Author: Nalini Singh
Series: A Guild Hunter Novel (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (November 1, 2016)
Description: One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory.
Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within—truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is…
Nothing will ever be the same again.
My Thoughts: Elena and her archangel lover Raphael are both on tenterhooks during a period of calm since the last cascade fearing that another cascade could happen at any time. they are also keeping a close eye on Lijuan who seems to be losing her mind and isn't going to go mad with causing major damage and destruction. Things are happening in Lijuan's China that leads the archangels to the conclusion that she is either dead or has chosen to sleep. This leaves a power vacuum in the area. Something must be done. The Luminata call a meeting in their stronghold in Morocco to decide what to do about China. Each archangel can bring two seconds to the meeting.
The Luminata are supposed to be a monklike group of angels who are searching for enlightenment. Raphael and Elena know that something is off when they arrive. The atmosphere sets off Elena's senses. She feels that she is being spied upon and she feels that Gian who leads the Luminata is too focused on her. Elena has a secondary reason for going to Morocco. She is trying to track down her mother's family. Her mother was orphaned at age 5 when her mother left her in the care of a kindly nun promising to return but never did. Elena has unique coloring that she feels is inherited. She hopes someone will have known her grandmother.
Her visit with some of the other seconds to a nearby town only ramp up her feeling that something is really wrong. The people there are all very frightened of angels. Also, the only people who live in the town are humans. Usually even the smallest town has some vampires too. Asking about her mother frightens the older people even more.
This was an entertaining episode in the Guild Hunter series. I love seeing Elena and Raphael's love grow stronger as they get to know each other better. I also like seeing more of the other angels who owe fealty to Raphael. This one gave readers a chance to learn more about Aodhan who is recovering from an abuse filled captivity. I also enjoyed seeing more of Raphael's mother who is an awesomely powerful archangel.
Favorite Quote:
Elena nodded. She might only be a "baby" angel, but she'd learned lessons in her mortal life that stood her in good stead in the immortal world. One of those lessons was that, sometimes, the worst dangers wore a pretty or "trustworthy" face. Slater Patalis had been as handsome as sin.I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.
I have grown more and more in love with this series. And loved this one too.
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