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Grigori Legacy #1
Sins of the Angels
A hard-as-nails cop...
Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis is up against a serial killer unlike any she's ever encountered. She has neither time nor patience for the arrogant new partner assigned to her in the middle of the case, but he seems hellbent on getting in her way—and under her skin—at every turn.
An undercover hunter...
A millennium ago, Aramael sentenced his own brother to eternal exile. Now the fallen angel is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm, and it's up to Aramael to stop him—and to keep the stubborn human police officer out of his path.
A world made to pay for the sins of the angels...
With tensions flaring between them and Alex's uncanny ability to see him for who he really is, Aramael's mission and his soul are both in serious danger. Can he and Alex work together to capture the fallen one? Or will Aramael end up committing a sin more unspeakable than that of his brother?
Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis is up against a serial killer unlike any she's ever encountered. She has neither time nor patience for the arrogant new partner assigned to her in the middle of the case, but he seems hellbent on getting in her way—and under her skin—at every turn.
An undercover hunter...
A millennium ago, Aramael sentenced his own brother to eternal exile. Now the fallen angel is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm, and it's up to Aramael to stop him—and to keep the stubborn human police officer out of his path.
A world made to pay for the sins of the angels...
With tensions flaring between them and Alex's uncanny ability to see him for who he really is, Aramael's mission and his soul are both in serious danger. Can he and Alex work together to capture the fallen one? Or will Aramael end up committing a sin more unspeakable than that of his brother?
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2011
1011 people are currently reading
4482 people want to read
About the author
Lydia M. Hawke
14 books99 followersPen name for author: Linda Poitevin
Lydia M. Hawke is a writer possessed of both a light side and a dark one. On the dark side, she’s the author of the Grigori Legacy, an apocalyptic urban fantasy series featuring a hard-as-nails cop caught up in the war between Heaven and Hell. In her lighter moments, she writes romances (contemporary and suspense) as Linda Poitevin. And when she’s not plotting the world’s downfall or next great love story, she’s a wife, mom, friend, coffee snob, gardener, walker of a Giant Dog, keeper of many pets, and an avid food preserver (you know, just in case that whole Zombie Apocalypse thing really happens)
Lydia M. Hawke is a writer possessed of both a light side and a dark one. On the dark side, she’s the author of the Grigori Legacy, an apocalyptic urban fantasy series featuring a hard-as-nails cop caught up in the war between Heaven and Hell. In her lighter moments, she writes romances (contemporary and suspense) as Linda Poitevin. And when she’s not plotting the world’s downfall or next great love story, she’s a wife, mom, friend, coffee snob, gardener, walker of a Giant Dog, keeper of many pets, and an avid food preserver (you know, just in case that whole Zombie Apocalypse thing really happens)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 312 reviews
January 13, 2018
This book would have been vastly improved if it hadn't been angels, God, and/or heaven. Aliens, maybe. Or, I dunno, wizards. By invoking biblical naming, however, you expect some of the biblical concepts of angels and heaven to apply: things like love, compassion, or even justice. Instead, we have a venal heaven run through privilege, manipulation, scheming, ambition, and rage. Oh, and one where "love" was completely removed eons ago because it's a weakness. Right. God removed love from heaven because it made everyone weak. Let that sit a moment.
I liked Alex despite the author going a bit overboard on the whole "I'm fragile because my mom was crazy" theme that became rather annoying before it was finally jettisoned late in the book. Still, she's smart and assertive and willing to do the hard things because they need doing. I like that.
The writing is passable, with a fast pace and good actiony bits. I hated the jumps in perspective, though. And Poiteven seems to default to anger as the fallback emotion when people are confused, wary, uncertain, or in love. Yeah, that last one was kind of surprising to me, too.
I finished the book because I liked Alex and I couldn't believe that the author would pull such a jerk move as to deny Alex and Aramael their hard-earned HEA. After all, their situation was full of suck of someone else's making and a just God, however disinterested she was, couldn't possibly allow so great an injustice to stand when it was all orchestrated by the bad guy. Only she did. Indeed, they were denied even a moment of happiness and we received an ending full of pain, despair, and injustice.
In the end, I think the author is guilty of a gross deception, enticing you onward with the promise that the "ultimate good" is in charge. Even to the very end we're told outright that "the One" is loving and compassionate (leaving me to wonder what could possible be meant by those terms). A being described as "absolute good" should have some indication of actually being good, right? Instead, we have a deity who is weak, indifferent, deliberately disconnected, and easily manipulated. Had we seen how very ineffectual she was up front, I might have been prepared for the crap ending or, even better, stopped reading before wasting so much of my time...
I liked Alex despite the author going a bit overboard on the whole "I'm fragile because my mom was crazy" theme that became rather annoying before it was finally jettisoned late in the book. Still, she's smart and assertive and willing to do the hard things because they need doing. I like that.
The writing is passable, with a fast pace and good actiony bits. I hated the jumps in perspective, though. And Poiteven seems to default to anger as the fallback emotion when people are confused, wary, uncertain, or in love. Yeah, that last one was kind of surprising to me, too.
I finished the book because I liked Alex and I couldn't believe that the author would pull such a jerk move as to deny Alex and Aramael their hard-earned HEA. After all, their situation was full of suck of someone else's making and a just God, however disinterested she was, couldn't possibly allow so great an injustice to stand when it was all orchestrated by the bad guy. Only she did. Indeed, they were denied even a moment of happiness and we received an ending full of pain, despair, and injustice.
In the end, I think the author is guilty of a gross deception, enticing you onward with the promise that the "ultimate good" is in charge. Even to the very end we're told outright that "the One" is loving and compassionate (leaving me to wonder what could possible be meant by those terms). A being described as "absolute good" should have some indication of actually being good, right? Instead, we have a deity who is weak, indifferent, deliberately disconnected, and easily manipulated. Had we seen how very ineffectual she was up front, I might have been prepared for the crap ending or, even better, stopped reading before wasting so much of my time...
October 16, 2011
What I liked:
Well, it was a quick read, I grant you. Well paced, entertaining even. Most of the book consists of a hunt of a demonic killer who is simply too sadistic to live. It was also funny but I don’t think it was done deliberately by the author…rather my skewed sense of humour I suppose. The world build was a mix of angel mythology (or rather angelology) and murder suspense making this book another example of Dark Urban Fantasy. Overall not bad. The main heroine, Alex, was your usual kick-ass police officer with a huge chip on her lovely shoulder about knifes and such but somehow she seemed a bit bland to me. She actively lived in denial for most of the novel and then, when she discovered who and what she really is…well, nothing changed, not really. She remained a strong woman and a good cop…so basically a clone of her other DUF sisters. Ok, I am hopeless at good points, let’s move to the other section.
What I didn’t like:
My devil outfit fits here like a glove so I am donning it again with pleasure and satisfaction. In fact I think I’ve been missing it. Maybe that’s why I decided to read a book about angels out of my free will again…I hate angels and demons in fiction – ok, most of them. This book didn’t do anything to change my attitude.
Anyway, are you ready for a little tour around hell? Good. Let our sightseeing begin. Spoilers ahead so be sure to duck if you don’t like them!
First stop – an empty vodka glass signifying a complete lack of good ideas when it comes to angels, demons, heaven, hell, limbo and all that religious jazz. In other words and in my humble opinion angelology sucks here. Why? Heaven reminded me of a big corporation where employees are numerous, repressed and insecure, higher management consist of overly ambitious, bullying, shady types and the employer remains aloof and conspicuously absent, spending her time most probably in a villa on Majorka. Not that I have anything against Majorka villas per se ;) but anyway, shouldn't Heaven be a bit more esoteric, sublime place?
A showcase – the problems of our sweet Power angel, Aramael (like “I’ve got the power!” song from Bruce Almighty, a mediocre comedy but suiting my mood right now). His biggest sin is falling in love with a mortal human woman. Mind you he was tricked to do so by the powers that be and he couldn't help himself. His second biggest sin is blasting into smithereens a serial demonic murderer who was endangering the life of his sweetheart and her family. Hello, hell to heaven, hell to heaven…what’s going on? After all he is still that creature hell-bent on doing good and punish the damned and wicked (excuse my Hellish), isn’t he? Heaven are you reading me well? It seems we have an authority problem…
Our second stop features a bull’s eye and should be called “being innocent always sucks”. Here you get your souvenir tee-shirt with the same black-red bull’s eye right in the middle of your chest and on your back as well just in case somebody missed it the first time. Why? Alex, our main female lead, is a Naphil so the hated spawn of Fallen Angels, the Grigori, and mortal women. Many times removed. Why is she the lowest of low? Why doesn’t she deserve even an angelic guardian? Why Aramael hates her guts as soon as he hears about her? Is she duplicitous or immoral? Is she a politician? Does she peddle drugs to teenagers, lure people into a bar and then sell their organs on eBay? Does she profit from human trafficking? No? Has she at least kicked a puppy? No, never. Her only fault is that she was born. What a sin…no, don't cry over such a reasoning, not yet, let’s move on, ladies and gents because before us is the biggest attraction of our little tour.
Could I have your attention, please? Give a big cheer for a big pink pyramid sign in a purple circle which indicates: the One Almighty is a She. Female. Woman. Sacred Feminine. Does it improve things? It should have but with a truly devilish grin I am proud to inform you: it actually makes things WORSE (remember my outfit – I am coming from the other side of the fence). She is unpredictable, She takes wrong decisions, She keeps her underlings in the dark, She punishes innocents for crimes perpetrated by others, She cannot distinguish a real careerist from a loyal worker, She takes back from her creatures the most precious gift they had been given (and it had been given by Her in the first place, mind you…)...well, if this is the good ONE She-Almighty show me a devil, please! Amusing like hell! I guess the Lady needs a strong male arm to guide her...actually Lucifer might be a perfect candidate for the job!
Finally something to make your trip unforgettable – a romantic rollercoaster! Yeeehaw! Here are our loops. First is quite geneel but surprisingly twisted - angels in this book happen to be gender-divided into males and females. Ugh. Small wonder the One made falling in love impossible and punishable. What would happen if Heaven was all of a sudden full of pregnant, overly sensitive she-angels? Or what if two testosterone-packed angelic alphas decided they fancy the same girl? Or even the same guy? Or if one angel cheated on the other...it would become hell in no time…ok, heading to a really steep drive, please stay in your seats and fasten what needs fastening asap.
Aramael shouldn’t fall in love with Alex because of her secret dirty lineage and him being an angel so a creature forbidden to engage in any relationship with humans. Alex shouldn’t fall in love with Aramael/ Jacob Trent because she has more than enough on her tray as a cop, she doesn’t wear either make-up or sexy underwear and she works ungodly hours. However, as soon as they touch each other sparks are flying, demons are laughing, angels are tearing out their feathers in disgust, church bells are ringing, lightning strikes in the same place twice and dogs are howling across the globe. In short Alex and Aramael are in love against all odds. Like that, in a second. Did you get a vertigo? Well, you shouldn’t. It’s not their fault. It was predicted. They can’t help it. They were tricked. They are soulmates or used to be soulmates and once in love always in love…what a stinky pile of fluffy rubbish.
Thank you very much, it was a pleasure to be your guide, see you next time soon and sorry for the stench, our cleaning lady is on strike and nobody else knows how to sweep in hell. You know, as soon as you start all brooms kind of catch fire...
Final verdict:
What could I say…I won’t pick up another angels-and-demons story any time soon. If you want to hear the other, more angelic side of the story head for Book Girl Blodeuedd’s blog and read her review. Pure heaven! After that hellish trip you might actually deserve it!
Well, it was a quick read, I grant you. Well paced, entertaining even. Most of the book consists of a hunt of a demonic killer who is simply too sadistic to live. It was also funny but I don’t think it was done deliberately by the author…rather my skewed sense of humour I suppose. The world build was a mix of angel mythology (or rather angelology) and murder suspense making this book another example of Dark Urban Fantasy. Overall not bad. The main heroine, Alex, was your usual kick-ass police officer with a huge chip on her lovely shoulder about knifes and such but somehow she seemed a bit bland to me. She actively lived in denial for most of the novel and then, when she discovered who and what she really is…well, nothing changed, not really. She remained a strong woman and a good cop…so basically a clone of her other DUF sisters. Ok, I am hopeless at good points, let’s move to the other section.
What I didn’t like:
My devil outfit fits here like a glove so I am donning it again with pleasure and satisfaction. In fact I think I’ve been missing it. Maybe that’s why I decided to read a book about angels out of my free will again…I hate angels and demons in fiction – ok, most of them. This book didn’t do anything to change my attitude.
Anyway, are you ready for a little tour around hell? Good. Let our sightseeing begin. Spoilers ahead so be sure to duck if you don’t like them!
First stop – an empty vodka glass signifying a complete lack of good ideas when it comes to angels, demons, heaven, hell, limbo and all that religious jazz. In other words and in my humble opinion angelology sucks here. Why? Heaven reminded me of a big corporation where employees are numerous, repressed and insecure, higher management consist of overly ambitious, bullying, shady types and the employer remains aloof and conspicuously absent, spending her time most probably in a villa on Majorka. Not that I have anything against Majorka villas per se ;) but anyway, shouldn't Heaven be a bit more esoteric, sublime place?
A showcase – the problems of our sweet Power angel, Aramael (like “I’ve got the power!” song from Bruce Almighty, a mediocre comedy but suiting my mood right now). His biggest sin is falling in love with a mortal human woman. Mind you he was tricked to do so by the powers that be and he couldn't help himself. His second biggest sin is blasting into smithereens a serial demonic murderer who was endangering the life of his sweetheart and her family. Hello, hell to heaven, hell to heaven…what’s going on? After all he is still that creature hell-bent on doing good and punish the damned and wicked (excuse my Hellish), isn’t he? Heaven are you reading me well? It seems we have an authority problem…
Our second stop features a bull’s eye and should be called “being innocent always sucks”. Here you get your souvenir tee-shirt with the same black-red bull’s eye right in the middle of your chest and on your back as well just in case somebody missed it the first time. Why? Alex, our main female lead, is a Naphil so the hated spawn of Fallen Angels, the Grigori, and mortal women. Many times removed. Why is she the lowest of low? Why doesn’t she deserve even an angelic guardian? Why Aramael hates her guts as soon as he hears about her? Is she duplicitous or immoral? Is she a politician? Does she peddle drugs to teenagers, lure people into a bar and then sell their organs on eBay? Does she profit from human trafficking? No? Has she at least kicked a puppy? No, never. Her only fault is that she was born. What a sin…no, don't cry over such a reasoning, not yet, let’s move on, ladies and gents because before us is the biggest attraction of our little tour.
Could I have your attention, please? Give a big cheer for a big pink pyramid sign in a purple circle which indicates: the One Almighty is a She. Female. Woman. Sacred Feminine. Does it improve things? It should have but with a truly devilish grin I am proud to inform you: it actually makes things WORSE (remember my outfit – I am coming from the other side of the fence). She is unpredictable, She takes wrong decisions, She keeps her underlings in the dark, She punishes innocents for crimes perpetrated by others, She cannot distinguish a real careerist from a loyal worker, She takes back from her creatures the most precious gift they had been given (and it had been given by Her in the first place, mind you…)...well, if this is the good ONE She-Almighty show me a devil, please! Amusing like hell! I guess the Lady needs a strong male arm to guide her...actually Lucifer might be a perfect candidate for the job!
Finally something to make your trip unforgettable – a romantic rollercoaster! Yeeehaw! Here are our loops. First is quite geneel but surprisingly twisted - angels in this book happen to be gender-divided into males and females. Ugh. Small wonder the One made falling in love impossible and punishable. What would happen if Heaven was all of a sudden full of pregnant, overly sensitive she-angels? Or what if two testosterone-packed angelic alphas decided they fancy the same girl? Or even the same guy? Or if one angel cheated on the other...it would become hell in no time…ok, heading to a really steep drive, please stay in your seats and fasten what needs fastening asap.
Aramael shouldn’t fall in love with Alex because of her secret dirty lineage and him being an angel so a creature forbidden to engage in any relationship with humans. Alex shouldn’t fall in love with Aramael/ Jacob Trent because she has more than enough on her tray as a cop, she doesn’t wear either make-up or sexy underwear and she works ungodly hours. However, as soon as they touch each other sparks are flying, demons are laughing, angels are tearing out their feathers in disgust, church bells are ringing, lightning strikes in the same place twice and dogs are howling across the globe. In short Alex and Aramael are in love against all odds. Like that, in a second. Did you get a vertigo? Well, you shouldn’t. It’s not their fault. It was predicted. They can’t help it. They were tricked. They are soulmates or used to be soulmates and once in love always in love…what a stinky pile of fluffy rubbish.
Thank you very much, it was a pleasure to be your guide, see you next time soon and sorry for the stench, our cleaning lady is on strike and nobody else knows how to sweep in hell. You know, as soon as you start all brooms kind of catch fire...
Final verdict:
What could I say…I won’t pick up another angels-and-demons story any time soon. If you want to hear the other, more angelic side of the story head for Book Girl Blodeuedd’s blog and read her review. Pure heaven! After that hellish trip you might actually deserve it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2012
I really had no expectations going into this book, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself with an absolutely engrossing story. There is a definite romantic angle at work here, but it would be a mistake to go into this expecting a HEA at the end. I’ll get into that more a little later, but I just wanted to make that clear up front. Sins of the Angels stays true to Urban Fantasy and has set up a romantic arc to span multiple books.
One thing I loved about this book was the fact that the romance never overshadowed the main storyline. I know that is an odd compliment coming from me–since I’m usually the opposite–but it really worked for me here. The connection between Aramael and Alex was intense enough that you could feel the tension in the background, waiting to spring up, the minute they let their eyes lock. There is barely any sexual contact in this book (they only kiss once) but the tension sizzled for me.
I just loved them together. The romance was “forbidden” at its finest; A woman who refused to open her mind to the impossible and an angel unable to love a human. What made it all so excellent was the fact that their star-crossed status made complete sense. Alex spent a lot of the book in denial, which could be occasionally frustrating, but it felt authentic for a character with her background. I also appreciated the dislike she had for his role as her partner. Her fear of the flashes she saw of his true angelic self drove her dislike and determination to end their partnership, but it felt lifelike for her role as detective. Who wouldn’t be angry and suspicious over someone with no experience and a sealed file? Then again, her boss’s decision and eventual frustration with her also felt authentic.
Those realistic actions are one of the things that made me enjoy this book so much. It’s also why I liked the relationship staying low key. It wouldn’t have been realistic for a lead detective investigating a serial killer to let her hormones get in the way of finding the killer. At times the daily grind of Alex doing her job and investigating the murders felt slow, but it also fit. I occasionally wished that Alex would hurry up and face the truth so that we could hurry the story along, but I think I would have found it a little too unrealistic if she had. (See how fickle I am?) The author spent her time slowly developing Alex’s eventual belief and convinced me that the way it unfolded was the only natural way for it to have occurred.
The author’s take on the angelic and demonic world felt pretty fresh and new. I found parts of it a little frustrating–which had me a bit personally conflicted since the one I was frustrated with was the One (aka God)–but I really liked it overall. I felt religion was flirted with a tiny bit, but was avoided for the most part. What we learned about the angels had me intrigued. There were so many factors to it–The Highest Seraph, the Anointed, the Dominion, the Powers, the Guardians, the Fallen, the One…it all came together into a really interesting world.
Although I enjoyed most of the book, there were a few things that bothered me. One was the multiple POV’s we were treated to. I understand why they were included, but I got a bit impatient with being drawn away from the main storyline to peek into someone else’s head. It gave the reader a more well rounded picture of the events, I know, but it got a bit boring. Luckily they weren’t too long and I was able to quickly sink back into the main storyline. The other thing that I did not like was the ending. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, and while this one did wrap up some of the main threads of the plot, it also left us hanging on quite a few. Namely, the future for Alex and Aramael. We’re left with hope that they’ll hook up eventually, but I hate leaving a book like that. I don’t even know where the next book will find them individually, let alone what will happen to them together. I just find it frustrating to be left with so many questions after such a climactic event at the end. I’m definitely going to pick up the next book (and would have even without being left hanging) but I’m hoping the end of the next won’t be as jarring. I hate closing a book feeling frustrated.
Favorite Quote:
*Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen*
One thing I loved about this book was the fact that the romance never overshadowed the main storyline. I know that is an odd compliment coming from me–since I’m usually the opposite–but it really worked for me here. The connection between Aramael and Alex was intense enough that you could feel the tension in the background, waiting to spring up, the minute they let their eyes lock. There is barely any sexual contact in this book (they only kiss once) but the tension sizzled for me.
She didn’t know how long they’d stared at one another, neither moving, before she had blinked and the wings had disappeared. Before his eyes had taken on the torment that made her want, once again, to reach out to him, as if her touch could heal something in him. Heal something in herself.
I just loved them together. The romance was “forbidden” at its finest; A woman who refused to open her mind to the impossible and an angel unable to love a human. What made it all so excellent was the fact that their star-crossed status made complete sense. Alex spent a lot of the book in denial, which could be occasionally frustrating, but it felt authentic for a character with her background. I also appreciated the dislike she had for his role as her partner. Her fear of the flashes she saw of his true angelic self drove her dislike and determination to end their partnership, but it felt lifelike for her role as detective. Who wouldn’t be angry and suspicious over someone with no experience and a sealed file? Then again, her boss’s decision and eventual frustration with her also felt authentic.
Those realistic actions are one of the things that made me enjoy this book so much. It’s also why I liked the relationship staying low key. It wouldn’t have been realistic for a lead detective investigating a serial killer to let her hormones get in the way of finding the killer. At times the daily grind of Alex doing her job and investigating the murders felt slow, but it also fit. I occasionally wished that Alex would hurry up and face the truth so that we could hurry the story along, but I think I would have found it a little too unrealistic if she had. (See how fickle I am?) The author spent her time slowly developing Alex’s eventual belief and convinced me that the way it unfolded was the only natural way for it to have occurred.
The author’s take on the angelic and demonic world felt pretty fresh and new. I found parts of it a little frustrating–which had me a bit personally conflicted since the one I was frustrated with was the One (aka God)–but I really liked it overall. I felt religion was flirted with a tiny bit, but was avoided for the most part. What we learned about the angels had me intrigued. There were so many factors to it–The Highest Seraph, the Anointed, the Dominion, the Powers, the Guardians, the Fallen, the One…it all came together into a really interesting world.
Although I enjoyed most of the book, there were a few things that bothered me. One was the multiple POV’s we were treated to. I understand why they were included, but I got a bit impatient with being drawn away from the main storyline to peek into someone else’s head. It gave the reader a more well rounded picture of the events, I know, but it got a bit boring. Luckily they weren’t too long and I was able to quickly sink back into the main storyline. The other thing that I did not like was the ending. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, and while this one did wrap up some of the main threads of the plot, it also left us hanging on quite a few. Namely, the future for Alex and Aramael. We’re left with hope that they’ll hook up eventually, but I hate leaving a book like that. I don’t even know where the next book will find them individually, let alone what will happen to them together. I just find it frustrating to be left with so many questions after such a climactic event at the end. I’m definitely going to pick up the next book (and would have even without being left hanging) but I’m hoping the end of the next won’t be as jarring. I hate closing a book feeling frustrated.
Favorite Quote:
Time, and Alex’s heart, stood still. For what seemed an eternity, she felt nothing but Aramael’s hand against her cheek. His truth. And then, with a ferocity that stole her capacity to breathe, elation exploded through her entire being and the universe narrowed until it encompassed just the two of them. Until she became nothing more than the heat of his body, the whisper of his breath against her face, the longing that flooded her veins.
*Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen*
March 27, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Nothing hotter than a man with wings, eh ladies?
Opening Sentence: It was done.
The Review:
God really is a woman. Well, at least in this book, she is. In Ms. Poitevin’s version of things, The One was once Lucifer’s companion, soulmates if you will. It was she who created the race of humans, and he who, like we all know, led us down our path of destruction, also taking with him a choir of angels called the Grigori, those that were meant to watch over us, and instead led us astray. Some Grigori even went as far as to mate with humans and reproduce, thus introducing the Nephilim, half-human-half-angels. It was then that there was war between what we refer to as heaven and hell, and after much death a pact was made between them, for no destruction on either side, and there would be no more death. Also, to save the angels who remained from further anguish, The One had each being cleansed of the ability to feel, erased all yearnings for love, and stripped away their free will. Now all the angels perform their chosen duties, and when they break the rules, they are banished to Limbo for the rest of eternity by the choir of angels called Powers, those who are charged with policing their own kind.
Aramael is one such angel. He has just come back from a run of several hunts and is tired and wants his rest, until his handler whispers one word. Caim. The name of his twin brother who recently escaped Limbo and has gone on a killing spree in the human realm. Both his handler and he know that Aramael is the only one who can take Caim down, so it must be his responsibility, but also they need him to watch over a woman, a Nephilim descendant, who is Caim’s target.
In current day Toronto, Canada lives our heroine, Detective Alexandra Jarvis, homicide division. Her recent case, and everyone else’s in her department eventually, is a series of grizzly slasher murders. Unfortunately for her, these particular types of murders are especially painful for her to investigate, all because she once witnessed the brutal aftermath when her mentally ill mother stabbed her father when Alex was younger.
While working this case, Alex takes on a new partner, Jacob aka Aramael, who has some interesting quirks to his personality. Alex, who now believes she is as insane as her mother was, is deeply frustrated with her partner and his attitude, but she is also deeply attracted to him as well. Aramael resents the job of guarding this descendant of the enemy in the beginning, but is also feeling that attraction. Plus, there is more, an almost instant connection of their souls, which makes Aramael even more brash, and more confused. Weren’t angels stripped of their ability to feel?
As the hunt for Caim continues, more help is recruited on the side of the angels, in the form of the Appointed, Seth. Not sure yet what this guys deal is, hopefully we will find out more in the sequel. With this new addition we find that fallen angels are not the only enemy in this particular fight, and this chain of evil reaches almost all the way to the top.
An interesting brand of mythology, this one is as close to sexy as you can get without the actual act. I like the connection as it develops between Alex and Aramael, the struggle and anguish they both suffer through. I’m anxiously awaiting the next installment, Sins of the Son.
Notable Scene:
Caim.
Savage exhilaration filled him, Head high, he tensed, centered himself, willed himself to stillness. Caim’s energy surged through the air, bold, vile and entirely traceable as he transitioned to his demon side. Sudden thunder rolled overhead, a low, ominous growl that signaled Caim’s interference in a universe he had no business toying with. The city’s sounds faded into the background. The fire of the hunt licked along Aramael’s veins, kindling the cold rage he carried in him. The rage that was him.
Satisfaction snarled through him.
I’m coming, Brother.
But on the verge of increasing his energy vibration to give chase, he went still. Something was wrong. He fought back the fury, struggled to control the instinct that would overtake him. No, not wrong. Missing. His center turned to ice.
Alex.
He could feel Caim, but where the hell was Alex?
Aramael forgot to breathe. Forgot, for a moment, how to think as his heart collapsed inward, drawing every fragment of his attention, every atom of his energy. He felt no Alex.
The impossibility of failure loomed in his mind, all encompassing, all consuming. Then, even as agony began to rip him apart from the inside out, a scream of anguish tore through his mind. Pierced to the core.
His name.
Alex’s voice.
The Grigori Legacy Series:
1. Sins of the Angels
2. Sins of the Son
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Ace Books provided me with a copy of Sins of the Angels. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Nothing hotter than a man with wings, eh ladies?
Opening Sentence: It was done.
The Review:
God really is a woman. Well, at least in this book, she is. In Ms. Poitevin’s version of things, The One was once Lucifer’s companion, soulmates if you will. It was she who created the race of humans, and he who, like we all know, led us down our path of destruction, also taking with him a choir of angels called the Grigori, those that were meant to watch over us, and instead led us astray. Some Grigori even went as far as to mate with humans and reproduce, thus introducing the Nephilim, half-human-half-angels. It was then that there was war between what we refer to as heaven and hell, and after much death a pact was made between them, for no destruction on either side, and there would be no more death. Also, to save the angels who remained from further anguish, The One had each being cleansed of the ability to feel, erased all yearnings for love, and stripped away their free will. Now all the angels perform their chosen duties, and when they break the rules, they are banished to Limbo for the rest of eternity by the choir of angels called Powers, those who are charged with policing their own kind.
Aramael is one such angel. He has just come back from a run of several hunts and is tired and wants his rest, until his handler whispers one word. Caim. The name of his twin brother who recently escaped Limbo and has gone on a killing spree in the human realm. Both his handler and he know that Aramael is the only one who can take Caim down, so it must be his responsibility, but also they need him to watch over a woman, a Nephilim descendant, who is Caim’s target.
In current day Toronto, Canada lives our heroine, Detective Alexandra Jarvis, homicide division. Her recent case, and everyone else’s in her department eventually, is a series of grizzly slasher murders. Unfortunately for her, these particular types of murders are especially painful for her to investigate, all because she once witnessed the brutal aftermath when her mentally ill mother stabbed her father when Alex was younger.
While working this case, Alex takes on a new partner, Jacob aka Aramael, who has some interesting quirks to his personality. Alex, who now believes she is as insane as her mother was, is deeply frustrated with her partner and his attitude, but she is also deeply attracted to him as well. Aramael resents the job of guarding this descendant of the enemy in the beginning, but is also feeling that attraction. Plus, there is more, an almost instant connection of their souls, which makes Aramael even more brash, and more confused. Weren’t angels stripped of their ability to feel?
As the hunt for Caim continues, more help is recruited on the side of the angels, in the form of the Appointed, Seth. Not sure yet what this guys deal is, hopefully we will find out more in the sequel. With this new addition we find that fallen angels are not the only enemy in this particular fight, and this chain of evil reaches almost all the way to the top.
An interesting brand of mythology, this one is as close to sexy as you can get without the actual act. I like the connection as it develops between Alex and Aramael, the struggle and anguish they both suffer through. I’m anxiously awaiting the next installment, Sins of the Son.
Notable Scene:
Caim.
Savage exhilaration filled him, Head high, he tensed, centered himself, willed himself to stillness. Caim’s energy surged through the air, bold, vile and entirely traceable as he transitioned to his demon side. Sudden thunder rolled overhead, a low, ominous growl that signaled Caim’s interference in a universe he had no business toying with. The city’s sounds faded into the background. The fire of the hunt licked along Aramael’s veins, kindling the cold rage he carried in him. The rage that was him.
Satisfaction snarled through him.
I’m coming, Brother.
But on the verge of increasing his energy vibration to give chase, he went still. Something was wrong. He fought back the fury, struggled to control the instinct that would overtake him. No, not wrong. Missing. His center turned to ice.
Alex.
He could feel Caim, but where the hell was Alex?
Aramael forgot to breathe. Forgot, for a moment, how to think as his heart collapsed inward, drawing every fragment of his attention, every atom of his energy. He felt no Alex.
The impossibility of failure loomed in his mind, all encompassing, all consuming. Then, even as agony began to rip him apart from the inside out, a scream of anguish tore through his mind. Pierced to the core.
His name.
Alex’s voice.
The Grigori Legacy Series:
1. Sins of the Angels
2. Sins of the Son
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Ace Books provided me with a copy of Sins of the Angels. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 18, 2011
This book had the seed of a good story. Unfortunately, it was planted in a patch of tired old tropes that stifled the seed’s growth.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to love it. And it started out in such a promising way. The heroine, Alex, is a competent, detail-focused homicide detective who has overcome horrible trauma in her past. The hero, Aramael, is a hunting angel, who, okay, broods and reads poetry, but is framed by an interestingly bureaucratic Heaven. The bad guy is a fallen angel with a personal connection to the hero. It all has potential. And the story is structured pretty well overall, with lots of echoes and callbacks to previous events.
But it’s absolutely full of extremely overused tropes, which I’ll list below. It’s not a bad book, in that I’ve read worse. And I’d like to read the sequel (it’s definitely book 1 in a true trilogy, not a connection of sequential adventures). Mostly this is because I have hope in the author. The story visible around the edges of the tropes is a good one. If she can stop relying on them so much, the next book could be great. I’m giving this book 3 stars based partially on that hope, but I’d prefer 2.5 stars.
I do want to talk about those tropes, because it’s quite possible they might not bother other readers as much as me. I’ll list them in rough order of least-spoilerish to most-spoilerish.
Finally, this: Because I was hoping for an urban fantasy police procedural with angels, a lot of the book was just boring. I think any book with Nephilim should have some thoughts on sex, given that’s what Nephilim represent-- but I wasn’t prepared for a book that had a bit of police procedural filling in the gaps between not-particularly-compelling romance novel. And a lot of the romance felt crammed in, inserted in scenes where it didn’t seem particularly appropriate. The angels seemed like humans with wings, which was an interesting setting choice at first but by the end felt like it was just a way of making the romance novel hero more exotic. Maybe that works for other people, but I’ll be hoping for more urban fantasy and less romance in the next book.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to love it. And it started out in such a promising way. The heroine, Alex, is a competent, detail-focused homicide detective who has overcome horrible trauma in her past. The hero, Aramael, is a hunting angel, who, okay, broods and reads poetry, but is framed by an interestingly bureaucratic Heaven. The bad guy is a fallen angel with a personal connection to the hero. It all has potential. And the story is structured pretty well overall, with lots of echoes and callbacks to previous events.
But it’s absolutely full of extremely overused tropes, which I’ll list below. It’s not a bad book, in that I’ve read worse. And I’d like to read the sequel (it’s definitely book 1 in a true trilogy, not a connection of sequential adventures). Mostly this is because I have hope in the author. The story visible around the edges of the tropes is a good one. If she can stop relying on them so much, the next book could be great. I’m giving this book 3 stars based partially on that hope, but I’d prefer 2.5 stars.
I do want to talk about those tropes, because it’s quite possible they might not bother other readers as much as me. I’ll list them in rough order of least-spoilerish to most-spoilerish.
Finally, this: Because I was hoping for an urban fantasy police procedural with angels, a lot of the book was just boring. I think any book with Nephilim should have some thoughts on sex, given that’s what Nephilim represent-- but I wasn’t prepared for a book that had a bit of police procedural filling in the gaps between not-particularly-compelling romance novel. And a lot of the romance felt crammed in, inserted in scenes where it didn’t seem particularly appropriate. The angels seemed like humans with wings, which was an interesting setting choice at first but by the end felt like it was just a way of making the romance novel hero more exotic. Maybe that works for other people, but I’ll be hoping for more urban fantasy and less romance in the next book.
January 2, 2019
This is solid urban fantasy with a romantic twist. That's always a good thing for this reader but upon reading this edition I realise that I've read it before. Now sometimes that's really bad but not this time as apparently it's just a new release under a different name. So please check before buying that you don't already have a copy with the name Linda Poitevin as the author.
Ok so it's a little slow to start but quickly caught my attention with its dedicated heroine and her somewhat belligerent Angel partner. I did guess even before told by the author that the big, bad they would be hunting would be someone Aramael had a vested interest in but the angelic politics only added to my enjoyment. If you enjoy paranormal with a difference and want chemistry off the charts then this story ticks those boxes.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Ok so it's a little slow to start but quickly caught my attention with its dedicated heroine and her somewhat belligerent Angel partner. I did guess even before told by the author that the big, bad they would be hunting would be someone Aramael had a vested interest in but the angelic politics only added to my enjoyment. If you enjoy paranormal with a difference and want chemistry off the charts then this story ticks those boxes.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
December 11, 2019
*Source* Library
*Genre* Paranormal / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Linda Poitevin's Sins of the Angels is the first installment in the authors The Grigori Legacy series. This is a story that actually centers on several main characters from Homicide Detective Alexandria Jarvis, to Aramael, a Power Hunter who is sent by The Dominion Verchiel to protect Alex from the villain of the story, Caim. Set in Toronto, Canada, Alex and her squad have been dealing with a rash of grotesque murders. The victims all have the same MO and they were all posed. The murder is almost like a ghost who leaves no trace.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Paranormal / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Linda Poitevin's Sins of the Angels is the first installment in the authors The Grigori Legacy series. This is a story that actually centers on several main characters from Homicide Detective Alexandria Jarvis, to Aramael, a Power Hunter who is sent by The Dominion Verchiel to protect Alex from the villain of the story, Caim. Set in Toronto, Canada, Alex and her squad have been dealing with a rash of grotesque murders. The victims all have the same MO and they were all posed. The murder is almost like a ghost who leaves no trace.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
May 15, 2012
Couldn't really get into this. If you're going to do something with angels and demons . . . or aliens . . . or monsters . . . or any kind of critter that is supposed to be distinctly NOT HUMAN by definition, then I really would prefer them to act in that way.
The set up pretty much has angels acting like a bunch of humans, with human desires goals and motivations. I didn't buy it, couldn't buy it. There are other angel tales out there I like more than this, though I will admit it's not my favorite set of paranormal characters to read about.
I read through the story at a fast clip and it's probably a decent paranormal romance with angels and demons for some readers. Won't scream against anyone liking it, it's just not for me.
The set up pretty much has angels acting like a bunch of humans, with human desires goals and motivations. I didn't buy it, couldn't buy it. There are other angel tales out there I like more than this, though I will admit it's not my favorite set of paranormal characters to read about.
I read through the story at a fast clip and it's probably a decent paranormal romance with angels and demons for some readers. Won't scream against anyone liking it, it's just not for me.
January 2, 2019
Ok so it's a little slow to start but quickly caught my attention with its dedicated heroine and her somewhat belligerent Angel partner. I did guess even before told by the author that the big, bad they would be hunting would be someone Aramael had a vested interest in but the angelic politics only added to my enjoyment. If you enjoy paranormal with a difference and want chemistry off the charts then this story ticks those boxes.
September 20, 2011
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Linda Poitevin's first installment in her Grigori Legacy series is a unique cross between Dark Urban Fantasy and Mystery. At first glance, this combination of genres seems like an unlikely duo but rest assured; Poitevin marries these two styles together beautifully. In the earlier chapters I found myself caught up in the intrigue of Alex's murder investigation but then the angels make their grand entrance and I found myself irrevocably glued to my eReader. At that point I knew that there'd be no sleep for me that night until I finished reading all 336 pages.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the mystery side of this story. I used to be a big reader of Thriller novels up until I fell in love with the Paranormal genre. The format of the serial murders that Alex is investigating is well laid out. As a reader, I felt like I was part of the detective task force. I enjoyed following the trails and the clues that Poitevin cleverly lays out for us. My insides did a little happy dance every time that Canadian branded content weaved its way into the plot. Home grown supernatural authors are rare enough but those who actually incorporate canuck content are nearly unheard of! International readers will have no problem following the story because the Canadiana isn't overwhelming but I couldn't help but take note of Linda's shout out to Toronto. I secretly hope that Alex's next investigation will take her to Ottawa!
The celestial characters in Sins of the Angels are pretty gangsta! I fell off the angelic fiction bandwagon early on. I found that most authors portray them as goodie-two-shoes'. Anyone even remotely familiar with the bible knows that that couldn't be further from the truth. I was thrilled to see Poitevin portray them in a more accurate light. I'm talking flaming wings, heaven's wrath and archangels. Sweet! There's still that all important "obey God's will" rule and the angels follow a strict code but at least they're not pushovers. Linda also incorporates her own spin on angel mythology which I found to be quite fascinating too.
Alexandra's character is engaging, three-dimensional and relatable. There's a nice balance between her tough cop exterior and her vulnerable, human core. I enjoyed witnessing her many internal debates while faced with a reality that includes angels. Jarvis struggles with the possibility that she may have inherited her mother's schizophrenia vs the possibility that it's not all just in her head. Alex remains uncertain for a very long time as to which is the better scenario. Is it better to be insane or to live in a world where God's messengers really exist? I sympathized with her dilemma and understood her concerns. Aramael is a captivating character as well. He has his own internal war going on except his problems are of a much larger scale. The chemistry between this forbidden couple is electrifying. Not only are they in a race against time to prevent the apocalypse but they're also battling with the impossibility of their relationship. I felt the Earth tremble when Alex and Trent finally lock lips!
In the final chapters I found myself counting down the pages while pulling out my hair trying to figure out how Poitevin could possibly wrap everything up with so little time left. When I finally made it to the conclusion I started jumping for joy only to find myself slammed back down by an unexpected twist. I can only guess as to where Linda will take the Grigori Legacy from here. Sins of the Angels shook me, spun me, flipped me and then ground to a halt leaving me breathless and reeling. What a ride! Jeez Linda, you have some explaining to do! The next book, Sins of the Son, is expected out in March 2012.
Linda Poitevin's first installment in her Grigori Legacy series is a unique cross between Dark Urban Fantasy and Mystery. At first glance, this combination of genres seems like an unlikely duo but rest assured; Poitevin marries these two styles together beautifully. In the earlier chapters I found myself caught up in the intrigue of Alex's murder investigation but then the angels make their grand entrance and I found myself irrevocably glued to my eReader. At that point I knew that there'd be no sleep for me that night until I finished reading all 336 pages.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the mystery side of this story. I used to be a big reader of Thriller novels up until I fell in love with the Paranormal genre. The format of the serial murders that Alex is investigating is well laid out. As a reader, I felt like I was part of the detective task force. I enjoyed following the trails and the clues that Poitevin cleverly lays out for us. My insides did a little happy dance every time that Canadian branded content weaved its way into the plot. Home grown supernatural authors are rare enough but those who actually incorporate canuck content are nearly unheard of! International readers will have no problem following the story because the Canadiana isn't overwhelming but I couldn't help but take note of Linda's shout out to Toronto. I secretly hope that Alex's next investigation will take her to Ottawa!
The celestial characters in Sins of the Angels are pretty gangsta! I fell off the angelic fiction bandwagon early on. I found that most authors portray them as goodie-two-shoes'. Anyone even remotely familiar with the bible knows that that couldn't be further from the truth. I was thrilled to see Poitevin portray them in a more accurate light. I'm talking flaming wings, heaven's wrath and archangels. Sweet! There's still that all important "obey God's will" rule and the angels follow a strict code but at least they're not pushovers. Linda also incorporates her own spin on angel mythology which I found to be quite fascinating too.
Alexandra's character is engaging, three-dimensional and relatable. There's a nice balance between her tough cop exterior and her vulnerable, human core. I enjoyed witnessing her many internal debates while faced with a reality that includes angels. Jarvis struggles with the possibility that she may have inherited her mother's schizophrenia vs the possibility that it's not all just in her head. Alex remains uncertain for a very long time as to which is the better scenario. Is it better to be insane or to live in a world where God's messengers really exist? I sympathized with her dilemma and understood her concerns. Aramael is a captivating character as well. He has his own internal war going on except his problems are of a much larger scale. The chemistry between this forbidden couple is electrifying. Not only are they in a race against time to prevent the apocalypse but they're also battling with the impossibility of their relationship. I felt the Earth tremble when Alex and Trent finally lock lips!
In the final chapters I found myself counting down the pages while pulling out my hair trying to figure out how Poitevin could possibly wrap everything up with so little time left. When I finally made it to the conclusion I started jumping for joy only to find myself slammed back down by an unexpected twist. I can only guess as to where Linda will take the Grigori Legacy from here. Sins of the Angels shook me, spun me, flipped me and then ground to a halt leaving me breathless and reeling. What a ride! Jeez Linda, you have some explaining to do! The next book, Sins of the Son, is expected out in March 2012.
September 30, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
SINS OF THE ANGELS is the first book in Linda Potevin’s Grigory Legacy urban Fantasy series about a homicide detective and the angel assigned to help her track down a fallen angel who is ritualistically slaughtering people. There’s plenty of blood and action scenes, new angel mythology, and the foundation set up for a romance to develop in future books.
The romance was my favorite part about SINS OF THE ANGELS because it was so unconventional. An angel taught that the greatest sin he could ever commit was to fall in love with a human, and a woman who is the very embodiment of that unforgiveable transgression. To say he despised her on sight is an understatement.
Despite the unconventional and therefore intriguing romance, there were a couple things that didn’t work for me in SINS OF THE ANGEL. In the middle of her investigation, Alexandra gets saddled with a new partner who unbeknownst to her, is an angel. She accidentally sees Aramel’s wings the first time they meet. She tells herself she’s just overly tired and ignores it. But then she sees them several more times and still says nothing for a hundred and fifty pages. Meanwhile, they are traipsing all over the city based on Aramel’s cryptic intuition that he never explains to her, and she never really asks about.
Flash forward 150 pages and finally Alex gets some answers, but I was pretty impatient on her behalf by then. As a reader, I knew exactly what was going on from page one and having to read about her struggling to find out, unfortunately, made her come across as stupid through no fault of her own. And since we’re talking about a book involving angels, the religious implications weren’t as flagrant as in other titles, but there was enough borrowing and twisting to hamper my enjoyment.
Overall, the writing is good, and the angel mythology very well thought out, but the heavy procedural aspects of the story and the lack of information given to the heroine were too much for me. I know there will be plenty of people who enjoy this book precisely for the reasons I didn’t, so if you like paranormal procedurals—emphasis on the procedural—you should enjoy SINS OF THE ANGELS. And if you were a fan of Jeannie Holmes Alexandra Sabian series, you’ll love this new series too.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
SINS OF THE ANGELS is the first book in Linda Potevin’s Grigory Legacy urban Fantasy series about a homicide detective and the angel assigned to help her track down a fallen angel who is ritualistically slaughtering people. There’s plenty of blood and action scenes, new angel mythology, and the foundation set up for a romance to develop in future books.
The romance was my favorite part about SINS OF THE ANGELS because it was so unconventional. An angel taught that the greatest sin he could ever commit was to fall in love with a human, and a woman who is the very embodiment of that unforgiveable transgression. To say he despised her on sight is an understatement.
Despite the unconventional and therefore intriguing romance, there were a couple things that didn’t work for me in SINS OF THE ANGEL. In the middle of her investigation, Alexandra gets saddled with a new partner who unbeknownst to her, is an angel. She accidentally sees Aramel’s wings the first time they meet. She tells herself she’s just overly tired and ignores it. But then she sees them several more times and still says nothing for a hundred and fifty pages. Meanwhile, they are traipsing all over the city based on Aramel’s cryptic intuition that he never explains to her, and she never really asks about.
Flash forward 150 pages and finally Alex gets some answers, but I was pretty impatient on her behalf by then. As a reader, I knew exactly what was going on from page one and having to read about her struggling to find out, unfortunately, made her come across as stupid through no fault of her own. And since we’re talking about a book involving angels, the religious implications weren’t as flagrant as in other titles, but there was enough borrowing and twisting to hamper my enjoyment.
Overall, the writing is good, and the angel mythology very well thought out, but the heavy procedural aspects of the story and the lack of information given to the heroine were too much for me. I know there will be plenty of people who enjoy this book precisely for the reasons I didn’t, so if you like paranormal procedurals—emphasis on the procedural—you should enjoy SINS OF THE ANGELS. And if you were a fan of Jeannie Holmes Alexandra Sabian series, you’ll love this new series too.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
October 11, 2011
It was good! Yes you know it's good when I start a review like that. It just built up and got better and better, until I could not put it down even though I was at work. I even dreamed about it during the night. She sure knows how to build up the tension until you just can't let go.
Alex is a cop and she is tough, but she also hiding a lot. Something dark from her past that still haunts her, and knowledge that she is fragile. I liked her. When her new partner was an ass she told him so, she did not take crap from anyone. And I liked my heroines tough, but still human, and vulnerable too at times.
Aramael is on earth to catch a fallen angel and damn, I never really liked angels but after this one, yes please give me a guy with wings. Sure much of the time he is arrogant (he is an angel after all), but I can take it and when he starts to feel real emotions, let's just say he is a hottie and I hoped these two would get it on. Now did they? Oh I will not tell you that. But what makes it intense is that of course angels do not feel things like that, it is very wrong indeed.
The world was interesting. It was a pretty normal world, except for one thing, angels are real and God is a woman (even if no one knows it is the truth). Some angels hunt down fallen ones that commit crimes, but mostly it is a standoff. God also holds a grudge, those poor descendants after unions between angels and humans still suffer today. They do not get guardians and there is something else too. But even with all this, I liked the angels, and I must confess that I am very curious about the fallen ones to see what they are up too. Even if they are evil and so on.
But most of this book is the hunt for the killer, and he is always one step ahead, it was nail biting. Intense and just great. A true page-turner.
Conclusion.
A great start to a new series, and it is a book that I recommend. It worked perfectly. I can't wait for book 2 to come out because even if there is no cliffhanger, there still is a cliffie. Those just as evil ones because you just want more.
Rating;
Kept me on the edge of my seat
Alex is a cop and she is tough, but she also hiding a lot. Something dark from her past that still haunts her, and knowledge that she is fragile. I liked her. When her new partner was an ass she told him so, she did not take crap from anyone. And I liked my heroines tough, but still human, and vulnerable too at times.
Aramael is on earth to catch a fallen angel and damn, I never really liked angels but after this one, yes please give me a guy with wings. Sure much of the time he is arrogant (he is an angel after all), but I can take it and when he starts to feel real emotions, let's just say he is a hottie and I hoped these two would get it on. Now did they? Oh I will not tell you that. But what makes it intense is that of course angels do not feel things like that, it is very wrong indeed.
The world was interesting. It was a pretty normal world, except for one thing, angels are real and God is a woman (even if no one knows it is the truth). Some angels hunt down fallen ones that commit crimes, but mostly it is a standoff. God also holds a grudge, those poor descendants after unions between angels and humans still suffer today. They do not get guardians and there is something else too. But even with all this, I liked the angels, and I must confess that I am very curious about the fallen ones to see what they are up too. Even if they are evil and so on.
But most of this book is the hunt for the killer, and he is always one step ahead, it was nail biting. Intense and just great. A true page-turner.
Conclusion.
A great start to a new series, and it is a book that I recommend. It worked perfectly. I can't wait for book 2 to come out because even if there is no cliffhanger, there still is a cliffie. Those just as evil ones because you just want more.
Rating;
Kept me on the edge of my seat
November 8, 2011
There are so many things I loved about this story... starting with the fact it takes place in Toronto, a place I've lived and love!
I also really liked the research the Author did on Angels, and what She took from the Bible about Lucifer's betrayal and how a 1/3 of all the Angel's fell from Heaven. I liked that She acknowledged that Angel's 'chose' to follow Lucifer.
The Author also had the Angel's have families and Soul-mates before the Fall... and after the Fall, God took the Angel's free will, and the memory of their Soul-mates and families so it wouldn't be so devastating to them when they had to fight each other because of the choices they made, and who they decided to followed.
Another thing I liked about the story is that "The One" (God) is a Women and after many millennium She is 'tired'. She knows what's going on, and who's doing it, but She just doesn't have the energy to stop it. She's has let the Angel's She's trusted 'run the show' for far too long, and now the events are about to unravel that can't be undone... and this is where this story begins.
I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the series.
I also really liked the research the Author did on Angels, and what She took from the Bible about Lucifer's betrayal and how a 1/3 of all the Angel's fell from Heaven. I liked that She acknowledged that Angel's 'chose' to follow Lucifer.
The Author also had the Angel's have families and Soul-mates before the Fall... and after the Fall, God took the Angel's free will, and the memory of their Soul-mates and families so it wouldn't be so devastating to them when they had to fight each other because of the choices they made, and who they decided to followed.
Another thing I liked about the story is that "The One" (God) is a Women and after many millennium She is 'tired'. She knows what's going on, and who's doing it, but She just doesn't have the energy to stop it. She's has let the Angel's She's trusted 'run the show' for far too long, and now the events are about to unravel that can't be undone... and this is where this story begins.
I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the series.
March 24, 2012
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
Alex is a homicide detective that doesn't play well with others, so when she is forced to take on a new partner whose arrogance knows no bound, the sparks were bound to fly. But personality conflicts are soon to be the least of her problems as there is much more going on than meets the eye in her latest case to catch a serial killer. Unknown to her, she has a secret lineage, and her new partner Trent is actually Aramael, one of the few Powers of Angels that hunt the Fallen. One of which is his twin brother and the very killer she is trying to catch, but there is much more at stake than a few mortal lives, for one misstep could trigger the apocalypse.
The romance between Alex and Aramael had so much potential to be a scorcher, but unfortunately things barely simmered in the end. I had such high hopes after seeing Aramael's almost violent reaction of hatred towards Alex in the beginning, just because one strong reaction usually leads to another. Seriously, how many times have we see seen characters in movies and books be fighting one minute, and then can't keep their hands off one another the next? Unfortunately, things just didn't play out the way I would have liked as they both seemed rather oblivious to the attraction for most of the book. Then all of a sudden it was like a switch was flipped and they were head over heels. But even then they wouldn't do anything about it, because their relationship was forbidden. I was just left feeling rather unsatisfied.
Despite my issues with some of the aspects of Sins of the Angels, what kept me reading was the interesting mythology behind it. There are Angels, with different castes who follow the One true God (who actually is a Goddess), and then there are also the Fallen Angels who followed Lucifer in his betrayal of the Goddess. A war has been brewing between them for millenia, which is held by a very fragile truce. In the middle are humans, but they are at least protected from the fallen by one cast of the Angels, Guardians. The descendants of the celestial beings, called nephilim have no such protection, and are generally hated by the Angels, but coveted by the Fallen. All of these elements blended together made for quite the interesting cast of characters.
As much as I enjoyed the unique factor of the mythology in Sins of the Angels, in the end the book was only a mediocre read for me. There really wasn't enough forward momentum in any aspect of the plot or romance to really keep me engaged. In fact, the procedural aspect really seemed to be the main focus, and as I'm not a huge fan of them, it did make it a little hard to keep reading at times. In fact, I found myself skimming the areas of police work to just get past them, but unfortunately it felt like I was skimming more often than not. That being said, I don't plan to write the series off quite yet because the mythology is interesting, and I am curious to see the fallout from the ending of Sins of the Angels. Hopefully the next installment will focus a little more on the characters rather than the investigative side of things.
Alex is a homicide detective that doesn't play well with others, so when she is forced to take on a new partner whose arrogance knows no bound, the sparks were bound to fly. But personality conflicts are soon to be the least of her problems as there is much more going on than meets the eye in her latest case to catch a serial killer. Unknown to her, she has a secret lineage, and her new partner Trent is actually Aramael, one of the few Powers of Angels that hunt the Fallen. One of which is his twin brother and the very killer she is trying to catch, but there is much more at stake than a few mortal lives, for one misstep could trigger the apocalypse.
The romance between Alex and Aramael had so much potential to be a scorcher, but unfortunately things barely simmered in the end. I had such high hopes after seeing Aramael's almost violent reaction of hatred towards Alex in the beginning, just because one strong reaction usually leads to another. Seriously, how many times have we see seen characters in movies and books be fighting one minute, and then can't keep their hands off one another the next? Unfortunately, things just didn't play out the way I would have liked as they both seemed rather oblivious to the attraction for most of the book. Then all of a sudden it was like a switch was flipped and they were head over heels. But even then they wouldn't do anything about it, because their relationship was forbidden. I was just left feeling rather unsatisfied.
Despite my issues with some of the aspects of Sins of the Angels, what kept me reading was the interesting mythology behind it. There are Angels, with different castes who follow the One true God (who actually is a Goddess), and then there are also the Fallen Angels who followed Lucifer in his betrayal of the Goddess. A war has been brewing between them for millenia, which is held by a very fragile truce. In the middle are humans, but they are at least protected from the fallen by one cast of the Angels, Guardians. The descendants of the celestial beings, called nephilim have no such protection, and are generally hated by the Angels, but coveted by the Fallen. All of these elements blended together made for quite the interesting cast of characters.
As much as I enjoyed the unique factor of the mythology in Sins of the Angels, in the end the book was only a mediocre read for me. There really wasn't enough forward momentum in any aspect of the plot or romance to really keep me engaged. In fact, the procedural aspect really seemed to be the main focus, and as I'm not a huge fan of them, it did make it a little hard to keep reading at times. In fact, I found myself skimming the areas of police work to just get past them, but unfortunately it felt like I was skimming more often than not. That being said, I don't plan to write the series off quite yet because the mythology is interesting, and I am curious to see the fallout from the ending of Sins of the Angels. Hopefully the next installment will focus a little more on the characters rather than the investigative side of things.
February 23, 2012
FULL REVIEW POSTED AT BOOKCHICKCITY
SINS OF THE ANGELS BOOK REVIEW @ BOOKCHICKCITY.COM
Ok, I'll be brutally honest with this review. The book was a chore at times to read and on more than one occassion I was ready to throw the book to the side, but dut to trying to do better in my reading challange I trudged along.
So why, do you ask did this seem such a trudge. It had everything going for it. Fallen Angels. Avenging Angels. Impending apocolypse. IT should be a joy to read, but what its big failing is the fact there is too much build up. Its only about 180 pages into the book does the action really kick in and you are then on for the ride of your life.
I must give kudos to the author for not falling into the cliche of having a paranormal romance masquarading as a Urban Fantasy and though it takes a while her world building is very good. You can see the heavy relgious influence in the book, but in such a way its not preachy nor do you have to be too gemmed up on Christian Relgion to follow.
I have to admit that I rather liked the main heroine, Alex Jarvis. She was ballsy and took no crap from her new partner Aramael (who happens to be the angel in question). She showed vulnerablity and wasn't too whiney (a big pet hate of mine). She put me in mind of Beckett from the tv series Castle.
Aramael on the other hand didn't seem to come off very well and I never really warmed to him on the whole. This whole "I have feelings for you, but I am not supsosed to, yet I can't help it!" back and forth became very tedious between the two characters and the fact he is maquarading as a cop, yet knew nothing about how to blend in. Also the kryptic 'clues' he gave to Alex at the begining with regards to the serial killer were enough to drive you insane.
My favourtie character, Seth, didn't come into the book till surprisingly enough 180 pages. He showed some humilty for being a divine being. We don't know much about him, but by the end we findout something major about his backstory, which going by both the preview of the second book and the synopsis sounds very intresting. All I will say is that when he says at the end "I am Plan B," or something to that affect, I could only imagine him as the UK rap artist Plan B and I burst out into song. (Google it!!)
I don't want to spoil things for anyone, but the twist in the plot was seen very early on. What I didn't see was the reason why, which is really intresting.
I recommend perciviering through the book as the second half is where the true magic really happens.
SINS OF THE ANGELS BOOK REVIEW @ BOOKCHICKCITY.COM
Ok, I'll be brutally honest with this review. The book was a chore at times to read and on more than one occassion I was ready to throw the book to the side, but dut to trying to do better in my reading challange I trudged along.
So why, do you ask did this seem such a trudge. It had everything going for it. Fallen Angels. Avenging Angels. Impending apocolypse. IT should be a joy to read, but what its big failing is the fact there is too much build up. Its only about 180 pages into the book does the action really kick in and you are then on for the ride of your life.
I must give kudos to the author for not falling into the cliche of having a paranormal romance masquarading as a Urban Fantasy and though it takes a while her world building is very good. You can see the heavy relgious influence in the book, but in such a way its not preachy nor do you have to be too gemmed up on Christian Relgion to follow.
I have to admit that I rather liked the main heroine, Alex Jarvis. She was ballsy and took no crap from her new partner Aramael (who happens to be the angel in question). She showed vulnerablity and wasn't too whiney (a big pet hate of mine). She put me in mind of Beckett from the tv series Castle.
Aramael on the other hand didn't seem to come off very well and I never really warmed to him on the whole. This whole "I have feelings for you, but I am not supsosed to, yet I can't help it!" back and forth became very tedious between the two characters and the fact he is maquarading as a cop, yet knew nothing about how to blend in. Also the kryptic 'clues' he gave to Alex at the begining with regards to the serial killer were enough to drive you insane.
My favourtie character, Seth, didn't come into the book till surprisingly enough 180 pages. He showed some humilty for being a divine being. We don't know much about him, but by the end we findout something major about his backstory, which going by both the preview of the second book and the synopsis sounds very intresting. All I will say is that when he says at the end "I am Plan B," or something to that affect, I could only imagine him as the UK rap artist Plan B and I burst out into song. (Google it!!)
I don't want to spoil things for anyone, but the twist in the plot was seen very early on. What I didn't see was the reason why, which is really intresting.
I recommend perciviering through the book as the second half is where the true magic really happens.
August 13, 2011
*This review is based on a advanced reader's copy of the book I won through Goodreads FirstReads Giveaways.*
I've read a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy over the years, but this is the first book I read that featured angels, and I wasn't exactly sure if I'd like it or not.
But I did...a lot.
A serial killer is plaguing the streets of Toronto, and homicide detective, Alexandra Jarvis is on the case...and saddled with a new partner much to her chagrin.
Aramael is an angel...a Power to be exact; a hunter sent to find Fallen Angles. To do this, he must masquerade as a human (the aforementioned new partner), and team up with Alex to stop the killings.
It did take me a short while to fully get into the book, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading.
The world building was very detailed, yet written in such a way that it didn't didn't feel like I was reading huge blocks of info dump. It all flowed very nicely. Also, while detailed, it wasn't at all confusing. The action scenes are nicely done, and the characters are skillfully written and very fleshed out.
With the way the author ended this book, she has most definitely assured that I will be reading the second book in the series when it comes out next spring.
Oh! I should add, if you're squeamish, the book is a bit descriptive of the gory bits. It didn't bother me, but I thought I'd put that out there for those who it might bother.
I've read a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy over the years, but this is the first book I read that featured angels, and I wasn't exactly sure if I'd like it or not.
But I did...a lot.
A serial killer is plaguing the streets of Toronto, and homicide detective, Alexandra Jarvis is on the case...and saddled with a new partner much to her chagrin.
Aramael is an angel...a Power to be exact; a hunter sent to find Fallen Angles. To do this, he must masquerade as a human (the aforementioned new partner), and team up with Alex to stop the killings.
It did take me a short while to fully get into the book, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading.
The world building was very detailed, yet written in such a way that it didn't didn't feel like I was reading huge blocks of info dump. It all flowed very nicely. Also, while detailed, it wasn't at all confusing. The action scenes are nicely done, and the characters are skillfully written and very fleshed out.
With the way the author ended this book, she has most definitely assured that I will be reading the second book in the series when it comes out next spring.
Oh! I should add, if you're squeamish, the book is a bit descriptive of the gory bits. It didn't bother me, but I thought I'd put that out there for those who it might bother.
January 15, 2019
Alexandra Jarvis is a homicide detective who is up against a serial killer unlike any she’s ever encountered and the last thing she needs is a new partner who is hellbent on getting in her way and under her skin at every turn. Aramael sentenced his own brother to eternal exile but now he’s back and only Aramael can stop him.
This thrilling urban fantasy romance keeps readers glued to the pages with a fascinating world and lots of suspense. Both, the main characters and the supporting characters are strong, compelling and easily draw readers into this steady to fast paced plot. The suspense builds throughout and keeps readers on the edge of their seats with exciting and suspenseful events while surprising twists and betrayals keeps readers guessing. The author’s creative workings of the conflict between angels and fallen angels is fascinating and it creates a very intriguing world in which readers can easily become completely caught up in.
There is some wonderfully delicious chemistry that sizzles between Alex and Aramael which creates lots of intense friction between the partners as they try to stop the serial killer but it also creates a lot of conflict and emotional turmoil for these two as well which keeps this relationship quite volatile throughout. I was completely caught up in this story so I was a bit disappointed that it has such a cliffhanger ending which means of course that I can’t wait to read the next one.
This thrilling urban fantasy romance keeps readers glued to the pages with a fascinating world and lots of suspense. Both, the main characters and the supporting characters are strong, compelling and easily draw readers into this steady to fast paced plot. The suspense builds throughout and keeps readers on the edge of their seats with exciting and suspenseful events while surprising twists and betrayals keeps readers guessing. The author’s creative workings of the conflict between angels and fallen angels is fascinating and it creates a very intriguing world in which readers can easily become completely caught up in.
There is some wonderfully delicious chemistry that sizzles between Alex and Aramael which creates lots of intense friction between the partners as they try to stop the serial killer but it also creates a lot of conflict and emotional turmoil for these two as well which keeps this relationship quite volatile throughout. I was completely caught up in this story so I was a bit disappointed that it has such a cliffhanger ending which means of course that I can’t wait to read the next one.
March 27, 2012
If there's anything I'd generally say I wanted to read about less than Zombies and Vampires, it's angels. I lived through the whole 90s angel craze, and, well, I still have wing scars on my back. So why am I reading two books by Linda with angels? Because they're so damn good. Oh no, I started out reluctant. I was reading this one because I'm doing an interview with her and she's a friend of a friend who recommended it. But then the book went and got all good and un-put-downable and all and darn it, I was actually enjoying it. In fact, except for a few over the top theological things in the world building, I loved it more and more all the way to the end. Great world building, great characters. Little bit too much fondness for the F words amongst them perhaps, but maybe Canadian cops really use only one curse word out of preference. Perhaps it reminds them of those damn Americans they share a continent with. I don't know. Whatever the case, the book has great thriller elements and strong romance elements mixed with fantasy and paranormal. It's urban fantasy detective thriller with an angel and a detective trying to hunt a fallen angel on a killing spree. In the meantime, his real target is one of them and he's not giving up. A strong urban fantasy debut, well worth the read. A writer well worth discovering. Highly recommended.
September 19, 2013
4.5
I'm not sure how I could have missed this series so long. Ok, no, I know, I'm lying to myself. I'm responsible, because I'm biased. I fear I saw angels in a Christian contest and run the other way (religion has that effect on me).
I'm glad that I stumbled on Sins of the Angels a second time.
The book has a dark world that so suits my mood, a heroine that is both strong and frail, a blurry line of good and evil (how good is Good when it hurts people in his path to reach a its Goal? Ahhh, morality, such a difficult choice...), a She as the final entity (oh yes!)
This is UF at his purest: with a core of procedural/detective story that mixes uneasily with the mystery of Others. I'm still uneasy in my relationship with all this Christian-sounding angelology (I need a guide, too). But overall I was hooked by the novel and when I read the last page I was left anxious and nervous by the actions in it. A chamomile galore followed :)
If you are wondering why the half star, the reason lies in soulmates. Never the love of my life, even if I admit it was beautifully done here. I could have done without the "love", a bit weird in this situation. :)
I'm not sure how I could have missed this series so long. Ok, no, I know, I'm lying to myself. I'm responsible, because I'm biased. I fear I saw angels in a Christian contest and run the other way (religion has that effect on me).
I'm glad that I stumbled on Sins of the Angels a second time.
The book has a dark world that so suits my mood, a heroine that is both strong and frail, a blurry line of good and evil (how good is Good when it hurts people in his path to reach a its Goal? Ahhh, morality, such a difficult choice...), a She as the final entity (oh yes!)
This is UF at his purest: with a core of procedural/detective story that mixes uneasily with the mystery of Others. I'm still uneasy in my relationship with all this Christian-sounding angelology (I need a guide, too). But overall I was hooked by the novel and when I read the last page I was left anxious and nervous by the actions in it. A chamomile galore followed :)
If you are wondering why the half star, the reason lies in soulmates. Never the love of my life, even if I admit it was beautifully done here. I could have done without the "love", a bit weird in this situation. :)
May 10, 2012
I loved this story! I've always loved stories with angels, and this one just made me giddy with happiness. The tension between Alex and Aramael is current and overwhelming at times. You just keep waiting for something to happen between them. WOW! ZING! BOOM!
The author really took some good steps with creating her idea of heaven & hell! Love that the "ONE" was female... who didn't know that?
I'll recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good thriller romance. It's a great start to what could be a great series.
The author really took some good steps with creating her idea of heaven & hell! Love that the "ONE" was female... who didn't know that?
I'll recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good thriller romance. It's a great start to what could be a great series.
March 29, 2013
First in The Grigori Legacy urban fantasy series about all kinds of angels and free will in Toronto, Canada. A.K.A., Clichéd Sins of the Angels.
My Take
I'm conflicted on this one. I like the concept, but Poitvein has either the characters or events doing such stupid things, and there's a bit much of the same 'ol, same 'ol with it's blend of Thomas E. Sniegoski's Remy Chandler with a bit of Cat Adams' Blood Singer with a strong sense of Alex Hughes' Mindspace Investigations (which actually was published the year after this one! I just happened to read this one before Sins). It's clichéd, obvious, and Poitevin takes it to such extremes.
I have a feeling there's some Cain and Abel symbolism in the rival brothers.
Poitevin doesn't miss an opportunity to use a cliché or to overdramatize.
Talk about cliché...Alex is exhausted and mentally stressed, and absolutely insists on staying on the case even though its been days since she's slept. And of course, the obligatory greasy meals, when she remembers to eat. Okay, fairly reasonable. It's sort of expected when you're a cop. But Alex has extra stresses and she would be so smart if she took the time out to get some rest. So, naturally, she definitely can't do that since Poitevin is writing this with a sense of ticking items off a list, and not with any sense of conviction. At least, she isn't making me a believer. Poitevin is trying too hard, and it's irritating me.
Oh, brother, the serial killer who blames God for not letting him back in Heaven who thinks if he kills enough people, God will let him back in. Caim goes on and on about how "he never wanted this", and yet he keeps on destroying people. Lame. I get tired of this one being used over and over and over and… I do like that God is a woman. That's a plus...and different. Although I do think Alex makes some excellent points about wrong. I also like the conflict Poitevin introduces of soulmates. That'll be interesting to watch develop.
I do like Alex's strength of character, her caring, and I like that God is tired. It makes her seem more human, more like a being who would stand by her decision about free will.
And, yet more cliché with the "proper" angels despising the Nephilim. Oh, yeah, that just makes so much sense, to despise diluted bloodlines of descendants whose originators died thousands of years ago and of whom today's "half-bloods" have absolutely NO knowledge. Poitevin takes this hate to such an extreme.
It's possible that some of my irritation comes from the hints that Poitevin drops along the way---I'm assuming that if I read the next books in the series, I'll be able to stop guessing about Cleansing or who is assigned a Guardian.
Poitevin pushes so hard at how awful Alex and Trent are together that I want to order her home to bed. Okay, why am I not believing that a couple of detectives are assigned to writing down license plate numbers in a parking garage? I'm assuming that Alex is a good detective, so why is it that Roberts keeps pooh-poohing her just about every time she opens her mouth? If it's such a big deal that humans shouldn't learn about angels, why is it that they let Jen sit in on their discussion?
WHY? WHYYY? Why is it that characters all seem to believe that it's so much safer to not provide knowledge to other characters who are in danger? Information that could well make them more careful or aware.
Poitevin has dropped enough tantalizing bits that I am curious to read on and find out what happens to Seth, Aramael, Alex, her sister, Mittron, God...yeah, it's a long series of possibilities. I especially like that bit about free will that Aramael realizes at the end. But I'm not going to be in a hurry.
The Story
A brutal serial killer is loose in the city and the cops are stumped. There doesn't appear to be a connection between any of them, and the murderer seems to disappear at will.
Making things worse is the new partner Alex gets stuck with. One who hates her and has no clue about policing or detective work.
The Characters
Detective Alexandra Jarvis is laboring under a handicap: a childhood memory of horror that she is determined to get past. She also has the blood of a Nephilim. Jacob Trent is her new ignorant partner. Jennifer is her sister and she has a daughter, Nina.
Staff Inspector Doug Roberts is her boss, in charge of her Homicide squad. Fellow detectives include Raymond Joly and Abrams and Bastion and Timmins. How sad is it that I almost cheered what happened with Detective Christine Delaney of Fraud?
In Heaven
Aramael is of the Sixth Choir, a Power, a Hunter of the Fallen Ones.
Dominion Verchiel is of the Fourth Choir of angels and seems to be Mittron's secretary. He's the Highest Seraph, the executive administrator, and oversees eight of the nine choirs. I think he's Verchiel's ex as well. Seth Benjamin is the Appointed, the son of God. I like him.
Caim is a Fallen angel and Aramael's twin brother.
Arthur and Mitch Stevens seem to have gotten what they deserve. Another symptom of how uncaring I am of the characters...that's bad. Martin James was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Father William McIntyre seems to be leading a double life.
The Cover
The cover is more of a metaphor than a scene from the book. It's Alexandra investigating a brightly lit alley in the big city, and how she manages to not notice the angel caught in the purple light at the end of the alley I'll never know.
The title could go two ways with Sins of the Angels referring to Lucifer's fall from grace all those millennia ago, or the current crop of sinners.
My Take
I'm conflicted on this one. I like the concept, but Poitvein has either the characters or events doing such stupid things, and there's a bit much of the same 'ol, same 'ol with it's blend of Thomas E. Sniegoski's Remy Chandler with a bit of Cat Adams' Blood Singer with a strong sense of Alex Hughes' Mindspace Investigations (which actually was published the year after this one! I just happened to read this one before Sins). It's clichéd, obvious, and Poitevin takes it to such extremes.
I have a feeling there's some Cain and Abel symbolism in the rival brothers.
Poitevin doesn't miss an opportunity to use a cliché or to overdramatize.
Talk about cliché...Alex is exhausted and mentally stressed, and absolutely insists on staying on the case even though its been days since she's slept. And of course, the obligatory greasy meals, when she remembers to eat. Okay, fairly reasonable. It's sort of expected when you're a cop. But Alex has extra stresses and she would be so smart if she took the time out to get some rest. So, naturally, she definitely can't do that since Poitevin is writing this with a sense of ticking items off a list, and not with any sense of conviction. At least, she isn't making me a believer. Poitevin is trying too hard, and it's irritating me.
Oh, brother, the serial killer who blames God for not letting him back in Heaven who thinks if he kills enough people, God will let him back in. Caim goes on and on about how "he never wanted this", and yet he keeps on destroying people. Lame. I get tired of this one being used over and over and over and… I do like that God is a woman. That's a plus...and different. Although I do think Alex makes some excellent points about wrong. I also like the conflict Poitevin introduces of soulmates. That'll be interesting to watch develop.
I do like Alex's strength of character, her caring, and I like that God is tired. It makes her seem more human, more like a being who would stand by her decision about free will.
And, yet more cliché with the "proper" angels despising the Nephilim. Oh, yeah, that just makes so much sense, to despise diluted bloodlines of descendants whose originators died thousands of years ago and of whom today's "half-bloods" have absolutely NO knowledge. Poitevin takes this hate to such an extreme.
It's possible that some of my irritation comes from the hints that Poitevin drops along the way---I'm assuming that if I read the next books in the series, I'll be able to stop guessing about Cleansing or who is assigned a Guardian.
Poitevin pushes so hard at how awful Alex and Trent are together that I want to order her home to bed. Okay, why am I not believing that a couple of detectives are assigned to writing down license plate numbers in a parking garage? I'm assuming that Alex is a good detective, so why is it that Roberts keeps pooh-poohing her just about every time she opens her mouth? If it's such a big deal that humans shouldn't learn about angels, why is it that they let Jen sit in on their discussion?
WHY? WHYYY? Why is it that characters all seem to believe that it's so much safer to not provide knowledge to other characters who are in danger? Information that could well make them more careful or aware.
Poitevin has dropped enough tantalizing bits that I am curious to read on and find out what happens to Seth, Aramael, Alex, her sister, Mittron, God...yeah, it's a long series of possibilities. I especially like that bit about free will that Aramael realizes at the end. But I'm not going to be in a hurry.
The Story
A brutal serial killer is loose in the city and the cops are stumped. There doesn't appear to be a connection between any of them, and the murderer seems to disappear at will.
Making things worse is the new partner Alex gets stuck with. One who hates her and has no clue about policing or detective work.
The Characters
Detective Alexandra Jarvis is laboring under a handicap: a childhood memory of horror that she is determined to get past. She also has the blood of a Nephilim. Jacob Trent is her new ignorant partner. Jennifer is her sister and she has a daughter, Nina.
Staff Inspector Doug Roberts is her boss, in charge of her Homicide squad. Fellow detectives include Raymond Joly and Abrams and Bastion and Timmins. How sad is it that I almost cheered what happened with Detective Christine Delaney of Fraud?
In Heaven
Aramael is of the Sixth Choir, a Power, a Hunter of the Fallen Ones.
Dominion Verchiel is of the Fourth Choir of angels and seems to be Mittron's secretary. He's the Highest Seraph, the executive administrator, and oversees eight of the nine choirs. I think he's Verchiel's ex as well. Seth Benjamin is the Appointed, the son of God. I like him.
Caim is a Fallen angel and Aramael's twin brother.
Arthur and Mitch Stevens seem to have gotten what they deserve. Another symptom of how uncaring I am of the characters...that's bad. Martin James was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Father William McIntyre seems to be leading a double life.
The Cover
The cover is more of a metaphor than a scene from the book. It's Alexandra investigating a brightly lit alley in the big city, and how she manages to not notice the angel caught in the purple light at the end of the alley I'll never know.
The title could go two ways with Sins of the Angels referring to Lucifer's fall from grace all those millennia ago, or the current crop of sinners.
September 27, 2011
Short review: Wow, with her debut novel Linda Poitevin made her entrance into the world of writers with a BANG! Yep, all capitals. Such a thrilling and amazing start to the series, that I couldn't put it down and read until 3am when I hit the last page. Of course the breath I released wasn't much of a relieved and satisfied one as Linda Poitevin left us with a heartattack inducing cliffhanger ending, but it was the perfect conclusion to the first instalment! I SO cannot wait for more!!
Detailed review:
It has been some time when I last read a book which sucked me in and held me in such death grip that I couldn't go to sleep and had to stay awake until 3am (on a weekday!) until I finished the story. And even after that I was pulsing with excitement and if I had Book #2 on hand I have no doubt I would have started reading it right away, not caring that I would have to get up in 4 short hours to go to work. That's how thrilling and amazing Linda Poitevin's urban fantasy debut novel is!
I was completely enthralled by Linda Poitevin's lyrical prose, her poetic descriptions were so evocative and vivid, the raw emotions squeezing my own heart:
The ache exploded, scattering its searing fragments throughout his body, spreading until it claimed every corner of his being as its own.
Her throat closed. Memories shifted in the long-ignored recesses of her mind, then began rising to the surface. Shit. She tried her damnedest to stop what she knew was coming, but her attempts shredded like tissue-paper boats adrift in a hurricane. Ruthless images stabbed at her, each leaving a new hole in her decades-old defenses.
The complexity of the worldbuilding and how every minor detail was thought out was fascinating. In the Grigori Legacy series Linda Poitevin builds on common religious views and puts her own twist on them. I really enjoyed those parts of the novel where I learned more about the angel hierarchy and how the system works (that for example humans can reject their own guardian angels).
And now time for me to talk about the main characters.
Alex, our emotionally scarred heroine is a weathered and kickass cop. She lost her parents at an early age and tried her best to escape the shadows and nightmares of her traumatic childhood which still haunt her. Her strength and her not-backing-down attitude made her a worthy partner and opponent to any warrior angel, but it was her humanity and vulnerability which made her relatable and endeared her to me. And of course her dry humour was wonderful in lightening up the darkness of the story.
In face of Aramael's "irritating behaviour"(=every single breath he takes according to Alex's opinion):
Alex summoned up a saccharine smile and reminded herself that cops had a moral obligation not to commit murder.
Aramael is an angel like no other you have heard/read about. He is no white-robed, peaceful and pure messenger of God, oh no, he is a fierce, cursing, dark and dangerous, warrior kind of angel.
Her partner, but not her partner, at the center of the kitchen, with massive wings rising more than a foot above his head and trailing nearly to the floor. Golden wings, their feathers alive with a fire that seemed to surround each and every one of them. Shimmering, pulsing, hypnotically beautiful fire.
I can't tell you how happy I was to see that Aramael wasn't one of those too-good-to-do-anything-interesting ninny angels, but a vibrant, dangerous, sword-wielding-warrior-of-Heaven kind of angel. The kind of angel which is much closer to the original depiction of angels in the Bible than that of current pop culture. Aramael's presence was impressive: whenever he was on the scene it was like a magnetic pull, not only Alex but the reader was drawn to him all the while knowing, feeling that this pull might be something fatal like flame to the moth, but impossible to resist nonetheless.
The chemistry between Alex and Aramael was earth-shattering. The air between these two pulsed with so much current that it was palpable even across the pages. Both Alex and Aramael are extremely well fleshed out, strong characters and together they are a force to reckon with. The forbidden nature of their relationship heightens the tension of their undeniable attraction to each other, an attraction both of them tries to fight, but which proves to be more powerful than their ability to resist.
"I can’t feel this way about you," he muttered at last. Embers glowed among the ashes now. "I can’t," he snarled. "Don’t you understand? You have become the most important thing in my existence, and I am crippled by your very presence. Caim remains free because I cannot track him, cannot feel him. Because all I can feel is you."
What shook me was that the pull between Alex and Aramael ran deeper than just a physical, sexual attraction. They had a deeper connection, something which still remained a bit of a msytery at the end of Sins of the Angels and I cannot wait to learn and read more about them.
Besides the main characters Linda Poitevin introduces some interesting and entertaining supporting characters who I can't wait to see more of in later books (*hint* I'm talking of you Seth *hint*).
"Remember that, above all else, I demand faith from my angels. Not just trust."
Verdict: Sins of the Angels is a dark urban fantasy novel like you haven't read before. It is electric, thrilling and extremely intelligent. Linda Poitevin's worldbuilding is rich and layered and her writing is excellent. A fantastic new series which will appeal to urban fantasy, paranormal romance and thriller fans!
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 10/10 - wonderful!
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 10/10 - love it!
Detailed review:
It has been some time when I last read a book which sucked me in and held me in such death grip that I couldn't go to sleep and had to stay awake until 3am (on a weekday!) until I finished the story. And even after that I was pulsing with excitement and if I had Book #2 on hand I have no doubt I would have started reading it right away, not caring that I would have to get up in 4 short hours to go to work. That's how thrilling and amazing Linda Poitevin's urban fantasy debut novel is!
I was completely enthralled by Linda Poitevin's lyrical prose, her poetic descriptions were so evocative and vivid, the raw emotions squeezing my own heart:
The ache exploded, scattering its searing fragments throughout his body, spreading until it claimed every corner of his being as its own.
Her throat closed. Memories shifted in the long-ignored recesses of her mind, then began rising to the surface. Shit. She tried her damnedest to stop what she knew was coming, but her attempts shredded like tissue-paper boats adrift in a hurricane. Ruthless images stabbed at her, each leaving a new hole in her decades-old defenses.
The complexity of the worldbuilding and how every minor detail was thought out was fascinating. In the Grigori Legacy series Linda Poitevin builds on common religious views and puts her own twist on them. I really enjoyed those parts of the novel where I learned more about the angel hierarchy and how the system works (that for example humans can reject their own guardian angels).
And now time for me to talk about the main characters.
Alex, our emotionally scarred heroine is a weathered and kickass cop. She lost her parents at an early age and tried her best to escape the shadows and nightmares of her traumatic childhood which still haunt her. Her strength and her not-backing-down attitude made her a worthy partner and opponent to any warrior angel, but it was her humanity and vulnerability which made her relatable and endeared her to me. And of course her dry humour was wonderful in lightening up the darkness of the story.
In face of Aramael's "irritating behaviour"(=every single breath he takes according to Alex's opinion):
Alex summoned up a saccharine smile and reminded herself that cops had a moral obligation not to commit murder.
Aramael is an angel like no other you have heard/read about. He is no white-robed, peaceful and pure messenger of God, oh no, he is a fierce, cursing, dark and dangerous, warrior kind of angel.
Her partner, but not her partner, at the center of the kitchen, with massive wings rising more than a foot above his head and trailing nearly to the floor. Golden wings, their feathers alive with a fire that seemed to surround each and every one of them. Shimmering, pulsing, hypnotically beautiful fire.
I can't tell you how happy I was to see that Aramael wasn't one of those too-good-to-do-anything-interesting ninny angels, but a vibrant, dangerous, sword-wielding-warrior-of-Heaven kind of angel. The kind of angel which is much closer to the original depiction of angels in the Bible than that of current pop culture. Aramael's presence was impressive: whenever he was on the scene it was like a magnetic pull, not only Alex but the reader was drawn to him all the while knowing, feeling that this pull might be something fatal like flame to the moth, but impossible to resist nonetheless.
The chemistry between Alex and Aramael was earth-shattering. The air between these two pulsed with so much current that it was palpable even across the pages. Both Alex and Aramael are extremely well fleshed out, strong characters and together they are a force to reckon with. The forbidden nature of their relationship heightens the tension of their undeniable attraction to each other, an attraction both of them tries to fight, but which proves to be more powerful than their ability to resist.
"I can’t feel this way about you," he muttered at last. Embers glowed among the ashes now. "I can’t," he snarled. "Don’t you understand? You have become the most important thing in my existence, and I am crippled by your very presence. Caim remains free because I cannot track him, cannot feel him. Because all I can feel is you."
What shook me was that the pull between Alex and Aramael ran deeper than just a physical, sexual attraction. They had a deeper connection, something which still remained a bit of a msytery at the end of Sins of the Angels and I cannot wait to learn and read more about them.
Besides the main characters Linda Poitevin introduces some interesting and entertaining supporting characters who I can't wait to see more of in later books (*hint* I'm talking of you Seth *hint*).
"Remember that, above all else, I demand faith from my angels. Not just trust."
Verdict: Sins of the Angels is a dark urban fantasy novel like you haven't read before. It is electric, thrilling and extremely intelligent. Linda Poitevin's worldbuilding is rich and layered and her writing is excellent. A fantastic new series which will appeal to urban fantasy, paranormal romance and thriller fans!
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 10/10 - wonderful!
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 10/10 - love it!
April 26, 2019
I had two problems with the book: 1. The use of GD. 2. Facts about God, certain aspects of the angels, and small pieces of history involving them. I mean I totally understand the purpose behind it but I felt like some things should not have been changed on the God aspect. Other than those two things I really liked the book. It was really interesting how the author portrayed the angels and how they talk to one other. With all that said, I have already bought book 2 and cannot wait to read it!
August 1, 2019
89 points, 4 ½ stars
Warning: Cliffhanger (status: that's just mean)
Someone is leaving bodies all over Toronto, posed as if on the cross and ripped apart. It is Alexandra Jarvis' job to find out who. Only it is more complicated than she thought. The killer is a Fallen Angel and she, unknowingly, is Nephilim. Alex is without a guardian angel, and has no hope of stopping a Fallen Angel, so the Host sends down Aramael, a Power, to help protect her. His goal is to stop his brother.
Okay, this was a book for me. I enjoyed the hell out of myself reading this. I can easily see why others wouldn't. This is not the best book I've ever read, it is not the most unique, either. But, that is okay. This is, however, familiar. I didn't find myself struggling to keep up with new events or anything. This is the type of story I personally enjoy to read from time to time.
This is a straight urban fantasy novel. There is a detective hunting for a killer who isn't human, and is leaving bodies everywhere. There is a romantic interest that shows up that isn't quite happy to even be there in the first place. The world at large doesn't know that the supernatural, in this case Angels, exist in the first place, so it takes time to explain that it does. Just pure urban fantasy. This isn't first person perspective, though. It is third, and it does jump around a bit. That took some getting used to, though I did get used to it by the end.
The main character, Alex, is a typical urban fantasy lead. She is angry at the drop of a hat. She is a detective with the local police department. The interesting parts about Alex is that she refuses to believe what she is seeing when she sees Aramael as an angel, all because of her past. Her mother was crazy, saw angels, and now Alex is seeing angels. Therefore, Alex thinks she is going crazy like her mother was. So, she resists and resists and resists the facts that are being presented to her.
Aramael, the love interest, is basically all anger. Everything makes him angry, probably even his existence. That and impatience are his defining features. He is just as blind as Alex is, because he wants to just be angry about everything. It is kind of exhausting being him.
I'll give this series one thing, though. The police aspects of the story aren't anywhere close to being the worst I've ever read. In some respects, they are actually better than a lot of series I've read. Sure, it has some things that would never, ever, ever happen in real life. But this isn't real life, and they're hunting an *angel*. I will say though, that their panic level is way too low. I wasn't keeping count while reading, however at a guess, there must have been 50 dead humans by the end of this book, all within a span of about a week. In real life, the panic levels would be insane, both inside and outside the department, and multiple agencies would be called in to help.
Sins of the Angels, this series, has soulmates. Bonded at first touch. In a romance that will be forbidden between an angel and - well anything other than an angel. It is especially bad with an angel and a nephilim. Now, I have nothing against soulmate bonds, I actually kind of like them. However, there isn't really much keeping these two together other than the bond. Then again, they didn't really have much time in the book to get to know each other past the bond and the obsession. I hope for more out of this relationship in the coming books.
The series has an odd approach to love, so far. There are soulmates now, but they weren't soulmates before. God took away love because of reasons that are really cruel. God is actually really cruel to the angels in general, now that I think about it. There are perspectives in this book from former soulmates, who are no longer because God took it away. This was all a bit confusing for a while, honestly, before it was all explained. And it took a while to be explained. Also, for an infodump, Poitevin chose the wrong people to do it - I don't know why she chose one person talking to another person who had actually lived through it and understood the intricacies of it.
The world is very familiar. There are angels and nephilim and fallen angels. There is Lucifer and the Grigori who fell. There is a treaty in place to prevent war (the word apocalypse was used) between the angels and fallen angels, where they have to follow rules. Yet, those rules seem to be easily overcome by just kind of talking around it. The interesting thing about Grigori Legacy, is that they call the god "The One", and The One is a she, and she is an active, talking member of the series. That is definitely different than normal. Also the angels are all bureaucrats. They listen and do what they are told. End game. They have no free will, only obedience.
I enjoyed reading the book. I know others wouldn't: religious themes, soulmates for romance, the time it takes to get answers. However, for me, it was a great read. I enjoyed it on a personal level.
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
Warning: Cliffhanger (status: that's just mean)
Someone is leaving bodies all over Toronto, posed as if on the cross and ripped apart. It is Alexandra Jarvis' job to find out who. Only it is more complicated than she thought. The killer is a Fallen Angel and she, unknowingly, is Nephilim. Alex is without a guardian angel, and has no hope of stopping a Fallen Angel, so the Host sends down Aramael, a Power, to help protect her. His goal is to stop his brother.
Okay, this was a book for me. I enjoyed the hell out of myself reading this. I can easily see why others wouldn't. This is not the best book I've ever read, it is not the most unique, either. But, that is okay. This is, however, familiar. I didn't find myself struggling to keep up with new events or anything. This is the type of story I personally enjoy to read from time to time.
This is a straight urban fantasy novel. There is a detective hunting for a killer who isn't human, and is leaving bodies everywhere. There is a romantic interest that shows up that isn't quite happy to even be there in the first place. The world at large doesn't know that the supernatural, in this case Angels, exist in the first place, so it takes time to explain that it does. Just pure urban fantasy. This isn't first person perspective, though. It is third, and it does jump around a bit. That took some getting used to, though I did get used to it by the end.
The main character, Alex, is a typical urban fantasy lead. She is angry at the drop of a hat. She is a detective with the local police department. The interesting parts about Alex is that she refuses to believe what she is seeing when she sees Aramael as an angel, all because of her past. Her mother was crazy, saw angels, and now Alex is seeing angels. Therefore, Alex thinks she is going crazy like her mother was. So, she resists and resists and resists the facts that are being presented to her.
Aramael, the love interest, is basically all anger. Everything makes him angry, probably even his existence. That and impatience are his defining features. He is just as blind as Alex is, because he wants to just be angry about everything. It is kind of exhausting being him.
I'll give this series one thing, though. The police aspects of the story aren't anywhere close to being the worst I've ever read. In some respects, they are actually better than a lot of series I've read. Sure, it has some things that would never, ever, ever happen in real life. But this isn't real life, and they're hunting an *angel*. I will say though, that their panic level is way too low. I wasn't keeping count while reading, however at a guess, there must have been 50 dead humans by the end of this book, all within a span of about a week. In real life, the panic levels would be insane, both inside and outside the department, and multiple agencies would be called in to help.
Sins of the Angels, this series, has soulmates. Bonded at first touch. In a romance that will be forbidden between an angel and - well anything other than an angel. It is especially bad with an angel and a nephilim. Now, I have nothing against soulmate bonds, I actually kind of like them. However, there isn't really much keeping these two together other than the bond. Then again, they didn't really have much time in the book to get to know each other past the bond and the obsession. I hope for more out of this relationship in the coming books.
The series has an odd approach to love, so far. There are soulmates now, but they weren't soulmates before. God took away love because of reasons that are really cruel. God is actually really cruel to the angels in general, now that I think about it. There are perspectives in this book from former soulmates, who are no longer because God took it away. This was all a bit confusing for a while, honestly, before it was all explained. And it took a while to be explained. Also, for an infodump, Poitevin chose the wrong people to do it - I don't know why she chose one person talking to another person who had actually lived through it and understood the intricacies of it.
The world is very familiar. There are angels and nephilim and fallen angels. There is Lucifer and the Grigori who fell. There is a treaty in place to prevent war (the word apocalypse was used) between the angels and fallen angels, where they have to follow rules. Yet, those rules seem to be easily overcome by just kind of talking around it. The interesting thing about Grigori Legacy, is that they call the god "The One", and The One is a she, and she is an active, talking member of the series. That is definitely different than normal. Also the angels are all bureaucrats. They listen and do what they are told. End game. They have no free will, only obedience.
I enjoyed reading the book. I know others wouldn't: religious themes, soulmates for romance, the time it takes to get answers. However, for me, it was a great read. I enjoyed it on a personal level.
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
June 30, 2022
Alex was good, but the rest was not, so nope. This end for me here.
November 28, 2011
So, I really, really liked this. I liked that the whole destined to be together thing didn't automatically throw Alex and Aramael into each others arms right from the start. They had to get through a lot before they could accept that they cared for each other only to discover they couldn't actually be together because one is mortal and the other is a Power.
The story starts off with us being introduced to Caim, the Fallen One who is searching for a Nephilim (I seem to run into these creatures in UF a lot, ever since I read the Georgina Kincaid series over the summer) in order to kill it and hitch a ride back to Heaven when its soul goes through to be disposed of by The One. We then meet said Nephilim (Alex Jarvis) and her new partner, the angel sent to hunt Caim (Aramael, Caim's twin brother) and the two of them get off to an explosive and hostile start. As the story goes on, Alex finds herself drawn to and wanting to be away from Aramael. Partly because as a cop, he grates on her nerves by seeming to have no idea how a police investigation is handled and she keeps seeing him with wings, which makes her believe she's as crazy as her mother was.
Little does she realize, she isn't the slightest bit crazy and there is a whole lot going on that no mortal should have to be in the middle of. Thanks to Seth and Verchiel, we see that the business with Caim and sending Aramael to hunt is all the plan of one of the supreme angels in Heaven. They try to find a way to stop him and expose him to The One, but little do they know, it seems that once Verchiel visits her, The One realizes that she deliberately did not see what Mittron has been up to for the last 4.5 thousand years. So, not only is Mittron a traitor, but it seems The One has no intention of stopping what he has set in motion. Now, Aramael and Alex are both suffering because the ruler of Heaven is "tired."
As the story progresses, Alex learns and finally has to confront just who and what her new partner is. She also learns they are soulmates, soulmates who cannot actually be together because she is keeping him from the hunt for his brother by blocking his ability to "feel" Caim whenever he switches to demon form to make a kill. At the climax, Caim nearly kills Alex, but he forces her to call Aramael and ends up dead by his brother's hand. This ends up opening the door to the Apocalypse as Aramael has just broken the agreement between Heaven and Hell by killing in the name of The One. He is punished by Mittron (with The One's entire blessing it seems) and he and Alex don't even get to see one another one last time. Alex's life is saved by Seth who turns out to be The One's son (who knew?!) and who turns out to be some sort of contingency plan to keep Heaven and Hell from going into all out war. Meanwhile, The One who is completely aware of Mittron's plans lets Seth go to fulfill his destiny (whatever this is, it is not yet revealed) and does not do anything to stop what is going on. Her non-action makes me dislike her.
The story is somewhat slow paced, but I never felt that it dragged at any point. I was really glad once Alex learns she's not a crazy person and that "Jacob Trent" really does have wings. Other than that point being brought up so many times, I really don't have anything bad to say about this book. I can't wait for the next book to come out in March. I found the story consistent and the characters that are supposed to be likable, likable. This series has a lot of potential and I hope the next book continues along this vein.
The story starts off with us being introduced to Caim, the Fallen One who is searching for a Nephilim (I seem to run into these creatures in UF a lot, ever since I read the Georgina Kincaid series over the summer) in order to kill it and hitch a ride back to Heaven when its soul goes through to be disposed of by The One. We then meet said Nephilim (Alex Jarvis) and her new partner, the angel sent to hunt Caim (Aramael, Caim's twin brother) and the two of them get off to an explosive and hostile start. As the story goes on, Alex finds herself drawn to and wanting to be away from Aramael. Partly because as a cop, he grates on her nerves by seeming to have no idea how a police investigation is handled and she keeps seeing him with wings, which makes her believe she's as crazy as her mother was.
Little does she realize, she isn't the slightest bit crazy and there is a whole lot going on that no mortal should have to be in the middle of. Thanks to Seth and Verchiel, we see that the business with Caim and sending Aramael to hunt is all the plan of one of the supreme angels in Heaven. They try to find a way to stop him and expose him to The One, but little do they know, it seems that once Verchiel visits her, The One realizes that she deliberately did not see what Mittron has been up to for the last 4.5 thousand years. So, not only is Mittron a traitor, but it seems The One has no intention of stopping what he has set in motion. Now, Aramael and Alex are both suffering because the ruler of Heaven is "tired."
As the story progresses, Alex learns and finally has to confront just who and what her new partner is. She also learns they are soulmates, soulmates who cannot actually be together because she is keeping him from the hunt for his brother by blocking his ability to "feel" Caim whenever he switches to demon form to make a kill. At the climax, Caim nearly kills Alex, but he forces her to call Aramael and ends up dead by his brother's hand. This ends up opening the door to the Apocalypse as Aramael has just broken the agreement between Heaven and Hell by killing in the name of The One. He is punished by Mittron (with The One's entire blessing it seems) and he and Alex don't even get to see one another one last time. Alex's life is saved by Seth who turns out to be The One's son (who knew?!) and who turns out to be some sort of contingency plan to keep Heaven and Hell from going into all out war. Meanwhile, The One who is completely aware of Mittron's plans lets Seth go to fulfill his destiny (whatever this is, it is not yet revealed) and does not do anything to stop what is going on. Her non-action makes me dislike her.
The story is somewhat slow paced, but I never felt that it dragged at any point. I was really glad once Alex learns she's not a crazy person and that "Jacob Trent" really does have wings. Other than that point being brought up so many times, I really don't have anything bad to say about this book. I can't wait for the next book to come out in March. I found the story consistent and the characters that are supposed to be likable, likable. This series has a lot of potential and I hope the next book continues along this vein.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2017
What a fantastic read! I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It's fair to say I read a heck of a lot of genre fiction, and because of that, and because I know paranormal and fantasy books aren't everyone's cup of tea, I can't often give blanket recommendations. Instead, it's usually with caveats like, "You might like this if you like books about angels", or "If you like to read about hot vampire sex, this might be your thing". This series, though, is so... classy, so well-written and intelligent, and the mystery/detective/serial killer hunt part of it so strong, that I would quite honestly say that even if you've never read a single paranormal novel in your life, you would enjoy this one. It reminded me very strongly of the In Death series by J.D Robb, only instead of futuristic SciFi elements, you have angels and demons.
Awesome!
Alexandra Jarvis is a homicide detective - a damn good one - who's haunted by a tragic past. When a series of brutal killings start bringing those once buried memories to the forefront of her mind again, it's really a test of her strength. When a new partner is assigned to her that is, on the one hand, the single most beautiful man she's ever seen, and on the other, the strangest, most disturbing man she's ever met, whose very nearness causes her to feel strange things, see things that can't possibly be there... We'll, it only adds more stress to an already trying time and, pretty soon, Alex begins to question her own sanity. Which in itself is a touchy subject for her and her family.
Not only does her new partner, Trent Jacob, bring out these unsettling, unexplainable feelings in Alex, but he also makes her uncomfortable at another level: he hates her. I mean like, hates her. Looks at her like something he just stepped in. Only not in an arrogant, pompous way. More like a "I would kill you this second if I thought I could get away with it" way. WTF?
There's obviously a lot more to it, and I thought the mythology and worldbuilding elements were fascinating and brilliantly entertaining. The plot moves at a super-fast clip as the killer's slayings escalate, and there's just no time for Alex to catch a breath. Everything was go, go, go from the first page, which I loved. I am looking forward, though, to maybe seeing more of Alex's softer side emerge in future books, when she's not having to be the badass cop 24 hours a day. Seriously, the girl doesn't sleep!
Speaking of future books... I'm actually terrified to go on in this series. Apparently, according to the law of Janice, as the books progress it becomes one of those series with plot twists that just totally knock you for six and rip your guts out on the way. A real humdinger that had Janice making incoherent noises down the phone at me after she finished book three, Sins of the Lost, last week. So now I'm kinda terrified and excited at the same time. I'm terricited! I don't know if it feels good or bad. I think I need someone to hold my hand through this difficult time!
So, to wrap this baby up, do I recommend this book? Well, that's and easy one—absolutely, positively, unequivocally, yes.
5 Stars ★★★★★
It's fair to say I read a heck of a lot of genre fiction, and because of that, and because I know paranormal and fantasy books aren't everyone's cup of tea, I can't often give blanket recommendations. Instead, it's usually with caveats like, "You might like this if you like books about angels", or "If you like to read about hot vampire sex, this might be your thing". This series, though, is so... classy, so well-written and intelligent, and the mystery/detective/serial killer hunt part of it so strong, that I would quite honestly say that even if you've never read a single paranormal novel in your life, you would enjoy this one. It reminded me very strongly of the In Death series by J.D Robb, only instead of futuristic SciFi elements, you have angels and demons.
Awesome!
Alexandra Jarvis is a homicide detective - a damn good one - who's haunted by a tragic past. When a series of brutal killings start bringing those once buried memories to the forefront of her mind again, it's really a test of her strength. When a new partner is assigned to her that is, on the one hand, the single most beautiful man she's ever seen, and on the other, the strangest, most disturbing man she's ever met, whose very nearness causes her to feel strange things, see things that can't possibly be there... We'll, it only adds more stress to an already trying time and, pretty soon, Alex begins to question her own sanity. Which in itself is a touchy subject for her and her family.
Not only does her new partner, Trent Jacob, bring out these unsettling, unexplainable feelings in Alex, but he also makes her uncomfortable at another level: he hates her. I mean like, hates her. Looks at her like something he just stepped in. Only not in an arrogant, pompous way. More like a "I would kill you this second if I thought I could get away with it" way. WTF?
There's obviously a lot more to it, and I thought the mythology and worldbuilding elements were fascinating and brilliantly entertaining. The plot moves at a super-fast clip as the killer's slayings escalate, and there's just no time for Alex to catch a breath. Everything was go, go, go from the first page, which I loved. I am looking forward, though, to maybe seeing more of Alex's softer side emerge in future books, when she's not having to be the badass cop 24 hours a day. Seriously, the girl doesn't sleep!
Speaking of future books... I'm actually terrified to go on in this series. Apparently, according to the law of Janice, as the books progress it becomes one of those series with plot twists that just totally knock you for six and rip your guts out on the way. A real humdinger that had Janice making incoherent noises down the phone at me after she finished book three, Sins of the Lost, last week. So now I'm kinda terrified and excited at the same time. I'm terricited! I don't know if it feels good or bad. I think I need someone to hold my hand through this difficult time!
So, to wrap this baby up, do I recommend this book? Well, that's and easy one—absolutely, positively, unequivocally, yes.
5 Stars ★★★★★
April 3, 2012
Previously posted at PaperbackDolls.com
Sins of the Angels is first in Linda Pointevin’s Grigory Legacy series with a fresh new look on Angels and Demons; good and evil. Alexandra Jarvis is a homicide detective in Toronto, Canada working a particularly gruesome serial killer case where the body count is high, but the savagery and depravity is higher.
Fighting demons from the past become a struggle for sanity when Alex meets her new partner, Jacob Trent. From their very first meeting, Alex recognizes something in him that she just cannot let go, but the tormented Angel has his own mission. The tenuous relationship hangs by a thread as they scour the streets looking for their suspect only to realize that he’s already found them.
One of my favorite scenes for a multiple of reasons, but mostly because it shows the intense struggle that both Alex and Jacob Trent (Aramael) are going through:
Alex jerked her hand from Trent’s arm, but too late.
Energy jangled through her, unstoppable, unfettered.
Making her see again that which could not be. A man who looked as shell-shocked as she felt, and who was possessed of wings rising from his back.
Magnificent, powerful, golden wings.
Panic twisted in Alex’s gut. She stumbled backward, recoiling from Trent – and from her own reaction. She did not see wings, and she sure as hell didn’t feel myriad of emotions woven into the brief touch they had shared, either here or in the office. Didn’t feel those emotions vying for attention, each as improbable as the one before, all underlined by utter confusion.
“Detective Jarvis – “
At the sound of Trent’s voice, the wings rising beyond his shoulders disappeared. Alex blinked, swallowed, and felt cold fingers of dread brush against a mind that terrified her with its sudden fragility.
No. Not that.
Never that.
With careful movements defined by their very deliberateness, she took the keys from her pocket and replaced the cell phone in its case at her waist. Then, with equal precision, she locked away the image of a winged Trent with the memories and the gut-congealing fear with which she’d lived a lifetime.
“We have another body,” she said. “Staff Roberts wants us at the scene.”
Set in third person multiple povs, Sins of the Angels is a roller coaster of a ride sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. I just could not stop reading until I reached that very last page. My heart was racing through the twist and turns, broken with surprises and left aching by the end with a promise of retribution. With only minor flaws, Linda Poitevin writes a beautifully vivid and sometimes all too real story that readers of Jeannie Holmes Alexandra Sabian series is sure to love. Now, if only Sins of the Son, Grigory Legacy 2, were releasing tomorrow instead of next week.
Sins of the Angels is first in Linda Pointevin’s Grigory Legacy series with a fresh new look on Angels and Demons; good and evil. Alexandra Jarvis is a homicide detective in Toronto, Canada working a particularly gruesome serial killer case where the body count is high, but the savagery and depravity is higher.
Fighting demons from the past become a struggle for sanity when Alex meets her new partner, Jacob Trent. From their very first meeting, Alex recognizes something in him that she just cannot let go, but the tormented Angel has his own mission. The tenuous relationship hangs by a thread as they scour the streets looking for their suspect only to realize that he’s already found them.
One of my favorite scenes for a multiple of reasons, but mostly because it shows the intense struggle that both Alex and Jacob Trent (Aramael) are going through:
Alex jerked her hand from Trent’s arm, but too late.
Energy jangled through her, unstoppable, unfettered.
Making her see again that which could not be. A man who looked as shell-shocked as she felt, and who was possessed of wings rising from his back.
Magnificent, powerful, golden wings.
Panic twisted in Alex’s gut. She stumbled backward, recoiling from Trent – and from her own reaction. She did not see wings, and she sure as hell didn’t feel myriad of emotions woven into the brief touch they had shared, either here or in the office. Didn’t feel those emotions vying for attention, each as improbable as the one before, all underlined by utter confusion.
“Detective Jarvis – “
At the sound of Trent’s voice, the wings rising beyond his shoulders disappeared. Alex blinked, swallowed, and felt cold fingers of dread brush against a mind that terrified her with its sudden fragility.
No. Not that.
Never that.
With careful movements defined by their very deliberateness, she took the keys from her pocket and replaced the cell phone in its case at her waist. Then, with equal precision, she locked away the image of a winged Trent with the memories and the gut-congealing fear with which she’d lived a lifetime.
“We have another body,” she said. “Staff Roberts wants us at the scene.”
Set in third person multiple povs, Sins of the Angels is a roller coaster of a ride sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. I just could not stop reading until I reached that very last page. My heart was racing through the twist and turns, broken with surprises and left aching by the end with a promise of retribution. With only minor flaws, Linda Poitevin writes a beautifully vivid and sometimes all too real story that readers of Jeannie Holmes Alexandra Sabian series is sure to love. Now, if only Sins of the Son, Grigory Legacy 2, were releasing tomorrow instead of next week.
February 13, 2012
Alexandra works as an homicide detective in the big Toronto area and a gruesome series of murders are on her hands. The violence of each scene brings back painfully memories, but with the murderer picking up his pace, there’s no time to dwell on her feelings. To make matters worst, her old partner retired and Jacob Trent has been assigned to her, and he is quite a piece of work, that arrogant prick. To good for paperwork and proper investigating, what kind of clown is he? What she doesn’t know, is that Trent was sent from Heaven to protect her and help catch the paranormal killer. He might be an angel, but he is no slice of paradise if you ask Alex!
Sins of the Angels is like no other Urban Fantasy I ever read. The closest comparison I can think of is Diana Rowland’s Kara Gillian series because of the strong thriller aspect. Sins of the Angels is deeply rooted into law enforcement work and even though I don’t know much about police investigations, everything seems very real, and I’m sure Linda Poitevin did her homework to create a world as close to reality as possible. Because it’s the world Alex lives in. She doesn’t believe in supernatural and denies it’s very existence until she can’t hide from it anymore.
The psychological aspect is as strong as the police element and it’s another reason why this book stands out. You spend a lot of time in Alex & Aramael (Trent)’s heads and you are privy to all their thoughts, their beliefs, their dilemmas and feelings. I usually prefer first person narration but Linda’s choice to use third person narration served her well, because it allows the reader to understand the character’s motivations, even though I wanted to smack Alex on the head at some point. Boy, that girl is stubborn!
The entire story line happens in a few days windows, but because we follow everything that happens, and the characters don’t sleep much, it feels longer than that. The plot progresses steadily though and will keep you on your toes.
I was shocked and died a little inside when I read the last chapter. Linda Poitevin, you are a very cruel woman! She must not believe in happy endings because the end is horrific and cruel, but at least she supplied us with a spark of hope. I absolutely can’t wait for the next installment and thankfully the release date is just a couple months away.
My Verdict:
Sins of the Angels is a thrilling Urban Fantasy with a strong psychological element that will leave you breathless and craving for more. Just remember, Heaven doesn’t necessarily means good, and good won’t always prevail, so keep your head low and buckle-up for a macabre trip to Toronto.
Sins of the Angels is like no other Urban Fantasy I ever read. The closest comparison I can think of is Diana Rowland’s Kara Gillian series because of the strong thriller aspect. Sins of the Angels is deeply rooted into law enforcement work and even though I don’t know much about police investigations, everything seems very real, and I’m sure Linda Poitevin did her homework to create a world as close to reality as possible. Because it’s the world Alex lives in. She doesn’t believe in supernatural and denies it’s very existence until she can’t hide from it anymore.
The psychological aspect is as strong as the police element and it’s another reason why this book stands out. You spend a lot of time in Alex & Aramael (Trent)’s heads and you are privy to all their thoughts, their beliefs, their dilemmas and feelings. I usually prefer first person narration but Linda’s choice to use third person narration served her well, because it allows the reader to understand the character’s motivations, even though I wanted to smack Alex on the head at some point. Boy, that girl is stubborn!
The entire story line happens in a few days windows, but because we follow everything that happens, and the characters don’t sleep much, it feels longer than that. The plot progresses steadily though and will keep you on your toes.
I was shocked and died a little inside when I read the last chapter. Linda Poitevin, you are a very cruel woman! She must not believe in happy endings because the end is horrific and cruel, but at least she supplied us with a spark of hope. I absolutely can’t wait for the next installment and thankfully the release date is just a couple months away.
My Verdict:
Sins of the Angels is a thrilling Urban Fantasy with a strong psychological element that will leave you breathless and craving for more. Just remember, Heaven doesn’t necessarily means good, and good won’t always prevail, so keep your head low and buckle-up for a macabre trip to Toronto.
September 26, 2011
Sins of the Angels is the first book in The Grigori Legacy series and is Linda Poitevin’s a debut. The story takes place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and centers around Alexandra Jarvis, a homicide Detective for the Toronto Police. Horrific serial murders are taking place in Toronto and Alex is on the case. The murders dredge up awful memories for Alex. At the same time Alex is dealing with the murders and trying to tamp down those memories, she’s assigned a new partner – Jacob Trent. He has been sent to help solve the murders and may the only one who can do it.
Jacob is not who he seems, but is an angel named Aramael. When Alex senses this she thinks she is losing a long feared battle with a mental illness like her mother’s. Compounding this is a mutual attraction that neither Alex nor Aramael want to acknowledge. For reasons that become clear as the book progresses, Aramael is predisposed to not like Alex. He’s heaven bent on tracking down the murderer, but being near Alex has upset whatever equilibrium he possesses. When the murderer’s attention turns to Alex, Aramael and Alex are faced with life changing decisions. Alex must come to grips with her unknown heritage and who Aramael really is.
This is a wonderful debut novel. Sins of the Angels features two interwoven narratives - one involving the serial murders and an engrossing story of intrigue in heaven that is related to what is happening in Toronto.
Alex and Aramael are both substantial characters that I care about. I also really enjoy the very strong supporting cast. Both Alex’s and Aramael’s “co-workers” are well drawn though Aramael’s are a lot more mysterious. There is much, much more to be revealed about the heavenly contingent. There are two villains in Sins of the Angels both of whom evoke very strong negative feelings, but for different reasons.
The pacing in Sins of the Angels is excellent. The story pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go until the heart-wrenching ending. There is some graphic violence, but it fits the story well. Sins of the Angels is an Urban Fantasy deeply infused with a richly developed mythology, excellent world building, characters you’ll love, and villains you’ll love to hate. I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in The Grigori Legacy.
I give Sins of the Angels 4 ½ Qwills.
Jacob is not who he seems, but is an angel named Aramael. When Alex senses this she thinks she is losing a long feared battle with a mental illness like her mother’s. Compounding this is a mutual attraction that neither Alex nor Aramael want to acknowledge. For reasons that become clear as the book progresses, Aramael is predisposed to not like Alex. He’s heaven bent on tracking down the murderer, but being near Alex has upset whatever equilibrium he possesses. When the murderer’s attention turns to Alex, Aramael and Alex are faced with life changing decisions. Alex must come to grips with her unknown heritage and who Aramael really is.
This is a wonderful debut novel. Sins of the Angels features two interwoven narratives - one involving the serial murders and an engrossing story of intrigue in heaven that is related to what is happening in Toronto.
Alex and Aramael are both substantial characters that I care about. I also really enjoy the very strong supporting cast. Both Alex’s and Aramael’s “co-workers” are well drawn though Aramael’s are a lot more mysterious. There is much, much more to be revealed about the heavenly contingent. There are two villains in Sins of the Angels both of whom evoke very strong negative feelings, but for different reasons.
The pacing in Sins of the Angels is excellent. The story pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go until the heart-wrenching ending. There is some graphic violence, but it fits the story well. Sins of the Angels is an Urban Fantasy deeply infused with a richly developed mythology, excellent world building, characters you’ll love, and villains you’ll love to hate. I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in The Grigori Legacy.
I give Sins of the Angels 4 ½ Qwills.
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