Predictable and the characters sound like a moody bunch of teenagers. This one feels like a ya novel. ( )

Jayné is back and, dare I say it, even better than ever? A little battle worn for sure, but that's not enough to keep her down! In this second installment of The Black Sun's Daughter series the action is ramped up, adrenaline is high, and there is a whole lot to love. I liked the last book, but I loved this one.

Karen Black is the newest addition to this motley crew of demon hunters, and she packs quite a punch. Strong, self-assured, and one gorgeous woman, Karen is everything that Jayné thinks that she's not. I really enjoyed seeing the slightly more jealous side of Jayné in this story. It's that little need to please, the wheedling voice that promote jealousy, that really makes her so much more human. Sure she's a kick ass heroine, but they have flaws too. What really drew me in to this story was how much Jayné grows during the course of it. Everything that has happened has toughened her up and, even if she can't seem to see it, the reader gets a glimpse at the power she has boiling within her.

Darker Angels takes us into the lion's den of the riders, or the loa as they are called. New Orleans provides a lush and vibrant backdrop for these beings and the voodoo lore that surrounds them. Painted on the pages is a history that runs deep, back into the days where the lore that Jayné and her team are now learning was common knowledge. There is a deep sense of community in this story, and the tragedies that occurred in New Orleans are handled with respect. Overall, it's clear that Hanover has a love for this city. As I followed Jayné through this mission, I gained a respect for the loa and their rich history. Let's just say that Hanover definitely changes the reader's view of them in this story.

I'm hooked on this series, and thank goodness I already have the next two books ready to read. As a first foray into Urban Fantasy, I'm glad I chose M.L.N. Hanover to take me on a wild ride. If you enjoy fast paced stories brimming with demons, twists, and turns, you'll love Darker Angels. I highly suggest you get started!
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Once again Jayné (every time I read that name it got my nerves) Aubrey, Ex and Chogyi Jake are in the thick of it again. When we left the foursome, they were busy doing a tour of not-gay uncle Eric's various homes, attempting to create a wiki on the riders. Though they are all exhausted, Jayné keeps pushing them forward, and this culminates in her acceptance of a mission in New Orleans. The minute I read New Orleans I knew that this books was going to be all about Voodoo.

After Hurricane Katrina it is impossible to write a story without talking about the horror of natural disaster and Hanover dealt with the issue in a powerful manner. Though it has been years, the city has not been rebuilt and we are given vivid images of ruined homes and the people who fell through the cracks. I appreciated the fact that Hanover made sure to point out that it took money to leave the city and that those without were forced to stay behind. It is not often acknowledged in the media, but class played a huge role in who lived and who died.

Once in New Orleans, the scooby gang, (yeah that's what I am calling them) meet up with former FBI agent, Karen Black who wants help freeing a young girl from a loa who has take possession of her body. Thus begins the focus on a specific kind of rider - the loa. I really do wish that urban fantasy authors would step away from the association of people of colour with Voodoo. It has been done to death and at this point has become so one dimensional that it is hard to retain interest.

We learn that there are various forms of loa and that they have a functioning society and rule separate from that of humans. In some cases loa are not the parasitic creatures that Jayné and the scoobies have always believed. Loa and humans can work in mutuality with the person that they are riding and in the case of battle, Jayné comes to term with the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The ability of a loa to take over the body is compared to rape in Dark Angels and personally, I found the analogy offensive.

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3.5 stars ( )

Black Sun's Daughter, paranormal, urban fantasy, adult ( )