Goldilox and the Three Weres: Review: Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Rose Red is currently preparing for the release of the next Guild Hunter book, Archangel's Heart. She's so excited that she's going to be rereading the entire series and reviewing each book that we haven't reviewed on the blog yet. So be watching between now and the first of November for her reviews.

Angels' Blood
(Guild Hunter #1)
Nalini Singh
Release: March 3, 2009
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Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best- but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option—even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break.

Review:

I should know better than to start a Nalini Singh book, even a reread, before bed but I did it any way. Angels' Blood reads like a cross between a paranormal romance and urban fantasy. It perfectly blends romance into a world where angels and archangels rule over humans and vampires who walk the streets. I've read very few angel books that I had liked before this one and it makes me want to go back and give those other angel books a chance.

The angels in this series are not the heavenly hosts or fallen angels we've come to expect but immortal beings with wings who have very human emotions and foibles. Some of the angels and archangels are downright scary and unlikeable. It made the whole angel thing new and refreshing. I also loved Nalini Singh's unique take on vampires. As I said, it's a very refreshing book supernatural wise.

Elena Deveraux is one of the best hunters around, if ever, and this brings her to the attention of the archangels who rule over the populace. Normally as a guild hunter, her job is track down vampires and bring them back to their angelic masters but the Cadre has a specific job for her which could be the death of her. This job brings her into contact with the Archangel of New York, Raphael, who is a scary powerful and ruthless leader.

I loved Elena! She's kind of a badass being a born hunter but I loved her grit and moxie that comes from her being her and not her ability. I also adored the small glimpse we got at her eccentric circle of friends from the Guild and I hope we see more and more of them as the series progresses! They are all so fascinating!

I'll be honest. When I first read this book, it took me a bit (aka most of the book) to warm up to Raphael but by the end my feelings towards him were somewhere between like and love. The second time around, I like him more but he's still kind of a bastard in this book. I'll confess that I was more interested in his Seven than him the first time around. I'm still just as fascinated with them as Elena's Hunter friends. I will confess that it takes several more books after this one to get me to warm up to Dmitri and Venom.

This book was amazing and it's a great introduction to this world. It left me wanting to know what happens next and to learn everything I can about this world and the characters! I highly recommend picking it up if you've read Singh's Psy-Changeling series or are looking for a different kind of paranormal romance book. I promise it won't disappoint!

Recommended for fans of:
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan