Do not trust outsiders. Do not disobey the precepts. Do not listen to handsome men.
Lilith has spent her whole life straining for perfection to please the elders of her restrictive religious community. When she’s thrust into a conspiracy involving handsome, otherworldly angels who claim to be Heralds from her god, she’s skeptical. Despite her wariness, one angel in particular is charming enough to thaw her icy walls.
Castiel, a warrior angel, Fell from the sky and into Lilith’s world. For fifty years he has searched for a way home, and his first clue comes from this cold, beautiful woman and an ancient manuscript hidden by her cult. He strikes a bargain: he’ll pretend to be a messenger from her god, snatch the book, then return to his fellow warriors, and in return shore up her precarious position as a beautiful, single woman in a patriarchal cult by providing a veneer of holy approval.
As they search for the book, Castiel realizes he longs for Lilith in a way that can only mean one thing—she’s his fated mate, even though a human and a seraph together seems impossible. When suspicious elders uncover their deception, suddenly more is at stake than a broken heart or hidden manuscript. If Castiel and Lilith can’t escape the elders, they’ll lose Castiel’s chance at returning home—and even their lives.
Seraph’s Charge is book two in the AngelFall series. This sequel is perfect for fans of supernatural angels, gothic tones, and paranormal romantasy.
Tropes
AngelsFated MatesGothic elementsBargainBlack cat X Golden retrieverForced ProximityInterconnected standalone
Thanks to Happily Booked for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
Secrets Whisper, Desires Burn
It feels as if the world of AngelFall expands with every page turned. 'Seraph's Blade', the second installment in the series, picks up exactly where Seraph's Tears left off, drawing the reader into a dark, enchanting universe where secrets, forbidden desires, and supernatural forces are always lurking. Reading the series in order is highly recommended, as the growth of the characters and the tension between them are felt most strongly that way.
Evernight writes with a cinematic eye for atmosphere: every scene, from the chilling cult settings to hidden, mysterious refuges, feels almost tangible. The gothic tone, intertwined with a simmering romance, lingers long after the book is closed, as if the darkness and emotions of the characters continue to echo.
At the heart of this story are the relationships. Lilith and Castiel slowly draw closer, their inner struggles and desires palpable in every glance and decision. The focus on psychology and emotional depth elevates the story above standard paranormal romance, while the smooth, accessible prose makes it an easy, immersive read.
It is not without flaws: at times the romance takes center stage over the broader plot, and for readers familiar with paranormal romance, some tropes, like “fated mates” and cult-driven conflicts, may feel predictable. Yet these familiar elements also provide a sense of comfort and recognition that fans often appreciate.
'Seraph's Blade' is a captivating blend of romance, suspense, and supernatural mystery, a book that pulls the reader in and refuses to let go. A sequel that truly shines when read after the first installment, allowing every emotion and plot twist to come fully alive.
Slow-burn romance | Fated mates / destined lovers | Forbidden love | Gothic atmosphere | Paranormal romance | Supernatural suspense | Cult / secret society | Dark secrets | Coming-of-age / personal growth
Thank you to the author for an e-arc of book 2! I was an arc reader for book 1 as well 😊
Another solid, fun read for this series.
This is the 2nd book in the series but follows a new couple (we met both characters in book 1).
Lilith grew up in the same religious cult as Eve, our FMC from book 1. After the ending events of book 1, Eve must travel back to the group with her brother and the reverend’s body in tow. Along with her and the surviving Elder though, is a Herald they’ve been seeking. It may not be Gabriel, the white winged one seen 50 years ago falling, but Gabriel is sending Castiel, his 3rd in command, to seek out more information regarding the black winged Seraph seen falling hundreds of years before they did. The hope is they find his same path back to home.
For the past 50 years, Castiel has integrated himself into human life more so than the rest of their cohort. But even he sees instantly the control and cruelty this cult claims over its people, especially the women. He may not care too much about Lilith at first, but there’s this certain pull he keeps feeling whenever he looks at her. Yes, she’s beautiful, but it’s more than that. She deserves more than to be treated and controlled the way she is by the Elders and others in the community. And while this lifestyle is all she knows, he’s determined to make her see she’s worth more than they give her credit for, and maybe, just maybe, she can be the person his gut is telling him she is.
This book really dives more into the cult politics and hierarchy itself and how they truly brainwash the people around them. In the end, while they claim to want the Herald, truly it’s their own power they seek vs guidance.
We also dive more into the social structure of Castiel’s home world too more, which was interesting to read about. Since Castiel comes from a lower caste of society, how he views himself and how he’s fought (literally) for everything he’s accomplished; tying that back in to how he views he and Lilith’s developing by relationship overall. I liked diving more into the world building of both of their realms and hope to see even more next book.
Book 3 (coming in June) I think is setting up to be my favorite couple: Azreal and Silence. I think they are going to be so fun to read as they set off on their adventure for answers. I think there’s a prequel coming too in April regarding this mysterious black-winged figure who fell 200+ years ago. I love diving into all the backstory and information for everything.
The romance still is definitely front and center with these books, with the overall plot developing throughout each book. The spice 🌶️ is spicing as usual, even for a shorter book. And the difference in the 2 characters sexual history and how it plays into their romance was intriguing.
Excited to read both the prequel and book 3 coming this year! ❤️
I devoured Seraph’s Blade like it was written in blood, candle wax, and forbidden longing. Anna Evernight absolutely understood the assignment and then set it on fire in a cathedral.
Lilith broke my heart and rebuilt it stronger. A woman raised inside a suffocating religious cult, trained to be silent, perfect, obedient, and watching her slowly realize that holiness does not mean submission was chef’s kiss. Her quiet defiance felt razor sharp. Every page I wanted to scream YES GIRL RUN while also wanting to wrap her in a blanket and protect her from everyone.
And Castiel. Listen. Fallen warrior angel. Stranded for fifty years. Golden retriever energy wrapped in lethal wings. Pretending to be a divine messenger while very much catching feelings he absolutely did not plan for. I was gone. Completely gone. The way he reveres Lilith while also burning for her? Unreal. The fated mates pull felt inevitable, painful, and deliciously doomed in the best way.
The gothic atmosphere seeps into your bones. Ancient manuscripts, whispered rules, suspicious elders, candlelit tension, and that constant sense that one wrong move will bring everything crashing down. The bargain trope was executed perfectly, not cute, not easy, but necessary and dangerous. Forced proximity had me kicking my feet. Black cat Lilith and golden retriever Castiel is a pairing I will never recover from.
What really sold this for me was the emotional weight. This isn’t just angels and romance. It’s about control, faith twisted into power, and choosing your own truth even when the cost is terrifying. The stakes felt real. The danger felt sharp. And the romance felt earned.
I did not expect to be this obsessed, this emotional, or this invested. If you love angels, forbidden love, gothic vibes, fated mates, and romances that feel like rebellion, Seraph’s Blade will ruin you in the best possible way. I’m still thinking about it. Still aching.
[I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinion]
THE WHAT We follow Castiel & Eve as they return to Eve’s town controlled by the Church of the Love of his Divine Saints. Casitel is hoping to find a book and discover if another Seraph with black wings fell through the sky similar to him and the elite sedge. Castiel tricks the elders into believing he’s a messenger of their God Erlik, and with Eve by his side, they set out to find the book. As suspicions grow, the elders try to keep Castiel and Eve apart especially once their connection becomes impossible to ignore.
THE VIBE Slow burn, enemies to lovers, religious cult x fundamentalism, human x seraph, Romantasy, family betrayals, dual POV, slow building trust.
THE HOW The story is told through a dual POV from both Castiel’s and Eve’s perspectives. The plot moved well and the cult aspect added tension which kept the right amount of tension.
THE HIT I really enjoyed this one. Anything cult-y already has me hooked, but this story felt well developed. Eve’s growth stood out the most; watching her gain confidence through her relationship with Castiel and in her own life was really amazing.
THE MISS Similar to the first book, some of the word choices pulled me out of the story - terms like “cunny” to describe body parts. It gave me the ick and distracted from the story.
THE REC: A solid read and a strong second book. If you liked the first book, or enjoy culty stories with tension, this one is definitely worth the read.
THE OVERALL: Overall, I would rate this book as follows:
Seraph's Blade by Anna Evernight ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What an absolute delight! I’m giving this one a glowing 4 out of 5 stars! Seraph's Blade, the second book in Anna Evernight’s AngelFallseries, is a total thrill ride that takes the high-stakes world of the first book and cranks the excitement way up. We follow the courageous Lilith as she finally starts finding her own voice while teaming up with the dashing warrior angel Castiel. Their deal is so fun: he poses as a holy messenger to boost her status, and she helps him track down a mysterious ancient manuscript. Their chemistry is electric, and watching their fated-mate bond bloom while they outsmart a grumpy cult of elders is just so satisfying! If you love a slow-burn romance that has you rooting for the characters at every turn, you need to grab this. The dual-perspective narration is fantastic because you get to see exactly how much Castiel and Lilith are falling for each other, even when they’re trying to keep things professional. It’s got that perfect mix of gothic vibes and heartwarming character growth that makes it impossible to put down. Honestly, seeing Lilith transform into a confident woman is such a joy. If you're a fan of paranormal romantasy with plenty of heart, this is a fantastic read!
10/10 Would recommend this book to all family and friends.
Ok, so, I should have read Seraph's Tears before this, but I don't think it took away from the story at all. Seraph's Blade could very well be read as a stand-alone.
Now, I loved this story. I loved seeing the push and pull between Castiel and Lilith. You could feel the chemistry jumping straight off the pages. It was beautiful. The struggles that Lilith faced in this book were a bit triggering. So I do suggest reading the trigger warnings. Religious oppression and sexual objectification are the main things to look out for.
The story flowed perfectly, the character development and relationship building were organic and perfectly paced for the fated mates trope. Nothing felt rushed and even though I did not read the first in this trilogy, I was still able to follow along without any confusion.
This story had 🖤fated mates ❤️touch her/him & die (literally) 🖤forced proximity ❤️forbidden love
I was really excited about getting started on this book, I did not know what to really expect going in, I had not read the firstbook in the AngelFall Series, I was told you didint have to, but I wish know that I would have, just to have a little of the back story of some of the characters, so just a suggestion, it can be read as a stand alone,but I would defiately read both. I really enjoyed this book, it was alot different then I first thought, I enjoyed the character development, and the world building, and seeing the difference between the levels of the people, like the caste system. The characters were not one dimentional and were well rounded.I truly loved the relationships and how they came about. I would love to continue on with this series, it was very well written and I am looking forward to seeing how the other characters develope.
This was another ARC I was lucky to receive, and having enjoyed the first book (also an ARC), I was happy to dive back into the story.
This installment continues the series but shifts to another seraph’s point of view, where they discover their mate, who also happens to be human. While I did enjoy the story, it was fairly predictable, and I found myself already guessing that the next book will likely be from Azreal’s POV.
Despite that predictability, the book was still an enjoyable read. The world-building was fairly limited, and there were a few disjointed moments where I had to go back and check if I’d missed something. Even so, I liked the story enough that I’ll probably continue on with the next book when it releases.
I found this book better than the first. The characters had more personality and I enjoyed the banter. The fmc in this book I found more enjoyable and less irritating than the first. The mmc was a bit more charismatic as well. I know this is a quick read but I'd be interested to see a bit more plot and more world building. You can kind of see where the plot is going and is a simple fun read. This is the perfect read for something just simple and fun to read in between and intense series or a book that left you on a cliffhanger.
3.5 ⭐'s Rounded up This is book 2 of the AngelFall series. You do not need to read book one, but I highly recommend it only to understand and get the most of the overall storyline. This book follows Castiel and Lilith. I absolutely loved Lilith. In her religious community (cough cough cult) she is just known for her beauty. However, she is strong, smart and fierce on the inside. I loved when she was able to empower herself. Castiel was charming, charismatic and gave off a lot of touch her and ☠️ vibes. Castiel and Lilith had the perfect amount of chemistry going on and there was some mild angst. The storyline continues on for their quest to find their way home in book 3.
🏵️ I received an ARC from the author so the thoughts are my own 🏵️
I loved the first book, Seraph's Tears, and I without a doubt loved Seraph's Blade all the same. I don't have words that can properly describe how much I enjoyed being back in the world of Mirkwood and I just want to jump in and never leave. Castiel and Lilith's dynamic is just *chefs 💋*. I love when fmc is the "black cat" archetype because I too have been described as a black cat person. Thank you again Anna Evernight for letting me read Seraph's Blade.
DNF @ 10% Here's why: You have to read the books in order. I was never given the opportunity to ARC the first book, and it wasn't listed as a requirement to read this one. While I understand there are standalone novels, it's hard to do that with high fantasy. Much of the world building that must take place in book 1 isn't readily available in this sequel. I was lost and confused from the start. Thus, I had to DNF it before the reading itself became a chore.
4.25 ⭐️ okay so i loved this story so much, castiel and lilith are such cuties. the emotion in this book is so intense and written so well. i absolutely adored both castiel & lilith’s personalities & the fact that castiel saw lilith beyond her face & body, unlike anyone else did was so so beautiful. i’m really loving this series & i can’t wait for the next book. as soon as i saw silence’s POV i predicted the ending & knew it would be their story in the next book 😭
Omg this book was hands down one of my favorite books so far. The storyline was chefs kiss and I loved how the characters blended so well to make the story even better. I do need to read the first book to get a better understanding of how the story began
I loved the story of L and C so much I was always left wondering what was going to happen next.. and not many books keep me wanting to read them over and over but this series is one I’ll read again when I can
this was such a great sequel. I love how we're following new characters but the same overarching plot. it's soooo good. creepy and steamy and heart-meltingly sweet
I was so excited for Castiel and Lilith’s story after the epilogue in Seraph’s Tears, and it definitely delivered! Castiel’s patience with Lilith was so satisfying to read, especially as she slowly begins to recognize the cruelty of the church. The dark, gloomy atmosphere was beautifully done and really set the tone. 🖤 And that teaching moment between Castiel and Lilith… oh my. 🥵😅
I did wish Lilith’s reunion with a certain family member had gone a bit deeper, and part of me hoped her mother might have a change of heart. The ending was a bit predictable for me, but I was still very invested in the characters. Overall I really enjoyed the story and I’m very excited for book 3! 🙌
Thank you so much to the author for sending me the eARC. 🫶