Archangel’s Kiss ( Guild Hunter 2) by Nalini Singh

Hello to all,

                        Yesterday was our National Day and usually it means rain and a lot of it... for once i was hoping for it after the heat wave we had but sadly  only a few drop reached up and it's still as suffocating as before. Really 30°c and more are too much for my country.

One advantage is that since i had to stay at home i could read a little more and i went on a Nalini Singh reads frenzy... so as to avoid  reviewing two suspense romance in a row  i decided to review the second book in the Guild Hunter series first trying to avoid too many spoilers...later you should also get my opinion on several novellas but  let stay in the main series first. That being said some of the novellas can be read first but  i only felt that one could be needed " Angels' Pawn"  and only to have a deeper understanding the others while set before can wait after this second book.

 Happy Reading

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  0425233367

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Violence: Strong
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her world of angelic rulers, vampiric servants, and the woman thrust into their darkly seductive world...

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel, Raphael, is used to being in control—especially when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority.


They've barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel, Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena.

My opinion:

          I love this series more and more but honestly I’m really glad I have read “Angel’s Pawn” before starting this one, it’s not a necessity Nalini Singh is a perfect storyteller and you understand the story in this book without difficult even without having read the novella. However Elena do speak about what Ashwini saw and felt during the events set in Angel’s pawn…so when you have read the novella you can relate to those events and see how it affected the hunter as well as imagine what it could meant for Elena.

One story you can’t miss though is “Angels’ blood” the first book in the guild Hunter series because this one start right after the last one finished and this new adventure is simply captivating. Elena is learning to cope with what she has become which isn’t as easy as it sound even worse because of what is happening she has to speed up the process. That being said, she stays as she was, strong willed, not hesitating to let Raphael knows what she thinks which is why I like her character. We also discover a new facet of her past as she starts to remember.

The Refuge is a secret sacred place where the offspring of the angels can grow up loved and cherished, it’s a place of peace even if it’s divided in different sectors between the common places, and the part of each archangels. No mortals until now knew it existed..  Unfortunately some power hungry being decided to change that and suddenly a vampire is found tortured and nearly dying, Elena is threatened , murders  happens and worse… the most sacred taboo is violated: a young was targeted.

Raphael needs Elena Hunter born sense to track those responsible even if she isn’t fully recovered  but deeply linked to her he also must adjust to all that changed, him being the first ones.  He is starting to open up and he isn’t as sure of himself as he let people think, angels’ politics though gives him a lot of responsibility and he is well aware that he can’t seem weak if he wants to protect those under him.

The Seven, his most trusted followers/ guards are in charge of protecting Elena and to teach her some things as well. I really appreciate Illium, I found him interesting in Angel’s blood, now I’m even more intrigued. This angel really appreciates Elena and perhaps he is the only one but with a Raphael hyper possessive it can be dangerous as well.

Dimitri, Galen, Venom, Jason and Aodhan are obeying Raphael’s orders to protect her as well but they don’t hesitate to show how it displeases them. They still believe she is dangerous for Raphael and since they are loyal to him only she doesn’t feel safe the entire time in their company. Nalini Singh  dropped some hints on each of them so we gradually starts to know them and perhaps even appreciate a few of them ( seeing Galen so entranced by Deacon ‘s works and his reaction at  discovering that Elena knew him made me smile). Each one has its own secrets, the same they drew them into giving their loyalty to the Archangel Raphael and not another one but those we still must wait to discover.

 The investigation has a few twists that really make you turn the pages, not wanting to put the book down since you don’t want to miss any detail that could appear as capital later.  The plot is well built really with a good balance between the action, training time and investigation which alternates with some apparent peaceful moment, some cute and moving scenes or others really steamy .

 At the end, you really feel like for a time things calm down for Raphael and Elena, the investigation are solved, the case of Liujan handled so I’m guessing the next book will see a change of characters and honestly for once I don’t mind. I love Elena and Raphael, I want more of them but  I do want to discover more about Elijah and about the seven, as well as learning more about the others hunters we came across so far. I would enjoy greatly if the next books while focusing on others still gave little insight on what his happening for those we have met and then to later have Elena back in the main role but for now I’m happy to let her rest and adapt.

 To resume this is a really a captivating series but yes the books must be read in order to fully get the whole universe, novella are a good addition not a necessity so far but if you can just read it  Nalini Singh put the same precision and works into her novella and her novels so the quality is really really that good and while you can miss the novella  to understand and have a grip of the story, missing them would be sad as they are great story that can add some bonus in the universe comprehension.

I’m really glad I received book 3 so my birthday because I don’t think I will wait a long time before jumping back in it for more adventures.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges: