Helpful Score: 5
**spoiler alert**
Pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure how much I would like a Guild Hunter novel that didn't focus on Elena and Raphael, but I loved it. Dmitri's story is great. It does flash back alot to how he was Made, but it really works for the story. It is important that you understand what happened to him and his family so you will know why he is the way he is now. Honor has lived thru something no person should ever go through. And It becomes apparent early on that Honor is Dmitri's wife reincarnated. Which just makes the story that much better. It takes them the whole book to realize it. But watching Dmitri become something other than the cold heartless killer he has been for a thousand years was something special. Wrapped around the couple are 2 sub plots, one is Dmitri helping Honor hunt down those who kidnapped and tortured her. The other is Dmitri's past coming back to haunt him in a disgruntled vampire who wants revenge for Dmitri killing his "love". An angel who was as cruel as she was beautiful, and Dmitri's Maker. But enough of the spoilers, don't put this book aside because its about another couple, they are worth the read!!!
www.texasreader-stacy.blogspot.com
www.goodreads.com/whatstacy
Pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure how much I would like a Guild Hunter novel that didn't focus on Elena and Raphael, but I loved it. Dmitri's story is great. It does flash back alot to how he was Made, but it really works for the story. It is important that you understand what happened to him and his family so you will know why he is the way he is now. Honor has lived thru something no person should ever go through. And It becomes apparent early on that Honor is Dmitri's wife reincarnated. Which just makes the story that much better. It takes them the whole book to realize it. But watching Dmitri become something other than the cold heartless killer he has been for a thousand years was something special. Wrapped around the couple are 2 sub plots, one is Dmitri helping Honor hunt down those who kidnapped and tortured her. The other is Dmitri's past coming back to haunt him in a disgruntled vampire who wants revenge for Dmitri killing his "love". An angel who was as cruel as she was beautiful, and Dmitri's Maker. But enough of the spoilers, don't put this book aside because its about another couple, they are worth the read!!!
www.texasreader-stacy.blogspot.com
www.goodreads.com/whatstacy
Helpful Score: 2
I read a couple of okay romance books before I got to this. I couldn't help thinking, "Now this is romance writing from someone on top of her game!!!" I don't think I can sing enough praises of Singh with this book (and I definitely don't love everything she writes).
This book was about the vampire Dmitri (Archangel Raphael's second in command) and Guild Hunter Honor. So if are expecting another Raphael and Elena adventure you will be disappointed. I wasn't so sure when I first got the book either but this was really good. I'm in shocked because Dmitri has never been my favorite but I completely fell in love with him here.
Both Dmitri and Honor were great characters. Honor was trying to come back after being tortured and raped for two months by the hands of vampires. Dmitri was trying to survive after losing everything 1,000 years ago (hey, the guy is slow and an incurable romantic. Who would have thought?). On top of that there were two mysteries to solve (mutilations and who abducted Honor), three if you want to count what was going on between Dmitri and Honor. So there were a lot to keep track of and I didn't want to put the book down one bit.
What I loved about it and why it differed from the mediocre books I read was the way Singh presented Dmitri. Yes, like all the other books, it starred an alpha male. But Singh didn't have to tell you that. She didn't resort to "Me, Tarzan....You, Jane" dialogue. She did an excellent job of just showing you through little nuisances. It was subtle. As a result I think it made her character more real and mutli-dimensional. Her descriptions were also so beautifully written yet not overly flowery.
This was an excellent book. I really think this was the best one I have read by Singh.
This book was about the vampire Dmitri (Archangel Raphael's second in command) and Guild Hunter Honor. So if are expecting another Raphael and Elena adventure you will be disappointed. I wasn't so sure when I first got the book either but this was really good. I'm in shocked because Dmitri has never been my favorite but I completely fell in love with him here.
Both Dmitri and Honor were great characters. Honor was trying to come back after being tortured and raped for two months by the hands of vampires. Dmitri was trying to survive after losing everything 1,000 years ago (hey, the guy is slow and an incurable romantic. Who would have thought?). On top of that there were two mysteries to solve (mutilations and who abducted Honor), three if you want to count what was going on between Dmitri and Honor. So there were a lot to keep track of and I didn't want to put the book down one bit.
What I loved about it and why it differed from the mediocre books I read was the way Singh presented Dmitri. Yes, like all the other books, it starred an alpha male. But Singh didn't have to tell you that. She didn't resort to "Me, Tarzan....You, Jane" dialogue. She did an excellent job of just showing you through little nuisances. It was subtle. As a result I think it made her character more real and mutli-dimensional. Her descriptions were also so beautifully written yet not overly flowery.
This was an excellent book. I really think this was the best one I have read by Singh.
It was nice having a book in this series from different points of views. I like Elena and Raphael, but for a romance series following the same characters for too many books becomes boring. There's only so many times you can add drama to a couple that's already together before their romance stops being interesting. In this book we follow Dmitri, a vampire that's been a pain in Elena's side since book one. It was nice seeing behind the asshole persona that he's always projecting and finding out what happened to make him that way. I wish his human life hadn't been quite so sad - any sad things with kids always hit me really hard, so it was difficult to keep reading the flashbacks at times. However, it was worth it to get a glimpse of a younger Raphael as well.
Honor's story line was interesting as well, though a bit unbelievable. Once she started interacting with Dmitri she recovered from her previous ordeal a bit too quickly. Though I suppose the twist at the end is probably supposed to help explain that. The twist is a bit weird as well, as it's something that doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the world. Though it does make for an extra happy ending.
Honor's story line was interesting as well, though a bit unbelievable. Once she started interacting with Dmitri she recovered from her previous ordeal a bit too quickly. Though I suppose the twist at the end is probably supposed to help explain that. The twist is a bit weird as well, as it's something that doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the world. Though it does make for an extra happy ending.
The other reviewers were spot on--this is an oustanding story. The author's best, I think. Characterization of Dmitri was exceptionally well developed. Based on the first books in this series, I would never have thought Dmitri capable of such depth of love. Also, seeing Honor heal and leave her cocoon was inspiring. Love and redemption--my favorite theme. Exceptional writing from one of the genre's masters! It's going to be tough waiting for the next book in the series.
Danielle R. (danielleraybuck) reviewed Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter, Bk 4) on + 76 more book reviews
Wasn't one of my favorites....
