Archangel's Storm - Review

Archangel's Storm (Guild Hunter #5) 
by Nalini Singh

Publication date: 13 September 2012 by Berkley Sensation

ISBN 10/13: 0575119497 | 9780575119499
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, angels, vampires, mystery
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

*Though I try to remain spoiler free, this review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*

Thuy's Review:

Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors and I await each new book with baited breath. I was especially excited to read Jason’s story, as I have held a fascination for the angel ever since I first met him in the Guild Hunter series. I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about the quiet, mysterious angel with wings of night that has always intrigued me. Singh has hinted as his dark past in previous books but, in Archangel’s Storm, we finally learn about the events that shaped him into the man he is today.

Jason’s love interest in the story is Mahiya, the illegitimate daughter of Neha’s consort Eris and her sister. Allowed to live as a tool to hurt Eris, Mahiya has never known love or much kindness. But she’s not mean or bitter, like most people might be. Despite her circumstances, she is still able to love and feel joy. While she isn’t a kick ass Hunter like Elena or some of Singh’s other heroines, she has an inner strength that makes her just as formidable.

Jason was all I expected and more. I can understand why Mahiya is drawn to his quiet and intense nature. Mahiya is right, Jason is a storm. Untameable and untameable, he is a force that Mahiya has no defense against. Singh has only hinted at his dark past before this and, in Archangel’s Storm, we finally learn about the tragic events that shaped him. There’s still a lot about Jason that is unknown though and I wish Singh had given us a little more about his past. I am really curious to know how he survived the events of his youth and how he became part of Raphael’s Seven. Also, Jason’s wings are my favorite out of all the angels.

The romance in this book was a little bit different that the other romances in the Guild Hunter books. Though I think Jason and Mahiya had an immediate attraction, their relationship is a slow burn rather than a big bang. Like the characters themselves, their romance is understated but still intense. As usual, Singh uses her skills to ratchet up the sexual tension until you’re just dying for them to get together.

I love the incredible worlds that Nalini Singh creates and it’s always so much fun to get back into them. It was great to see Guild Hunter faves Elena and Raphael as well as Venom, who has a substantial role in the story. I have never been a huge fan of Venom but, I have to say that he is growing on me. There are also quite a few scenes with Dimitri and Honor, which was nice to see, but did take me out of the story a bit. I know I am always waxing lyrical about Nalini Singh but I just love what she does. Now if she would only write a little faster. :)

 

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Visit the author online at www.nalinisingh.com and follow her on Twitter @NaliniSingh

Author Interview with Nalini Singh + Giveaway (INTL)

Good morning, friends! I have something super duper (yeah I said duper) exciting on the blog today. My friends all know that I am a huge Nalini Singh fan. Tomorrow is the release date for her newest book, Archangel's Storm. It's the fifth book in the awesome Guild Hunter series is about Jason, super spy master and Angel with shadow wings. I admit that I have always had a fascination with Jason (must be that whole dark and mysterious thing) and I cannot wait to read his book. To celebrate the release, we have an interview with Nalini Singh herself along with a fun giveaway at the end of the post. Let's get to it!

Hi, Nalini! Thank you so much for coming onto the blog today. We are huge, huge fans of your work. I was lucky enough to meet you recently at the RWA Autographing Session and let me just say that it was totally the highlight of the event for me. 

Thanks for inviting me here! Wasn’t the signing at RWA so much fun?!

Yes, it was super fun and I had amazing time meeting all of the authors, including you!

I've read that you have been interested in writing from a young age. Can you tell us a little bit about what some of your first stories were like? What books influenced you as a child?

I used to write about everything – I kept a journal and would jot down things in there as they came to me. Sometimes these were stories, other times descriptions of what I’d seen/experienced that day. My first full romance manuscript was a Mills&Boon Presents story that I wrote when I was about eighteen. I still have that manuscript. =)

As for influences – it’s hard to pick one or even a few books. I read so voraciously as a child and still do. I like to say that every book I’ve ever read has influenced me by helping develop my love of story.

Describe what your schedule is like on a typical day.

I usually do emails, interviews etc in the morning and write after lunch. Sometimes I’ll stop at eight, other times I’ll keep going till two or three in the morning. It just depends on deadlines and my personal goals for the day and week.

Your Guild Hunter series is very unique because of the relationship that the Angels and vampires have with each other. The Angels Make vampires and give them strength and immortality in return for 100 years of service. If you had a choice of becoming a vampire, would you, or would you choose to remain human and why?

Oooh, this is such a tough question. I constantly go back and forth. In fact, the question is so tough, I’m going to throw it out there for the readers of this blog! Vampire or human?

(p.s. Can’t angel be a choice, too? I would love to fly!)

I love your descriptions of each Angel's wings. They always seem to match their personality perfectly, from Illium's blue tips to Raphael's golden wings. So which comes first, the Angel or the wings? Do you already know the personality of the Angel before deciding what their wings will look like? Have you ever had an amazing idea for a pair of wings and create a character around them?

They tend to appear in my mind with their wings as they are – Illium has had his stunning wings from the very first time I met him. Sometimes, when a character is being secretive, it takes me a while, but I always know instinctively when I’ve found their wings.

This kind of leads me to your newest book, Archangel's Storm. I have always been fascinated by Jason. I really think it was his dark wings that blend into the shadows that initially piqued my interest. They're so different than the flashier wings of most Angels yet they suit Raphael's spymaster perfectly. Can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect from Jason's story? And can you tell us a bit about his love interest, Mahiya, who we don't know much about?

Jason’s story very much suits the personalities of both our shadowy spymaster, and his heroine. On the surface, it’s quiet, but there’s so much intensity bubbling beneath the surface. I think this is a book that each time you read it, you’ll glimpse more and more – there’s so much that’s hidden between the lines, so much that only becomes apparent once you reach the end.

Mahiya is a unique angel, one who appears without power, and yet who has an unbelievable strength. She is perfect for Jason.

The setting is also amazing – I was inspired by the magnificent forts I saw during my trip to India, and you can see images of those forts on my website’s travel diary page on release date (www.nalinisingh.com/diary.php)

What are you working on now that Archangel's Storm is done? I know you couldn't say much at RWA, but can you give us any clues yet?

I’ve just handed in two Psy/Changeling novellas, one featuring Walker & Lara, the other Cooper & Grace. Now, my focus is on the next Psy/Changeling book…about which I can tell you nothing. ;-)

However, I can tell you that the next Guild Hunter book will feature Raphael and Elena as main characters.

Paranormal, historical, or contemporary romance?

I actually read all three! I tend to go in cycles – I’ll read a whole bunch in one genre, then do the same in another.

And our last, but very important question: Cake or pie (and what kind)?

Cake by a landslide. Chocolate fudge (chocolate anything really).

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today, Nalini, and congrats on Archangel's Storm. It's been pre-ordered and I cannot wait for it to get here! :)

Remember to sign up for Nalini's newsletter for up to the minute news (no spam) as well as exclusive content. Nalini just announced that she will be releasing some short stories to her newsletter subscribers way before they will be available commercially. You can sign up here.

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Thank you again, Nalini! I hope you guys all enjoyed the interview. Now Nalini has been kind enough to offer up a signed copy of Angels' Blood for one lucky blog reader. Let me tell you I am really jealous about this and, if it wasn't totally against the rules, I would want to enter my own contest. But to make it even better, I am going to also be giving away 2 copies of Archangel's Storm as well. 

You have 3 chances to win. Only one person will get the signed copy of Angels' Blood from Nalini though. Giveaway is International as long as Book Depository will ship to your country. As usual, you do not have to be a follower to enter but it's always appreciated. Good luck!

Rules:

1. Open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to your country. 
2. One set of entries per household please. 
3. If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address. 
4. Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget after the end of the day on Sept 13, 2012. 
5. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to to the email, otherwise we will pick a new winner. 
6. We are not responsible for lost or stole packages.
7. If you have any questions, feel free to email us. You can review our full contest policy here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Angels' Flight - Review

Angels' Flight by Nalini Singh

Publication date: 28 February 2012 by Berkley Sensation

ISBN 10/13: 0425246817 | 9780425246818
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal romance, angels, vampires, short stories
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook

Angels' Flight is a collection of four novellas by Nalini Singh set in the world of her Guild Hunter series. It looks like the first two stories have been published previously in other anthologies and the third says "first time in print" so it may have been available on her blog or somewhere else. The fourth story, "Angels' Dance" is the only completely new story in the collection. I'd read the first two stories previously but not the second two. I wasn't really bothered by the fact that most of these had been released before, though it is good to know so you know what you're getting. I didn't have any of these stories on their own so I like having them all in one place and I probably would have bought it for Angels's Dance alone since I am a Nalini Singh fangirl and love the Guild Hunter series.

Angels’ Pawn - 3.5 stars

In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless...Angels’ Pawn is the story of Guild Hunter Ashwini (Ash) and the annoyingly charming vampire Janvier. Ash enlists Janvier’s assistance in finding a kidnapped vamp while playing vampire/angel politics.

I’d read this story before and enjoyed it. Ash is a character that pops up quite a bit in the Guild Hunter world but we don’t know a ton about her. In this one, we get a little glimpse into her past that makes me want to know more. Like more hunters, Ash is extremely tough and capable. She knows how to hold her own against vampire and angels alike. Janvier is somewhat of a mystery. I don’t know his story or where he comes from except that he loves to drive Ash crazy. Ash and Janvier have fantastic chemistry and this is the only story in which the two characters don’t end up together at the end. Even though the ending of this one left me a bit unfulfilled, I still really enjoyed it. There is definitely potential for more with these two and I hope that they get their happily ever after one day.

Angel’s Judgement - 4 stars

In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all...


In Angel’s Judgement, hunter Sara Haziz must track down a vampire killer who may be one of her own while trying to survive . Along for the ride is Deacon, aka The Slayer, a dead sexy hunter that is tasked with keeping an eye on Sara and helping her track down this rogue hunter.

Angel’s Judgement is from the Must Love Hellhounds anthology and it’s another one that I’d previously read. I ended up reading it again when I received Angel’s Flight I liked it just as much as I did the first time. Sara is a strong, capable fighter who more than holds her own against the vamps and other creatures of the night. She’s tough but still feminine and vulnerable. Deacon isn’t intimidated by Sara’s position and their chemistry is blistering.I loved that their story played out in an unexpected way and was also surprisingly sweet. Another great read by Nalini Singh.

Angel’s Wolf - 4 stars

In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

We first met Noel in Archangel’s Kiss, when a vampire is brutally attacked and left for dead. While his body has recovered, mentally, Noel is not the same. Dmitri sends him to the angel Nimra’s court, to pose as her lover and try to figure out who tried to poison her.

This one actually ended up surprising me. I didn’t know what to expect from Noel and Nimra and their story was not at all what I expected. Singh really has a way with bringing back tortured characters back to life. There’s no easy fix for Noel after what he’s gone through but being in Nimra’s court is helping him heal. And I loved that he was so protective of Nimra, a powerful and deadly angel. Nimra herself surprised me. Yes, at times she lived up to her reputation as being a cold and harsh ruler, but Singh also showed us her softer side. She isn’t cruel or unjust and had much more compassion than her reputation allowed. I liked that she was able to trust Noel with her weaknesses and he with hers, as well as their strengths.

Angels’ Dance - 5 stars

In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

Angels’ Dance was the story I was most looking forward to and it ended up being my favorite. There were hints of Jessamy and Galen’s relationship in previous books but no real details. We finally get their story in Angels’ Dance. Jessamy, an angel thousands of years old, has been trapped at the Refuge for her entire life. Due to a malformation of one of her wings, she has never been able to fly. Jessamy is very different from most of the angels we’ve met in the Guild Hunter world. She isn’t a fighter or a warrior. Though she is physically weaker than most, it’s her inner strength that sets her apart. She is the perfect counterpoint to the rough and unrefined Galen. I didn’t know much about Galen before reading this and I found myself falling for him. Under his gruff exterior was an extremely caring and kind man. He protectedand loved Jessamy but he never held her back. Oh - and we find out how Illium gets his nickname in this one. :)

Overall:

As a reader of this blog you may already know that I am a huge Nalini Singh fan. Even in short form, these stories are wonderfully well written and I felt like I got more than my money’s worth with this collection.This is a must read for any fan of the Guild Hunter series. Non-readers will still enjoy it but I think you need to read the series to fully appreciate it. If you haven’t read the series yet, do it and thank me later. :)

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Visit the author online at www.nalinisingh.com and follow her on Twitter @NaliniSingh

Archangel's Kiss - Review

Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter #2) by Nalini Singh

Publication date: 02 February 2010 by Berkley

ISBN 10/13:  110118499X | 9781101184998

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, angels, vampires
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook

Source: Purchased

From goodreads:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena...
Thuy's review:

I love the cover to this one! It’s probably my favorite out of all the Guild Hunter books so far. It’s beautifully composed and Elena looks strong and beautiful. That’s the Elena I see in my head when I read the books.

Archangel's Kiss picks up right after the events of Angel’s Blood. Elena has woken from a year long coma to find that she is now an angel. She has a lot to deal with including being physically weaker (with wings!), a very powerful and possessive lover, repressed memories of a violent past coming to the surface as well as a plot to kill her (again).

Singh has created a beautiful and dangerous world of angels and vampires and continues to build upon it in Archangel’s Kiss. I can feel Elena's wonder as she learns how to be an angel. Having been born human, Elena cannot see the world as the angels do and she must learn to reconcile her human heart with her new angel body. She also must learn to play at angel politics, as the other archangels try to take advantage of her current weakness. Elena is still one of my favorite heroines. I love her strength and determination and especially her compassion.

I really liked the training sessions Elena has to go through. Elena is always so strong - as hunter born she’s stronger than her human counterparts. But as an angel, she’s almost as weak as one of their children. It’s really interesting to watch how she copes with being physically weaker and to see the more vulnerable side of her. It’s also fun watching her fight with her trainers, members of Raphael’s Seven. Speaking of the Seven, we get to know more of them in Kiss. The quiet, untouchable Aodhan definitely intrigues me and I am hoping he gets his own book one day.

Elena and Raphael are a great couple. Their relationship continues to evolve as they learn more about each other. Neither of them is easy to be in a relationship with but they both make an effort to make it work. Elena learns to trust Raphael with the darkest parts of herself and starts to deal with the trauma of her mother and sisters’ deaths. Raphael also opens up to Elena about his parents and his violent past. Their chemistry is still off the charts and there are plenty of steamy love scenes.

Did I mention that there are also zombies in this book? What more could you ask for? This series just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to read the next one!

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Visit the author online at www.nalinisingh.com, visit her blog at http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com and follow @NaliniSingh on Twitter