Title: Archangel’s Kiss

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkeley (US) / Gollancz (UK)
Publication Date: February 2010 (US) / March 2010 (UK)
Paperback: 352 pages

Stand Alone or Series: Book 2 in the ongoing Guild Hunter series

How Did We Get This Book: Review copies from author & publisher

Why Did We Read This Book: Both of us loved Angels’ Blood, the first book in the series. Ana is a confessed Nalini Singh-aholic, and Thea is on her way to becoming one too. The question should be, rather, what took us so long to read this book?

Summary: (from NaliniSingh.com)
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: Anyone that reads our reviews knows that I have an aversion to romance novels, especially of the mushy, sexually explicit variety. I’ve read some pretty bad Paranormal Romance in particular that makes my eyes roll up to the back of my head, where they can see my brain, which is pissed off at having to read the offending material in the first place. I can deal with mush and sex, but not when it is at the expense of a cohesive and believable story. Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter books are the clear exception to my PNR-dislike, because, quite frankly, her writing rules. The thing that drew me in with Angels’ Blood was how textured and real her characters felt – how Raphael is actually a terrifying, cruel immortal and has no mortal feelings. How Elena is fragile and insignificant in the grand scope of the supernatural world – and she not only knows this but respects it. The biggest problem I have with a lot of PNR (and a lot of UF to be honest) is how there are these supposed millennia-old immortal/super-sexy/supposedly dangerous dudes – but they act like they are in their twenties or thirties, and they are all big softies with hearts of gold, and even if they committed atrocities that was all in the distant past and they are atoning for it, and they are saved from an eternity of brooding by this fiesty hot little human thang (who of course turns out to be some super powerful fey princess/most powerful/magical creature in the universe) who has a scent and a way of sassing that is IRRESISTIBLE to said leading male. In Angels’ Blood and Archangel’s Kiss, Ms. Sing creates a world where deadly creatures are actually deadly, and her heroine Elena is valued because of her human heart and her frailty – even as an immortal, she is a young one and easy to kill. I LOVED that about this book. I love that the relationship between Raphael and Elena is far from “happily ever after” and that their story is continued here. I loved it all enough that I didn’t even mind all the renegade nipples, running rampant throughout the book. Well, I didn’t mind much.

Ana: I read Archangel’s Kiss a few weeks ago which makes it my first official 2010 book. I came to it in the middle of a serious reading slump after I tried and couldn’t finish about 6 books. Nalini Singh once more saves me from the brink of despair. Her writing is kick-ass as usual, the particular world-building of the Guild Hunter book as interesting as ever and the relationship between Raphael and Elena is not only smoking hot (unlike Thea, I tend to like the sexually explicit content when it is well done and part of the story. And oh boy. Can Nalini Singh deliver on that area) but also fascinating.

On the Plot:

Thea: While Angels’ Blood had more of a death-defying, high stakes plot, Archangel’s Kiss is more subdued. There’s an overarching problem of some cruel angel that siccing his/her vampires on Raphael’s vampires, maiming and sending a taunting message meant to threaten Elena’s safety. There’s also the distant, looming test for Elena on the horizon as Lijuan, the most ancient and powerful of the archangels, has broken her disinterested seclusion in China and has extended an invitation to Raphael and his new “pet” hunter. Lijuan’s age and power, however, have changed her into something beyond immortal. She has evolved and has power over death itself, creating her own amusements in the form of an army of the dead reborn – an army that feeds on the flesh of the living to sustain itself. And Lijuan likes to feed her pets – with Elena in mind. While there are these two conflicts going on, the bulk of the novel involves Elena trying to get back her strength and become accustomed to her strange new body, especially after a year of lying in a coma. The focus in this second book is not so much on another rip-roaring adventure (though there is a fair amount of action and a dramatic conclusion) than it is a character-centric book. The highest points of Archangel’s Kiss are in the growing understanding and relationship between Elena and Raphael, as Elena learns what it means to be “immortal” and yet so incredibly weak.

Again, I found myself in awe of Nalini Singh’s worldbuilding skills. Her hierarchy of humans, vampires, angels and archangels is staggering in its complexity and in how utterly believable it all is. As I said before, these immortals are dangerous, cruel creatures and they act as such. I LOVED that Raphael’s Seven would try to kill Elena if she slipped in her vigilance – not because they hate Elena, but because her very presence weakens their leader. She is a liability, plain and simple, and I liked this aspect of the story (but more on that with characters later!). From a writing perspective, I only had a few minor complaints – there was a high level of repetition (especially regarding Elena’s suppressed memories, resurfacing) that needn’t have been there, and a whole bunch of not-sex/almost-sex scenes that I’m admittedly not a fan of (but, of course, this is personal taste! As Ana would say, it’s “hawt” but I’m an emotionally immature reader). Overall though, Ms. Singh’s writing level is awesome, and I found myself swept away in this wonderful novel.

Ana: As Thea says, plot-wise, there are several threads that run parallel in Archangel’s Kiss. The angels and archangels are scheming as ever and with a seat open in the Cadre of Ten, one is stepping up step up to fill up that place. This is expected and almost all Archangels are ok with it. Thea mentioned that the creatures created by Nalini Singh are cruel and terrifying immortals. This is even clearer in Archangel’s Kiss: as the mystery of who wants to be part of the Cadre builds up what seems to be the problem is not necessarily that people are being killed in a cruel manner. And that is fascinating even if albeit a bit uncomfortable.

The problem stems from the manner which this is being done, the overstepping of the boundaries and the fact that children are being targeted. Similarly when it comes to Lijuan’s age and power – a plotline that one day might be applicable to Raphael – the importance comes from the connection (or lack of) with what is like to an archangel versus being human – hence the relationship between Raphael and Elena being the central theme of the series.

I mentioned that Archangel’s Kiss saved me from a reading slump and it was so. But I did have a couple of problems with it. I actually agree with Thea that there was a high level of repetition -one more “mine” from Raphael and I would explode. Having said that, I absolutely adored the book.

On the Characters:

Thea: Here’s where things really get going. Archangel’s Kiss is very much a character-centric novel, exploring Elena and Raphael even more as characters, and building on their relationship together. Following the dramatic ending of Angels’ Blood, Elena has been Made an Angel and now is immortal. Except…immortality isn’t everything you think it is. She heals more quickly and will never grow old or fall to illness, but Elena is still at the very bottom of the power totem pole. She barely has the strength to walk (as she has been in a coma for a year), and she must learn how to carry and use her new wings. I absolutely loved that Elena isn’t automatically All Better (nor is she SUPER!POWERFUL!) because she’s an Angel – in fact, in many ways she’s even weaker and in a worse position as an immortal than she was as a hunter. As a mortal, Elena knew exactly who she was. She wasn’t a mark for an angelic power play, and she never had to worry about becoming overpowered or a slave to Raphael’s possessive will. But, as an Angel and as Raphael’s mate, she is essentially a walking bullseye for those who want to hurt or take Raphael down – which means even Raphael’s loyal servants want her killed, because she weakens him; she makes him vulnerable. But isn’t that the coolest thing? That’s what love does – it makes one vulnerable to be hurt, but that trust and vulnerability make it all the more special. And THAT is why I love this couple. Elena is strong willed and refuses to be Raphael’s slave, and Raphael – utterly inhuman Raphael – learns and respects this. It’s a beautiful dynamic.

Beyond the leading pair, all of the other characters are textured, diverse, and brilliant in their own ways. In particular, Ilium (one of Raphael’s Seven, the only one to love Elena) and Michaela (another powerful archangel in the Cadre of Ten) are standouts. Michaela’s character is one that you cannot help but despise, especially in her cruel, cold venom towards Elena, but the brilliance of Ms. Singh’s writing is that she shows another, more relatable side to this villain too. And I can dig that.

Ana: I have to agree with Thea again. I think that this is where Archangel’s Kiss truly shines. As Elena awakens from a year- long coma that changed her forever and is faced with a whole new set of challenges. She basically has to learn a new life. Heck she even starts to attend school for Angels. I love how different both Raphael and Elena are from who they used to be and how they both have evolved as characters. And it couldn’t be any different. Not only one year has passed but their love for each other and their personalities have influenced each other. They are BOTH softer people they once were and I think that is a good thing. Not only does Elena make Raphael vulnerable (and how amazing are the last lines of the book- Raphael gets the bests last liners!) but he makes her too. But at the same time, they haven’t completely changed their personalities: Raphael is still cold and ruthless and finds it hard to HAVE to respect Elena’s wishes for independence. It is a working, developing and yes, beautiful dynamics.

I really hope that this hasn’t be the last we see of them. Now that she has become an immortal angel, I want to see what happens with her role as a Hunter and how this dynamics will play when they return to New York.

As for the secondary characters, I am completely fascinated by Michaela who both terrifies and befuddles me. When I think she is completely evil and potty she does something that makes me feel sorry for her. This is the mark of a good villain. And then there is Illium (or Bluebell) and his blue eyelashes and the hint of a sad past AND NALINI SINGH YOU MUST TELL US MORE ABOUT ILLIUM.

I can’t stand Dimitri though – is it just me, dear readers?

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: I truly enjoyed Archangel’s Kiss – heck, I loved it. It’s not as powerful as Angels’ Blood, but it is a solid, captivating second installment in the ongoing Guild Hunter series. I loved the deeper look at angels, their laws, their powers and their politics, just as I devoured the ongoing romance between two very moving protagonists. I cannot wait for the next book in the series – and the return to the world of mere mortals!

Ana: Although not as refreshingly powerful and original (have I lost that first spark?) as Angels’ Blood, Archangel’s Kiss delivers in every possible ways to make this a great Paranormal Romance series that even the naysayers can safely pick up: a solid world-building, good writing, a great character-driven central arc and an amazing romance.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the official excerpt:

Elena gripped the balcony railing and stared down at the gorge that fell away with jagged promise beneath. From here, the rocks looked like sharp teeth, ready to bite and tear and rip. She tightened her hold as the icy wind threatened to tumble her into their unforgiving jaws. “A year ago,” she murmured, “I didn’t know the Refuge existed, and today, here I stand.”

A sprawling city of marble and glass spread out in every direction, its elegant lines exquisite under the razor-sharp burn of the sun. Dark-leafed trees provided soothing patches of green on both sides of the gorge that cut a massive divide through the city, while snow-capped mountains ruled the sky line. There were no roads, no high-rises, nothing to disturb the otherworldly grace of it.

Yet, for all its beauty, there was something alien about this place, a vague sense that darkness lurked beneath the gilded surface. Drawing in a breath laced with the biting freshness of the mountain winds, she looked up . . . at the angels. So many angels. Their wings filled the skies above this city that seemed to have grown out of the rock itself.

The angelstruck, those mortals who were literally en thralled by the sight of angelic wings, would weep to be in this place filled with the beings they worshipped. But Elena had seen an archangel laugh as he plucked the eyes out of a vampire’s skull, as he pretended to eat, then crush the pulpy mass. This, she thought with a shiver, was not her idea of heaven.

A rustle of wings from behind her, a squeeze from the pow erful hands on her hips. “You’re tiring, Elena. Come inside.”

You can read the full excerpt online HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Angels are everywhere these days – in books, in films, in video games… For example, last week Legion came out in theaters (which we haven’t seen yet, but Thea is feeling the urge even if it does look silly).

Do you have any favorite portrayals of angels in film or literature?

Rating:

Thea: 7 – Very Good. (But leaning toward an 8 )

Ana:8 Excellent

Reading Next: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

Welcome to another Sunday edition of our Smugglers’ Stash & News.

First up, we’ve got some fan-freakin-tastic news.

Bloomsbury Retracts Cover:

On Thursday afternoon, Bloomsbury officially announced that they will no longer be printing the offending cover of Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore.

Bloomsbury is ceasing to supply copies of the US edition of Magic Under Glass. The jacket design has caused offense and we apologize for our mistake. Copies of the book with a new jacket design will be available shortly.

As with Liar, Bloomsbury is retracting the cover and will issue a new one.

Author Jaclyn Dolamore has posted on her blog that the new cover is underway, and it will be featuring a model of color:

You may have seen my vision of Nimira in my book trailer. I hadn’t shared this image with Bloomsbury at the time the cover was originally conceived (the trailer wasn’t created until November, after the book was done) but we’ll now be looking at models who look more closely like her, which I’m very excited about!

To everyone that posted about Bloomsbury’s racist cover practices, to everyone that tweeted about it, to everyone that called or wrote the publisher demanding change, thank you. You have all done it. As a community, we were able to make our voices heard, and together we were able to cause change. We are so incredibly happy and proud to be a part of this awesome, vocal, dedicated group.

But, as Ari of Reading In Color and the folks over at Bookshelves of Doom remind us, this one cover at Bloomsbury is not an isolated incident. Whitewashing of book covers is a practice that pervades the publishing industry. With that in mind, and because this is something important to us, we’ve decided to add a new feature to The Book Smugglers called “Cover Matters.” Starting on Monday, we plan to post at about cover issues at least once a month. We hope to be able to even have guests over for interview – bloggers, authors, maybe even a publisher (hey, it’s worth a try) – to go with the posts.

In Other News:

Lots of news today! First, if you haven’t heard, there is going to be an honest to goodness Book Blogger Convention this year! This will be a one day event, uniting book bloggers from around the world in New York City. The con will take place on Friday, May 28, 2010 at the NYC Seminar and Conference Center in New York City – which is pretty cool for folks that might be in town anyways for Book Expo America (May 25-27). Some of the topics to be covered include: Professionalism/Ethics, Marketing, Author/Blogger Relationships, Building Community, Writing/Building Content. While Ana won’t be able to make it, Thea has already registered for BEA and plans on making it to BBC as well! So, any other book blogger types that are in the area or planning on flying out, let us know! Bonus, the good folks running the convention have an awesome giveaway right now – book bloggers can enter for a chance to have their registration fee waived! Only one will win, but it’s worth entering, especially if you’re watching your budget. Registration for the con is currently open and available for a discounted rate of $90 (until February 14). So, hop to!

In other slightly belated news, the ALA has announced literary award winners for 2010 last week! Here are the big winners:

John Newbery Medal (for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature): When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Newberry Honor Books: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, and The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Randolph Caldecott Medal (for most distinguished American picture book for children):
The Lion & the Mouse illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney.
Caldecott Honor Books: All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon; Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman

Michael L. Printz Award (for excellence in literature written for young adults):
Going Bovine written by Libba Bray
Printz Honor Books: Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman, The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey, Punkzilla by Adam Rapp, and Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award (recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults): Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.
King Author Honor Book: Mare’s War by tanita s. davis

We are thrilled to see that the Printz went to Libba Bray’s AWESOME Going Bovine, which we reviewed last year. Also, Thea’s ecstatic that Rick Yancey’s truly excellent novel The Monstrumologist was honored as well.

Also, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2010 Top 10 List of Best Books for Young Adults. And the titles are:

Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan (Reviewed HERE and HERE)
The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin
The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker

We’re thrilled to see Sarah Rees Brennan, Catherine Jinks and Laini Taylor honored on the list – and we’ve got a few books that we desperately need to read nowNowNOW.

This next item on the list is just really freaking awesome. Neil Gaiman (aka Ana and Thea’s writing GOD) has teamed up with comic book artist Jim Lee, letterer Todd Klein (who did the lettering for Neil Gaiman’s epic Sandman series) and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and have put together a limited print run of an illustrated poem, “100 Words.” (Click to enlarge)

It’s beautiful, isn’t it? You can purchase a copy online via Neverwear.

Finally, one last bit of news. Last week, Thea finally got off her slacker-butt, and set up a Facebook Fan Page for The Book Smugglers. You can find us by clicking the handy button above (which is also in our left hand sidebar). Our posts automatically update there, and we’ll also pop in to make other bookish announcements. The reason for the page? Well, we received a few comments in our recent survey asking us to syndicate our feed over at Facebook, and…voila! Hope you all enjoy it.

This Week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, Alexandra Bullen, debut author of young adult fantasy novel Wish stops by on her blog tour, talking about what inspires her and you will have a chance to win a copy of her copy. Later, we will have our very first post in our new feature “Cover Matters,” in which we will take a look at whitewashing on the covers of books.

Tuesday, Thea reviews one of her most highly anticipated books of the new year, Robert Jackson Bennett’s apocalyptic-style/historical fiction/horror novel, Mr. Shivers. Also, Harry of Temple Library Reviews will be here, giving us a guest review of Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur (the first book in the Damask Circle Trilogy)

On Wednesday, we give you a double shot of Carrie Jones! First, we give a joint review of Need, and then later in the day Thea reviews the second book in the young adult fantasy series, Captivate.

On Thursday, Ana reviews Dia Reeves’ dark young adult debut novel Bleeding Violet. Her post will be followed by our first Guest Dare of 2010: Renee of Renee’s Book Addiction caves to the pressure (ours and her husband’s) and reads the first book in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring.

Finally, on Friday we close out the week with a joint review of – squeee! – Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh.

Phew. It’s a big week. Again. I’ll leave you with this awesome picture that I think encapsulates Ana and myself at times perfectly. Until next week…

Welcome to Smugglivus – Day 24!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: The lovely Sarah Kuhn, one of the good, hardworking folks behind the geektastic blog Alert Nerd. Sarah also happens to be an author – her debut novel One Con Glory was released this year (and both of us Smugglers LOVED it).

Please give a warm welcome to Sarah!

So I’m looking back on my year of reading (reflecting, if you will – just imagine me gazing pensively out the window at some generic body of water while CW-approved power ballads tinkle away in the background). It’s been a pretty fantastic twelve months: I’ve greeted many newly-published works with open arms, but I’ve also discovered a lot of swoon-worthy stuff from previous years.

In other words…I have tons of unhealthy new obsessions to take me into 2010! Yay! Ring the gong and prepare the fannish-bordering-on-inappropriate message board postings!

I’ve decided that the only proper way to really look back on this year is to give out awards. Or maybe I should say “awards” since the recipients don’t actually get anything except a mention here and my undying devotion.

Ready?

Best New-to-Me Book: Wicked Lovely, Melissa Marr

I devoured Melissa Marr’s first tome of urban fairy courts on a road trip – reclined back in the passenger seat, fingertips gripping the book so hard, I thought I was going to bend it in half. My addiction was instant and undeniable; as soon as we docked at our first destination, I tore out of the car and to the nearest book store so I could buy the next one. I love that this series is so lushly, unabashedly romantic, but also gives us teen girl characters who demonstrate their considerable strength in complex, perfectly believable ways. No idealized damsels here, folks.

Best Actually New Book: Going Bovine, Libba Bray

Look, I basically love everything Libba Bray does, whether she’s penning her kick-ass Gemma Doyle trilogy or donning a cow suit for promotional purposes. So it was kind of a given that I’d love this, but goddamn…“love” might not be strong enough a word? Bray’s heady mix of mad cow-afflicted teen, sugar-addict angel, and hypochondriac dwarf is hilarious and acerbic and deeply, deeply witty…but it will also totally break your heart. Like, it will sneak up on you in the middle of the page and rip your poor heart out of your chest and stomp all over it until you’re bawling your head off. I mean all this as the highest of compliments

Best New-to-Me Heroine: Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson from Moon Called, Patricia Briggs

I have Thea to thank for this one. When you read as much urban fantasy/paranormal romance as I do, the heroines occasionally start to blend together. Like, “Oh, this chick, she’s really strong or whatever and she can do some way frakkin’ cool supernatural thing and she rocks a leather jacket and every guy she meets is totally into her, but…hey, she’s just a regular girl. You know.” Mercy – mechanic, shapechanger, actual regular girl – is a thoroughly distinctive breath of fresh air. She’s believably flawed, but she knows who she is and doesn’t angst all over the place about her supernatural lot in life. From page one, her voice is fully-realized and totally easy to relate to.

Best Actually New Heroine: Calliope Reaper-Jones from Death’s Daughter, Amber Benson

Here’s another voice that grabbed me from the very first paragraph. Cally – who actually is Death’s Daughter, thank you very much – instantly engages you with her motormouthed inner monologue. It’s kind of like getting on a speeding train – a hilarious, quippy, delightfully boy-crazy speeding train – without knowing exactly where you’re going. And yet, to misquote Liz Lemon, you really want to go to there. Or I sure did, anyway.

Returning Series That Continues to Kick My Ass: WVMP Radio, Jeri Smith-Ready

The first WVMP Radio book, Wicked Game, was probably my favorite read of 2008: undead DJs, awesome ex-con-artist protagonist, startlingly unique take on the vamp mythos (no voluminous black leather dusters involved!). Also, sex that’s actually…um, sexy. I was a little worried that Smith-Ready’s follow-up, Bad to the Bone, couldn’t possibly get under my skin in the same way. Foolish worries! Bad to the Bone is stuffed with twisty underworld intrigue, amazingly realistic relationship issues, and perfectly-placed touches of humor. Oh, and more sexy sex. Third book cannot get here quickly enough.

Coupling I Would Most Like To Write Fanfic About (If I Actually Wrote Fanfic): Mercy Smith/Riley Kincaid, Branded by Fire, Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series is another Awesome Thing I found out about thanks to Thea and Ana. And while I enjoy that each book focuses on a new pairing (and we get little updates on previous pairings, since it’s all set in the same world)…I really would not object at all if every book from now on was about Mercy and Riley. Over the course of Branded by Fire, these two strong, excessively stubborn personalities are pushed together, hate each other, have great sex, and eventually fall in love. The sex happens first, but the way Singh develops their relationship from a deeply emotional standpoint is what really got me.

Love Interest I Most Want To [REDACTED]: David the Djinn, Weather Warden series, Rachel Caine

Ah, David. What can you say about David, really? My brain transforms itself into a mush-like substance just thinking about it…him. Whatever. Daaaaaaviiiiiiiid.

Most Heart-Attack-Inducing Cliffhanger: Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

OH MY GOD. SERIOUSLY.

Most Anticipated Reads:

(2009) Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

This gorgeously-designed doorstopper of a book is tempting me so hard from its perch on my overloaded bookshelf. The only reason I haven’t cracked it yet is I’m in the middle of like five other books I should finish first. Right? Right?! Anyway, this Southern Gothic tale of magic sounds beautiful and atmospheric and supernaturally romantic and lots of people I respect have said it’s the best thing ever. In other words: crack for Sarah.

(2010) Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey

I have long admired Karen Healey’s writing – she’s one of the smartest, funniest, most insightful (I almost typed “insightfulest,” which shows you why, perhaps, I am always blown away by people with such obviously big brains) comic book bloggers around. She often makes me think of elements within four-color fandom that never would’ve occurred to me, or looks at said elements in a way that has me shrieking “right onnnnnnnnnnnnn” at my computer screen. Healey’s debut novel is full of (to quote her website) “M?ori mythology, magic, theatre, earthquakes, monsters, boarding school, tae kwon do, and the other horrors of a Christchurch winter.” Don’t you wish you could read this right now? Where is my freakin’ time machine?

Thanks Sarah!

Next on Smugglivus: Jeff of Alert Nerd

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 26!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: KMont, the lovely lady that runs the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance/Speculative Fiction blog Lurv ala Mode! KMont is a Smuggler staple – she always knows what sparkly new titles are coming out, and more often than not, our tastes in books overlap.

Ladies and gents, KMont!

Dudes, I am coming to you live from Smugglivus, Take 2! Boy it’s great to be here, Thea and Ana. Thanks for making room for me in your cargo hold. Perhaps I might take a stroll on the deck later? Oh, I have to finish scrubbing the cargo hold first? Okie dokie then, but do you realize how hard it is working around all yalls dang books? *glares*

I’m just kiddn’, folks. Ana and Thea would never make me scrub the cargo hold. Maybe the captain’s quarters. Wonder if the captain’s at home, I think he winked at me on the way in and he looked verra virile…

Anyway, 2009 was an odd year. I won’t waste yalls time by whining about how little time I had to read, but ya know, I didn’t have much time to read. Less and less as the year went on! I’ll blame the economy. No good reason, but El Nino’s old news, so the economy it is. So yep, less time to read, but still plenty of time to find something worthwhile in all the reading world.

2009 Top Reading Picks (no particular order)

1. Anything For You by Sarah Mayberry

This year I decided to try my hand at hosting a reading Challenge; Year of the Category was born. I’d read one or two category romances back in the day, but it’d been so long that I felt like a newcomer. I ought to have renamed the challenge Year of the Mayberry though, because Anything For You started me on a must-read Mayberrypalooza of pure enjoyment. I’m now officially a fan of this author and I don’t throw that word around lightly in regards to my reading.

2. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

I have a feeling I will always love this series. I’ve actually had the bad luck of being pretty disappointed in a few of my most favorite series this year, but Harrison keeps it strong with this seventh book in the Rachel Morgan/Hollows series. God, but I love it, love ‘em all. So much so that for the first time in my reading history, I plan to get the previous initial series books in hardback. Rachel Morgan, gotta love her, plus the rest of Harrison’s awesome cast of characters. It goes without saying, really, that I crave the next book.

3. The Noble Dead Saga, Series 1

I don’t know if there’s anything quite like finding a series one enjoys, then devouring it back-to-back like a reading pig. Barb and J.C. Hendee co-author the Noble Dead books, a fantasy epic about a race of vampires called the Noble Dead and one in particular and his mad quest. It’s so epic in scale I cannot fully make you understand how much fun it was to read it (I suppose that’ why I reviewed them). The books weren’t all perfect reads, and I was a little mad at a series end that leaves one hanging (the saga continues in Series 2 beginning with In Shade and Shadow and a new lead protagonist), but I look forward to continuing the overall arc as good continues to fight against ultimate, world-consuming evil.

4. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Sorry, Lucas Hunter, Mr. Awesome from Slave to Sensation, but Riley and Mercy have usurped you and Sascha as my favorite Psy/Changeling series couple. The dynamics between Mercy and Riley were fantastic, and I don’t only mean between the sheets. Not only did Singh give me another great couple to fall in love with, she also maintained tight control over her worldbuilding and series arc. When it comes to a plain-as-day handbook for this aspect of writing, Singh is a master, showing readers time and again that she is focused and dedicated to what she began back in 2006.

5. Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

I simply fell in love with this book, which, as plenty of readers know, isn’t exactly easy to do. When it happens, though, when we find that one special book that speaks to us, it is pure magic. We sink into said book with all the bliss of coming home to a perfect read. Not Quite a Husband was such a book for me, and it still ranks very high in my top reads for 2009. I’m not a huge fan of books set in India, for a variety of reasons, but the characters and their problems, their utter nakedness of emotion, spoke to me in a way I’d not been prepared for. I love this book. It reminded me of me so much that it hurt, but it was a welcome and blissful hurt, bittersweet and so very, very Happily Ever After. Believe it or not, I’m getting all teary-eyed just recalling it!

6. On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

It seems the Andrews writing team has reached a point of how can one not have one of their books on a list like this. I love to death their Kate Daniel’s series, and this year’s installment was stellar. On the Edge, though, was equally amazing and I’m a huge fan already of the skill, strength of the characters and the phenomenal worldbuoilding found within. Very much looking forward to Bayou Moon in 2010.

7. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Yep, add yet another reader completely gaga over this book. It made me into a puddle of love for it. Meg, the heroine, is wonderful. She’s flawed, adorably, unrepentantly rebellious and fun as hell. John After, the hero, is as unglued by her as I was. This was one of the best all-time feel good books I’ve ever read. It’s funny, painfully realistic and plain awesome.

2010 Reading Picks

There’s plenty to look forward to in 2010, and I started looking forward in May 2009. There’s the givens: Nalini Singh’s next Psy/Changeling and her 2nd Guild Hunter book, Archangel’s Kiss; Larissa Ione’s next Demonica; Linnea Sinclair’s Rebels and Lovers; even Charlaine Harris’ next Sookie, Dead in the Family, despite my extreme disappointment in Dead and Gone.

Instead, I’m reserving this section for some new-to-me authors:

1. The Reckoners by Doranna Durgin

Ghost hunter Lisa McGarrity can’t understand what’s gotten into the undead recently. Ectoplasm-flinging spirits and ghouls with grudges seem to be coming out of the woodwork, and her small business has been run ragged as she does her best to calm the outraged spirits. When the mysterious and sexy Trevarr appears on her doorstep, Lisa is suspicious. Why is he so interested in her ‘kooky’ hobby? What does he have to gain by visiting paranormal hot spots with her? Whatever he wants, Lisa can’t help being drawn to Trevarr, and as they start working together together to figure out this ghost population explosion, their mutual attraction causes explosions of its own.

2. Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland

I really enjoyed the first one, Mark of the Demon, in 2009 and have to know more.

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL, MAN AND DEMON, SHE’S ABOUT TO FACE THE ONE THING SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

Welcome to the world of Kara Gillian, a cop with a gift. Not only does she have the power of “othersight” to see what most people can’t even imagine, but she’s become the exclusive summoner of a demon lord. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The fact is, with two troublesome cases on her docket and a handsome FBI agent under her skin, Kara needs the help of sexy, insatiable Lord Rhyzkahl more than he needs her. Because these two victims, linked by suspicious coincidence, haven’t just been murdered. Something has eaten their souls.

It’s a case with roots in the arcane, but whose evil has flowered among the rich, powerful, and corrupt in Beaulac, Louisiana. And as the killings continue, Kara soon realizes how much there’s still to learn about demons, men, and things that kill in the night—and how little time she has to learn it.

3. The Line by Teri Hall

A young adult dystopian title by the looks of the blurb. It’s got a kind of The Village feel to it, which, while not that great a movie, still had a great premise. I feel this book does too, possibly along similar yet hopefully better lines:

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

4. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most interesting poets to me as a young adult, and I’ve never been much of a horror anything fan. I’m intrigued by what this book might do with such an inspiration. There’s not a lot of info yet, but the cover is intriguing enough:

In NEVERMORE, cheerleader Isobel falls for Poe-fan Varen–but will she be able to save him from the madness taking hold of his mind?

Lordy, I think this list is long enough, but it doesn’t cover 2009 or 2010 by half. Here’s to 2010 – may yours be full of books and plenty of time to read them!

Thanks KMont!

Next on Smugglivus: Jessica of Racy Romance Reviews

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 22!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: The Lusty Reader of Lusty Reader! She runs a solo-blog that covers all kinds of romance (you know, the lusty kind) but also literature, Urban Fantasy, speculative fiction, and includes a lot of interesting personal touches (such as decorations, recipes, etc). We were thrilled when she agreed to come over for Smugglivus!

Please give a warm, Smugglivus welcome to the Lusty Reader!

Greetings fellow Smugglivus revelers! What an honor it is to be part of this celebration, I’m so pleased to share my favorite reads of 2009 with y’all! It has been an excellent year for this lusty reader, especially for books with the lusty bits, how I do love them so.

This post almost didn’t happen; by almost I mean if I hadn’t stumbled across the book blogosphere earlier this year I never would have read *any of these*, this is a semi-depressing yet semi-awesome thought. In my early teens it seemed like I had read every book in the YA section of my bookstore, so when I read my first romance novel at 13 years old it opened up a whoooole nother untapped genre to slake my lust. The problem was I never knew another soul who read them, so I was stuck reading the same authors I knew for another 10 years or just randomly choosing books base don the back cover blurb, quelle horreur n’est-ce pas? I never grew as a reader, it was a very solitary hobby, so my book selections were way behind the times and unenlightened in general. It’s super hard to choose a good book without the knowledge to back up your search; I think that’s happened to all of us.

But thanks to many of you reading this right now, and of course Thea and Ana, and all others who deigned to chat books with me online, my reading horizons have forever been expanded.

The primary example of this is one of my top reads for 2009 from Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series. I can say with all confidence that left to my own devices I would *never* have read them. So sad that I would have missed out on this awesomeness! If any of you have qualms about reading fantasy books with not-totally-human protagonists you should absolutely give these a try! My ode to the first in this series needs not be repeated here, it remains one of my favorites in the series, but my second favorite was published this year so Branded By Fire absolutely counts for this list!

The futuristic fantasy world (set in a US similar only in terms of geography) has evolved throughout the first 6 books of the series. By the time we get to Branded by Fire five previous psy and changeling couples have found True Love and continue to work together to build a better world for the three races who inhabit it: the powerful psychic Psy, the animal shapeshifting Changelings, and humans. This book was an A+ for me due to the on-going arc of amazing world building as well as the creation of a Hero and Heroine I absolutely fell in love with. Mercy is a dominant female and sentinel for the DarkRiver leopard pack and Riley holds the same position for the SnowDancer wolves. Their interactions mirror their natures as shapeshifters as well as their human personalities, they way this all melds together is fascinating, I just adored how playful they were and smiled watching them fall in love. I also appreciated that Mercy was a captivating character without being damaged. While tragic pasts create interesting characters she came from a loving and tight-knit family which gave her an emotional core of love and strength.

The remaining top reads I want to mention bring me back to my roots of historical romance. This was my bread and butter, the absolute bulk of all my reading for so long and these three do it WELL. When you read a genre/sub-genre so often it takes a lot more effort for a book or author to stand out and Sherry Thomas definitely does! Her May 09 release Not Quite a Husband hit all my buttons, even one that usually doesn’t work for me – the estranged married couple finding reconciliation.

But the way Ms. Thomas handled Bryony and Leo’s estrangement, the whys, the hows, and the feelings were absolutely captivating. My heart physically ached for them at times and I had a truly physical reaction to so many scenes: wincing at their awkwardness, sweaty palms when they were in danger, bittersweet tears as they began their journey to reconciliation while still both were still hurting inside so much. I felt that not only was their situation very realistic but so was historical detail of the common ways marriages were handled at the time as well as the exotic setting in India.

Another stand out in the sea of historical romance is Kate Noble, I haven’t read her first book yet, but met her at the RWA convention this year (conveniently held just 2 metro stops from my house in DC!) and picked up her sophomore release Revealed.

Oh my stars was this an endeavor in excellence! I love a story with a solid romance foundation but layered with intrigue and cannot *count* how many Napoleonic war spy books I have read, but the freshness of the characters in Revealed made it a top read for me. So often we read about the bluestockings, the on-the-shelf misses, the destitute urchins who get a make-over I was just dying to read about a pretty, popular, nomal-by-society’s standards heroine when Phillipa Benning came along. A true diamond of the first water sailing her way through the ton she has unexpected depths. I loved that she was able to use her social skills in an interesting way – that she didn’t have to be a secretly trained marksman or daughter of a politico, but was able to adapt her drawing room and Bond Street skills to be useful in the Real World also.

I read so many other wonderful books but the majority were released many many moons ago, as I mentioned I’m catching up on all that I missed in my ignorance during my secluded years of reading. So honorable mentions to the following as I only read them for the first time this year: J.D. Robb’s In Death series (I’m only on book 6), His Dark Materials trilogy, half of Eloisa James’ backlist, and Joanna Bourne’s Spymaster books. But cheers to a wonderful 2009 and expanded reading horizons! Thank you so much for hosting me in your corner for the day and wishing you many hours of fabulous lusty reading in 2010!

Thank you, Lusty Reader!

Next on Smugglivus: Author Adrian Phoenix stops by to answer YOUR burning questions…

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 8!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: NY Times bestselling author Nalini Singh, PNR writer of two ongoing series’: the Psy/Changeling and the Guild Hunter books. Both have a great balance of world building and romance, making them two of Ana’s all time favourite series’.

Recent Work: Nalini published a whopping 3 books in 2009: 2 in her Psy/Changeling series: Branded by Fire (reviewed here by Ana) and Blaze of Memory (reviewed here by Ana) and the first one of her Guild Hunter series, Angels’ Blood (reviewed here by Ana and Thea). You can read Nalini’s Inspirations and Influences article here as well as an exclusive interview with Elena, the main character of Angels’ Blood, here.

Ladies and gents, we give you Nalini Singh and her favourite reads of 2009:

Smugglivus

I’ve always read widely across the genres, and within the sub-genres of romance, but as I look back on my reading this year, I’m realizing I’ve read particularly eclectically in 2009. However, I still crave a strong romantic or emotional thread, so all my top reads have had that in common.

One of my new “discoveries” this year was author Brian Freeman. He writes dark and twisty thrillers, the kind that make you gasp and check the windows. The thriller/mystery storylines of his books are fantastic of course, but I also enjoy the very human aspect of the series in terms of the relationships around the main character, Lieutenant Jonathan Stride – both romantic and not.

I also went on a bit of a historical mystery binge earlier this year. Of all the books I read, one that sticks out is Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. A medieval pathologist? Who woulda thought? I’m hooked. And there’s a romance of sorts – though you wouldn’t know it to start with.

Another author I discovered this year was Julie James. Sexy, funny contemporaries. It’s a hard combination to get exactly right, but Julie James does for me. I’m very much looking forward to her next release.

I also read Patricia Gaffney’s wonderful Wild at Heart for the first time in 2009. I loved both characters, but the hero made the book for me. And talking of memorable heroes, how can I forget The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley?! I’m really excited to see what Jennifer does with the next book in this series.

Another historical novel I adored is Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase, which someone *coughAnacough* ordered me to read. Then I read Stephanie Laurens’ The Untamed Bride and Mastered By Love and fell in love with her writing all over again.

All these novels made me remember how much I used to love historicals—which made me go on a historical reading spree, and gobble up the first three books of Lisa Kleypas’s (fantastic) Hathaway series.

YA is a genre that’s really exploded, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the wonderful array of stories coming out. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, is one that continues to make me think. Part sf, but family drama, it caught me from the evocative title, and kept hold of me throughout.

I also read Jane Austen’s Persuasion this year, after realizing that I’d never read it. *gasp* I adored it. It is, in my view, her most romantic novel—“You pierce my soul.”—what an amazing line!

At one stage, I did a bit of rereading, and one of the books I reread was Nerina Hilliard’s The Time is Short, a Mills & Boon romance from the 1970’s. I was scared it wouldn’t be as good as I remembered, but it was, oh it was! I’ve managed to get my hands on another one of Ms. Hilliard’s books and I’m hoarding it to savor at a later date.

Then there are my perennial favorites – Jayne Castle/JAK, Patricia Briggs, JD Robb/Nora Roberts, Anne Bishop. They all delivered fabulous reads once again this year. I’m already hanging out for their next books.

Other books I can’t wait to read include Meljean Brook’s new steampunk, as well as the continuation of her Guardians series; Ilona Andrews’ next Kate book, and the next book in her Edge series (loved the first one!); Lora Leigh’s Lion’s Heat; Stephanie Laurens’ The Elusive Bride, the next book in Maya Banks’ “Sweet” series, and the next entry in Kay Hooper’s fantastic Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. Oh and the next book in Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s Retrieval Artist series.

And…um, wow, maybe I should stop now (even though I know I’ve forgotten someone!), and move on to the part of his post where I share what I’m working on at the moment.

Currently, I’m writing Indigo’s book, part of the Psy/Changeling series. Indigo has been a strong, and somewhat mysterious character throughout the series—now, I’m finally learning about the woman behind the lieutenant, and you know what? She’s awesome. I would love to have Indigo for a friend. And her hero…I adore him. Adore. There is a deeply romantic sense about this book, along with a sense of pack, of family—we’ll be spending lots of time with the SnowDancer wolves.

As for releases – I have Archangel’s Kiss in February, the second book in my Guild Hunter series. This was a different book for me to write, because it features the same couple from Angels’ Blood. I just didn’t think their story was finished – there is so much to explore with these two.

Then, in July, I have Bonds of Justice, part of the Psy/Changeling series. This book features a human cop and a Psy with a most unusual talent. Max is a great, great hero, and Sophia is a heroine unlike any other. I hope you enjoy their story.

I also have a novella, “Whisper of Sin” in the Burning Up anthology in August. This novella is technically a prequel but stands alone. It’s set a little way back in DarkRiver’s past, and features a hero who is completely, utterly wicked in the sexiest way…and determined to tease the smart, practical heroine into all sorts of sin.

Indigo’s book should also release next year, but I haven’t got a release date for that yet.

Getting back to the books I’ve read this year, I’ve just noticed how many series I’ve listed. I guess again, it’s the emotion in the continuing relationships that keep pulling me back. What about you? Do you love series’? Which are your favorites, and why do you love them?

Thanks Nalini!

And Now For The Giveaway:

Leave a comment answering Nalini’s question above about series’ (do you read them? Do you love them? Why or why not?) for a chance to win a copy of Angel’s Blood and Blaze of Memory, generously offered by the author.

The contest is open to EVERYONE and will run until Saturday, December 12 at 11:59pm (PST). ONE entry per person, please! Duplicate and/or multiple entries will be disqualified. Good Luck!

Hello! We leave week one of Smugglivus behind and prepare ourselves for week two with loads more of exciting posts – if we may say so ourselves. But first, last week’s giveaway winners:

Joel Sutherland Giveaway

This is a special giveaway: the three winners get an e-copy of Frozen Blood -which by the way, was nominated last week for yet another award, The Black Quill award for Best Small Press Chill, congratulations, Joel! – plus the chance to become a character in his next book. Drum roll, please. The winners are:

Mariska (comment #29)
Veronika F (comment #44)
Sharon K (comment #14)

Congratulations! We will email you with further details!

Jackie Kessler Giveaway

The winner of one copy of Black and White is: Danielle (comment #40)

Alma Alexander Giveaway

The winner of ONE AUTOGRAPHED copy of Spellspam is: Caitlin Usignol (comment #25)
The winner of ONE AUTOGRAPHED copy of Cybermage is: Mishel (comment #18)

Congratulations! You know the drill – send an email to contact AT the book smugglers DOT com with your snail mail address, and we’ll get your winnings out to you as soon as possible! Thanks to all that entered, and if you didn’t win this time, don’t worry. There’s plenty more where that came from!

And you can still enter the fabulous Simon and Schuster UK giveaway (they are giving away 6 upcoming titles to one lucky winner) .

This week on Smugglivus

We start the week with a post by YA writer Dan Waters later today, in which he talks about his favourite 2009 reads.

On Monday, our guest author is contemporary romance writer Julie James! She talks about the books she loved this year and in the spirit of Smugglivus, gives away copies of her two books. Her post will be followed by Thea’s review of Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines.

On Tuesday, PNR writer Nalini Singh talks about her favourite reads of 2009, and about what she is working on at the moment. You will have a chance to win two of her latest books too! Later on that day, Ana reviews Fantasy novel The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick.

Wednesday’s guest is Lee Harris, Assistant Editor for Angry Robot (the new HarperCollins imprint specializing in Fantasy, SciFi, Horror, and WTF!), talking about exciting releases for 2010. His post is followed by a guest review by Harry of Temple Library Reviews of Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon and will have a major swag to giveaway with Harry’s post.

On Thursday, YA author Jennifer Echols lists her own 2009 faves and tells us all about her upcoming books. Her post will be followed by Thea’s review of YA fantasy novel The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima.

On Friday, historical romance writer Loretta Chase dishes all about her upcoming release, and later we post a joint review of Going Bovine by Libba Bray.

Finally (phew), on Saturday it’s horror author Kaaron Warren’s turn to talk about the books she read in 2009, and we will have a huge Smugglivus giveaway.

Stay tuned, Smugglivites! And as Mr Spock would say:

Gollancz, the FANTABULOUS Sci-fi/Fantasy imprint of Orion Books has a new line of Paranormal Romance coming to the UK in 2010. I have known about this since their Autumn party and since then have waited with abated breath to see the covers and authors (I only knew about Nalini Singh) they are going to be releasing! I think the line has a lot of potential here in the UK especially after seeing the covers they came up with. Here are some of them:

Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series:

You probably know by now how much I LOVE this series (understatement of the millennium). I think the UK covers are WAY better than the US ones. And will you look at Lucas and dear lord, Judd (Caressed by Ice is my absolute favourite in the series) !

Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series:

Angels’ Blood, the first in the series is in my top 10 of 2009. I love the US covers for these but the UK covers kick-ass too.

Ann Aguirre’s Corine Solomon series:

LOVED Blue Diablo and can’t wait for Hell Fire. And I think the UK covers are as cool as the US covers.

So, what do you think? Like, dislike?

Title: Blaze of Memory

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley
Publishing Date: November 3 , 2009
Paperback: 400 pages

Stand Alone or series: 7th novel in the Psy/Changeling series. Yes, they need to be read in order, as the worldbuilding is continously expanding and there is an overall story arc.

Why did I read the book: If you have been reading this blog for a while you know this: I am a nalinisingh-a-holic. Seriously: this series is AWESOME.

How did I get the book: ARC from Author

Summary: Dev Santos discovers her unconscious and battered, with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that she’s dangerous. Charged with protecting his people’s most vulnerable secrets, Dev is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. It’s a task he’s never hesitated to complete…until he finds himself drawn to a woman who might yet prove the enemy’s most insidious weapon.

Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor, and programmed to carry out cold-blooded murder, Katya Haas is fighting desperately for her sanity itself. Her only hope is Dev. But how can she expect to gain the trust of a man who could very well be her next target? For in this game, one must die…

Review:

Death is a curse to those who dare. The Forgotten are the descendants of those Psy who dared to say no to the Silence protocol and broke away from the PsyNet. Pursued and punished, over and over again, those Psy went into hiding and became….Invisible. Forgotten. Until their ranks started to soar again and new, different psychic gifts appeared in the new generation putting them under the Council’s radar. Now, it is a matter of life and death and the Forgotten need to be part of the struggle against the rising threat or face total annihilation. Again.

___________

Dev Santos is one of the Forgotten. As the director of the Shine Foundation, the organization that finds and helps the children that are developing new psychic powers, he is devoted to the mission and will do anything to protect those under its wings. Anything. When an amnesiac Psy woman is left at his door, he knows of the danger she presents and prepares himself to kill her if necessary. The woman is the survivor of the worst form of torture – one that destroyed her mind and cut her out of the Silence conditioning; her torturer rebuilt her with a new conditioning and with a mission – and she is a weapon against the Forgotten that can go out at any time.

Soon enough she is identified as Ekaterina Haas, a friend of Ashaya, the heroine of Hostage to Pleasure and one who everybody thought dead. Even though she doesn’t remember at first who she is, she knows that she is dangerous, and she urges Dev to kill her if the need arises.

They both know what their duty is and they are prepared to face it. But as they spend time together, Katya (as she renames herself) starts to remember and they come to know and fall for each other. But as duty comes first to Dev and the need to survive and to renew grows with each day inside Katya, soon they are at odds with each other; and their budding relationship faces many obstacles.

Nalini Singh took a huge risk with this book by choosing not to have a changeling in the romantic pairing. The changeling characters are definitively the heart of this series and their passion for life and their mates what makes the books so compulsively readable. It is also true that focusing the romantic pairings in the same group of characters, as much as we all love them, may turn a series infused with life into something that is repetitive and stale. It might prove easy for writers of long-term series to fall behind the used and tried formula (Christine Feehan, I am looking at you) but Nalini Singh is always trying to do something new. In Caressed by Ice for example, her hero is a pure Psy, who lived in Silence and whose conditioning had to be broken as he struggled to learn the way of his heroine, a changeling. That struggle was so incredibly well-written and vivid that it should come as no surprise that Caressed by Ice is my favourite book in the series to date. I can only admire Nalini Singh for her attempt to invigorate her series with each book. However.

I don’t think it worked as I hoped it would. Not because the hero or heroine are not changelings but because they are not distinctive enough. Here was a chance to create a new and shinny type of character in Dev – a Forgotten who is neither full-blown Psy nor changeling but his inner thoughts and arc were so similar to that of the changelings that I hardly ever saw the difference. He went through all of the stages a changeling hero goes: which includes protectiveness and possessiveness. Don’t get me wrong: I love that. LOVE that, it is as I said, what gives this series its heart and the relationship between Dev and Katya was well done and did not lack heart, soul or heat. It did not lack believable, internal or external conflict either and I was wholly captivated and invested in their path to the HEA to the point where I cried when it finally came. But I also cannot help but to think that I read it all before in this series.

Having said that, if the romance was not necessarily fresh, the backdrop in which it took place certainly was. I have said this before: if the changelings are the heart of the series, the careful world building and the Psy are what makes it unique. This time around, the story focuses on the Psy and their struggle to fight their own demons. The book is intercalated with glimpses (via letters) into the life of one of the first Psy families to break out of the PsyNet as the Silence protocol was being implemented. Even though we know by now that creating the Silence Protocol was a decision that came with no small amount of sacrifice , to see it thought the eyes of someone so close to it was very interesting. It is a hard choice between the survival or one’s race and the survival of the individual need for love and affection. There are shades of gray in this race as well as in the others and even though there are villains amongst them, there are also heroes.

Furthermore, the ongoing arc of the Psy Council against the different races is going strong and now there is a new piece of information that they all must face at some point: the dark, dead points appearing in the PsyNet. What will this mean for the future of the series I can only guess. Now, what I really, really loved about this book? The awesome appearances of characters from previous books and their interaction with each other with real, necessary roles to play. And I just loved how both Sascha and Judd are stepping up to help the new generation.

In the end, I think that when people get to look back at this series, Blaze of Memory may not be their favourite when it comes to the romance but it is certainly a seminal one in the overall arc. It gives an insight into the Psy and the Forgotten and what is like to always be fighting the darkness within. This is something that my favourite hero, Judd Lauren, is still battling with even fours books after his own and that sense of continuity is what ultimately set this series apart and above in the genre.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: I might sound like a broken record, but gosh, I love Judd. LOVE Judd and I thought his appearances in this book were so cool. Also, the ending: Dev’s pain had me in tears.

Additional Thoughts: You can find an extensive behind-the-scenes page at the author’s webpage which includes, characters’ list, FAQ, excerpts, free stories and more. If you like Paranormal Romance and are not reading this series, you do not know what you are missing (ie a LOT). Along with Meljean Brook’s Guardian series, the Psy/Changeling series is the best that the genre can offer: good writing, superb world building and awesome romance.

Verdict: Blaze of Memory may not be the best book in the series but it is definitely an important one in advancing the overall arc. Plus, it maintains this author’s track record in writing hot, interesting and engaging romance with excellent worldbuilding .

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Dragon Book anthology.

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GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Courtesy of Berkley, we have one copy of Blaze of Memory to give away. To enter, leave a comment answering the question: if you could be a part of the Psy/Changeling world, would you be a changeling (if a changeling: a wolf or a leopard) or a psy?

The contest is open to residents of the US and Canada, and will run until Saturday November 7th at 11:59pm (Pacific). Good luck!

As Halloween Week draws to a close (the Madness! The Sleep Deprivation! The Nightmares!), we get ready for another busy week!

But first, a couple of winners to announce.

Monstrumologist/Hollow Giveaway:

The five winners are:

Flash Halloween Giveaway:

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL! Winners, send us an email (contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com) with your snail mail addresses, and we will get the books out to you as soon as possible!

Thanks again to everyone that entered – and if you didn’t win, don’t fret. We have plenty more giveaway goodies coming your way.

This Week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday we interview Steven Boyett and chat about his the return to the world of the Change, 25 years after his first book Ariel.

On Tuesday Thea reviews Elegy Beach by Steven Boyett (with a giveaway):

On Wednesday, Ana reviews Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh,the new installment in the Psy/Changeling series (plus, a chance to win a copy of the book).

On Thursday, Ana reviews The Dragon Book a Fantasy anthology with stories by Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce, Diana Gabaldon, Naomi Novik, Tad Williams and others whilst Thea reviews UF Unclean Spirits by M.L.N Hanover, book one of the Black Sun’s Daughter

Finally, on Friday we both review two offerings from Alert Nerd Press (“an independent digital publisher dedicated to making geek-centric fiction and nonfiction for the discriminating nerd, both online and in print” YAY) : the novella One Con Glory by Sarah Kuhn and their first novel, Unconventional by Matt Springer

AAAAAAAnd that is it from us today!

Have a great week!

~ Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers