Wicked Kiss (Nightwatchers, #2)

Jan 04, 2013 Mitch rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading Wicked Kiss, I stand by everything I said in my review of Dark Kiss. The characters really are generic and the story is absolutely by the books, but there's just something about Michelle Rowen's writing that turns what should be an average paranormal romance (read: a substandard book) into a fairly decent reading experience. In fact, I have to say Wicked Kiss is even an improvement over Dark Kiss, something I wasn’t expecting at all.

One of the things I remember saying in my review...more After reading Wicked Kiss, I stand by everything I said in my review of Dark Kiss. The characters really are generic and the story is absolutely by the books, but there's just something about Michelle Rowen's writing that turns what should be an average paranormal romance (read: a substandard book) into a fairly decent reading experience. In fact, I have to say Wicked Kiss is even an improvement over Dark Kiss, something I wasn’t expecting at all.

One of the things I remember saying in my review of Dark Kiss though is something to the effect of the characters didn’t really work for me because ‘I've seen [so] many of these triangles where the nice and slightly bookish girl has to choose between the serious hero and the sarcastic antihero [that] I just don't care anymore - not that I really cared before’ - and then I called out Bishop for being well-meaningly boring and Kraven for being stereotypically sarcastic. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is that Rowen’s expanded on the back story and the conflict between the two, and although the specifics of that conflict should be predictable enough to anyone who’s read the first book, the flashbacks scenes themselves and then Samantha’s reactions to what she’s learned are sufficiently well done to lend an air of credibility to Bishop and Kraven’s relationship. It isn’t much and is completely expected, but still, it works to make these two generic characters, well, more interesting. That, and by now it’s not really a triangle, Kraven’s written more as the sarcastic best friend who might have a shot but really doesn’t, so the entire gimmicky relationship thing between Sam, Bishop, and Kraven which was like sixty or seventy percent of what made the first book feel so ordinary is really no longer an issue.

I think I also said ‘sidekicks Roth and Zach are more interesting than [Bishop and Kraven]’, and surprisingly, they’re still big parts of the story, despite the loads of (predictable yet effective) character development heaped on Bishop and Kraven. Maybe it’s because, as readers of Rowen’s high fantasy series Falling Kingdoms can attest, she’s not averse to killing off her characters, and an effectively placed death now and then does actually work quite well. Shocking, yes, and I was totally sold. Then again, I wasn’t really sold at first on new angel Cassandra, ostensibly introduced to cause trouble for Samantha but whose storyline ends up being as stereotypically predictable as her character, especially when Sam introduces her with lines like:

I'd known Cassandra the Perky Blonde Angel for an hour now and I was insanely and irrationally resentful of her immediate connection with Bishop.

Or:

Cassandra was beautiful, capable, smart and strong - and she could heal injuries with a mere touch. She was an angel, too. They had everything in common with each other.

Irrational or not, I hated her stupid blond guts.

Eh, not cool, but even still it really didn't matter for me because even though I could tell right away what was going to happen with her character, (the rest of) Rowen’s writing is strong enough that the developments, though no surprise, were still pretty effective when they came - and that goes for Sam’s mean girl nemesis Jordan as well.

My last point in my review of the first book was how the tone and mood in Dark Kiss totally rocked for a dark urban fantasy. I didn’t feel those elements as strongly in Wicked Kiss, but in a way that’s also a good thing, because the upside of not spending so much time building up the Trinity scenery is that the pacing is much better this go around and I really felt like I was learning something new about the mythology of the series in every chapter. Well, except there are really two different villains in the story, so there’s a first climax when I thought the book would be over with about a fifth of the book still to go, and then a second climax later on closer to the end. I’m not sure why we need the second one - seems to me like it was tacked on to give (an open ended) closure to the series in case this ends at two books - but it’s a little distracting to think the book is over and then learn, nope, more stuff happening. Oh, and some obvious things, like the haunted mansion or Seth’s real identity, are telegraphed a little too loudly and sort of ruined the surprise factor.

Still, even if unpredictability has never been either of the two Nightwatchers books’ strong suits, the writing certainly is. Anyone who liked the first book has to come back for this. (less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ve-read

AHHH from this summary I know she is gonna kiss kraven! He basically said he liked her at the end of the first book and he is part of the team and he has no soul so hence....!

SAMS GONNA KISS KRAVEN, SAMS GONNA KISS KRAVEN, SAMS GONNA KISS KRAVEN!!!!!

Aaaaah I need this book:)

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Feb 26, 2013 Glass rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, angels, arc, paranormal-romance, harlequin

Review posted on Ja čitam, a ti?

So much better than Dark Kiss

I haven't read paranormal novels for a long, long time. I guess I had a bad case of sups overload. It was about time, right? I'm happy that my big comeback started with second book in Nightwatchers series by Michelle Rowen. (You can find my review for Dark Kiss here.)
I love books about angels, but so far books about this type of supernatural creatures tended to be disappointing. My biggest problem with first novel was that it didn't...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

Actual Rating: 4.5

Wicked Kiss picks up right where Dark Kiss left off. The team still has to take care of the grays in order to save the city, but that's not the only problem they have to deal with. Oh no no no. There are much bigger problems that they encounter. And at first I was a little iffy about all that was going on. Turns out, it made for one hell of a story!

Even though there were a lot of plot lines to follow, it turns out they all wove together in the end. This story was more exciting...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

If you thought the Nightwatchers series by Michelle Rowen couldn't get more awesome, or that Sam couldn't be more nosey and stubborn; Bishop more broodier and romantic; Kraven a cockier smartass; Roth more hateful and nasty; Connor sweeter, and Zach more loveable…then you would be absolutely wrong!!! Author Michelle Rowen just took me way over the top of my expectations for Wicked Kiss, the sequel to Dark Kiss. And Wicked Kiss was one hell of an (or heaven, depending on your take) emotional roll...more If you thought the Nightwatchers series by Michelle Rowen couldn't get more awesome, or that Sam couldn't be more nosey and stubborn; Bishop more broodier and romantic; Kraven a cockier smartass; Roth more hateful and nasty; Connor sweeter, and Zach more loveable…then you would be absolutely wrong!!! Author Michelle Rowen just took me way over the top of my expectations for Wicked Kiss, the sequel to Dark Kiss. And Wicked Kiss was one hell of an (or heaven, depending on your take) emotional roller-coaster ride. I laughed. I cried. I got angry and swooned all for these gorgeous, heavenly and hellish guys. Rowen outdid herself with this outstanding, awesome story. And if you’re still wondering if I loved it. HELL YES! I LOVED IT!!!

Sam, Bishop, and Kraven have their hands full trying to save the city of Trinity, getting rid of the Gray problem, and with pretty much each other. Sam’s determined to find out what the secret is between brothers Bishop and Kraven that caused them to hate each other. Besides the obvious one, of course: that Bishop’s an angel and Kraven’s a demon. I love Kraven and his badass ways. He's always trying to piss his brother off. And Kraven being the good demon brother he is, more than willing to help Sam out with her little kissing problem. I mean, Kraven figures if you can't kiss your brother's girl in order to help him out, then what kind of brother are you? And when Heaven sends Cassandra down to help Bishop, Sam starting to see the green-eyed monster of jealousy when it comes to Cassandra, the beautiful blond angel, as she has a hard time keeping her hands off Bishop. Who says Heaven doesn't have a since of humor?

Two more characters are introduced who I fell in love with. Cassandra, the angel that’s been sent to Trinity to help clean up the Gray problem, though she might have another agenda she’s not telling the other angels and demons about. And Jordan, the snotty chick that hates Sam for crushing on her ex-boyfriend, Stephen (Stephen is the guy who kissed Sam in the Dark Kiss). Both these girls are great, especially Jordan, who's a hilarious tough girl with a sarcastic mouth.

Michelle Rowen takes Sam, Bishop, Kraven and the rest of these wonderful characters and their story to so many levels of awesomeness; from hilarious, to heartbreak, to wickedness and with the melt-your-heart ending, it’s definitely heaven-worthy. I want the third novel now please! I highly, highly recommend Wicked Kiss as an amazing, wicked must read!

A few of my favorite Wicked Kiss teaser quotes:
“Feisty tonight, aren’t we?”
“Define feisty.”
Samantha Day. Seventeen years old. Normally realist who knows right from wrong, but is currently glaring at me like she wants to punch me in the stomach.”
“Good definition.”

“Yeah, right. How about you at least tell me the name you had when you were human? I know one thing for sure—it wasn’t Bishop.”
“Okay.” He eyed me. “It’s was Barbara.”
“You’re hilarious.”

“You’ve kept a low profile this week,” he said. “Are you specifically avoiding me, or just generally being a bitch to everyone?”

“Your girlfriend’s a great kisser,” Kraven said drily. “Her tongue is like…wow. She doesn’t hold back. You’re really missing out with that pesky soul of yours.”
(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-february2013, favorites

I admit it wasn't what I expected. Especially the love triangle (view spoiler). I mean, I love Sam with Bishop, don't get me wrong. But still... I don't know, Kraven would have given to the whole sweet love story a little more spice. Not that there wasn't spice enough already, but... well..I expected more... more passion maybe? I'm hoping for something more spicy with Kraven in the next book (I mean, because there will be a nex...more

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May 21, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Excellent wrap-up to a series that is action-packed and full of twists and turns.

Opening Sentence: Crave used to be a prime hangout for dangerous monsters, but tonight I seemed to be the only one here.

The Review:

Wicked Kiss is the second and final book in the Nightwatchers series. This book is long but it is action-packed from beginning to end and it wraps up this series on such a great note. There was just so much that happened in this boo...more

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Apr 18, 2013 The Twins Read rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review can be originally found at The Twins Read.

Samantha can steal your soul through a kiss. It's one of the side effects of her becoming a gray. With the angels and demons sent to protect humans from threats and keep balance and harmony and order still being a bit wary of her, Samantha tries to find Stephen to recover her soul to do away with her current status as a nexus. But of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg. It seems that someone is convinced that Samantha is just what he...more This review can be originally found at The Twins Read.

Samantha can steal your soul through a kiss. It's one of the side effects of her becoming a gray. With the angels and demons sent to protect humans from threats and keep balance and harmony and order still being a bit wary of her, Samantha tries to find Stephen to recover her soul to do away with her current status as a nexus. But of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg. It seems that someone is convinced that Samantha is just what he needs to tap into his own power and unleash a fury like neither hell nor heaven has seen before.

Like in the first book, we could not comprehend Samantha's obvious obsession with Bishop's past. She's still as annoying, still as incapable as in the first book and we just couldn't bring ourselves to feel for her. Bishop hasn't changed and his relationship with Samantha felt stiff and forced. The only saving grace among the characters was Kraven. Sure he was crude and generally mean most of the time but in the second book his antics were quite entertaining. The only reason Rowen's characters actually stood out from the crowd were because they were either angels or demons. Take that away and the characters would just blend into the background.

The sequel to Dark Kiss is also pretty much heaped with cliche after cliche. The new "twists" in the book are predictable and very much overdone in YA, and there seems to be nothing refreshing about it either. Even the ending was uninspired. You know how sometimes it seems like everyone is talking at the same time? Well, that was how we felt about Wicked Kiss. This was just one of the books that was difficult to slough through, all because the dramatics were way over the top and unwarranted. You can't possibly imagine all the times we thought that the book was nearing the end, only to find out that there were still about a hundred or so pages to read.

We honestly thought that the second book would be better than the first instead we got even more nonsensical drama and lackluster characters in Wicked Kiss. If brooding, emo males and ridiculously dramatic female protagonists served with a heaping side dish of angel and demon hoopla are your thing, well, this series is it.(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, blah-romance, blah, boring-main-characters, boring-crap-hero, cheesy, daddy-issues-mummy-issues, dark-tortured-broody-hero, demons, disappering-parent-syndrome, emo-hero, love-triangle, sexist-shit, teenagers-with-powers, tstl-heroine

Spoilers

“Yeah, he looks like he’s really helping the search,” I said with disdain. “If you’re searching for slutty girls.”

Shut up, Samantha! Just Shut The Fuck Up!! (Samantha is the heroine's name btw)

Want to know why the heroine calls the other girl slutty? Because said 'slutty' girl who Samantha's never actually spoken to before or even met is… wait for it… Being chatted up by a guy! OMG! THE SLUT! HOW DARE A GIRL LET A GUY FLIRT WITH HER! BURN HER! BURN HER, I SAY!
So, the so called heroine —...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, angels, demon, zombies, last-in-series, supernatural

After the Hollow unleashed hell on Earth in an all ages club only two weeks ago - Sam has been busy. The Grey Girl is on the lookout of Stephen, the grey who sucked her soul out turning her into hungry soul sucking nexus. Add to that a mysterious memory blocked gorgeous angel who can only think straight when she's around. Too bad Sam can't keep her thoughts straight around him!

Dark Kiss laid a lot of groundwork but it was well worth the read for I devoured Wicked Kiss like a hungry grey would a...more After the Hollow unleashed hell on Earth in an all ages club only two weeks ago - Sam has been busy. The Grey Girl is on the lookout of Stephen, the grey who sucked her soul out turning her into hungry soul sucking nexus. Add to that a mysterious memory blocked gorgeous angel who can only think straight when she's around. Too bad Sam can't keep her thoughts straight around him!

Dark Kiss laid a lot of groundwork but it was well worth the read for I devoured Wicked Kiss like a hungry grey would a soul. Sam and her misfit warriors from Heaven and Hell still have a mission to carry out. Sam needs her soul and to save her bff Carly from the Hollow. Bishop, Kraven and the others need to rid Trinity from the evil mess that Natalie unleashed. I liked these characters so much more the second time around. They're still slightly stereotypical and a little predictable in many ways but this time - but it worked for me. I loved the drama added from the new characters (like Cassandra) and getting to know some briefly mentioned ones from Dark Kiss a little better.

There's a lot going on in this book. Romance and evil supernatural villains are underfoot everywhere. I liked how the relationships evolved. Not just the romantic ones but the friendships and the way Kraven and Bishop's brotherly interactions evolved. Sam is developing as a character too. She's finally got some street sense kicked into her. She's embracing her nexus and grey-ness to the hilt and is becoming a force to be reckoned with in her own right.

The mythology of Angels and Demons are interestingly explained in this book. There's not too many religious overtones that sometimes overload books about Angels. But instead the angels and devils seem to just be concerned with good vs. evil. I wanted some facets to be explored in more detail but there was enough explained to understand Sam's situation.

I can recommend this book to anyone that liked the first instalment - but also those who were slightly ambivalent. This book is a satisfying ending to an interesting take on zombies, angels and demons. (less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Arthistorychick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-series, young-adult

Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowan
(Nightwatchers: Book 2)
3½/5 stars
Source: Netgalley

Frustration abounds in Wicked Kiss, the sophomore effort of Michelle Rowan’s Nightwatchers series – frustration for both the characters and the reader. Wicked Kiss opens with Sam and Bishop in the same place we left them at the end of book one: Sam’s hunger for souls is growing and Bishop’s grasp on his sanity is slipping away.

The team (Bishop, Kraven, Roth, etc.) is still stationed in the old church and struggling to...more Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowan
(Nightwatchers: Book 2)
3½/5 stars
Source: Netgalley

Frustration abounds in Wicked Kiss, the sophomore effort of Michelle Rowan’s Nightwatchers series – frustration for both the characters and the reader. Wicked Kiss opens with Sam and Bishop in the same place we left them at the end of book one: Sam’s hunger for souls is growing and Bishop’s grasp on his sanity is slipping away.

The team (Bishop, Kraven, Roth, etc.) is still stationed in the old church and struggling to fulfill their mission as well as struggling with one another. Added to the mix is a new angel, Cassandra who has been sent to Trinity to “help” the team; oh, and she is going to live with Sam in order to keep an eye on her. Oh, goody! For the most part, the bulk of the read is devoted to the team running around like a multi-headed chicken with its multiple heads cut off trying to contain the growing gray problem and not kill one another in the process. There is so much in-fighting and secret-keeping among the members of the team that they can barely function as a unit thus making it virtually impossible to do their respective jobs.

As for Sam, in order to keep her growing hunger under control, she has elected to angrily remove herself from the team and go about taking care of business on her own. While attempting to track down Stephen and retrieve her soul, Sam runs into Jordan (aka the Queen B*tch of the Universe or high school) and after a tragic event, the two girls realize they have to work together if they hope to unravel what’s going on in Trinity. Though they have a very, very rough start, Sam and Jordan begin to put the clues together and discover the rash of recent suicides plaguing Trinity are not related to the gray problem but are related to the supernatural. To Jordan’s credit, not only does she not freak out over all the supernatural business but she dives right in and does her best to help. She’s still an unholy, wretched human with a snarly attitude but I won’t lie, I kind of like her.

Wicked Kiss is full of well-developed characters but a few are becoming tiresome and those that are more interesting are not (yet?) playing a large enough role in the long-term plot line. Here’s the skinny:

Sam: I have a distinct love/hate relationship with Sam. On the one hand she is strong and unwilling to give up on her goals yet on the other hand she is very fickle where Bishop is concerned. She convinces herself she loves Bishop then learns something new about his (awesomely surprising!) past and decides she can’t be with him - the cycle becomes tiresome quickly.

Bishop: I still like Bishop but truly wish he would stop pulling some of the bonehead stunts he is constantly pulling. He is struggling to keep it together long enough to complete his mission and return to Heaven so his pesky soul can once again be removed and he go back to business as usual. Did I mention he is an angel of Death? How sweet is that?

Kraven: I am really starting too really like Kraven. Kraven is one of the few Nightwatcher characters who is absolutely straight-forward and honest about his goals, intentions, and motivations. He hates his brother but refuses to allow anyone else to kill Bishop; Kraven believes the right to kill his brother is all his own. There is no subterfuge with Kraven, he is evil though sometimes chooses to do a good deed, he owns his actions, and I like it! This is one of two characters I really want to see playing a much larger role in the series.

Jordan: now that she has stopped being quite so wretched toward Sam she is growing on me. In Wicked Kiss we learn a lot more, though not nearly enough about Jordan and she is certainly more than she appears to be. This becomes evident the moment everyone realizes Jordan can’t be hit with the angelic mind-wipe whammy! I truly believe Jordan has a larger role to play in the series and am quite impatient to see how her role plays out.

The Bottom Line: For now, I am still committed to the Nightwatchers series and I genuinely liked the short-term plot of this novel but found myself becoming more and more frustrated as the novel reached its end. The constant secret-keeping among all the characters, the way too late to help revealing of those secrets, and the multiple just in the nick of time miraculous saves became a bit too much. Even Sam comments on how all the secrets have done nothing but hurt the team  There are no major plot problems, the writing style is still smooth and easy to read and the characters are still interesting but the frustrating things are beginning to out weight the positive elements of the series. For me, the third book in the Nightwatchers series will decide the fate of the series as a whole for me as a reader.(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wicked Kiss is the second installment in the mystical tale of the Nightwatcher series. This is one series that you wont soon forget. Wicked Kiss offers a variety of mystery, love and jealousy that will keep you guessing. It is one of the best Fallen Angel series on the market.

Michelle Rowen makes her world of Fallen Angels and Demons come alive! She writes her books with a beautiful and heartfelt imagination. Its the kind of story that I want to read again and again.

Samantha has had a really har...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Diana (Offbeat Vagabond) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, angels, arc, demons, fantasy, magic, mystery, paranormal-romance, netgalley, urban-fantasy, ya

Original review here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2013/02/release-day-review-wicked-kiss.html

Wicked Kiss picks up right after Dark Kiss ended. Samantha is dealing with her new soulless life and it is difficult for her to say the least. Her best friend is lost in the Hollow, she found out she is a nexus (a mix of demon and angel, which angels do not like at all), she needs to suck on souls to survive, and the angel she has a crush may have to kill her. But she teams up with both the angel...more Original review here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2013/02/release-day-review-wicked-kiss.html

Wicked Kiss picks up right after Dark Kiss ended. Samantha is dealing with her new soulless life and it is difficult for her to say the least. Her best friend is lost in the Hollow, she found out she is a nexus (a mix of demon and angel, which angels do not like at all), she needs to suck on souls to survive, and the angel she has a crush may have to kill her. But she teams up with both the angels and demons that were sent to Earth to get rid of her kind, the grays. With so many soulless people in their area, no one can leave unless they are human, so more help is on the way to eradicate the problem. A new female angel named Cassandra comes into play. She seems to have a lot of secrets, so Samantha is trying to figure out what her agenda is. That or if Cassandra wants Bishop. Samantha’s trying to figure out how she can save her best friend’s life and she wonders if she is bound to be the monster everyone believes she will become.

I enjoyed this book much more compared to Dark Kiss. Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but I wanted a little more. I got it here. There was so much more action and “Holy crap, I didn’t see that coming” moments. I was sort of missing that in Dark Kiss as well. Wicked Kiss more than makes up for it though.

I really liked Samantha a lot more this time around. I think she has matured a bit since the first book. She still has her moments though.. For instance, her irrational feelings towards Cassandra were so ridiculous. Samantha knows how it is like to be on the receiving end of girls-that-don’t-like-you-just-because. She instantly has a dislike towards Cassandra due to her looks and because she seems too close to Bishop. I just didn’t get it. It was a bit annoying and if she was paying attention like I was, you could see exactly who Cassandra would have had her eyes on. I was right. I also really enjoyed Bishop. He did have some hot and cold moments, but given who he is and what he was sent to do, you can understand why he was so odd towards Samantha. Then we have Kraven. I love what we learn about both him and Bishop. There is much more to Kraven hate toward his brother and we learn it all. Finally! That was one of my biggest questions from Dark Kiss and we got the answers here. It was depressing as hell, but man what an impact that had on me.

Another addition to this book I enjoyed was Jordan. Jordan is Samantha nemesis. Jordan can’t stand Samantha. She hates her more since she believes her boyfriend Stephen (the one that took Samantha’s soul in the first place) broke up with her because of Samantha. They are put into some very dangerous situations together which I found infuriating at times. Jordan is the uber-b***h. But after a while, I actually started to enjoy her antics. She also becomes an important part of the story when we find out she has some abilities of her own which was awesome.

I loved this story. It was just amazing. So much is revealed and there were some amazing surprises. The story about the grays becomes more intense in this book when the gang finds out about stasis. Stasis is a stage that a gray comes to after not feeding for too long. Now if you survive stasis, that gray becomes impossibly strong and hard to kill. That is what Samantha is in danger of becoming. She will either die or become a true monster. There is also something lurking around the city that no one can see. They don’t know what it is, but it is stealing people’s lives and they don’t know how to stop it.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a great sequel. Now I found out that this is the last book in the series which now makes sense after reading it. The plots were very complex and flowed well…for the most part. This book could have easily been split into two books. The story with the entity was great, but didn’t fit perfectly into the story at times. There was also the background of Kraven and Bishop. I think I said this in my review for Dark Kiss, they should have been given their own book. Their story is just too good not to have its own story. The things we learn about their past was a great addition, but there are some questions I still have. I am just saying, I feel there story could fill an entire book, well at least give me more Kraven. That goes for all the demons in the book actually. We see they are not as awful as one would think especially Roth who I thought was a lost cause from Dark Kiss. Can we get some more on him? I really liked where that was going. So unfair.

I loved the ending to this book. It definitely dropped quite the bombshell and kept the adrenaline up. This story was fast paced and packed a lot of punch. Like I said, I loved Samantha this time around. She has quite the backbone and does all she can to help those protect those around her. This was definitely a step up from Dark Kiss. I recommend this to YA fans looking for a complex and exciting read. Rowan really knows how to tell a story. Her world building is incredible. I love her take on angels and demons. I have already added her other series to my library queue and you should too. Highly recommended!(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Four stars: A wickedly fantastic sequel that provides all the answers!

For Samantha, the clock is ticking. Things are getting more dangerous and difficult by the day. She is still soulless,desperately trying to track down Stephen to retrieve her soul. Before she can find Stephen, she spots a search light in the sky, another angel is sent to help the mission. This time it is a female angel named Cassandra. Samantha is extremely wary of this new team member. She doesn't seem to be telling the team...more

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Feb 22, 2013 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup

**An ARC was received from HarlequinTeen but that did not influence the review**

First thoughts:
Wheeeeee I got blurbed in the beginning for book 1!!! Oh wait, this isn’t about me. Right. I *just* finished this book I am processing just how much was going on. Holy cow! There was a lot of stuff packed into these 400+ pages. It has been a fantastic ride and I’m still having all the feels….

The Story:
In this installment Samantha is now a gray, someone who...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Cocktails and Books rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

Bishop is as troubled as they come. Of course having a soul that is slowing ripping apart his angelic mind would have a lot to do with that. Not to mention carrying around the weight of a past he can’t quite remember. But, one touch from Samantha and his sanity seems to return, rushing back to him all at once, and leaving him wanting more. That would be ok if her kiss wouldn’t rob him of his soul. If he could only get it back to her, he could have her, all of her. He thought finding it would be...more Bishop is as troubled as they come. Of course having a soul that is slowing ripping apart his angelic mind would have a lot to do with that. Not to mention carrying around the weight of a past he can’t quite remember. But, one touch from Samantha and his sanity seems to return, rushing back to him all at once, and leaving him wanting more. That would be ok if her kiss wouldn’t rob him of his soul. If he could only get it back to her, he could have her, all of her. He thought finding it would be his biggest problem but it’s finding out who her father is and what he plans to do that has his mind ready to nose dive and Bishop craving her kiss more than ever.

Samantha was just fine, that is until some guy stole her soul. Now she is hunting more than ever to get it back, terrified of what she might do if she doesn’t find it in time. All she feels is her hunger, especially when Bishop is around. The hunger for him goes a thousand times deeper and it is taking everything she has not to steel a kiss and what is left of his soul. Things get even worse when she finds out where dear old dad has been hiding and what he plans to do with all of his new found power. It’s a race against time to find what she has lost before she loses herself to that growing hunger and the kiss she is dying to have.

Bishop still doesn’t know if he wants her because she took part of his soul or because he is truly in love with her. The one thing he is sure of is that every time she is near he is dying to get closer and so is she. It takes everything they have to pull away and with both of them falling farther into the darkness it is only a matter of time before things go from bad to worse.

I really enjoyed this book and the story behind it. I have to confess though that I was more in love with Bishop’s demon brother Kraven…Yes! It’s not that Bishop isn’t amazing on his own but the bad boy draws me like a moth to the flame. The story is very different from the books I have read which only adds to its appeal and I think in the end my only complaint was Samantha. Although she was a strong character her overwhelming jealousy came of whiny at times. Other than that this book was wonderful and I would read it again in a heartbeat.

Reviewed by Dani for Cocktails and Books(less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Delia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 03, 2013 Ionia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must admit that I had not read the first book in this series when I decided to read this one. Good news though, it didn't really matter at all. I was able to settle right into this book without issue.

Samantha was an excellent character to lead the way throughout this novel. She is witty, at times sarcastic, strong and I felt that she grew and developed a lot by the end of the book. Rather than the usual teen novel with angst over boys and lots of gossip in between, this book gave me a sense of...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Brynna Curry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed for You Gotta Read Reviews

http://yougottaread.com/review-wicked...

Review: Samantha Day is just like any average seventeen year old girl. She wants to go to parties, hang out with her friends and maybe get around to getting her driver's license finally. But Sam's life is anything but normal. After being "kissed" by her crush Steven and losing her soul, Sam has become a gray -- a souless human that must feed on living souls to survive or risk going into "stasis". If she's ever going to ge...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook, netgalley, paranormal, ya

Sequel to Dark Kiss

Samantha Day is a nexus and a Gray - Her life is complicated you could say. Since Stephen sucked out her soul and turned her into a Gray, she is consumed with trying to get reunited with her soul while trying to deny the growing Hunger that is slowly taking over. Watching over her and fighting with her are Bishop, the fallen angel being slowly driven insane, his Demon brother Kraven and their compatriots. Samantha struggles with falling in love with Bishop. How can she love hi...more

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May 12, 2013 Maren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-books-ever

Like Dark Kiss, I love this book too!

Wicked Kiss met my expectations. It made me love Samantha more. I really like her character. She's so strong and brave. And this book made me fall in love with Bishop and Kraven... more. I'm torn between them.

What I love about Samantha is that she isn't a half-hearted flirt like those other "paranormal-romance-flirty/slutty(or you can call bitchy)-heroine-crappy-thing". I so like her guts.

I love it every time Kraven kisses Samantha just to quell her hunger,...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Tempest rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gave-3-5-stars, in-love, reapersangelsetc

**This is a Window Seat Blog review http://www.readinginthewindowseat.blo...**

I love this book. It was amazing, and half of me is super glad there were only two books in this series because that ending was phenomenal, while the other half is upset because it means...well, it's the end. I'm seriously going to miss Bishop and Kraven probably more than a person should miss two imaginary characters. They've definitely made it to my favorite's of all time list (which actually isn't as long as you mig...more **This is a Window Seat Blog review http://www.readinginthewindowseat.blo...**

I love this book. It was amazing, and half of me is super glad there were only two books in this series because that ending was phenomenal, while the other half is upset because it means...well, it's the end. I'm seriously going to miss Bishop and Kraven probably more than a person should miss two imaginary characters. They've definitely made it to my favorite's of all time list (which actually isn't as long as you might think). There was very little about this book I didn't like. One thing was that in the beginning, Sam was a bit naive towards certain things. It was obvious that the suicides were all connected, and it was a little annoying that she didn't figure that out earlier on. I mean, someone who'd gone through all that she just had should have had a more open mind. However, I loved the twist that came a little later, how different it ended up being. Rowen does a great job of leading the reader down a dark ally, and just when you think you've figured out what creepy crawly is waiting for you at the end, BAM. This was one of the main things I loved about the first book as well, and I'm so glad to see that that didn't change. The new additions to the cast were great. They each had real purpose in being there, and we weren't just bombarded by what these purposes were from the get go. We discovered new things about each of them, and about what was going on in the city, little by little, which helped to keep my attention. Just like with Dark Kiss, I consumed he first half of the book in one sitting. I had to forcefully stop myself because it was four in the morning and I had work the next day, but all I wanted to do was finish reading. I'm so picky about books about angels (I used to hate them, but have recently developed a slight addiction to all things involving the afterlife, including angels and demons) and I've got to say that the Nightwatchers series is by far, hands down, one hundred percent, the BEST angel books I've ever read. Ever. I would sum it up more, but I seriously don't want to give anything away. I will say that the ending was phenomenal. I was twenty pages away from it being over and scratching my head thinking, how the heck is she going to pull this off in such short time? I apologize for my doubt in you, Michelle Rowen. And I can't tell you how ecstatic I am that Kraven got to hang around too. I would have been seriously pissed if he hadn't been. I'm so glad that I read these books, and I HIGHLY recommend them to EVERYONE. Seriously, anyone who likes paranormal, plot twists, and interesting characters should check this out. It never ends up where you think it's going to, which is great, and once you start you won't want to put it down!
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Mar 02, 2013 Pauline rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was seriously AWESOME! There's so much going on in this book, I don't even know where to begin. It feels like it's over though...is it? Is there a third book?

Anyway, I liked that Bishop / Samantha / Kraven's relationship was NOT a love triangle. I thought it'd be like a TVD kinda thing, but Samantha has only eyes for Bishop. Kraven is just...useful when the hunger becomes to much. I think this dynamic is even better than a romantic one. We get to learn more about Bishop and the reason why K...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Booknut is currently reading it

GUESS WHO GOT A NETGALLEY COPY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL NOVEL?!!

I DID! So excited to read it - once I've finished the books I've got to review I'm so totally reading it ASAP!!

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Mar 24, 2013 Tiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy...

This was pretty incredible. Far better than the first book, which I found strange! The characters' were way more developed in this book than they were in the first.

I was left guessing with every chapter, it was amazing. I was holding my breathe the whole time reading, because everything was just so unexpected and unpredictable. There were so many revelations, it was exhilarating, one after the next. Maybe all the events were a little too close together, because I could hardly comprehend...more Holy...

This was pretty incredible. Far better than the first book, which I found strange! The characters' were way more developed in this book than they were in the first.

I was left guessing with every chapter, it was amazing. I was holding my breathe the whole time reading, because everything was just so unexpected and unpredictable. There were so many revelations, it was exhilarating, one after the next. Maybe all the events were a little too close together, because I could hardly comprehend one of them before the next one came along.

Kraven—also known as James—was probably my favourite character. Due to his sarcasm, devil-may-care attitude and witty responses, I was laughing at almost anything he said.

Bishop—also known as Adam—kind of grew on me in this book. In the first, I was disinterested with anything he said or did, he just wasn't a stand out character despite being one of the main. But in Wicked Kiss, I saw different sides to him, and Michelle Rowen must've given more attention to his character, because it showed and I felt for Bishop.

Samantha was a good character to read through. She was funny, smart, determined. I'm not sure why I didn't like her in the first book, but she made up for it in this one.

All the other characters' introduced were also developed really well. I'm not sure what happened with Michelle and Dark Kiss, but it felt like Wicked Kiss was a whole different book altogether. Everything was great, and practically faultless in this book.

One thing I did notice that I found a little annoying, though, was Kraven and Bishops relationship. Their brotherly relationship constantly reminded me of Damon and Stefan's from the Vampire Diaries (mainly the TV show, since the books were pathetic). Kraven was almost an exact replica of Damon, which kind of annoyed me at times, because I like seeing new and different characters, not other versions of another character.

But beside that, I loved Wicked Kiss. It's a shame there were only two books in the series. Although Michelle did end the book on a perfect note.(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 The Library Mouse rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen picks up shortly after the ending of Dark Kiss, therefore ensuring that nothing is missed and that the reader has little/no catching up to do.
Although it may appear to be a minor detail, and an underestimated one at that, I much appreciated Michelle Rowen's additional information about each character as a small reminder of who they are and hinting at what had previously happened. Given that I'd read Dark Kiss quite a while ago, it was rather nice to help jog my memo...more Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen picks up shortly after the ending of Dark Kiss, therefore ensuring that nothing is missed and that the reader has little/no catching up to do.
Although it may appear to be a minor detail, and an underestimated one at that, I much appreciated Michelle Rowen's additional information about each character as a small reminder of who they are and hinting at what had previously happened. Given that I'd read Dark Kiss quite a while ago, it was rather nice to help jog my memory.

I had enjoyed Dark Kiss but in all honesty not as much as I'd hoped. The synopsis had sounded so enticing and the plot so clever that I ended up setting high expectations for it. Dark kiss revealed itself to be a good read, but without quite reaching the slightly higher bar I had set. But nevertheless I looked forward to its sequel and when it became available to request prior to publication I made sure to raise my hand along with everyone else.
Wicked Kiss proved itself to be different and better, as Michelle Rowen stepped up her game to deliver a very good sequel.

When I last left Sam and several others had literally become soul-sucking creatures: Gray. Unlike most though Sam withheld some control but also acquired a special craving for a soul that is even more beyond the limits than all the others. Why? Because it belongs to Bishop, an angel sent from heaven to lead a team of angels and demons to save the world from the Hollow. A black hole used as a dumping ground by both Heaven and Hell for unwanted underlings, that has begun to malfunction.

Now not only are Grays multiplying left right and centre but they're also getting stronger and impossible to defeat by even the powerful team of angels and demons. And as if that weren't enough of a problem teens are committing unexplained suicides. Bishop is increasingly losing control of his mind and can count less and less on Sam to cleanse his thoughts as her hunger for his soul grows exponentially. Not enough? Well add a new memeber, a secret mission and a demon brother who is still holding a hundred year old grudge, and what do you have? An absolute utter mess that our poor characters have to solve before the world ends up in a Hollow that isn't answering to the laws of the universe but is maybe answering to something else.

Wicked Kiss was fast like Dark Kiss, but unlike it's predecessor it was speedy but not excessively to the point that events felt too rushed. The short time frame that the characters were working with was well communicated through the almost desperate pace at which the sequence of events occurred.

When reading this sequel I really felt as though Michelle Rowen had taken it to a new level. The plot and twists were great, and the narration style and story outline allowed for an overall telling of Wicked Kiss that was subtle and clever, delivering all the information without me knowing it. For well over 3/4 of the novel Michelle Rowen had me and her characters completely going round in circles without a clue of what was going on and desperate for even the faintest flicker of the light of hope. It felt like all the clues were there and yet they weren't there. The conclusions we all kept coming to were logical and obvious but made no sense in the grand scheme of things but then again they also didn't. Hence the cleverness of Michelle Rowen's sequel.

Overall I definitely felt this was an improvement and a great sequel to Dark Kiss, delivering and touching on what Dark Kiss hadn't and more. I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for more from Michelle Rowen.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Amy_Read to My Heart's Content rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog, netgalley

http://readtomyhearts.blogspot.com/20...

My Thoughts:
I really like a lot of books that are coming out of Harlequin Teen right now so I took a leap of faith grabbing this one, never actually reading book 1, hoping I would find a great story with a little supernatural edge to it.

I did.
Now, I have to admit I can't stand to jump into a series in the middle, for obvious reasons, but Wicked Kiss gave enough background detail I wasn't really lost at all. I am sure I will go back and read book 1 just t...more http://readtomyhearts.blogspot.com/20...

My Thoughts:
I really like a lot of books that are coming out of Harlequin Teen right now so I took a leap of faith grabbing this one, never actually reading book 1, hoping I would find a great story with a little supernatural edge to it.

I did.
Now, I have to admit I can't stand to jump into a series in the middle, for obvious reasons, but Wicked Kiss gave enough background detail I wasn't really lost at all. I am sure I will go back and read book 1 just to have this complete feeling (yeah, I am a little anal about that), although I felt pretty comfortable with the story line and characters.
Speaking of characters: wow! The angels/demons team is pretty cool but if I had to pick my faves I would go with Kraven all the way. YES I understand he is a demon and pretty heartless but I don't know, there is just something about his attitude; whew gets my temperature rising.
But our main character, is Samantha, a girl that is lacking a little something, that makes her have this very super and very deadly kiss. I liked her. She didn't irritate me too much, although, I think she should be careful what she wishes for.
Bishop, our resident guardian angel, is your typical YA male: brooding, dark, bossy as hell, oh and gorgeous. We definitely cannot forget gorgeous (but looks aren't everything-it's just the icing on the cake, so to speak.)
The plot is interesting and will keep your attention most of the time. I was appreciative of the thorough background info we got but I could understand where those have read the first book, might see it as more of information over load.
There could be a slight love triangle interpreted here but it isn't as huge as the synopsis makes you think it is. Also calling them "boys" just seems wrong but I guess that is a potato -po-ta-to thing.
The one hang-up that I had with Wicked Kiss had me torn from being super happy with the story and groaning to myself, "not again." I noticed it was a really long story-I mean really long, for a story I didn't think would or should have been that long. It just seemed like when everything was took care of; boom! Another problem arose out of nowhere and was tied up neatly again. The reason I was so torn was because I enjoyed the minor threads and they did play a bigger part into the main thread but there was a lot.

But all in all, Wicked Kiss was really good and pretty creative. It brings some originality to a genre that seems to be bombarded with vampires and werewolves. The heroine has some very unique abilities that are feared and revered at the same time. It is an interesting story that will have you surprised, horrified, and most importantly, breathless.

I gave it four hearts!
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Feb 01, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, favorites, series, net-galley, reviewed

Wicked Kiss has exceeded my expectations, while I thoroughly enjoyed Dark kiss, this 2nd book was by far much better. It picks up where Dark Kiss ends; Sam is still a gray trying to find the one that has her soul. The Angel & Demon team is still out there patrolling the city trying to rid the world of the pesky grays that are keeping them earthbound. There are a lot of new developments in Wicked Kiss and we are introduced to some new members of the team. I especially loved Jordan’s contribut...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Karen Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is rare that I find a second book better than the first, but this sequel did just that. A lot of the things I felt were missing in Dark Kiss seemed to be recovered in Wicked Kiss.

For one, I felt that the character development was lacking in Dark Kiss. This book seemed to reach back into the story, bring out the characters and put them under the spotlight. Rowen kept Samantha true to herself...Stubborn! I loved learning about Kraven and Bishops past, digging into Steven's head, and how they a...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jaclyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, sent-for-review, demons, angels

The Second in this Series, Better than the First

We all know that a lot of books fall into the '2nd book syndrome' and end up being my least favorite in the series. The love interests usually leave for 'noble' reasons and there is a lot of whining, heart break, and I'm left feeling like I should have skipped the book entirely. Not so with this one thankfully...it even surpassed how I felt about the first one.

The Good

The very first thing that I liked about this one is that Samantha stepped up and...more

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Wicked Kiss (Nightwatchers #2)

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