Review: Nalini Singh - Angel's Kiss

Guild Hunters Series:

Book 1:

Angels Blood: Elena Deveraux and Archangel Raphael

Summary:

In a world where angels are at the top of the food chain and vampires are tied to angels for 100 years of servitude for being Made. In a world where the powerful rule there are none more powerful than the Cadre of the Ten, the 10 most powerful angels, the Archangels. Raphael is the ruler of New York, and he rules with an iron fist. When one of the 10 goes into blood sickness and starts a terrifying reign of blood and death Raphael knows he needs to bring in a hunter to track Uram. Elena is the best hunter in the guild, she is hunter born and can track any vampire into the ground. But this time she is tracking an angel, an archangel one of the 10.

This is the hardest hunt of Elena’s life, not only does she have to track an archangel that has wings but she has to deal with Raphael. Raphael is used to being obeyed at all times and never having his decisions questioned by anyone other than from his trusted 7.  Elena questions him and disobeys him at every turn, this warrior woman who is a hunter by birth. Elena is getting under his skin, each time she disobeys him, the more she creeps under his skin and the results may be disastrous for him. Raphael is the most intriguing, fascinating, most inhuman person Elena has ever met. The more time she spends with him the more she realizes this man is not human and never has been, but she wants him even though he sometimes he scares the hell out of her. The longer Uram’s reign of terror goes the more Elena realizes that she may not make it out of this hunt alive.

Review:

Nalini Singh has an amazing ability to build new worlds she immerses you in this world that is so rich in detail you almost feel like you are living in this world of hunters, vampires and angels. Where the angels are not so much biblical but very much scary and the archangels can be ruthless cruel beings who don’t hesitate in torture. I have to say I like this new take on angels, it is definitely different and like nothing else I have read before. I love when authors take a concept that is not new and makes it their own and N. Singh managed to do that with this series ad it has tons of potential.

Elena, I am a bit conflicted with Elena. On one hand I love that she is such a kick ass female, she tangles with an archangel and holds her own. She is incredibly strong and loyal and yet haunted by demons from her past. There is a lot of good with Elena, and I found myself routing for her. What I had a problem with was at one part of the book she was willing to trade her life and that of her family and friends to save her pride. In my opinion pride is definitely not worth my life or any of my loved ones. But that is just me, although this part of the book does bring us to a pretty big break through so I guess I can forgive this one part of the book.

Raphael is the scariest yet sexy male, there is not a speck of human in him. He has grown up knowing he is at the top of the food chain. He knows that to hold his power he can never be seen as weak. There is nothing that scares Raphael except following in his archangel parents footsteps. Only madness scares him. Raphael has to make hard decisions all the time but he never shirks his duty. He is completely loyal to his seven as they are loyal to him. He is a man that inspires loyalty, confidence and obedience. I truly enjoy his character. Elena and Raphael have a rough start but as the danger increases so does the heat between Raphael and Elena.

This novel is full of action and takes you through a hunt all through New York. You meet a wide variety of new characters that over the series you come to love. Raphael and Elena take you through an emotional ringer. This series has lots of potential and there are so many places this series can go. I love Nalini Singh and this book is no exception.

Rating: