Customer Reviews

The Devil You Know (Morgan Kingsley)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Morgan Kingsley is an exorcist with a rather unusual attribute - she's the host of the king of the demons, Lugh. In Jenna Black's world demons are beings who can live inside a human and can take over their body, giving them extra strength and the ability to heal themselves from most injuries. There are many laws about demons and humans and Morgan's job is to exorcise illegal demons. However since she found out that she is hosting Lugh her life has become more and more complex. Lugh isn't able to take over her actions unless she's asleep or in a very specific time of stress. In the previous book in the series, The Devil Inside, Morgan found herself working with demon Adam, his lover Dominic and with Lugh to try to protect Lugh. In this story her brother Andrew, now in a coma after his demon Raphael left him, wakes up and tells Morgan that he hated Raphael. Morgan also discovers that a demon known as Der Jäger has been put on the trail of Lugh and is no doubt after her. She teams up with Adam to try to find out what's going on in the battle between Lugh and his brother Dougal to be king, as well as trying to take care of Andrew and also worrying about her former boyfriend Brian. When Morgan discovers that some events in her history may have a bearing on why she is able to host Lugh she has to try to unravel what's been going on for over twenty years with Raphael, Dougal and Lugh and at the same time try to keep those she loves safe.

I very much enjoyed this follow up book and found that the story was progressing well, although the interactions between Morgan and Lugh are fairly sparse overall. Morgan's hot-tempered and feisty nature was well written and her moral dilemmas throughout were interesting. I liked the way in which Morgan's difficult relationship with Adam White is changing as she learns more about the demon world and about the good and evil within it. This book was definitely a continuation of the previous story and it might be a little difficult for newcomers to the series to follow everything in this book but overall it was an excellent continuation of the story, although without overall completion of the plot.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

There are a lot of paranormal authors out there in literary land who have delved into the demon plain. In the demon realm we do have a few heavy hitters: Lilith Saintcrow (one of my favs), Kim Harrison (of course), Keri Author, Rachel Cain, naughty Emma Holly (smoldering) and a spattering of more, but Jenna Black clearly has a distinctiveness of her own.

It's refreshing! I love championing the veritable bad boy/and or girl, and Black's Morgan Kingsley series is a virtual horn of plenty. It's got a plausible back-story of demon lore with a hierarchical pantheon, a potential coup in Hell, demons fighting each other on the Mortal Plain, professional exorcists like Morgan running the bad guys out of our realm, law enforcement officers possessed by lesser flight demons, and last but not least, Black's reality envisions middle-American WalMart "walk-abouts" embracing demon possession as a hip and holy lifestyle. Throw in a dash of S&M, and this series is cookin'.

Morgan is the type of exorcist heroine that readers (especially female) gravitate towards: self-powerful, independent, sexually potent and aware, but just as willing to kick you on your butt with a pair of her size nine motorcycle boots.

For fans, this book is a natural progression from The Devil Inside. Morgan starts to acquaint herself with her unlikely demon passenger, and starts molding a bearable lifestyle with him. But she still needs to unravel the mystery of not only how to get him OUT but how to help him prevent a full-scale war in Hell-a war that might just spill over into the Mortal Plain. What further complicates things is that Morgan is surrounded by frenemies, and a diabolical secret surfaces that her parents have been hiding from her...Revelations will be had.

After reading the Devil You Know TWICE I sat back with a smug smile. I am hoping Black won't paint herself into a corner with Lugh, because fans will be panting for more after this second book. How will Lugh and Morgan consummate their relationship? When are we going to see what he really looks like? How will Black keep the tension up if Lugh slips his noose? It's tricky-tricky. What would be devilishly naughty is if Lugh were to "borrow" Adam's body for a bit of extracurricular activities with Morgan. I'm snickering just thinking about it. Copyright (c) Nicola Mattos

This is a continuation of the Morgan Kingsley Exorcist series after the first book The Devil Inside. Morgan exorcises illegal demons that have set up residence inside humans on the Mortal Plain. Ironically, Morgan is now a host for the Demon King Lugh. However, she cannot be possessed the same as other hosts. She maintains her ability to know all and control her own body and mind. We find out more about Raphael, Lugh's younger brother, and how human hosts really feel about the demons that have taken over their bodies. Adam and his boyfriend Dominic are back and Morgan continues her tentative relationship with them, in particular Adam. A few reviewers from The Devil Inside found the gay relationship between Dominic and Adam somewhat excessive. There is one scene that is descriptive but I did not find it offensive. The sex was more subdued in this book. A new psychotic demon, Der Jager is sent from the Demon Realm to find out who carries the Demon King and destroy both the demon king and host. The politics of the Demon Realm with King Lugh, his younger brother Raphael and Dougal continue as Dougal attempts to overthrow Lugh and Raphael plays both sides. This story was very entertaining and has an interesting twist on the paranormal. This is a very good series. I have enjoyed both books immensely.

Where the first book in this series, The Devil Inside (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 1), fizzed and sparkled with its fast-paced introduction to Morgan Kingsley, exorcist, this second instalment came across as rather flat. The action doesn't really kick in until about a third of the way into the novel. And Morgan's tough-girl exterior is well and truly punctured as she is frequently close to, if not actually reduced to, blubbing. Sometimes because of her tiresome relationship with her ex-boyfriend, and sometimes because of her family's treatment of her. At the heart of this story is Morgan's strained relationship with her family and the secret that her parents have kept hidden.

The trouble I had with this novel is that I just didn't find it compelling. To be completely honest, I sometimes found it a bit of a chore to read. Morgan's introspection became quite grating after a while and at times, some parts of the story felt formulaic. For example, I'm not giving away much when I tell you that Morgan and her ex have a nice little roll and tumble at one point in this story. No problem with that, but it just seemed contrived as if the author felt she had to include it even though the event itself didn't add anything to the story.

Where Jenna Black has succeeded is with the underlining premise of demons inhabiting willing human hosts. Those being hosted by the unwilling are liable to be exorcized by Morgan or one of her colleagues. The irony is that Morgan is hosting, somewhat unwillingly, Lugh, the King of the Demon Realm. She is able to keep him suppressed until she is asleep when he is then able to communicate with her. Luckily for Morgan, he appears to her in various states of hotness, notably inducing in her a liking for seeing him in s & m fetish-wear. Her ability to keep her possession concealed works in his favor, too: there are those who seek to destroy him, but if they don't know where to look . . .

Being possessed by a demon enables the human host to heal quickly from injuries. This instalment also introduces the concept of a demon being able, with skin-to-skin contact, to transfer from one human to another. One interesting point of morality raised in this novel is that a demon residing in a policeman could transfer to a suspect in order to find out whether or not the suspect is telling the truth.

Although I didn't enjoy this novel as much as its predecessor, there is enough about the environment that Morgan inhabits to keep me interested enough to buy the third novel in this series, The Devil's Due when it is available.

For those new to the fascinating world that Jenna Black has created in this series, I would advise you to start with the first novel before reading this one as there are quite a few references made to happenings in `The Devil Inside'.

I loved this book. It held my attention the whole time. It was exciting and moved progressively, with hardly any down spots. There was a bit too much self-reflection for my taste but otherwise this is a great book. Morgan seems to have progressed in character. She finally seems to be accepting reality and is slowly coming off her high horse. The sex/romance parts of the story w/ Adam and Dom are always hot hot hot! I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series.

The second installment of the Morgan Kingsley series is basically a rehash of The Devil Inside.
When it's all set and done, you will realize that not a lot happened in this book.
Morgan and her posse face yet another threat from one of Dougal's minions in the form of a sociopathic demon, and in the midst of this, Morgan tries to find out why they chose her as a host for Lugh.
To Jenna Black's credit, she toned down some of the sex, but replaced it with constant internal monologue about Morgan's feelings. Whereas the first installment was fast-paced, this one was like wading through mud.
The first 3/4 of the book, Morgan mills over the events that happened in the first installment coupled with a few new developments, and she never really progresses in her decision-making. Also, her core values are constantly contradicted. In one chapter, for example, she's willing to let Adam torture her brother Andrew to get information about an event she experienced in her childhood; but then, she has a harder time siccing Adam on someone that actually mis-treated her in the past. This constant back-and-forth and progress-regress became a little exhausting to read.
Then, the last quarter of the book, some action finally takes place, and I enjoyed the last few chapters a lot more than the rest of the book.
Even though I rate The Devil You Know three stars, I'm curious to find out what happens next.

I normally don't read these type of books. I love a good scary movie so when I saw the cover I picked up the book. I found myself keeping the lights on longer at night after reading the book though. The author was good at making the characters seem real. When reality meets with the other world, you have an explosive tale.

I loved loved loved the first book in this series and this wasn't as good as the first but still a good read.
I think the first book was a little bit spicier/ naughtier.
I really love how creative this series is and the dreamscapes are fabulous. Really innovative and new.
Definitely read the first book in the series.

~H.P. Mallory, urban fantasy and paranormal romance author
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
To Kill A Warlock

Wow! Just finished Jenna Black's THE DEVIL YOU KNOW. It is well plotted, and she has an 'in the know herione'. She's tough, too. She can take it and dish it out. Believe me. There are no sagging middles. Bill Sharpe.

OK, so I read a new book (for me anyway) by an author I have out on the list but never read.
This book is strange and different and yes I started the series in the middle but the author helps you catch up to the story without feeling lost. However once I realized there was a prequel to this story I ordered it (of course). Man there is drama and sex and innuendo and some hunky men who of course happen to be possessed by demons or of course possesses the heroin and main character, so there is some freaky inner body sexual content (it sounds weird but it is HOT)... But I digress, this is a must read and trust me all my friends will read it once I rave, because I will.
I will give you the teaser from the back cover (below)... Can you say OH YES......

The beautiful. The bad. The Possessed.

Some people worship them. Some people fear them. And some people--like Morgan Kingsley--go up against them toe-to-toe, flesh-to-flesh, and power against power. An exorcist by trade, Morgan is one of the few humans with an aura stronger than her possessor, even though her demon can tease her body senseless. She's also a woman who has just discovered a shocking truth: everything she once believed about her past, her identity, may have been a lie...

With a family secret exploding around her and with a full-scale demon war igniting, Morgan is a key player in an unsettled world. Then a rogue, sociopathic demon enters her life with a bang. His name is The Hunter. And since she is the prey, Morgan has only one choice: to hunt The Hunter down--no matter what heartbreaking truths she uncovers on the way...