[b:Archangel's Heart|26218178|Archangel's Heart (Guild Hunter, #9)|Nalini Singh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466798675s/26218178.jpg|46200778] (Guild Hunter, #9) by [a:Nalini Singh|71688|Nalini Singh|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1423312512p2/71688.jpg]
Nalini has not lost her touch. Loved it. Absolutely perfect! ( )

Even as I occassionally find myself tired of constantly hearing about Raphael and Elena's love for each other (no doubt due in some part to self-pity), this is how you keep a reader hooked. In so many other series, I find myself bored reading about the original/settled couple, and prefer the books with new HEAs. This series is the exception - I loved this book and could not put it down! Read it in one day! I know neither of them are on deck next, but I am dying for Illium and/or Aodhan's book(s)!!! ( )

The Guild Hunter series has a really interesting story arc to it. I find all of the character's to be very intriguing even the ones that I hate. Nalini Singh can always be trusted to write a series that has engaging characters and a full and fascinating story. ( )

Elena and her archangel lover Raphael are both on tenterhooks during a period of calm since the last cascade fearing that another cascade could happen at any time. they are also keeping a close eye on Lijuan who seems to be losing her mind and isn't going to go mad with causing major damage and destruction. Things are happening in Lijuan's China that leads the archangels to the conclusion that she is either dead or has chosen to sleep. This leaves a power vacuum in the area. Something must be done. The Luminata call a meeting in their stronghold in Morocco to decide what to do about China. Each archangel can bring two seconds to the meeting.

The Luminata are supposed to be a monklike group of angels who are searching for enlightenment. Raphael and Elena know that something is off when they arrive. The atmosphere sets off Elena's senses. She feels that she is being spied upon and she feels that Gian who leads the Luminata is too focused on her. Elena has a secondary reason for going to Morocco. She is trying to track down her mother's family. Her mother was orphaned at age 5 when her mother left her in the care of a kindly nun promising to return but never did. Elena has unique coloring that she feels is inherited. She hopes someone will have known her grandmother.

Her visit with some of the other seconds to a nearby town only ramp up her feeling that something is really wrong. The people there are all very frightened of angels. Also, the only people who live in the town are humans. Usually even the smallest town has some vampires too. Asking about her mother frightens the older people even more.

This was an entertaining episode in the Guild Hunter series. I love seeing Elena and Raphael's love grow stronger as they get to know each other better. I also like seeing more of the other angels who owe fealty to Raphael. This one gave readers a chance to learn more about Aodhan who is recovering from an abuse filled captivity. I also enjoyed seeing more of Raphael's mother who is an awesomely powerful archangel. ( )

With the latest book set a few years after the previous one the Angels have had a bit of a lull waiting for the other shoe to fall with the Cascade seeming to be on pause. With not a peep out of Lijuan a previously undiscussed group of angels call a meeting of the Archangels to decide what to do since having eleven awake Archangels is never a good thing for the world. Is Lijuan Sleeping or dead? With her territory starting to have groups of vampires in rebellion it is past time to find out. The Luminata is a group of male angels that set themselves apart from most of the world as they try to discover an angel version of enlightenment. Turns out their citadel is in the region that Elena’s mysterious grandmother is from. And housed with these angels are examples of the world’s finest art from both angels and mortals.

Of course not everything is as it appears there but Elena does find some allies while she is there trying to find clues to her background. There is progress on movement with the Archangels and the Cascade but there are secrets still to be found out about Michaela. A good story and it moved the overall series story arc along. Now to sit and wait for the next book to come out.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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