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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
I’m loving these. Idk if I’ll have the patience to continue once I get into other characters stories but there are definitely a few I’ll want to read.
“The longer you live, the more mistakes you make. And the more sorrows you carry.
Nalini Singh (NS) has given us an unusual world with Angels, Vampires and maybe some new big bad coming our way. It is interesting and unusual. Most of this story I like Elena has her new life as an Angel and the Consort to an Archangle but there is so much to learn. One does not simple get wings and learn to fly in a day.
What I Enjoyed:
Elena is a little more timid that she was in the last book but I appreciate that she has to grow into this new role. Just because she is changed into an Angel it doesn’t mean that she knows how to be an angel and just walking around with Wings is harder than one would think. Plus just because you have those wings doesn’t mean that you automatically get the muscles that make them work. A lot of this book is Elena learning how to deal with a very aggressive Raphael and how to be an Angel If that means going to school with the other young angels so be it.
Illium was also a character I really enjoyed. He is freaking adorable and might even have a little crush on Elena. But do not worry it isn’t in a love triangle kind of way. It is simply that he will take care of her if Raphael is unable to accomplish the dead. However Elena is learning that there are some certain etiquettes that shouldn’t be overstepped if you are an angel.
“He wanted to give me a blade? What's wrong with that?”
“Blades,” he whispered, “and sheaths go together. And your sheath will only ever hold my blade.”
I also liked the plot line for this book and how someone is trying to mess with Elena. They are working really hard in the background to create dissention be different Archangels and trying to break apart long standing peace. If Elena doesn’t find the culprit fast it looks like more and more people will be hurt or killed.
I like the building relationship between Raphael and Elena. It is a growing thing and doesn’t happen all at once. But even though they are so far apart in age each has had an experience in their childhoods that shaped them and maybe is one reason that they found something within the other.
“Fathers and mothers,” she found herself saying, “leave their mark, no matter if we’ve known them a lifetime or only a day.”
What Annoyed Me:
It isn’t much but there are some issues. There is a lot of repetition of the ’Come here little hunter...Taste’. Which is finally revealed but it takes multiple flashbacks to get there and that line runs through the story A LOT.
Also a ton of characters are introduced. Yes I get that they will be important later and some even get their own stories but man did I really need to meet them all in this book. I can’t even count the number of characters that were introduced with just a sentence or two to let you know that they have some deep seated past haunting them and I’m sure eventually will get a story of their own. It would have worked better if just one or two were focused on a little more so I could care about them. As is it is all a blur.
And the last nitpicky thing I have is how many times Elena mentioned any of her girl parts tingling or something like that. Even when they weren’t getting hot and heavy her parts were wet, tingling, heating up etc….etc… I could have done with less of that too.
Still overall the world, characters and story are interesting enough that even though I liked the first one a little more I see good things for this series.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I remember really loving the first book in this series, but maybe I waited too long to get back into it. I couldn't keep all of the characters straight and I had a hard time getting back into the world. The action was exciting but I wasn't fully invested in the story and didn't care for the characters as much as I would have liked. Not sure if I will continue with the series.
3.5 stars
Please know by the 3 star rating I don't think this is bad. It is just a build to this series that I know I will love (it took me a few books to love the Psy-Changling series). I just wished the mystery of this book wasn't just solved in the last thirty pages of this book.
Trigger Warnings: death of siblings mentioned, blood, child abuse, child sexual assault recounted; on-page, torture, kidnapping, suicide mentioned, and murder
Please know by the 3 star rating I don't think this is bad. It is just a build to this series that I know I will love (it took me a few books to love the Psy-Changling series). I just wished the mystery of this book wasn't just solved in the last thirty pages of this book.
Trigger Warnings: death of siblings mentioned, blood, child abuse, child sexual assault recounted; on-page, torture, kidnapping, suicide mentioned, and murder
Still a great read, but the story lacked a lot in this one. Waaaay too much build up with not enough pay off. I’ll admit the first book was kind of the same, but I still enjoyed it. This one, what was that ending? It put me off but I’m invested now so I’ll keep reading.
This could have been better and it could have been worse. The dynamics between Raphael and Elena were very weird, especially in the beginning. I’m attributing part of it due to the fact that I lost all knowledge of how the first book ended thus, all knowledge of the status of their relationship. That aside, most of their interactions went like this:
•Raphael’s eyes are this very specific type of blue
•”I can’t believe this beautiful/exquisite/extraordinary/very dull man is mine”
•”Possession goes two ways”(no it doesn’t)
•”I’m hunterborn”
•Weird sex
•”Blades and sheaths go together and your sheath will only ever hold my blade”
I can tell you one thing. There is absolutely no chemistry. This is not a story to read for the romance. And definitely not for the awkward sexy times. I think it was referred to as Earthly pleasures or something equally as atrocious. I, also, felt some type of way when Elena was in the midst of a waking nightmare ABOUT HER SISTER and they decided the best way to cure it was some good old fashioned rough sex. Nothing gets me hot quite like witnessing my sisters murder and tasting her blood then reliving it.
I would hide that behind a spoiler but it adds absolutely nothing to the plot.
About 70% of the way through I decided that I could overlook the annoying romance aspect of this and continue with the series because I found a lot of the side characters to be interesting then the last 15% of the book names are being thrown out a mile a minute and I have no idea who or what we’re talking about.
On a completely superficial level, all of the clothes described were hideous. I need paranormal romance authors to understand there is NOTHING attractive about a man in leather pants and a trench coat. And let’s not act like Michaela didn’t strut around in a black velvet jumpsuit from Galia Lahav(SS17).
Honestly, at this point, I’ll read on only for Bluebell. I imagine he dresses like David Beckham.
•Raphael’s eyes are this very specific type of blue
•”I can’t believe this beautiful/exquisite/extraordinary/very dull man is mine”
•”Possession goes two ways”(no it doesn’t)
•”I’m hunterborn”
•Weird sex
•”Blades and sheaths go together and your sheath will only ever hold my blade”
I can tell you one thing. There is absolutely no chemistry. This is not a story to read for the romance. And definitely not for the awkward sexy times. I think it was referred to as Earthly pleasures or something equally as atrocious. I, also, felt some type of way when Elena was in the midst of a waking nightmare ABOUT HER SISTER and they decided the best way to cure it was some good old fashioned rough sex. Nothing gets me hot quite like witnessing my sisters murder and tasting her blood then reliving it.
I would hide that behind a spoiler but it adds absolutely nothing to the plot.
About 70% of the way through I decided that I could overlook the annoying romance aspect of this and continue with the series because I found a lot of the side characters to be interesting then the last 15% of the book names are being thrown out a mile a minute and I have no idea who or what we’re talking about.
On a completely superficial level, all of the clothes described were hideous. I need paranormal romance authors to understand there is NOTHING attractive about a man in leather pants and a trench coat. And let’s not act like Michaela didn’t strut around in a black velvet jumpsuit from Galia Lahav(SS17).
Honestly, at this point, I’ll read on only for Bluebell. I imagine he dresses like David Beckham.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A