Review: Something Wicked by Michelle Rowen

Something Wicked
by Michelle Rowen
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Available: October 5, 2010
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Living in Eden isn’t exactly heaven on earth…

Darrak, the demon inside of Eden Riley, is able to take physical shape during the day. And Eden wouldn’t mind getting her hands on him-if it wasn’t a threat to her immortal soul. But while trying to rid themselves of the curse that binds them, they could get the distance they need…or each have their own private hell to pay.

Reviewed by:  Catherine

I was so nervous to read this book! Things were settled to a point in the last book, The Demon in Me, but a lot of larger issues were still up in the air. Darrak and Eden still needed to find a way to separate without hurting either one of them, and they needed to find a way to break Darrak’s curse if they had any hope of ever trying to have a relationship.

I wanted to watch it all unfold, but I was worried that the author would drop the ball and I would end up disliking it. That’s not a slur against the author’s skill, that’s just my history with some other series making me skittish. So, I entered the book with mixed feelings but soon found myself just as into it as I was the first book.

I practically inhaled this book. The author has an extremely readable style and the pages just flew by for me. I reread the last quarter of The Demon in Me before starting this so I would be fresh. It was actually really helpful because I didn’t realize I had forgotten so many of the little details that happened at the end! I think skimming it again really enhanced my experience with this book. I was so much more attached and in the moment.

Darrak was such a fabulous character in the last book. For all those who read it, never fear, you won’t be disappointed with his personality in this one! I am pleased to report that he is just as funny and just as reluctantly caring as he was in the first one. His banter and inner dialogue just pops for me. One of my favorite funny quotes from him happens on page 9.

“I hate that guy,” Darrak said. “Loathe him. And I can’t believe you let him kiss you. I almost made you slap him, but luckily for him he didn’t try to slip you the tongue. It’s obvious to me that he’s only after one thing from you and–” “He’s gay,” Eden said simply. “Oh.” There was a pause. “I totally knew that.”

He’s such a spaz sometimes! LOL!

While Darrak is still funny, we really get a more well-rounded view of him in this book. We spend a lot more time in his head and get to watch him struggle with his identity. I really appreciated the identity crisis (even if I wanted to strangle him a time or two). I think watching him struggle with who he was now and the question of whether he even wanted to be that person made him so much more to me. It really made me empathize with him and have more patience while he occasionally behaved badly.

Eden continues to be a character that I love too. She just feels so much more realistic than a lot of heroines out there. She doesn’t melt at the thought of being bound to Darrak. She wants him out! She likes him, but she hates her will being violated like this, and she’s still not quite as sure of him as she’d like to be. In short, she’s smart. She’s always looking out for what’s best for her, but she doesn’t constantly bemoan the circumstances life has thrown at her. She’s had it pretty rough lately, but she’s willing to cope if she can keep a light at the end of the tunnel in sight.

How can I not like her? Even the dumb stuff she does—which I thought was pretty freaking dumb at times!—is understandable. She’s scared, and she’s looking for a helping hand. How can I resent her being willing to trust someone else when that’s the same thing Darrak is asking of her?

Quite a few things happened in this book that I wish I could talk about more. Alas, the dreaded spoilers stop me! I’ll restrain myself, but I do have to mention how pleased I am with how their relationship is progressing. There are no real easy answers for them, but they’re both still pushing themselves to hope for the best. Their determination is such that I can’t help but believe in them, even when the odds are against them.

The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star for me was my impatience with some of Eden’s actions. I wanted to smack her a time or two! She kept making a specific promise (vague for spoilers!) to Darrak and then breaking it. I could see why she was doing it, but it was frustrating. I empathized with her, but I still couldn’t help but get an eye twitch at the same time. But don’t let that discourage you! It was a very slight irritant in my overall enjoyment of the book. I still love Eden’s character and I still love this series for the sheer fun of it.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the third book so I can get more of this excellent series!

Other books in the Living In Eden series:

• The Demon In Me – May 4, 2010

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Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository

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