Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh

 

January 25th 2011, Berkley Sensation
324 pgs. , Paperback
Library Copy
Third in the Guild Hunter series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders. The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…

Opinion:

As always Nalini Singh is a master with playing with words to make you feel and to make you see. There is no power such as love and she makes this apparent with every verse of her beautiful prose.

Elana is back among the living. The mortals her friends, her city, her family. She is also still part of the immortal world and she has to straddle the two parts of herself.

Raphael still at times tries to control Elana as he has always been powerful, but she never allows it which makes her an equal among those that are of the most powerful.

She is understanding more of the pain that her father is in and although he made terrible choices he is real. He is in so much pain that is palatable.

This book certainly pulls on the heart strings.

Rating:

Mission accomplished; read again and again.

A masterful piece of writing.

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Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh

 

February 2010, Berkley

352 pgs., Paperback

Library Copy

Second in Guild Hunter series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…

Opinion:

I loved this book as I did the first in the series. The love story is one for the ages, with lines such as “We die, we die together. That’s the deal.” Raphael loves Elena so much it’s palatable. Elana struggles with the control that love comes with.

Elana is haunted by old memories and she struggles with the feeling that it is all her fault. She has a depth of character that I often miss when reading.

The darkness that surrounds this book is alleviated only by the beauty of the Refuge and the friendship with Illium. He is beautiful, kind, and a great friend for Elana in a place that is not her own.

I hope Elana and Raphael have children. Elana needs a family of her own and Raphael would be a great father.

It’s a great book, with passion, action, heartbreaking pain, and hope.

Rating:4.5/5

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Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh

March 2009, Berkley Sensation

368 pgs., Paperback

Library Copy

First in the Guild Hunter Series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may.

For when archangels play, mortals break…

Opinion:

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was highly entertaining on a day I really needed to be distracted. I read this book cover to cover in one day which lately is unlikely. It drew me in with it’s sensuality much like being seduced.

When it started out I did not like the possibility of a romance between Elana and Raphael. I thought he would have all the power in the relationship, since he was immensely more powerful than she. I highly underestimated Elana. She is a warrior. Strong and courageous in the face of fear. Her familial issues make her an even more likable character, because it shows who she truly is. Loving her family even though they don’t deserve it.

Raphael learned so much about himself throughout the course of this book. He is an ancient immortal and yet he had so much growing he needed to do and until he found a bit of humanity it was beyond him. Humanity made him stronger than any amount of immortality.

Dimitri, oh my, I have a crush. I can never resist the ultra-smooth. They have my heart in moments. I’m a fool for words like that. I hope he remains to be a major player throughout the series.

Sara and Ransom, are the family not forced by a horrible wheel of fate, but of choice. Of love. Sara puts Elana above everyone when she knows Elana only wants her to be there for her newborn, who is sweetly a namesake of Elana.

Ransom is the ultimate bad boy, but I believe him to be safely snared. We didn’t see much of him, but he is a likable character none-the-less.

As soon as I finished this one I wanted the next. I loved this book. I would highly recommend this book.

Quickie:

This book seduced me.

Rating:5/5

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