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Guild Hunter #1
Angels' Blood
USA Today bestselling author Nalini Singh introduces a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires…
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…
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…
339 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 3, 2009
About the author
Nalini Singh
262 books25.8k followersI've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
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December 8, 2010
A number of child-angels gather around their mother up in heaven somewhere, each taking a seat on a fluffy cloud of perfection to eagerly await the forbidden story: How Mum and Dad Met.
"Mother!" the eldest, almost a teenager, chirps. "Tell us, please!"
A chorus of cherub voice cry out in agreement like the tinkering of old church bells.
"Yes, mother!"
"Tell us!"
"Please tell us!"
The mother laughs, her face a beacon of light and joy as she gestures for the children to sit quietly.
"Very well then, children," she replies serenely, gazing at each of her children in adoration. "Your father was an angel, and I was a Guild Hunter - which means that I hunted vampires for Angels. He had a very special job for me. Now, back in these days, your father was a very scary man. He almost killed me several times!" Elena chuckled at the joyous memories. "He was a cold-blooded, ruthless monster yet there was a strange, inexplicable attraction to him that I fought against. At first..."
The teenage daughter squeals involuntarily and interrupts her mother. "How romantic! I'm going to find a man who wants to kill me! Then I'm going to marry him!"
Elena looks concerned. "Erm-"
"Well," says her next eldest daughter, "I'm going to find a man that ACTUALLY tries to kill me, and then he's going to fall in love with me and then we'll get married."
Elena shakes her head in confusion. "Wait-"
"Hmph," scoffs the youngest daughter, not to be outdone. "Well, I'm going to find a man that wants to kill me, and then tries to kill me, and then changes his mind. BUT, while I'm with him I'm going to get so badly injured that he has to sacrifice who I am in order to save me so that we can still be together in some form or another!" she bursts out, almost turning red from the exertion.
"How romantic!" the other two croon before all three turn and begin to compete over who can come up with the most romantic scenario.
Finally, the youngest and Elena’s only boy chirps in, “Well, when I meet a girl, I’m going to keep reminding her how much better than her I am and then hit on her relentlessly, even if she shows not sign of wanting me at all!”
His older sisters stop. “You are such a sweetheart!” They swoon.
“Every girl’s going to want you!” another says with dreamy eyes.
“Stop!” Elena says, finally managing to settle the children down. “Son! You can’t act like that! When you find someone you love, you need to treat them with respect and be in partnership with them. Sure, you can be attracted to them and make advances-“
“I'm going to find a man that can't keep his hands off me, no matter how many times I tell him to leave me alone!" the first daughter says, interrupting her mother again as her face glowed in eagerly awaited anticipation.
"Well, I'm going to find a man that can't keep his hands off me, even if I SHOOT HIM!"
"Well, I'm going to find a man that can’t keep his hands off me, even if it could mean his own death!"
“Yeah?” the little boy says, his voice rising above the rest with his enthusiasm. “Well, when I meet the girl of my dreams and her association with me eventually gets her grievously injured, I’ll choose to die with her rather than continue my lonely and forever altered existence!”
Elena sits and stares at her squabbling daughters in shock and confusion until she eventually breaks in. "Girls! Girls! You need to find someone safe! Someone you can love, who loves you without threatening or manipulating you! Can't you see? These fantasies aren't healthy, girls!"
"Why not?" the eldest daughter asks in shock.
"Yeah, mother? Why can't we?" the middle child adds.
"It worked for you, didn't it?" her youngest asks.
“Don’t you see?” Elena begs. “It simply isn’t realistic or healthy to fantasize about these things! And son, your life doesn’t stop with the death of a woman! She wouldn’t want you to give up and dramatically sacrifice everything, just because she died!”
Her son scratches his head. “Why not?”
Then Arnold Schwarzeneggar rushes in and starts break dancing while telling everyone to, "Run! Run to the chopper!"
Before dashing out after her sisters, brother and Arnold Schwarzeneggar, the youngest daughter stops and reassures her mother, "It's okay, Mum. Really! We're bound to have a dues ex machina ending where everything works out perfectly. Just like you!"
~*~THE END~*~
"Mother!" the eldest, almost a teenager, chirps. "Tell us, please!"
A chorus of cherub voice cry out in agreement like the tinkering of old church bells.
"Yes, mother!"
"Tell us!"
"Please tell us!"
The mother laughs, her face a beacon of light and joy as she gestures for the children to sit quietly.
"Very well then, children," she replies serenely, gazing at each of her children in adoration. "Your father was an angel, and I was a Guild Hunter - which means that I hunted vampires for Angels. He had a very special job for me. Now, back in these days, your father was a very scary man. He almost killed me several times!" Elena chuckled at the joyous memories. "He was a cold-blooded, ruthless monster yet there was a strange, inexplicable attraction to him that I fought against. At first..."
The teenage daughter squeals involuntarily and interrupts her mother. "How romantic! I'm going to find a man who wants to kill me! Then I'm going to marry him!"
Elena looks concerned. "Erm-"
"Well," says her next eldest daughter, "I'm going to find a man that ACTUALLY tries to kill me, and then he's going to fall in love with me and then we'll get married."
Elena shakes her head in confusion. "Wait-"
"Hmph," scoffs the youngest daughter, not to be outdone. "Well, I'm going to find a man that wants to kill me, and then tries to kill me, and then changes his mind. BUT, while I'm with him I'm going to get so badly injured that he has to sacrifice who I am in order to save me so that we can still be together in some form or another!" she bursts out, almost turning red from the exertion.
"How romantic!" the other two croon before all three turn and begin to compete over who can come up with the most romantic scenario.
Finally, the youngest and Elena’s only boy chirps in, “Well, when I meet a girl, I’m going to keep reminding her how much better than her I am and then hit on her relentlessly, even if she shows not sign of wanting me at all!”
His older sisters stop. “You are such a sweetheart!” They swoon.
“Every girl’s going to want you!” another says with dreamy eyes.
“Stop!” Elena says, finally managing to settle the children down. “Son! You can’t act like that! When you find someone you love, you need to treat them with respect and be in partnership with them. Sure, you can be attracted to them and make advances-“
“I'm going to find a man that can't keep his hands off me, no matter how many times I tell him to leave me alone!" the first daughter says, interrupting her mother again as her face glowed in eagerly awaited anticipation.
"Well, I'm going to find a man that can't keep his hands off me, even if I SHOOT HIM!"
"Well, I'm going to find a man that can’t keep his hands off me, even if it could mean his own death!"
“Yeah?” the little boy says, his voice rising above the rest with his enthusiasm. “Well, when I meet the girl of my dreams and her association with me eventually gets her grievously injured, I’ll choose to die with her rather than continue my lonely and forever altered existence!”
Elena sits and stares at her squabbling daughters in shock and confusion until she eventually breaks in. "Girls! Girls! You need to find someone safe! Someone you can love, who loves you without threatening or manipulating you! Can't you see? These fantasies aren't healthy, girls!"
"Why not?" the eldest daughter asks in shock.
"Yeah, mother? Why can't we?" the middle child adds.
"It worked for you, didn't it?" her youngest asks.
“Don’t you see?” Elena begs. “It simply isn’t realistic or healthy to fantasize about these things! And son, your life doesn’t stop with the death of a woman! She wouldn’t want you to give up and dramatically sacrifice everything, just because she died!”
Her son scratches his head. “Why not?”
Then Arnold Schwarzeneggar rushes in and starts break dancing while telling everyone to, "Run! Run to the chopper!"
Before dashing out after her sisters, brother and Arnold Schwarzeneggar, the youngest daughter stops and reassures her mother, "It's okay, Mum. Really! We're bound to have a dues ex machina ending where everything works out perfectly. Just like you!"
~*~THE END~*~
June 22, 2011
You know how if you eat too many sweets you eventually throw up? Well, I think that's where I'm at with the paranormal romance genre. It just isn't for me anymore.
Angels' Blood is listed as an "urban fantasy with romance" - well, I'm here to tell you that if this is urban fantasy, I'm Donald Trump needlessly living out my writing fantasies by having a GR account as a girl named Lora.
It is ridiculous to call Angels' Blood an urban fantasy. It has all of the classic PR traits: an oversexed, dangerously attractive "hero" whose past issues account for his boorish attitude and make him oh so mysteriously erotic; a cookie-cutter heroine with nothing interesting about her except that every male within a ten mile radius wants to bonk her; a "romance" between said hero and heroine that wouldn't even exist if they both weren't so horny; a paranormal "story" that is seriously overshadowed by myriad scenes of near sex encounters, sexual innuendos and double entendres - and the aforesaid are all just the prelude to The Real Thing.
Any chance that Singh might have had at writing a good, entertaining, well thought out UF series went right out the window when she chose to go the paranormal romance route; at least, IMHO.
I wasnaïvely hoping that this series would be reminiscent of the Fever series: a flawed heroine with a lot to learn but equal amounts of potential; a hero(?) that is mysterious and, yes, rude, but that has good reason for the way he is (albeit unknown to the reader as of yet); and, most of all, a world that is intriguing and maybe (dare I hope?) semioriginal. IMO, you get none of that with Singh's Angels' Blood.
In Singh's Guild Hunter series, the entire world's population is not only aware of angels, they are also ruled by them. Angels are Top Dog. All government officials - be they mayors or presidents, ambassadors or prime minesters - are just for show, apparantly.
This idea actually sounded appealing to me - except - it is all abandoned for countless scenes of sexual tension and talk of how panties-melting Raphael is.
It also bothered me that it is set in our current world; for some reason I've never been able to like something where the author has created a completely different existence for people in the present. I don't know what you would call this besides an alternate universe, but it seriously irritates me.
Also, there is no explanation for where the angels come from, their origins, who made them - only that they are "all powerful" and have been in existence for eons.
And if you extracted all of the passages dedicated to fawning over Raphael's "menacing gaze" and the sentences about how "lethally attractive" (Yes! He's so attractive you'll DIE if you look at him too long! "Help me! I'm dying and swooning at the same time! It's a horrible juxtaposition!") he is, you'd literally end up with half of Angels' Blood. There is that much page time spent on how he looks and the affect he has on Elena.
The thing is, I sincerely tried; I tried to ignore the endless sexual interludes and references to Raphael's scorching masculinity in order to attempt to find an actual plot somewhere in the mess; I tried to give Angels' Blood the benefit of the doubt because I figure that the urban fantasy genre will only become more sex oriented as people (women) continue to purchase this type of "literature."
But, in the end, I have to be honest and say that I'm looking for an actual story with some depth and world building and character development as apposed to just a sh!tload of halfway sex scenes that lead up to The Real Thing.
And, whenever the story does finally start to gain some focus, it's basically just a lot of macabre scenes with people strung up with their entrails taken out.
It was like I kept getting slapped in the face with sex sex sex and then gore gore gore. And there's even a reference to necrophilia!
Bottom line, Angels' Blood just wasn't for me.
Angels' Blood is listed as an "urban fantasy with romance" - well, I'm here to tell you that if this is urban fantasy, I'm Donald Trump needlessly living out my writing fantasies by having a GR account as a girl named Lora.
It is ridiculous to call Angels' Blood an urban fantasy. It has all of the classic PR traits: an oversexed, dangerously attractive "hero" whose past issues account for his boorish attitude and make him oh so mysteriously erotic; a cookie-cutter heroine with nothing interesting about her except that every male within a ten mile radius wants to bonk her; a "romance" between said hero and heroine that wouldn't even exist if they both weren't so horny; a paranormal "story" that is seriously overshadowed by myriad scenes of near sex encounters, sexual innuendos and double entendres - and the aforesaid are all just the prelude to The Real Thing.
Any chance that Singh might have had at writing a good, entertaining, well thought out UF series went right out the window when she chose to go the paranormal romance route; at least, IMHO.
I was
In Singh's Guild Hunter series, the entire world's population is not only aware of angels, they are also ruled by them. Angels are Top Dog. All government officials - be they mayors or presidents, ambassadors or prime minesters - are just for show, apparantly.
This idea actually sounded appealing to me - except - it is all abandoned for countless scenes of sexual tension and talk of how panties-melting Raphael is.
It also bothered me that it is set in our current world; for some reason I've never been able to like something where the author has created a completely different existence for people in the present. I don't know what you would call this besides an alternate universe, but it seriously irritates me.
Also, there is no explanation for where the angels come from, their origins, who made them - only that they are "all powerful" and have been in existence for eons.
And if you extracted all of the passages dedicated to fawning over Raphael's "menacing gaze" and the sentences about how "lethally attractive" (Yes! He's so attractive you'll DIE if you look at him too long! "Help me! I'm dying and swooning at the same time! It's a horrible juxtaposition!") he is, you'd literally end up with half of Angels' Blood. There is that much page time spent on how he looks and the affect he has on Elena.
The thing is, I sincerely tried; I tried to ignore the endless sexual interludes and references to Raphael's scorching masculinity in order to attempt to find an actual plot somewhere in the mess; I tried to give Angels' Blood the benefit of the doubt because I figure that the urban fantasy genre will only become more sex oriented as people (women) continue to purchase this type of "literature."
But, in the end, I have to be honest and say that I'm looking for an actual story with some depth and world building and character development as apposed to just a sh!tload of halfway sex scenes that lead up to The Real Thing.
And, whenever the story does finally start to gain some focus, it's basically just a lot of macabre scenes with people strung up with their entrails taken out.
It was like I kept getting slapped in the face with sex sex sex and then gore gore gore. And there's even a reference to necrophilia!
Bottom line, Angels' Blood just wasn't for me.
February 12, 2020
*Reread 2/12/2020*
(Just want to make a side note. I listened to this book on audio the first time and I didn't really connect to the book. It was good but not great. I read it with my own eyes this time round and it was much better! I am changing my rating from 4 to 5 stars)
4 Making you Human Stars
I knew after reading Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series that I would want to read more from that author, so when I seen she had a angel series I started buying books. Here I am book one, and I am really glad I started this series. I will say it took a bit for me to warm up to Raphael, but by the end of the book he owned my heart.
Elena was awesome and kicked some serious ass. I loved her from the start. She was smart, sweet, and bad-ass all in one. Elena was very relatable and lovable. She was brave and she did well even when she didn't get a choice in her own life. Raphael was much harder to connect to for most of the book. He was so closed off and cold. I understand he was powerful old Archangel and so he lost almost all his humanity, but it was hard at times to see what Elena liked in Raphael other than his looks.
This was a really slow burn as far as the relationship between Elena and Raphael go. They didn't get together until almost the end but the sexual tension was thick from the start. I love that even though they didn't care for each other in the beginning, they both were fascinated with the other. You could feel the pull between them even when Raphael was at his coldest. By the end of the book Raphael was really starting to change and I loved the new side to him. The second half of the book was a lot better for me. I thought that at some point Elena would become vampire but I was really surprised at were Nalini Singh took Elena. I really can't wait to see what happens next.
(Just want to make a side note. I listened to this book on audio the first time and I didn't really connect to the book. It was good but not great. I read it with my own eyes this time round and it was much better! I am changing my rating from 4 to 5 stars)
4 Making you Human Stars
I knew after reading Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series that I would want to read more from that author, so when I seen she had a angel series I started buying books. Here I am book one, and I am really glad I started this series. I will say it took a bit for me to warm up to Raphael, but by the end of the book he owned my heart.
Elena was awesome and kicked some serious ass. I loved her from the start. She was smart, sweet, and bad-ass all in one. Elena was very relatable and lovable. She was brave and she did well even when she didn't get a choice in her own life. Raphael was much harder to connect to for most of the book. He was so closed off and cold. I understand he was powerful old Archangel and so he lost almost all his humanity, but it was hard at times to see what Elena liked in Raphael other than his looks.
This was a really slow burn as far as the relationship between Elena and Raphael go. They didn't get together until almost the end but the sexual tension was thick from the start. I love that even though they didn't care for each other in the beginning, they both were fascinated with the other. You could feel the pull between them even when Raphael was at his coldest. By the end of the book Raphael was really starting to change and I loved the new side to him. The second half of the book was a lot better for me. I thought that at some point Elena would become vampire but I was really surprised at were Nalini Singh took Elena. I really can't wait to see what happens next.
September 8, 2010
I've been a fan of Nalini Singh for several years now. I started reading her with the Silhouette Desires she published, and I liked the way she wrote intense love stories with magnetic heroes and heroines I liked. I waffled for a year or so before deciding to try her book Slave to Sensation. I was just getting into paranormal, and I wasn't sure about the sci-fi elements. Finally, I read it, and I was hooked from that point on.
When I heard that Nalini Singh was venturing into urban fantasy, of course I was going to buy Angels' Blood. She's autobuy for me, and urban fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres. It also helps that I have this unhealthy love for angels. I'll read most books with an angel theme. Let me tell you, I was so impressed with this book.
Nalini Singh took the theme of angels and made it her own. She captured the essential elements of angelhood (except for the messengers of God part), and gave it some dark and sinister aspects. In Singh's world, Angels are very carnal, sexual beings who involve themselves with the human world, exploit the fact that humans are drawn to, adore them, and sometimes worship them, and have put themselves at the top of the hierarchy. Basically, angels run things. They even Make vampires to be their servants. Of course, absolute power has a way of corrupting. In this case, there is an archangel (the most powerful type of angel) who has gone beserk and is on a killing spree. A scary thought there, an absolutely beautiful, pretty much invincible being on a killing spree. Who's going to stop him? Raphael, the Archangel of New York, has appointed himself to do that. But he needs the help of the best Hunter (vampires) in New York, Elena. And, he decides that he wants to have more than a business relationship with this powerful warrior woman (that's his type, you see).
Raphael was some kind of character. He defines the 'gamma' hero. Not gamma as in the mix of alpha and beta. Gamma in the sense of mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Raphael is utterly ruthless. He knows just how powerful he is, and he's not afraid to use that power to achieve his goals. He is not controlled by human morals. He follows a higher law, the laws set by himself and the Cadre, the group of ten archangels who pretty much rule the world. This guy was one of those heroes that sends a chill down your spine, but also has you gaga over him because he was so gorgeous and just had that masculine appeal that turns your bones into water. He thought about killing Elena several times, because human life has no value for beings that are essentially immortal. I was like, "Okay?" I admit, I like that dark/edgy hero, but I could see how that would be chilling for some readers. But, somehow, Elena found the small aspect of this scary dude that could love. He was drawn to her for the essence of who she was, the fierce hunter, the vulnerable woman beneath the tough facade. She made him more humanlike just by reaching that core of him that yearned to be truly loved and to love someone. Even more than a millenia of having whatever lovers he wanted didn't leave this archangel satisfied. But Elena had to power to give him what he yearned for.
Elena was a very likeable character. She was tough, a survivor, but also very humane. She had a great sense of humor, and didn't let anyone push her around. She takes her job very seriously, and is determined to find this archangel who is leaving a grisly pile of bodies in his wake. She has no idea how to react to Raphael. He's gorgeous, because all angels are. But he is moreso than any others to her. She's attracted to his strength, and the unearthly beauty and functionality of his wings, and the intrinsic deadly appeal of him, with his volcanic sex appeal. At the same time, she's not signing up to be anyone's toy, seeing the way angels manipulate vampires and people like puppets. She's got to get this job done and somehow try to keep Raphael from killing her or seducing her into his bed until he gets bored and casts her aside.
Ms. Singh managed to capture the razor edge of the attraction, the unfolding relationship between Elena and Raphael and pair it to a very dark, very noir murder mystery. I was actually surprised at how grisly the murders are in this book. It was well done, and Ms. Singh didn't flinch away from those aspects, so I couldn't either. Uram, the angel that went blood-thirsty, was one scary, despicable creature, all the more so for his unearthly angelic beauty.
I thought this story had such an appeal. I could see very vividly the physical loveliness and allure of the angels and the vampires, and how they could turn deadly in a split second. Ms. Singh captured the appeal of these beings so very well, along with the inherent menace and danger they represented to humans and hunters. In my estimation this story represented the underlying theme of how society is set up to favor the powerful and endowed, whether it's with money, sex-appeal, or beauty. And the rest of us have to struggle to keep our heads above water if we lack any of the above. But, we don't give up. We keep fighting. Elena represents the everyday person who is fighting that battle against the system and the 'big fishes'. I admired Elena for having the guts to immerse herself in this world, knowing that her hunter-born strength only gave her a slight edge over the average human.
Because this is the start of an urban fantasy series, Ms. Singh is somewhat stingy with some details. She tantalized me with the romance elements, giving me enough to be somewhat satiated, but knowing there was more to be told about Raphael and Elena's relationship. I wanted to know more and see more of this world she created, and all the fascinating characters she has introduced. I am already invested in this series, because I crave more of this world of alluring and lethal creatures. This was a book that grabbed me and did not let go.
When I heard that Nalini Singh was venturing into urban fantasy, of course I was going to buy Angels' Blood. She's autobuy for me, and urban fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres. It also helps that I have this unhealthy love for angels. I'll read most books with an angel theme. Let me tell you, I was so impressed with this book.
Nalini Singh took the theme of angels and made it her own. She captured the essential elements of angelhood (except for the messengers of God part), and gave it some dark and sinister aspects. In Singh's world, Angels are very carnal, sexual beings who involve themselves with the human world, exploit the fact that humans are drawn to, adore them, and sometimes worship them, and have put themselves at the top of the hierarchy. Basically, angels run things. They even Make vampires to be their servants. Of course, absolute power has a way of corrupting. In this case, there is an archangel (the most powerful type of angel) who has gone beserk and is on a killing spree. A scary thought there, an absolutely beautiful, pretty much invincible being on a killing spree. Who's going to stop him? Raphael, the Archangel of New York, has appointed himself to do that. But he needs the help of the best Hunter (vampires) in New York, Elena. And, he decides that he wants to have more than a business relationship with this powerful warrior woman (that's his type, you see).
Raphael was some kind of character. He defines the 'gamma' hero. Not gamma as in the mix of alpha and beta. Gamma in the sense of mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Raphael is utterly ruthless. He knows just how powerful he is, and he's not afraid to use that power to achieve his goals. He is not controlled by human morals. He follows a higher law, the laws set by himself and the Cadre, the group of ten archangels who pretty much rule the world. This guy was one of those heroes that sends a chill down your spine, but also has you gaga over him because he was so gorgeous and just had that masculine appeal that turns your bones into water. He thought about killing Elena several times, because human life has no value for beings that are essentially immortal. I was like, "Okay?" I admit, I like that dark/edgy hero, but I could see how that would be chilling for some readers. But, somehow, Elena found the small aspect of this scary dude that could love. He was drawn to her for the essence of who she was, the fierce hunter, the vulnerable woman beneath the tough facade. She made him more humanlike just by reaching that core of him that yearned to be truly loved and to love someone. Even more than a millenia of having whatever lovers he wanted didn't leave this archangel satisfied. But Elena had to power to give him what he yearned for.
Elena was a very likeable character. She was tough, a survivor, but also very humane. She had a great sense of humor, and didn't let anyone push her around. She takes her job very seriously, and is determined to find this archangel who is leaving a grisly pile of bodies in his wake. She has no idea how to react to Raphael. He's gorgeous, because all angels are. But he is moreso than any others to her. She's attracted to his strength, and the unearthly beauty and functionality of his wings, and the intrinsic deadly appeal of him, with his volcanic sex appeal. At the same time, she's not signing up to be anyone's toy, seeing the way angels manipulate vampires and people like puppets. She's got to get this job done and somehow try to keep Raphael from killing her or seducing her into his bed until he gets bored and casts her aside.
Ms. Singh managed to capture the razor edge of the attraction, the unfolding relationship between Elena and Raphael and pair it to a very dark, very noir murder mystery. I was actually surprised at how grisly the murders are in this book. It was well done, and Ms. Singh didn't flinch away from those aspects, so I couldn't either. Uram, the angel that went blood-thirsty, was one scary, despicable creature, all the more so for his unearthly angelic beauty.
I thought this story had such an appeal. I could see very vividly the physical loveliness and allure of the angels and the vampires, and how they could turn deadly in a split second. Ms. Singh captured the appeal of these beings so very well, along with the inherent menace and danger they represented to humans and hunters. In my estimation this story represented the underlying theme of how society is set up to favor the powerful and endowed, whether it's with money, sex-appeal, or beauty. And the rest of us have to struggle to keep our heads above water if we lack any of the above. But, we don't give up. We keep fighting. Elena represents the everyday person who is fighting that battle against the system and the 'big fishes'. I admired Elena for having the guts to immerse herself in this world, knowing that her hunter-born strength only gave her a slight edge over the average human.
Because this is the start of an urban fantasy series, Ms. Singh is somewhat stingy with some details. She tantalized me with the romance elements, giving me enough to be somewhat satiated, but knowing there was more to be told about Raphael and Elena's relationship. I wanted to know more and see more of this world she created, and all the fascinating characters she has introduced. I am already invested in this series, because I crave more of this world of alluring and lethal creatures. This was a book that grabbed me and did not let go.
November 20, 2015
Amaaaaaaaaazing!!!
I've been getting a lot of recommendation requests for solid PNR or UF series', something that will hold a readers attention while they wait for the next Black Dagger Brotherhood book. The truth is, there's nothing that compares to the BDB and looking for something "the same as" will only lead to disappointment. So don't bother. Instead, look for something just as compelling, exciting, sexy, and gripping, even though the world is entirely different. When people ask my opinion, Angels' Blood, the first book in the Guild Hunter series comes to mind again and again.
My Review -
I don’t even know where to begin when raving about this book. Do I tell you about Raphael, the Archangel in charge of New York City, and how amazing and sexy he is and how much I love, love, love it when an author can change a character from someone I really don’t like into someone I adore, someone whose transformation from complete jerk to hero is totally believable and someone I cheer for, someone my heart aches for and someone I want to see find his happily ever after.
And there’s always Elena Deveraux, the Guild’s best vampire hunter. I could talk about how refreshing it is to see a heroine who is truly that, a female hero. She’s strong and amazing and clever and all the things you’d expect a vampire hunter to be. Plus, she’s feisty and sassy and feminine and… well… you get the picture.
Maybe I should rave about the unique, incredible world this author has managed to create in a genre so saturated with books that coming up with anything different is nothing short of miraculous! I could tell you about angels and how when I think of them, especially archangels, I imagine winged beings seated on heavenly thrones on high, halos shining brightly and harp music being played in the background. Well, let me tell you, these angels and archangels are nothing of that sort. In fact, I find them to be more on the devilish side of the spectrum which really blew me away! From the foods they eat to the places they live and the people they take to bed, they are very decadent beings who enjoy pleasure in whatever form they can find it. Theirs is a dark world, one of greed, lust, and power plays. Real life politicians have nothing on the backstabbing maneuverings of these angels!
And what a supporting cast of secondary characters! I’d love to see any one of them have their own books, even Michaela who I’d love to see slowly and painfully killed in hers.
So which of these things do I talk about when telling you how much I love this book? I don’t know, but I will say this – if you don’t already own this book, buy it now.. If you own it and haven’t yet read it, read it now! I’m certain you won’t be disappointed!
May 27, 2021
Erzengel, Engel, Vampire und Menschen. In dieser Rangfolge leben sie miteinander, manchmal auch gegeneinander. Ein Vampir muss die ersten hundert Jahre seines Lebens seinem Engel, der ihn erschaffen hat, dienen. Manche Vampire fliehen, und für solche Fälle gibt es die Gilde der Jäger. Sie ist dazu da, die entflohenen Vampire wieder einzufangen. Elena ist eine solche Jägerin der Gilde. Diesmal aber bekommt sie einen außergewöhnlichen Auftrag vom Erzengel Raphael persönlich. Sie soll einen anderen Erzengel aufspüren. Elena ist schockiert; wie soll sie das schaffen? Gleichzeitig ist sie aber auch fasziniert von ihrem Auftraggeber…
**
Ich weiß, dass diese Buchreihe viele Fans hat, deshalb war ich auch neugierig. Leider liegt mir dieses Genre aber wohl überhaupt nicht.
Die Idee an sich ist gar nicht mal schlecht, aber die Umsetzung ist mir zu plump irgendwie. Mich konnte die Geschichte nicht überzeugen. Die ganze Story ist sehr vorhersehbar und die Sprache hat mir leider auch nicht gefallen.
**
Ich weiß, dass diese Buchreihe viele Fans hat, deshalb war ich auch neugierig. Leider liegt mir dieses Genre aber wohl überhaupt nicht.
Die Idee an sich ist gar nicht mal schlecht, aber die Umsetzung ist mir zu plump irgendwie. Mich konnte die Geschichte nicht überzeugen. Die ganze Story ist sehr vorhersehbar und die Sprache hat mir leider auch nicht gefallen.
August 3, 2015
”I was born to be what I am.” A hunter. A tracker. A loner.”
Elena Deveraux is a vampire hunter and has been requested to work a job for the Archangel of New York, Raphael. This story has an equal amount of action, attraction between Elena and Raphael, great cast of supporting characters and a lot of excitement.
“The man wants you – but I’m not sure if he wants to fuck you or kill you.”
The attraction and chemistry between Raphael and Elena was steamy as they work towards catching a rogue Archangel and save innocent human lives.
”If I fail, if I fail, the vampires go completely free, and New York drowns in the blood of innocents.”
Overall, the story was well written with just the right amount of information about the cast of characters, their powers and the plot. I totally appreciated that because I wasn’t lost in the story at all and loved all the characters presented. I’m excited to see what comes next for Elena as things ended on a life changing note for Elena and Raphael.
Thank you Anjee for gifting me this story!
August 24, 2015
5 Deserves All 1.000 Re-reads I'm Gonna Do Stars
So after I read this book for the millionth time I decided that it deserves a review.
Let me begin by saying THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST EVER! This book and generally this series is a 10/5 stars! It isn't just one of my favorites. It is one of MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE fantasy-romance series!
This book is the start of an epic love between the Guild Hunter, Elena and the Archangel of New York, Raphael. Elena is hired by Raphael to find another archangel who has gone rogue and started killing humans without cause.
NS has created a world where angels and humans live together but it is obvious that angels hold all the power.Angels are the creators of vampires. Every year a percentage of the humans applying gets immortality and a thirst for blood and in exhange they offer 100 years of service to the angels. Guild Hunters are like police for vamps. When vamps break their contracts a guild hunter is sent out to catch or kill them.
Raphael is an archangel, one of the 10 in existence, a powerful being with little regard for humans. NS has created the most sexy hero out there in my opinion. Raphael isn't the typical "Alpha male". He is undeniably an alpha but NS has emphasized the fact that Raphael isn't human. He doesn't think or act like a human being. He is at the top of the food chain and he knows it. Arrogant, powerful, cruel at times, inhuman always and hot as hell, Raphael has one weakness and her name is Elena.
Elena is a Guild Hunter. She is one of the few of them who are born with the ability to detect vampires by smell. She has suffered an awful childhood but she is a survivor. Now all her abilities will be tested since she has to work with a being completely out of her league. Elena is stubborn, strong, smart, courageous, she goes against a man she knows can kill her and never feel a minute of remorse and yet she doesn't back down. She has a mind of her own and doesn't let Raphael's domineering tendencies dictate her life.
Nalini Singh develops her universe in such a masterful way that you never get overwhelmed. When dealing with UF or Fantasy books(especially the first in a series), you usually get a dump of information that cause you a headache. In this book I didn't for a minute feel a TMI attack.
This book is the beginning of an addiction. Everything from the setting to the story to the heroes to the secondary characters is unique and beautifully done. I recommend it without a moment hesitation.
“I can smell blood, Elena,” Dmitri drawled, walking back into the room. “Are you trying to flirt?”
“How long have you been with Raphael?”
“You ask a lot of questions for a dead woman.”
“What can I say? I prefer to die well-informed.”
“I don’t want to lose my memories. Don’t make me forget. I would rather die as Elena, than live as a shadow.”
“He was trying to make me his bed buddy. I declined. He gave chase."
"How, exactly, did you 'decline' his offer?"
"By slitting his throat."
So after I read this book for the millionth time I decided that it deserves a review.
Let me begin by saying THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST EVER! This book and generally this series is a 10/5 stars! It isn't just one of my favorites. It is one of MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE fantasy-romance series!
This book is the start of an epic love between the Guild Hunter, Elena and the Archangel of New York, Raphael. Elena is hired by Raphael to find another archangel who has gone rogue and started killing humans without cause.
NS has created a world where angels and humans live together but it is obvious that angels hold all the power.Angels are the creators of vampires. Every year a percentage of the humans applying gets immortality and a thirst for blood and in exhange they offer 100 years of service to the angels. Guild Hunters are like police for vamps. When vamps break their contracts a guild hunter is sent out to catch or kill them.
Raphael is an archangel, one of the 10 in existence, a powerful being with little regard for humans. NS has created the most sexy hero out there in my opinion. Raphael isn't the typical "Alpha male". He is undeniably an alpha but NS has emphasized the fact that Raphael isn't human. He doesn't think or act like a human being. He is at the top of the food chain and he knows it. Arrogant, powerful, cruel at times, inhuman always and hot as hell, Raphael has one weakness and her name is Elena.
Elena is a Guild Hunter. She is one of the few of them who are born with the ability to detect vampires by smell. She has suffered an awful childhood but she is a survivor. Now all her abilities will be tested since she has to work with a being completely out of her league. Elena is stubborn, strong, smart, courageous, she goes against a man she knows can kill her and never feel a minute of remorse and yet she doesn't back down. She has a mind of her own and doesn't let Raphael's domineering tendencies dictate her life.
Nalini Singh develops her universe in such a masterful way that you never get overwhelmed. When dealing with UF or Fantasy books(especially the first in a series), you usually get a dump of information that cause you a headache. In this book I didn't for a minute feel a TMI attack.
This book is the beginning of an addiction. Everything from the setting to the story to the heroes to the secondary characters is unique and beautifully done. I recommend it without a moment hesitation.
“I can smell blood, Elena,” Dmitri drawled, walking back into the room. “Are you trying to flirt?”
“How long have you been with Raphael?”
“You ask a lot of questions for a dead woman.”
“What can I say? I prefer to die well-informed.”
“I don’t want to lose my memories. Don’t make me forget. I would rather die as Elena, than live as a shadow.”
“He was trying to make me his bed buddy. I declined. He gave chase."
"How, exactly, did you 'decline' his offer?"
"By slitting his throat."
November 7, 2013
4 Stars
I didn't realize this series was more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. I'm not a huge fan of the Urban Fantasy genre (the focus centers more on the plot than the romance), but I very much enjoyed reading this story. Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors and she has the ability to captivate and enthrall me no matter the genre. I won't lie, though; I prefer her Psy-Changeling series to this one. That said, Angels' Blood is one fantastic read!
I didn't realize this series was more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. I'm not a huge fan of the Urban Fantasy genre (the focus centers more on the plot than the romance), but I very much enjoyed reading this story. Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors and she has the ability to captivate and enthrall me no matter the genre. I won't lie, though; I prefer her Psy-Changeling series to this one. That said, Angels' Blood is one fantastic read!
July 29, 2017
Unfortunately I was in the minority on this book. I just didn't feel it 🙁
February 10, 2017
Nalini Singh!
This book!
Raphael!
Amazing series, but after reading the other books, this one still remains my favorite. Just brilliant <3
Some of my favorite quotes <3
"She looked into that perfect face and knew she’d never met a more deadly being in her life. If she displeased him, Raphael would kill her as easily as she might swat a fly."
------------------------------------
"“And if I fail?”
“Don’t fail, Elena.” His eyes were mild but his smile, it spoke of things better not said aloud. “You intrigue me—I’d hate to have to punish you.”"
------------------------------------
"The bald way he pointed out his power, and her lack of it, made her fingers itch for a blade.
“You shouldn’t look at me in that fashion, Elena.”
“Why?” she asked, prodded by some heretofore unknown suicidal streak. “Scared?”
He leaned a fraction closer. “My lovers have always been warrior women. Strength intrigues me.”"
------------------------------------
"“I’ve seen enough. Let’s go.” She struggled in his hold.
He tightened it, his wings coming around to cut off her view of the room, his chest hot and hard at her back. “Are you sure?” His lips whispered over skin so sensitized, she had to fight the urge to shiver. “I have not taken a human lover for eons. But you taste . . . intriguing.”"
------------------------------------
"The bastard kissed her. She was so mad, she bit him hard enough to draw blood. Raphael pulled back, lip already beginning to swell. “We are no longer even, Elena. You’re now in debt.”
“You can deduct it from my slow and painful death.” She dropped her leg from his waist. “It’s time to talk murder.”"
------------------------------------
"I’m crazy about you, Archangel. You scare the shit out of me at times, but I want to dance with you anyway."
October 3, 2015
I have a horrible track record with books everybody else seems to love. I’m usually the one person on the face of the earth that’s guaranteed to hate them so I was understandably nervous when I started this.
Oh God, everybody likes this
I didn’t hate this. I frigging LOVED it.
This entire book is like a breath of fresh air. It seems to break every cliché used in these types of books. The main character, Elena, is a total BAMF. In so many paranormal stories the MC is the exception to some mysterious rule. The other characters are always intrigued by them, drawn to them, love them, etc. Most of the time you have no frigging idea why that is because you can’t see anything special in them that would cause these reactions in others. With Elena, you totally get it. The reason she unnerves and interests creatures that are hundreds of years old or older is because when faced with hostility and threats, she asks questions. Her constant curiosity disarms these ancient beings, makes them think, amuses them. She’s a break in the monotony. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by that?
She’s like the upgraded version of every heroine I’ve ever read about.
Step right up folks! This model comes complete with a Brain-to-Mouth Filter, Intelligence, Quirkiness, Likability, Genuine Emotion, Rational Thinking, Self-Deprecation, the list goes on and on!
This story provides a new, interesting take on both angels and vampires. You see, angels make vampires. Elena is a born vampire hunter and unlike every other vampire hunter I’ve EVER read about she doesn’t think they all need to be wiped off the face of the planet. She’s even had a run in with a really deranged one yet doesn’t let that horrific early life experience lead her to blind hatred. IMAGINE THAT.
I loved the plot, the twists and the interactions between Elena and the other characters, especially Raphael. Oh and speaking of Raphael, he’s this incredible amalgamation of Jericho Barrons, Jean-Claude and V’lane. With wings. Nuff said.
Oh God, everybody likes this
I didn’t hate this. I frigging LOVED it.
This entire book is like a breath of fresh air. It seems to break every cliché used in these types of books. The main character, Elena, is a total BAMF. In so many paranormal stories the MC is the exception to some mysterious rule. The other characters are always intrigued by them, drawn to them, love them, etc. Most of the time you have no frigging idea why that is because you can’t see anything special in them that would cause these reactions in others. With Elena, you totally get it. The reason she unnerves and interests creatures that are hundreds of years old or older is because when faced with hostility and threats, she asks questions. Her constant curiosity disarms these ancient beings, makes them think, amuses them. She’s a break in the monotony. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by that?
She’s like the upgraded version of every heroine I’ve ever read about.
Step right up folks! This model comes complete with a Brain-to-Mouth Filter, Intelligence, Quirkiness, Likability, Genuine Emotion, Rational Thinking, Self-Deprecation, the list goes on and on!
This story provides a new, interesting take on both angels and vampires. You see, angels make vampires. Elena is a born vampire hunter and unlike every other vampire hunter I’ve EVER read about she doesn’t think they all need to be wiped off the face of the planet. She’s even had a run in with a really deranged one yet doesn’t let that horrific early life experience lead her to blind hatred. IMAGINE THAT.
I loved the plot, the twists and the interactions between Elena and the other characters, especially Raphael. Oh and speaking of Raphael, he’s this incredible amalgamation of Jericho Barrons, Jean-Claude and V’lane. With wings. Nuff said.
December 1, 2018
it is done, i have finally conquered the beast
for reference, i've been reading this book off and off for like half a year. and i'm kind of kicking myself because it turned out to be a very solid start to what i'm sure is a fantastic paranormal series.
i think the biggest issue that i had with this book was the lore and the way in which the world was set up. being such a big lover of paranormal romance, specifically ones involving vampires (i mean i have a fcking twilight podcast) i was more than a little surprised at how singh created her society. angels create vampires, and the people who want to be turned to vampire have to like formally petition and then enter into a contract of servitude post-turn.
weird as fuck.
but once i got past that initial weirdness in the first 30% of the book or so and became adjusted i genuinely enjoyed the story. elena was a compelling character and was just enough of a vulnerable bad ass to keep me interested as she tracked a rogue archangel. and raphael while a little prickly at first, was someone who i actually sort of fell for near the end... despite my friends' warnings that he's sort of unbearable for the first couple of books.
oh! and i should probably mention that the audiobook is what got me thru this and forced me to continue. strangely, the narrator's voice grated on me at first but about 2 hours in i could not stop listening. i'm really excited to continue with this series and to continue with the audios. definitely recommend.
----------------------------------------------------
adding to my TBR because of certain bad influences who won't be named
annnnnd now i'm reading it thanks to edward, bella & jacob
for reference, i've been reading this book off and off for like half a year. and i'm kind of kicking myself because it turned out to be a very solid start to what i'm sure is a fantastic paranormal series.
i think the biggest issue that i had with this book was the lore and the way in which the world was set up. being such a big lover of paranormal romance, specifically ones involving vampires (i mean i have a fcking twilight podcast) i was more than a little surprised at how singh created her society. angels create vampires, and the people who want to be turned to vampire have to like formally petition and then enter into a contract of servitude post-turn.
weird as fuck.
but once i got past that initial weirdness in the first 30% of the book or so and became adjusted i genuinely enjoyed the story. elena was a compelling character and was just enough of a vulnerable bad ass to keep me interested as she tracked a rogue archangel. and raphael while a little prickly at first, was someone who i actually sort of fell for near the end... despite my friends' warnings that he's sort of unbearable for the first couple of books.
oh! and i should probably mention that the audiobook is what got me thru this and forced me to continue. strangely, the narrator's voice grated on me at first but about 2 hours in i could not stop listening. i'm really excited to continue with this series and to continue with the audios. definitely recommend.
----------------------------------------------------
adding to my TBR because of certain bad influences who won't be named
annnnnd now i'm reading it thanks to edward, bella & jacob
May 11, 2014
dislike.
dnf at 20 percent.
obsessed with power dynamics, status symbols, and physical beauty.
plus awkward, melodramatic writing as nuanced as any american daytime soap or panel talk show hosted by women trying to out-bitch one another for an hour.
this book filled me with hate.
*is full of hate*
dnf at 20 percent.
obsessed with power dynamics, status symbols, and physical beauty.
plus awkward, melodramatic writing as nuanced as any american daytime soap or panel talk show hosted by women trying to out-bitch one another for an hour.
this book filled me with hate.
*is full of hate*
June 10, 2019
So let me tell you what I've noticed and what's really getting on my nerves. You won't believe it, but the idiot that I am, I did not write any reviews before 2015-ish. Can you believe it! And everytime I now want to go check out to see how I found the book when I first read it, I of course can't do that. Seriously, I'm so mad at myself right now. Ugh...
But anyway, now that I got that of my chest lets get to the actual review.
It's no secret that Nalini Singh is one of my all time favourite authors. I love her stories and the way she writes them. They are super addictive and I simply cannot stop reading them. Seriously, my obsession with them even progressed so far that I'm now collecting all her books in hardcover, although I already have all the same books in paperback! Crazy, I know! But I'm always saying to myself what if they rip or get wet or something else horrible happens to them. I need back up!
So yeah...It's therefore no wonder that I love this story. Simply amazing. This author has such incredible imagination, also a smart and compelling way to bring the story to life for the reader. I always get lost in the characters and the new world. I love all the details that make me believe in everything that I'm reading. Not many authors have that talent but Nalini sure does and that's why I'm such a huge fan of hers.
Each character is super unique and gives the story a small piece of the bigger picture. The main characters, Elena and Raphael, are of course my favourites in this whole series. They are a power couple and although I always want to see more of them, more of their feelings for each other, I know that that's exactly what makes them so compelling and addictive to read about. I love that we get to know each character. Like Bluebell or Sara or any other importand character. They are simply a joy to read about. Besides that, we also get just the right amount of action, violence and questions answered. The author always keeps us up on our toes.
To all PNR fans, read this series!!! You so won't regret it!
June 16, 2016
A paranormal romance fan will like this book because the biggest problem with most PNR's is that the world is lame. The world in this book is pretty awesome! Nalini Singh has the gift of building new and exciting worlds in her series.
So, in this one, we are all ruled by angel overlords. It's like they are the mob-bosses of the world. They each have a territory that they watch over, and they rule with an iron fist. Sure, we still get to have our human governments, to deal with our petty human concerns, but they better not even consider going against the angels. That means death, dismemberment, torture, or other unpleasant punishments.
Torture looks different to different people...
These angels are also the only beings who can create vampires and they make about 1,000 each per year. There are lines of people waiting to sign up for this. But, of course, it comes with a catch. You have to spend your first 100 years of vampiredom in servitude of the angel who made you. That's a long time to scrub angel toilets! So, of course some of them try to run away during their 100 years of service. That's where Elena comes in.
Elena is a vampire hunter, but this has a very different meaning in our new world. Unlike Buffy, she is supposed to find the vampire who ran away and bring them back to their angel master... Alive! No staking through the hearts. Darn! Takes all the fun out of being a vampire hunter. Boring!
No, Abraham Lincoln, we're supposed to take them alive..... Well, in this case, we'll make an exception. Proceed.
Elena gets hired by the head honcho angel of the U.S.A., Raphael, to do some hunting. But, the being she is hunting is an angel gone bad who is on a killing spree. And, she is in way over her head. First, Raphael plays with her head and decides he might want her for a play-thing. That could be a problem since he is not human and considers humans to be disposable.
"Humanity is nothing to us," he said. "Ants, easily crushed, easily replaced."
Aww, what a sweet-talker! How could she resist such a charming guy?
Secondly, even if she gets out of being his squishy toy, he has still told her too many secrets about the angels for her to be able to walk away when the job is over.
As far as she was aware, no hunter, no human, knew about that particular little piece of arch-angelic power. It was akin to seeing the face of your kidnapper - no matter what he says after that point, you know you're done for.
So, poor Elena is pretty much screwed no matter what the outcome of this job.
As I said before, the world-building in this book is really new and imaginative. I loved all of the new ideas. Also, the characters are interesting. The two main people - Elena and Raphael are good, but the side characters are also really well built. Raphael's main vamp-dude, Dmitri, is intriguing, but I also find another angel, Ilium, to be someone who has potential to do be things in future books.
I can't wait to read more of this story because the ending? Just the beginning.
So, in this one, we are all ruled by angel overlords. It's like they are the mob-bosses of the world. They each have a territory that they watch over, and they rule with an iron fist. Sure, we still get to have our human governments, to deal with our petty human concerns, but they better not even consider going against the angels. That means death, dismemberment, torture, or other unpleasant punishments.
Torture looks different to different people...
These angels are also the only beings who can create vampires and they make about 1,000 each per year. There are lines of people waiting to sign up for this. But, of course, it comes with a catch. You have to spend your first 100 years of vampiredom in servitude of the angel who made you. That's a long time to scrub angel toilets! So, of course some of them try to run away during their 100 years of service. That's where Elena comes in.
Elena is a vampire hunter, but this has a very different meaning in our new world. Unlike Buffy, she is supposed to find the vampire who ran away and bring them back to their angel master... Alive! No staking through the hearts. Darn! Takes all the fun out of being a vampire hunter. Boring!
No, Abraham Lincoln, we're supposed to take them alive..... Well, in this case, we'll make an exception. Proceed.
Elena gets hired by the head honcho angel of the U.S.A., Raphael, to do some hunting. But, the being she is hunting is an angel gone bad who is on a killing spree. And, she is in way over her head. First, Raphael plays with her head and decides he might want her for a play-thing. That could be a problem since he is not human and considers humans to be disposable.
"Humanity is nothing to us," he said. "Ants, easily crushed, easily replaced."
Aww, what a sweet-talker! How could she resist such a charming guy?
Secondly, even if she gets out of being his squishy toy, he has still told her too many secrets about the angels for her to be able to walk away when the job is over.
As far as she was aware, no hunter, no human, knew about that particular little piece of arch-angelic power. It was akin to seeing the face of your kidnapper - no matter what he says after that point, you know you're done for.
So, poor Elena is pretty much screwed no matter what the outcome of this job.
As I said before, the world-building in this book is really new and imaginative. I loved all of the new ideas. Also, the characters are interesting. The two main people - Elena and Raphael are good, but the side characters are also really well built. Raphael's main vamp-dude, Dmitri, is intriguing, but I also find another angel, Ilium, to be someone who has potential to do be things in future books.
I can't wait to read more of this story because the ending? Just the beginning.
January 27, 2014
Did I ever want this book to end?
What more could you want than a steamy PNR read?
Elena is a Guild Hunter, which is like a bounty hunter except she tracks vampires and returns them to their master... the angels.
Then Raphael, an incredibly powerful and ruthless archangel, request her help and she knows that failure isn't an option. Especially when he might not let her live, even if she does succeed.
____________________________________________
♦︎ The Story ♦︎
____________________________________________
There's nothing more entertaining than an amazing PNR story. This isn't a typical story about angels and vampires. It was completely original and part of the fun was that I didn't know what to expect.
Then, of course, we got to the fun parts...
... which is always welcomed *eyebrow waggle*
____________________________________________
♦︎ The Characters ♦︎
____________________________________________
∙ Elena ∙
Who was just awesome. You got to love kick-ass heroines. She was able to handle things a lot better than most. If it was me, I would have packed myself a lifetime supply of food, hopped on a boat and waved sayonara as I headed to a deserted island.
∙ Raphael ∙
Raphael... yeah, I didn't like him. In the beginning. I can't say I wouldn't have jumped his feathers if given the chance but it didn't mean I liked him. He did redeem himself though, and ended snatching my heart away.
∙ The Others ∙
There were a lot of interesting side characters and whether I hated them or loved them... they all thoroughly entertained me.
____________________________________________
♦︎ Overall♦︎
____________________________________________
I would definitely recommend Angel's Blood to anyone in need of an original, page-turning PNR read.
Final rating: 4.5 stars ★★★★☆
What more could you want than a steamy PNR read?
"... with a master at the art, all pain is pleasure."
Elena is a Guild Hunter, which is like a bounty hunter except she tracks vampires and returns them to their master... the angels.
Then Raphael, an incredibly powerful and ruthless archangel, request her help and she knows that failure isn't an option. Especially when he might not let her live, even if she does succeed.
____________________________________________
♦︎ The Story ♦︎
____________________________________________
There's nothing more entertaining than an amazing PNR story. This isn't a typical story about angels and vampires. It was completely original and part of the fun was that I didn't know what to expect.
Then, of course, we got to the fun parts...
... which is always welcomed *eyebrow waggle*
____________________________________________
♦︎ The Characters ♦︎
____________________________________________
∙ Elena ∙
Who was just awesome. You got to love kick-ass heroines. She was able to handle things a lot better than most. If it was me, I would have packed myself a lifetime supply of food, hopped on a boat and waved sayonara as I headed to a deserted island.
∙ Raphael ∙
Raphael... yeah, I didn't like him. In the beginning. I can't say I wouldn't have jumped his feathers if given the chance but it didn't mean I liked him. He did redeem himself though, and ended snatching my heart away.
∙ The Others ∙
There were a lot of interesting side characters and whether I hated them or loved them... they all thoroughly entertained me.
____________________________________________
♦︎ Overall♦︎
____________________________________________
I would definitely recommend Angel's Blood to anyone in need of an original, page-turning PNR read.
Final rating: 4.5 stars ★★★★☆
February 26, 2024
God, I love this book!
September 16, 2016
*** 4 ***
A buddy read with my Wednesday UF and PNR aficionados at BB&B!!! Where are our wings???
I guess this is my year to tackle Nalini Singh, since obviously my lack of knowledge about her body of work was becoming to gape like a festering wound in my PNR education.... WHat I have learned so far is that I love how sexy Changelings are, how passionate the newly awakened Psy can get, and how Humans are developing some major inferiority complexes in all of the worlds she creates. They tend to be a fodder or food for the rest of the races... I am feeling a bit bad for my short-life-spanned brethren.... In case you are interested to relocate, chose the worlds created by Nalini only if you belong to the top of the food chain, thus regular humans need not apply...
So, after getting comfortable with the more Earthy creatures, Nalini is introducing us to the more Esoteric, almost Biblical overloads and their faithful enforcers/slaves, The Angels and their creations - the Vampires! See, I had no idea the Vamps are created by the Angels either, but I love this interpretation of the bloodsucking creation story:) So, the Angels are the rulers of us all, although if you are expecting the cuddly, cherrubby, and benevolent servants of G-d, you will be disappointed. These dudes are immortal, winged warriors, and I personally did not see any communication with the Almighty happening at all, or His Will being mentioned at any time... So, they are independent Immortals, kind of... They do have a self-ruling body of a Council of The 10 Archangels. They are the true top of the food-chain and make all the hard decisions in their territories, including whom to grant immortality by turning them into Vampires. However, some of the newly turned might try to escape the terms of their 100 year contracts they sign upon transformation, to serve their creators, the Angels. This is where the Guild Hunters come in. They are hired to catch the said naughty vamps and return them properly back to wherever they belong. This is actually a good thing, since those who try to circumvent their contracts are usually the ones that like to indulge in more violence and bring all together destruction and mayhem in their wake...
""...you got a big hunt coming on?"
Elena didn't ask how he'd pegged her for a hunter. "No. But I do have a high chance of meeting a horrible death within the next few hours. Might as well do something good as up my shot at getting into heaven.”...
So this is how Elena, the Guild Hunter, met Rafael, The Archangel of New York... Elena is one cool, well versed in the arts of Vampire Hunting chick and Rafael wants to hire her for a hunt, since he wants the best, after all... Only this time he wants her to hunt not a Vampire, but a degenerate Angel, turned Blood-born, whose condition is expressed in madness, blood-thirst, and death and devastation to come, the likes of which could drown the land in blood... Needles to say, Elena is not very well qualified for the job... On top of that, this pesky attraction is developing between her and Rafael and she knows she is in way over her head...
"... “Option 1: Attempt to back out.
Probable result: Death after painful torture.
Option 2: Do the job and hope.
Probable result: Death but probably no torture (good)”...
Not many good outcomes, as you can imagine:)
So, after getting a first glance at the Winged Overlords and their world, I have to say that Nalini is still very imaginative! I did not feel the sexual tension the same as in her other series, but this is only the first book in this series and she has a tendency to only get better as she goes, so I have big hopes for this more feathery series. The world building is once again the crown jewel of the story. The hierarchy and structure of the political and racial gradation is superb and I am looking foreword to discovering more about it in the following books!
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find something new in your favorite books!!!
A buddy read with my Wednesday UF and PNR aficionados at BB&B!!! Where are our wings???
I guess this is my year to tackle Nalini Singh, since obviously my lack of knowledge about her body of work was becoming to gape like a festering wound in my PNR education.... WHat I have learned so far is that I love how sexy Changelings are, how passionate the newly awakened Psy can get, and how Humans are developing some major inferiority complexes in all of the worlds she creates. They tend to be a fodder or food for the rest of the races... I am feeling a bit bad for my short-life-spanned brethren.... In case you are interested to relocate, chose the worlds created by Nalini only if you belong to the top of the food chain, thus regular humans need not apply...
So, after getting comfortable with the more Earthy creatures, Nalini is introducing us to the more Esoteric, almost Biblical overloads and their faithful enforcers/slaves, The Angels and their creations - the Vampires! See, I had no idea the Vamps are created by the Angels either, but I love this interpretation of the bloodsucking creation story:) So, the Angels are the rulers of us all, although if you are expecting the cuddly, cherrubby, and benevolent servants of G-d, you will be disappointed. These dudes are immortal, winged warriors, and I personally did not see any communication with the Almighty happening at all, or His Will being mentioned at any time... So, they are independent Immortals, kind of... They do have a self-ruling body of a Council of The 10 Archangels. They are the true top of the food-chain and make all the hard decisions in their territories, including whom to grant immortality by turning them into Vampires. However, some of the newly turned might try to escape the terms of their 100 year contracts they sign upon transformation, to serve their creators, the Angels. This is where the Guild Hunters come in. They are hired to catch the said naughty vamps and return them properly back to wherever they belong. This is actually a good thing, since those who try to circumvent their contracts are usually the ones that like to indulge in more violence and bring all together destruction and mayhem in their wake...
""...you got a big hunt coming on?"
Elena didn't ask how he'd pegged her for a hunter. "No. But I do have a high chance of meeting a horrible death within the next few hours. Might as well do something good as up my shot at getting into heaven.”...
So this is how Elena, the Guild Hunter, met Rafael, The Archangel of New York... Elena is one cool, well versed in the arts of Vampire Hunting chick and Rafael wants to hire her for a hunt, since he wants the best, after all... Only this time he wants her to hunt not a Vampire, but a degenerate Angel, turned Blood-born, whose condition is expressed in madness, blood-thirst, and death and devastation to come, the likes of which could drown the land in blood... Needles to say, Elena is not very well qualified for the job... On top of that, this pesky attraction is developing between her and Rafael and she knows she is in way over her head...
"... “Option 1: Attempt to back out.
Probable result: Death after painful torture.
Option 2: Do the job and hope.
Probable result: Death but probably no torture (good)”...
Not many good outcomes, as you can imagine:)
So, after getting a first glance at the Winged Overlords and their world, I have to say that Nalini is still very imaginative! I did not feel the sexual tension the same as in her other series, but this is only the first book in this series and she has a tendency to only get better as she goes, so I have big hopes for this more feathery series. The world building is once again the crown jewel of the story. The hierarchy and structure of the political and racial gradation is superb and I am looking foreword to discovering more about it in the following books!
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find something new in your favorite books!!!
December 3, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed the audio.
I read this story ages ago and when I saw it offered in the Romance Package decided to refresh my memory. So glad that I listened this time, it gave a completely different experience.
The narrator was fabulous and very easy to listen to. She does multiple accents well and her male and female voices were clear and concise.
The storyline was action-packed, world-building interesting and the love story intense. I want to know more about the angels, vampires and hunters.
I will definitely be listening to more of this series. Another winner from the Romance Package.
I read this story ages ago and when I saw it offered in the Romance Package decided to refresh my memory. So glad that I listened this time, it gave a completely different experience.
The narrator was fabulous and very easy to listen to. She does multiple accents well and her male and female voices were clear and concise.
The storyline was action-packed, world-building interesting and the love story intense. I want to know more about the angels, vampires and hunters.
I will definitely be listening to more of this series. Another winner from the Romance Package.
September 14, 2015
"I'm crazy about you, Archangel. You scare the shit out of me at times, but I want to dance with you anyway."
-Elena to Raphael
Soooo... I was expecting to read a good book... but never was I expecting to find my next fav. series! I can't believe I waited this long to read this book. I just loved it. I know that some gave just 4 stars to this book, and I don't get it, it had EVERYTHING a good book should have to be one of the bests.
Paranormal-romance and UF fans ------> you MUST read this book.
It wasn't just that the romance between Raphael and Ellie was really sweet and funny, it was this whole new world that NS has created. Angels ruling the cities, vampires who are owned by the angels. I mean, what an imagination. NS has become my fav. writer.
"Oh my God! I'm crushing an angel. Let me up!"
- Elena to Raphael
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I know that right now (as the series has only one book) it won't seem as good as other famous series like BD Brotherhood, psy changeling, Immortals after dark or the dark hunter series, but that is only because it is the first book of the series. I usually don't like much the first books in most series as much as I like the rest. It takes time for me to fall for a new series. This book gets the whole 5 stars rating, I just LOVED it since the first page.
-Elena to Raphael
Soooo... I was expecting to read a good book... but never was I expecting to find my next fav. series! I can't believe I waited this long to read this book. I just loved it. I know that some gave just 4 stars to this book, and I don't get it, it had EVERYTHING a good book should have to be one of the bests.
Paranormal-romance and UF fans ------> you MUST read this book.
It wasn't just that the romance between Raphael and Ellie was really sweet and funny, it was this whole new world that NS has created. Angels ruling the cities, vampires who are owned by the angels. I mean, what an imagination. NS has become my fav. writer.
"Oh my God! I'm crushing an angel. Let me up!"
- Elena to Raphael
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I know that right now (as the series has only one book) it won't seem as good as other famous series like BD Brotherhood, psy changeling, Immortals after dark or the dark hunter series, but that is only because it is the first book of the series. I usually don't like much the first books in most series as much as I like the rest. It takes time for me to fall for a new series. This book gets the whole 5 stars rating, I just LOVED it since the first page.
September 16, 2019
October 2017 - Kick-ass Elena is just what I needed after my last disasterous book.
14/09/2016 Buddy reading with the awesome UF addicts over at BB&B!
“What happens if I don’t kill her?”
“Then she will kill you. She will make you mortal.”
In a world that's ruled by archangels and where vampires are made by archangels, Elena Deveraux is the best vampire hunter the Guild has. So when lethal archangel Raphael asks for the best, Elena is given the impossible task of finding an archangel who has gone bad. Failure to find him would not only mean her death, but the death of thousands.
He leaned a fraction closer. “My lovers have always been warrior women. Strength intrigues me.”
She refused to let him play with her like this, even if her body disagreed. Vehemently. “Do knives intrigue you, too? Because touch me and I will cut you up. I don’t care if you throw me off the nearest balcony.”
Archangels are merciless with very little humanity and Raphael is no different. He’s dangerously beautiful, ruthless, and used to getting what he wants. And what he wants is Elena.
Can Elena resist the powerful seduction of Raphael, and find the rogue archangel? Or will one or both leave her broken in the end?
This was a man she couldn’t take on and hope to win. A hotly feminine part of her appreciated that kind of strength, even as it infuriated her.
Elena is my kind of heroine. She’s kick-ass, feisty and doesn’t let anyone walk over her. She has a terrible and heartbreaking past, and an asshole for a father. I loved that she never allowed Raphael to get the better of her, no matter how frightening or how much of an asshole he was.
“Am I a monster, Elena?”
She looked into that perfect face and saw the echoes of cruelty, of time. “Not yet,” she whispered.
Raphael is very powerful, he’s pitiless and hard and he has no problem using manipulation and threats to get what he wants. I had a hard time liking him in the beginning. The way he treated Elena, how cold and cruel he was pissed me off. But he's an archangel, so expecting anything other would have been untrue. I did in the end come to love him, especially with how protective he became over her and how jealous he could be :-D
And he realized . . . that fragile, mortal life wasn’t just important to him. It was more important than his own.
The romance was fantastic. The chemistry between these two were passionate and intense, and I loved it. The sexy times were VERY hot, and I loved how being with her changed him for the better, and how much he loved her in the end.
Plot-wise I really can’t go into much detail, but I will say that I really like Nalini Singh’s take on angels and vampires, and how ruthless and merciless she portrayed them. As immortals it makes sense that compassion and morals would not be part of their setup. I also loved the fact that vampires are made by archangels, and for their first century the vampires have a binding contract with the archangel that made them. It’s so awesome that the wings of each angel is unique and different from any other angels’. I thought the final battle was fantastic, and I loved how Elena and Raphael worked together.
The Cadre of Ten, made up of the ten most powerful archangels were also very impressive and interesting. Some of them like Michaela, who I really disliked, and Lijuan who is super freaky with her new deadly power gave me chills. I also love Raphael’s seven, the warriors he has chosen to surround him with. They are loyal, deadly and doesn’t follow orders blindly. Illium “Bluebell” with the beautiful blue wings is definitely my favorite, and Raphael’s second, Dmitri, with his viciousness and love of pain my least favorite.
The world-building in this series is definitely a lot slower, but I enjoy the slow pace, learning more about angels, archangels and vampires as Elena learns.
It’s no secret that Nalini Sing is my favorite author. No one writes better romance than her, and this series proves once again why she is the queen of romance. If you’re looking for a kick-ass heroine, a lethal archangel, passionate romance, fantastic characters and a fascinating plot and world, this series if for you. A must read for all UF and PNR fans.
May 11, 2011
LOVED. EVERY. PAGE! I picked up this book hearing great things about the series and Nalini Singh, so I gave it a shot. From the very first page, I found my eyes glued. And when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. Angels’ Blood has to be one of my favourite books featuring angels. It’s simply brilliant!
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux has to be one of my newest favourite heroines. I found myself instantly trusting her judgement. In a world where angels, vampires and humans co-exist, you would think that as a mortal Elena would be submissive to those who hold more power than her. Hell no. Elena is capable of handling herself well in dire circumstances. She’s smart, tough and a little snarky too. She is a damn good warrior and it’s great to see a strong woman who can hold her own. Especially against a certain sexy Archangel named Raphael.
God, I don’t know what to say about Raphael. He dazzles me. He frightens me. He angers me. One moment he can be so seductive you want to run straight into his arms and in the next moment, he can be so cruel that you fear to have his hands on you. Singh does a great job of maintaining a balance between the two that you identify with Elena’s own confusion about Raphael. Singh makes a good point in the beginning where she explains that as an Archangel, Raphael has power that is terrifying but also so compelling you can’t seem to stay away. He’s such a fierce hero. You know he’s a force to be reckoned with. I just love the way Singh describes him. He is otherworldly but also shows signs of humanity. And the way she describes his wings? Absolutely amazing.
Another great thing about this book is the villain. Uram, the archangel-gone-bad is one sick bastard. And even though Elena and Raphael don’t come face to face with him until the end, you still feel hatred towards him and wish to see him die. I thought Singh did a great job of evoking sympathy for his victims by focusing on the carnage he wrought. She is able to make Uram look so bloodthirsty and insane without having him present in each scene. I think if any other author did this, we probably wouldn’t think the villain was scary at all. Somehow Singh pulls it off.
I am so glad I picked up this series! I cannot wait to read Archangels’ Kiss. I am dying to know about Elena and Raphael. And I wonder if Singh plans to write a series on the Seven? I’d read it!
http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspo...
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux has to be one of my newest favourite heroines. I found myself instantly trusting her judgement. In a world where angels, vampires and humans co-exist, you would think that as a mortal Elena would be submissive to those who hold more power than her. Hell no. Elena is capable of handling herself well in dire circumstances. She’s smart, tough and a little snarky too. She is a damn good warrior and it’s great to see a strong woman who can hold her own. Especially against a certain sexy Archangel named Raphael.
God, I don’t know what to say about Raphael. He dazzles me. He frightens me. He angers me. One moment he can be so seductive you want to run straight into his arms and in the next moment, he can be so cruel that you fear to have his hands on you. Singh does a great job of maintaining a balance between the two that you identify with Elena’s own confusion about Raphael. Singh makes a good point in the beginning where she explains that as an Archangel, Raphael has power that is terrifying but also so compelling you can’t seem to stay away. He’s such a fierce hero. You know he’s a force to be reckoned with. I just love the way Singh describes him. He is otherworldly but also shows signs of humanity. And the way she describes his wings? Absolutely amazing.
Another great thing about this book is the villain. Uram, the archangel-gone-bad is one sick bastard. And even though Elena and Raphael don’t come face to face with him until the end, you still feel hatred towards him and wish to see him die. I thought Singh did a great job of evoking sympathy for his victims by focusing on the carnage he wrought. She is able to make Uram look so bloodthirsty and insane without having him present in each scene. I think if any other author did this, we probably wouldn’t think the villain was scary at all. Somehow Singh pulls it off.
I am so glad I picked up this series! I cannot wait to read Archangels’ Kiss. I am dying to know about Elena and Raphael. And I wonder if Singh plans to write a series on the Seven? I’d read it!
http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspo...
March 6, 2009
Oh, vampires do get so old, but I LOVED this book. There's another series written years ago about Angels by Sharon Shinn that is one of my FAVORITE series, and this series has Angels in it as well, but in a very interesting world. It combines them with Vampires and Hunters which is lately so yawn worth, but honestly this book really brought it home. The world was super interesting, I really liked the main character, and it was really enjoyable. Didn't reinvent the wheel, but as always, this author's characters and simple world-building shine through the pack of all the paranormal stuff out there. Definitely in for the sequels!
BTW I read it on the Kindle, but the cover art is really beautiful I think, unlike the oiled chests on her other series, lol.
BTW I read it on the Kindle, but the cover art is really beautiful I think, unlike the oiled chests on her other series, lol.
March 23, 2019
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Hate That I Have Changed So Much*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Third re-read: 23.03.2019
Here's the thing. I love Raphael. More than you can imagine. He's one of the best characters ever created. Elena's cool and awesome, badass and all that, but Raphael is the one I keep coming back for. I absolutely love him. I also like the concept. I mean, who doesn't love archangels? My probably is, however, the timeline. It's only over less than a week, which is a huge problem for me as I don't believe in insta-love. I realized that this isn't something I had thought of before when I read it. Raphael probably clouded my mind.... But as much as I love the archangel, I can't look away from the short timeline here. Epilogue not included here.
Sara held up a hand. “How, exactly, did you ‘decline’ his offer?”
“By slitting his throat.”
The silence in the garage was broken only by the sound of water drip-dripping somewhere in the distance. Sara just stared. So did Ransom. Then the idiot male started laughing hysterically. He laughed so hard he fell off the bike and onto the scarred concrete of the garage floor. Even that didn’t stop him.
That being said, I probably shouldn't have read this one when I'm having a huge problem with reading M/F lately. I had hope that Raphael alone could make me enjoy the read, but unfortunately, it was a struggle to actually love it (I have never love this book, but I had enjoyed it quite a lot in my previous reads). I found that I struggled to not skim and had to stop myself from doing it. I also found myself rolling my eyes at Elena for some reason. I don't even know why. I don't know why this isn't - nor have ever been - a five stars book for me. It was kinda everything. A great concept, amazing male lead and a badass female lead. Sure the insta-love is a huge negative, but I still should've enjoyed it more. Perhaps if Elena had been a man. I want M/M more than I want anything else. Specially with a character like Raphael and with this concept. One can only dream....
New Rating: 3 stars.
Lijuan and Michaela, likely Charisemnon and Astaad, too, would never understand that kind of loyalty. Perhaps only Elijah and, in this matter, Titus, had any hope of comprehending what the Seven had given him. Dmitri was the oldest, Venom the youngest, but together, the three vampires and four angels had been with him for a remarkable number of centuries, their allegiance unwavering—but that didn’t mean they were ciphers. No, his Seven had all fought with him at one time or another, arguing against his decisions even to the point of putting their lives on the line.
Explination On What Elena Is:
Put it in a spoiler tag so the review won't be so long.
Other Characters:
Long list, so I put it in a spoilers tag.
Say what you would about Raphael, she found herself thinking, but at least he was no tyrant. She had no illusions about the fact that he ran North America with an iron fist, but he didn’t meddle in inconsequential human affairs. A few years back, they’d even had a mayoral candidate who’d pledged to flout the archangel should he be elected. Raphael had let the campaign run, his only response a slight smile when some reporter dared approach him.
Second re-read: 05.09.2016
Love! This book is love. I love Raphael (about 1500 years old?). I love, Dmitri (though I love R more!!), I love all the damn gorgeous angels. Well, most of them. And did I say I love Raphael? Cause I do. Really. Oh, and I'm 140000% sure I'll re-read this yet again when I need another Raphael fix. Also, Elieanora ‘Elena’ ‘Ellie’ P. Deveraux (28) is pretty awesome too.
This was the kind of job that made legends out of hunters. Of course, to be a legend, you generally had to be dead.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Archangel Raphael.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Definitely.
Rating - 4.5/4 stars.
Re-read: 22.04.15
Still fucking amazing! I love Raphael so damn much!!
Second rate - 4.5 stars.
“Oh my God! I'm crushing an angel. Let me up!”
First read review:
So amazing. I love Archangel Raphael.
Rating - 4.5/4 stars.
October 29, 2014
Color...me...shocked...
This book started out super strong, and quickly took a nose dive. The premise of the story was so intriguing, I couldn't believe how badly the author was messing it up! I'm a reader, but a poor review writer. My time on Goodreads has been grooming me and I'm attempting to become better with my reviews. I found myself despising this book soooo much, I thought I should keep some notes as to why. So, for the first time in my reading experience, I did so.
I'm not going to retell what his book is about. I feel like that's what the description is for. Reviews are what a person thinks and feels about a book, so that's what you're gonna get in this one. I'll start with the things I hated, since I spent the majority of the book in anger and agony.
All the men surrounding Elena are beautiful. They are described as these sex gods one could possibly never turn down. On that note, Elena herself is painted as this badass, hot chick that all these crazy sex gods want. Yet, she doesn't come across that way. This book is filled with beautiful, badass, perfect people. I couldn't connect with the story because it felt so forced, so fake. These types of people simply don't exist. Elena goes on and on about all these hot men and how she doesn't want to have sex with them. Sex consumed so much of the story. That detracted from the amazing underlying story. When we finally meet Sara (another main character), guess what? She's beautiful too. Where are the real people?!
There's a scene that just stands out as so irritating and I almost DNFed it for like the thousandth time. Elena shoots Raphael because he says he's holding her "because he can" and then INSTANTLY she's on the ground worried about the damage she's done and OMGing that he won't be ok. Bitch you just SHOT him with a gun in an area YOU WERE TOLD WOULD DO GREAT DAMAGE!!! Why the fuck are you so shocked?! I again found myself despising Elena. She's such a freaking idiot and doesn't at all have the portrayal in my mind the author is trying to give her.
Continuing the flaws I found...eating Rapheal's angel dust causes an orgasm. REALLY?! They go from getting ready to have sex, to talking about the mission again without any transition. Every interaction was the same. It either involved sex or weapons, fighting, and fear.
Then...at around page 288...80% in...something happened to me. I became ENGAGED!!!! Wow...how did that happen?! With all the flaws I've found and despising at least 60% of the book?! Elena became likeable and I got involved in her relationship with Raphael. The way the book wraps up was fascinating. Perhaps it's because we FIIIIINALLY move past the sex. Thank you Jesus!!! Maybe they get that out of their systems and the next book is like the last 20% of this one?! Gawd that would make my day!!
I'm giving this book two stars. I reserve one for DNFs. There were speckled bits throughout I enjoyed, and then the final 20% I LOOOVED. Will I read the next one? Probably not.
This book started out super strong, and quickly took a nose dive. The premise of the story was so intriguing, I couldn't believe how badly the author was messing it up! I'm a reader, but a poor review writer. My time on Goodreads has been grooming me and I'm attempting to become better with my reviews. I found myself despising this book soooo much, I thought I should keep some notes as to why. So, for the first time in my reading experience, I did so.
I'm not going to retell what his book is about. I feel like that's what the description is for. Reviews are what a person thinks and feels about a book, so that's what you're gonna get in this one. I'll start with the things I hated, since I spent the majority of the book in anger and agony.
All the men surrounding Elena are beautiful. They are described as these sex gods one could possibly never turn down. On that note, Elena herself is painted as this badass, hot chick that all these crazy sex gods want. Yet, she doesn't come across that way. This book is filled with beautiful, badass, perfect people. I couldn't connect with the story because it felt so forced, so fake. These types of people simply don't exist. Elena goes on and on about all these hot men and how she doesn't want to have sex with them. Sex consumed so much of the story. That detracted from the amazing underlying story. When we finally meet Sara (another main character), guess what? She's beautiful too. Where are the real people?!
There's a scene that just stands out as so irritating and I almost DNFed it for like the thousandth time. Elena shoots Raphael because he says he's holding her "because he can" and then INSTANTLY she's on the ground worried about the damage she's done and OMGing that he won't be ok. Bitch you just SHOT him with a gun in an area YOU WERE TOLD WOULD DO GREAT DAMAGE!!! Why the fuck are you so shocked?! I again found myself despising Elena. She's such a freaking idiot and doesn't at all have the portrayal in my mind the author is trying to give her.
Continuing the flaws I found...eating Rapheal's angel dust causes an orgasm. REALLY?! They go from getting ready to have sex, to talking about the mission again without any transition. Every interaction was the same. It either involved sex or weapons, fighting, and fear.
Then...at around page 288...80% in...something happened to me. I became ENGAGED!!!! Wow...how did that happen?! With all the flaws I've found and despising at least 60% of the book?! Elena became likeable and I got involved in her relationship with Raphael. The way the book wraps up was fascinating. Perhaps it's because we FIIIIINALLY move past the sex. Thank you Jesus!!! Maybe they get that out of their systems and the next book is like the last 20% of this one?! Gawd that would make my day!!
I'm giving this book two stars. I reserve one for DNFs. There were speckled bits throughout I enjoyed, and then the final 20% I LOOOVED. Will I read the next one? Probably not.
July 19, 2016
3.5 stars.
Full review to come.
There is just something not-so-sexy about angels.
Wings and flying? Yicks!
I guess i'm a vampire girl by heart?
Buddy read with my new friend Hayley.
For good luck:
Full review to come.
There is just something not-so-sexy about angels.
Wings and flying? Yicks!
I guess i'm a vampire girl by heart?
Buddy read with my new friend Hayley.
For good luck:
November 16, 2016
Oh my freaking God!!! Raphael, come and find me please... I need your angel dust!!! :)
“Oh, this is a special blend for you." Taking one of the fingers she hadn't licked, he rubbed it along her lips. "What we usually shed is apparently comparable to the most delicious of chocolates or the finest of wines. Decadent, rich, and very expensive."
She told herself she wasn't going to lick the glitter off her lips. "And this blend?" The taste was inside her mouth without her having any knowledge of taking it in. And Raphael was incredibly close, his wings creating a white gold wall all around them his hands strong and warm on her hips. "What's so special about it?"
"This blend," he murmured, bending his head, "is about sex."
She put her hands on his chest but it wasn't a protest. After the blood, the fear, she needed to touch him, to know this glorious creature existed. "Another form of mind control?"
He shook his head, his mouth a hairbreadth from hers. "It's only fair."
"Fair?" She flicked her tongue along his lower lip. It made his hands clench on her hips.
"If I licked you between your thighs, your taste would have the same aphrodisiac effect on me.”
“Oh, this is a special blend for you." Taking one of the fingers she hadn't licked, he rubbed it along her lips. "What we usually shed is apparently comparable to the most delicious of chocolates or the finest of wines. Decadent, rich, and very expensive."
She told herself she wasn't going to lick the glitter off her lips. "And this blend?" The taste was inside her mouth without her having any knowledge of taking it in. And Raphael was incredibly close, his wings creating a white gold wall all around them his hands strong and warm on her hips. "What's so special about it?"
"This blend," he murmured, bending his head, "is about sex."
She put her hands on his chest but it wasn't a protest. After the blood, the fear, she needed to touch him, to know this glorious creature existed. "Another form of mind control?"
He shook his head, his mouth a hairbreadth from hers. "It's only fair."
"Fair?" She flicked her tongue along his lower lip. It made his hands clench on her hips.
"If I licked you between your thighs, your taste would have the same aphrodisiac effect on me.”
December 24, 2017
!5 big stars!
Another great book that slipped through the cracks in my electronic bookcase. Stupid, stupid me for leaving it sit on my shelf for so long.
So ahh, you see, english is not my native language but I guess I've mastered it enough to read and watch movies without looking up unknown words all the time. Saying that, I actually like to learn new words from time to time and this book gave me that in spades. The language of this book is so rich and articulate that I can't help but to love it. The ammount of words I had to look up was eye opening and it didn't feel like a hard read at all. Most of books this days is written in more simple language, not making any room for further educating young minds that read them. I have to tip my hat to miss Nalini Singh for doing just that, even if it's just me.
Angel's blood has all the good things that I look in my paranormal series: it has a kickass heroine, fun and humorous banter, smoldering alpha males and interesting interpretation of well known myphs. Ok, now to the characters.
Elena is brave and smart, has a nice sense of humor, dark past and a good sence of self presarvation. I think we'll learn more about her family tragedies in the next book or maybe even later, I'm happy to wait if it gives us something to look forward to and makes an interesting story for the future. All I know for now is that her father is some real piece of work. Their dynamics remind me strongly of that in Chicagoland Vampires series between Merit and her father. I have a feeling that Elena's father has some interesting developments ahead.
Raphael. Oh, how I loved him. He gave me the chills from the first moment we met him. Good chills mixed with all kinds of wrong, exactly how I like it. If I could get pregnant from reading this book, I'd be pregnant with triplets. And that was even before the sex scenes. I got so much vibes from him, I had to stop reading for a few minutes to compose myself. Damn, that man's hot.
Sarah and Ransom were just the friends you need if you're Elena Deveraux - kickass, funny and loyal to no end. I want to see more of them in the next books. They're awesome.
There are also some intriguing characters like Dmitri and Venom and Illium, I'd like to know more about them. They have so much potential in my eyes.
We didn't get to learn a lot about the Archangels in this book, except maybe Michaela and Lijuang. And even that was just bits and pieces, so no definite thoughts about them yet. Ok, just one. Michaela is a bitch. There.
I am very excited about this series, honestly I haven't been this excited about paranormal books since The Hollows series. God, I miss Rachel and her gang. So if you look for something to sink your teeth into, this book might be just what you need.
Over and out.
Another great book that slipped through the cracks in my electronic bookcase. Stupid, stupid me for leaving it sit on my shelf for so long.
So ahh, you see, english is not my native language but I guess I've mastered it enough to read and watch movies without looking up unknown words all the time. Saying that, I actually like to learn new words from time to time and this book gave me that in spades. The language of this book is so rich and articulate that I can't help but to love it. The ammount of words I had to look up was eye opening and it didn't feel like a hard read at all. Most of books this days is written in more simple language, not making any room for further educating young minds that read them. I have to tip my hat to miss Nalini Singh for doing just that, even if it's just me.
Angel's blood has all the good things that I look in my paranormal series: it has a kickass heroine, fun and humorous banter, smoldering alpha males and interesting interpretation of well known myphs. Ok, now to the characters.
Elena is brave and smart, has a nice sense of humor, dark past and a good sence of self presarvation. I think we'll learn more about her family tragedies in the next book or maybe even later, I'm happy to wait if it gives us something to look forward to and makes an interesting story for the future. All I know for now is that her father is some real piece of work. Their dynamics remind me strongly of that in Chicagoland Vampires series between Merit and her father. I have a feeling that Elena's father has some interesting developments ahead.
Raphael. Oh, how I loved him. He gave me the chills from the first moment we met him. Good chills mixed with all kinds of wrong, exactly how I like it. If I could get pregnant from reading this book, I'd be pregnant with triplets. And that was even before the sex scenes. I got so much vibes from him, I had to stop reading for a few minutes to compose myself. Damn, that man's hot.
Sarah and Ransom were just the friends you need if you're Elena Deveraux - kickass, funny and loyal to no end. I want to see more of them in the next books. They're awesome.
There are also some intriguing characters like Dmitri and Venom and Illium, I'd like to know more about them. They have so much potential in my eyes.
We didn't get to learn a lot about the Archangels in this book, except maybe Michaela and Lijuang. And even that was just bits and pieces, so no definite thoughts about them yet. Ok, just one. Michaela is a bitch. There.
I am very excited about this series, honestly I haven't been this excited about paranormal books since The Hollows series. God, I miss Rachel and her gang. So if you look for something to sink your teeth into, this book might be just what you need.
Over and out.
September 4, 2021
Wow, this book was amazing! I can tell Nalini Singh is going to be one of my favorite authors for urban fantasy and paranomal. I completely fell for the angels, so will definitely be continuing with this series.
Elena is a hunter, and tracks vampires who have gone rogue, returning them to their angel masters. This time, however, she is hired by the head archangel Rafael to track a rogue archangel, Urim (sorry if I'm butchering all the names here. This book had some really awesome names.) The chemistry between Elena and Rafael was white hot! and I loved that Elena was not the sort of girl to get pushed around by anyone, even if the archangels are the ultimate predators. There was quite a bit of violence and some very graphic police type scenes. The world-building was complex and well thought out. Definitely recommended.
Trigger warning:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Elena is a hunter, and tracks vampires who have gone rogue, returning them to their angel masters. This time, however, she is hired by the head archangel Rafael to track a rogue archangel, Urim (sorry if I'm butchering all the names here. This book had some really awesome names.) The chemistry between Elena and Rafael was white hot! and I loved that Elena was not the sort of girl to get pushed around by anyone, even if the archangels are the ultimate predators. There was quite a bit of violence and some very graphic police type scenes. The world-building was complex and well thought out. Definitely recommended.
Trigger warning:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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