does make an offer to find someone to train Okalani and her gift for teleporting groups. His brother is Father Matteo DeLuca, a militant priest determined to end all types of demons except Celia. Both will always come when she calls. Christopher Gaetano is a medic with Kevin's current company and I reckon he's got nothin' to be ashamed of...LOL.

Of the siren side of the family:
High Queen Lopaka is Celia's aunt and Celia is of the Pacific royal line. Princess Adriana Kalino is a siren whose gift is clairvoyance and is newly engaged. Okalani's power comes in very handy although her mother Laka is very protective. Helen Baker's mother, Pili, has her own role to play.

Gerry takes a hit after his persecution of Celia. Seems that boy just doesn't learn his lesson. Edgar is a master vampire who swings from one side to the other. Whatever will benefit him the most. Only one thing has been protecting Celia from him.

Professor Warren Landingham specializes in all things paranormal, teaches at a local university, and is deeply involved in a new, very important project involving his son Kevin and his girlfriend Amy. Emma Landingham is the only one of the Landinghams that Celia will speak to anymore after events in Siren Song . John Jones has some kind of power and used to work with Kevin at the CIA. He's moved on to...something else. Anna works in the metaphysics section at the campus library.

La Cocina y Cantina was Vicki, Celia, Emma, and Dawna's favorite hangout. Barbara and Pablo own it and Juan is their oldest son. They still welcome Celia and have been trying out different concoctions for her.

Professor Aaron Sloan has in-depth knowledge about demonology. Dr. Jeff Scott is no longer in charge of Birchwoods. His position has been taken over by Dr. Gwen Talbert, Celia's original therapist. Dr. Ann Hubbard is still Celia's therapist. Jesse Garcia is a truthteller at Birchwoods.

Special Agent Rizzoli is with the FBI and appears to want Encarcion very badly.

Mick Murphy and his family don't think they want Vicki's bequest although they do discover the purpose of it. Molly is his wife and they have two daughters, Beverly and Julie, living in Fool's Rush, Arkansas where they live a quiet, average life. Nathan Fulbright has a connection to the Murphys and holds the hope of the world in his lands.

The Cover and Title
The cover is the darkest dark again with more of Celia's three-quarter profile showing. Glowing. Orange and red eyes. Two cute little fangs peeking from either side of her glossy lips.

It's a Demon Song all right, multiple demons wanting their way through to our world.fantasy urban Scratch1,042 43

Maybe even 3.5. Hard to say. I reviewed the first two books in this paper-thin, piece-of-fluff series, so I might as well keep going.

This latest installment of "Blood Singer" felt slightly better than the first two. Part of that is because there were a few more details about imagery (Did everyone else know that Dawna was Vietnamese?). It felt there was a little more effort put into this novel. And for the first time it felt there was effort put into giving the protagonist, Celia, multiple love interests. She had 3 possibilities by the end of this novel, where previously she just had her ex-boyfriend. And maybe a sentence or two suggesting the mysterious "Kevin" was a possible love interest.

But even at that, as I mentioned in my first two , we still know NOTHING about Kevin. This novel began with Celia abruptly joining a rescue operation to free Kevin, and we still know next-to-nothing about what he looks , how he became a werewolf, etc. , I don't even know his hair color. The writing team calling itself "Cat Adams" even threw in a girlfriend for Kevin who had almost no lines of dialogue, and whom we ALSO know almost nothing about.

There were a couple plot threads in this novel that were basically abandoned. Everything having to do with Kevin and his "vaso" (Apparently the way werewolves work in this universe they have to shunt extra energy into a person? And characters thought Celia was the person fulfilling this task, but she wasn't, and instead it was a completely random person?) was dropped a hot potato.

Celia met with a juvenile client. She made a phone call. And then... That plot thread got dropped, too.

The potential end-of-the-world threat that we were facing by the end of the novel felt a little rushed. And the authors hadn't properly provided suspense to the depth of tragedy we were facing.

But hey, if you want some meaningless urban fantasy fluff, this is a mindless series you can get lost in for a couple hours. K.G. WilkieAuthor 6 books2

I enjoyed that the first book was fast paced and had some hints of a well rounded heroine. I love that this book adds even more depth to all the characters, develops that background story of our siren without feeling a bunch of clunky flashbacks, once again has some romance but doesn't spend all our time obsessing over just the romantic relationship because our girl also has a life, and I loved that this book created less loose threads (though some minor unaddressed questions from the first book are still unmentioned and unsolved).

Hopefully as the series goes on it will turn out all those seemingly forgotten loose threads will be resolved while the world is being saved! Ale199 5

Estos libros no son particularmente obras maestras literarias pero hacen el trabajo y te entretienen. Cuando llegas al libro 3 o 4 de una saga ya pretendes terminarla ya que has invertido más tiempo y ya conoces mejor a los personajes.

La trama de este libro no fue mala, simplemente fue apurada. Con un poco más de tiempo hubiesen podido desarrollar cada evento y también separarlos (es un blur las cosas que pasan)

Creo que aprovecharé y terminaré con esta saga y veremos que pasa :)


sagas-que-tengo-que-buscar-la-conti Nico34

This series was incredibly choppy and did not really develop it's main character. I found that the reader found out about most of the things by learning about them after they happened and not during. We were very much told instead of shown. I detested Bruno's character and read to the of the next couple of books to see if this ridiculous love triangle goes on and who, if anyone, she choose. I was sorely disappointed and will be tapping out from this series. Matilde Damkier413 33

It's still a good book, but I have the same issues with this one as I had with the second.
But it seems the cast of characters is stabilizing, at least a little bit. We got some more face-time with people we know - and some romance development.
But really, her first actual date in the series and we have to hear about it second-hand, after the fact? Bah.genre-urban-fantasy trope-love-triangle Heidi Aspesberger290 5

This is one of the few series that actually gets better as it continues. I really enjoyed this book. The MC is still as sassy as ever, but also grows a lot throughout the book. The twists and turns keep things interesting and entertaining. I actually laughed out loud a few times and even cringed at some awkward scenes. Must read the next book! Debra619 5

Let's see. The spa with Celia's friends was nice, the wine tasting was really hot, the world is coming to an end and she has three really hot guys to choose from. Whew!!! Love this series!! Highly recommend! TinaMarie3,491 32

Read this straight through. I really this series and the characters. Celia has to figure out what's going on in the 'zoo' and why Vicki left so much money to the Murpy's. Hold off those trying to kill her and not eat people herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Alysia169 47

Better than the first book by far. Little better than the 2nd book. Still find it a little hard to read as it feels the story skips stuff a lot. Okay story line so far but still not quite sure if this is still worthy of reading. I will probably read the next book but so far I'm not blown away. Robert Kent155

4.5/5
From my personal notes --
Celia is a bodyguard who was half turned into a vampire and found out she is 1/4 Siren royalty. She needs to rescue Kevin from a supernatural prison and discovers there are demons there. And she then finds out there is a rift opening to the demon world. Cecy Ixtacuy90

4/5 just because of John Creed, I loved him. Crystal Balboni138 9

Best book of the series so far.cutthroat-bookclub Amy Webster-Bo1,541 7

they get better as they go along, Larry Meron156

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