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***SPOILERS!!***

Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux is a dark supernatural romance where Rae, a supernatural enthusiast, accidentally summons a demon named Leon, who is drawn to her and wants her soul, while also being hunted by a cult who wants to sacrifice her.

Tik Tok or #BookTok strikes again. I was captivated by the cover. It is visually pleasing and the art of it just jumps out from the others on the shelf. I went into this book with little prior knowledge and a semi open mind. This review (which does contain some spoilers, so if you haven’t read it, be warned) will dive into the plot, the characters, themes symbols and motifs, as well as my own personal opinions.

Let’s start with the THEMES. The book explores quite a few themes, such as power dynamics. You have Leon, who is a literal demon and holds immense power, and then you have the cult who abuses their power. Their control over the town, the school, and even Leon. However, Rae has some sort of power herself. In the sense that she is able to resist, negotiate, and assert her own desires in the relationship with Leon. The story highlights that true power is not just about strength, but about the ability to make one’s own decision. Rae is never described as helpless, on the contrary she tries to find ways to defend herself since she believes she cannot rely on Leon. Another theme throughout the book is desire and temptation. Rae’s attraction to Leon, the demon, embodies the idea of giving into the dark, unknown, supernatural. With Her Soul to Take, we see that desire is not demonized (pun intended) but is treated as something natural. The theme of Fate vs Free Will is a central conflict in Her Soul to Take. It is woven into both the supernatural elements and the personal journies of the characters. The cult believes in fate. Their entire storyline is centralized around the belief that these sacrifices are fated and must be carried out. However, Rae refuses to be a pawn in their design and chooses Free Will to fight against them, with the help of other characters. I think this book argues that free will is not neccesarily about denying fate, but about resisting forces that try to control you. The cult tried to force the sacrifice on Rae, but they also controlled Leon’s life for at least a century, toying with his ability to have free will.

Let’s move on to Symbols and Motifs. The symbols and motifs in this book serve to reinforce the themes of power, contro, fate vs free will, and desire.

Let’s discuss ‘contracts and bargins’, Leon was bound by his name written in a sigil that the cult had control over. He was bound to a four walled room with no windows in a binding circle. Only free to leave when the one who controlled him called. He was nicknamed ‘the killer’ because of the use of the cult. This ‘contract’ was about control. However, then you have his ‘bargin’ with Rae for her soul. It isn’t about control per se. It was more of a rationalization for Leon to stay on Earth once he was free from the cult. He didn’t want to watch her die and her soul be taken away from him. Though Rae was terrified at the prospect of selling her soul to a demon, deservedly so, it was more about Leon’s desire to not lose her, to have her bound to him for eternity.

Then we have Blood. Bood appears throughout the story and serves as a powerful symbol. Blood is uesd in the rituals and highligts the exchange of vitality for supernatural power. You also see a lot of blood because the cult performs blood sacrifices to gain control. They will do anything to further their own agenda.

Finally, we have Chains and Restraints. Whether physical, magical, or pshychological, they are a recurring motif throughout the story. It plays to the idea about forced control vs willing surrender. You have the cults ritual physically and magically binding Leon, representing coerced submission. And then you have Rae’s moments of intimacy with Leon which plays with consensual restraint, emphasizing Rae’s choice. Speaking of Rae, she gradually embraces submission in an aspect of trust rather than captivity. Playing with the idea that chains aren’t always oppressing.

Our story revolves around Rae and Leon.

Rae is seen as curious, independent, and bold. She’s deeply fascinated with the supernatural. She’s slightly courageous, but in my opinions she’s extremely reckless. She struggles a lot with the idea of fear and attraction. She knows her lust for a demon is not rational, but she can not help who she’s attracted to. By the end of the story, she is no onger and observer but actively participating in her fate.

Then we have Leon. He is described as cunning, seductive, and dangerous. He has the nickname ‘the killer’, futher showing his ‘dangerous’ persona. He is playful and sarcastic. He is protective of Rae and her cat. By the end of the story, his actions are driven by personal desire rather than obligation or being forced to.

Now, let’s get to my own personal opinions and not me dissecting everything.

There were many times throughout the story where I asked myself “WTF am I reading??” This story is extremely graphic! Please make sure that you read the TRIGGER WARNINGS. Like literally before you buy the book….read the trigger warnings. I have been getting into the habit of checking the trigger warnings of anything I buy so that I can tell my friend if it shouldn’t be on her TBR. (Friends look out for friends <3) 

Rae drove me absolutely insane. She was extremely clumsy and careless. She lacked any form of common sense. I wanted to yell at her for being dumb. A demon tells you to stay inside, and you think because you have a bat, you can fight demon hounds?? Like no. You could always count on Rae to make the WRONG decision. 

Leon was kind of eh to me. Like he didn’t come off as this hot, sexy demon you’d be willing to sell your soul for. He was dark and twisted. He was fiercely protective of Rae, so that’s a plus. His pet names…*eye roll*

I desperately wanted a plot, but it didn’t deliver. The two main characters weren’t even the hero’s in the overall story….It was handled by characters that were slightly mentioned in this book and handled off screen. It was extremely annoying. But, it’s my preference. I wanted to see the whole story play out, but the rest of the story is seen in the other two books. Speaking of which, I might read them if and when I get over my annoyance of Rae.

You can find Her Soul to Take on Amazon HERE