Requiem for the Devil

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing, absorbing and very, very different
Review: Being a-religious (not an atheist or agnostic - not really anything easily described or cast in a silo, put in a building and wrapped up with a nice bow), I shy away from books with "God" or "Devil" in their titles.... I normally read science fiction - not books that border on fantasy realism or even sci-fi fantasy. But the reviews for the book and my burgeoning interest in the e-book medium piqued my interest.

So, let me say this: The book is startling; I would give it 6 stars if I could. The author demonstrates a healthy respect for you and me, the readers and she doesn't spend time falling into stereotyping in her character development. I was surprised by this mainly because I didn't expect it. I was eager to read the book and eager to get to the end and am eager for her next book. I sat at my computer all weekend devouring Requiem.

Yes, it is a somewhat edgy. So if you are not an edgy type of person, you may not like reading the book. But...if you are quirky, whether or not you believe in God and the Devil and their soldiers, if you have imagination and joy and hope, if you see truth and want truth...you should read Requiem.

Best of luck, Ms. Smith-Ready! I look forward to your next novels.

Rating:
Summary: Second time around
Review: Have just finished reading this book twice in the online format and am startled. I enjoyed this better the second time around and would give it 6 stars if I could. I will be buying the print copy so that I can more easily recommend (hand over) this book to my friends and peers. The author has integrity and a respect for the reader in her characterizations. There is no apology here; no cliches or stereotypes. You don't have to believe in God or the Devil or even in religion or spirituality to enjoy this book; it doesn't matter what you believe. Refreshing, highly recommended, enjoyable, and thought-provoking.

Rating:
Summary: Intellectually Stimulating
Review: I found Requiem for the Devil to be a smart, witty, provocative and intellectually challenging book. The story weaves many thought-provoking ideas about both religion and politics into a fascinating narrative about the devil in modern society. The book was almost impossible to put down, and now that I am finished, I continue to find myself thinking about the ideas and situations that it presents.

Rating:
Summary: beauty and the Beast
Review: Let me begin by affirming my anchorings in Buddhism; I am not a Christian, and I don't make a habit of reading books with heavy Christian undertones.

This book was so good, though.

Written from Lucifer's POV, this book takes the reader on a journey through the Devil's second Fall; not falling from Grace, but falling in love with a mortal woman.

It's witty, funny, lusty, and downright painful. And the moral of the story might even make you rethink your definition of "evil"...

Rating:
Summary: beauty and the Beast
Review: Lucifer, a.k.a. Louis Carvalho, falls in love with Gianna O'Keefe while she sings the Blues at the Grotto.

The Devil is instantly drawn into her world of goodness, mesmerized by her inner beauty, and the lengths she goes to help others. He begins to question his place in eternity and realizes that although he has a certain amount of power, he's not free.

As Gianna points him to possible salvation, his brothers...Beelzebub, Belial, and Mephistopheles...feel betrayed, and the road to Heaven heats up. Lucifer's life crumbles around him as he defies fate and looks for a way back to Heaven's door.

REQUIUM FOR THE DEVIL is imaginative, humerous, and sensual. Ms. Smith-Ready brings a refreshing newness to the world of fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Heart-rending
Review: Normally I read horror fiction, but I discovered this to be more of a love story. Although there are many pages of a sexual nature, they are very tastefully handled and fairly necessary to the story. I couldn't put this book down and constantly had to update the family on the goings on (they became as engrossed with this story as I was, but they are not readers). This is the first book where I have cried buckets, in sympathy, for the Devil. I recommend it to anyone who likes thought provoking fiction, as the Devil tries to convince you that God is not all He is cracked up to be. Excellent, can't wait for Jeri's next offering.(refers to ebook format)