Angel Bait

Angel Assassins #0.5

by Tricia Skinner

He's not that kind of angel.

Jarrid is a “Bound One”: half angel, half human, trained from childhood to enforce Heaven’s laws on earth. An assassin with no remorse. And no choice. When he discovers an ancient ritual called Ascension, which might give him a shot at freedom, he can’t resist his lifelong dream. He only needs to find one last Renegade angel and take him down…using a certain woman to flush the angel out of hiding.

She's not what he's expecting.

News reporter Ionie Gifford has no clue an outlaw angel wants her dead, much less why, but she does know one thing: the enigmatic Jarrid, with his penetrating silver eyes and his worship-worthy body, is her ticket to the city's supernatural underworld, where she might finally be able to locate her mother's killer. For that kind of information, she's willing to risk everything...

They can't be together -- but can't keep apart...

Blindsided by Ionie's beauty and tenacity, Jarrid finds the millennia-old glacier around his heart melting. But when he's faced with a choice, will he sacrifice Ionie for freedom from his brutal servitude—or agree to be bound for eternity, to protect the life of the woman he's falling in love with?

From novelist Tricia Skinner comes a story that will have fans of action-packed love stories applauding. Seamlessly combining elements of paranormal romance and gritty urban fantasy, the Angel Assassins series is a heart-pounding spin on angel mythology.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Angels, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Adult

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2013

About the author

Tricia Skinner is an urban fantasy author (represented by Fuse Literary co-founder Laurie McLean) and an Agent at Fuse.

Reviews

[BBMoreB ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricia Skinner set the bar ridiculously high with her debut novel, Angel Bait . I even searched under the assumption that she was potentially a seasoned writer publishing under a pseudonym. Her writing style was remarkable. I felt engrossed throughout the entire story mostly due to her ability to generate a varying amount of clarity, pace, and flow – but mainly it was her extraordinary vivid descriptions. The author never broke stride in the story; the character and world development came naturally though dialogue. All of the characters were given equal treatment – with interesting quirks and great dialogue.

Only one suggestion – and you probably have already heard this but, WRITE FASTER


Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge by Bewitching Book Tours for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward.

Decent writing, but the characters fell flat, which is a pity, because I think the story had potential. I was more interested in the history of the nephilim and the angels than in Jarrid and Ionie's relationship.

I found it weird that there were only 2 women in this book, and unfortunately one of them died at about 66%. Why only one woman? Why 5 or 6 guys?

Also, the way Ionie was described, it felt like she was the embodiment of perfection. I like flaws in my heroines.

As for the villains, just when I was beginning to like Saul (yes, I consider Saul the villain, because Beleth was a joke), he went and let his bloodlust take over. I had high hopes for him.

The only character I found intriguing was Tanis. I would have loved to hear more about him.

All in all, it was an ok story abounding with frustrating characters who should thank the author's decent writing skills for making them more bearable to me.

3 stars

**Free copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

[Cathy Yardley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had a great action/UF vibe, with some very smexy angels and some steamy escalating tension. I also loved the world building. It's set in an alternative present Detroit, and you can feel the grit -- nothing pretty or safe here, folks! It gives it a nice sense of groundedness, instead of a fictional Gotham-esque city. Her take on Angels and Nephilim is a neat twist, too. I see this being a fun series, sort of like BDB by J.R. Ward, or Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. I'm going to keep my eye out for the next book, definitely!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angel Bait, while so like a lot of things on the market right now, still blew me away in parts and will have me talking about it for some time. I love a good paranormal romance, especially one with memorable characters and unique aspects. Angel Bait gave me everything I wanted and though it did drag until about 30% in with a huge informational dump, after that it blew me away with the action, emotion and intricate story line! I’m really glad I stuck with it.

A news reporter in a world where many beings walk along side humans generally doesn’t leave a dull moment for Ionie. She wants a story to land her on the map and she gets exactly that when she meets Jarrid. The only group of paranormals to be unreachable are angels and a near mythical faction of half angels called nephilim. Cast out of heaven because of their mixed angel/human heritage and forced to work as assassins without any of the perks. Ionie may think he’s giving her access in exchange for letting him talk to her sources in search of information on a classified case. Jarrid has other plans though and they include using Ionie as bait to catch a fallen angel, a Renegade.

The parallels drawn between Ionie ( a mixed race human) and Jarrid (a mixed race paranormal) were pretty stark. They were alike in so many ways and yet totally different in others. Jarrid had to deal with obvious racism from the angels for his entire life. If not for their scarred angel leader Tanis, the other angels would have wiped the “abominations” from the earth long ago. I instantly liked him because he stood up for them so long ago and felt for the kids they once were. Now battled honed warriors they are a band of brothers and loyalty is extremely important to them. They felt very much like the Black Dagger Brotherhood…you know, before that series got way to intricate and I had to start taking notes.

Ionie was such a fierce female lead. She didn’t have powers and was essentially a normal human but she was smart, truthful and she didn’t allow insurmountable odds to get her down for long. She wormed her way right under Jarrid’s tough exterior and before he knew it she was a major part of all their lives. I loved how effortlessly she became such a huge part of their group and how they all surrounded her when she needed help. Especially Jarrid, the toughest of the warriors. I do love a virgin hero! His confusion was constantly warring with his protection instinct and he didn’t understand any of the human emotions he was feeling. Ionie brought out everything he had been denying himself and he soon found the idea of using her as bait as unacceptable.

The last half of the book is filled to the brim with emotion and action and a plot that should continue on into the next installment. I am really looking forward to following each brother into their own story and seeing the heroines that will bring them to their knees. I really hope Tanis gets a book as well. His strength has been the glue for these brothers for so long and he deserves to make amends for his past and find a woman who can give him what he needs. Love and redemption.

This definitely did not feel like a debut novel. This is written with the excellence of a seasoned writer. For a reader like me, who has gotten bored with the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward, this is exactly what I have been looking for!

I give Angel Bait by Tricia Skinner 4.50 stars!

[Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised at how much I ended up liking this book. It has the fun paranormal elements that I like, with a great story. I was not even aware of what age group this is for, but think now after reading it, its for sure got to be adults. It does have some very explicit sex scenes, but at least it does not take over the story like sometimes will happen in books. Something I do not like.

Anyway, overall its written very well. I really got to care for the characters, especially Jarrid and his group of angle assassins, but I liked Ionie a lot too. I also really felt her pain at one point (won’t say what) but it was written so well it made me want to cry.

I don’t want o spoil anything, you can learn the summary of it from the blurb, I never feel I should repeat the blurb. Anyway, there are some twists in this book I didn’t see coming, and actually liked a lot.
We have all sorts of supernatural creatures in this book, we have the werewolves, vampires, half-angel assassins’, fallen angels that are evil, the divine angels, elves and some others I had not heard of, but also some Fae and more. It made the story really interesting.

There is some major steam in this book too, but is tastefully done. I didn’t mind it too much, not as much as I usually do when surprised with it in a book, not knowing it’s a very adult book, lol. But like I said, I still loved it.

This whole idea was a lot different than lots of books I have read, and I only read books that are paranormal, except some dystopia kinds. So for it to be a new idea for me, is saying a lot. I can say, I have never read a book about Angel assassins before (well, half angel anyway)

Here is a part I found funny, when Ionie first meets Jarrid, and is taken by surprise by his hotness, and her co-workers too, lol:

She leaned back and studied him, taking in the casual way his thigh rested against a chair. Her throat closed, smothering her clever retort. Jarrid angled his chiseled face to study items on her desk, and Ionie caught the awed stares of her passing colleagues.
One woman tripped over her own feet.
Another face-planted into a wall.
Jesus Christ.
The half-angel was so handsome it hurt. Jarrid didn’t seem to notice the attention directed at him. Or maybe he didn’t care.

I won’t say much more. You need to just go read it, lol. Hot half-angel, with many hot team members, yeah, a great fun read. Several swoon worthy scenes too, and tons of action.
5 out of 5 stars. If it’s a series for sure, I will read the next book for sure.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I start this review I must admit that I don’t generally read romance novels. Ever. Unless you count reading the occasional paragraph, out loud, for the amusement of others. In that case, I’d have to admit that I have read the odd passage from a romance novel, but never one from start to finish.

(Personally, I find this rather impressive, as I work in a public library and romance novels make up a large chunk of our paperback collection. We have them all: Vampire romance, Scottish-Highlands romance, Scottish-Highlands-Vampire romance...)

Being as ignorant and scornful of the genre as I am, Angel Bait has been a pleasant surprise. The premise and characters are intriguing. Ionie Gifford, our heroine, is strong and smart without being abrasive and annoying. The supporting characters are a diverse and interesting group—a group that I care about and want to see more of. If The Angel Assassins series continues (and I hope it does), there are plenty of interesting directions to go and characters to explore. This is definitely a world with more stories to tell.

In fact, my biggest criticism of Angel Bait is that I wanted more. The plot moves quickly and there is plenty of action to keep you reading, but it isn't a long novel and I would have loved to slow down a bit and spend more time exploring the characters, their back stories, and the world they live in. I'm one of those odd people who love exposition. But perhaps that was part of the author's wicked plan all along—to keep us asking questions and wanting more!

(I received an ARC of the novel from the author in exchange for my honest review)

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

ANGEL BAIT is a really fascinating story packed full of gripping action and sensual romance. That aside, I loved the exploration of the nephilim (half angel half human) and the world in which they exist. The plot is thick and juicy with stunning revelation after revelation. While the story is serious and has life altering consequences for the characters, there is also a sweet silliness to ANGEL BAIT in the interactions between Jarrid and his brothers. These guys are hilarious and they had me smiling anytime they were in a scene together. I hope the next books feature each of Jarrid's brothers as I really need to know more about them!

It can take some time to warm up to characters in books but with ANGEL BAIT I warmed up to everyone immediately. In regards to the main characters, I loved Ionie. She is smart, curious, witty, and just a generally fun person. I loved how she just takes things in strides as yet another strange paranormal thing pops up in her life. Jarrid is the most sarcastic of his nephilim brothers these two just click which makes their romance feels so genuine from the get go. I also liked the parallels between Ionie being mixed race (black/white) and Jarrid being mixed angel/human.

I have found my new paranormal romance series featuring badass angels to follow. For being a prequel to a series that is just starting ANGEL BAIT has my attention piqued. I will most definitely be checking out ANGEL KIN, the first in this series and any other book to see where we go from here in this series.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very excited to be offered the chance to say, “I received an ARC of the novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.” With that being said, Angel Bait, the first in hopefully a long line of novel is worth your time and attention. It did take a chapter or two to get me hooked and wanting to sit down and read, but when it did catch me, I felt like someone had locked me down with daggers. Yes, I did look up the world nephilim.

I’m not normally browsing books with angels or vampires these days and not sure I’ve really looked for books with ‘gritty romance’ – but at the base of most stories isn’t romance involved somehow? So, at the end of the day while this isn’t something I’d normally pick up, I did enjoy this unvisited genre.

It’s a very detailed and vast world, enough like our own so that you don’t need to rub your brain to just try and figure it all out; amiss with all types of fantastical beings; a lot of fun/trouble for the characters in the future I’m sure. The characters are diverse enough that they don’t meld into one big slab, and I’m hoping we get more development and background story type of fun in the future – but that’s something I think I want out of any good series (which is a good sign)!

The book went by fast, in the end, but like any good book or tv show, the better ones fly by and you look forward to the next installment. Looking back at the trees I killed the print this out, I want more, and so will you.

[Amy Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this novella! The story was interesting, the characters were fun, and the action and romance were intense. I liked the way the world was built and the way angels were portrayed. The final battle was wild, and I really didn't know what was going to happen. Ionie was a great heroine and impossible not to love. Jarrid was the definition of broodiness, but I really liked how he developed with Ionie in his life. You could actually see the changes rather than have the author state they happened, rather than simply be told that was the way it was. I also loved the angles the story took to keep it unique. That said, my only complaints were that it was a little cliche. I mean, we've all heard this romantic story before: A broody warrior falls in love with a woman who changes his world. That said, I didn't mind the cliches– the story was just too good! The romance wasn't heavy-handed throughout the plot and only seemed to affect the main characters, which was nice. I like romantic stories as much as the next girl, but I need something else to keep me reading. I also wish we knew more about the villain. He was pretty dangerous, but I wanted to know more of his history. All in all, this was a sexy, wild ride, and cliche or now, I will definitely be continuing with the series!

[GothicMom'S Reviewers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being re-published on Halloween, what better way to unwind after peeling kids out of costumes, washing off layers of face-paint and dealing with kids bouncing off the walls with sugar highs than curling up with a fun, short, bloody supernatural read that puts a whole new twist in the Fallen Angel genre?

Many who have read Angle Kin without having had the benefit of reading Angel Bait may have wondered who the mysterious Ionie was, and just how she became an honorary member of the team, or more appropriately, what. Turns out her ties run deeper than her relationship with Jarid.

Referred to by the Others as a Scribe, reporter Ionie Gifford has always been bound and determined to find her mother's killer. So when she finds one of the infamous Bound standing in her boss' office needing her help she believes its the answer to her prayers, and strikes a deal in her favor. But she is far from naive and is also determined to discover the real reason Angels, half or not, would need to seek her out of all people. When she learns the truth it may shatter more than her heart.

After being saved from an imminent death, Jarrid and his brothers learn the hard way at a very tender young age, they were saved only to serve. Years of servitude, belittlement, disrespect and punishment, has lead to the teams utter hatred of Angel kind. When Jarid learns a piece of information that could lead to The Bound's freedom he sets up what he feels is a concrete plan. What he hadn't planned on was falling in love with the bait.

In exquisite detail Tricia Skinner shows the city of Detroit in a whole new light. One in which the murder count is still high but far beyond just random. Angel Bait sheds more light on the history of the Bound Ones, their punishment and the Directorate that sees them as nothing more than abominations that should not be allowed to live. I highly recommend this book to both lovers of Urban Fantasy and Fallen Angels, but only to those who are not the faint of heart. More than a little bit of blood, violence, loyalty and love, Angel Bait is one of those prequels that should not be skipped.

Review by Tiffany

[Stacy McKitrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was great! Loved the romance, the tension, and the suspense. I will definitely check out the other books in this series.

[Sadrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying Paranormal UF is usually not my cup of tea. I also generally stay away from Romances. Paranormal Romance? That is another thing entirely as I do not read them at all (unless someone persuaded me to). Because of that I'm a bit wary about Angel Bait. Would I like this? Hell, would I even make it halfway through?

All that worrying proved to be stupidly useless, however, because as soon as I read the first couple of paragraphs I'm hooked. It's dangerously addicting and honestly, Angel Bait is a total hit that made me reconsider my initial suspicions on its genres.

I loved the concept of lycanthropes, faes, vampires, and pretty much all those mythical beings that I so loved living in the same world as humans. The way it worked was intriguing and fascinating. It was almost impossible to guess what would happen next. 'Almost' because I happen to have a good intuition and did actually manage to predict a couple of things. Hah. Still, the plot twists got me more than once.

Most important of all: Jarrid. Lo and behold, our tough, extremely tall and unbelievably gorgeous Nephilim with icy facade. The moment he spoke, I fell. Hard. What I loved most about him was his sense of humor --or lacked thereof at some point-- and his sarcasm. Definitely the sarcastic trait.

Then comes Ionie Gifford, whose witty humor and lovable personality always seem to tug at my heart. She's a strong woman who does not follow orders she didn't like. Her curiosity as a reporter is also one of the reason why I love her. Her character just felt real and genuine which made it easier to relate to her. Actually, all of the characters are perfectly established. It didn't take long to get attached to them, to feel their emotions and feelings.

I love how the author made full use of her characters without wasting anything or anyone. As the story goes on, the minor characters whom we met briefly in the beginning of the story, will reappear with bigger roles to play. The author also had laid out what seemed like a small, unimportant details during the first half of Angel Bait, then, at the second half, seamlessly connect them together to give us a beautiful and irresistible story.

In my opinion, the real swoon factor in Angel Bait is The Order. Those sexy, flawless beings undoubtedly stole my heart with their peculiarity. I totally can understand Ionie's initial fascination, and her fondness with them. Second is Jarrid himself (yes, he's nominated twice in the Swoon Factor Award). Third would be Jarrid's and Ionie's undeniable attraction towards one another (thrice, now, for Jarrid lol). All those times of uncertainty and reluctance had build up into sexual frustrations, and when they finally got over it, well, let's just say things got steamy. Good news for me, there wasn't the horny/lustful kind of love where the couple just jump on each other at every given opportunity. In Angel Bait, there was just the right amount of romance at the right time, which I absolutely loved.

All in all, I absolutely and undoubtedly love Angel Bait. It's just perfect and there wasn't a single thing I have complaint of. Well, except, you know, to have Cain to myself. Or Jarrid, but I'm not sure Ionie's the sharing type. Anyways, I look forward to the sequel, which I'm hoping would come out a.s.a.p.. In fact, I'm going to look out for the authors' other upcoming works because, let's face it, who doesn't want another piece of these lethal beauties?

[Raina {The LUV'NV} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

I love discovering new Urban Fantasy series, and Angel Bait reminded me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but with badass, gun-wielding angel assassins in leather. In her debut novel, Tricia Skinner created a complex urban fantasy with refreshing twists on the ancient Nephilim. Werewolves and fey openly live and mingle with humans. The fey, though hidden, are also known to man. Pure angels are unforgiving and terrifying, killing their brethrens' concubines and their half-breed children, the Nephilim. Only four remain, and they are under the Heaven's heel and mercy, serving lifetimes of servitude for the mistakes of their fathers.

While I would've a little deeper emotion during a few parts, I loved the characters and relationships. Ionie is feisty and unforgettable. Jarrid made me want to hug him before running my hands down in his muscular back and breathing in his celestial scent, and he made me laugh at how tough yet clueless he was when it came to mankind and women. The secondary characters were fantastic, too. Each had standout, individual personalities that made them distinguishable from each other and were as lovable as the main characters—all within a few paragraphs.

I laughed aloud so many times from the smart dialog and witty banter, and the affection was so apparent within a few lines. The "first time" between Ionie and Jarrid was hot and so different, pleasantly surprising me. The world was easy to envision and get lost in, and I really appreciated how Tricia Skinner used what is told about angels and the Nephilim in the Bible. I wish Angel Bait was longer. I couldn't get enough, and I cannot wait until book two of the Angel Assassins series.

Action-packed and with an attitude narration, Angel Bait was memorable, exciting, funny, sexy, and all around wonderful. I've found a new author and series to fawn all over.

eBook copy provided by Tricia Skinner via Bewitching Book Tours for review. Thank you!
Review plus excerpt also posted on The LUV'NV blog, here.

[Franjessca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted on Book Lovin' Mamas

Welcome to a world of Half-breed Angels that go after their sires and also are assigned to assassinate anyone who dares to not abide by the laws of Heaven and the Directorate. They are apart of the Eternal Order and they are not to be messed with.
Jarrid is one of the Nephilim who has a new mission. He is actually keeping a part of the mission quiet form the Directorate because this mission may help get him to Ascension and his brothers.
He has to track down a woman news reporter and use her as bait to get the Renegade that the Directorate wants to be found. He has no idea why the Renegade wants the woman, but he will do anything to get his next assignment out of hiding.
Ionie Gifford is just trying to get her next story and when an Angel or half-Angel ends up in her boss's office, she sees the most interesting story ever.
What she does not realize is that Jarrid has other plans for her, but those plans go haywire when he realizes he is falling for her and she is for him. Things are about to get even more complicated when the truth comes out on why the Renegade wants Ionie.
It is going to surprise the Eternal Order and even the Directorate, but Jarrid is going to find out it is harder to follow orders when your heart has changed course.

Be prepared to read an action-packed debut novel from Author Tricia Skinner. She takes you into a world of chaos where Angels, Warrior Nephilims, Vampires, and Shifters are all over Detroit. The Angels cannot stand the abominations called Nephilim, but they will deal with them because they take care of the Renegades who do not follow the laws of Heaven. Then you have the Eternal Order who defy sometimes what the Angels say.
In between the Angel chaos, is the vampires who make friends with the Renegades and you also have shifters that vampires cannot stand.
It's one paranormal world you do not want to mess with really, otherwise, you get caught in the crossfire.
Jarrid is one "brooding" warrior...you will understand the brooding part if you read the book, who definitely is scary and overbearing at times, but he has his reasons.
Ionie is a determined, strong-willed and feisty character who is thrown into this chaotic world, but she ends up handling better than some of the other characters do.
I loved the connection between Jarrid and Ionie and they definitely were destined to be with each other. Although Jarrid took a while to open up to his feelings, you would be too if you had no clue how to handle a woman since you had never been one.
Ionie was a little annoying at times, but she got better towards the end.
I loved the flow of the writing and how everything built up at the end.
I look forward to reading more about the other brothers in the Eternal Order, especially Cain. =)
Tricia Skinner did an amazing job on the first book to her Angel Assassin series and I definitely will be patiently waiting on the next book since the Eternal Order has an assignment that needs to be done for the Directorate.
If you are a fan of the urban fantasy romance genre, this is a book you need to add to your TBR list or even read right away.
Here's hoping we do not wait too long on the next book. I want some more of these sexy Nephilim brothers.

[Maude · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I was very curious to read Angel Bait, prequel to the Angel Assassins series whose first book (Angel Kin) I read few months ago and very much enjoyed. It wasn’t exactly was I was expecting though. I thought Angel Bait would be more about the origins of The Bound Ones (the nephilim brotherhood Jarrid is a member of), how their leader, Tanis, rescued all these nephils, and why angels consider them as “abominations”. Because isn’t it what prequels are usually about, giving some extra info about a series’ background? For me Angel Bait shouldn’t be called “prequel to the Angel Assassins series” but rather “book 1 of the Angel Assassins series”, since it develops the story of one of The Bound’s members, just like all the other books in the series do.

With that said, I still enjoyed my reading. In some way it reminded me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R Ward, but with a better writing style (not hard), and less sex (not hard either). The vampires in Black Dagger Brotherhood and the nephils in The Bound Ones have the same sense of camaraderie, and that’s an aspect of J.R. Ward’s series I like so I was glad to find something similar here.

Angel Bait is a bit more focused on the romance than Angel Kin was, and that’s probably why I enjoyed it a bit less (I usually prefer action over romance). Especially since I didn’t have strong feelings neither for Jarrid nor for Ionie. To me the main characters fell a bit flat sadly. Jarrid is a super muscled, super sexy giant, and Ionie is a beautiful, curved Afro-American. That’s what I will remember of these protagonists. As you can see, these are only physical traits, nothing in their personality struck me. That’s a shame, because to me that’s the most important thing in a book character. Only Tanis made an impression, I hope he’ll get his own book in the future.
Also, Jarrid and Ionie are immediately pulled towards each other upon their first meeting. Instant attraction is something that always makes me roll my eyes when I encounter it in a book because it sounds so not credible to me.

Luckily the second half of the book leaves the romance a bit behind to catch up with the action. As you can guess, I liked that part much more. I have already said that in my review of Angel Kin but I’m saying it again here because it is one of the things I like the most about this series: I really enjoy the mythology and the fact that angels, for once, aren’t the good guys.
I think the plot takes quite long to be set up, it took me a while to figure out why exactly Ionie was such a central element for both the Bound and the renegade, but when it’s finally started, it’s great! Fast-paced and with much action.
The author also draws a sort of parallel between half-breeds (like nephils) and biracial humans (like Afro-Americans). It isn’t developed much in-depth but I liked the idea nevertheless.

To conclude, I’d say that Angel Bait is a book every paranormal romance lover will enjoy. It doesn’t feature the best characters ever but it has a great plot, with much action and also quite a lot of romance. I really like this nephils brotherhood and I’m already looking forward to reading the other brothers’ stories.


I recommend this book to you if: you like paranormal romance

[Amy Softa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for an honest review.

After reading this book, the next one, Angel Kin (that I read for review previously) make much more sense. So for all of you that are new to this series, start with this book. This one reads much more like a first in series then a prequel, it does a better job of setting up the world and introducing The Bound Ones and I now want to go back and read the next book because I think I will appreciate it more. Both books though are equally great and perfect for fans of J.R. Ward, Kim Harrison, Alexandra Ivy or Chloe Neill fans.

What did I enjoy about this book, lets see…pretty much everything. The action was paced well, the chemistry between the love interests and between the brothers was especially well done. I still loved the camaraderie between the guys in this story, perhaps even more because we got a chance to know them better. You really feel like they are a united front and have been for some time, for the Bound Ones that is. There is this great history between the characters that I can’t wait to delve into. The romance was perfect, just enough steam to keep you interested, but they didn’t spend all their time between the sheets. The world is also pretty rich and complex with lots of rules that are explained better if you start with this story. There are more than just Angels in this world and while most of the other species take the back burner it was interesting to see how they were mixed in. I feel it led to some authenticity, cause if you are going to have Angels and Vamps why not other groups as well. The best friend character was fun…well up until the end (no spoilers), and I really liked her. The dogs were great too. I really appreciated the female lead in this story though. She was smart, brave and had a great personality. She didn’t cave and I feel had a realistic reaction to the events that unfolded. She was strong, but not a wonder woman, she reacted like many of us would or would hope to.

So was there anything I didn’t like. The only thing I had a problem with, and it may be more due to the review copy I was reading then the finial copy, but sometimes it was tough to figure out when we changed heads. You are going along and then BAM you are a different character with no warning. A little more space or something like this,* * *, to let the reader know the scene had changed would have made my reading a little smoother. Like I said that could be mainly due to the reader’s copy I received and may have changed for publication.

Overall I think I liked this book better than the next one so I gotta give it five stars. This is a great introduction to a kick-ass world with some great new good-guys to fall for and some seriously messed up jerks in control that need to be taken down a notch. Who hasn’t felt suppressed from time to time by society, classmates, or co-workers. Most everyone has faced a bully at some point in their lives and these brothers certainly have, they make you want to root for them to find happiness, love and kick some Angel ass as they finally stand up for what is right and demand to be treated with respect. I love how this world is set up and can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Alex Latham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 03 complete.

[A.D. Starrling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Bait is a delicious package of fabulous heroes, a feisty and sexy heroine, and a great plot set in a dark Detroit where humans live side by side with supernatural beings, from vampire and werewolves, to elves and ancient forest gods.

Jarrid is one of the four assassins of the Eternal Order, an elite team of Nephilims whose lives were spared by Heaven. Under the guidance of their saviour, Tanis the angel, Jarrid and his three brothers Cain, Nestaron (Nesty), and Kasdeja (Kas) are forced to do Heaven's dirty work. During one of these missions, Jarrid discovers that a Renegade angel, one of the Watchers who slept with female humans and produced the Nephilims, is in town and working with vampires to find a woman. That woman is Ionie Gifford, a young reporter for the city newspaper. Jarrid's plan is to use Ionie as bait to draw out and capture/kill the Renegade angel. Unfortunately, the plan doesn't take into account Ionie's character and fighting spirit, and the sizzling attraction that develops between them.

What I loved about Angel Bait:

1. The plot was believable and the pace moved along swiftly. There are some pretty good twists which you won't see coming and I love it when that happens.
2. The baddies were appropriately evil and well fleshed out. You get to see things from their POV.
3. The action scenes were gripping, with plenty of bullets, unarmed combat, blood, and gore.
4. The heroes were HOT! Seriously, I want each and everyone one of those brothers in my basement, at my beck and call! I hope the next book is going to be about Cain. I can't wait to see what kind of woman he ends up with.
5. The sex scenes were...gah...very, very, er, hot... I laughed out loud when Ionie got advice from her werewolf best friend about how to seduce Jarrid. And Jarrid's awakening sexuality was sweet to watch. Ionie certainly has no reservations in the bedroom and I liked how she guided Jarrid in their lovemaking.
6. The dogs!!! I want them all. I loved how each one adopted one of the brothers and the runt of the litter went with Tanis. I hope Tanis gets his story as well. He looks like he has hidden depths just begging to be explored.


Not being a regular reader of romance, I did find the insta love between Ionie and Jarrid a bit quick, although it was probably more insta lust first. But this is a paranormal romance, so the love story is one of the main focus of the book. I did think she would have been more shocked and surprised toward the end of the book, when she ends up visiting somewhere very special (can't say more without spoiling it) with Jarrid and the brothers. I think this could have been developed further. I hope we get to find out more about the background behind the Eternal Order, Tanis, and the Directorate in the next novels, and that the world building continues to evolve.

Definitely a series to fall in love with and cannot wait for the next one!

[Shawn Ketcherside · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I've found that books in the Urban Fantasy genre fall on a continuum in terms of "Romance." Angel Bait falls farther on the “Is Romance” scale than I’m used to reading. Why is that bit of information pertinent to this review? Because I was given an ARC of the text in exchange for an honest review; and I intended to stick to that.

Now, because the romantic elements of the book fall so far outside of my familiarity, I don’t feel comfortable really diving into the details in that arena. Was it good? Seemed so to me, but I simply don’t have the background to be able to provide adequate criticism, so I’ll save the details on that facet for other reviewers more familiar with the genre conventions.

So, all that said, I’m not entirely useless either -- I am very familiar with the overall storytelling, world building, and other facets of the fantasy genre, and am happy to speak to those.

Let’s start with the World Building. In my opinion, this is a tough act in Urban Fantasy where you’re melding fantastical elements into a very familiar world, this familiarity which provides some nice grounding, also brings with it a whole bunch of “Wait, that’s not the way the world works” style pitfalls with it. The bar is pretty high if you want the reader to suspend disbelief. Thankfully, I feel the book did a pretty good job in clearing that bar. I bought into the world as presented – mostly, I believe, due to the Author’s careful consistency. Rules are set and they’re adhered to; the Author took care not to break those rules when things were inconvenient, nor did the author go out of the way to make the “real” world different just to be different. The choices were deliberate, well thought out, and work.

While I’m on the topic of World Building, in a tangentially related aside, much credit to the Author for making vampires actually vampires with no sparkles, no brooding, and no angst. They eat people. Okay “feed” on people. Enough said.

Now, moving on to the overall storytelling, I want to highlight that –for me—this is where the book stood out. The pacing was really solid, starting off strong and then moving on with a solid ebb and flow that kept me engaged and bought-in. Calling out to my notes above, I can’t say how well the pacing fits along side other “Romance” contemporaries, but taking as work on it’s own, I thought the tempo was well executed.

As I wrap up here, I want to note that even in my favorite books by my favorite authors there parts that don’t particularly resonate. While this book adheres to that as well, I want to call out that it’s a pretty solid outing for a debut. While I fully expect the Author will grow in terms of craft and execution, she’ll be building that growth on a very solid foundation.

[Mariel Concepcion · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me get this out: I have never read a erotica/romance novel in my life, and this was my first dose of it. To be honest, the only time I've ever encountered a romance novel was in 11th grade, when one of my classmates read a passage out loud, and we giggled like the school girls we actually were.

Anyways, I am glad that this was my introduction to the genre.

If there was one thing that I found consistently appealing about this novel is that it doesn't take it too seriously. Obviously, it is serious, with a plot full of importance, and life-death scenarios, but it was also hilarious. Especially the dialogue. When I was first introduced to Cain through his interaction with the super-serious Jarrid, I knew I wanted more. Which brings me to the second thing I love: the Order. Now, I am a fan of anything that has gorgeous men in it, but these guys, as amazingly awesome and beautiful they all are, weren't just that. They weren't cardboard cutouts that had no depth. Every single of them was a unique piece of the ensemble that I wanted to know more about. I swear, every time Tanis was coming on and recalling some things, I was waiting for more intel about all of them. If there is one thing I want to happen in the rest of the series is that I want to know more about all the brothers. Especially Cain. I really, really like Cain.

Final thing that I liked, and I thought was really important about this novel was Ionie. As someone who consumes popular culture like the air she breathes, I am well aware of the lack of female characters in, well, everything really. At least, female characters that are well-written, smart, and non-stereotypical. Ionie, I am happy to note, is a strong, female character that didn't leave me shaking my head in dismay. I like Ionie, which was a nice feeling, definitely, and I loved her spunk and her wit. She was smart without being annoying, and strong without being flawless. She was human, and she was great. I want to know more about her adventures with the Order. (Well, half-human, but you get what I mean!)

Overall, once I finally had the chance to sit down and read this book, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I liked everyone, and I want to know more about everyone. Like Cain. As I said, I really like him. And Mason! I like Mason, too.

I'm definitely looking forward for more.

(I received an ARC of the novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.)

(Cross-posted at: http://somethingwittyandsmart.wordpre...)

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Jarrid and his brothers are nephilim, half-human and half-angel who work for Heaven as assassins. Jarrid and his brothers are also members of The Eternal Order. Their job is to hunt down the criminals who break Heaven's laws and go against the Directorate. Being half-human Jarrid is not allowed in heaven. He wants more than anything and will do whatever it takes to be allowed to enter Heaven.

Jarrid finds out that there is a renegade angel in town and if he can capture him or bring him down then he thinks or hopes that bringing him down will get him into heaven. Jarrid learns that the renegade angel is after a woman, a news reporter, Ionie Gifford. Ionie has no idea that the angel wants her or why. Jarrid has no clue why the angel wants her either but he dosent' care. All Jarrid is worried about is getting hisself a spot in heaven.

Jarrid goes to Ionie to make a deal with her to get her to help him. He doesn't tell her that the angel wants her. She agrees to help him find this angel in return for helping him she will get to do an exclusive story on angels.

Jarrid is one tall/big man/angel and Ionie thinks he is one goregous dude. When Jarrid meet Ionie he is not sure of what he is feeling for Ionie. He has never been in a relationship before. Heaven doesn't allow half-angels to have a relationship. But Jarrid can't help how he feels about Ionie and so therefore can't stop his love for her.

Ionie is a very independent and brave woman. She has a mouth on her and is not afraid to use it. She is comical and will have you laughing out loud at times with the things that she comes up with to say. Jarrid has never been a humours person always serious kind of dude but Ionie can make him laugh. I mean like the belly shaking kind of laugh but I don't image he has much that shakes with all his muscles.

Angel Bait is one of those books that you just want to keep reading. You want to keep reading wanting to see what Ionie is going to say next. You also want to know what she is going to do next. Your like what kind of trouble is she going to get into now? Will Jarrid and his brothers find her in time to be able to save her? Why does the renegade angel want Ionie? Will he get his hands on her? These are some of the questions you will probably be asking when you are reading it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. So why don't you go and pick up your own copy today. I don't think you would be disappointed.

[Linda Hays-Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Bait Review is
by Linda Hays-Gibbs
Angel Bait by
Tricia Skinner
Ionie Gifford is a reporter for a newspaper. She is smart cunning and a biracial beauty. She is covering a string of murders for a story in her newspaper. Her world consists of humans and others. The others are vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies, angels and etc. She thought she knew all about her world in this futuristic Detroit and only wanted the next big story.
When she meets Jarrid she is not prepared. Jarrid is a Nephilim, a half angel. He takes her breath away.
Her best friend and boss JP is a werewolf with five Great Danes and her boss. JP tells her about the half angel wanting to help with the story she is covering. The story is nothing compared to Jarrid. He is a giant of a beautiful man just perfect. He knocks her socks off. She craves him like a starving man does a steak but he seems afraid of her.
Jarrid belongs to The Order and is a virgin.
The Order consists of four Nephilim and one full angel with burned wings. The are heaven's assassins. They have no time for love but this little reporter is so feisty and brave they all care for her. However; Jarrid is in love.
He tries to deny it but it is too strong even for a giant Nephilim. The problem is Jarrid must use her as bait to lure the fallen angel or renegade out of hiding. He is their way back into heaven. He must die but being a full angel and evil he is very powerful. Jarrid vows to protect his bait never thinking he would fall in love with it, with Ionie.
This is a very different kind of story. I enjoyed the personality of Ionie. She is a hard nosed reporter with a heart of gold. She tries to be brave and strong and stands her ground. She has the hots for Jarrid right off. He does have feelings for her but he has no clue what to do with them. Ionie has to seduce an angel and it was an interesting scenario.
I was hooked from the start. I loved the plot and the way the book moved. I was pleasantly surprised by several points and turns to this fascinating tale. Jarrid captured my heart and I found myself rooting for Ionie. Their characters were full of personality and flavor. The rest of the Angel Squod: Cain, Tanis, Nesty and Kas all became your friends. The nasty vampire Saul was an evil opponent as well as Beleth the renegade. It was a powerful story. I had not a clue to the ending and I won't spoil it now. Great job Tricia.
I give her Five Stars out of Five. I really enjoyed it.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricia Skinner has crafted an exciting, action-packed story with endearing and fully fleshed-out characters which made Angel Bait a wonderfully memorable start to what promises to be an intriguing mythological journey towards redemption. After a slightly slow start the story picks up and perfectly balances both the romance and life or death circumstances these characters get put through and races towards a completely satisfying conclusion that leaves you clamoring for more.

Set in the dark and gritty world of Detroit where there are otherworldly creatures side by side with humans comes a group of sexy and distinctively appealing Nephilims set on saving the world and hopefully gaining their just rewards in return. First up is Jarrid who's cool and calculating yet oozes charm and sex appeal. Tired of his lowly status he's willing to do anything and use anyone to gain Ascension. He doesn't expect the strong and smart Ionie to be the pawn he needs to reach his goal and what follows is a constant flow of sexual tension and steamy interludes that bring them closer together. Their witty and snarky banter further illustrated their intense sexual connection and made their burgeoning relationship even more entertaining. Ionie is a great heroine able to keep up with the boys. Her mental and physical strengths kept her on an even playing field with the rest of those half-angelic bad boys and the perfection of her and Jarrid being together had me rooting for their HEA.

Through its strong and vividly depicted World Building and unique mythology this story kept me fully immersed in the lives of the Angel Assassins. The brief glimpses we get of each has me dying to know more about them. There's a good ol boy mentality between them that's utterly endearing and it doesn't hurt that they're sexy too!

For a debut book Ms. Skinner shows great promise with her mature writing style and unique view of long-held myths. The action scenes keep your heart racing and the romance is spicy and perfectly interspersed throughout the rest of the action. Just enough info is given to keep you on the edge of your seat and yet breathless for more. Here's to a satisfying new entry into the UF genre and I'm greatly looking forward to being reintroduced to another sexy Angel Assassin soon!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Angel Bait, the first novel of the Angel Assassins series, Tricia Skinner has created a rich, gritty world populated by vamps, weres, shifters, angels, and their half-human offspring, the nephilim.

Jarrid is one of only four nephilim to have survived Heaven's genocide against the women who coupled with angels and the children they bore. He and his brothers are an elite team of assassins, tasked with taking out Heaven's enemies. While carrying out an assignment, Jarrid catches wind of the presence of a Renegade, one of the fallen angels who sired the nephilim. The Renegade could be Jarrid and his brothers' ticket to Ascension -- freedom from an eternity of service to their disdainful angelic masters. Hunting down and eliminating the Renegade by any means necessary becomes Jarrid's top priority. If he has to use a human female reporter the Renegade is trying to find as bait to bring the fallen angel out of hiding, no problem.

Ionie is a cub reporter for a Detroit newspaper, working the crime beat and desperately trying to hang onto her job in the dwindling era of print news journalism. When a source reveals the presence of an angel in the city, Ionie is intrigued. And when one of the reclusive nephilim, Jarrid, shows up in her editor's office to request her help in hunting down a killer, Ionie negotiates an exclusive feature story on angels, sure to score her big professional points. It doesn't hurt that her new source is sexy as hell.

Once Jarrid and Ionie join forces, the plot rockets forward. Ms. Skinner brings to life Detroit's seedy criminal underworld, while still retaining the warmth necessary to endear readers to her main characters. The chemistry between Jarrid and Ionie develops around Ionie's fascination with angels and Jarrid's fear of human emotion. Their love scenes sizzle with heat and heart. Their relationship ramps up in pace with the escalating danger presented by the Renegade and his vampire goons. Supernatural powers and Old Testament-style vengeance deliver heart pounding action scenes. Plot twists I never saw coming kept me fully engaged from start to finish.

I highly recommend Angel Bait to readers of paranormal romance. Ms. Skinner's skillful writing is tight and compelling, making this novel compulsive, can't-put-it-down fun. I can't wait for the next installment of the Angel Assassins series.

[Diaries of 2 Thick Chicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author Tricia Skinner just continues to Wow me, turn me upside down and leave me panting for more with her incredibly engaging new series Angel Assassins. Angel Bait is the prequel to the amazing Angel Kin and features the stoic Nephilim Jarrid and the spirited Ionie.

After getting wind of a Renegade in the city, Jarrid makes it his top priority to bring the bastard in to grant him and his brothers the one thing they have wanted for ages......ascension. To do so, he must dangle innocent and sweet Ionie as bait. Ionie has no idea how her desire to gain more respect and better stories in her career as a reporter landed her in the middle of a supernatural measuring contest. She's inquisitive.....sure.....but why is everyone paying so much attention to her all of a sudden and how on earth has she found herself desiring the brooding Jarrid?

To say I loved I Angel Bait is a gross understatement. What's not to like? Alpha males with supernatural powers that are also virgins? What more can a woman ask! I absolutely love the world Tricia Skinner has created and the mystery surrounding he Nephilim. Even more, I love the secondary characters and how easily they fell prey to Ionie's charming ways. She instantly become the welcome younger sibling and now I'm even more intrigued to how her character will progress throughout the series.

It will be interesting to see what happens next particularly because Tricia unveiled even more mystery in Angel Kin with the revelation that at least one Nephilim escaped the massacre and was raised by Renegades, begging the questions how many more may have escaped and how many could possibly be a case similar to Ionies? With Tricia's ability to write the storylines as good as, and better than more seasoned writers, I have no doubt she will address these questions. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next and it looks as though my wait won't be tooo terribly long as Angel Lover, Kasdeja's story is slated to drop sometime before the end of this year!

If you love J. R. Ward before she went off the deep end and lost sight of the direction for the Black Dagger Brotherhood, you will LOVE the Angel Assassin series by Tricia Skinner. I'm giving Angel Bait 4.5 Scorching Keys!

[T.A. Moorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and more can be seen at http://gothicmoms.blogspot.com/

Being re-published on Halloween, what better was to unwind after peeling kids out of costumes, washing off layers of face-paint and kids bouncing off the walls with sugar highs than curling up with a fun, short, blood supernatural read that puts a whole new twist in the Fallen Angel genre?

Many who have read Angle Kin without having had the benefit of reading Angel Bait may have wondered who the mysterious Ionie was, and how she became an honorary member of the team, or more appropriately, what. Turns out her ties run deeper than her relationship with The Bound ones.

Referred to by the Others as a Scribe, reporter Ionie Gifford has always been bound and determined to find her mother's killer. So when she finds one of the infamous Bound standing in her boss' office needing her help she believes its the answer to her prayers, and strikes a deal in her favor. But she is far from naive and is also determined to discover the real reason Angels, half or not, would need to seek her out of all people. When she learns the truth it may shatter more than her heart.

After being saved from an imminent death, Jarrid and his brothers learn the hard way at a very tender young age, they were saved only to serve. Years of servitude, belittlement, disrespect and punishment, has lead to the teams utter hatred of Angel kind. When Jarid learns a piece of information that could lead to The Bound's freedom sets up what he feels is a concrete plan. What he hadn't planned on was falling in love with the bait.

In exquisite detail Tricia Skinner shows the city of Detroit in a whole new light. One in which the murder count is still high but far beyond just random. Angel Bait sheds more light on the history of the Bound Ones, their punishment and the Directorate that sees them as nothing more than abominations that should not be allowed to live. I highly recommend this book to both lovers of Urban Fantasy and Fallen Angels, but only those who are not faint of heart. More than a little bit of blood, violence, loyalty and love, Angel Bait is one of those prequels that should not be skipped.

[Maija · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a Kindle copy of Angel Bait in exchange for an honest review.

In Angel Bait angels are the bad guys while nephilim are the underdogs, fighting for liberty that only the angels could grant them, but still hating their ancestors. I wanted a badass read filled with action and a hot couple caught in between. Angel Bait didn't quite reach my expectations though.

I'm doing this review a little differently than I usually do, I'm going to write a list of things I liked and what I didn't like.

What I liked:

This book gave a different point of view at the whole angel and nephilim world. Tricia had written the angels as the villians who are more or less corupted and who loathe nephilim like plague. Angels kill all of them and only the four nephilim from The Eternal Order are alowed to live. But even they can easily be disposed of if they make trouble. Nephilim can use their powers, Grace, but then they feel agony afterwards, each of them has a different kind of power.

I guess Tricia tried to write a more unordinary romance than there usually are. I'd say she succeeded. All the guys from the Order are virgins and totally inexperienced. I found it amusing and a little cliche.



What I didn't like:

This book is told from multiple point of views, Jarrid and Ionie's, her friend's and the bad guy's. It kind of bothered me, because I just want to guess, I like the anticipation and mystery. There's a point of view of the villian, in which some of his dirty plans are revealed and I found it very disappointing.

I know from reading magazines and press that it's important for the journalist to write everything in detail so the reader understands the situation. And so comes out a lot of descriptions and details. I know for a fact that Tricia was/is a journalist and in this book it might have been her stumbling rock. There was a lot of mumbling and unnesessary descriptions that were plain boring to me.



I just felt like this book still needs to work on, although in a way it's interesting, it didn't leave any positive feels to me.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ 4.5 Angel Stars ~

Wow! I loved it! Angel Bait is the prequel to Angle Kin . Yes their are some discrepancies between the prequel and the book Angel Kin, due to the author being with a different publisher for Angel Bait. The discrepancies do not take away from the story. We get action, adventure, incite into Heaven, the brother's and love that heals old wounds.

Jarrid, a Nephilim, an assassin is closed off from his emotions. He see's his job as a way to show Heaven that he and his brother's are worthy and not abominations as everyone see's them as. I liked Jarrid and his growth as a character. Once he hooks up with Ionie things start to change inside him and he questions himself. I liked the struggle he faced. Ionie, a reporter, an open minded intelligent women. I liked Ionie and her way of thinking as well as her strength of character. I liked the way the attraction was built; between Jarrid and Ionie, you felt the connection. The sex scene is sensual and well written. Ms. Skinner had me fanning myself.

I enjoyed learning more about the brother's and why they are Heavens assassins as well as getting to see into the past through Tanis eyes. I enjoyed this eye opener experience were we get to learn more about the Renegades, Nephilim and Watchers. I did not expect to see Heaven as the not so open minded place as we think it is. It's an interesting twist. I can't wait for more books to see how this plays out. We get good starter descriptions of the brothers and their personalities. I hope this series gets to play out and each brother gets his own book. I look forward to reading more books in the Angel Assassins series.

[Brandee (un)Conventional Bookworms · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5 Stars**

I was once again impressed with the world Ms. Skinner created and the unique ways in which she created an angel mythology all her own.

Angel Bait focuses on Jarrid, the broody of The Bound. He's tasked with solving the mystery of multiple charred corpses. When he learns a Renegade, or a fallen angel, may be involved, he's eager to take on the case as he has a plan which would result in Ascension for himself and his brethren. All he has to do is find his bait and his plan will fall into place.

Ionie, a smart, plucky, and beautiful reporter happens to be said bait. Oh, and she's tenacious, too. She's been on the trail of a killer, reporting on these mysterious deaths. When her boss asks her to work with Jarrid, she sees an opportunity for an exclusive story. What neither she nor Jarrid planned on was falling for one another.

This was an exciting and action-packed installment. There was the suspense of Jarrid drawing out the Renegade as well as Ionie trying not to get caught in the crossfire. I'm still eager to see what the Renegades' end goal is - even though this particular Renegade's aim was shown. And the possibility of involvement at the top - Heaven - has me chomping at the bit for the next in the series. I'm guessing Ascension is what The Bound are looking for and I'm anxious to see how everything will shake out for them as well.

The world building just got better with more supernaturals introduced as well as how they fit into the mythology. And I enjoyed that the story was told in alternating POV between four characters. Although Ionie and Jarrid were the main characters, it was very exciting to see the action from the Renegade's and his lackey's POV.

I'm thrilled to have had the chance to continue in this series so quickly. I'm loving everything about it and can't wait for the next installment.

**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Paula Millhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars (Yeah, it’s that good).

Trish Skinner’s debut novel ANGEL BAIT riveted me to the page and converted me into an Urban Fantasy connoisseur.

Skinner paints a world with her imagination that explodes onto the page, and doesn’t let up until the end of the story. I felt grounded, and identified instantly with this fictional version of Detroit.

I’ll try not to drop any spoilers. This is a story for adults.

Jarrid, a half-angel assassin starts his journey with one thing in his sights: destroy the Renegade, a dark angel nemesis of Heaven. Jarrid’s determined to use every weapon he can to that end, until his world collides with Ionie Gifford, and their sensual love story enhances his priorities in ways neither Jarrid, nor I, saw coming. It’s obvious these two belong together. Watching them figure that out over the story worked for me on so many levels.

I enjoyed getting into Ionie’s skin as she’s drawn into Detroit’s dark, gritty supernatural world. She’s courageous, practical, and full of humor and common sense. Her spirit won me over immediately. Her sensual love affair with Jarrid left me breathless.

The Eternal Order, Jarrid’s half- angel brothers, kicks ass and takes names. Each display their own unique powerful gifts inherited from their sires, and watching them in action was a treat. No beta males here. I pray we get to see more of this band of brothers in action.
It’s such a pleasure to be surprised with quality fiction, and Skinner delivers.

The twists throughout this novel kept me turning pages, and rooting for the good guys to win over the forces of darkness.

I was given an ARC of this novel, and while I’ll admit I know the author, don’t let that stop you. Read the first few pages for yourself. My guess – you’ll be hooked too.

Angel Bait: Treat yourself.