Review

What I adore about the Guild Hunter Series is that unlike many other paranormal series, Singh continually returns to her original couple, Raphael and Elena. In many ways, rather than being romance driven, Singh’s series is plot driven, which in turns deepens the relationships. In this installment vampires are suddenly becoming diseased, the Hudson river is running with blood and angels are falling from the sky; Raphael, Elena and his Seven have to find a way to defend their territory whilst battling unknown forces. This makes the plot varied, engaging and never stagnant, something that can often happen when writing about the same characters over a series of novels.

Personally, I find the books on Elena and Raphael more engaging as Singh includes further supporting characters, in ‘Archangels Legion’ the narrative includes Aodhan and the start of his growth, Dimitri and Honor, as well as Elena’s relationship with her family. In the books about other couples, Singh tends to focus purely on the main couple and the plot that drives them together. As a consequence, my personal view is that the collective narratives with Elena and Raphael at the center tend to be richer and more emotional.

I would say that this is one of, if not the most tense of the Guild Hunter Series so far. You have a full on battle, injuries, tension and an emotional aspect that I wasn’t quite expecting. I love how Elena is developing as a character without losing her independence and core of strength. The introduction of Izak, or Izzy as Elena calls him is another great touch. Singh is a skilled writer who is building this complex and detailed universe with an array of characters, yet I never feel lost or confused. I would say that it is best to read this books in order, otherwise you could get quite lost.

My one niggle is that I would like to see Singh take more risks with her characters. Although, saying that, I would be devastated if any died. Injured, emotionally wounded or even maimed – I can handle all of those things, but an actual lights out, never to be seen again death, I don’t know. Yet, a part of me is craving an emotional roller coaster from Singh. Just don’t hurt Bluebelle!

As an avid reader of paranormal romance, Singh has quickly become one of my favourite authors, with her Guild Hunter Series being my current obsession. I have never felt that she has become formulaic or repetitive with her characters or plot, something that I have found with many authors of the genre. I really cannot recommend this series enough!

Extract

Elena watched the ducks peck at each other in the pond in Central Park and thought about the last time she’d been here. She’d sat on this very bench, musing on the fact that even the ducks couldn’t be nonviolent as her mind fought frantically to find a way out of the mess in which she’d found herself—a mess that had seen her tracking a mad archangel for another immortal as lethal.

Shimmering white-gold over her vision as she lifted her eyes to the sky, an echo of that fateful day. “Hello, Archangel.”

Raphael folded away his wings, his eyes on the ducks. “Why do you find them so fascinating?”

“I don’t. I just like this spot.” Her own wings uncomfortably squashed against the seat built for humans and vampires, she rose to her feet. “Though I think you need to sponsor a new bench over there.” She pointed to a beautiful spot across the way; it’d be shaded by the delicate green leaves of a flowering cherry tree in summer, the soft pink blooms in spring. Right now, with winter’s kiss in the air, the tree was all bone, stark against the evergreens.

“It will be done,” Raphael said with a cool arrogance that made her want to drag him back to bed. “You realize you’re capable of sponsoring many such benches?”

Elena blinked as she always did when she remembered she was rolling in it. 

“Damn”—she whistled—“I need to start thinking like a rich chick.”

“I will be most amused to watch this transformation.”

Narrowing her eyes, she said, “Just you wait. Before you know it, I’ll be one of the angels who lunch.”

He laughed, her dangerous lover who wore his strength as a second skin and had a face of such violent masculine beauty that she was stunned anew each time she realized he belonged to her.

“I’m afraid,” he said after the laughter faded, “I have some news that may regretfully turn your attention in another direction.”

Put on guard by his tone, she ignored the people in the distance whose mouths had dropped open at the sight of Raphael’s amusement, the Archangel of New York not known for laughter. “What is it?”

“I have two pieces of . . . interesting news.”

Elena’s stomach dropped. “Lijuan?” According to Raphael’s spymaster, the batshit old archangel was creating reborn again, if only in small numbers. Lijuan called it giving “life,” but her walking dead servants were nightmares, a plague upon the world—and the worst thing was, many of them knew it, their eyes screaming for help even as their bodies shuffled to follow the commands of their mistress.

“She’s not—”

Raphael shook his head before she could complete her question, the black silk of his hair rich and dark. “My mother,” he said, “has invited us to a ball.”

Elena pulled a blade from one of the butter-soft forearm sheaths that had been a gift from Raphael. “Excuse me while I stab myself in the eyes—and disembowel myself while I’m at it.” The last time Elena had attended an immortal ball, she’d ended up bathing in the blood of the reborn while Beijing burned around her. And oh yeah, let’s not forget smashing to the  earth after being ripped out of the sky.