I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FINAL DECISION: ARCHANGEL’S LINEAGE feels like the end of an era, wrapping up major storylines while leaving the door open for potential future developments. Nalini Singh has crafted an emotionally charged and gripping tale that will leave fans of the series both satisfied and eager for more.

THE STORY: Raphael and Elena are finally experiencing a year of true peace, free from the horrors of war and archangelic power. However, their tranquility is shattered when the earth beneath the Refuge begins to tremble, endangering the fragile young of angelkind and the sanctuary that has kept them safe for eons.

Amidst the chaos, Elena’s father suffers a violent heart attack, threatening to extinguish their last chance to heal the wounds of their shared past. As Elena battles grief, Raphael is torn from her side by the sudden disappearance of an archangel. To make matters worse, an ancient Ancestor awakens from his slumber to warn the Cadre of a darkness so terrible that it causes empires to fall and civilizations to vanish.

OPINION: ARCHANGEL’S LINEAGE is a fitting return to Raphael and Elena’s story and feels like it could possibly serve as the series’ conclusion. The world is unsettled, with quakes and natural disasters plaguing the globe, and the couple must strive to protect their people and the failing natural barrier of the Aire.

Nalini Singh masterfully blends action, suspense, and character development, creating a riveting story that keeps readers engaged until the very end. The exploration of Elena’s mortality and her relationships with her human family adds depth and emotional weight to the narrative.

The introduction of new characters, such as the enigmatic Ancestor, and the emergence of a secondary story involving a former Guild character and a mysterious vampire add fresh elements to the well-established world.

This book really feels like a conclusion to the initial story of the series. In Singh’s skilled hands, the narrative ties up loose ends and provides a sense of closure for the characters and their arcs while still leaving room for potential future developments. In Singh’s Psy-Changeling series, she made a deliberate pivot to end the initial “Season” and move into new stories. This book can operate in the same way. It feels like much is resolved. If she intends to continue the series, I hope this opens new stories and characters for exploration.

WORTH MENTIONING: The book provides satisfying updates on couples from previous books, such as Titus and Lady Sharine, and offers glimpses into the lives of the growing children in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S LINEAGE is the sixteenth book in the Guild Hunters series. To fully appreciate the character development, story arcs, and satisfying wrap-ups provided in this installment, it is essential to read the previous books in the series. While ARCHANGEL’S LINEAGE offers some context, the emotional impact and the significance of the resolutions will be most keenly felt by those who have followed the series from the beginning.

STAR RATING:  I give this book a well-deserved 5 stars for its perfect blend of action, romance, and emotional depth and for the satisfying resolution it offers to the series’ fans.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

FINAL DECISION: Structured differently than other books in this series, ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION is a second chance at love story, but also the story of love that lasts through the ages.

THE STORY: A romance that is many thousands of years in the making…Before they were archangels, Alexander and Zanaya fell in love. However, the sharp edges of their relationship caused by the unwillingness of either to bend send them on a cycle of love and separation. When both sleep, only the Cascade and the threat of the Archangel of Death cause them to rise. When Zanaya is attacked and almost killed during the battle, it is uncertain whether she will again arise and, when she does, what changes have been made in her. Does she now pose a threat? Can two Archangels who have loved and hurt one another, find a way to turn away from their past and change their future?

OPINION: Completely different from other books in the series. This is the story of two people who have loved one another forever and just haven’t been able to “seal the deal” between them. The entire story was warm and loving and gave a different view of the entire series.

I loved this book because it felt perfect for these two characters. The problem they have is prioritizing their relationship. It has taken them thousands of years to realize that, and I appreciated that seeing the relationship of other couples from the series shows them the way.

Alexander has been a little pompous in the series, but here we get to see him as a young angel and how he fell in love and became who he is in the timeline of the series. Zanaya is hot-headed, a warrior, and so perfect for Alexander. I really enjoyed how these two extremely powerful archangels navigated their relationship.

Readers of the series know that archangels are naturally repelled by one another. Their power does not allow them to remain together in one place for long. Here, the complexity and subtleness of the couple’s problems integrate with the natural problems that arise from the idea of two archangels being in love.

In many ways, this book feels like a second (or second hundred) chance at love story or a book with older main characters. Yet, there was so much respect and love in this story that it also feels fresh and new for the series. The conflict here is about the hero and heroine committing to one another finally after realizing that life is fragile — even for archangels who live tens of thousands of years.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book fills in a lot of information from throughout the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION is the fifteenth book in the Guild Hunters series. This series is better read in order, although this book is one that can be read on its own. Although a new reader will miss some of the depth in the appearances of characters from the series, plenty of context is given here to understand everything a reader needs to know.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

FINAL DECISION: The book has a lot of interesting information about both Aodhan and Illium, and the two of them certainly love one another, but I didn’t buy the romantic relationship between the two. The problem for me is that the two don’t have enough tension between them to drive a romance story and the “plot story” here wasn’t compelling either. No Guild Hunter book is bad, this one is okay but disappointing.

THE STORY: Since they were children, Illium and Aodhan have been inseparable. They have been the closest of friends. Recently, however, Aodhan has struggled against Illium’s protectiveness of him. At times it feels like their friendship has broken forever. The two haven’t spoken for some time when they are asked to serve in China helping the new archangel who has taken over the territory since the ending of the evil archangel who had long ruled the area. But all is not right and Illium and Aodhen must determine what is wrong — not only in China but also with their relationship.

OPINION: I really wanted to like this one because I am a big fan of the Guild Hunter series. But the romance here (what there was of it) just didn’t work for me. Singh told readers that Illium and Aodhen were not romantically involved for quite a while, but there was pressure from certain fans to get the two together. Singh caved, and whether because her heart wasn’t in it or because of her own limitations writing m/m stories, this relationship just didn’t work for me. There is no sex in this book, and Illium and Aodhen don’t seem emotionally engaged at all with one another. The book lacks emotional tension and the plot was pretty banal. I enjoyed reading about some of the missing pieces in the history of these two, but otherwise, this book is merely okay.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is told in varying time periods (present and the past) to inform readers about events, emotions, and thoughts of what happened before.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S LIGHT is the fourteenth book in the Guild Hunter series. This book should be read as part of the series. The complexity of the story really requires a reader to know a great deal of background.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FINAL DECISION: This was definitely not a pairing that I expected, but it worked so well. Titus is sweeter than I expected with him playing the long-suffering brother of four sisters. Sharine is a woman who is finding herself with a vengeance, reconciling her past, and showing the strength that she lacked in the past. Loved these two and enjoyed being reoriented to the aftermath of the archangelic war.

THE STORY: In the aftermath of the archangelic war from the last book, the new version of the reborn continues to threaten the continent of Africa. Titus is a powerful archangel, but he cannot stop the scourge alone. Instead of the warrior help he thinks he needs, he is sent the Hummingbird, an unworldly angel known as a great artist. Sharine has only begun to find herself after emerging from her broken mental state. The two must join forces to prevent the reborn from overtaking the world.

OPINION: This book is a lovely mature story with characters who have led full lives. That gives this book depth and interest. This book had the feeling of a woman’s journey. It is Sharine who is the focus here. She is finding herself after being the beloved Hummingbird who is vague and not of the world because her mind was broken. Here, she is rediscovering herself, dealing with the heartaches of her past, and building a new life and purpose for herself.

Titus is an archangel who has enjoyed life and then is quickly devastated by an angel he did not expect. Titus is amazingly loyal and strong, but there is an incredible sweetness to his relationship with Sharine. These two have strength and I enjoyed their interaction.

The aftermath of the war is not a pleasant place, but this book has more hope and comfort than I expected. Indeed, while there are still bad secrets, this book feels much lighter after all the death and destruction in the prior two books.

I also enjoyed that his book marks a change in the series as we get a whole new cast of characters whose stories can be told in future books. That bodes well for the series continuing.

WORTH MENTIONING: Raphael and the Seven are not main characters here, they only make small appearances.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S SUN is the thirteenth book in the Guild Hunter series. The romance here is self-contained, however, the world and the characters assume familiarity with the other books in the series. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley which was used to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

FINAL DECISION: Fabulous book that was with action and heart from the first page to the last. Singh just gets better and better. Highly recommend!

THE STORY: Beginning immediately after the events of ARCHANGEL’S PROPHECY, this book reveals what has happened to Elena and Raphael after they attempted to defy fate in making Elena a blank vessel for Raphael’s power.

OPINION: This is a book where it is infinitely better to stop reading reviews and just get to the book.

Just about everything that can be said is a spoiler, so my comments will remain general.

I loved the scope, the action, the romance, the heart of this book. It fulfills all the promise of the prior book. It is a long book, but it never drags and I can’t imagine any moment, any scene, any character that could have been excised. I loved every moment and immediately went back to re-read whole sections.

Singh is a master of these complicated multi-character worlds and this book brings the entire scope of the series to New York. The threads of the story are multifaceted and it manages to be amazingly fulfilling to those who have committed to the series. Singh knows her characters inside and out and each one sparkles on the page.

This book had high stakes and it was better than I could have wished.

This book was the best new book I have read this year. It was such a great reading experience, I can’t imagine that any other book will be able to top it.

WORTH MENTIONING: I wish these books were available in hardcover.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S WAR is the twelfth book in the Guild Hunter series. This series should be read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

“One must die for one to live.”

FINAL DECISION: Fantastic book which turns everything upside down. Dramatic and powerful, this book is a game changer in the Guild Hunter series, and left me screaming at the end for the year’s delay before finding out what happens next, but I believe this could be one of the most amazing books in the series because it challenges the reader rather than keeping to a formula.

THE STORY: Elena is the only mortal in memory to have been made into an immortal angel by the ambrosia kiss of Raphael, the Archangel. But something seems be going wrong. Elena is regressing and becoming more mortal. Raphael and Elena are in a race against time to discover what is happening. At the same time, Elena is tracking a murderer who is threatening her family. Even worse, the Cascade is at work again with sinkholes filled with Lava and flocks of mysterious birds approaching Elena.

OPINION: Eleven books in and a series can become predictable and stale. Singh tosses all the rules away with this ending of this book. Some readers might be upset by the cliffhanger ending and by what it portends, but it worked in ways that I didn’t expect when I first finished it. I ended up re-reading the last quarter twice and I loved it more each time. The last quarter of this book was intensely dramatic and powerful.

This book is an interesting mixture of an big and important Cascade story and a more mundane murder investigation. This book allows readers to see all of Elena — the mortal and immortal parts — and things begin to change in big ways. I was happy to get to see several of the secondary characters in this series, but this is very much an Elena-centric book. This is about her journey.

Things in the series seemed to be going on an expected path and I thought I knew what was going to happen. This book upset all those expectations and thus brought confusion and anger and quite a bit of disorientation by the end. But ultimately that is why I ended up loving it.  This book asks a lot from the reader and I, too, had to sacrifice predictability and security along with the characters.

Elena and Raphael are not characters who will be bound by fate and prophecy. They make their own path — even when that path is unclear and uncertain. I’m just along for the ride now.

This is the only book since the first book in the series where I have no idea what is going to happen next. There is something wonderfully creative and fascinating about being in this place of uncertainty.

I also need to re-read it in total as soon as I finish this review.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book ends on a cliffhanger.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S PROPHECY is the eleventh book in the Guild Hunter series. This series is meant to be read in order. While each book is an episode, there are significant overarching storylines in this series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“They let you drive now?” he said in a wondering tone of voice calibrated to get under her skin. “I leave for a couple of years and miss kitty’s first steps. Did anyone take photos for the baby album I sent you?”

“It’s full of pretty pictures.” Holly bared her teeth at him in a caricature of a smile. “Honor is a little concerned about how I keep drawing you with your head cut off,” she said in a deliberately thoughtful tone, “but an artist must follow her instincts.”

FINAL DECISION: Awesome, I loved this book in a way I never expected. Feeling fresh and young and yes, even a little weird, this book’s tone matched the strange, unique, and fun that make up Holly and Venom.

THE STORY: Four years ago, Holly Chang’s world was fundamentally altered when she and her friends were kidnapped by a blood mad archangel. Her friends were all murdered; Holly survived but ended up changed when the archangel put “something” of himself into Holly. She gained some qualities of vampires but she is neither fully vampire nor human. In the years since her abduction, Holly has been under the observation by various members of Raphael’s Seven.  Now the one who irks Holly the most, Venom, has returned to annoy her some more. Venom is a unique vampire who also possesses viper qualities and eyes. While Venom and Holly have much in common as to their abilities, they seem to rub one another the wrong way — until someone puts a bounty on Holly to kidnap her and the “otherness” inside her seems to be asserting itself. Venom and Holly must work together to discover what actually happened to Holly four years ago.

OPINION: The problem with loving a series is that sometimes a new book doesn’t live up to the hype and excitement. Having just completed a re-read of the Guild Hunter series, I had a worry in my stomach that I was too excited about Venom and Holly’s story (which has its origins in the very first book). I’m so happy to report that this book exceeded all of my excited anticipation. It was so different in its voice and tone and the characters lived up to the strange and mysterious origins. Their funky, weird and quirky natures bored into my heart (ha, ha) and they are definitely one of my favorite couples in the series.

Can I admit something? I often tend to take glances at the end of books as I get distracted during the story. (It’s a way of urging myself forward). This book I read cover to cover without even being tempted to read the ending. If you have similar tendencies or like to read spoilers, I urge you to let this book flow out in front of you instead. The story and relationship builds in such a wonderful fashion that I think that knowing the secrets in the ending will diminish the first-time reader experience.

Story feels young and fresh in a manner that I didn’t expect. One of my all time favorite books is FIRE AND ICE by Anne Stuart. This book has a similar feel in the characters and pacing (although there is really little similarity). The characters are younger than others in the series.

Although Venom is over 350 years old, he is the youngest of the Seven and the one character who has been the most mysterious in the series. This book peels back his layers and gives us his backstory.  He’s got a secret (not a deep dark one but an interesting one) that makes him adorable and perfect for Holly. Sexy and raw in a way that no one else in the Seven is, he has a different personality than I expected once his “gameface” is off.

Holly (who for a time called herself Sorrow) is quirky and funny and incredibly strong. We haven’t seen her progression for a while, and it was especially satisfying to see how she has grown and struggled and managed to reinvent herself after the horror of her “Making”. (I’ll also confess to having a total love for Dmitri and Honor and just adored seeing them with Holly). Holly makes this book for me. Her needling of Venom as the two find the rhythm of a relationship between them. Her strength in facing the reality of what her “making” might actually mean. And her determination to keep true to herself and her humanity put me on her side from the start. Of all the characters in this series, she was the only one from the present day who was 100 percent human and normal until she was forcibly dragged into the immortal world.

The funniest part for me is that I expected the quips and arguments and the humor, but I didn’t expect how heartwarming I would find their relationship. The observation that these two will grow together hit me with so many warm fuzzies. Their story is one of acceptance and appreciation and love for a person “because” of who they are rather than “despite”.

The story is more focused on Holly and Venom than in normal in this series (in many ways this book and ARCHANGEL’S HEART are part of the same story) and as a result, I was simply gutted as the book reached its conclusion as no part of this series has since the very first book.  The romance between these two is uniquely their own. The two seem to find joy in annoying one another, testing one another. There is a similarity to the relationship between Ash and Janvier, but this is no repeat of that romance. Venom and Holly have an acidic sweetness that matches their natures.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book overlaps with the events in ARCHANGEL’S HEART.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is the tenth book in the Guild Hunter series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“He was hers. She was his. And together, they were something far better than either one of them was alone.”

FINAL DECISION:  Goes deeper into Elena’s background in unexpected ways.  This book is a tightly drawn suspense story, political thriller and a very human story about surviving and rising above the past.  Plus, there is a very settled and sexy couple: Elena and Raphael.

THE STORY: This book continues the focus on guild hunter turned angel Elena and her archangel lover Raphael.  Things have been quiet since the disappearance of Lijuan, the Archangel of China (who also happens to be crazy dangerous).  A year has passed and because no one knows whether she lives or has withdrawn from the world and is sleeping, there is uncertainty.  An ancient order of angels called the Luminata calls the Cadre together to make a determination of what to do with Lijuan’s territory.

Attending the Luminata requires Raphael and Elena to travel near the place of her grandmother’s birth.  There, Raphael and Elena must deal with dangerous archangels, mysterious threats, strange events surrounding the Luminata. Elena also hopes to find out more about her past and that of her family.

OPINION: The Guild Hunter series returns to focus on Elena and Raphael.  I have to admit that I love the Elena and Raphael books most in the series.  This book, thankfully, doesn’t involve problems in the relationship between Elena and Raphael (that remains increasingly strong) but rather Elena’s own history.

This book continues the overarching series story regarding the Cascade, Lijuan and the possible end of the world.  While this book doesn’t have a romance as its organizing feature, it doesn’t need one.  This book delves into the adventure and politics of the Guild Hunter world — but reserves its emotional core for Elena’s discovery of her own family’s past.

There is a dark suspense story involving the Illuminata who are a mysterious addition to the series.  Elena ends up investigating what is going on with this mysterious group and their connection with her own family.  That story keeps the pace of this book quick and the pages turning.

While the suspense story keeps the books hopping, the theme explored in this book is about how the past makes us who we are and how one can overcome the pain of the past to go forward.  Multiple characters in the book have to deal with their past — the question is how will they respond.  This is most present in Aodhan who is recovering himself after years of separating himself from those he loves.  The events in this book challenge his recovery and he must make a choice.  The series has been an increasing interaction between those of Raphael’s world and Elena.  In this book, we see the developing relationship between Elena and Aodhan, which has its own contours.

Singh goes deep into the emotions of her characters and even as the events feel dark and dangerous, her characters possess a lightness and beauty that gives the book heart.  I always love reading Singh’s books because even when things seem bad for her characters, they maintain a likeability and a lightness of spirit that overcomes all the darkness.

The events of this series appear to be approaching a crescendo and this book provides a little breather that allows the exploration of character and relationships.  Elena finds out the truth about her mother’s family which has been shrouded in mystery.  I’m glad I didn’t know where this book was going because I enjoyed the resolution which provided a happy ending in an unexpected arena.

Without giving away the secrets of this book, I can say that this book is about survival and overcoming darkness.  So many characters express this theme and it leaves such a good feeling that I dread that more darkness is on the horizon for these characters.

For fans of the series, this book gives more background on the characters you love and gets everyone in the right place for the next stage in this series.  There are no new romances but much happens in this book that illuminates where the characters are now and where they have come from.

WORTH MENTIONING:  We learn more about Aodhan.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ARCHANGEL’S HEART is the ninth book in the Guild Hunter series.  This series builds upon each of the prior books in the series and thus should be read in order.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.