Review: Demon Retribution (Shadow Quest #3) by Kiersten Fay

by Rachel ElizabethAugust 18, 2012

TLDR Recap:

When Kyra was a young girl, her home planet was suddenly and brutally attacked by the Kayadon. She was sent to Earth alone for her own protection, and now, 400 years later, Kyra still remains there and hasn’t heard from her family since. Cale is a demon who has been sent to Earth ahead of his ship to find the third Faieara princess so he can reunite her with her family. He must also keep her safe from those who wish to capture her, and as Kyra and Cale try to survive, a passion ignites between them that neither ever expected. Demon Retribution is a GraveTells must-read!

Title: Demon Retribution
Series: Shadow Quest #3
Author: Kiersten Fay
Prominent Characters: Kyra, Cale
Recommended Reader Age: 18+
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction
Sexual Content Level: high

***This Review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence!***

Thoughts:

400 years ago, Princess Kyra’s world was forever changed when her home planet, Evlon, was invaded by a mysterious race called the Kayadon. As chaos raged outside the palace, King Alestar of the Faieara-and Kyra’s father-decided to send his daughters away from Evlon as quickly as possible before they could be captured. After being abruptly deposited in a shuttle, Kyra was sent to Earth alone. Four centuries later, she has lost all hope of ever seeing her family or her home again. She’s lived a lonely life, never staying in one place too long in order to conceal her true identity. When a demon named Cale shows up claiming he’s been sent by Kyra’s family to bring her to them, she’ll have to trust him, as it seems that Cale isn’t the only one who’s after her.

Cale has been sent ahead of his ship, Marada, to locate the third and eldest Faieara Princess. It’s imperative that he reach her before the Kayadon do so he can take Kyra to her sisters, who await her back on Marada. Danger stalks Kyra at every turn, and keeping her safe is no easy task. And even though he wishes he weren’t, Cale is inexplicably drawn to her. After being betrayed by his own mate centuries earlier, the last thing Cale wants is a relationship; he’s more of a one night stand kind of guy. However, Kyra is different than any woman he’s ever known, and she makes him question everything he’s ever believed in.

Demon Retribution is the first book I’ve read by Kiersten Fay, and I’m happy to say I was impressed with it. Despite the fact that it’s the third book in a series I haven’t read, I never felt lost or like I didn’t understand what was going on. And since this is a world in which many different races and planets exist, I expected it to take a little while for me to remember all the terms and creatures, but it didn’t.

I really enjoyed reading about Cale and Kyra. Kyra is my favorite type of heroine; she’s strong, smart, kind, and also pretty badass. She was transported to an unfamiliar planet at the age of 22, and had to survive on her own, and even though it’s been difficult, she kept going and made things work. I admired how brave and selfless she was. This book is really about her discovering who she is and learning to be the leader her people need her to be.

Cale was…well he was just downright hot. He was confident, sexy, charming, protective, and a bit arrogant- but in a good way. I could really feel his pain over what his mate did to him, and I was rooting for him to let go of the past so he could be happy with Kyra. Those two had awesome chemistry together, and even though he was a stubborn ass sometimes, I understood why it was so hard for him to let someone in.

There’s also a plotline that follows Sonya, Cale’s sister, and Ethan, who are both back on Marada. It’s apparent that their relationship has been developing since book one, but I became an instant fan of this couple. They have kind of a love-hate relationship going on, and I liked seeing that relationship progress. They both have scars of their own- especially Sonya- but I’m really hoping they can move past them.

Romantic and unique, Demon Retribution was a captivating read that I had a hard time putting down. I can’t wait to go back to the first book so I can enjoy the series from the beginning.

Memorable Quotes:

I’m inclined to agree with him…

“You’ve been asleep for two days,” he answered her unspoken question.
“You can’t keep a shirt on for long, can you?”
He grinned, “A work of art shouldn’t be covered up.”
She snorted, thinking his ego had escaped intact.

Well, that would ruin his manly reputation…

“Zoey’s been keeping busy in the kitchen. I’ll see if she can make you something.”
“Oh, coffee! Tell her coffee. Say, pretty please with kisses and hugs and a cherry on top.”
Cale twisted his face in horror. “I’m not saying that.”

So much for playing it cool…

“Thing?” she feigned confusion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. There’s no thing.”
“Isn’t there?” His smile widened.
“What? Are you feeling a thing?”
His eyes narrowed, but remained amused. “Perhaps I’m mistaken.” He leaned forward, placing one arm on her other side so that his torso hovered over her, caging her without actually touching her. Then his head dipped so their lips were but inches apart and his gaze captured hers. She worked to keep her breath even, expectantly waiting for his kiss. But it never came. Instead, he trailed his nose along her jaw, with maddening slow movements, breathing her in as he went. He stopped when he reached his favorite spot. Or was it her favorite spot? A betraying shiver rolled over her after only the slightest brushing of his lips.
A sinister chuckle rumbled out of him. He pulled back, triumphant, and rested the side of his head on his fist, seemingly unaffected while her body roiled with need.
“Still no thing?“

If you liked Demon Retribution…

You definitely need to check out Seduce the Darkness by Gena Showalter, book 4 in the Alien Huntress series. Gena’s Alien Huntress world is really similar to Kiersten’s Shadow Quest world, and Devyn has a lot in common with Cale; they’re both sexy, badass, and total alpha males. They both also happen to be serious players/manwhores, but those one night stand days end when they meet their HEA’s.