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49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great addition to the Guild Hunter series, February 3, 2010
Archangel's Kiss picks up about a year after Angels' Blood left off. After the fight with Uram, when vampire hunter Elena and Archangel Raphael almost died, Elena wakes up from a year long coma to find out that she's been turned immortal. But she's not a vampire; she's the first Angel to be made in recent history. Angels are usually born, not Made. It's extremely rare, and makes her a point of interest for the other Archangels in the powerful Cadre of Ten. In fact, it makes her a target for those who want to strike out at Raphael. In his love for her, she's become his weakness. Raphael has taken her to the angel's Refuge, where she heals and trains to use her new body. She hasn't lost her hunter born abilities, so she hopes to eventually go back to her Guild Hunter duties. She keeps in touch with her best friend Sara, director of the Guild, and Deacon, Sara's weapons master hubby, who works on some new weapons to fit her new body with wings. Her training and snarky interactions with Raphael's Seven (his top lieutenants who help him to run his holdings) are humorous at times. With the exception of Illium, the blue winged angel we met in Angels Blood, the Seven do not approve of Elena. Although Raphael has ordered them to protect her, they view her as a weakness for their Master. It was also funny seeing Illium's flirtings with Elena, and Raphael's jealous "MINE" responses. I was intrigued to learn more about the Seven and hope to see more of them in future books. I'd love to see a books focused on Illium, Jason and Dmitri. They are my favs. Illium especially...I'd like him to find his HEA. Elena as a character is very interesting. She's a strong woman who went through a traumatic experience as a child and who is estranged from her family as a result of that experience. No 'mary sue' character, she struggles as she grows in her new body and surroundings, and her struggles make her that much more interesting. She also is challenged with her relationship with Raphael, who is so much older and stronger. She will not become a pet, and seeks to find equal ground between them. One of the strongest beings on the planet and a member of the Cadre of Ten, Raphael is used to getting what he wants. He is not only powerful, he is cruel and vicious at times. With her human heart in an immortal body, Elena is adapting to being surrounded by predators. Elena makes Raphael more human in his love for her. The plot primarily revolves around what's going on the Refuge--Elena's training as well as a series of kidnappings. The kidnapping and torture of the victims are suspected to be done by a powerful angel hoping to be able to join the Cadre of Ten. There are also suspicious actions that seem like someone is trying to turn Archangels against each other, and upset the inner workings of the Cadre. Elena is targeted as pawn in these actions, trying to pit Raphael against Michaela. Of course, Michaela can't stand Elena anyway and has already targeted her on her own. Elena is involved in the hunt for the perpetrators as they try to determine who is behind the attacks. Meanwhile, the worries about Lijuan, the oldest and most powerful of the Archangels, continue. Jason, Raphael's spymaster, reports that she is growing her army of the reborn dead. When Lijuan invites Elena and Raphael, as well as the Cadre to her home for a ball, they must take the opportunity to face her even at the high risk to themselves. Lijuan has a nasty surprise for Elena, and the identity of the angel behind the attacks comes to light. If you've read Singh's Psy Changeling books, her Guild Hunter series is darker...especially so with this book. If you like darker paranormal romance books like Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward, you'll enjoy this series. Raphael is the ultimate alpha and the dark plotlines, intriguing characters, and disturbing enemies will pull you in. Only area for improvement for me was the battle scene at the end. Seems there should have been a bit more to it. But that's really a minor thing. All in all, I love this series--couldn't put it down. Definite keepers! Other books in the series: Angels' Blood - book one, full length novel Must Love Hellhounds - anthology focused on characters from book one Angels' Pawn: A Companion Novella to Angels? Blood - novella If you are on the hunt for more books like this, check out my list of paranormal romance and urban fantasy favorites... http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-action-romance-must-reads/lm/R214ESW3HL12HM/ref=tag_lag_rb_munk_lmfull (copy and paste into your browser window)
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW - Exceeded all my expectations!, February 3, 2010
It's rare that a long-awaited book meets my high expectations let alone exceeds it like this powerhouse second installment of Elena and Raphael's love story. One word sums it up = WOW! This book was everything and MORE I wanted to see for these two characters. Rachel became a little more humanized, still scary as hell, still extremely alpha male dominant and possessive, his MINE sends a shiver down my spine. He can be scary powerful but he more than proved in this book his absolute love for Elena with his tender care during her nightmares and his respect for her plea to have some privacy AND especially his opening up about his own troubled younger years. I fell MORE in love with him in second book. I really love how Singh penned this extremely strong archangel struggling not to smother his angel-made woman b/c he didn't want to change her or break her warrior woman spirit. BRAVO to Singh for penning Elena as emotionally fragile yet at same time with such a core inner strength she slayed her darkest nightmare come to life. Bravo to Raphael for not doubting her strength and letting her serve the killing blow. Bravo to Elena for not being too stupid to live and respecting these powerful supreme beings and her own limitations. She wasn't that rashly foolish Elena as much as one a smart, warrior woman who knew when to fight and when to run. Singh managed to build a real deep bond of utter trust between them, and they came out far more equal than I expected. Elena stared down Raphael's darkness and instead of flinching as he expected, she vowed to be his conscience, his inner light, to keep him anchored to humanity. Finally, I've loved Singh's PsySeries but often when finished reading one of those books I feel the relationship development comes way too secondary plot to the world building. Such was the case in 1st book of Archangel Series and while I loved it, I was thirsty to read more focus on relationship and in THIS book the relationship is ALL... the plots, even the background of the characters are all woven brilliantly to develop and build and build upon the growing love AND trust between Elena and Raphael. Elena made Raphael far more mortal and he made her stronger, more immortal. They met in the middle in a way I didn't expect this early in the series. How rare a true alpha male meets his alpha female partner, and that's how the book ends, in no doubt whatsoever these two are warrior soulmates and the sensuality between these is off the scales HOT! WOW!
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hits the mark!, February 2, 2010
Nalini Singh proves what an amazing writer she is again in Archangel's Kiss, the next book in her Guild Hunter series. It has been a year after the climactic events of Angels' Blood. Elena Deveraux has woken up from her year-long coma. She is no longer a mere mortal with hunter skills; instead, she is now an immortal angel, a very weak, immortal angel unfortunately. But with her lover, and powerful archangel, Raphael by her side, they will work through the kinks and make her stronger. Elena has to become stronger because right now, she is the archangels' plaything. They are gunning for her like mad, this weakness of Raphael's. Danger is brewing. Lijuan is building her army in Beijing and she wants to show it off to Elena. Then there is the menace growing in the Refuge. Someone is hurting angels and purposely baiting Elena. Weak as she is, she will not be bested by a maniac. There is quite a bit going on in this book, both action-wise, and emotionally with the characters. I liked this book even more than the first in the series because I felt like the author was given a chance to dig into her characters, rather than just setting up the romance and basic world building of the novels. Elena is perhaps at her weakest she has been in a long time so she has to rely on Raphael. Equally, Raphael for all he purports to love Elena realizes he has to start opening up to her. Trust and equality is not a one-way street and Raphael needs to start letting her in. This is hard for him, hard for her, but they make it work. They want to make it work and that makes all the difference. Powerful, immortal beings or not, love is a gift neither expected and they don't want to lose it. Nalini Singh played up many of the secondary characters again, making them more interesting than ever. I know I'm intrigued by Raphael's Seven more than I expected. There are also touches of whimsy and delight in this book. The power of flying, the laughter of children, and the growing intimacy between Raphael and Elena all add up to combat and help negate the growing darkness. I swear, everything Nalini Singh writes turns golden. I was completely absorbed in this world, these characters, and their struggles. I'm excited to read more about this world, about Elena and Raphael, and I have a feeling I'm not alone. Too bad it looks like the next book in the series won't be out until 2011.
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