Early Review of Wrong Side of Hell: A League of Guardians Novella by Juliana Stone

• Title: Wrong Side of Hell: A League of Guardians Novella
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Paranormal Romance
• Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Avon Impulse (March 27, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062136275
• ISBN-13: 978-0062136275
• Author's Website:  http://julianastone.com/
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"For millennia the struggle between light and dark, between the upper and lower realms, has been policed by a secret group of warriors culled from every fabric of existence. They are both otherworld and human, male and female. They are known to each other as the League of Guardians. Their pledge, to protect the line between dominions and make sure neither side grows too powerful. If they fall, so shall the earth, the heavens and hells. And there will be no more."

Logan Winters is a hellhound. His job was to retrieve and escort the souls of individuals who are beyond saving to hell so they can be sentenced. "His hunting capabilities were legendary, his sensory skills unparalleled." But everything changed after he agreed to be a member of the League of Guardians. He was asked to save a little girl from the depths of hell, and escort her back to the human realm. That was in defiance of his orders and led to him being sentenced to the Pit, one of the worst places in hell, fifteen years ago. Once again he's being asked to help the same girl, now a woman, to escape hell's clutches. Her fate could tip the balance of power in one direction. What Logan wasn't aware of was that Kira's fate and his were closely intertwined...

This is the prequel to the new A League of Guardians series. If the rest of the series is like this novella, then I think I may have a new series to add to my lists of  favorites. I'm enjoying the world Julia Stone has created. A world where hell has several levels and purgatory (known as the gray realm) doesn't seem like all that pleasant of a place to be. A world of vampires, hellhounds, and other creatures that go bump in the night. A world where there is a constant battle between light and dark. A world where a group of guardians led by Askelon (aka Bill), attempt to keep everything in balance.

Kira is definitely a damsel in distress. She's suffered unbearable abuse which led to her death--something that shouldn't have happened. Through it all she somehow managed to keep her sanity, although upon meeting Logan in purgatory, a very strange and confusing place, she starts to wonder. While her sanity might still be intact, it will take her time to heal from what she's been through. While still vulnerable, she's a survivor.

Logan is still upset about his incarceration in the Pit. He came out of his confinement not wishing to do anything that could land him right back where he just was. Bill (aka Askelon), however, blackmails Logan into doing what he wants. Bill is the head of the League of Guardians and he knows who Logan's mother is. He'll milk that knowledge for all it's worth. Unfortunately we don't know who she is and don't learn it by the end of the story.

As a couple, Kira and Logan seem good for each other. He's a definite alpha male complete with the "You're mine" option added. Romantically, the two sizzled. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scores a STEAM rating-- too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Favorite Quotes:
-"You pulling a Vader and crossing over to the dark side, Bill?"
-"We all have scars, Kira. Some are visible, but the most painful ones are hidden. Don't be embarrassed to show your weakness.You're alive and that kind of strength trumps the sh*t out of whatever this represents."

Overall, this one got 5 out of 5 roses. A nice combinations of action, suspense,  drama, and romance. I just wish it would have been longer.