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kylie_echard's review against another edition
3.0
Can’t stop thinking about this series! My only disappointment is that this ending was too similar to the first one’s ending.
angelboireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
toastwithfigjelly's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
eesh25's review against another edition
3.0
This book starts a year after the fight with Uram. Elena has been in a Coma the entire time and has just woken up as a newbie Angel. She's still weak and needs practice being an angel but there's someone trying to kill her things are complicated.
The official summary also includes the fact that she and Raphael are dealing with Lijuan's ball invitation, but that's such a small part of the book that if you go in expected it, you's be disappointed. Like I was.
One of the things I liked about the first book was that we knew what we were gonna get and we got it. There was a romance and Uram was the bad guy, and the book focused on those two aspects. In this book, I expected Lijuan as the villain and for the story to kick off with a few chapter of training, and then the ball. But really, the ball didn't happen until we 90% into the book. Even Lijuan was only in the final quarter.
The rest of the book was about two other things.
1. The relationship between Raphael and Elena. I liked this part. Not many authors take the time to properly develop the romantic relationship between the protagonists in a series like this. I liked how the author gave importance to a healthy relationship between Raphael and Elena. It was done well.
2. The person trying to kill Elena. This was a major plot point and I liked it. But it wasn't the plot point we were told of and it has a very anticlimactic ending.
In fact, both the major plot points had anticlimactic ending. The Lijuan aspect has a bad build up as well. I wish the author hasn't tried to jam to different stories into one book. She could have done both justice by writing separate book and focusing on each one at a time.
But despite all that, this book was interesting. I was invested in the story and I liked the characters. My biggest gripe with the book (not including the world building, which hasn't progressed) was the writing.
It was so repetitive!
I swear to God, half the book was just Elena describing different faces, postures and wings. And scents, but they were relevant. Most number of descriptions went to Raphael. I was like, we get it! He's pretty, hot and dangerous, and you wanna screw his brains out. Can we move on now?!
Obviously, we didn't move on. The descriptions were endless and torturous. Elena also kept mentions the same events over and over again (like the vamp Raphael once tortured and left broken near some fountain) and I am sick and tired of hearing the words "hunter-born". Every time she said it, or thought it, I wanted to hit her.
The nightmares got old and I didn't love the way the revelations about their childhoods were handled. I'm happy that we got revelations, though.
Also, loads of loose ends like in the last book but the book did have its resolutions and I'm happy about that.
Overall, this book wasn't as good as the first for me but I liked it. I liked how the romantic relationship was developed and it was fun at times, We got to meet new characters, which was good. I will be continuing with the series; I just hope I don't have to real with the over-descriptions again.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Second in the Guild Hunter alternative history, paranormal romance series and revolving around Elena Deveraux, a hunter born. It's been a year since Angels' Blood, 1.
In 2011, Archangel's Kiss won the All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Most Kickass Heroine and the DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Paranormal/Science Fiction/Fantasy.
My Take
You'll never look at angels the same way again. Makes me think of Faith Hunter's Thorn St. Croix, a.k.a. Rogue Mage — the angels are similar. Tension, awe, fear, horror, sex. There's more sex in Guild Hunter though.
The Seven HATE Elena. While they are interesting individuals with unique backgrounds and their own character arcs, they each see her as a weakness, making their archangel a little bit mortal. They'd willingly see her dead.
Meanwhile, Elena is much too tough to knuckle under to anyone. Although it's a bit humiliating to have to go to classes with angel children. She has such nightmares and a father who hates her so much. It's quite the character arc as Elena remembers more of those dark times . . . along with the good.
Raphael has his own nightmares, particularly his father's and mother's madness. The madness that left a young angel broken in a field. Nor are Raphael's parents that only ones to suffer madness, just ask Jason about his horrors. I think Aodhan has the most intense character arc, so far. Naasir has his own unique horrors, and I do love him. He has such a straightforward view of the world, lol.
Children are considered a gift, sacrosanct, and yet viciousness amongst the archangels is acceptable. Part of that meanness comes from boredom, and I think Raphael has the best approach to preventing boredom — Elena is his salvation.
Okay, no. Just no. Elena blames herself for the attack on her family. But she warned her father several times, and he refused to listen. Despite what we later learn from Jeffrey. Jerk!!
Kidnappings, betrayals, attacks, training, determination, demands that Elena be killed, Michaela's attempts to slap Elena down, reliving Elena's nightmare, and then there's Lijuan's "evolution". Enough to make you puke!
Singh primarily uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from the perspectives of Elena and Raphael with plenty of action that is part character-driven and part character types.
It's an easy read and quite compelling in its storyline.
The Story
Raphael's new interest is waking from her year-long coma to find herself changed. Physically weak, Elena Devereaux is as stubborn as ever, for she has never done well with authority, no matter how powerful.
It's a whole new world for Elena, of perspectives and politics. She must be ready for the horrors in Beijing when that invitation comes from Zhou Lijuan, an Ancient without conscience, with a power over the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…
The Characters
Elena "Ellie" Deveraux, a former mortal, is now an angel made (Angels' Blood, 1). Marguerite, Mirabelle, and Ariel had been greatly loved by Ellie; now they're her (second) greatest nightmare. Beth is the sister who survived.
The Tower is . . .
. . . Raphael's, the Archangel of New York, command center in New York City. The Seven are Raphael's most trusted team and include Dmitri, a vampire who is Raphael's best friend and second-in-command; the cheerful, blue-winged Illium, a.k.a. Bluebell, with a minor yet useful talent; the black-winged Jason, who is Raphael's spymaster and a beautiful singer; the unique Naasir; based in the Refuge, Galen is his weaponsmaster (and married to Jessamy); the glittering, artistic Aodhan; and, the viperish Venom, who is a vampire. The angels Raphael has placed in command of various areas of North America include the vicious Nazarach, who rules Atlanta.
Keir is the healer of angels. Noel had been one of Raphael's vampires. Archangel Nadiel, an Ancient, had been Raphael's father who went insane. Caliane, Raphael's mother and an archangel, also went nuts and then into Sleep.
Holly Chang (Angels' Blood) is neither vampire nor mortal.
The Refuge is . . .
. . . the home base for all angels, where their children are raised. The crippled Jessamy teaches the children, who include Sameon "Sam". Jessamy is also the depository of angelic knowledge. The Hummingbird is Illium's damaged mother. Aloysius had been four hundred-and-ten.
The Cadre of Ten are . . .
. . . all the archangels in the world, each commanding a part of our world. The gorgeous but vicious Michaela. Riker, a vicious vampire, is Michaela's favorite guard. Elijah, the Archangel of South America, appears to be ethical; his Consort, Hannah, is an artist. Charisemnon, the Archangel of North Africa, is a pedophile.
Zhou Lijuan, the Archangel of China, is the oldest of them all. And creating the reborn. Phillip, a.k.a. the Shade, is Lijuan's favored vampire. Lijuan can share power with her people, including General Xi. Adrian was the best of Lijuan's reborn.
Astaad, the Archangel of the Pacific Isles, has a harem. The cruel Dahariel is Astaad's second-in-command. Maya, one of Jason's spies, has worked her way into Dahariel's household.
Neha is the Archangel of India as well as the Queen of Vipers, Poisons, Snakes. Eris is Neha's imprisoned consort. Anoushka is their daughter. Thomas.
The Hunters Guild is . . .
. . . led in the US by Sara Haiz, Elena's best friend. Sara is married to Deacon, a former Slayer and now a renowned weaponsmaster. Zoe is their baby girl. Slayer is their huge dog. The hunters include the prescient Ashwini.
Erotique is an exclusive Manhattan club for vampires. Geraldine had been Jeffrey's secretary. Slater Patalis, a serial-killer vampire, is Elena's greatest nightmare. Germaine is the vampire who betrayed Raphael and was the example in Times Square. Uram had been an archangel gone mad, bloodborn (Angels' Blood). Bill James was a hunter who went mad. The Made are humans who have become vampires; they must serve out their Contract for 100 years. Antonicus is one of the archangels who Sleep.
The Cover and Title
The cover is split down the middle between blacks and yellows. On the left, the white-haired Elena is crouched on the top of a building, wearing black leather pants, a black tank top, and her forearm sheathes, her dark wings uplifted behind her. On the right is a cloudy sky of deep gray-yellows to brilliant yellow over a mountainous landscape below which is a Beijing skyline. At the very top is an info blurb in white with the author's name immediately below it. Below Elena's thigh is the series info in white with the title in an ornate red with gray shadowing.
The title refers back to Angel's Blood when that Archangel's Kiss made this story possible.
In 2011, Archangel's Kiss won the All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Most Kickass Heroine and the DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Paranormal/Science Fiction/Fantasy.
My Take
You'll never look at angels the same way again. Makes me think of Faith Hunter's Thorn St. Croix, a.k.a. Rogue Mage — the angels are similar. Tension, awe, fear, horror, sex. There's more sex in Guild Hunter though.
The Seven HATE Elena. While they are interesting individuals with unique backgrounds and their own character arcs, they each see her as a weakness, making their archangel a little bit mortal. They'd willingly see her dead.
Meanwhile, Elena is much too tough to knuckle under to anyone. Although it's a bit humiliating to have to go to classes with angel children. She has such nightmares and a father who hates her so much. It's quite the character arc as Elena remembers more of those dark times . . . along with the good.
Raphael has his own nightmares, particularly his father's and mother's madness. The madness that left a young angel broken in a field. Nor are Raphael's parents that only ones to suffer madness, just ask Jason about his horrors. I think Aodhan has the most intense character arc, so far. Naasir has his own unique horrors, and I do love him. He has such a straightforward view of the world, lol.
Children are considered a gift, sacrosanct, and yet viciousness amongst the archangels is acceptable. Part of that meanness comes from boredom, and I think Raphael has the best approach to preventing boredom — Elena is his salvation.
Okay, no. Just no. Elena blames herself for the attack on her family. But she warned her father several times, and he refused to listen. Despite what we later learn from Jeffrey. Jerk!!
Kidnappings, betrayals, attacks, training, determination, demands that Elena be killed, Michaela's attempts to slap Elena down, reliving Elena's nightmare, and then there's Lijuan's "evolution". Enough to make you puke!
Singh primarily uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from the perspectives of Elena and Raphael with plenty of action that is part character-driven and part character types.
It's an easy read and quite compelling in its storyline.
The Story
Raphael's new interest is waking from her year-long coma to find herself changed. Physically weak, Elena Devereaux is as stubborn as ever, for she has never done well with authority, no matter how powerful.
It's a whole new world for Elena, of perspectives and politics. She must be ready for the horrors in Beijing when that invitation comes from Zhou Lijuan, an Ancient without conscience, with a power over the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…
The Characters
Elena "Ellie" Deveraux, a former mortal, is now an angel made (Angels' Blood, 1). Marguerite, Mirabelle, and Ariel had been greatly loved by Ellie; now they're her (second) greatest nightmare. Beth is the sister who survived.
The Tower is . . .
. . . Raphael's, the Archangel of New York, command center in New York City. The Seven are Raphael's most trusted team and include Dmitri, a vampire who is Raphael's best friend and second-in-command; the cheerful, blue-winged Illium, a.k.a. Bluebell, with a minor yet useful talent; the black-winged Jason, who is Raphael's spymaster and a beautiful singer; the unique Naasir; based in the Refuge, Galen is his weaponsmaster (and married to Jessamy); the glittering, artistic Aodhan; and, the viperish Venom, who is a vampire. The angels Raphael has placed in command of various areas of North America include the vicious Nazarach, who rules Atlanta.
Keir is the healer of angels. Noel had been one of Raphael's vampires. Archangel Nadiel, an Ancient, had been Raphael's father who went insane. Caliane, Raphael's mother and an archangel, also went nuts and then into Sleep.
Holly Chang (Angels' Blood) is neither vampire nor mortal.
The Refuge is . . .
. . . the home base for all angels, where their children are raised. The crippled Jessamy teaches the children, who include Sameon "Sam". Jessamy is also the depository of angelic knowledge. The Hummingbird is Illium's damaged mother. Aloysius had been four hundred-and-ten.
The Cadre of Ten are . . .
. . . all the archangels in the world, each commanding a part of our world. The gorgeous but vicious Michaela. Riker, a vicious vampire, is Michaela's favorite guard. Elijah, the Archangel of South America, appears to be ethical; his Consort, Hannah, is an artist. Charisemnon, the Archangel of North Africa, is a pedophile.
Zhou Lijuan, the Archangel of China, is the oldest of them all. And creating the reborn. Phillip, a.k.a. the Shade, is Lijuan's favored vampire. Lijuan can share power with her people, including General Xi. Adrian was the best of Lijuan's reborn.
Astaad, the Archangel of the Pacific Isles, has a harem. The cruel Dahariel is Astaad's second-in-command. Maya, one of Jason's spies, has worked her way into Dahariel's household.
Neha is the Archangel of India as well as the Queen of Vipers, Poisons, Snakes. Eris is Neha's imprisoned consort. Anoushka is their daughter. Thomas.
The Hunters Guild is . . .
. . . led in the US by Sara Haiz, Elena's best friend. Sara is married to Deacon, a former Slayer and now a renowned weaponsmaster. Zoe is their baby girl. Slayer is their huge dog. The hunters include the prescient Ashwini.
Erotique is an exclusive Manhattan club for vampires. Geraldine had been Jeffrey's secretary. Slater Patalis, a serial-killer vampire, is Elena's greatest nightmare. Germaine is the vampire who betrayed Raphael and was the example in Times Square. Uram had been an archangel gone mad, bloodborn (Angels' Blood). Bill James was a hunter who went mad. The Made are humans who have become vampires; they must serve out their Contract for 100 years. Antonicus is one of the archangels who Sleep.
The Cover and Title
The cover is split down the middle between blacks and yellows. On the left, the white-haired Elena is crouched on the top of a building, wearing black leather pants, a black tank top, and her forearm sheathes, her dark wings uplifted behind her. On the right is a cloudy sky of deep gray-yellows to brilliant yellow over a mountainous landscape below which is a Beijing skyline. At the very top is an info blurb in white with the author's name immediately below it. Below Elena's thigh is the series info in white with the title in an ornate red with gray shadowing.
The title refers back to Angel's Blood when that Archangel's Kiss made this story possible.
lechepatito's review against another edition
This one dragged a bit for me at the beginning, through the first half. I did get into it, but it wasn’t gripping the way book 1 was.
illusie's review against another edition
2.0
I don't think this series is for me. I don't feel connected to any of the characters.
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
Elena trying to recover from her year long coma and trying to adapt to angel society. She has to work hard physically and emotionally (some intense). She's tough,still wants to work for the Guild as a Hunter. She is in danger as Raphael s' mate and is trying to learn to trust him. She still has her Hunter senses, which end up being needed in the Refuge. Lijuan and her power over the dead, bring new horrible troubles to the archangels dragging Elena into her horror. Elena and Raphael go through the growth of a new and untested relationship like most of us with many bumps. Great story, I look forward to learning about more of the angels and vampires in the future. PR
mrtnk's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ertisa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0