Demon Disgrace

M.J. Haag

Nov 2020 · The Resurrection Chronicles Book 8 · Shattered Glass Publishing

About this ebook

Everyone lives a lie.It replays in my head, the moment of my greatest shame. I'll never escape it. With an exhale, I let go of everything. I fall endlessly, waiting for the sudden stop. Hell would be a welcome respite. A hollow husk of the woman she used to be, Hannah hides from her pain with any alcohol she can find. She's bleeding out from wounds no one sees. No one but Merdon, a dark fey with a violent history of his own, who's determined to keep her from the one thing she wants most. Death.She doesn't understand why he cares about her or her addiction. It's not like he's nice to her. Yet, he's relentless in his determination to show her there's something to live for. If she can find a way through the pain she might just see what Merdon already knows: Second chances are rare.

Ratings and reviews

I feel like it took me forever to read this story but it's ok because I decided that I love it. It was entertaining and enjoyable when I wasn't frustrated and wanting to smack people. The characters were interesting and relatable - sometimes a little too relatable, but I kind of felt like that was a good thing. Communication is key to so many things especially when it helps to understand where someone else is coming from and what motivates their actions. There are a lot of feels in this story and not all of them are pleasant. There are significant issues that are tackled in this story but they fit within the overall story and the world they are happening in. I was surprised by Merdon's behavior, as well as that of many of the inhabitants of Tolerance. At times I was furious with them, and other times I understood where they were coming from. Hannah had a ton going on in her head, none of it was good which led to decisions that others in town couldn't or wouldn't support. I probably identified with Hannah a little too much because I was right there with her when she was yelling at people to leave her alone and to stop interfering in her life. I loved the archery lessons with the targets that made the fey nervous. The hand to hand training was great as well. Hannah's realization that Merdon was trying to save her because he cared for her was a long time coming, but very understandable given the circumstances. How the story ended was great. I always wish that there was an epilogue further out, but that's because I'm greedy. I recommend reading this book. Be aware that there are serious issues addressed in this book that include Alcoholism, PTSD, Depression, Suicidal thoughts, or ideology. Please plan accordingly if those are triggering issues for you as they were for me. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4 stars — This one was hard to read. It felt realistic though. It’s just that Hannah was *really* hard to like in this one. But it really showed how alcoholism can alter who a person is, so much so that even they don’t recognize themselves. I really appreciated that Hannah didn’t just turn around immediately. It was actually a really long process, and in the throes of her addiction and withdrawal, she was still not a great person. She was blinded to how her actions had affected others, and refused to take responsibility for that part of her life. In the meantime she was drowning in guilt for another decision that she made. I appreciated that it wasn’t downplayed, that the trauma from that event, and her alcoholism, were both presented as problems that won’t ever completely go away. It was real. I think the gradual development really had me believing in her changes, and gave me time to forgive her for the awful things, and appreciate it even more when she started coming back to herself and finding her happiness again. The relationships with the fey are always kind of on the edge of appropriate…but I think it lets an author play on the boundaries of our fantasies, because it’s not real life, and it’s not human men. They still amuse me. They’re still adorable. Merdon was harder than others, because he took the idea of “tough love” to a whole new level. And yet, in the world they lived in, it was exactly what Hannah needed. And I’m not sure it would have worked as well if she’d understood his motivations behind it all, and that it was coming from a place of love. The one thing I wish is that we’d gotten a bit of a recap of Merdon’s past, because it has been awhile since I read the previous books, and while I remember broad strokes, I wanted that deeper dive. Ah well, something for if I ever reread this series from the beginning again. All in all there was a lot of uncomfortable emotional moments in this one, but also a lot of laughs and fun that I’ve come to enjoy and expect. I loved that we didn’t just get that from the fey, but also from the other humans. Mary is a bit over the top for me, though she does still startle laughs out of me. In particular, I LOVED the girl “fight club” that was formed, what they were learning, and the connections they were developing. I’m kind of sad that it doesn’t look like we’ll get Emily’s story before the end. After this book especially I really want it. Even if it’s just a novella. So yeah. Definitely a solid book in the series, even if it didn’t blow me away. Probably gonna have to go out and get the next book right away now.

Demon Disgrace is a great addition to the series. I wasn't a big fan of Hannah, especially after Angel and Shaxs book, but after reading her story, she may now be my favorite. Her and Merdon's dynamic is different from all the rest in the series, and I loved it. MJ was able to write a different type of relationship for this couple, and she knocked it out of the park. Honestly, I can't wait to see what happens next. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.