Book Feature: The Fallen by Sean M Bazaar

SYNOPSIS:

Armageddon has come. Angels and demons have erupted onto Earth's surface, battling for domination. Alisha Grace witnesses this battle, and she, like so many others, expects the angels to win. It soon becomes apparent, however, that the demon forces have powers beyond belief as Gabriel's angelic forces lose Armageddon.

Rai is a fallen angel, leading the fight with his demon allies. Commander Krillion and Captain Zara are leaders in the Seraphim force, and although their armies have lost to Lucifer's demonic legions, they will not give up. But there is much more to this endgame battle than meets the eye. Even demons have history, and Rai will soon discover on which side he truly belongs.

In the meantime, Israfil, the angel of judgement day, receives a new vision. As hell covers the Earth in its dark genesis, Israfil senses the building of a new team that will fight the evil ones. A demon, a girl from Earth, warriors of the Seraphim and a being brought forth from Purgatory will fight on the same side-and only time will tell if they will be victorious, or if hope will be lost and darkness will rule the world for all eternity.

 

 

 

BUY LINKS:

 

Amazon

 

Amazon UK

 

Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

 

BAZAAR is currently a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army. He originally came up with the idea for his book and characters during his first deployment to Iraq in 2003, as a way for his men to have some fresh reading during their down time. He currently resides in Ft. Lee, Virginia.

 

 

CONACT SEAN:

 

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Review: Extinguish by J.R. Darhower

Extinguish by J.R. Darhower

Description:
One… Two… Three… Four…

I Declare War

Serah always believed the world around her was perfect. As a Power, one of the warrior angels, she has spent her existence defending the innocent from evil. After tragedy strikes, tearing Serah's brother from her life, she's given the task of stopping the approaching apocalypse before it's too late.

Only one thing, though: she has to venture to Hell to do it.

Lucifer—or Luce, as he prefers to be called—has been biding his time in Hell, longing for revenge against those who oh-so-easily cast him into the pit. When the heavenly beauty shows up at his gate, he's just as captivated by her presence as she becomes of him. The attraction between them is palpable, and Serah's willpower slowly slips. How can this charming creature, this scarred Archangel, be the one annihilating the world she so loves?

As the war wages on, the world entwined in chaos, Serah starts questioning everything she ever knew. When the light and dark, hot and cold, finally collide, she has to make a choice—a choice that sets her world on fire, black and white exploding into colorful flames.

Serah has questions. She wants answers.
Luce just wants to play a game.

My Thoughts:
I loved this story. Serah, an angel, finds out there is more to life than black and white and things aren't always as they seem. Her job is to help end the apocalypse, but it is not an easy task. I had mixed feelings about the ending, but I mostly just wished there was more. The ending fit the story. If you love a different take on angels, heaven, and hell, I think you'll like this one.

My Rating: ****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Strong language

My Source: author

Where to get it:


Where to find the author:
Website
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Authorgraph

Review: Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter #4) by Nalini Singh

Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter #4) by Nalini Singh

Description:
The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

My Thoughts:
I wasn't sure how well I would like this book because Dimitri was never one of my favorite characters and this is his story. In the first three books, he delighted in antagonizing Elena. In this story, we get to know him better. He's still not a nice guy, but at least we find out why. This is a very emotional and very dark story. Dimitri and Honor both have horrific pasts. They deserve their happy ending. I thought it was well done, although some might not agree.
I like this series, although the steam and gore factors are pretty high. I recommend reading in order unless you don't care about spoilers.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!!
*Notes: Rape, violence, gore

Where to get it:
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Where to find the author:
Nalini Singh
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Review: Dominion (Guardian Angels #1) by Melody Manful

Dominion (Guardian Angels #1) by Melody Manful


Description:
I Dare You.
Look Over Your Shoulders.
Do You See Them?
They are behind you...
They are always behind you.

Abigail Cells had a nightmare the day before she met Gideon, the new guy in school who has every girl drooling just to be near him. In her nightmare, she was murdered by a magical creature. As she gets to know Gideon, she begins to remember pieces of her nightmare, and was shocked when Gideon turned out to be the creature from her nightmare. Who is Gideon really, should Abby allow herself to fall completely for him, or is he the next disaster waiting to happen?

My Thoughts:
This is an interesting take on angels. They work in pairs; a good angel and a bad angel known as Grantinians and Grandinians. Abby gets her very own pair to watch over her and her live changes. The story was interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading and find out all of the secrets. However, there were some things that I found confusing and many answers that were left unresolved. I am hoping that these questions are answered in the next book. I liked the book, I just didn't love it. Overall, I think the writing would appeal more to younger readers. Maybe I am getting too old to fully appreciate books about teenagers that talk and act like teenagers.

My Rating: ***
Steam Factor: !
*Notes: Some violence

Where to get it:
Releases August 20.

About the author:

Melody Manful was born on the 8th of June 1994 in Tema, A town in Ghana. She started writing at a very early age and has been doing it ever since. We has two siblings, and lives in Denmark with her family. She loves music, reading and writing, and puts a great deal into making her friends happy.

Where to find the author:
Guardian Angels Series
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Review: Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter #3)

Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh


***Spoiler Warning***
I try not to, but there may be spoilers. If you have not read Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1) you may want to click here to read my review of that book instead. There is a great twist at the end and I would have been disappointed if I had found out before I read it for myself. Ok, you have been warned. If you are still reading, you have already read Angels' Blood or you like to be spoiled. 




Description:
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…


My Thoughts:
One thing a paranormal series can do to draw me in is to make the made-up world seem real. This series makes people walking around with wings seem normal. Maybe it's the rules about wings brushing, or acceptable wing touching, or the mention of wings dragging when tired. That is something I have liked about this series from the beginning. It makes the world work for me.

I like Elena and Raphael together. Elena needs someone who can deal with her hunter side and Raphael lets her make him more human. They balance one another, but they are still learning how to be together. Sometimes I feel like the love scenes slow things down a bit, but the airborne scene? Impressive. We're still getting bits about secondary characters that I hope to see further developed in future books. I am still onboard with this series.


My Rating: ****
Steam Factor: !!!!

Review: Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter #2)

***Spoiler Warning***
If you have not read Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1) you may want to click here to read my review of that book instead. There is a great twist at the end and I would have been disappointed if I had found out before I read it for myself. Ok, you have been warned. If you are still reading, you have already read Angels' Blood or you like to be spoiled.

Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter) by Nalini Singh

Description:
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena...

My Thoughts:
Elena is learning more about the world of the angels and how to deal with her new body after the coma. We find out more about her past as she relives bits and pieces of it. I love seeing the vulnerable Raphael that peeks out every now and then. This series has me hooked and I can't wait for more, especially some of the secondary characters. The bits we get of them have me intrigued.        

My Rating: ****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Some strong language.

Review: Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)

Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter) by Nalini Singh

Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best- but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option—even if the task is impossible. 

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break.

My Thoughts:
I have read good things about Nalini Singh's books; both the Psy-Changling series and the Guild Hunter series. When I saw the name, I decided to give it a try but did not really know what to expect. I only picked up Angels' Blood because it is the first book in the Guild Hunter series.

The first thing that I loved about the book was the world building. In some books, that part can drag, but I thought this was well done. The vampire/angel/archangel set up is unique and well done. The characters are great as well.  Elena is a super tough heronine and she has some great abilities that help her to track down rogue vampires. Then there is Raphael, who I could not sum up in just a few words, and plenty of fun secondary characters. There is lots of action, some surprises, and some steamy romance as well. I can't wait to read the next book

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!

Review: Crushed Seraphim

Crushed Seraphim by Debra Anastasia 

Description:

How does a foul-mouthed angel end up as the last hope for all of Heaven and Earth?

When Seraph Emma is maimed and tossed from Heaven by a rogue angel who's taken charge, she fears she'll never be allowed to return. Tasked with the impossible job of showing the self-loathing (and not even human!) Jason his worth, Emma is sure she's doomed to fail.

Mean...

How does a foul-mouthed angel end up as the last hope for all of Heaven and Earth? When Seraph Emma is maimed and tossed from Heaven by a rogue angel who's taken charge, she fears she'll never be allowed to return. Tasked with the impossible job of showing the self-loathing (and not even human!) Jason his worth, Emma is sure she's doomed to fail. Meanwhile, having wormed his way into Heaven, the corrupt Everett has trapped God in Hell and has designs on unleashing evil everywhere. Fortunately, if there's one thing Emma can't do (in addition to minding her language), it's give up. Determined to save Jason and get back to Heaven-even if it means going to Hell-Emma's plan is simple yet impossible: trick the Devil to save God. What she doesn't count on is the devotion and, well, humanity she finds in Jason; the spirit, hidden compassion, and raw sex appeal within the Devil; and the vulnerability of her own heart. With the help of two unlikely allies, she'll wage the battle for Heaven. But will Emma be sidetracked by a new sort of heaven along the way? What's truly more dangerous? Falling from Heaven, or falling in love? Debra Anastasia has twisted a fast-paced tale of intimate relationships with literally universal impact. Rich with humor and electrified by attraction, this novel offers a playfully off-beat take on the good and evil that make up the world.

My Thoughts:

I don't normally read books about angels and Heaven, but I really got into this one.  It is pretty fast-paced and there is a lot going on. It is unpredictable and I had a hard time putting it down.  I had to keep reading because I found myself wondering what could possibly happen next. However, the ending is very abrupt and nothing is resolved. I finished the book feeling very unsettled, but there will be a sequel, which I am highly anticipating.

One issue here is that I don't really like Emma.  It is hard to reconcile her supposed kindness with some of her actions, such as her cruelty to Jason right from the start.  Her job is to make him see his humanity and get him to believe in Heaven, but she doesn't even treat him like a person. I guess no one is perfect.  I was hoping to like her more, but I enjoyed the story anyway. Maybe she will redeem herself in the next book, or I will learn to appreciate her personality.

My Rating:  *****

Steam Factor:  !!!

*Note:  Strong language

Where to get it:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Omnific

Where to find the author:

Debra Anastasia

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