Goldilox and the Three Weres: Review: Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

Archangel's Kiss
(Guild Hunter #2)
Nalini Singh
Release: February 2, 2010
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New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her world of angelic rulers, vampiric servants, and the woman thrust into their darkly seductive world...

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel, Raphael, is used to being in control—especially when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority.

They've barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel, Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena.

Review:
Have I told you all lately how much I adore Nalini Singh's books? I love them a lot and that love continues to grow with each reread.

Archangel's Kiss starts right where Angels' Blood left off. Elena has just woken up from her year long coma to discover she is an Angel-Made, the first in living history. This second book is all about her learning to deal with this change and not just how to live with wings. She has to learn what it means to be the love of the Archangel of New York and how to live with him. It's not going to be an easy adjustment for either of them.

This latest book has several running plot threads in it. Aside from Elena learning how to strengthen herself now that she’s an immortal, albeit a baby one compared to the others, there are random attacks that look to pit the archangels against each other. I enjoyed watching Elena use her Guild Hunter skills to help Raphael and the Seven figure out who is behind these attacks. If that wasn't enough, Elena and Raphael have been invited to a ball hosted by no other than the most ancient of the current Cadre, Lijuan. There is a lot at stake now that Raphael has made an angel and there are unseen consequences of that action. I find both Elena and Raphael to be fascinating characters and I loved reading more about how they are trying to adapt to their new reality.

I think my favorite thing in this whole book is how the relationship between the Guild Hunter and her Archangel develops. I enjoyed seeing Raphael and Elena work at their relationship. And they have to work at it. They are both headstrong and stubborn and act like jerks to each other sometimes but I like that they're beginning to work things out and are on the road to relying on each other. It's not going to be easy that's for sure.

I also liked learning more about the refuge and angelkind as a whole. The worldbuilding in this series is so excellent. Not that I am at all surprised. It is a Nalini Singh book after all. I also loved learning more about Raphael's Seven. They add a whole different dynamic to the story. I still think Dmitri is a bastard but I've fallen in love with Illium. We were also introduced to Aodhan and Naasir and I can say that I'm intrigued by both of them.

Nalini Singh is totally a master of the paranormal romance genre and I can't recommend this series enough.