“

Oh… My…. Stars…..After the end of Thy Kingdom Come, I knew in my heart, Into Temptation was going to rip me apart. It did and then some. My heart was completely shredded and I am not sure how James is going to repair it! Punky has been in my mind since reading the first book, and with Into Temptation, we are taken on such an raw and emotional ride that will have your head spinning and your heart racing. 10 years later, things have changed and things will continue to change if Punky has his way. With all the secrets that have been exposed, I am not sure how a person doesn’t crumble under the weight of it all. But oh man, does Punky fight and fight hard. His love for Cami, never wavering, regardless of things that they were told. Her fire keeps him going. The love they have is explosive in more ways than one.
To say Pucky Kelly is a force to be reckoned with is an understatement and with what James delivers in this installment of the trilogy is nothing less than epic. My mind is spinning, my heart is still racing as I write this review. There are so many factors that contribute to the insanity that is occurring and honestly, it is spellbinding. The level of intensity and the depth of the concept will leave you utterly breathless as you navigate the words that flow so brilliantly. I have fallen so deep down this rabbit hole that James has created and I cannot get enough. I am literally biting my nails and on the edge of my seat waiting for the finale of this trilogy and how it will all play out. Once again, Monica James is the pure master at a unique and twisted story that will wrap you up and make it so you never want to leave again!

4,5 stars

Wow...
I mean... just, wow!
Ok, words - what are those?
I know it shouldn't come as a surprise by now as I'm systematically left speechless but c'mon... seriously?!

Even though it still took me like 8 hours or so to read it - taking in consideration the huge book-funk-slash-procrastination-phase-slash-generally-meh-mood that's been plaguing me lately - I feel like I devoured this book, and I'm definitely feeling so much more connected with the characters and the story as a whole. The reasoning behind I believe it to be twofold: a) the fact that we're talking about the second book where the plot gets developed and we are already somewhat familiar with all its moving parts and b) because personally I find that the passage of those 10 years, specially under those specific circumstances, helps creating some sort of... tension. Build up.

Also, speaking of time away, and maybe due to my earlier mentioned near total absenteeism from the book world, it lead to this weird numbness that worked beautifully in my favour while experiencing Punky's journey. It's like I've been away from him and Babydoll the same way and length of time he was away from her and everything else. Trippy, to say the least.

But enough about me.

If you thought Punky and Babydoll's chemistry was off the charts before, damn it all to hell if you saw a thing yet.
Oh. My. F---ing. God.
The back and forth is incendiary.
Their bond is stronger than ever and... it's intense.
Not gonna lie, kinda scary at times.
Hot as all hell, too.
Dark AF.
God, I love it.


We get to see old faces, meet new characters, witness unlikely alliances and unimaginable connections, experience a huge pile of plot twists and are left with a gasp-inducing cliffhanger.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you - Lady Monica James.



I need to be honest: like I mentioned in my review for "Thy Kingdom Come", I have to confess that in the beginning I feared not being able to completely immerse myself in the story since the writing was a mirror of the accent and the plot so tightly linked with the geography/demographic of the a place I'm not at all familiar with. I know it sounds dumb because you don't need to know what is like to hunt demons to understand the struggles of the Winchester Brothers, or know anything about magic to love Harry Potter, or even know a stitch about the Russian mafia and honeymoon kidnappings to fall head over heels in love with Saint, Willow and Alek.
Yet, I still felt unsure.

Those doubts dissipated once I immersed myself in all things Puck Kelly and this book shows me that I had nothing to fear.
Furthermore, I'm beginning to sense that the last book might actually take a very sizable chunk of my heart and soul with it when it's over.
Damn you, Monica James. You win yet again.
And I keep regretting nothing.

So much for "enough about me", right?
Oops...


Book 3, I'm ready.
I think.

I received an arc for a honest review.

I can't express how much Monica kills me. EVERY single one of her releases, my anxiety level are at the max and more. I don't know why I keep reading it when it gives me so much anxiety. LOL BUT THEY'RE SO FREAKING GOOD!!! I don't know how Monica keeps on doing it.

I was at the edge of my seat. It was definitely UNPUTDOWNABLE. By the time I know, I was already 90% done. I didn't want it to end. I need book 3 ASAP. The wait is going to kill me even more.

It's been 10 years since Punky got locked up in jail. Everything changed. I remembered, just 8% in, and my anxiety level was so high already. Lol Punky and Babydoll are even more fire than the first book. You'll just have to read to feel the connections, the chemistry, the longing, the pain both of them went through. THE TWIST...I didn't see it coming at all. I was expecting something else. Ugh. I need them to get their happy ending!!!

Into Temptation is the 2nd book in the Deliver Us From Evil series.   This book ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger so hold on tight!  There is a warning at the beginning of this book that says if you don’t like cliffhangers then “best you turn back now”.  

Babydoll aka Cami, and Punky’s story continues.  Fast Forward Punky is getting out of jail after serving 10 years.  Babydoll happens to be engaged now.  Punky ignored any of babydoll’s attempts to see him while in jail.  She is just trying to get on with life.   

 

 

I felt like I was on a rollercoaster as their story unfolded.  I have to tell you this story is so very, very good.  It is a dark story so beware!   You do need to read Thy Kingdom Come, book one first. 

Talk about an OH NO kind of ending!  I can't wait for the third and final book to come out.  It can't come out soon enough!  5+ stars 

MOTHER *UCKER. After the devastating blow we were dealt at the end Thy Kingdom Come, I was desperate to find out just what was next for our embattled Punky and his poor Babydoll. Into Temptation holds nothing back- going straight for the jugular from the very start. The monsters here are alive and well, just as savage and even more dangerous. With more secrets, more betrayal, more revenge, and more feelings-this story is a wildly unpredictable ride that is somehow both devastating and victorious. What a great second act in Monica James’ most creative and original series to date.

Our story does begin a bit slow, but soon dials up to hyperspeed. These characters have lost a lot of time believing half truths and suffering for the secrets of their fathers- and now it is time for a reckoning. Of course, though, things have changed and everyone has tortured themselves in their own way after the shocking heartbreakingly disastrous revelation of the first book. And Babydoll and Punky have a bit of a gift of the magi syndrome- each believing they are unselfishly doing right by the other by repressing their conflicted, latent but still fire-hot emotions for another when all they’ve really done is created distance and longing- and more secrets. And Monica does not make it easy for them - not only do we have a constant push-pull limbo as the result of their secrets but, of course, this dark and dangerous Belfast world is still being masterminded by manipulative and evil men- their families. And if we thought our finale in book 1 cleared the air of all the secrets- think again. We have more shocking revelations, more twists and turns, and more gritty violence looming with each passing page. And, like any epic love story, we’ve yet to see the full extent of the passion and sacrifice Babydoll and Punky will demonstrate for their loved ones, and each other.

Since this book can’t be read as a standalone, I’ll assume you’ve read the first- so you know this story will pick up in a timeframe that you were never anticipating- one of the many jaw dropping revelations from book one. At first, this story felt like no time had passed- the characters felt just as they were, like they’d been frozen in times. Monica doesn’t waste a lot of time filling in the pages with a decades worth of explanation- which is a good thing, because it makes it the more jarring we do start to see the shifts- in many cases subtle, but powerful. Punky feels the same arrogant but lovable daredevil fixated on revenge. Only now, his desire for revenge has exponentially increased, his list of targets longer. But we also see a man subtly evolved- he’s stronger, more clever and ruthless, but he’s also more stoic, feels more accountability and guilt. He’s become increasingly selfless, and in doing so, become more vulnerable as a character- he’s more heroic. And Babydoll has come into her strength- more willing to stick to her ground, to fight for what she wants, to no longer be a pawn in the machinations of greedy men. We still get her heart, but we also get her

Monica really dials up the intensity, the twists, the danger and shocking revelations in the last leg of this story- yet again careening us towards an epic face-off finale that, like book one, deceives us into calm by it’s simplicity but quickly implodes into a unexpectedly tangled web of lies and deceit. The shocks keep coming, and with them, so does the heartbreak and setbacks. Time will tell what this epic finale will mean for all the characters we’re rooting for- but I do know this, the battle has only just begun, and we still have some foes left to unmask it would seem. The stakes keep getting higher, and we are in for one wild and unpredictable wild ride.

4.5 stars

Well… fxk. I did NOT see that coming. Talk about the mother of all cliffhangers… again. It was a slow start and then it went supersonic from like the 50% mark. Wow.

Welp! I am literally on edge after reading this book!

Book 2 picks up where the first one leaves off. The continuation of Punky’s story has gutted me more. I never knew I could love a man who is both hero and villain.

The character development is phenomenal and the plot twists were unexpected.

I need book 3!!

Wracamy do Belfastu, gdzie nic nie jest takie, jak było. W końcu trudno się dziwić, skoro minęło dziesięć lat i muszę przyznać, że czasami o tym zapominałam, ale o tym może później.
W pierwszej części Punky chciał odkryć prawdę i pomścić swoją mamę. Jak się to skończyło? No tak średnio bym powiedziała. Czas spędzony w więzieniu odcisnął piętno na naszym bohaterze. I chociaż wychodzi na wolność, to pytaniem jest, czy on kiedykolwiek w ogóle był wolny?
W recenzji „Thy Kingdom Come” napisałam, że „w tej historii zadziało się tyle, że momentami mnie to przerażało” - i teraz mam ochotę się roześmiać, bo tutaj dzieje się jeszcze więcej. Wszystkiego jest więcej — tajemnic, bólu, zagadek, pożądania i plot twistów.
Od pierwszych stron zostajemy wciągnięci w jeszcze nieogłoszoną wojnę, którą troszeczkę można określić jako Puck Kelly vs Reszta Świata. W ciągu dziesięciu lat wiele się zmieniło. I tu muszę powiedzieć, że jedno wydarzenie i relacja mnie zaskoczyła, jak mało co. Dosłownie musiałam trzy razy przeczytać niektóre zdania, żeby dotarło do mnie, co właśnie ma miejsce. Akcja jest dynamiczna i tak naprawdę nie wiemy, co się wydarzy i komu Punky może zaufać. Ba, sami nie wiemy, komu możemy zaufać.
Mamy spory przeskok czasowy, który siłą rzeczy wymusza pewne zmiany. Dlatego wyobraźcie sobie moje zdziwienie, kiedy z każdą kolejną stroną docierało do mnie, że Laleczka/Poppy a w zasadzie to Camilla zachowuje się dokładnie tak samo, jak te x lat temu. Jasne, sporo przeżyła i tego nie kwestionuję, ale jej późniejsze wybory i zachowanie mnie tylko podłamało. Bo mamy dopracowaną fabułę, bohatera, który jest zdeterminowany, by osiągnąć cel i bohaterkę, która z założenia ma być silna i być „królową”, a tak naprawdę to nie jest nawet księżniczką. W pierwszej części Cami mnie nie kupiła, ale dawałam jej szansę, bo wiadomo, że postacie się rozwijają. Ona w moim odczuciu się nie rozwinęła — jest jeszcze trzecia i ostatnia część, ale nie wiem, czy ponownie chcę dawać jej kredyt zaufania.
Punky z kolei jak dla mnie troszeczkę stracił pazur. Wie, że ma przed sobą wojnę, która może się skończyć w każdy możliwy sposób, a przez większość czasu zachowuje się jak niepewny chłopaczek, który twierdzi, że jest ze wszystkim sam. Chłopie, jak chcesz iść na wojnę, to musisz być pewny siebie i tworzyć swoje zaplecze, a nie rozczulać się nad sobą. I dziękuję Bogu, a raczej autorce, że Punky z czasem się ogarnął i stał kimś, kto faktycznie jest w stanie stanąć na czele Belfastu.
Akcja niezwalania tempa, przez co książkę czyta się bardzo szybko. Ważną rolę w tej historii odgrywają postacie drugoplanowe, ale nie będę tutaj się rozpisywać, bo byłyby to spoilery. Kiedy spojrzymy na wszystko z boku, to widzimy, że postacie ułożyły sobie w jakiś sposób życie. Puck miał trudniej, bo spędził czas w więzieniu, jednak kiedy z niego wyszedł, to pozostali bohaterowie niemal rzucili wszystko, by przy nim trwać.
No i przychodzi zakończenie, którego się nie spodziewałam, przez co nie mogę się już doczekać premiery ostatniej części.