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The Guild Codex: Demonized #3

Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped

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I thought I understood power.

My parents taught me that magic attracts equal danger, and everything I've seen since becoming a demon contractor confirms it. I've witnessed how power twists and corrupts--and I've tasted power no human should wield.

I thought I knew greed.

Ambition and avarice drove my family into hiding. My parents died for someone else's greed. I've never hunted anything in my life, but now I'm hunting their killer--with my demon's help.

I thought I'd seen evil.

But with each step closer to my parents' murderer, I'm uncovering a different sort of evil, piece by hidden piece. I've stumbled into an insidious web that silently, secretly ensnares everything it touches. My demon and I came as the hunters...

...but I think we might be the prey.

--
Author's Note: The Guild Codex includes two series, Demonized and Spellbound, which can be read and enjoyed all on their own; however, this book contains spoilers for Demon Magic and a Martini (Spellbound #4). If you were thinking about giving Spellbound a try, I recommend reading it first.

--
THE GUILD CODEX

Demonized Series:
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)
Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (#3)

Spellbound Series:
Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)
Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)
Demon Magic and a Martini (#4)
The Alchemist and an Amaretto (#5)
Druid Vices and a Vodka (#6)

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2020

1,712 people are currently reading
2,224 people want to read

About the author

Annette Marie

50books7,028followers
Annette Marie is the author of YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, romantic fantasy Red Winter, and sassy UF series The Guild Codex.

Her first love is fantasy, while fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.

Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

Find out more about Annette and her books at .

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,039 reviews
Profile Image for Ashley.
848 reviews611 followers
May 9, 2020
Star Rating: �&; no finite number could ever possibly be adequate...

My hands are still shaking like 45 minutes after finishing this!

HOLY SH*T!

THIS BOOK. THISBOOK, you guys! IT IS THE VERY BEST GUILD CODEX BOOK TO DATE! I’M IN SHOCK! I’M IN LOVE!

NO... I’M...

I’M SCREAMING;
I’M CRYING;
MY HEART IS GOING ABSOLUTELY F*CKING BONKERS;
MY MIND IS BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS!

HOLY MOLY- the degree of intensity of the events that just went down was just off the charts!

Starting out, I didn’t know if this would even come close to the insanity that was Druid Vices and A Vodka (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #6)... but I had some lofty expectations; I knew it would FOR SURE pack a punch, and that I was in for a ride. Little did I know (yes, please put this on the official record), I’D BE GOING ON THE BEST ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF THE GUILD CODEX UNIVERSE THUS FAR!

Plus... Zylas & Robin are just... a force. I am so very in love with both of them and seeing their relationship constantly shift & take on new shapes is so much fun- and this book delivers! There is a lot that is revealed that finally really fed my curiosity regarding the communication barrier between demon and human/mythic. These two really... learn and come to truly understand much about one other in this third installment... and it is just.... Vh’renith! Zylas, you wonderful mystery! Full of surprises.

OH MY LORD. THIS WAS EVERYTHING. Sun, moon, stars. All of it.

I honestly don’t want to give ANYTHING away. This just needs to be READ! One of my absolute favorite reads of 2020. Possibly currently holding #1 spot!

Also, I think my soul was re-born? Annette Marie is one of the absolute greatest storytellers of our time. She truly knows how to make you feel. The vast & vivid array of emotions that I experienced while reading Hunting Fiends was truly something special. I have to say that reading this book truly is an experience, one that I will treasure for a very long time (hence my protectiveness regarding spoilery 😉).



˥️Vh’renith vē Thāit˥️










_________________

November 2nd, 2019

My God. After Demonized #2... my heart beats about 150 bpm thinking about this. Actually, I’m dead. Or maybe like undead, or you know, whatever. I will be reborn probably for Spellbound #6: Druid Vices & a Vodka (the sister series) and then die all over again.
Yes... these books are that incredible.

Kids, once again, this buttercup is BUCKLED UP (sitting impatiently with the intense need to damn unbuckle like a child on their way to Disney World. Are we there yettttttt??? 😉)

Annette Marie, take. my. money. Just all of it. You are an angel sent from heaven to write for all of us. I’m convinced. 😂😂😂
💜💙💚
______________
DYING. CAN’T WAIT!
Profile Image for mith.
920 reviews297 followers
April 3, 2020
I am conditioned to scream every time I think about this book.

This was just. Everything I hoped it would be since the beginning of this series. EVERYTHING. I am like. In this very satisfied bubble, almost living my best life.

I say almost because I’m suddenly not sure how to take the fact that there’s one book left for the Demonized books? Help.

Anyway, before I continue: spoiler warning! This is book 3 in the GC Demonized series! If you haven’t read the other two, just be aware, spoilers may or may not appear.

I LOVE ZYLAS. Have I made that clear yet? I just adore him. He’s changed so much since the start and he is just everything I wanted from a demon. He’s complex, and Marie does a wonderful job, as always, in building his character. We see a different side to him with each book and I love learning more about his life, his world. Zylas also adds a lot of fun to the series and his remarks are 100% gold. Hands down, he is easily one of my all time favourite characters.

Next we have my girl Robin. Oooh, honey, are you in trouble. I’ve always rooted for Robin because it’s refreshing to see a more awkward, scholarly type of lead than someone who rushes in headfirst without a plan. I admire her quiet strength and her ability to be vulnerable—also something you don’t see often. I’ve always wondered how she handles the grief of losing her parents and we get a little bit of that in this book and it’s at once intense yet wholesome. Her growth is present and noticeable in slight ways and I loved it!

I think my favourite aspect of Hunting Fiends is how entwined the two sister series become. This book’s timeline intersects with book 6 of Tori’s Spellbound series. I always wished I was one of those careful readers that pick up hints and Easter eggs and such because I feel like there are so MANY within these books! We see some familiar characters here and it leads to a rather interesting direction and I’m so anxious to see where Marie is going with it!

Now y’all KNOW I have been vocal about my ship here. You KNOW. And my guy. Chefs kiss. What a scene. THIS is the content I’ve been waiting so long for and it is GLORIOUS. I’ve reread it no less than five times already.

Okay dassit. Please read these books. Scream at—or with—me about Zylas and Robin. An easy 5 stars and let it be known: I am not ready for the last book but I want it very much.
Profile Image for ✶ .
266 reviews140 followers
April 3, 2020
5 stars

OH



MY



DEMON


I was glued to my Kindle with every single chapter. My husband thought I was having a stroke on multiple occasions. This book DELIVERS.



Zylas and Robin are a force to be reckoned with. Their relationship is SO MUCH FUN to read! I love their banter, and I love watching them slowly learn to really trust each other and truly become allies.



Also, one of my favorite things about this series is getting two points of view...Tori's from Guild Codex, and Robin's. How Tori views Robin, and her interactions with Robin, are not the entire story. Robin has her own mind and viewpoints, and it gives the shared scenes a whole new feel.



Zylas�..I never in my life imagined I would fangirl over a demon character, but here we are. Zylas reminds me a lot of Shiro from Annette's series. They have similar snarky and mysterious personalities, are fiercely loyal, and I fell in love with both before the first book was over. Zylas is a deep character. I want to know more, and I get frustrated with Robin when she doesn't dig for information. BUT we get answers in this book (finally!), along with a zillion more questions that will have to be put on hold for a few more months. How will I cope?




So if anyone has good book hangover coping skills, send them my way. I'm not going anywhere (thank you COVID-19).




-------

THE ARC IS HERE THE ARC IS HERE THE ARC IS HERE

Profile Image for Mara YA Mood Reader.
348 reviews291 followers
May 11, 2020
4 stars for all three installments in this series so far! Wonderfully paced, action packed, slooooow burn forbidden love interest, not a romance subplot but still a bit steamy, entertaining banter and very relatable MC!!

What more could I ask for in a NA Urban Fantasy?!! This is near perfection!
Profile Image for Mikky.
918 reviews241 followers
August 6, 2020
Originally posted at:


I really, really, really enjoyed this book! Everything is falling apart but I have faith that the author knows what she's doing. This author sure knows how to weave a story and make it stick to you like glue.

Robin is sweet but at the same time kick*ss. The relationship she maintains with Zylas is incredible and complex. I like how she blushes even when the wind blows too hard. She's adorable and Zylas has become her rock to a degree in these past few books.

Zylas is awesome! He's been slowly learning human customs and it's finally showing. He has a very calculating side to him and I love how he's using it to help Robin. Also, let's rejoice at THOSE scenes! I didn't expect it to happen but it did and I'm not crying, you are!

The one thing I disliked about this book was how the author had to backtrack and replay events from Robin and Zylas's point of view for quite a bit of the novel. It was still exciting but I wanted to story to move long even farther not be stuck catching up to the latest Guild Codex: Spellbound book.

I loved how the depth of Robin and Zylas's relationship evolved, especially at the end! I can't wait for the last book in this series. It'll definitely be one of those books where I'm sad to say goodbye.

The Audio Book:

The narration was fantastic! There were no strange noises in the background and all the character's were discernable from each other.
Profile Image for ★Me Myshelf and I★.
292 reviews530 followers
April 8, 2020
Does it get any better than this?

I ship Robin and Zylas so much that that ship is around the size a cruise liner.



I think my head exploded at the cuteness if these two.
This is my gif for this book


This world is so amazing its no surprise there's another spin off coming. We meet those characters for the first time here. They sound cute but.. they ain't got nothing on Robin and her demon.


They are the cute winners.

“How are muscles perfect?�
“Just ignore what Tori said.�
“But your face changed color when she said it.�
“Are my abs better than a hh’ainun?�
“I don’t know.�
“Do you want to put clothes on me?�
“N.�
“Why is your face changing color again?�


The whole book was perfect. Action, romance ....Ezra too ... and demon learning human stuff galore!
I'm making it sound all fluff, but its not. There's loads of running for your life and almost dying and Zylas saving everyone etc. All the good stuff, I just can't comprehend how anyone could be disappointed with this 3rd book in the series. Its the best yet. But its just this side of relationship heavy to be perfect for me. Its still upper YA/NA but there is a little darkness in this one which was surprising but nothing to take it into adult territory.

I got nothing else people.
If you are staying at home with nothing to do, this series will make so smile so big you might hurt yoself. I would recommend reading Toris story first in but its absolutely not a requirement.

I should add also if you’re a fan of this series already and don’t know about the amazing artwork of Zylas and Robin, you have to go and check out Annette Marie’s instagram account!
Profile Image for Dayna Wadge.
59 reviews5 followers
April 12, 2020
Finished the second book today

Literally

Can... Not... Wait... For... This... Book!!!

OMG! Please please please can this series never end!
Took me a day to finish this book, and considering the difficult time we are in it was a needed break from reality. I absolutely love these books and love this story.

I wish I could read it all over again.
Profile Image for Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction.
1,098 reviews835 followers
May 19, 2024
05/18/2024: Reread. (Audiobook.)
12/23/2022: Reread. (Audiobook.)
06/21/2021: Reread. (Audiobook.)
10/05/2020: Reread. (Audiobook.)
08/13/2020: Reread! (Read to my son, Maddox.)
07/20/2020: Reread!


Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

This book really worked its magic on me. I am in so deep with the Guild Codex books that I will never make it up again for air. These books are now my oxygen and I can conclude with certainty that the fire in my soul needs them to keep on burning.

One of the most compelling things about Annette Marie's writing is the incredible amount of detail that she crams into her books. Not in a tedious way or in the way that some authors can tell things instead of showing them, but in an organic and natural way that flows into every facet of the story. Another great thing is the slow-burn nature of her storytelling. I have always loved the incredible build-up she creates in her stories. With every book in this series and the Spellbound series, pieces of the puzzle have been falling into place and now that we are nearing the end of the line so much is starting to happen. All of the foreshadowing from previous books is starting to show itself and I can't tell you how excited it makes me. Marie has such innate talent for connecting all the dots in her stories.

We get a lot more character development for Robin and Zylas in this one. We even get quite a bit of time with Ezra, which surprised me and made me happy. The characters in Marie's books are always well-developed with character growth that shows throughout the story. I am always very impressed with her characters. I always identify and connect with her characters and I do it every single time. It's like I can feel a little piece of her characters inside of me. The secondary characters are always incredible as well. I love all of the relationships that Marie builds in her stories.

Marie has perfected her craft beautifully and each book that she writes feels a little more perfect than the last. I don't know how she does it. Her writing talent is simply magical and I am just so grateful that she decided to share her stories with the world. If you are looking for a thrilling series to sink your teeth into then pick up the Guild Codex books! With beautiful storytelling, complex characters, and compelling plots you seriously can't go wrong. I will be championing this author for the rest of my days.

More reviews on my blog:
Profile Image for Ylva Enström.
Author1 book2 followers
November 19, 2020
How to be a pathetically useless human, part 3.

And Robin has STILL not learned anything, still not tried to improve herself, and is still as useless and stupid as ever. I've never read a series with such a frustrating MC.

She doesn't train. She can't fight, can't speak, can't think, can't defend herself physically or verbally. There just isn't anything there. What is she supposed to be good at? Being "nice"? She's not even very nice, just awkward. Just as stupid as her equally useless mother. And "the nice girl" is the most archaic trope, anyway. She's a bit pervy, but acts like a clueless virgin from the 1800's rather than a modern, independent woman in her 20's. There's not a single redeeming feature. How did the author come up with such a useless character. Her character development is so slow it's almost non-existent. I guess she'll find out she has demon blood in her ancestry and suddenly turn into a Mary Sue in the last book or something.

And when her friend is lying on the floor, slowly bleeding out, does she try to do anything like stop the bleeding? No, she behaves like a deer caught in headlights like usual. She really disgusts me. She's so inferior to Zylas I don't even approve of the "romance".

Will continue because of Zylas. Don't read this series if you, like me, hate weak female leads with no character development. *groan*
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,043 reviews2,305 followers
July 11, 2020
Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped
Guild Codex: Demonized, Book 3
By: Annette Marie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
Love this series! Robin and her hot demon get closer still. She also learns more about him and her ancestor's past. She also has to make a deal that she may later regret. Lots of action, suspense, some romance, and giggles sprinkled in there too.
Great narration!
Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].
1,381 reviews3,625 followers
April 3, 2020
FINALLY. Finally we get to see a proper vocalisation of the romance that's been brewing for the last (has it only been three?!) books. Not a consummation, which BETTER happen in the next book, but this book has a definite declaration of intent. It might be one of the slowest-burn things I've ever read, but it was SO WORTH IT.

The actual plot was decent too. This is by far my favourite of Marie's three Guild Codex series. Admittedly the third one isn't out yet, but we see the protagonists in this one and I'm not massively keen on them.

After a slightly lacklustre experience with the second book, I'm pleased to announce that I'm massively looking forward to the fourth and final book.

-

Profile Image for Mlpmom (Book Reviewer).
3,146 reviews401 followers
August 3, 2020
I adore this series and all of it's spin-offs, they really are fabulous and just keep getting better and better and more intense (in all ways possible!) as they go.

This newest addition really was a treat and it was so much fun seeing more of Kit! I can't wait to pick up his book as well in a few days.

It will be so sad when this series and the original is over. I will not be ready to say good bye but I am absolutely dying to see where Robin and Zylas go from here. I couldn't be happier with how everything is coming together and develpping.
Profile Image for Andrea.
2,013 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2020
Oh man.
There's something about this series and these characters that just make my feelings go all squishy.

description

Along with plot progress-I was also happy we finally got a little more romance for our two main leads! Plus--side note: I'm really interested in whats going on with Ezra, and whats up with the Fae angle? (I think I'll have to go and catch up on Tori's series to find out what going on there.)

But I will say this....
We get it. Robin blushes, a lot.

description

I don't know why, but in this book I was just kind of over reading in every other paragraph about her heated face-the flushing, blushing, hot skin, red cheeks and pink face. Or how she was burning with embarrassment, or that her "cheeks threatened to combust from the buildup of heat" every other page.

description

I get it okay? Thank you. She's a wee tomato.

But I will read on to the next book for sure because I am seriously invested in this couple and what is going on with the Big Bad in this series!
Profile Image for Gavin.
1,015 reviews434 followers
April 2, 2021
This third instalment of Annette Marie's fun Guild Codex: Demonized series was just as enjoyable as the first couple of books in the series. This is a surprisingly good and engaging UF tale that mixes action, drama, humour, and a hint of romance to great effect!

I've not much to say about this third book in the series but that is mostly because I feel like I've said all the stuff I wanted to say about this series in my reviews for the earlier books in the series. It is hard for me to view this series as separate books at this point as they are fairly short and I'm just jumping straight from one book to the next. I've been totally sucked into the binge! That fact alone proves what a fun series this is as it fully holds my attention and I have not said that about too many UF series over the years.

The story in this third book was just a continuation of the story arcs from the previous books. It is very readable! As always the characters and the relationship between Robin and her demon are the best bits.

All in all a good third book in a good UF series. I'll be jumping straight to the final book in the series for sure. After that I'll be sure to check out a few more of the books set in this same fantasy world.

Rating: 4 stars.

Audio Note: Cris Dukehart does a good job with the narration for this series.
Profile Image for Tracy D..
364 reviews51 followers
April 7, 2020
Penultimate Demonized

This book was everything that I could've asked for. If there was ever any question as to how the nature of Robin and Zylas' relationship will develope, this book is your answer. Frankly, these two lead characters are both absolutely priceless, and their evolution is really something to behold.

Another emotional rollercoaster in this read. Once again, I was hanging on every interaction between the hero and heroine. A certain thing that's revealed changes the context of these interactions on re-reads and was brilliant! The story is moving fast. So many questions were answered, yet more were posed. This is addictive storytelling at it's finest.
Profile Image for Simply Sam.
918 reviews104 followers
September 21, 2020
Finally some secrets are revealed and we start to get a clearer picture of what's going on. I know there are some spoilers in this book for the other series (which I haven't read yet), but I was okay with that. In fact, now that I'm having to wait for the final book of this arc to be released I'm going to play catch up. Zylas is still hands down my favorite part of this series, Robin is still a hindrance (she is actually starting to try a little more, but it's still kind of hard to read her scenes and not think of how she's basically a tstl character), and I've decided I really want to see Amalia get some more book time. Maybe her own spin-off perhaps? She definitely seems more together than Robin. Even though our h Robin is a pretty meh character, our H Zylas is not. He makes the series, and I'm 100% invested in his story!
Profile Image for Charles .
237 reviews22 followers
September 15, 2023
4 1/2 Stars

This is the third book in the Guild Codex Demonized series and it finds Robin and her contract demon Zylas on the trail of her family’s Grimoire (a ancient book of spells). This normally light-hearted series develops a serious edge with this continued story.

A Little Background Information

The Guild refers to a collection of Mythic people who come together for social and financial gain. Different Guilds have different specialties. The characters in this Series Amalia and Robin and the characters in the Spellbound series, Tori, Ezra, Kai and Aaron all belong to the Crow & Hammer Guild. Different mythic classes have different abilities.

Demons come from one of 12 houses. Their power is typically indicated by their house number. House #1 is very powerful and looks like some kind of flying Godzilla creature, Zylas is from house 12 and looks human except for the tail. He is also very fast, fit and muscular (think adult romance book cover). He can also perform demon magic.

Zylas is bound to Robin through a “contract� they agreed upon when they first met in book #1 (Zylas keeps Robin “safe� in return Robin bakes him cookies…yes really that is the contract).

What is this book about??

Robin has promised to help Zylas return to his home once they are able to find the lost spell pages. The spell pages were taken by the same individual who was responsible for the death of Robin’s parents. This individual (Claude) has a killer demon contracted to him (house #1…not very nice). Claude is also in league with 3 very powerful sorcerers who have a side occupation as brutal serial killers of young women. Young women who look very much like Robin and they have their eye on her. Throw in Ezra (from the Spellbound books) who has an active interest in demons and wants to help find the serial killers and you have a pretty active and convoluted plot.

Is there a moral dilemma?

Yes, It has been revealed that when demons are summoned from their world by their house name into our world, the oldest (ie the leader) is the one that comes. There are so many demons being summoned that all of the leadership from all of the demon houses are gone and consequently their home land is being run by the equivalent of teens. This is destroying the fabric of their society. What can be done?

Anything Else?

� I keep thinking things…� Things like his amazing body of hard muscle—dips and planes and smooth skin that I wanted to touch. Things like the feel of those powerful arms around me, and how his strength both daunted and thrilled me. Things like the way his husky voice could caress me�

Robin must finally come to terms with how she truly feels about Zylas. There is insight into how Zylas feels about Robin and their contract. The Reader also finds out why the ancient grimoire says to “Never Summon A Demon From the 12th House�

These are fun books to read. The pacing is excellent, never boring but also not so fast that you feel the action is rushed or campy. The mystical fight scenes are very well thought out. You believe the characters actually care about each other so that when someone is in danger you want them to live because the character wants them to live and you feel it. This book became a 5/5 on my empathy scale. Easily the best of the books in this series I have read so far, I was surprised by my level of engagement and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

If you want to read my review of book #2, Click Here
Profile Image for Penny.
2,853 reviews77 followers
March 31, 2020
I just finished this book, and I don’t even know where to begin so I think I’ll just go with my thoughts. The first thing that struck me is how well this author interweaves both series, The Guild Codex: Demonized and The Guild Codex: Spellbound, together to make two separate series running concurrently but still each be a separate piece of a huge puzzle; how does she do that?!? We are introduced to two new characters, and the only thing I can think is “we need another series!!� *sigh* Why and how can the author create such great characters I want to see so much more of?!? Oh, Robin and Zylas are thisclose to taking the next step and, boy, is it hot even though...well, you’ll see!! And the mystery is unfolding so fast yet we keep getting thrown curve balls for more intrigue, and I just love the fast-paced, great action-filled greatness of this book…Oh, just read this darn book NOW! This is my favorite book by far and I really, really don’t want this universe to end; it’s just so darn entertaining in every aspect I can think of!! Very highly recommend!! I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
Profile Image for SheLove2Read.
3,022 reviews197 followers
April 5, 2020
Aaaaaaaahhhhh! Don't do this to me! I can't wait 6 months after THAT ending!

P.S.
Why, oh why, could the companion series not be this good?! Why did the author make Tori so unlikable and Robin so freaking awesome?!
Profile Image for J.
663 reviews66 followers
October 29, 2022
Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Being the mischievous and relentless demon that he is, Zylas surpassed my expectations and got even more awesome in "Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped". Considering how much I loved him in Slaying Monsters for the Feeble", that's saying A LOT. I don't even feel shame when I say that this savage demon with trust issues was the most relatable character in this book for me. His character development was an absolute joy to watch!

As for Robin, although there were times that she scared me to the point of making my cold ice queen heart stop beating, I still think she's a really brave and wonderful heroine who represents introverted booklovers and quiet fighters out there including yours truly.

There was another delightful surprise in terms of character development. Ezra was a badass sweetheart in this sequel. How strange is it that I liked him more in this book than in the Spellbound series? He seemed more determined here—someone who took charge and refused to give up. I wish to see more of that Ezra in the next Spellbound books.

Thr plot twists were well-done! Annette Marie's doing an amazing job interweaving the storylines of Spellbound and Demonized, a writing skill which was more obvious in this installment. Now she's adding a THIRD series, Warped, which I will definitely read because I was intrigued by Kit and Lienna in their cameo appearances!

Lastly, I seldom like cliffhanger endings, but this one's an exception. Annoying cliffhangers make me want to throw things; this one made me look forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Kitlina.
1,993 reviews22 followers
March 29, 2020
*I received an ARC of this book for an honest review*

Seriously??????????? Can I give this book a gazillion stars?? I can't begin to tell you how good this was. I have read it yesterday in one go because I couldn't bring myself to stop reading. Never mind my husband and my child, they had to fend for themselves.
The feels, OMG, the feels. So much happens in this book. We learn so much about Zylas.
If I wasn't already over the top in love with him I would be now for sure.
But I've got to tell you, I went though all the emotions, and I almost died a couple of times. From a heart attack. Ms. Marie knows how to bring forth every emotion known to man.
I vowed I wouldn't say anything spoilery, but for the hard core fans of this series I will say this: YES the thing that everyone has been waiting for finally happens. And it's SUBLIME. And it's everything you would have wanted and more. AND I nearly died again of the feels. And I will stop here, although I am having a hard time not raving like a lunatic.
P.S. Last night after I finished the book my husband was a very very happy man :)))))))))))))
Profile Image for K.A..
Author2 books23 followers
October 8, 2020
I literally just read this in five hours.

That. Was. Brilliant.

I swear, Annette's novels just get better and better as she writes.

A tangled plot. Non-stop action. Touching, heartfelt scenes. Questions and answers that span not one, but two different sets of books. I can't wait for Delivering Evil for Experts. September can't come soon enough.

Update: I don't even know how many times I've read this. It just gets better every single time 😂
Profile Image for Jo.
120 reviews1 follower
April 4, 2020
Still waiting...

When are Zylas and Robin going to actually hook up? Been waiting for them to do something and what happened in this book is not nearly enough. Ugh! Hurry up you people! There's just a book left. 3.5 stars
Profile Image for Precious ✨.
648 reviews112 followers
June 26, 2020
The Robin Page and Zylas duo for another win.

This story begins with the overlap of , but it’s not a cop out. So much is explained in this book and it really takes you on a roller coaster. I just finished it and I’m having heart palpitations. This series has been phenomenal and I’m so excited to see how it continues (not ends because I don’t want it to.)

My thoughts are too all over the place for me to really write more, but man this was just what I needed. I'll probably just do a re-read of the entire Guild Codex to get ready for in July. I can't believe we only have one book in between the final installment . It actually hurts my soul a bit.

TL;DR: please fall in love with these two, as soon as hh'ainun-ly possible.


... and yes I am perfectly content with my pun.
Profile Image for Ian.
1,409 reviews185 followers
May 11, 2020
Guild Codex: Demonized and Spellbound crossover chronologically. They take some of the same events and look at them from different perspectives. It can occasionally be a little confusing but it mostly works.

The series (both of them) are great fun and lovers of tough, snarky female characters will get a kick out of these books.
Profile Image for Hilda.
1,256 reviews276 followers
April 12, 2020
Never summon from the Twelfth House. For the trespass of this sacred covenant, the sons of Vh’alyir will destroy you.

Robin and Zylas are great together. Not just romantically, which finally, finally. FINALLY. We get to see. Yes there was built up from book one to now, but come on!! That was the biggest slow burn ever. And her blushing was driving me crazy until it wasn’t. Zylas is too much. And I swear his goal in life is making Robin blush so I guess it works. There was so much action and new villains helping old villains. It was great. I don’t know how does it but these stories are full of action, investigating, funny and cute times. They’re also bloody and full of murder and death. I can’t stop reading them once I start.

I do wish there was more Robin and Zylas time. Without one of them being injured. Just them having fun. And I really hope that in book four there is more Amalia and Zylas time, even though they have this hate/love relationship. It’s so funny.

You're an obnoxious pig! Don’t make that face. If you knew what a pig was, you wouldn’t think it’s funny!

And I know I’m focusing more on feelings, but this series makes me so happy. There was so much to unpack in this book because it’s full of information. And Robin is new to all of it. I feel like this is a great advantage though. A lot of the mages take it for granted. She has to study and read up and ask questions. This makes her a great detective. This Also makes her a great mage in training. She is innovative and smart and respects magic. She is amazed by it but also comes up with new ways of doing things or comes up with shortcuts. Having Zylas helping her is also a huge plus. They work very well together and I love both their emotional and working relationship. I really got to see them grow together in this book and it was so sweet.
Profile Image for Di.
416 reviews38 followers
May 23, 2023
** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes are taken from the advanced review copy and as such may not be accurate or present in the final published edition**

Wow... Just wow.

I've given myself a couple of days and I still can't find much coherence to review this one... It's just that good.

Never summon from the Twelfth House. For the trespass of this sacred covenant, the sons of Vh’alyir will destroy you.


Robin and Zylas (zuh-yee-las) have to be one of my favourite pairs of all time, and I'm not talking about shipping them (although I totally do!), I'm talking about a partnership, a friendship, a developing understanding and trust of one another that I just adore watching going from strength to strength. The ongoing theme of captivity/enslavement is explored further in this book and the theme of trust between Robin and Zylas is taken to another level and portrayed to perfection.

In this, the third and sadly penultimate book of this particular series, there is more testing the strength of Robin and Zylas' bond than ever before and while they struggle and are still unsure about where each of them stands, it's great to see them emerge on the other side.

μαίνομαι ὁρῶσα ἐ� τούτ� τ� δαίμονι τ� καλόν
Am I mad to see beauty in this demon?



There's a lot of crossover between this, The Guild Codex: Demonized series and The Guild Codex: Spellbound series (with Tori and the Three Mages). I absolutely highly recommend reading both series (since they are both EXCELLENT) however they can also both be read as stand alone series. This book does however contain pretty huge spoilers for the Spellbound series, so if you were thinking of reading both, I'd definitely propose you follow my recommended order of reading which is at the bottom of this review.

Part of the crossover is seeing a lot of The Crow and Hammer that we haven't gotten to see before, as well as some of the members that we haven't particularly focused on in the Spellbound series. There's also some key scenes in both series that are explored from the different POV's and that's been great for me, a fan of this universe, to be able to construct a different angle in my head of so many facets of this world.

We also see familiar favourites from Spellbound like the mysterious Guild Master of The Crow and Hammer, Darius King and in this particular book, Ezra Rowe is a highly supporting cast member and pivotal to the plot. While it was strange to see him without his Spellbound counterparts I very much enjoyed getting to know him more through Robin's POV and seeing him through her eyes. If you're already a fan of Spellbound I can't recommend highly enough that you pick up this series if you haven't already!

Ezra Rowe, the Crow and Hammer mythic I most wanted to avoid, was now helping me find the albino sorcerer. On the plus side, he knew way more about investigating killers than I did. On the downside, he was likely concealing a secret as dangerous as mine.


I was also happy to see a little of Kit and Lienna, characters from the new spinoff Warped which is also releasing this year. To say my interest has been piqued is an understatement! With Spellbound and Demonized both hurtling towards their finales this year I am happy that there will still be some of the Guild Codex world to hold on to.

Hunting Fiends has it all: protagonists you can root for, serious action, interesting and new details to add to the Guild Codex world, female friendships, humour and snark, and some pretty intense and poignant moments to top it all off. With the stakes raised ever higher I cannot wait for the next book, and yet the anticipation is bittersweet as I'm not ready to say goodbye to this series at all. I honestly can't say this enough - READ THIS SERIES!!!!!





Other books in this world (in my recommended reading order):









Profile Image for Laura ☾.
904 reviews317 followers
June 18, 2021
MY HEART!

This was probably my favourite instalment of the series so far! I absolutely love the way Annette Marie paces these stories - they are just so addictive!
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