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Samaria
Angels of Darkness
Tales of alpha angels...from four alpha authors.
They soar through the night, unearthly creatures of legends and lore. Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance explore the rapture of the heavens above, and the darkness below in four all-new stories of angels and guardians, and good and evil.
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh — In the spellbinding universe of the Guild Hunters, a vampire becomes obsessed with the seductive angel who rules the Louisiana territory. But in her court, all is not what it appears to be.
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews — A woman is kidnapped into a world divided by a superhuman civil war. As the captive of an irresistibly dangerous male, she has two choices: submit and become a pawn, or take hold of her own destiny.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn — Accepting a position in a secluded and whispered-about mansion, a woman soon discovers the source of its mystery: the blind, tormented angel who lives there, and whose secrets could now destroy them both.
Ascension by Meljean Brook — When vampires disappear from a community he's protecting, a world-weary Guardian doesn't know what evil he's hunting, but he'd rather hunt alone than accept help from his ex-lover and fellow Guardian, Radha. But Radha refuses to leave him, because she's determined not just to help him save the community...but to save him.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2011
350 people are currently reading
8088 people want to read
About the author
Ilona Andrews
145 books33.3k followersIlona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 579 reviews
October 12, 2011
I liked the story we did, but to be honest I also feel like we had to compromise to get it accepted. Ilona, do not read past this point. I don't mean that in a "oh poor me, I am an artist and I had to compromise my artistic integrity, to get my novel published." Ok, well maybe a little, even commercial hacks get the blues. When we came up with alphas, we wanted it to be sick and twisted, dark and mostly devoid of humor. Really, we sometimes like to write stuff that is not as funny or fantasy-ish? Can I say that, anyway. So the plan was to make it into a series of it's own, published maybe as e-books. We made the decision to include the story in the anthology based on the promise that it would be accepted as is, warts and all. Then we then had to make it less dark and more romancy. I felt a little duped. It is an ok story, but truth be told, the best story in the whole book is Meljean's Guardian story. I am going to step carefully off of my soapbox and go back to whatever it is I do. Move along nothing to see here.
February 10, 2020
① Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh: DNFed the hell out of this one. 1 star.
② Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews: 3.5 stars
③ Nocturne by Sharon Shinn: 3 stars
④ Ascension by Meljean Brook: 1 star. (Because I'm in a good mood today.)
↪ Overall rating: 2 glorious stars
① Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh: ★
►DNFing is underrated. Especially when it comes to PNR.
② Aphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews : ★★★½
► Problem: you're in a shitty mood. You're in a book slump. You don't know what to read. Every single book you pick up, you lose interest in. You don't even feel like reading anymore
► Solution: you read anything by Ilona Andrews (a story is usually best but cereal box blurb works, too).
►► And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get your reading mojo back!
Now. I definitely would have given this story 4+ stars had it been less PNR-ish. But as recenttraumatic experiences have proved, PNR and me were not meant to live happily ever after. The beginning of Alphas: Origins is tropey as hell. So much so that I checked whether I was actually reading the Ilona Andrews piece and not one of the other stories in this anthology. I mean, the heroine is more or less forced to agree to be kidnapped and be used as [BEEP] for some freaky beast. Yes, [BEEP]. Don't know what it is? That's great, you're not supposed to! Because that's me being kind and thoughtful and not telling you what she's going to be used as. You're welcome.
Anyway, we get the whole "my abductor/jailer/whatever is an enraged/scary/vicious/dangerous beast and I hate him but he's kinda hot and he can be kind sometimes but no-no-no I shouldn't think along these lines, he is only using me and could kill me in the blink of the eye blah blah blah" bullshit. But you know why this story worked for me? Because Ilona Andrews. What can I say? These two can work miracles. About halfway through this story goes from PNR trope heaven to awesome world building and kickass action paradise.
Yes, it turns out this story is pretty cool after all. Karina, the heroine, is your typical IA badass, albeit in a sheep's clothing at first. Lucas, the hero, was a bit too stereotypical for my taste but he grew on me as the story progressed. Was it because I kept thinking "Curran" whenever I read "Lucas"? Hmmm, that might have had something to do with it. Might. But I digress. What's really cool about this story is the world: very original, complex, with giganormous potential. Weird powers! Weird creatures! Weird [BEEP]! Weird everything! It might be fantasy…or it might not. What might it be then? Hahaha, wouldn't you love to know?! Well I'm afraid you're going to have to read the story to find out. Time to throw another muhahahahahaha in. Damn, how I love doing that.
►► And the moral of this story is: this shouldn't be so short!! This should be a full-length novel!! This should be a series!! I want to know more about this world! The Andrews better get to it the minute they finish writing the last Kate Daniels instalment. I might retaliate if they don't.
③ Nocturne by Sharon Shinn : ★★★
Oh man, I almost gave 4 stars to a freaking Fantasy ROMANCE involving freaking ANGELS. What the hell is wrong with me??!! That's it, I must have reached the final stages of alcohol psychosis. Either that or the end of the world is near.
Thank C-3PO the ending was way too HEA and fluffy bunnies for me, which means I regained sanity before doing the unthinkable. What makes this OMG-I-almost-rated-this-4-stars episode even scarier is that there isn't a lot going on in this short story. Little action, lots of blah blah blah blah. But I still liked it *gasps* It was a nice story *shudders*
I really liked Moriah's character and actually wouldn't mind reading her backstory. The angel…Well for a start, he's a freaking angel which works against him. I mean, apart from S.M. Reine's deliciously nasty angels, they're all a bunch of sissies. And Corban here, with his constant wallowing in self-pity, is no exception. He'd still be there, brooding and miserable, had Moriah not bugged him to death with her delightfully irritating ways.
My 3-star ratings are usually the meh kind but this one was surprisingly enjoyable. Not that it makes me want to read Shinn's Samaria series, though. Because: 1/I haven't completely lost it yet and 2/Have you seen those covers? They're probably some of the scariest I've ever seen.
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④ Ascension by Meljean Brook : ★
► Badly written PNR crap. No thank you.
► I actually read this one to the very last page. So I'm patting myself on the back AND giving myself an award. Go me.
② Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews: 3.5 stars
③ Nocturne by Sharon Shinn: 3 stars
④ Ascension by Meljean Brook: 1 star. (Because I'm in a good mood today.)
↪ Overall rating: 2 glorious stars
① Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh: ★
►DNFing is underrated. Especially when it comes to PNR.
② Aphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews : ★★★½
► Problem: you're in a shitty mood. You're in a book slump. You don't know what to read. Every single book you pick up, you lose interest in. You don't even feel like reading anymore
► Solution: you read anything by Ilona Andrews (a story is usually best but cereal box blurb works, too).
►► And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get your reading mojo back!
Now. I definitely would have given this story 4+ stars had it been less PNR-ish. But as recent
Anyway, we get the whole "my abductor/jailer/whatever is an enraged/scary/vicious/dangerous beast and I hate him but he's kinda hot and he can be kind sometimes but no-no-no I shouldn't think along these lines, he is only using me and could kill me in the blink of the eye blah blah blah" bullshit. But you know why this story worked for me? Because Ilona Andrews. What can I say? These two can work miracles. About halfway through this story goes from PNR trope heaven to awesome world building and kickass action paradise.
Yes, it turns out this story is pretty cool after all. Karina, the heroine, is your typical IA badass, albeit in a sheep's clothing at first. Lucas, the hero, was a bit too stereotypical for my taste but he grew on me as the story progressed. Was it because I kept thinking "Curran" whenever I read "Lucas"? Hmmm, that might have had something to do with it. Might. But I digress. What's really cool about this story is the world: very original, complex, with giganormous potential. Weird powers! Weird creatures! Weird [BEEP]! Weird everything! It might be fantasy…or it might not. What might it be then? Hahaha, wouldn't you love to know?! Well I'm afraid you're going to have to read the story to find out. Time to throw another muhahahahahaha in. Damn, how I love doing that.
►► And the moral of this story is: this shouldn't be so short!! This should be a full-length novel!! This should be a series!! I want to know more about this world! The Andrews better get to it the minute they finish writing the last Kate Daniels instalment. I might retaliate if they don't.
③ Nocturne by Sharon Shinn : ★★★
Oh man, I almost gave 4 stars to a freaking Fantasy ROMANCE involving freaking ANGELS. What the hell is wrong with me??!! That's it, I must have reached the final stages of alcohol psychosis. Either that or the end of the world is near.
Thank C-3PO the ending was way too HEA and fluffy bunnies for me, which means I regained sanity before doing the unthinkable. What makes this OMG-I-almost-rated-this-4-stars episode even scarier is that there isn't a lot going on in this short story. Little action, lots of blah blah blah blah. But I still liked it *gasps* It was a nice story *shudders*
I really liked Moriah's character and actually wouldn't mind reading her backstory. The angel…Well for a start, he's a freaking angel which works against him. I mean, apart from S.M. Reine's deliciously nasty angels, they're all a bunch of sissies. And Corban here, with his constant wallowing in self-pity, is no exception. He'd still be there, brooding and miserable, had Moriah not bugged him to death with her delightfully irritating ways.
My 3-star ratings are usually the meh kind but this one was surprisingly enjoyable. Not that it makes me want to read Shinn's Samaria series, though. Because: 1/I haven't completely lost it yet and 2/Have you seen those covers? They're probably some of the scariest I've ever seen.
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④ Ascension by Meljean Brook : ★
► Badly written PNR crap. No thank you.
► I actually read this one to the very last page. So I'm patting myself on the back AND giving myself an award. Go me.
January 19, 2023
3.5 stars?
I just can't envisage how huge wings don't totally get in the way during sex.....
I just can't envisage how huge wings don't totally get in the way during sex.....
October 9, 2023
Angel's wolf
It's not you, it's me. Or maybe it is you.
Alphas: Origins
3.5 stars
The Andrews' never seem to fail to surprise me with their wonderful pallet of magical creatures. So the question is: why did I give this book just 3.5 stars?
"I can disconnect your brain from the rest of you and starve it of oxygen until you become a vegetable. My subspecies isn’t called Memory Wiper. It’s called Mind Bender.”
Part of the reason is that I liked the side characters (Arthur, Henry, Cedric the dog/bear) more than the main ones. Their magical identities and personalities were much more interesting.
She paused. “Henry, why in the world would anyone not trust you?” Of the four men she’d met so far, Henry seemed the least insane.
He smiled, apologetic, almost vulnerable, and leaned closer. “I can make you forget we ever had this conversation. I can make you forget about Lucas, about the motel, and, if I strain a little, you won’t remember you ever had a daughter.”
The MC and her daughter were pretty realistic. I didn't get attached to them from the get-go, but they both grew on me throughout the story. I even grew to tolerate Lucas, who I wasn't very fond of until about 2/3 into the book, and overall he was decent.
The plot was interesting but sometimes a bit vague and slow - in the first half. The ending, on the other hand, was so amazing and well-executed (plus the unraveling of the MCs' pasts). I would love to read a whole series set in this world.
"And their job is easier: it’s much simpler to destroy something than to protect it."
This story also had one of the most unique and complex fictional world ideas I've seen in a while; (SPOILER) dimensional rifts, the idea that humans were created by an alien existance, mutations to find the best-suited creatures for Earth, planets themselves as islands for inhabiting, mythology based on other variants not as compatible, etc. (END SPOILER)
Do I recommend it? It depends on how you feel about waiting most of the book, even being bored at times, for everything to unravel in an astounding finale. I sure am glad I was patient.
“Let’s wait for Lucas,” Henry said.
“Fuck Lucas.”
Karina looked at Daniel. Henry sighed. Daniel looked back at them, glanced at Emily, and shrugged. “They don’t like it that I swear. Do you mind if I swear?”
Emily shook her head.
"See, she doesn’t mind.”
Nocturne
4.25 stars
The second page-turner I read in one sitting. Yay. And here I thought I wasn't one for whiny, melancholy immortals.
Nocturne was quite different from the other stories. It didn't have much worldbuilding and plot, rather focusing on the relationship between a blind, brooding attic-dweller and a witty woman running from her past. Both were scarred in the past and never truly recovered from it. Now they can have banter and fall for each other, though. (Spoiler ahead) And I liked the ending with the angelo crying in front of her.
Ascension
It's not you, it's me. Or maybe it is you.
Alphas: Origins
3.5 stars
The Andrews' never seem to fail to surprise me with their wonderful pallet of magical creatures. So the question is: why did I give this book just 3.5 stars?
"I can disconnect your brain from the rest of you and starve it of oxygen until you become a vegetable. My subspecies isn’t called Memory Wiper. It’s called Mind Bender.”
Part of the reason is that I liked the side characters (Arthur, Henry, Cedric the dog/bear) more than the main ones. Their magical identities and personalities were much more interesting.
She paused. “Henry, why in the world would anyone not trust you?” Of the four men she’d met so far, Henry seemed the least insane.
He smiled, apologetic, almost vulnerable, and leaned closer. “I can make you forget we ever had this conversation. I can make you forget about Lucas, about the motel, and, if I strain a little, you won’t remember you ever had a daughter.”
The MC and her daughter were pretty realistic. I didn't get attached to them from the get-go, but they both grew on me throughout the story. I even grew to tolerate Lucas, who I wasn't very fond of until about 2/3 into the book, and overall he was decent.
The plot was interesting but sometimes a bit vague and slow - in the first half. The ending, on the other hand, was so amazing and well-executed (plus the unraveling of the MCs' pasts). I would love to read a whole series set in this world.
"And their job is easier: it’s much simpler to destroy something than to protect it."
This story also had one of the most unique and complex fictional world ideas I've seen in a while; (SPOILER) dimensional rifts, the idea that humans were created by an alien existance, mutations to find the best-suited creatures for Earth, planets themselves as islands for inhabiting, mythology based on other variants not as compatible, etc. (END SPOILER)
Do I recommend it? It depends on how you feel about waiting most of the book, even being bored at times, for everything to unravel in an astounding finale. I sure am glad I was patient.
“Let’s wait for Lucas,” Henry said.
“Fuck Lucas.”
Karina looked at Daniel. Henry sighed. Daniel looked back at them, glanced at Emily, and shrugged. “They don’t like it that I swear. Do you mind if I swear?”
Emily shook her head.
"See, she doesn’t mind.”
Nocturne
4.25 stars
The second page-turner I read in one sitting. Yay. And here I thought I wasn't one for whiny, melancholy immortals.
Nocturne was quite different from the other stories. It didn't have much worldbuilding and plot, rather focusing on the relationship between a blind, brooding attic-dweller and a witty woman running from her past. Both were scarred in the past and never truly recovered from it. Now they can have banter and fall for each other, though. (Spoiler ahead) And I liked the ending with the angelo crying in front of her.
Ascension
February 20, 2015
I was so excited about this anthology that I instantly dropped everything else I was reading the moment it appeared on my Kindle - these authors are among my very favorites. I was pretty hyped for this, which might have worked a bit against me, I enjoyed the four stories, three of which are connected the authors' series, but I was surprised that with so many of my top favorite authors, the new to me Sharon Shinn's story was my favorite. The stories in Angels of Darkness weren't super romancey even though there were romances in each story, but the personal aspect of the relationships was more the focus. FYI, the Andrew's story is the only one that didn't have an angel in the lead, just two brief references to 'angels'.
Here's just a quick bit about the stories in the order I read them....
Singh's Angel's Wolf - Noel, the vampire who was brutalized in an earlier Guild Hunter book and who is healed in body but still not recovered emotionally from his ordeal, is sent away from Raphael's Tower to guard the deceptively fragile looking Nimra whose territory is New Orleans - but Noel knows that no angel rises to power by being weak. - Singh does a really good job of developing the characters and the relationship in this short - though the romance aspect of the relationship doesn't have the tension filled build up of some of Singh's other stories. I really liked both of the leads and it was nice for a change that the power imbalance between angel and vampire isn't so great as the immortal/human pairings in the other Guild Hunter books. My only nit, and it didn't stop me from enjoying the story - and probably wouldn't have struck me the same way if I hadn't recently read Archangel's Blade - was that I am now really ready for another Guild Hunter story where one (or both) of the leads hasn't been savaged to the extreme in the past. (I liked it)
Sharon Shin's Nocturne - A despondent blind angel is brought back to life by a woman who is no fan of angels. - This story ended up being really sweet, and the relationship is really well built as both of the leads come to trust each other and learn to move beyond the past that has limited their lives. The love scenes are left mostly to the readers imagination but the thought of the heroine being enveloped in the angel's wings adds fuel to fire that imagination. I haven't read anything by Shinn before, but recognized that this story is set in the world of her angel series, but this actually turned out to be my favorites story. (I really liked it)
MelJean Brook's Ascension - Concerned for her former friend, Radha drops in on fellow Guardian Marc who is on the hunt for what Marc suspects is a Demon 'poisoning' the minds of humans in his territory and though Radha is the mistress of illusion, after 140 years, it may be time clear up the misunderstanding that ended their friendship - I am a huge fan of the Guardians, which is up to book seven and only one more story away from being complete. For newbies Brook has tried really hard in this story to catch new readers up on the whole Guardian mythos, fans who have just finished up Demon Marked - which had also had a pretty thorough recap and a lot more space to weave it in - probably won't appreciate this as much as fans who need to come back up to speed in preparation for Michael's book. (It was ok)
Ilona Andrews' Alphas: Origins - An unfortunate pit stop, changes a field trip mom's life forever. Now her survival and that of her daughter depends on her bond to the frightening, Lucas, who is part man and part beast. I think that this is a prequel for a new series from the Andrews, and the world is a fusion of paranormal and sci-fi. I always enjoy stories like this in which a 'weak' heroine discovers her strength and also finds the hidden vulnerability in the man who is nearly a beast, and I am sucker for a hero who appealingly leashes his primal nature in order to give his heroine a choice. I would have like this one better without the conversation that did an info dump to explain the series mythos.(It was ok)
Here's just a quick bit about the stories in the order I read them....
Singh's Angel's Wolf - Noel, the vampire who was brutalized in an earlier Guild Hunter book and who is healed in body but still not recovered emotionally from his ordeal, is sent away from Raphael's Tower to guard the deceptively fragile looking Nimra whose territory is New Orleans - but Noel knows that no angel rises to power by being weak. - Singh does a really good job of developing the characters and the relationship in this short - though the romance aspect of the relationship doesn't have the tension filled build up of some of Singh's other stories. I really liked both of the leads and it was nice for a change that the power imbalance between angel and vampire isn't so great as the immortal/human pairings in the other Guild Hunter books. My only nit, and it didn't stop me from enjoying the story - and probably wouldn't have struck me the same way if I hadn't recently read Archangel's Blade - was that I am now really ready for another Guild Hunter story where one (or both) of the leads hasn't been savaged to the extreme in the past. (I liked it)
Sharon Shin's Nocturne - A despondent blind angel is brought back to life by a woman who is no fan of angels. - This story ended up being really sweet, and the relationship is really well built as both of the leads come to trust each other and learn to move beyond the past that has limited their lives. The love scenes are left mostly to the readers imagination but the thought of the heroine being enveloped in the angel's wings adds fuel to fire that imagination. I haven't read anything by Shinn before, but recognized that this story is set in the world of her angel series, but this actually turned out to be my favorites story. (I really liked it)
MelJean Brook's Ascension - Concerned for her former friend, Radha drops in on fellow Guardian Marc who is on the hunt for what Marc suspects is a Demon 'poisoning' the minds of humans in his territory and though Radha is the mistress of illusion, after 140 years, it may be time clear up the misunderstanding that ended their friendship - I am a huge fan of the Guardians, which is up to book seven and only one more story away from being complete. For newbies Brook has tried really hard in this story to catch new readers up on the whole Guardian mythos, fans who have just finished up Demon Marked - which had also had a pretty thorough recap and a lot more space to weave it in - probably won't appreciate this as much as fans who need to come back up to speed in preparation for Michael's book. (It was ok)
Ilona Andrews' Alphas: Origins - An unfortunate pit stop, changes a field trip mom's life forever. Now her survival and that of her daughter depends on her bond to the frightening, Lucas, who is part man and part beast. I think that this is a prequel for a new series from the Andrews, and the world is a fusion of paranormal and sci-fi. I always enjoy stories like this in which a 'weak' heroine discovers her strength and also finds the hidden vulnerability in the man who is nearly a beast, and I am sucker for a hero who appealingly leashes his primal nature in order to give his heroine a choice. I would have like this one better without the conversation that did an info dump to explain the series mythos.(It was ok)
October 10, 2016
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh 3 Stars
Alphas-Origins by Ilona Andrews 4 Stars (my review)
Noturne by Sharon Shinn 3.5 Stars
Ascencion by Meljean Brook 4-4.5 Stars
Alphas-Origins by Ilona Andrews 4 Stars (my review)
Noturne by Sharon Shinn 3.5 Stars
Ascencion by Meljean Brook 4-4.5 Stars
November 9, 2024
Angels of Darkness is an Anthology full of four short stories from Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, and Sharon Shinn.
Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn where new to me authors. I actually picked this book up to read Ilona Andrews, Origins; since it has been published on it’s own as well as wanting to read Nalini Singh, Angel's Wolf; since I’m currently reading her Guild Hunter series.
Below Are Individual Reviews
Angel’s Wolf (Guild Hunter #3.5) by Nalini Singh
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. I liked both Nimra the Angel and Noel the Vampire. Nimra needs help and Raphael sends Noel, but he thinks he’s been cast aside; because of what happened to him. Both of them needed healing in different ways and they come to find what they need in each other.
Angel’s Wolf is a sweet, sad, and enjoyable read.
Alphas: Origins (Alphas #0.5) by Ilona Andrews
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. It’s darker then what I’m used to from the Andrews team. It was very interesting and the world is vast. I would love more, maybe a series, but at this time the Andrews team has no plans on writing more in this world/series. The heroine, she is thrown into a difficult situation and she coupes with it rather well, maybe to well. I enjoyed all the characters introduced. I just felt we needed more. We barely scratch the surface of this new world and the characters.
Alphas: Origins is an intense, stressful, and fast-paced adventure.
Nocturne (Samaria) by Sharon Shinn
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. It’s an interesting world and what we get makes me want to dig deeper into it. I liked the set up and characters. It's unique in it’s portrayale of angels, angel-seekers, and humans. We have a sexy brooding angel and a daughter of an angel who is human. The romance for our leads, Corban and Moriah, blooms over time, which was nice to read. The slow burn and banter between the two made the romance believable. Both where looking for something and they found it in each other.
Nocturne is a sweet slow burn romance.
Ascension (The Guardians #7.5) by Meljean Brook
Rated 3 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. Marc and Radha are both Guardians, which means they are warriors given angelic powers to fight demons. These two have a past and it’s complicated. They end up working together to find the demon causing problems as well as who is killing supernaturals and humans. I did have trouble connecting to both Marc and Radha. It could be because they had a past or that this novella took place farthing in the series.
Ascension has a little mystery, drama, and whole lot of sexual tension.
All and all this anthology was ok! I don’t buying anthologies, but I do like to pick them up at the library. I sometimes find new authors in anthologies to try out.
Rated: 3.5 Angels of Darkness Stars
Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn where new to me authors. I actually picked this book up to read Ilona Andrews, Origins; since it has been published on it’s own as well as wanting to read Nalini Singh, Angel's Wolf; since I’m currently reading her Guild Hunter series.
Below Are Individual Reviews
Angel’s Wolf (Guild Hunter #3.5) by Nalini Singh
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. I liked both Nimra the Angel and Noel the Vampire. Nimra needs help and Raphael sends Noel, but he thinks he’s been cast aside; because of what happened to him. Both of them needed healing in different ways and they come to find what they need in each other.
Angel’s Wolf is a sweet, sad, and enjoyable read.
Alphas: Origins (Alphas #0.5) by Ilona Andrews
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. It’s darker then what I’m used to from the Andrews team. It was very interesting and the world is vast. I would love more, maybe a series, but at this time the Andrews team has no plans on writing more in this world/series. The heroine, she is thrown into a difficult situation and she coupes with it rather well, maybe to well. I enjoyed all the characters introduced. I just felt we needed more. We barely scratch the surface of this new world and the characters.
Alphas: Origins is an intense, stressful, and fast-paced adventure.
Nocturne (Samaria) by Sharon Shinn
Rated 3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. It’s an interesting world and what we get makes me want to dig deeper into it. I liked the set up and characters. It's unique in it’s portrayale of angels, angel-seekers, and humans. We have a sexy brooding angel and a daughter of an angel who is human. The romance for our leads, Corban and Moriah, blooms over time, which was nice to read. The slow burn and banter between the two made the romance believable. Both where looking for something and they found it in each other.
Nocturne is a sweet slow burn romance.
Ascension (The Guardians #7.5) by Meljean Brook
Rated 3 Stars - I enjoyed this short story. Marc and Radha are both Guardians, which means they are warriors given angelic powers to fight demons. These two have a past and it’s complicated. They end up working together to find the demon causing problems as well as who is killing supernaturals and humans. I did have trouble connecting to both Marc and Radha. It could be because they had a past or that this novella took place farthing in the series.
Ascension has a little mystery, drama, and whole lot of sexual tension.
All and all this anthology was ok! I don’t buying anthologies, but I do like to pick them up at the library. I sometimes find new authors in anthologies to try out.
Rated: 3.5 Angels of Darkness Stars
December 30, 2011
I wanted to read this book because it had stories by Ilona Andrews and Sharon Shinn included. I usually stay far away from PN/UF's containing angels and/or demons because I find them viscerally a turn-off. But I love Shinn's Samaria series (they are the exception to my weird turn-off) and I'll try anything by Andrews.
Well, I loved the Shinn entry. It is a nice one about 2 unhappy people helping each other get past the hurts life has dealt them. It is kind of a quiet story--not terribly dramatic. And the ending was not terribly satisfying. But I'd give it 4 stars.
I didn't find myself enjoying the Andrews entry much. It was too X-men for me. Others will probably love it, as it is not the writing, just that I find that type of plot silly. But it should be pretty popular and I can tell that it is probably the first entry in a series set in this world. There are plenty of leads for new books or novellas using the characters introduced here.
The other 2 were okay as well. Again, I am not a good judge for this type of story as these 2 played into the more stereotypical angel/demon warrior motif. But they were fine--enjoyable enough--just not my style. Meljean Brooks' was kind of cute in a hurt each other terribly as teenagers, finding each other again as adults sort of way.
Nalini Singh's was most typical of this type of genre. Which made it not work for me. I found it a combo of sappy and weird.
Well, I loved the Shinn entry. It is a nice one about 2 unhappy people helping each other get past the hurts life has dealt them. It is kind of a quiet story--not terribly dramatic. And the ending was not terribly satisfying. But I'd give it 4 stars.
I didn't find myself enjoying the Andrews entry much. It was too X-men for me. Others will probably love it, as it is not the writing, just that I find that type of plot silly. But it should be pretty popular and I can tell that it is probably the first entry in a series set in this world. There are plenty of leads for new books or novellas using the characters introduced here.
The other 2 were okay as well. Again, I am not a good judge for this type of story as these 2 played into the more stereotypical angel/demon warrior motif. But they were fine--enjoyable enough--just not my style. Meljean Brooks' was kind of cute in a hurt each other terribly as teenagers, finding each other again as adults sort of way.
Nalini Singh's was most typical of this type of genre. Which made it not work for me. I found it a combo of sappy and weird.
Read
October 21, 2015Review to come!
November 14, 2011
I’m not usually much of an anthology fan, but I needed a Meljean Brook fix to tide me over while I wait for Michael’s book, so I jumped at the opportunity to review this book. I was quite surprised to find that I really enjoyed it! Maybe I should try to overcome my anthology dislike and give more of them a try.
Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh:
I was surprised to find that this was my least favorite stories in the anthology. I found the read pleasant, but that was about all. I’m a big fan of the Guild Hunter series so I was expecting this to be one of my top reads out of the bunch. Brook may have been my motivation to get the book, but Singh was the icing on the cake.
Despite not loving this book, I enjoyed getting to follow a female angel this time around. Well…a natural born angel, I mean. ;) I was a little surprised to see how nice she was, though. I didn’t want her to be cruel but every other angel out there (except for Illium) seems to flirt with a lack of care for those weaker than them. I expected Nimra to have that edge of inhumanity as well and was a little disappointed to see that she didn’t. It aided the romance development in such a short story, I know, but I was looking forward to seeing a female version of a toned down Raphael.
Noel fell pretty easily for a guy who had the issues that he did, but I enjoyed watching the fall. I felt that he was the more emotionally healthy of the pair, despite the intimacy issues he struggled with. Both Nimra and Noel were dominant personalities, but when they came together they were surprisingly sweet. Especially Noel. ;)
Rating: C-
*****
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews:
I am shocked--shocked, I say!--to find that this was my favorite story in the anthology. I did not like it at all when I began reading it. I was deeply uncomfortable with the set up and the dynamic between Lucas and Karina. Karina was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up being mortally wounded. The “good guys” can tell that she’s a donor (a semi-rare subspecies that contains a hormone needed by subspecies 30—aka Lucas) and offer her a bargain to save her life. This bargain is crap, really. It’s death or slavery. Lucas owns her. He can do whatever he wants to her.
So why did I like this story so much? I honestly don’t know. It was dark and sick and the closest thing you’ll get to a romantic relationship is a connection that closely resembles Stockholm Syndrome. But, man, it sucked me in.
Rating: A
*****
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn:
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, so my opinion is of a total newbie, not someone who is familiar with the Samaria series. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed the world, despite being a little confused by the connection between God and the angels and the humans. Why exactly are angels living with the humans? I get that they need to mate with them to produce more angels, but are they angels-angels? They can sing to Jovah and he can immediately send what they desire (like medicine) to answer their prayers, but it didn’t really have much of a religious vibe to it. So…yeah. A little confused about that.
I really, really enjoyed watching the bond develop between Moriah and Corban. They both initially are drawn to each other for complicated reasons—Moriah from a desire to tempt fate, and Corban from a reluctant interest in something other than his depression. Soon they find themselves growing closer. Corban comes to depend upon Moriah for her aid in helping him overcome his injury, but you can also see the subtle hints that he is beginning to care from her. I say subtle because the story is told strictly from Moriah’s point of view. She’s a strong, abrasive woman at times, but I loved her all the same. She is unceasingly practical and it was fun watching her roll her eyes at herself over falling for an angel. Especially because she has such a bad opinion of angel-seekers!
This was the most emotionally satisfying story of the bunch for me, although I do wish the romance had been expanded more and that the ending had been more leisurely. Regardless, I plan to check out this series to see how I like a full length novel by her.
Rating: A-
*****
Ascension by Meljean Brook:
I’ve been curious about Radha for a while now—who wouldn’t be curious about a perpetually half naked woman who dyes herself blue?--so it was a treat to find that this story was about her. Learning about her past with Marc made me wince in sympathy for her--Ouch! I thought her present behavior toward him was a little uneven, though. She confused me with her assertive sexual advances while still being hesitant about her feelings. I didn’t feel that I got a good handle on her personality and my enjoyment of their relationship suffered because of it. Marc was a little too placid and boring for me as well, so I found that I didn’t feel much of a spark.
I liked what we discovered about the killer’s identity. I think Brook excels at twisting expectations and playing with the line between right and wrong and good and evil, and this was no exception. Nothing was cut and dried about it and you’ll find yourself wondering where your true sympathies lie.
Although I found the story pleasant, I wasn’t that thrilled with it overall. I don’t think it was able to adequately showcase Brook’s awesome skill with subtle character development and rich world building. She can build a story like nobody’s business, and I think I’m going to have to stick with her full length books from now on, rather than being disappointed in the limitations that a novella length story imposes.
Rating: C
*Review posted on Fiction Vixen.*
Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh:
In the spellbinding universe of the Guild Hunters, a vampire becomes obsessed with the seductive angel who rules the Louisiana territory. But in her court, all is not what it appears.
I was surprised to find that this was my least favorite stories in the anthology. I found the read pleasant, but that was about all. I’m a big fan of the Guild Hunter series so I was expecting this to be one of my top reads out of the bunch. Brook may have been my motivation to get the book, but Singh was the icing on the cake.
Despite not loving this book, I enjoyed getting to follow a female angel this time around. Well…a natural born angel, I mean. ;) I was a little surprised to see how nice she was, though. I didn’t want her to be cruel but every other angel out there (except for Illium) seems to flirt with a lack of care for those weaker than them. I expected Nimra to have that edge of inhumanity as well and was a little disappointed to see that she didn’t. It aided the romance development in such a short story, I know, but I was looking forward to seeing a female version of a toned down Raphael.
Noel fell pretty easily for a guy who had the issues that he did, but I enjoyed watching the fall. I felt that he was the more emotionally healthy of the pair, despite the intimacy issues he struggled with. Both Nimra and Noel were dominant personalities, but when they came together they were surprisingly sweet. Especially Noel. ;)
Rating: C-
*****
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews:
A woman is kidnapped into a world divided by a superhuman civil war. As the captive of an irresistibly dangerous male, she has two choices: submit and become a pawn, or take hold of her own destiny.
I am shocked--shocked, I say!--to find that this was my favorite story in the anthology. I did not like it at all when I began reading it. I was deeply uncomfortable with the set up and the dynamic between Lucas and Karina. Karina was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up being mortally wounded. The “good guys” can tell that she’s a donor (a semi-rare subspecies that contains a hormone needed by subspecies 30—aka Lucas) and offer her a bargain to save her life. This bargain is crap, really. It’s death or slavery. Lucas owns her. He can do whatever he wants to her.
Lucas hadn’t kidnapped her. He hadn’t forced her into human slavery at gunpoint. She’d been attacked by Rishie and the shark-toothed man, and she’s been given a choice to die or to live on Lucas’s terms. She was a victim of circumstance. That didn’t change the fact that Lucas owned her now.And don’t imagine that he was some sweet guy and that his ownership of her was just a formality. The so-called “good guys” were very scary men. Sick men, really. Lucas strongly reminded me of a serial killer and I got the heebie-jeebies when I realized just how easy it was for him to contemplate raping Karina. He didn’t, but that was just because he respected her for submitting to her part of the agreement without even trying to fight. The reader never had the comfort of assuring themselves that he wouldn’t cross that line. Later in the story he admits to Karina that he was raised in a culture where the only real behavior check was that they couldn’t murder each other just because they felt like it.
The House of Daryon had stripped every shred of independence from her. She depended on Lucas for everything: her food, her safety, her clothes, the safety and survival of her daughter. He had the power to tell her when to go to bed, where to sleep, when to shower…He was protecting her and Emily from some sort of terrible enemy she couldn’t understand and he could kill them both at a moment’s notice. Any relaxation of the rules became a kindness on his part. A small thing, like a toothbrush, seemed like some great favor. But it wasn’t, she told herself. It wasn’t.
So why did I like this story so much? I honestly don’t know. It was dark and sick and the closest thing you’ll get to a romantic relationship is a connection that closely resembles Stockholm Syndrome. But, man, it sucked me in.
Rating: A
*****
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn:
Accepting a position in a secluded and whispered-about mansion, a woman soon discovers the source of its mystery: the blind, tormented angel who lives there, and whose secrets could now destroy them both.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, so my opinion is of a total newbie, not someone who is familiar with the Samaria series. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed the world, despite being a little confused by the connection between God and the angels and the humans. Why exactly are angels living with the humans? I get that they need to mate with them to produce more angels, but are they angels-angels? They can sing to Jovah and he can immediately send what they desire (like medicine) to answer their prayers, but it didn’t really have much of a religious vibe to it. So…yeah. A little confused about that.
I really, really enjoyed watching the bond develop between Moriah and Corban. They both initially are drawn to each other for complicated reasons—Moriah from a desire to tempt fate, and Corban from a reluctant interest in something other than his depression. Soon they find themselves growing closer. Corban comes to depend upon Moriah for her aid in helping him overcome his injury, but you can also see the subtle hints that he is beginning to care from her. I say subtle because the story is told strictly from Moriah’s point of view. She’s a strong, abrasive woman at times, but I loved her all the same. She is unceasingly practical and it was fun watching her roll her eyes at herself over falling for an angel. Especially because she has such a bad opinion of angel-seekers!
This was the most emotionally satisfying story of the bunch for me, although I do wish the romance had been expanded more and that the ending had been more leisurely. Regardless, I plan to check out this series to see how I like a full length novel by her.
Rating: A-
*****
Ascension by Meljean Brook:
When vampires disappear from a community he’s protecting, a world-weary Guardian doesn’t know what evil he’s hunting, but he’d rather hunt alone than accept help from his ex-lover and fellow Guardian, Radha. But Radha refuses to leave him, because she’s determined not just to help him save the community…but to save him.
I’ve been curious about Radha for a while now—who wouldn’t be curious about a perpetually half naked woman who dyes herself blue?--so it was a treat to find that this story was about her. Learning about her past with Marc made me wince in sympathy for her--Ouch! I thought her present behavior toward him was a little uneven, though. She confused me with her assertive sexual advances while still being hesitant about her feelings. I didn’t feel that I got a good handle on her personality and my enjoyment of their relationship suffered because of it. Marc was a little too placid and boring for me as well, so I found that I didn’t feel much of a spark.
I liked what we discovered about the killer’s identity. I think Brook excels at twisting expectations and playing with the line between right and wrong and good and evil, and this was no exception. Nothing was cut and dried about it and you’ll find yourself wondering where your true sympathies lie.
Although I found the story pleasant, I wasn’t that thrilled with it overall. I don’t think it was able to adequately showcase Brook’s awesome skill with subtle character development and rich world building. She can build a story like nobody’s business, and I think I’m going to have to stick with her full length books from now on, rather than being disappointed in the limitations that a novella length story imposes.
Rating: C
*Review posted on Fiction Vixen.*
November 2, 2019
A few years ago I read one of the stories in this anthology - Angel's Wolf (you can find my review here) I loved it and thought I should read the rest. And then I promptly forgot about it. The next time Angels of Darkness cam to my attention I was devouring everything Ilona Andrews ever wrote. I decided to keep this last unread story for rainy days and again forgot about it until a few days ago. I read it from cover to cover including the story I read back in 2016. I can't tell you how much I loved all four stories but especially IA's Alphas: Origins. It's such a shame that they never continued developing this world. It has so much potential. Sure it was a bit too PRN but after the last Hidden Legacy installment I have no grounds to complain. The other two stories were fun and I liked them a lot but they won't make me pick up the series they're part of.
November 19, 2011
Why am I not getting this until December according to Amazon when the release date is October!? This sucks great bit fuzzy baboon testicles!
November 2011 Update
Okay so I may have overreacted! I now have the book, happy days people! The baboon is back in the cage!
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
5 Stars
I find it really hard to rate novellas, this book is only 90 pages or so long; how much can you possibly pack in in that length?! Apparently for Nalini Singh, quite a bit. I think to fully appreciate this story you have to have read the Guild Hunter series as it gives the novella a depth of understanding that you won't have if you don't understand the world or the main character, Noel's past. But as a fan of everything Ms Singh has ever written I didn't have that problem.
This was a fantastic novella, it had a small, yet heart rending, mystery in it, a little romance, a little sex and a bit of biting, satisying all my needs for a PNR!
Alpha:Origins by Ilona Andrews
5 Stars
As a massive fan of Ilona Andrews I was fully prepared to love this, and love this I did! It was such an interesting world that Andrews set up in a very short amount of pages. A mixture of sci-fi and paranormal it was fascinating, Ilona and Gordon have a great talent for creating really original new worlds to set their characters in.
Lucas and Karina, the main characters also drew you in, Lucas was a little different and far more dangerous then your usual werewolf creature, he literally needed to eat Karina to survive. And Karina was a young widow who would do anything to look after her child in the strange new world she has found herself in.
I really hope that more books are written in this series, as well as the main two characters there were others that I would love to read more about.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn
3.5 Stars
Sharon Shinn is a new author for me and although I did like it, the book didn't blow me away and leave me panting for more. It was...nice. I found the wriiting style not quite to my taste, sometimes it felt like I was reading a list and it was a little slow to start off. But it was an good story, but just didn't entice me to read more.
Ascension by Meljean Brooks
4 Stars
Meljean Brooks is another author I haven't read before, but I really liked this novella and I will definitely look at reading more of her books.
****
This anthology was great! Normally I don't really bother with anthologies but I couldn't resist Ilona Andrews and Nalini Singh together, but I was pleasently surprised, I liked all the stories, some more then others but this is well worth the read.
Anthology rating: 4.5 Stars
November 2011 Update
Okay so I may have overreacted! I now have the book, happy days people! The baboon is back in the cage!
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
5 Stars
I find it really hard to rate novellas, this book is only 90 pages or so long; how much can you possibly pack in in that length?! Apparently for Nalini Singh, quite a bit. I think to fully appreciate this story you have to have read the Guild Hunter series as it gives the novella a depth of understanding that you won't have if you don't understand the world or the main character, Noel's past. But as a fan of everything Ms Singh has ever written I didn't have that problem.
This was a fantastic novella, it had a small, yet heart rending, mystery in it, a little romance, a little sex and a bit of biting, satisying all my needs for a PNR!
Alpha:Origins by Ilona Andrews
5 Stars
As a massive fan of Ilona Andrews I was fully prepared to love this, and love this I did! It was such an interesting world that Andrews set up in a very short amount of pages. A mixture of sci-fi and paranormal it was fascinating, Ilona and Gordon have a great talent for creating really original new worlds to set their characters in.
Lucas and Karina, the main characters also drew you in, Lucas was a little different and far more dangerous then your usual werewolf creature, he literally needed to eat Karina to survive. And Karina was a young widow who would do anything to look after her child in the strange new world she has found herself in.
I really hope that more books are written in this series, as well as the main two characters there were others that I would love to read more about.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn
3.5 Stars
Sharon Shinn is a new author for me and although I did like it, the book didn't blow me away and leave me panting for more. It was...nice. I found the wriiting style not quite to my taste, sometimes it felt like I was reading a list and it was a little slow to start off. But it was an good story, but just didn't entice me to read more.
Ascension by Meljean Brooks
4 Stars
Meljean Brooks is another author I haven't read before, but I really liked this novella and I will definitely look at reading more of her books.
****
This anthology was great! Normally I don't really bother with anthologies but I couldn't resist Ilona Andrews and Nalini Singh together, but I was pleasently surprised, I liked all the stories, some more then others but this is well worth the read.
Anthology rating: 4.5 Stars
July 12, 2025
To Reread in June 2022
4 Stars
Nalini Singh's story, Angel's Wolf gets 5 stars. Well written. Perfect flow. Great character build. Like a perfect melody. Left you well satisfied.
Ilona Andrew's story, Alphas: Origin gets 3 & 1/2 stars. Main characters needed more personality building. A good story, but not great. Left you feeling like something was missing.
Sharon Shinn's story, Nocturne, gets 3 & 1/2 stars. Was interesting. The main characters were fun & likable. But there were elements to the story that left me a bit unsettled.
Meljean Brook's story, Ascension, gets 3 stars. Was okay, but seemed a bit to staid. Started well, but too many rules for the hero/heroine that I found off-putting. They weren't allowed to protect themselves against humans.....really.
Which brings the book to a 3.75 stars in total. I rounded up to 4 stars. It's worth reading for the Nalini Singh story. Otherwise, its a take it or leave it kind of thing.
4 Stars
Nalini Singh's story, Angel's Wolf gets 5 stars. Well written. Perfect flow. Great character build. Like a perfect melody. Left you well satisfied.
Ilona Andrew's story, Alphas: Origin gets 3 & 1/2 stars. Main characters needed more personality building. A good story, but not great. Left you feeling like something was missing.
Sharon Shinn's story, Nocturne, gets 3 & 1/2 stars. Was interesting. The main characters were fun & likable. But there were elements to the story that left me a bit unsettled.
Meljean Brook's story, Ascension, gets 3 stars. Was okay, but seemed a bit to staid. Started well, but too many rules for the hero/heroine that I found off-putting. They weren't allowed to protect themselves against humans.....really.
Which brings the book to a 3.75 stars in total. I rounded up to 4 stars. It's worth reading for the Nalini Singh story. Otherwise, its a take it or leave it kind of thing.
June 29, 2014
This is sort of being currently read - I wanted to read the Sharon Shinn story, got straight to it, and now not sure if I will read the rest. I want to return the book to owner, so trying to make the effort to read the rest of the stories fast, but OTOH I am stuck on the second story (Second i tried to read. I can not remember when was the last time I read one anthology straight cover to cover by their own order).
The Sharon Shinn story is probably not a good introduction to her Samaria world. It is a spin-off story, standalone-ish and I thought it was, at the same time, lovely and somewhat dull. It´s a simple love story, with some character depth and an interesting plot lever. I liked the ending paragraph very much as well. But it´s pretty low on drama - I liked it very much but again it might be too low key as an introduction to Samaria.
I am now reading the Meljean Brook short story - it´s not working for me. It´s the writing, I know that, though not sure what characteristic of thr writing.
and update, I could not really get into the other stories, have returned the book to owner long ago, but just updating status. Not that the stories were bad, just that urban fantasy really was not my thing, even in its hey-day.
The Sharon Shinn story is probably not a good introduction to her Samaria world. It is a spin-off story, standalone-ish and I thought it was, at the same time, lovely and somewhat dull. It´s a simple love story, with some character depth and an interesting plot lever. I liked the ending paragraph very much as well. But it´s pretty low on drama - I liked it very much but again it might be too low key as an introduction to Samaria.
I am now reading the Meljean Brook short story - it´s not working for me. It´s the writing, I know that, though not sure what characteristic of thr writing.
and update, I could not really get into the other stories, have returned the book to owner long ago, but just updating status. Not that the stories were bad, just that urban fantasy really was not my thing, even in its hey-day.
November 4, 2015
"Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh." 3 stars (PNR)
"Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews." 5 stars (Sci-fi) Angels have a minuscule role in this story.
"Nocturne by Sharon Shinn." 5 stars (PNR) Going to look into this author.
"Ascension by Meljean Brook. 3 stars (PNR)
I listened to the audible version. Listening Length: 10 hours and 43 minutes Justine Eyre (Narrator) & Coleen Marlo (Narrator) did an excellent job. I rate the audible version 5 stars
Yes, I would recommend this anthology.
I rate this 4 solid stars.
"Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews." 5 stars (Sci-fi) Angels have a minuscule role in this story.
"Nocturne by Sharon Shinn." 5 stars (PNR) Going to look into this author.
"Ascension by Meljean Brook. 3 stars (PNR)
I listened to the audible version. Listening Length: 10 hours and 43 minutes Justine Eyre (Narrator) & Coleen Marlo (Narrator) did an excellent job. I rate the audible version 5 stars
Yes, I would recommend this anthology.
I rate this 4 solid stars.
Want to read
April 16, 2015...reading this only for you Sharon Shinn! :)
September 29, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #4.5)
Guild Hunter fans will recognize the hero from this story. Noel was the vampire in ARCHANGEL’S KISS who was brutally beaten to the point where virtually all the bones in his body were crushed. After an agonizing recovery, he is sent to Louisiana and the smoldering but heartless angel Nimra. A failed attempt on her life has cast the loyalty of all Nimra’s court in question, and Noel is sent to discover the traitor, while under the guise of Nimra’s latest toy.
Essentially, Angel’s Wolf is a mystery. Noel investigates the court, comparing stories, and interviewing suspects during the day while growing closer, emotionally and physically, to Nimra at night. The chemistry was lacking between these two for me and even though the writing and mythology is as good as ever, I was a bit bored by the story. Noel was by far the more interesting character, but it felt like he warmed up to Nimra much too fast—even for a novella—than he should have given his traumatic past. The Guild Hunter series is a great one and I’m still a big fan, but this was probably the weakest installment I’ve read.
Sexual Content: A scene of sensuality. References to sex. Rating: 2/5
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews (Alphas series)
I would never have guessed this was an Ilona Andrews story. Alphas: Origins has a very different feel and writing style from either the Kate Daniels or Edge series. It feels a little less polished, less sharp, than those series. The story involves a young mother and her daughter accidently winding up captors to four very alpha males ensnared in a millennia old war between beings who seek to destroy humanity. To ensure her daughter’s safety, Karina agrees to become the slave of Lucas, a shapeshifting warrior who needs her blood to survive.
The writing wasn’t as slick as I’m used to from Ilona Andrews, and initially, I was hung up on the writing style differences, but the storyline and uber alpha male characters, which reminded me of old school Linda Howard romances, quickly picked up the slack. The mythology was outlandish but fun, and the character of Lucas suitably tortured and aggressive. I’ll be looking forward to more Alpha books in the future.
Sexual Content: Reference to sex and rape. Kissing. Rating: 3/5
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn (Samaria series)
This story occurs chronologically about 70 years after ARCHANGEL (Samaria #1). A woman has run from a murky past and taken a position at an exclusive boarding school when she comes across an injured angel hiding on the grounds. She begins visiting him and helping him learn to fly again. The writing is understated and quite good. The romantic relationship is not immediately evident and both the woman and the angel have a lot of personal baggage to deal with before looking at each other.
This was my first Sharon Shinn story, but it won’t be my last. Her writing feels more like magical realism than the other stories in this anthology. The pacing isn’t aggressive, but the story and characters gently wooed me until I was completely invested in Nocturne. This isn’t a flashy story, but it is a memorable one.
Sexual Content: References to rape. A non graphic sex scene. Rating: 4/5
Ascension by Meljean Brook (The Guardians #7.5)
I’m not as familiar with The Guardian series as I’d like having only read a few other novellas previously, but Meljean’s engaging and romantic style has won me over in everything else I’ve read from her. I’m not knocking the mythology here, but newbies to the series might feel a bit lost if this is their first Guardian story. The story reunites two Guardian lovers whose romance ended badly more than a century ago. They team up to track down a demon responsible for the deaths of several high school students.
Mostly, the romance deals with overcoming the way this couple broke up originally. My big problem stemmed from the fact that Radha initially pursued Marc even knowing that he’d taken a vow of celibacy and experienced severe guilt over his attraction to her. It struck me as callous on her part and then selfish when she got mad watching as he was overcome by guilt after they had sex. I never believed that she cared about him beyond the sex. In my mind, if she truly loved him, she would have waited for him to sort out his beliefs before seducing him.
Sexual Content: A scene of sensuality. Rating: 2/5
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #4.5)
Guild Hunter fans will recognize the hero from this story. Noel was the vampire in ARCHANGEL’S KISS who was brutally beaten to the point where virtually all the bones in his body were crushed. After an agonizing recovery, he is sent to Louisiana and the smoldering but heartless angel Nimra. A failed attempt on her life has cast the loyalty of all Nimra’s court in question, and Noel is sent to discover the traitor, while under the guise of Nimra’s latest toy.
Essentially, Angel’s Wolf is a mystery. Noel investigates the court, comparing stories, and interviewing suspects during the day while growing closer, emotionally and physically, to Nimra at night. The chemistry was lacking between these two for me and even though the writing and mythology is as good as ever, I was a bit bored by the story. Noel was by far the more interesting character, but it felt like he warmed up to Nimra much too fast—even for a novella—than he should have given his traumatic past. The Guild Hunter series is a great one and I’m still a big fan, but this was probably the weakest installment I’ve read.
Sexual Content: A scene of sensuality. References to sex. Rating: 2/5
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews (Alphas series)
I would never have guessed this was an Ilona Andrews story. Alphas: Origins has a very different feel and writing style from either the Kate Daniels or Edge series. It feels a little less polished, less sharp, than those series. The story involves a young mother and her daughter accidently winding up captors to four very alpha males ensnared in a millennia old war between beings who seek to destroy humanity. To ensure her daughter’s safety, Karina agrees to become the slave of Lucas, a shapeshifting warrior who needs her blood to survive.
The writing wasn’t as slick as I’m used to from Ilona Andrews, and initially, I was hung up on the writing style differences, but the storyline and uber alpha male characters, which reminded me of old school Linda Howard romances, quickly picked up the slack. The mythology was outlandish but fun, and the character of Lucas suitably tortured and aggressive. I’ll be looking forward to more Alpha books in the future.
Sexual Content: Reference to sex and rape. Kissing. Rating: 3/5
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn (Samaria series)
This story occurs chronologically about 70 years after ARCHANGEL (Samaria #1). A woman has run from a murky past and taken a position at an exclusive boarding school when she comes across an injured angel hiding on the grounds. She begins visiting him and helping him learn to fly again. The writing is understated and quite good. The romantic relationship is not immediately evident and both the woman and the angel have a lot of personal baggage to deal with before looking at each other.
This was my first Sharon Shinn story, but it won’t be my last. Her writing feels more like magical realism than the other stories in this anthology. The pacing isn’t aggressive, but the story and characters gently wooed me until I was completely invested in Nocturne. This isn’t a flashy story, but it is a memorable one.
Sexual Content: References to rape. A non graphic sex scene. Rating: 4/5
Ascension by Meljean Brook (The Guardians #7.5)
I’m not as familiar with The Guardian series as I’d like having only read a few other novellas previously, but Meljean’s engaging and romantic style has won me over in everything else I’ve read from her. I’m not knocking the mythology here, but newbies to the series might feel a bit lost if this is their first Guardian story. The story reunites two Guardian lovers whose romance ended badly more than a century ago. They team up to track down a demon responsible for the deaths of several high school students.
Mostly, the romance deals with overcoming the way this couple broke up originally. My big problem stemmed from the fact that Radha initially pursued Marc even knowing that he’d taken a vow of celibacy and experienced severe guilt over his attraction to her. It struck me as callous on her part and then selfish when she got mad watching as he was overcome by guilt after they had sex. I never believed that she cared about him beyond the sex. In my mind, if she truly loved him, she would have waited for him to sort out his beliefs before seducing him.
Sexual Content: A scene of sensuality. Rating: 2/5
February 12, 2012
Although i adore Nalini Singh "world" of the "guild-hunters", for me "Angel's Wolf" had the same problem of Sara's and Deacon story in "Must Love hellhounds" anthology. And that is, the length of the story. Or in both cases the reduced length of the stories. Nalini Singh's characters are so complex and bigger than life, that a short story for me is insuficient . I felt that the relationship between these two complex characters were rushed.
So that's the only negative thing that i have to say about this story. I would have liked to read more. To really apreciate Nimra's and Noel story, i would have to read it in a full length book.
I liked "Alphas" by Ilona Andrews. It was something diferent of what i am used. It takes courage to portrait a male character "Lucas" that basically needs to "chew" on the flesh of the female character "Karina" who is a "donnor", someone whose genetics counteract the poisoning that takes place in Lucas body when he undergoes a change. It was a good story.
And then comes "Nocturne" by Sharon Shinn. It was the first time that i've read a story by this author...and i loved it. Cant believe that i've never read anything by this author! Moriah and Corban were perfect :) Corban is this sad angel who after losing his sight loses interest in life. Moriah hasn't had an easy life, and she would be the last person to feel sorry for an angel or for his problems. Neverthless she has a tendency to get into troubles...
"Ascension" by Meljean Brook was the one that i liked the least.
So that's the only negative thing that i have to say about this story. I would have liked to read more. To really apreciate Nimra's and Noel story, i would have to read it in a full length book.
I liked "Alphas" by Ilona Andrews. It was something diferent of what i am used. It takes courage to portrait a male character "Lucas" that basically needs to "chew" on the flesh of the female character "Karina" who is a "donnor", someone whose genetics counteract the poisoning that takes place in Lucas body when he undergoes a change. It was a good story.
And then comes "Nocturne" by Sharon Shinn. It was the first time that i've read a story by this author...and i loved it. Cant believe that i've never read anything by this author! Moriah and Corban were perfect :) Corban is this sad angel who after losing his sight loses interest in life. Moriah hasn't had an easy life, and she would be the last person to feel sorry for an angel or for his problems. Neverthless she has a tendency to get into troubles...
"Ascension" by Meljean Brook was the one that i liked the least.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2011
This is one of my favorite anthologies till date, as it contains 3 of my very favorite authors.
Alphas: Origins, by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars
I loved this one. Skill and versatility from two authors I adore. The writing is so different from the typical Ilona Andrews voice and I am excited. I am excited for a new series (fingers crossed), hopefully starring Lucas and Karina.
Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn - 5 stars
My favorite. Sharon Shinn writes with elegance and an understated beauty that drags you unawares into her stories. My favorite parts of the story was the legacy Rachel and Gabriel left Samaria, and any mentions of them made me smile.
Angel's Wolf, by Nalini Singh - 4 stars
Enjoyable story.
Ascension, by Meljean Brook - 2 stars
Now I am not familiar with Meljean's Guardians series, so it could be why i had such a problem getting into it. It was my least favorite story, and the one I thought was least well-written. I didn't enjoy either the hero or heroine, and while I felt their lust, i felt nothing else for them.
Alphas: Origins, by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars
I loved this one. Skill and versatility from two authors I adore. The writing is so different from the typical Ilona Andrews voice and I am excited. I am excited for a new series (fingers crossed), hopefully starring Lucas and Karina.
Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn - 5 stars
My favorite. Sharon Shinn writes with elegance and an understated beauty that drags you unawares into her stories. My favorite parts of the story was the legacy Rachel and Gabriel left Samaria, and any mentions of them made me smile.
Angel's Wolf, by Nalini Singh - 4 stars
Enjoyable story.
Ascension, by Meljean Brook - 2 stars
Now I am not familiar with Meljean's Guardians series, so it could be why i had such a problem getting into it. It was my least favorite story, and the one I thought was least well-written. I didn't enjoy either the hero or heroine, and while I felt their lust, i felt nothing else for them.
August 7, 2014
Proper review to come!
~4 stars, with a plus, because I'm dying for the Alpha series by Ilona Andrews and also for something written by Sharon Shinn. Hadn't expected to like her writing and when I did.. Yay.
The story by Nalini Singh wasn't as good as I hoped for, 3 stars, probably.
Meljean Brook's story was interesting. The whole Ascension-thing and the stuff the protagonsits said about the Guardians.. But I wasn't emotionally involved with them whatsoever, so I'd probably give this story 3.5 stars.
Ilona Andrews' story gets 4.5 stars, because it was epic and I loved it and I'd kill to get more.
And Sharon Shinn's story made me very curious, although it probably wouldn't get more than 3-3.5 stars either.
~4 stars, with a plus, because I'm dying for the Alpha series by Ilona Andrews and also for something written by Sharon Shinn. Hadn't expected to like her writing and when I did.. Yay.
The story by Nalini Singh wasn't as good as I hoped for, 3 stars, probably.
Meljean Brook's story was interesting. The whole Ascension-thing and the stuff the protagonsits said about the Guardians.. But I wasn't emotionally involved with them whatsoever, so I'd probably give this story 3.5 stars.
Ilona Andrews' story gets 4.5 stars, because it was epic and I loved it and I'd kill to get more.
And Sharon Shinn's story made me very curious, although it probably wouldn't get more than 3-3.5 stars either.
December 29, 2011
Just Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh
Favorite quote
Favorite quote
“An animal is innocent,” Noel said, “without guile or hidden motivation. To love one is to nurture softness within your own heart.”
May 30, 2018
I'm not a fan of shorts but this book had one in a series I'm currently reading so I figured what the heck.
Angel's Wolf - Nalini Singh 💙💙💙💙💙
This is one of my favorite series and though I'd read this before, I loved it. I hope to see more of Noel and Nimra.
Alpha's - Ilona Andrews 💙💙
Ilona Andrews is one of my favorite authors, unfortunately this series starter wasn't her best effort. I hated, hated, hated Lucas and felt Karina was a wet dishrag. I won't be continuing this series.
Nocturn - Sharon Shinn 💙💙💙💙💙
I'm a fan of Sharon Shinn but haven't started her Samaria series yet. This gave me a clue as to it's content so I will be moving it up higher on my TBR and getting through the entire series sooner rather than later.
Ascension - Meljean Brooks 💙💙💙💙
I'm not a fan of Meljean Brooks' books but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I read Demon Angel (#1) and disliked it but maybe I'll give this series a shot.
Angel's Wolf - Nalini Singh 💙💙💙💙💙
This is one of my favorite series and though I'd read this before, I loved it. I hope to see more of Noel and Nimra.
Alpha's - Ilona Andrews 💙💙
Ilona Andrews is one of my favorite authors, unfortunately this series starter wasn't her best effort. I hated, hated, hated Lucas and felt Karina was a wet dishrag. I won't be continuing this series.
Nocturn - Sharon Shinn 💙💙💙💙💙
I'm a fan of Sharon Shinn but haven't started her Samaria series yet. This gave me a clue as to it's content so I will be moving it up higher on my TBR and getting through the entire series sooner rather than later.
Ascension - Meljean Brooks 💙💙💙💙
I'm not a fan of Meljean Brooks' books but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I read Demon Angel (#1) and disliked it but maybe I'll give this series a shot.
September 25, 2022
Ascension by Meljean Brook: 4 stars. The Guardian/Guardian ship dynamic is very interesting. I vastly prefer it to vampires.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn: 3.5 stars. Oh man, I gotta catch up on Shinn's backlist. So many authors, so little time.
Read via library.
***
I read Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews (3 stars) and Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh (3 stars) many, many years ago.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn: 3.5 stars. Oh man, I gotta catch up on Shinn's backlist. So many authors, so little time.
Read via library.
***
I read Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews (3 stars) and Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh (3 stars) many, many years ago.
February 23, 2018
Finally read the entire anthology (I'd previously only read Singh's and Andrews' short stories). In a rare event for me, I would actually give each of the four short stories 4 stars. And this is with not knowing the other two series (which have now been added to my TBR list). I definitely recommend this anthology.
September 12, 2015
This review was posted at Under The Covers
This book is one of the few anthologies that I've read in which I've actually liked every story. Some definitely more than others, but they are all good! I'll review them individually.
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh - 4.5 Stars
Noel, a vampire who used to work at the Tower for Raphael, and who was one of the victims in a previous Guild Hunter book, is sent to New Orleans to serve Nimra. At first he thought he was being cast out because of his weakness. He is still dealing with the emotional aftermath of his past, he feels almost dead inside. But then he realizes Raphael sent him here to help and protect Nimra. Someone close to her wants her dead. It's his job to make sure they don't succeed and to figure out who is responsible. But Nimra somehow manages to wake him from the state he's been in.
The story, as always, is amazing. Nalini Singh can weave an intricate web perfectly. Even for a short story there's so much going on it felt like a complete story. All the characters were pretty well developed, the relationships between all of them was very real, and the chemistry between Noel and Nimra was amazing. Excellent story!
Alpha: Origins - 4 Stars
We are introduced to a brand new world where there's a long going on, a bit sci-fi, with a splash of paranormal. A group of genetically modified species, "people" with special abilities, separate realities or levels or worlds. I'm still a bit confused as to how everything works and what everything means, but it usually takes me a while to understand an Andrews world. Seems like the beginning to a really interesting series. A lot of action, some sexual tension.
Kate, along with her daughter and a group of kids on a field trip make the wrong pit stop for bathroom and stumble upon a group of supernatural creatures. She's taken as a slave for Lucas, part man part beast. He needs to feed on her regularly to fight the venom in his own body. There's a bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on, which I didn't necessarily like, but Lucas actually likes Kate, and even though he wants her, he respects her. I am very curious to see where this story will go from here.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn - 3.5 Stars
My rating on this might be a bit because I wasn't too familiar with the series (Samaria) or maybe just because it got a bit boring half way through, or just that it was slow to get started. But in general I actually enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. A bit of angel politics at work, one sexy, brooding and blind angel; the daughter of an angel with a human who has been running away from angels for over 4 years. Corban was blinded by lightning and has been living secluded from everyone. Until Moriah shows up, and actually stands up for herself, confronts him about not facing his demons, and helps him to fly again.
Ascension by Meljean Brook - 4 Stars
I've only read one book in The Guardians series, but I have to say I really like this world. There was one thing mentioned in this story which was a bit of a spoiler for me (has to do with Michael!) but other than that it was a very enjoyable read. And I mean, how could you NOT like a book about two guardians, one hot male who has been in love with the same girl since his training days and the guardian he's in love with has indigo blue skin, dark black hair to her butt, gold claws and dresses with scarfs tied around her body. I thought she was pretty smoking hot! LOL
Marc is in the middle of nowhere Illinois investigating what might be a demon wreaking havoc in the town. He hasn't spoken to Radha for 140 years, and all of a sudden she shows up and offers to help him. I liked that they didn't beat around the bush with their feelings for each other. After years of miscommunication, they laid out all their issues and cleared any misunderstandings. Sparks were flying right away.
This book is one of the few anthologies that I've read in which I've actually liked every story. Some definitely more than others, but they are all good! I'll review them individually.
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh - 4.5 Stars
Noel, a vampire who used to work at the Tower for Raphael, and who was one of the victims in a previous Guild Hunter book, is sent to New Orleans to serve Nimra. At first he thought he was being cast out because of his weakness. He is still dealing with the emotional aftermath of his past, he feels almost dead inside. But then he realizes Raphael sent him here to help and protect Nimra. Someone close to her wants her dead. It's his job to make sure they don't succeed and to figure out who is responsible. But Nimra somehow manages to wake him from the state he's been in.
The story, as always, is amazing. Nalini Singh can weave an intricate web perfectly. Even for a short story there's so much going on it felt like a complete story. All the characters were pretty well developed, the relationships between all of them was very real, and the chemistry between Noel and Nimra was amazing. Excellent story!
Alpha: Origins - 4 Stars
We are introduced to a brand new world where there's a long going on, a bit sci-fi, with a splash of paranormal. A group of genetically modified species, "people" with special abilities, separate realities or levels or worlds. I'm still a bit confused as to how everything works and what everything means, but it usually takes me a while to understand an Andrews world. Seems like the beginning to a really interesting series. A lot of action, some sexual tension.
Kate, along with her daughter and a group of kids on a field trip make the wrong pit stop for bathroom and stumble upon a group of supernatural creatures. She's taken as a slave for Lucas, part man part beast. He needs to feed on her regularly to fight the venom in his own body. There's a bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on, which I didn't necessarily like, but Lucas actually likes Kate, and even though he wants her, he respects her. I am very curious to see where this story will go from here.
Nocturne by Sharon Shinn - 3.5 Stars
My rating on this might be a bit because I wasn't too familiar with the series (Samaria) or maybe just because it got a bit boring half way through, or just that it was slow to get started. But in general I actually enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. A bit of angel politics at work, one sexy, brooding and blind angel; the daughter of an angel with a human who has been running away from angels for over 4 years. Corban was blinded by lightning and has been living secluded from everyone. Until Moriah shows up, and actually stands up for herself, confronts him about not facing his demons, and helps him to fly again.
Ascension by Meljean Brook - 4 Stars
I've only read one book in The Guardians series, but I have to say I really like this world. There was one thing mentioned in this story which was a bit of a spoiler for me (has to do with Michael!) but other than that it was a very enjoyable read. And I mean, how could you NOT like a book about two guardians, one hot male who has been in love with the same girl since his training days and the guardian he's in love with has indigo blue skin, dark black hair to her butt, gold claws and dresses with scarfs tied around her body. I thought she was pretty smoking hot! LOL
Marc is in the middle of nowhere Illinois investigating what might be a demon wreaking havoc in the town. He hasn't spoken to Radha for 140 years, and all of a sudden she shows up and offers to help him. I liked that they didn't beat around the bush with their feelings for each other. After years of miscommunication, they laid out all their issues and cleared any misunderstandings. Sparks were flying right away.
January 16, 2012
4.5 Stars - overall I really enjoyed all 4 novellas. 1 is a standalone, 3 are part of a series. I'm not caught up on the ones that are part of a series, but I thought that the stories were good standalones, and I wasn't lost at all. There might have been some slightly spoilerish things that didn't bother me (I still plan on reading the series) but might bother some folks who must read things in order. I have read and enjoyed every one of these authors, although I haven't read as much of Shinn's work as I want - will have to fix that this year. There is a definite trend here of characters that have been broken and need mending. There is romance, and a little steam, but the focus was more on the building of the relationships.
Note: If you are a reader that dislikes novellas or romance, you probably shouldn't get this one as it has both.
Angel's Wolf (Guild Hunter 4.5) by Nalini Singh
Singh's seemed a little anticlimtic to me, mostly because we have 2 kickass leads who do very little kicking of the ass. Nimra has a pretty scary power, but also cares deeply for the few she allows to get close to her. Noel is recovering from a traumatic assault. He has been sent to Nimra after an attempt on her life. The story for me was more about 2 wounded people finding each other and recovering together, and the solution to the mystery made sense as well (I'd just expected more fighting). I still liked it, and I'm looking forward to reading more Guild Hunters. I've previously read book 1 and some novellas, so the world wasn't brand new to me.
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews
Lots of action in the one by Andrews. It is not a Kate story, not an Edge story, it's its own thing. The world was cool (that is consistent with Andrews other works). Not as funny as the other series, though, so if you need the comedic asides you might find them mising here. I do hope there will be more stories set in this world. Darker, edgier, more than a little twisted, but I liked it. I think it was just twisted enough to stay on this side of the line where I was satisifed with the ending and still enjoyed reading about the characters. I really liked the end. I'd been wondering where the "angel" would come into play.
Nocturne (Samaria series) by Sharon Shinn
I had not even heard of this series before reading this novella, but I will be checking it out. Set in a world ruled by angels, the intermediaries for the god Jovah, the story takes place in an out of the way school as far from the rest of civilization as possible. Moriah is new to the school. Adventurous, this is the latest in a long string of places she has run from. I liked her a lot. She was sneaky, calculating, strong, resourceful - it was not hard to believe that she was a survivior. Corban is a blind angel in hiding at the foreboding house on the hill. The two strike up a strange relationship that is really beneficial to both. I enjoyed their verbal sparring and that each gave as good as they got. Not much action in this one.
Ascension (Guardians 7.5) by Meljean Brook:
Here we have 2 Guardians who are nursing old wounds they gave each other years (and years) before. The initial issue was a big miscommunication, but I'm glad that they didn't spend all of the story focused on the miscommunication. There is also a problem with someone killing vampires, a potential demon to sniff out, and teens getting in over their heads. I really liked Marc's and Radha's powers, how they worked together. There was some action in the story, especially at the end. I haven't started this series yet, although I have read a novella set in this world, so it wasn't completely new to me. It does make me want to dig more into this world.
Note: If you are a reader that dislikes novellas or romance, you probably shouldn't get this one as it has both.
Angel's Wolf (Guild Hunter 4.5) by Nalini Singh
Singh's seemed a little anticlimtic to me, mostly because we have 2 kickass leads who do very little kicking of the ass. Nimra has a pretty scary power, but also cares deeply for the few she allows to get close to her. Noel is recovering from a traumatic assault. He has been sent to Nimra after an attempt on her life. The story for me was more about 2 wounded people finding each other and recovering together, and the solution to the mystery made sense as well (I'd just expected more fighting). I still liked it, and I'm looking forward to reading more Guild Hunters. I've previously read book 1 and some novellas, so the world wasn't brand new to me.
Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews
Lots of action in the one by Andrews. It is not a Kate story, not an Edge story, it's its own thing. The world was cool (that is consistent with Andrews other works). Not as funny as the other series, though, so if you need the comedic asides you might find them mising here. I do hope there will be more stories set in this world. Darker, edgier, more than a little twisted, but I liked it. I think it was just twisted enough to stay on this side of the line where I was satisifed with the ending and still enjoyed reading about the characters. I really liked the end. I'd been wondering where the "angel" would come into play.
Nocturne (Samaria series) by Sharon Shinn
I had not even heard of this series before reading this novella, but I will be checking it out. Set in a world ruled by angels, the intermediaries for the god Jovah, the story takes place in an out of the way school as far from the rest of civilization as possible. Moriah is new to the school. Adventurous, this is the latest in a long string of places she has run from. I liked her a lot. She was sneaky, calculating, strong, resourceful - it was not hard to believe that she was a survivior. Corban is a blind angel in hiding at the foreboding house on the hill. The two strike up a strange relationship that is really beneficial to both. I enjoyed their verbal sparring and that each gave as good as they got. Not much action in this one.
Ascension (Guardians 7.5) by Meljean Brook:
Here we have 2 Guardians who are nursing old wounds they gave each other years (and years) before. The initial issue was a big miscommunication, but I'm glad that they didn't spend all of the story focused on the miscommunication. There is also a problem with someone killing vampires, a potential demon to sniff out, and teens getting in over their heads. I really liked Marc's and Radha's powers, how they worked together. There was some action in the story, especially at the end. I haven't started this series yet, although I have read a novella set in this world, so it wasn't completely new to me. It does make me want to dig more into this world.
May 29, 2012
Angels of Darkness is actually four novellas, which I will review individually. They are probably best called paranormal romances.
Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn, is quite good, if predictable. A woman with a bit of a troubled past and a scathing tongue meets a hurt and despairing angel at a lonely manor . . . If you've read any Sharon Shinn, you'll know what's going to happen, but in a good way, because the story is comfortably predictable (like chocolate).
I didn't care much for Ascension, by Meljean Brook, because the story revolves around two Guardians who are trying to protect humans from demons, but spend their time seducing each other instead of searching for the demon who is destroying a small town. They seem more concerned with their romance. Really not my cup of tea.
Angel's Wolf, by Nalini Singh, was about the relationship between a vampire and an angel. The vampire is frequently compared to a wolf, and is therefore wild, uncontrollable, and jealous. I prefer civilized men.
I really, really hated Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews. I will sum it up. The story left a sour taste. I prefer men who are civilized. Strong does not mean possessive or dominating.
Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn, is quite good, if predictable. A woman with a bit of a troubled past and a scathing tongue meets a hurt and despairing angel at a lonely manor . . . If you've read any Sharon Shinn, you'll know what's going to happen, but in a good way, because the story is comfortably predictable (like chocolate).
I didn't care much for Ascension, by Meljean Brook, because the story revolves around two Guardians who are trying to protect humans from demons, but spend their time seducing each other instead of searching for the demon who is destroying a small town. They seem more concerned with their romance. Really not my cup of tea.
Angel's Wolf, by Nalini Singh, was about the relationship between a vampire and an angel. The vampire is frequently compared to a wolf, and is therefore wild, uncontrollable, and jealous. I prefer civilized men.
I really, really hated Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews. I will sum it up. The story left a sour taste. I prefer men who are civilized. Strong does not mean possessive or dominating.
October 10, 2011
Read as part of the Angels of Darkness anthology
Merged review:
Angel's Wolf (Singh) 4 stars. This is the first work of Singh's I've read and I really enjoyed it and will definitely try out her series. I'm not sure that I like that all the angels are cruel and inhumane (why does Raphael leave them in power?), but I get that, for at least some, it's an illusion they've created and is used as a foil for Nimra. I really enjoyed the characters of Nimra and Noel and even Christian and the rest of the court and hope to see more of them in the series.
Alphas: Orgins (Andrews)5 stars. I loved this short, and somehow, wasn't too sad when it ended. I'd have liked to see Lucas and Karina's future, but maybe they'll start writing this as a series, or at least a series of shorts. This was a totally different world than Kate and the Edge and done just as well. Though it was a short the world building and character development were great.
Nocturne (Shinn) 3 Stars. I liked this story about a girl on the run that encounters an angel, and of course, based on past experiences she hates the egotistical bastards. But she finds compassion and the desire to help him learn to fly again (he's blind). It's an interesting world, though I'm not sure how a series would actually work unless it followed Corban and Moriah after this story.
Ascension (Brook) 3 Stars. I liked the characters and how they handled the plot development. This short featured the angels as guardians, more decendents or creations of angels, who protect humans from demons. The premise of the romance was a little silly - two guardians were best friends and lovers had a misunderstanding that led to them not speaking to each other for over 150 years even though they're in love with each other. I did like that it was resolved without a lot of back and forth and doubt; the issue was established and dealt with without a lot of whining.
Merged review:
Angel's Wolf (Singh) 4 stars. This is the first work of Singh's I've read and I really enjoyed it and will definitely try out her series. I'm not sure that I like that all the angels are cruel and inhumane (why does Raphael leave them in power?), but I get that, for at least some, it's an illusion they've created and is used as a foil for Nimra. I really enjoyed the characters of Nimra and Noel and even Christian and the rest of the court and hope to see more of them in the series.
Alphas: Orgins (Andrews)5 stars. I loved this short, and somehow, wasn't too sad when it ended. I'd have liked to see Lucas and Karina's future, but maybe they'll start writing this as a series, or at least a series of shorts. This was a totally different world than Kate and the Edge and done just as well. Though it was a short the world building and character development were great.
Nocturne (Shinn) 3 Stars. I liked this story about a girl on the run that encounters an angel, and of course, based on past experiences she hates the egotistical bastards. But she finds compassion and the desire to help him learn to fly again (he's blind). It's an interesting world, though I'm not sure how a series would actually work unless it followed Corban and Moriah after this story.
Ascension (Brook) 3 Stars. I liked the characters and how they handled the plot development. This short featured the angels as guardians, more decendents or creations of angels, who protect humans from demons. The premise of the romance was a little silly - two guardians were best friends and lovers had a misunderstanding that led to them not speaking to each other for over 150 years even though they're in love with each other. I did like that it was resolved without a lot of back and forth and doubt; the issue was established and dealt with without a lot of whining.
October 11, 2011
Good anthology collection--not a stinker in the bunch! :)
Singh's Angel's Wolf: 3 stars
I love Nalini Singh and find most of her stuff to be great. While this story wasn't some of her best work, it was still a good read. It's set in the Guild Hunters series' world. It is a PNR anthology w/an HEA. I think you'll get more from the story if you've already read at least Angel's Blood (book one)--which is a great book.
Andrews' Alphas Origins: 3.5 stars
I love Andrews' Kate Daniels series and really like the Edge books as well. This story wasn't set in either of those worlds. It is the start of a potential new series. It wasn't an urban fantasy story like I expected; it was dark fantasy with some sci fi elements mixed in. I have to admit I'm more of a UF fan, so the story wasn't totally grabbing me at first. I also didn't like the setup for the heroine (captured and turned into a blood slave). But all that changed towards the end of the story. Something big happens that makes her more kick a$$ and more on even footing with the shifter hero. If they write a full length book set in this world, I'll give it a try to see what happens w/her.
Shinn's Nocturne: 4.5 stars
My fav of the bunch! I haven't read this author before and will definitely be checking out more of her work. This is a fantasy romance anthology with an HEA.
Brook's Ascension: 3 stars
This one is set in Brook's Guardians series' world. It's a good PNR short story w/HEA. I had some nits w/it but it was still a good read.
Singh's Angel's Wolf: 3 stars
I love Nalini Singh and find most of her stuff to be great. While this story wasn't some of her best work, it was still a good read. It's set in the Guild Hunters series' world. It is a PNR anthology w/an HEA. I think you'll get more from the story if you've already read at least Angel's Blood (book one)--which is a great book.
Andrews' Alphas Origins: 3.5 stars
I love Andrews' Kate Daniels series and really like the Edge books as well. This story wasn't set in either of those worlds. It is the start of a potential new series. It wasn't an urban fantasy story like I expected; it was dark fantasy with some sci fi elements mixed in. I have to admit I'm more of a UF fan, so the story wasn't totally grabbing me at first. I also didn't like the setup for the heroine (captured and turned into a blood slave). But all that changed towards the end of the story. Something big happens that makes her more kick a$$ and more on even footing with the shifter hero. If they write a full length book set in this world, I'll give it a try to see what happens w/her.
Shinn's Nocturne: 4.5 stars
My fav of the bunch! I haven't read this author before and will definitely be checking out more of her work. This is a fantasy romance anthology with an HEA.
Brook's Ascension: 3 stars
This one is set in Brook's Guardians series' world. It's a good PNR short story w/HEA. I had some nits w/it but it was still a good read.
June 21, 2012
I'm a big fan of Nalini and Ilona and I like Meljean but I hadn't heard of Sharon Shinn and I love a well written angel story so I was looking forward to reading this anthology.
Nalini's story is set in her Archangel's world and center's on an Archangel called Nimra and the vampire Noel. They must find out who is out to poison the archangel. A great insight into the Archangel world!
Ilona's story is exactly what you expect from her, full of action and adventure and great character's. I would love to hear if she is going further with this short. Although I'm not entirely sure where angels came into this one.
Sharon's story is about an woman named Moriah who works in a school and meets a blind angel called Corban and with her witty personality and past helps him to defeat his disability.
In Meljean's Marc is a Guardian, an angell who kills demons who prey on humans. When he is joined by Radha, a blue skinned guardian, he is reminded of their night together. They must find out whos is committing crimes. Is it demon or human?
I really enjoyed this anthology as I really enjoy a good angel story. I highly recommend for fans of any of these authors.
Nalini's story is set in her Archangel's world and center's on an Archangel called Nimra and the vampire Noel. They must find out who is out to poison the archangel. A great insight into the Archangel world!
Ilona's story is exactly what you expect from her, full of action and adventure and great character's. I would love to hear if she is going further with this short. Although I'm not entirely sure where angels came into this one.
Sharon's story is about an woman named Moriah who works in a school and meets a blind angel called Corban and with her witty personality and past helps him to defeat his disability.
In Meljean's Marc is a Guardian, an angell who kills demons who prey on humans. When he is joined by Radha, a blue skinned guardian, he is reminded of their night together. They must find out whos is committing crimes. Is it demon or human?
I really enjoyed this anthology as I really enjoy a good angel story. I highly recommend for fans of any of these authors.
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