Monday, September 25, 2017

Review: Archangel’s Viper by Nalini Singh

Archangel’s Viper by Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 10
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 9780451488244
Release Date: September 26, 2017
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Nalini Singh Reading Order

Once a broken girl known as Sorrow, Holly Chang now prowls the shadowy gray underground of the city for the angels. But it’s not her winged allies who make her a wanted woman—it’s the unknown power coursing through her veins. Brutalized by an insane archangel, she was left with the bloodlust of a vampire, the ability to mesmerize her prey, and a poisonous bite.

Now, someone has put a bounty on her head…

Venom is one of the Seven, Archangel Raphael’s private guard, and he’s as infuriating as he is seductive. A centuries-old vampire, his fangs dispense a poison deadlier than Holly’s. But even if Venom can protect Holly from those hunting her, he might not be able to save himself—because the strange, violent power inside Holly is awakening…

No one is safe.

Archangel’s Viper is a total rush. Venom and Holly’s story was so engaging that I risked a sleepless night (and being a zombie at work) because I didn’t want to put the book down.

Four years ago, Holly Chang was kidnapped and tortured by an insane archangel. In the time since her rescue, Holly has worked and fought to make a new life for herself, knowing she can never go back to who she once was. I loved Holly’s spirit, her unwillingness to give in or take the easy road. She can stand toe-to-toe with far more powerful immortals and not be dwarfed by their presence. And Holly does all this without ever seeming too perfect a heroine. Her strength shines because we can see how vulnerable she is as well. There’s an otherness inside her, a deadly presence the archangel Uram left within her, and it’s growing in power. Holly is a great character to begin with, but she comes into her own over the course of Archangel’s Viper as the power within her strengthens and she must fight to stay herself. Added to that, someone has put a bounty on her head and to find out who that is, she must work with the one vampire who drives her completely mad.

Venom is one of the most powerful vampires on the planet. He’s also unique because of the way he was Made and he’s sometimes isolated, except from the few people he trusts enough to be close to. I’d been intrigued by Venom for some time and I really enjoyed learning about the man behind the viper eyes. Venom was as deadly and seductive as I’d expected, but he’s also quietly caring and has a hidden vulnerability that broke my heart. I absolutely loved Venom and Holly together. He has never treated her as broken, and his teasing brings the liveliness out of her when the darkness threatens. The two of them are unique and it’s their uniqueness which draws them together in the first place. The romance between Holly and Venom is slow to burn, and though it took a backseat to the main storyline, I honestly didn’t mind. Venom and Holly’s love story felt organic, and I loved seeing how their relationship changed and developed over the course of the story. I was rooting for these two and I liked that I didn’t always know how they’d make it out alive, never mind get their happily ever after.

Archangel’s Viper is the tenth book in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series and I highly recommend reading the series in order. Much of the action in Archangel’s Viper takes place at the same time as the events of the previous book, Archangel’s Heart, and seeing what’s happening with the cast in New York while the rest of the principal characters are in Morocco helps give the world a more complete feel. With the Cascade in effect, there’s no pausing in action anywhere in the world of the angels and vampires we love. I finished Archangel’s Viper a well-satisfied reader and I cannot wait to see where Ms. Singh takes readers in the next Guild Hunter book.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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