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Halfway Between #1
Shadow of Angels
The first time I died was November 1st, 1945. That might’ve been the first time, but it certainly wasn’t the last.
My name is Veil, and my life has been far from normal. Everything I thought I knew about myself had been a lie. Every single thing. Turns out, I had been in the care of a cult dedicated to a King in Hell and fallen archangel.
But after learning the truth of who—or what—I was, I devoted my life to stopping them and everyone like them.
Which is why when I learned that Boston was under siege from an occult society who was slaughtering innocents, I had no choice but to come and stop them. Even if it meant it would take me piece by piece through that past I’d spent seventy years trying to avoid—and right into the presence of the archdemon I’d been running from for so very long. Asmodeus.
Just when I thought things could not get worse, I realized once more that I had no clue what was coming next…
My name is Veil, and my life has been far from normal. Everything I thought I knew about myself had been a lie. Every single thing. Turns out, I had been in the care of a cult dedicated to a King in Hell and fallen archangel.
But after learning the truth of who—or what—I was, I devoted my life to stopping them and everyone like them.
Which is why when I learned that Boston was under siege from an occult society who was slaughtering innocents, I had no choice but to come and stop them. Even if it meant it would take me piece by piece through that past I’d spent seventy years trying to avoid—and right into the presence of the archdemon I’d been running from for so very long. Asmodeus.
Just when I thought things could not get worse, I realized once more that I had no clue what was coming next…
366 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2019
371 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
67 books2,472 followersKathryn has always been a storyteller. Years of scriptwriting for performances on stage and for tourism in Boston led her to writing romantically dark, fantastical tales, which was an obsession of hers that began once seeing The Phantom of the Opera at a young age.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
February 6, 2020
So once upon a time there was this really messed up story about a wooden puppet named Pinocchio who went on this weird journey with a cricket for a conscience, met the devil, got vored by a whale, met a fairy whose only remarkable feature was that she was blue, and then became a Real Boy.
This story is pretty similar, make a human immortal puppet, detract the whale, make the cricket a purple imp, and throw in the world's longest, cringiest, most painful sex scene ever and you have this book.
I'm going to go with how it made me feel, and it was fine until about 70% onward, then it made me feel icky.
That wasn't the worst part though. I think the worst part
My main point is,
Okay I guess lmao. I don't think I'll be reading the next one.
This story is pretty similar, make a human immortal puppet, detract the whale, make the cricket a purple imp, and throw in the world's longest, cringiest, most painful sex scene ever and you have this book.
I'm going to go with how it made me feel, and it was fine until about 70% onward, then it made me feel icky.
That wasn't the worst part though. I think the worst part
My main point is,
Okay I guess lmao. I don't think I'll be reading the next one.
January 7, 2020
So this was a super imaginative start to a whole new series.
A new take on the whole Angels and demons scenario that was well written and I enjoyed a lot.
This one does start out slow with plenty of secrets and mysterious origins but when it gets up and running it's action-packed throughout.
So the main character here isVeil and she is something else literally, she really is one of a kind with some very strange origins and abilities.
She's joined by her trusty bestie and sidekick Richard who is the closest thing to family she now claims as her own.
Drawn along with Richard back to her old hometown of Boston it is the last place on earth our girl wants to be but with cultists causing murder and mayhem she really has no choice.
joined by the hilarious duo of two unlikely priests and a minion in the form of an imp this has some great multi-faceted side characters who really stir things up some.
so I do think Veil went a tad overboard in regards to her dealings with her old nemesis.
There's a fine line between such deep emotions and she is definitely straddling the boundary of this.
To care that much and that strongly showcases the depth of her feelings of betrayal, to hate that deeply well the other side of the coin must also be felt equally.
Regarding the relevance of them emotions, I do think shes a complex character with some deep-seated issues and at this moment I am on the fence slightly regarding what I actually think of Veil.
Will be ever so interesting to see where this one does go especially concerning my feelings on certain characters.
This was a different read that Was ever so unique and I will be reading the next instalment here.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Shadow of Angels (Halfway Between).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
January 31, 2020
Ooops, almost forgot to review this one.
***ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review***
So I beta-read this one. I was excited about that because it was my first beta-read and I expected it to be different, like I'd have some input that would completely turn the book around. I was having my white savior moment. That just goes to show you how rampant my imagination is. I did have that moment-which I never ever do-wondering if I should rate it higher since I'm the beta-reading champion but the book was good enough by itself. So yay to morality.
On to the book. I liked it, I did have some issues with it because I have a problem, finding the perfect book has become a quest for me. I thought it was brilliant, I liked the premise so much that I read the revised copy because I could see the potential in it. I liked the idea of Veil not dying and being a total badass. Asmodeus was alright as well, I am looking forward to more of his character, I need a lot more from him. I liked Aon from the Mask of Under series and I've sorta started using him as a yardstick for her other heroes, A little psycho and a little loving is a great combination in books.
I have the ARC of book two so I'm going to dig into that one.
***ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review***
So I beta-read this one. I was excited about that because it was my first beta-read and I expected it to be different, like I'd have some input that would completely turn the book around. I was having my white savior moment. That just goes to show you how rampant my imagination is. I did have that moment-which I never ever do-wondering if I should rate it higher since I'm the beta-reading champion but the book was good enough by itself. So yay to morality.
On to the book. I liked it, I did have some issues with it because I have a problem, finding the perfect book has become a quest for me. I thought it was brilliant, I liked the premise so much that I read the revised copy because I could see the potential in it. I liked the idea of Veil not dying and being a total badass. Asmodeus was alright as well, I am looking forward to more of his character, I need a lot more from him. I liked Aon from the Mask of Under series and I've sorta started using him as a yardstick for her other heroes, A little psycho and a little loving is a great combination in books.
I have the ARC of book two so I'm going to dig into that one.
January 7, 2020
One of my favorite authors, that I discovered in 2019, is back with a new series and I couldn't be happier! I loved Kathryn Ann Kingsley's The Masks of Under series and I was super excited to hear that she was working on something new!
Shadow of Angels was a great start to an amazing, new urban fantasy series!
It is set in Boston, and features a kick-ass protagonist who fights demons and cults, and also has the ability to die and come back!
Veil is quite a mysterious character in the beginning and the author starts the book off quickly with some action! We are immersed immediately into the world that the author has created with a completely different take on angels and demons!
Veil comes back to Boston, a city which holds too many memories for her, after a long time and finds suspicious cases of mutilated bodies, which leads her to believe that this is the work of a cult. Soon, she comes across a new type of monster, which she hasn't seen before and she has to ask for help from a certain organisation who aren't too kind to anomalies like her!
This book shifts seamlessly between the present and Veil's past, where we get to see Alistair(Asmodeus) through her eyes!(And I'm stressing on through her eyes, because her emotions really shape her perceptions!) This book had me dying to see more of him, because the author teases us with tiny glimpses!
I love the way Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes her anti-heroes, because they aren't the stereotypical villains who are completely changed into good men by the love of the heroines! They are instead dark men, who are beautifully portrayed as capable of both good and bad at the same time(it's all grey here, my friend!) and with women who love them for what they are, without expecting them to change drastically!
I loved the way the author slowly pulls back the veil(pun intended!) on the protagonist's past and existence! We also had a great set of side characters too! Richard was an amazing friend, but also such a believable character at the same time! I loved the touch of lightness that Conrad and Gabe added to the story, but I just wished we had spent more time developing the friendship between them and Veil! It felt a little quick to me! Melon was the cutest thing ever! Lol!
As much as I loved spending time seeing things from Veil's point of view, I think she still needs to mature just a little more, even though she's quite old in human years! Maybe I'm being a little hard on her because Lydia is one of my favorite heroines, but I felt like Veil couldn't look past her own emotions at many times, despite thinking that she was cool-headed. The way she trusted Gabe and Conrad so easily was a little bit too fast for me, when she hadn't even told Richard many things about her past despite having been his friend for so many years!
I really liked the way the author has fleshed out all the characters though! Veil is caught between her feelings of admiration, love and anger! The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and I was so giddy with happiness to see a little bit of Alistair's possessive side! Plus, we also get to see how different his perspective on the past is from Veil's! I felt like Veil hasn't even understood him completely if she thinks that he'd be angry and punish her for imprisoning him to the other side!
Also, can I add that I'm super happy with the steamy scenes in this book!*fans self*
I was super disappointed with the fade-to-black ones in the Masks of Under series, and had to go to the author's website to devour the explicit scenes! So happy that this book features all the deliciousness!
I'm dying to get my hands on book two! Hope we get to see more about Veil and Alistair's relationship and past interactions! I would also love to see how he feels about the current version of Veil! <3
You can also find this review on my blog here.
*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
Shadow of Angels was a great start to an amazing, new urban fantasy series!
It is set in Boston, and features a kick-ass protagonist who fights demons and cults, and also has the ability to die and come back!
Veil is quite a mysterious character in the beginning and the author starts the book off quickly with some action! We are immersed immediately into the world that the author has created with a completely different take on angels and demons!
Veil comes back to Boston, a city which holds too many memories for her, after a long time and finds suspicious cases of mutilated bodies, which leads her to believe that this is the work of a cult. Soon, she comes across a new type of monster, which she hasn't seen before and she has to ask for help from a certain organisation who aren't too kind to anomalies like her!
This book shifts seamlessly between the present and Veil's past, where we get to see Alistair(Asmodeus) through her eyes!(And I'm stressing on through her eyes, because her emotions really shape her perceptions!) This book had me dying to see more of him, because the author teases us with tiny glimpses!
I love the way Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes her anti-heroes, because they aren't the stereotypical villains who are completely changed into good men by the love of the heroines! They are instead dark men, who are beautifully portrayed as capable of both good and bad at the same time(it's all grey here, my friend!) and with women who love them for what they are, without expecting them to change drastically!
I loved the way the author slowly pulls back the veil(pun intended!) on the protagonist's past and existence! We also had a great set of side characters too! Richard was an amazing friend, but also such a believable character at the same time! I loved the touch of lightness that Conrad and Gabe added to the story, but I just wished we had spent more time developing the friendship between them and Veil! It felt a little quick to me! Melon was the cutest thing ever! Lol!
As much as I loved spending time seeing things from Veil's point of view, I think she still needs to mature just a little more, even though she's quite old in human years! Maybe I'm being a little hard on her because Lydia is one of my favorite heroines, but I felt like Veil couldn't look past her own emotions at many times, despite thinking that she was cool-headed. The way she trusted Gabe and Conrad so easily was a little bit too fast for me, when she hadn't even told Richard many things about her past despite having been his friend for so many years!
I really liked the way the author has fleshed out all the characters though! Veil is caught between her feelings of admiration, love and anger! The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and I was so giddy with happiness to see a little bit of Alistair's possessive side! Plus, we also get to see how different his perspective on the past is from Veil's! I felt like Veil hasn't even understood him completely if she thinks that he'd be angry and punish her for imprisoning him to the other side!
Also, can I add that I'm super happy with the steamy scenes in this book!*fans self*
I was super disappointed with the fade-to-black ones in the Masks of Under series, and had to go to the author's website to devour the explicit scenes! So happy that this book features all the deliciousness!
I'm dying to get my hands on book two! Hope we get to see more about Veil and Alistair's relationship and past interactions! I would also love to see how he feels about the current version of Veil! <3
You can also find this review on my blog here.
*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
January 27, 2020
I really enjoyed the author's previous series, although the main character, Aon, did some pretty questionable things, and I enjoyed this, too. The author is very good at writing compelling mostly evil, but sort of not, characters, and they tend to be my favourite.
The way this was structured left the reader in the dark for a lot of Veil/Selina's back story, and I liked the at this was done, as we see two very different sides to her.
Veil/Selina was an interesting, but flawed character. I'm not sure I like her yet, but I do feel for her. Her stubborn refusal to hear Alistair's side of the story is a bit fraustrating, though, and the whole idea of her going bat shit and killing the people who raised her (perceived betrayal or not) seems a massive over reaction, despite what she finds out. Its a tricky situation to know how to feel about.
Alistair/Asmodeus is an intriguing character. Maybe not as much as Aon, yet, but he has some similar facets to him. I mostly felt bad for the guy, although he clearly should have done things differently with Veil/Selina.
The two Priests and the impnare nice side character, too, and the world building isn't quite on the level of the previous series, but I liked it. There was a similar darkish vibe to the book. It sort of reminded me of the movie Constantine in a way.
If you liked the Masks of Under then I think you'd like this, too. And if you liked The Masks of Under, but couldn't get past some of the things Aon did, then you might want to this give this a try, as, so far, we haven't seen that sort of thing from Alistair.
The way this was structured left the reader in the dark for a lot of Veil/Selina's back story, and I liked the at this was done, as we see two very different sides to her.
Veil/Selina was an interesting, but flawed character. I'm not sure I like her yet, but I do feel for her. Her stubborn refusal to hear Alistair's side of the story is a bit fraustrating, though, and the whole idea of her going bat shit and killing the people who raised her (perceived betrayal or not) seems a massive over reaction, despite what she finds out. Its a tricky situation to know how to feel about.
Alistair/Asmodeus is an intriguing character. Maybe not as much as Aon, yet, but he has some similar facets to him. I mostly felt bad for the guy, although he clearly should have done things differently with Veil/Selina.
The two Priests and the impnare nice side character, too, and the world building isn't quite on the level of the previous series, but I liked it. There was a similar darkish vibe to the book. It sort of reminded me of the movie Constantine in a way.
If you liked the Masks of Under then I think you'd like this, too. And if you liked The Masks of Under, but couldn't get past some of the things Aon did, then you might want to this give this a try, as, so far, we haven't seen that sort of thing from Alistair.
January 21, 2020
Let me start off by saying how much I have been looking forward to this series. I found Kathryn Ann Kingsley last year and DEVOURED her Masks of Under series (which was awesome and you should check it out if you have not yet BTW). As a reader, you find authors and stories you just click with and that's how I felt about reading books written by Kat. So, naturally, when she announced her new series Halfway Between - I was excited to read something new from her. This book lived up to the hype and MORE.
The plot of Shadow of Angels was wonderful. It was full of intrigue and kept you guessing until the very end. I loved the flashbacks throughout the story the kept unraveling the secrets of the past. There was action, compelling dialogue, a mysterious history, and HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT romance and interactions with a delectable archdemon.
I LOVED the side characters, especially Melon :P. They had clear motivations and actually had a PURPOSE in the story - which was really refreshing. Azrael was so interesting...I can't wait to know more about him!!!
Our MC Veil is a BA lady. She is smart, snarky, funny, and has some seriously cool supernatural powers that help her fight baddies. What I really liked about her most was her past and how it has affected her. She is very easy to relate to and understand her motivations. Also, anyone that can pull off blue lipstick is a bad bitch in my eyes.
Our archdemon Asmodeus... GOD..he is DELICIOUS. No wonder he has a cult of worshipers that follow him. Can we start one here? I'll be president! He is so intriguing and... intense . The interactions between the two MC was so masterfully captured. Kat does such a great job at capturing chemistry between two characters; not only in their physicality but also in intellectual banter and wit. She really hit it out of the park with these two. I'm so excited to unwrap their entire history and find out more about him and his motivations.
Overall, this book was excellent. I would HIGHLY recommend!! Such a wonderful start to a series, and I can't wait to learn more about these characters and this new world!
The plot of Shadow of Angels was wonderful. It was full of intrigue and kept you guessing until the very end. I loved the flashbacks throughout the story the kept unraveling the secrets of the past. There was action, compelling dialogue, a mysterious history, and HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT romance and interactions with a delectable archdemon.
I LOVED the side characters, especially Melon :P. They had clear motivations and actually had a PURPOSE in the story - which was really refreshing. Azrael was so interesting...I can't wait to know more about him!!!
Our MC Veil is a BA lady. She is smart, snarky, funny, and has some seriously cool supernatural powers that help her fight baddies. What I really liked about her most was her past and how it has affected her. She is very easy to relate to and understand her motivations. Also, anyone that can pull off blue lipstick is a bad bitch in my eyes.
Our archdemon Asmodeus... GOD..he is DELICIOUS. No wonder he has a cult of worshipers that follow him. Can we start one here? I'll be president! He is so intriguing and... intense . The interactions between the two MC was so masterfully captured. Kat does such a great job at capturing chemistry between two characters; not only in their physicality but also in intellectual banter and wit. She really hit it out of the park with these two. I'm so excited to unwrap their entire history and find out more about him and his motivations.
Overall, this book was excellent. I would HIGHLY recommend!! Such a wonderful start to a series, and I can't wait to learn more about these characters and this new world!
December 31, 2019
Raise your hands if you love villain romance! **Thrusts her hand in the air.** Kathryn is back with a new series! Shadow of Angels was a great beginning, and I can’t wait to read more. We’re introduced to a bunch of characters throughout the book, but not in a way that you feel overwhelmed, and I loved them all, especially the imp, Maleon (aka, Melon, lol). He is a wonderful comic relief, though honestly, many of the characters bring some comedy to the ‘page’.
“Dog noses are so sensitive. And this city smells like trash, feces, and death. It’s wonderful!” the imp piped happily from inside her coat.
I really enjoyed Conrad and Gabe. They were a great pair. Their interactions with each other and the characters around them is so fun. Azrael is also a favorite of mine. Oh, I soooo want him to have a book too. Please? Please? Pleeeeease? I am such a sucker for the tortured hero.
As for our heroine Veil, she is strong but vulnerable, a bit snarky, and smarty-assy. I loved her. And our ‘hero’ Alistair/Asmodeus? Yuuuuuum. We only get glimpses of him through memories and small moments of shadows in the beginning, but he appears more in the end, and he was totally worth the wait. Such a jealous, possessive male that has to draw from years and years of patience when it comes to Veil. I can't wait to see what more we'll learn.
On a side note: Wendy’s chocolate frosty and french fries is ah-maz-ing! I totally agree :P
I can’t wait until Blood of Angels! It’s going to get real gooood.
If this your your first book by Kathryn, I highly recommend her Masks of Under series.
“Dog noses are so sensitive. And this city smells like trash, feces, and death. It’s wonderful!” the imp piped happily from inside her coat.
I really enjoyed Conrad and Gabe. They were a great pair. Their interactions with each other and the characters around them is so fun. Azrael is also a favorite of mine. Oh, I soooo want him to have a book too. Please? Please? Pleeeeease? I am such a sucker for the tortured hero.
As for our heroine Veil, she is strong but vulnerable, a bit snarky, and smarty-assy. I loved her. And our ‘hero’ Alistair/Asmodeus? Yuuuuuum. We only get glimpses of him through memories and small moments of shadows in the beginning, but he appears more in the end, and he was totally worth the wait. Such a jealous, possessive male that has to draw from years and years of patience when it comes to Veil. I can't wait to see what more we'll learn.
On a side note: Wendy’s chocolate frosty and french fries is ah-maz-ing! I totally agree :P
I can’t wait until Blood of Angels! It’s going to get real gooood.
If this your your first book by Kathryn, I highly recommend her Masks of Under series.
January 17, 2020
Luscious
After reading her previous series, which starts with the King of Flames (I think the series is called Kingdom of Under?) I fell in LOVE with this author! She has a way of twisting a phrase and whispering a word that quite literally sends shivers over the reader’s soul. It’s softly seductive and creeping in its darkness... and there is some dark in these pages. A woman with deep secrets and a trapped demon who knows the depths of her lies... is the beginning of what promises to be yet another epic hit for this talented author.
Third person, multiple POV, Dark PNR
rating = R for mature content and violence
Character age range = adult
Romantic dynamic = M/F
Cliffhanger
Pros:
- So Very well written.
- You May have read about angels and demons, but but quite like THIS
- Melon... Funny, ugly and perfectly imperfect imp
- I understand her view point, I really, really do. What’s real?
Cons:
- Cliffhanger... ouch.
- Very Minor Editing issues, does not detract from the story at all.
After reading her previous series, which starts with the King of Flames (I think the series is called Kingdom of Under?) I fell in LOVE with this author! She has a way of twisting a phrase and whispering a word that quite literally sends shivers over the reader’s soul. It’s softly seductive and creeping in its darkness... and there is some dark in these pages. A woman with deep secrets and a trapped demon who knows the depths of her lies... is the beginning of what promises to be yet another epic hit for this talented author.
Third person, multiple POV, Dark PNR
rating = R for mature content and violence
Character age range = adult
Romantic dynamic = M/F
Cliffhanger
Pros:
- So Very well written.
- You May have read about angels and demons, but but quite like THIS
- Melon... Funny, ugly and perfectly imperfect imp
- I understand her view point, I really, really do. What’s real?
Cons:
- Cliffhanger... ouch.
- Very Minor Editing issues, does not detract from the story at all.
January 28, 2020
TW: Rape, Sexual Abuse, Abuse
I just want to start this "review" with a giant, flashing WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. ?!?!?!?!?!?!
Let's get some context for this book. I subscribe to BookBub (I LOVE BOOKBUB) which, if you're unfamiliar with the great service, sends you daily emails with deals going on for eBooks. While there are some absolute gems, I don't expect much out of most of the books on offer so I started just getting samples of books that interested me and going from there; And that's where we start our story.
This story follows Veil who is in the very unique position where she cannot stay dead, thanks to a cult-like ritual. She spends her time hunting down cultists and monsters and the like. In Boston, there are ritualistic murders and that calls Veil back 'home.' Now, she's got to confront her past and an archdemon that she's spent the last seventy years avoiding.
Again, I didn't expect much going into this. At the very least I figured it would just scratch the itch that I had for some tension between a protagonist and a love interest that's very much on the dark side. I mean, come on, he's an archdemon. The sample was fantastic and seemed very on track to what was promised. Then it all went downhill. It honestly made me feel quite frustrated and I really should have DNF'd it but I didn't because I like to punish myself.
First of all, Veil is the ONLY female character. There's a girl who shows up for two paragraphs but I'm not counting her because she has so little to do that I can't even remember her name. So yeah, only female character. It gets worse from there. Everything we come to know about her is told to us, never shown; and for someone who claims to be secretive, she spends a lot of the story being an open book. Particularly to people who are her best friends after knowing her for all of 3 minutes.
The rest of the cast is bland and are just there to follow Veil around and to give reactions to the traumatic past that she kept hidden for fifty years but is suddenly ok to talk non-stop about. Veil is a Mary-Sue in the sense that she is the centre of the universe and LITERALLY EVERYTHING revolves around her. And still, somehow, she has no agency. No-one has any agency in this bloody book. It would be remarkable if it weren't so damn frustrating.
Arguably, Asmodeus (the archdemon) has agency but he only comes into play at the ass end of the book and does nothing but ANGER ME THE ENTIRE TIME HE'S 'ON SCREEN.' He's abusive, arrogant, autocratic and just an all-round asshole. If he were on fire, I wouldn't even piss on him. Veil is groomed for him and he r*pes her and it's romanticised and absolutely fucking disgusting. The only time I cheered on Veil was when she was thinking/saying "FUCK YOU ASMODEUS." Still, at the very end she expresses how she misses him and UGHHHHHH. Fuck. This.
And lastly, the book doesn't do what's promised in the blurb. The blurb says: "Just when I thought things could not get worse, I realized once more that I had no clue what was coming next…" and it is NEVER ANSWERED. At all. The only reason I read on was I wanted to know what Veil had gotten herself into but it ended in a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger in the sense that you are standing on a cliff with a harness attached and you know that you are safe and will not fall. It’s a mercy that the next book in the series is published so soon after the first.
I would not recommend this book at all unless you like being perpetually pissed off.
[Edited to change the publication date - I had put the wrong one]
__________
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I just want to start this "review" with a giant, flashing WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. ?!?!?!?!?!?!
Let's get some context for this book. I subscribe to BookBub (I LOVE BOOKBUB) which, if you're unfamiliar with the great service, sends you daily emails with deals going on for eBooks. While there are some absolute gems, I don't expect much out of most of the books on offer so I started just getting samples of books that interested me and going from there; And that's where we start our story.
This story follows Veil who is in the very unique position where she cannot stay dead, thanks to a cult-like ritual. She spends her time hunting down cultists and monsters and the like. In Boston, there are ritualistic murders and that calls Veil back 'home.' Now, she's got to confront her past and an archdemon that she's spent the last seventy years avoiding.
Again, I didn't expect much going into this. At the very least I figured it would just scratch the itch that I had for some tension between a protagonist and a love interest that's very much on the dark side. I mean, come on, he's an archdemon. The sample was fantastic and seemed very on track to what was promised. Then it all went downhill. It honestly made me feel quite frustrated and I really should have DNF'd it but I didn't because I like to punish myself.
First of all, Veil is the ONLY female character. There's a girl who shows up for two paragraphs but I'm not counting her because she has so little to do that I can't even remember her name. So yeah, only female character. It gets worse from there. Everything we come to know about her is told to us, never shown; and for someone who claims to be secretive, she spends a lot of the story being an open book. Particularly to people who are her best friends after knowing her for all of 3 minutes.
The rest of the cast is bland and are just there to follow Veil around and to give reactions to the traumatic past that she kept hidden for fifty years but is suddenly ok to talk non-stop about. Veil is a Mary-Sue in the sense that she is the centre of the universe and LITERALLY EVERYTHING revolves around her. And still, somehow, she has no agency. No-one has any agency in this bloody book. It would be remarkable if it weren't so damn frustrating.
Arguably, Asmodeus (the archdemon) has agency but he only comes into play at the ass end of the book and does nothing but ANGER ME THE ENTIRE TIME HE'S 'ON SCREEN.' He's abusive, arrogant, autocratic and just an all-round asshole. If he were on fire, I wouldn't even piss on him. Veil is groomed for him and he r*pes her and it's romanticised and absolutely fucking disgusting. The only time I cheered on Veil was when she was thinking/saying "FUCK YOU ASMODEUS." Still, at the very end she expresses how she misses him and UGHHHHHH. Fuck. This.
And lastly, the book doesn't do what's promised in the blurb. The blurb says: "Just when I thought things could not get worse, I realized once more that I had no clue what was coming next…" and it is NEVER ANSWERED. At all. The only reason I read on was I wanted to know what Veil had gotten herself into but it ended in a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger in the sense that you are standing on a cliff with a harness attached and you know that you are safe and will not fall. It’s a mercy that the next book in the series is published so soon after the first.
I would not recommend this book at all unless you like being perpetually pissed off.
[Edited to change the publication date - I had put the wrong one]
__________
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June 9, 2020
I love the author but I didn't like Veil.
January 14, 2020
Hmmmm
Give this book a chapter or two before you decide. The beginning was a bit too much like a typical "wacky, snarky chick monster hunter" story, so I'm glad I hung in there until it took a shift to new territory. I will definitely buy the next one, even though I very much dread that she'll forgive her "ex" after many angry tirades, sacrificial acts on his part, pressure from her "dad" et al. You don't grow a partner like a mushroom and all is forgiven because the sex is good.
Give this book a chapter or two before you decide. The beginning was a bit too much like a typical "wacky, snarky chick monster hunter" story, so I'm glad I hung in there until it took a shift to new territory. I will definitely buy the next one, even though I very much dread that she'll forgive her "ex" after many angry tirades, sacrificial acts on his part, pressure from her "dad" et al. You don't grow a partner like a mushroom and all is forgiven because the sex is good.
Want to read
February 6, 2022
January 13, 2020
Another stunner
Got into KAK via her wonderful Masks of Under series. Have been eagerly awaiting the next release and happy to say she lives up to my expectations with this one! Such a teasing introduction to the new storyline. Alistair = yowza!
Got into KAK via her wonderful Masks of Under series. Have been eagerly awaiting the next release and happy to say she lives up to my expectations with this one! Such a teasing introduction to the new storyline. Alistair = yowza!
Want to read
February 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/29/2020)! 🎁
February 10, 2020
3.5 stars. I have to be honest and say I went into this with higher than normal expectations after the author's Masks of Under series last year was a huge hit for me. This may be a tad unfair for that series to have set the bar so high for me, but even knowing that my expectations were maybe a little too high, didn't make me change them lol. I personally had a hard time connecting with any of our characters, including the FMC. I didn't have this problem in the other series, so looking back I'm thinking because the author wrote FMC, Veil, mysterious and hard to connect to on purpose. The big reveals in this story all pertained to Veil's background and backstory, which is fine, except that it wasn't a mystery to Veil, just to the reader and friends. There was some illusion to the mysteries of the past but nothing that really put the reader on any set path. Almost like you just have to be along for the ride..
So I wasn't really connecting with Veil as a character, couldn't get a good 'read' on her really, and also, I didn't agree with her anger at the big reveal of her past... I understand being upset that maybe you aren't what your thought you were and that all the people you love around you have known and kept it from you.. but they did say over and over that you would eventually know.. Is this crime of keeping the whole truth from you worth the slaughter of all you thought were your family and a hellish imprisonment for 72 years? I don't think so. I just can't fathom that irrational anger over something that really doesn't seem that horrific.. Like I can't get into the FMC's mindset here to drag up some empathy and understanding for some reason.
That all being said the truth is out now.. so I'm looking forward to continue this series if only for the reason that now we can really get into what is happening in the world instead of focusing on everything in the FMC's past. I'm hoping as the series continues I can really connect more with the FMC. We were left with a mild cliffhanger at the end, it seems we are going to be delving off into some psychoville which I'm always down for. Looking forward to it!
So I wasn't really connecting with Veil as a character, couldn't get a good 'read' on her really, and also, I didn't agree with her anger at the big reveal of her past... I understand being upset that maybe you aren't what your thought you were and that all the people you love around you have known and kept it from you.. but they did say over and over that you would eventually know.. Is this crime of keeping the whole truth from you worth the slaughter of all you thought were your family and a hellish imprisonment for 72 years? I don't think so. I just can't fathom that irrational anger over something that really doesn't seem that horrific.. Like I can't get into the FMC's mindset here to drag up some empathy and understanding for some reason.
That all being said the truth is out now.. so I'm looking forward to continue this series if only for the reason that now we can really get into what is happening in the world instead of focusing on everything in the FMC's past. I'm hoping as the series continues I can really connect more with the FMC. We were left with a mild cliffhanger at the end, it seems we are going to be delving off into some psychoville which I'm always down for. Looking forward to it!
January 16, 2020
4 stars
First. That cover. Amazing.
Second. It was so nice to read a story where the main character can have male friends without all of them being in love with her.
The rest now. The author clearly set the story for future books. The problems are just beginning and I can't wait to read more about this world she created. There are lots of details so you really need to pay attention but I find myself just as intrigued with this book as I was with the author's other series.
The main character. Veil (damn, what a cool name) was a pretty good heroine. Kickass and sarcastic. I liked how I could see the difference in her personality from when she was 'young' and the present.
I sort of bothered me how bad she was treating Maelon at first. He was so funny! And silly. How can you be mean to that?
Asmodeus is sort of a question mark because we saw more of him towards the end of the book. He is also a walking contradiction of sweet and bad. We'll see.
The descriptions in this book were brilliant. And really creepy. So I enjoyed the hell out of it.
I totally recommend this book. I read it all in one go and only had to stop for annoying things like work and classes and sleep. But I can't wait for the next one.
First. That cover. Amazing.
Second. It was so nice to read a story where the main character can have male friends without all of them being in love with her.
The rest now. The author clearly set the story for future books. The problems are just beginning and I can't wait to read more about this world she created. There are lots of details so you really need to pay attention but I find myself just as intrigued with this book as I was with the author's other series.
The main character. Veil (damn, what a cool name) was a pretty good heroine. Kickass and sarcastic. I liked how I could see the difference in her personality from when she was 'young' and the present.
I sort of bothered me how bad she was treating Maelon at first. He was so funny! And silly. How can you be mean to that?
Asmodeus is sort of a question mark because we saw more of him towards the end of the book. He is also a walking contradiction of sweet and bad. We'll see.
The descriptions in this book were brilliant. And really creepy. So I enjoyed the hell out of it.
I totally recommend this book. I read it all in one go and only had to stop for annoying things like work and classes and sleep. But I can't wait for the next one.
January 9, 2020
4.5 Stars
I absolutely devoured Masks of Under series and I thought there is no way this author can top that series, but she did!! All of her characters in the story are well developed and the storyline is intriguing. We are introduced to a whole lot of characters in this first story but IMO it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Veil is a heroine that everyone wants to be and know. She is bada$$, full of secrets and has a fantastic sense of humor. She surrounds herself with different people with amazing personalities. She basically builds herself a tribe that will do anything for her. And then there is Alistair and he is all mysterious. I can’t wait to learn more about him in subsequent books. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series!! Hands down the most intriguing series of the new year!
I absolutely devoured Masks of Under series and I thought there is no way this author can top that series, but she did!! All of her characters in the story are well developed and the storyline is intriguing. We are introduced to a whole lot of characters in this first story but IMO it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Veil is a heroine that everyone wants to be and know. She is bada$$, full of secrets and has a fantastic sense of humor. She surrounds herself with different people with amazing personalities. She basically builds herself a tribe that will do anything for her. And then there is Alistair and he is all mysterious. I can’t wait to learn more about him in subsequent books. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series!! Hands down the most intriguing series of the new year!
January 26, 2020
3.5 stars. I liked the intro, my attention wavered in some parts and the ending felt a bit anti-climatic. It’s a slow one. Veil starts off kick ass but feels like she’s quickly relegated to damsel in distress and she’s a bit of a brat.
I liked the characters. Richard not so much but Conrad and Gabe are cool, not forgetting Melon. Some humour but mainly Veil’s issues. Favourite parts was Azrael scaring the crap out Conrad and Conrad shooting Veil at their first meeting. Will read the next one to see where it goes.
I liked the characters. Richard not so much but Conrad and Gabe are cool, not forgetting Melon. Some humour but mainly Veil’s issues. Favourite parts was Azrael scaring the crap out Conrad and Conrad shooting Veil at their first meeting. Will read the next one to see where it goes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2020
After devouring and absolutely loving Kathryn's Under Series I was sooo excited for this to come out and it definitely made its mark. I loved it.
I loved Melon he was the cutest little bean ever - Kathryn always makes the best sidekicks. Veil was kickass and I loved her; some of the things she said made me laugh out loud. Alistair/Asmodeus - be still my beating heart. I need more of him and her together immediately. That sex scene - I had to open my window for air afterwards. Thank you Kathryn for giving us some sex scenes in your books I can absolutely say I am the happiest beaver ever to walk this earth.
Conrad and Gabe - what a bunch of awesome guys. Enough said.
The ending as well - I NEEED book 2 asap. I also can't wait to find out the real reason behind why Alistair/Asmodeus did what he did when it came to Veil!
I knocked a star off for a few minor things I wasn't so keen on; I thought Richard was a bit of a wimp and didn't bring much in terms of the story. Conrad and Gabe were way better and had a better relationship with Veil and they'd only known her 5 minutes whereas Richard has known Veil for almost all of his life but I just didn't feel that connection. I also found Veil to be quite childish at times considering how old she is but I can understand her insecurities over what she is so I can let her off.
I wanted to see a little more of Alistair/Asmodeus (I am needy damnit!) but I can understand why he wasn't in it until the end - the suspense of him arriving nearly ended me. I am hoping and praying to all the gods that will hear me that he will become more 'demon' and less 'victorian gentleman' in the next book. I want to see him as a thousand year old archdemon and get more glimpses of what he can do - gimme gimme gimme pls. I also hope we see more of his possessive side come through - surely he wouldnt let Veil walk away from him, like, EVER. He's a demon, he should take what he wants! You go Asmo, I'm rooting for you!!
I was expecting to come into this as a villain-getz-the-girl romance and I loves me one of those but I'm not seeing it so far though I guess it depends if you think what he did when it came to Veil was villainous to begin with which clearly I did not hahaha. We also don't know much about Alistair/Asmodeus yet so all could change! Or maybe I just miss Aon :( I love you Aon 4evvaaa.
I loved Melon he was the cutest little bean ever - Kathryn always makes the best sidekicks. Veil was kickass and I loved her; some of the things she said made me laugh out loud. Alistair/Asmodeus - be still my beating heart. I need more of him and her together immediately. That sex scene - I had to open my window for air afterwards. Thank you Kathryn for giving us some sex scenes in your books I can absolutely say I am the happiest beaver ever to walk this earth.
Conrad and Gabe - what a bunch of awesome guys. Enough said.
The ending as well - I NEEED book 2 asap. I also can't wait to find out the real reason behind why Alistair/Asmodeus did what he did when it came to Veil!
I knocked a star off for a few minor things I wasn't so keen on; I thought Richard was a bit of a wimp and didn't bring much in terms of the story. Conrad and Gabe were way better and had a better relationship with Veil and they'd only known her 5 minutes whereas Richard has known Veil for almost all of his life but I just didn't feel that connection. I also found Veil to be quite childish at times considering how old she is but I can understand her insecurities over what she is so I can let her off.
I wanted to see a little more of Alistair/Asmodeus (I am needy damnit!) but I can understand why he wasn't in it until the end - the suspense of him arriving nearly ended me. I am hoping and praying to all the gods that will hear me that he will become more 'demon' and less 'victorian gentleman' in the next book. I want to see him as a thousand year old archdemon and get more glimpses of what he can do - gimme gimme gimme pls. I also hope we see more of his possessive side come through - surely he wouldnt let Veil walk away from him, like, EVER. He's a demon, he should take what he wants! You go Asmo, I'm rooting for you!!
I was expecting to come into this as a villain-getz-the-girl romance and I loves me one of those but I'm not seeing it so far though I guess it depends if you think what he did when it came to Veil was villainous to begin with which clearly I did not hahaha. We also don't know much about Alistair/Asmodeus yet so all could change! Or maybe I just miss Aon :( I love you Aon 4evvaaa.
March 30, 2020
4 STARS
Urban fantasy is not a genre I tend to go for very often, but Kathryn Ann Kingsley, who is a new-to-me author, really surprised me with this book.
One of the coolest things for me is that our main character, Veil, can't die but she has the ability to walk through both the shadow realm or whatever it was called (the place where your soul goes after you die essentially) and the living realm. In other words, she can control her body and her soul as two separate things which she uses a lot in combat and it makes for some pretty damn cool scenes.
Shadow of Angels had some cool fighting sequences, great banter, entertaining characters and hints of some pretty delicious angst.
I think my only *tiny* issue is that this is marketed as a "villain romance" and so far I havent really gotten that vibe from the story. While yes, Asmodeus is an archdemon and he certainly has a darkness about him and has done some pretty *questionable* things to our heroine, I'm not quite sure I'd label him as a straight-up villain.
However, this is just the first book in this story and most of the romance here actually takes place during flashbacks which explain what happened between Veil and Asmodeus before they had their "fall out". And let me just say, there's definitely some uhm interesting back story there which I can see how that would make him a villain in some people's opinions, just not mine (for now.)
Anyway, this was a promising start to this trilogy, and I'm definitely super excited to read more and see where the heck this story is going. I also cannot wait to see more of present-day Asmodeus cuz that man is 🔥🥵
Urban fantasy is not a genre I tend to go for very often, but Kathryn Ann Kingsley, who is a new-to-me author, really surprised me with this book.
One of the coolest things for me is that our main character, Veil, can't die but she has the ability to walk through both the shadow realm or whatever it was called (the place where your soul goes after you die essentially) and the living realm. In other words, she can control her body and her soul as two separate things which she uses a lot in combat and it makes for some pretty damn cool scenes.
Shadow of Angels had some cool fighting sequences, great banter, entertaining characters and hints of some pretty delicious angst.
I think my only *tiny* issue is that this is marketed as a "villain romance" and so far I havent really gotten that vibe from the story. While yes, Asmodeus is an archdemon and he certainly has a darkness about him and has done some pretty *questionable* things to our heroine, I'm not quite sure I'd label him as a straight-up villain.
However, this is just the first book in this story and most of the romance here actually takes place during flashbacks which explain what happened between Veil and Asmodeus before they had their "fall out". And let me just say, there's definitely some uhm interesting back story there which I can see how that would make him a villain in some people's opinions, just not mine (for now.)
Anyway, this was a promising start to this trilogy, and I'm definitely super excited to read more and see where the heck this story is going. I also cannot wait to see more of present-day Asmodeus cuz that man is 🔥🥵
December 29, 2019
I put off reading this more than I should have. Why? Because I didn't know what to expect. I absolutely loved the Masks Of Under series, so I should have been ready to devour the start of her new one. I hate myself for waiting 😂 I should have known Kathryn Ann Kingsley knew what she was doing and went into this new series with glee. I won't make the same mistake.
Shadow Of Angels starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. We are slowly introduced to Veil and the many years she's lived. Veil is a ball of secrets and kickass. Dunno if that made sense but she is 💁. I loved her fight and humor. I loved how she loved. The people she surrounds herself with are just as amazing. I loved Richard's nerd vibe. I loved Gabe's fatherly vibe. I loved Conrad's annoying brother vibe. She unknowingly builds herself a tribe she doesn't believe she deserves. Alistair is another figure shrouded in mystery. Yet you can't help but feel bad for him. I'm excited for this new series and I can't wait for more of Veil and her friends!
Throw out everything you thought you knew about angels and demons and get ready to be swept off your feet with a kickass heroine in Shadow Of Angels!
Shadow Of Angels starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. We are slowly introduced to Veil and the many years she's lived. Veil is a ball of secrets and kickass. Dunno if that made sense but she is 💁. I loved her fight and humor. I loved how she loved. The people she surrounds herself with are just as amazing. I loved Richard's nerd vibe. I loved Gabe's fatherly vibe. I loved Conrad's annoying brother vibe. She unknowingly builds herself a tribe she doesn't believe she deserves. Alistair is another figure shrouded in mystery. Yet you can't help but feel bad for him. I'm excited for this new series and I can't wait for more of Veil and her friends!
Throw out everything you thought you knew about angels and demons and get ready to be swept off your feet with a kickass heroine in Shadow Of Angels!
January 13, 2020
Oh my my my
Oh my ,I've been waiting for this book to come out and I was not disappointed that's for sure. I love the storyline and awesome characters. Veil was so very likeable, she hasn't had it easy but she doesn't let it keep her down and her sense of humour rocks ^^. I especially loved the banter between her and her friends. Then of course there's the especially hot Asmodeus!
His features were flawless—chiseled but dangerous. There was something brutal and raw about him, even as he stood in his perfect, refined suit. Hinting—and promising—that there was a beast hidden beneath those layers of carefully tailored appearance. He was a demigod in the flesh, wearing a suit of humanity just as much as the black ensemble over it.
(Nom nom nom 😗)
All I'll add is hurry up with book two already !
Oh my ,I've been waiting for this book to come out and I was not disappointed that's for sure. I love the storyline and awesome characters. Veil was so very likeable, she hasn't had it easy but she doesn't let it keep her down and her sense of humour rocks ^^. I especially loved the banter between her and her friends. Then of course there's the especially hot Asmodeus!
His features were flawless—chiseled but dangerous. There was something brutal and raw about him, even as he stood in his perfect, refined suit. Hinting—and promising—that there was a beast hidden beneath those layers of carefully tailored appearance. He was a demigod in the flesh, wearing a suit of humanity just as much as the black ensemble over it.
(Nom nom nom 😗)
All I'll add is hurry up with book two already !
February 11, 2020
Impressed
I am thrilled to find another urban fantasy author to add to my must read list. Shadow of Angels is a delightful good, with well formed characters, great world building and one very hot archdemon. The book deals with Veil a gal just going around the world smiting evil. The smiting takes a turn for the worse when she’s in Boston her old stomping grounds searching for a cult who is murdering people. The action is good, the plot unique and over all it’s a really good book.
Read it via kindle unlimited. I highly recommend this book, especially for reader’s of Larissa Ione and Gena Showalter.
I am thrilled to find another urban fantasy author to add to my must read list. Shadow of Angels is a delightful good, with well formed characters, great world building and one very hot archdemon. The book deals with Veil a gal just going around the world smiting evil. The smiting takes a turn for the worse when she’s in Boston her old stomping grounds searching for a cult who is murdering people. The action is good, the plot unique and over all it’s a really good book.
Read it via kindle unlimited. I highly recommend this book, especially for reader’s of Larissa Ione and Gena Showalter.
January 24, 2020
Wow interesting
This is such a twist on everything I ever learned growing up in a Catholic family. Really interesting book with a few twists that I never saw coming. If you are looking for a paranormal that is just plain different this might fit the bill. Really good writing and a story line that I can see spanning several books. A cliff hanger in end is the reason for the 4 star and I have a few weeks until the next book. Happy reading!
This is such a twist on everything I ever learned growing up in a Catholic family. Really interesting book with a few twists that I never saw coming. If you are looking for a paranormal that is just plain different this might fit the bill. Really good writing and a story line that I can see spanning several books. A cliff hanger in end is the reason for the 4 star and I have a few weeks until the next book. Happy reading!
January 29, 2020
Fantastic World Building
I love escaping into new worlds and finding characters that I wish with all my heart were real. This book perfectly delivers and I can’t help but laugh at the character banter and stare wide eyed as drama unfolds. I also read the masks of under series by this author and I was so sad when it ended. I look forward to another world full of loveable characters.
I love escaping into new worlds and finding characters that I wish with all my heart were real. This book perfectly delivers and I can’t help but laugh at the character banter and stare wide eyed as drama unfolds. I also read the masks of under series by this author and I was so sad when it ended. I look forward to another world full of loveable characters.
January 12, 2020
Awesome dark humor and storytelling
Loved the dark humor around the MC’s inability to die and the priest’s banter. The side kick was adorably disgusting, the characters are relatable, and the monsters are artfully grotesque! Can’t wait for books 2 and 3 to finish the story!
Loved the dark humor around the MC’s inability to die and the priest’s banter. The side kick was adorably disgusting, the characters are relatable, and the monsters are artfully grotesque! Can’t wait for books 2 and 3 to finish the story!
January 13, 2020
Loved this book had me on the edge of my seat
January 26, 2020
Great Read
I devoured this book like every other book Kathryn Kingsley has written. Can't wait for the next one! Highly recommend!!
I devoured this book like every other book Kathryn Kingsley has written. Can't wait for the next one! Highly recommend!!
January 8, 2025
One of my favorite authors, that I discovered in 2019, is back with a new series and I couldn't be happier! I loved Kathryn Ann Kingsley's The Masks of Under series and I was super excited to hear that she was working on something new!
Shadow of Angels was a great start to an amazing, new urban fantasy series!
It is set in Boston, and features a kick-ass protagonist who fights demons and cults, and also has the ability to die and come back!
Veil is quite a mysterious character in the beginning and the author starts the book off quickly with some action! We are immersed immediately into the world that the author has created with a completely different take on angels and demons!
Veil comes back to Boston, a city which holds too many memories for her, after a long time and finds suspicious cases of mutilated bodies, which leads her to believe that this is the work of a cult. Soon, she comes across a new type of monster, which she hasn't seen before and she has to ask for help from a certain organisation who aren't too kind to anomalies like her!
This book shifts seamlessly between the present and Veil's past, where we get to see Alistair(Asmodeus) through her eyes!(And I'm stressing on through her eyes, because her emotions really shape her perceptions!) This book had me dying to see more of him, because the author teases us with tiny glimpses!
I love the way Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes her anti-heroes, because they aren't the stereotypical villains who are completely changed into good men by the love of the heroines! They are instead dark men, who are beautifully portrayed as capable of both good and bad at the same time(it's all grey here, my friend!) and with women who love them for what they are, without expecting them to change drastically!
I loved the way the author slowly pulls back the veil(pun intended!) on the protagonist's past and existence! We also had a great set of side characters too! Richard was an amazing friend, but also such a believable character at the same time! I loved the touch of lightness that Conrad and Gabe added to the story, but I just wished we had spent more time developing the friendship between them and Veil! It felt a little quick to me! Melon was the cutest thing ever! Lol!
As much as I loved spending time seeing things from Veil's point of view, I think she still needs to mature just a little more, even though she's quite old in human years! Maybe I'm being a little hard on her because Lydia is one of my favorite heroines, but I felt like Veil couldn't look past her own emotions at many times, despite thinking that she was cool-headed. The way she trusted Gabe and Conrad so easily was a little bit too fast for me, when she hadn't even told Richard many things about her past despite having been his friend for so many years!
I really liked the way the author has fleshed out all the characters though! Veil is caught between her feelings of admiration, love and anger! The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and I was so giddy with happiness to see a little bit of Alistair's possessive side! Plus, we also get to see how different his perspective on the past is from Veil's! I felt like Veil hasn't even understood him completely if she thinks that he'd be angry and punish her for imprisoning him to the other side!
Also, can I add that I'm super happy with the steamy scenes in this book!*fans self*
I was super disappointed with the fade-to-black ones in the Masks of Under series, and had to go to the author's website to devour the explicit scenes! So happy that this book features all the deliciousness!
I'm dying to get my hands on book two! Hope we get to see more about Veil and Alistair's relationship and past interactions! I would also love to see how he feels about the current version of Veil! <3
Shadow of Angels was a great start to an amazing, new urban fantasy series!
It is set in Boston, and features a kick-ass protagonist who fights demons and cults, and also has the ability to die and come back!
Veil is quite a mysterious character in the beginning and the author starts the book off quickly with some action! We are immersed immediately into the world that the author has created with a completely different take on angels and demons!
Veil comes back to Boston, a city which holds too many memories for her, after a long time and finds suspicious cases of mutilated bodies, which leads her to believe that this is the work of a cult. Soon, she comes across a new type of monster, which she hasn't seen before and she has to ask for help from a certain organisation who aren't too kind to anomalies like her!
This book shifts seamlessly between the present and Veil's past, where we get to see Alistair(Asmodeus) through her eyes!(And I'm stressing on through her eyes, because her emotions really shape her perceptions!) This book had me dying to see more of him, because the author teases us with tiny glimpses!
I love the way Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes her anti-heroes, because they aren't the stereotypical villains who are completely changed into good men by the love of the heroines! They are instead dark men, who are beautifully portrayed as capable of both good and bad at the same time(it's all grey here, my friend!) and with women who love them for what they are, without expecting them to change drastically!
I loved the way the author slowly pulls back the veil(pun intended!) on the protagonist's past and existence! We also had a great set of side characters too! Richard was an amazing friend, but also such a believable character at the same time! I loved the touch of lightness that Conrad and Gabe added to the story, but I just wished we had spent more time developing the friendship between them and Veil! It felt a little quick to me! Melon was the cutest thing ever! Lol!
As much as I loved spending time seeing things from Veil's point of view, I think she still needs to mature just a little more, even though she's quite old in human years! Maybe I'm being a little hard on her because Lydia is one of my favorite heroines, but I felt like Veil couldn't look past her own emotions at many times, despite thinking that she was cool-headed. The way she trusted Gabe and Conrad so easily was a little bit too fast for me, when she hadn't even told Richard many things about her past despite having been his friend for so many years!
I really liked the way the author has fleshed out all the characters though! Veil is caught between her feelings of admiration, love and anger! The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and I was so giddy with happiness to see a little bit of Alistair's possessive side! Plus, we also get to see how different his perspective on the past is from Veil's! I felt like Veil hasn't even understood him completely if she thinks that he'd be angry and punish her for imprisoning him to the other side!
Also, can I add that I'm super happy with the steamy scenes in this book!*fans self*
I was super disappointed with the fade-to-black ones in the Masks of Under series, and had to go to the author's website to devour the explicit scenes! So happy that this book features all the deliciousness!
I'm dying to get my hands on book two! Hope we get to see more about Veil and Alistair's relationship and past interactions! I would also love to see how he feels about the current version of Veil! <3
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