Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan’s power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…
Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #2)
February 2, 2010
Paranormal Romance
Paperback, 323 Pages
Berkley
Today the lovely Kati, from Katidom is guest blogging!
If Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series is a multi-part symphony, her Guild Hunters series is rock opera. This is a dark, moody, operatic series, where the author is utterly unafraid to go “there”. You know where I mean? No? Let me explain.
Elena Devereaux is a born vampire hunter. One who fell in love with the archangel Raphael, the angel who oversees North America. Except that, she’s recently been turned into an angel, and awakened from a year-long coma. She’s in the Refuge, an angel safe haven, and she’s struggling to learn how to deal with her new body, which includes midnight dark wings that she has absolutely no idea how to use. Apparently, she’ll also come into her strength, which will one day be superhuman.
In the mean time, concern for Elena is weakening Raphael, and his Seven, his personal guard, are concerned that this weakness will make Raphael lose stature and power within the cadre of archangels. Plus, Raphael and Elena have been invited to a ball, given in Elena’s honor by Lijuan, the oldest archangel and Elena must be at full strength to survive the experience. To top it off, young angels are being brutalized, kidnapped or even murdered within the Refuge. Elena will need all of her skills as a hunter to help Raphael get to the bottom who is committing these atrocities.
When I read the first Guild Hunters book, Angel’s Blood, I was blown away at the world that Nalini Singh had created. There is a ton going on in this story: court intrigue between the angels who rule over mankind; Elena’s struggle both to master not just her new body, but her role in Raphael’s world; Raphael’s struggle to hold himself back from hurting the much more fragile Elena, and to learn to deal with his overwhelming emotion for her; and the violence which is occurring against young angels within the one realm where they should be safe, the Refuge. The glue that holds the strands together is the growing love between Elena and Raphael. While other aspects of this compelling book are fascinating, it’s the love story that makes it a keeper. Elena is a fantastic foil for Raphael. She’s strong-willed, feisty and very smart. And she never fears that Raphael will hurt her, although he worries constantly about it. More squeamish readers should note that this book is violent. It does not shy away from violence that is never gratuitous and always serves to establish the difference between Elena’s former world: humankind, and her new world: angel-kind.
Intricate without being complicated, emotional and dark without being manipulative, Archangel’s Kiss is a brilliant, if violent installment in the Guild Hunters series and should not be missed by fans of darker paranormal romance.
Rating: 5/5
Recent Reviews:
The Booksmugglers – 7/10, 8/10
Dear Author – A-
The Book Lush – Absolutely Loved
The Book Binge – 4.5/5
Babbling About Books and More – A
Lurv a la Mode – 4/5
Lovin Me Some Romance – A-
Rex Robot Reviews – 5/5
Goodreads
Nalini Singh’s Website.
This series looks so awesome! I got this one and Angels' Blood just waiting for me to read… I plan to get to them pretty soon =))
Awesome review!!!
xxoo
Great review – I have Angel's Blood coming for review and I can't wait to read it!! I'm not shocked by violence as much as I am graphic sex scenes LOL Weird I know but that's how I roll ;) I love dark, gritty novels and this sounds like my kind of read :)
Fabulous review Kati! I so cannot wait to read this book. I'm not so concerned about the violence either because I would never think it's done just for shock value. Nalini is a genius in so many ways.
I have the first Psy book! But I sure wanna have a look at this series now too
Rock opera? Nice label Kati #2.
Great review – I was kind of on the fence about this one but it sounds like a great read!
I was waiting for this explosive review of yours! Girl you rocked it out! Great review!!! I will be looking into this one soon! Hope all is well!
Fabulous review. I loved this book & you hit the nail right on the head with this book.
It rocked.
Fab review! I think you summed it up really well. This book is too awesome to miss. I want everyone to read it, lol
I really liked Angel's Blood but for some reason Archangel's Kiss didn't speak to me as much as AB. Despite my wittle hang ups this was a excellent book.
Great Review!!
Loved, LOVE, loved, this book! I could seriously turn stalker for Nalini Singh. Luckily for her, she's a seventeen hour plane ride away from. Sigh…oh well, I'll make do by stalking her website. :)
Great review Kati! I also loved how Raphael had to hold back from Elena and how difficult it was for him to do that. Good stuff.
Hugs, VFG
Thank you Kati. Fabulous review and I just loved how you described Nalini books:
If Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series is a multi-part symphony, her Guild Hunters series is rock opera.
I'm almost at the top of the library hold list for this book and after reading your review I am seriously looking forward to reading it. I'm guessing the Seven play a role in the book? If so, YAH! (I'm a Dmitri fan :)
@Orannia – You'll be happy. Dimitri is his usual wry, mocking, PITA self in this book! :wink:
Lovin me some Nalini Singh and cannot wait to get my hands on this 2nd book in the series. I am all for dark gritty and violence is no problem as she makes it work realistically in every book have read so far.
Thanks for the review, it whet my appetite for more in this world created by NS!
jackie b central texas
5 out of 5! Wow that is a great read. I have this on my list of books to keep an eye out for. Thanks for all the great teasers of some things in the book. I am looking forward to it now. :)
OMG! Your ending recommendations gave me the tingles!!!! I WILL be reading this book in March.
Great review, Kati! I just skimmed the review because I haven't read Angel's Kiss yet and don't want any spoilers, but I like how you compared to the series to a rock opera. Good call. :)
I still haven't gotten to this series. I need less time on twitter, more time reading.
Great review! I have been lusting after Angels' Blood ever since I got a look at the new cover. Glad to know you loved it and that the series continues being awesome!
I have both of these books on my TBR shelf and every review I read makes me want to sacrifice some other books to get to them faster!
Man, I love this book. I LOVE this book.
Can't wait for The Seven stories… I like them all…
Don't forget to read Angel's Pawn (e-book format – an Ashwini/Janvier adventure, not their love story …yet)
and Angel's Judgment – Must Love Hell Hounds Anthology – Sara and Deacon Story).
Great review! Congrats!!!
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