Angel of Darkness (The Fallen, #1)

Dec 04, 2011 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr-uf

3.5 Stars - A little uneven in places, but all in all a very good start to a new series.
This is only the second series I’ve started that has both Vampire and Angels as primary characters. Although I love Eden’s work, I had a bit of a hard time getting into her writing style for this particular book. Sometimes too little info is given out at a particular time that made me think I had missed something. At least she didn’t infodump, though; that would have been much worse.

The book starts with Keena...more 3.5 Stars - A little uneven in places, but all in all a very good start to a new series.
This is only the second series I’ve started that has both Vampire and Angels as primary characters. Although I love Eden’s work, I had a bit of a hard time getting into her writing style for this particular book. Sometimes too little info is given out at a particular time that made me think I had missed something. At least she didn’t infodump, though; that would have been much worse.

The book starts with Keenan being an Angel of Death, and Nicole the sweet, pretty schoolteacher he is dispatched to collect. She is being attacked by a Vampire; and Keenan makes the fateful to decision to spare her life and tape the Vampire’s life instead. For this, he loses his wings, and becomes a Fallen Angel.

Cut to 6 months later, and they meet up again; Keenan has been looking for Nicole all this time. Nicole is now a Vampire, having been changed by her attacker. The book never reveals to the reader exactly what happened to the H and h during the past 6 months, but most of it eventually comes out as the story unfolds. Both leads have toughened up (a lot) with the changed circumstances in their lives. Eden doles the info and action out in ‘real time’ a la the tv series 24. I started going along with the flow, and just let the story play out. The missing pieces finally begin to come together and slip into place. Then the story was a wild ride, lots of action. During the course of the book, the powers that Keenan lost when he fell start coming back to him. There are Angels, Demons, Shifters, and humans after the couple for various reasons. The Angels either wanted Keenan back in the fold or to kill him (and to get rid of Nicole, since her name is ialready in the book of death), the humans wanted to kill Nicole the Vampire, and the Demons wanted to kill them both, and the Shifters wanted Keenan's angel blood to make a powerful drug that would kill Demons. (Whew!) There were several fun references to Dee and the Night Watch series.

The good – it was an interesting, action-filled story that kept the book moving right along; and made me want to read the next book in the series. (Oh, and a virgin hero. That’s always rare and fun)! The bad – the story had so little ‘down time’ that it was difficult to get deep into the lead couple emotionally; and feel a lot of empathy for their situation and developing love story. It’s the first book of a new series, however; and they often are a little bumpy reading while the author gets the main plotline and story arc going. I’m really looking forward to the next book, should be about Azrael or Sammael. Azrael fell in this book, and will be a hard sell to redeem; and Sammael had fallen previous to the start of this book.

All in all, recommended to readers of PNR. Eden also writes some great Romantic Suspense, and I think I may like her RS better than her PNR...(less)

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Dec 21, 2011 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this, our hero the perfect Angel of Death instead of killing his prey the heroine, interferes and kills the vampire attacking her and falls, his wings burnt. He tracks her down six months later and finds a different woman, no longer the school-teacher instead someone who is being hunted.

Nicole never wanted what she got but she wants to live, she had done bad things because of her blood-lust and doesn't understand who Keenan is at first. Keenan meanwhile is experiencing emotions...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cynthia-eden

Disclaimer: This is a signed ARC from a blog contest. I was not requested by the author to review this book.

This is a new series by Cynthia Eden. She introduces us to her Dark Angels or The Fallen. This story is about Keenan, an angel who goes against the rules because he was tempted, loses his wings, get tossed out of heaven while enduring excruciating pain. “I’ve heard it’s the fire that makes you scream the loudest.” I was hooked by Chapter 2. If you are a Cynthia Eden fan like I am, you will...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...

I have been looking forward to this book for about a month now, and the wait was totally worth it.

Keenan is an Angel of Death, and one of his charges is a lovely, innocent, and nice school teacher named Nicole. When it comes down to the moment where Nicole is meeting her death by vampire in a dark alley, she fights. Nicole fights until she has nothing left in her. Keenan is an unfeeling angel who has seen it all. They don't lust, or hate, or love, or anyth...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden
Paranormal Romance -Nov. 29th, 2011
4 1/2 stars

Fast-paced, easy to read and quickly absorbing, Angel of Darkness is the first book in the author's Fallen series. Those who love the author's books will find this latest series a thrilling read they will not want to miss.

Keenen is an Angel of Darkness. His job is to take the souls of the dead. However, one night he is strangely moved by his next job. Nicole St. James is slated to die unfairly from a vicious vampire b...more Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden
Paranormal Romance -Nov. 29th, 2011
4 1/2 stars

Fast-paced, easy to read and quickly absorbing, Angel of Darkness is the first book in the author's Fallen series. Those who love the author's books will find this latest series a thrilling read they will not want to miss.

Keenen is an Angel of Darkness. His job is to take the souls of the dead. However, one night he is strangely moved by his next job. Nicole St. James is slated to die unfairly from a vicious vampire but instead of taking her soul. Suprisingly, Keenen decides for the first time to ignore his duty. He takse the soul of vampire who attacked her instead of Nicole’s! For some reason, Nicole draws him and he cannot bear for her to die. So Nicole St. James lives and as a consequence, Keenen's wings are painfully stripped from him. But he is not the only angel who has been punished. As a newly stripped angel, his abilities and his powers are greatly diminished, but this cannot stop him from finding Nicole again. But the Nicole he finds is very changed and untrusting. And it appears another, older and more powerful Fallen angel wants Nicole, too.

Once a teacher, Nicole was naive to the Otherworld. After her terrible attack and her turning into a vampire, she has had to change and change fast. As a new vampire she is weak and untutored, trying to survive in a new and scary world. When a darkly handsome stranger finds her, she fears he is a vampire hunter. However, he claims to be her Champion, but is he? And why is she being hunted?

This is a spectacular new start to a new series. I am fascinated by the angels and hope the next book in the Fallen series will have a different type of angel. Nicole is a very sympathetic character who is trying to make the best of things. She is understandably wary of Keenen and his suspicious entry into her life. On the other hand, Keenen is a bit mysterious and a bit aloof. It took me a little while to warm up to him but he proved himself in the end. There is also another enigmatic Fallen angel named Sam and the angel Azrael who strips Keenen of his of his wings which bring a lot of interest to the story. I would really like to more about Sam in another book?!

Mesmerizing angels and action make for an entertaining read.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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Nov 20, 2011 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: twolips-reviews

4 1/2 Kisses from TwoLips Reviews

On her way to pray, mild-mannered Nicole St. James meets with a horrible fate near the steps of a New Orleans Cathedral. Fighting for her life as a vampire is ravaging her body, she pleads with a shadowy figure to save her life. While Keenan hovers over the scene, watching for the appropriate moment to touch Nicole and take her soul to heaven, something about her tugs at his heart. Instead of taking her soul, he touches the vampire instead and faces the awful co...more 4 1/2 Kisses from TwoLips Reviews

On her way to pray, mild-mannered Nicole St. James meets with a horrible fate near the steps of a New Orleans Cathedral. Fighting for her life as a vampire is ravaging her body, she pleads with a shadowy figure to save her life. While Keenan hovers over the scene, watching for the appropriate moment to touch Nicole and take her soul to heaven, something about her tugs at his heart. Instead of taking her soul, he touches the vampire instead and faces the awful consequence of immediately losing his angel status in heaven, thrust to earth for his disobedience. Reconciling with his new life, Keenan is determined to find Nicole. When he finds her, will he be prepared for what Nicole has become?

Once again, Cynthia Eden doesn’t fail to disappoint her long-time fans with another outstanding supernatural read exposing more of the Other in Angel of Darkness. I immediately felt sympathy for Nicole St. James who one day was a school teacher and the next wound up a vampire. What a gutsy lady having to live off her wits in some dire circumstances looking for her next drink to survive. Six months into her new life, Keenan locates her and he cannot believe what he sees. Gone is the meek woman he was tracking as a death angel. The ‘new’ Nicole is a hard-nosed woman who isn’t above trickery to get what she needs to survive. He admires her pluck and cannot help but be sexually aroused by her.

Knowing he’s responsible for her transformation, Keenan vows to stay with her when he finds she’s being targeted for termination by not only the supernatural but the human community. Can Nicole learn not only to trust but fall in love with this man who seems vaguely familiar to her?

I loved Ms. Eden’s superb characterization of Keenan and Nicole as they look deep inside themselves to come to one conclusion—they are redeemable and worthy of love. Both battle their demons in Angel of Darkness and find ultimate joy in themselves. Cynthia Eden’s Angel of Darkness is the perfect blend of red-hot sex and supernatural suspense driven by a rockin’ plot. Pick up Ms. Eden’s book today and be just like me—waiting in breathless anticipation for another story in her highly innovative Other universe.(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 L.M. David rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have stayed away from this story line because I just couldn't see how an angel could be a bad boy. This story is about Keenan and Nicole. Because Keenan, a death angel, did not take her life but, instead, took the life of the vampire who attacked Nicole, he is tossed out of heaven. I liked the fierce devotion Keenan showed towards Nicole despite her still becoming a vampire following the attack Keenan intervened with. And their one break up quickly resolved which is totally different from most...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Dyllan, The Brazuca Ekaterina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: winged-wonder-aka-angel, contemporary, don-t-give-me-the-l-word, for-a-challenge, he-is-so-hot, i-m-gonna-smack-her-upside-the-head, i-m-gonna-smack-him-upside-the-head, i-want-that-cover, new-author-4-moi, para-super-normal-natural, read-in-2012, reviewed, screw-the-love-just-fuck-already, rough-past, tlc-scavenger-hunt-september, tstl-heroine, vamp-for-all, where-s-the-condom-dude, he-s-a-virgin

BOOK: Angel of Darkness
AUTHOR: Cynthia Eden
LENGTH: 305 PAGES
RATING: 3 STARS

REVIEW:

I'm not much into PNR, but I couldn't help myself when I saw this series. This is my first Cynthia Eden book. There were things I liked and some I just... Ugh get it over with it. For starts this feels REAL long. I thought it was 605 instead of 305 pages only.

Keenan is a angel of death, he carries the soulf of those who dies to another plane. Nicole is one of his charges, and he must carry her soul. Only he he...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

ANGEL OF DARKNESS (The Fallen #1) by Cynthia Eden

ANGEL OF DARKNESS is the first book in Cynthia Eden’s The Fallen series. The Fallen series will focus on the Angels of Death and what they have had to endure before and after they have ‘fallen’ from grace.

Keenan is an Angel of Death who has been enlisted to collect the souls of the recently departed. But his most recent assignment has him both confused and surprised, when he discovers that he has feelings for Nicole St. James. Angels do not have...more ANGEL OF DARKNESS (The Fallen #1) by Cynthia Eden

ANGEL OF DARKNESS is the first book in Cynthia Eden’s The Fallen series. The Fallen series will focus on the Angels of Death and what they have had to endure before and after they have ‘fallen’ from grace.

Keenan is an Angel of Death who has been enlisted to collect the souls of the recently departed. But his most recent assignment has him both confused and surprised, when he discovers that he has feelings for Nicole St. James. Angels do not have feelings=they suffer no pain or guilt. The Angel of Death’s only duty is to retrieve the souls from the dead.

Nicole St. James is slated to die a horrible death at the hands of a vampire, but something about the woman will shock the Angel into taking another life and sparing Nicole’s. When it is discovered that Keenan failed to collect Nicole’s soul, Azrael is forced to send Keenan into hell where he will suffer for neglecting his duties. And 6 months later, Keenan will go in search for the woman who changed his life, but Nicole is no longer the shy, young teacher who was searching for peace.

Nicole St James is a vampire. Turned during an attack in a dark alley, Nicole only knows hunger. But her maker is dead and Nicole no longer hears the insidious voices urging her to kill. Feeding from human prey is a necessary part of her life, but there are many ‘others’ known as the Nightwatch including humans, demons and shifters that have organized against the vampires and are willing to hunt and kill. But when a mysterious stranger is willing to aid Nicole as she flees from the others, she believes she has found her ‘guardian angel’.

The relationship between Nicole and Keenan will grow as they continue to run from those trying to kill the vampire. But there are some who have the knowledge and the ability to ‘see’ what Keenan was, and it is with that knowledge that Keenan will become the hunted as well. AS the descendants of the fallen, Demons have the ability to see the true faces of the fallen, and it is the demons that are enlisted to find Keenan and Nicole.

Sammael is a ‘fallen angel’ who at first appears to be aiding in the search for both Nicole and Keenan, but appearances can be deceiving. As newly fallen, the former angels no longer retain memory or their abilities, but Sammael will aid Keenan in his search for both his powers and the knowledge to know what it is he has to do. And it is with that knowledge that Keenan will strive to protect the woman with whom he has fallen in love.

ANGEL OF DARKNESS is wonderful introduction to Cynthia Eden’s The Fallen series. There is plenty of background information as well as the introduction of an assortment of demons, shifters and other angels that will allow for the series to continue. There is plenty of action, the storyline never stalls, but I found myself having to go back a few times wondering what I had missed because the storyline goes back and forth between events and characters without a break. I am looking forward to reading Angel Betrayed-release date June 2012.

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Mar 06, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Reviewed By~Terri N.
Review Copy Provided By~Publisher

I love Cynthia Eden’s books. I’ve read a good many of them and have become a big fan. However, this book wasn’t one of my favorites.

Keenan and Nicole were easy to like characters. You can’t help but feel for him at the very start of the book. His dilemma of duty verses love pulled at my heart right away. I liked the fact that no matter what happened as the book progressed he never wavered in knowing he’d made the right choice.

Nicole, the rel...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Larena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Contemporary, Texas, Mexico & New Orleans

Nicole St. James was a school teacher until the night she was attacked by a vampire. Then her world is turned upside down. Now she has to learn how to live in a completely different world. Everything is completely different now and Nicole is fast learning that all she believes was true in the world isn’t even close to being what the world is really like.

Keenan is the Angel of Death and it was his job to take Nicole the night she was attacked. Instead...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Forget Vampires, Demons and Shifters - Angels Rule!!!

Angel of Darkness is the story of Keenan, an Angel of Death, who becomes a Fallen Angel one fateful night when he refused to take the soul of Nicole St. James the night she was attacked by a vampire. Six months later, he’s finally tracked her down only to learn that the night of her attack, she was Turned. Now he must protect her from the humans, shifters and bounty hunters who want to see his vampire dead. But there is also another Angel of D...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Chelsea [Vampire Book Club] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fae-angels, smexy, uf-pnr, vampires, suggested-series-firsts

This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

Some books you just devour, and I ate up Angel of Darkness in nearly a single sitting.

The first in Cynthia Eden’s new The Fallen series, Angel of Darkness focuses on Keenan. As an Angel of Death his task was to kill with a touch and remove the designated souls. He was fine with that until he encountered Nicole. He just didn’t want her to die. So he broke the rules and killed the vampire who sought to rape and murder her.

He burned for it and...more This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

Some books you just devour, and I ate up Angel of Darkness in nearly a single sitting.

The first in Cynthia Eden’s new The Fallen series, Angel of Darkness focuses on Keenan. As an Angel of Death his task was to kill with a touch and remove the designated souls. He was fine with that until he encountered Nicole. He just didn’t want her to die. So he broke the rules and killed the vampire who sought to rape and murder her.

He burned for it and fell to earth. Slowly memories have come back to him about who he is, but all he knows is he needs to find Nicole. It’s been six months, but she knows she’s the key to everything. When he finds her, he learns she’s no longer the coy school teacher. She’s been turned vampire — but she does her damnedest not to kill. He also discovers he wants to protect her.

These two are bound, and while Nicole isn’t much for trusting anyone too many people are after her — demons, shifters, other vampires. She doesn’t know why everyone wants to kill her, but having a second set of eyes around might not be all bad. And it doesn’t hurt that the eyes come on a body that’s pure perfection.

The real interesting piece in Angel of Darkness is the way Eden slowly cultivates fallen angel Keenan’s understanding of emotions. As an angel, he’d never truly felt any emotions. When he fell, they slammed into him. Lust is exciting — and leads to a handful of excellent steamy scenes — but more that than, he has to learn to recognize what’s motivating his actions. He doesn’t immediately think of love when he knows he’d rather die than let harm befall Nicole. He doesn’t know what that is to recognize it. It would have been easy for Eden to let him fall into new emotions easily, but instead she makes it the tumultuous experience it should be. As a result, the sweet parts are sweeter and the sexy parts hotter.

Fans of Moira Rogers’ Crux will absolutely fall for Angel of Darkness as will those who like heroines who don’t need saving but get a little swoony when the boys do it anyway.

Sexual content: Multiple sex scenes(less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Kitty Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As posted on The Smutty Kitty

5 out of 5 Licks

I bought this book because I received the third in the series (Angel in Chains) to review. I have a very strict read books in series order rule so I couldn't read my ARC until I read the first two and I thought I should review them too. This was such an awesome start to a series! The book grabbed me from the first sentence and I couldn't put it down. There was so much action around every corner and of course the sex was hot. Seriously a vamp and a fal...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, paranormal-romance

Nicole St James is about to have her life turned upside down and all she is trying to do is go to a church to pray. This meek school teacher is brutally attacked by a vampire while some unknown being watches and doesn’t help. Crying, screaming, and begging get her nowhere. Nicole fights a creature she had no clue even existed to no avail. She may not die permanently in that dark lonely alley, but the changes in her life are definitely unwanted. She becomes the monster that changed her life forev...more Nicole St James is about to have her life turned upside down and all she is trying to do is go to a church to pray. This meek school teacher is brutally attacked by a vampire while some unknown being watches and doesn’t help. Crying, screaming, and begging get her nowhere. Nicole fights a creature she had no clue even existed to no avail. She may not die permanently in that dark lonely alley, but the changes in her life are definitely unwanted. She becomes the monster that changed her life forever, a vampire.

Keenan an Angel of Death has a strict set of rules to live by. Take the life of the next person on the list. His touch is death. As an angel he has never experienced emotions, never known the touch of a lover, and he has never gone against the orders of his peers. Until Nicole, now he wants to help this woman he was sent to take. He wants to change fate for her. He wants things that he does not understand. Keenan went against his orders. He keeps Nicole from dying in that alley.

Keenan falls for Nicole, in more ways than one. Keenan’s fall leaves him without the abilities that he had as an angel. The fall also leaves him with emotions, something he has never experienced before. His emotions leave him wanting to find Nicole, immediately. He has to make sure she is alive, after all that is why he was punished. Nicole is struggling with her new life. She has this unnatural thirst and people are hunting her for mistakes that she made as an untrained newbie vamp.

Nicole and Keenan never get any breaks. As soon as they evade one hunter another finds them. Keenan is trying to help Nicole. It seems like every faction of Other is after her. Some of the Other soon figure out that there is an even better reason to hunt Nicole. They had just been hoping to put a vamp to death. The potential to gain power is an even bigger reward so the pursuers up the ante and chase them with ever more vigor than ever before.

Eden has included a couple of my favorite type of characters. The hero that when first introduced seems like he may just be a bad seed. As the story carries on I started to wonder if perhaps they just had their own agenda. I just love the guys that you have to question their motives and weather they are in fact playing for team evil or are they really fighting for team good. I’m eager to see where the next books in the series take these two.
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Apr 27, 2012 Richard Hayes rated it 3 of 5 stars

As Keenan waits in the alley for Nicole St. James to come, he knows that she will die and he will be the one that brings her death. Keenan is an Angel of Death and his job is when Nicole is just at the point of death to touch her, killing her and freeing her soul. As he waits and watches she is attacked by a vampire. He is surprised by how hard she fights back including slashing the vampires throat with some glass she found in the alley. He listens to her cries for help but he has his orders, sh...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent read. Cynthia has created another wonderful fast paced action filled paranormal read.
I love how her angels are not such goodie goodies as we normally see them. There is struggle going on within all three angels we meet. Each seems to have his own "demon" to overcome.
We meet Nicole as she is leaving the cathedral that was locked so she couldn't enter. As she is walking down the alley a vampire attacks her and Keenan (a death angel) watches the attack unfold. Nicole fights hard for her l...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Ami rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic

3.5 stars
My experience with Cynthia Eden's paranormal books is limited to her "Bound" novellas. This is the first time I read a lengthier story of her in that genre (my experience with her on novels is with her romantic suspence, "Deadly" series).

Keenan used to be an angel of death -- he fell because he failed in taking one life of Nicole St. James. That fateful night, Nicole looked at him, begging for help, he hesitated, and ended up taking life that is not supposed to be his job. Then, after h...more 3.5 stars
My experience with Cynthia Eden's paranormal books is limited to her "Bound" novellas. This is the first time I read a lengthier story of her in that genre (my experience with her on novels is with her romantic suspence, "Deadly" series).

Keenan used to be an angel of death -- he fell because he failed in taking one life of Nicole St. James. That fateful night, Nicole looked at him, begging for help, he hesitated, and ended up taking life that is not supposed to be his job. Then, after he roams to Earth to find Nicole, turns out she is 'technically' died anyway, since she is turned into vampire -- and she has been having death threats on her trail.

I find this plot interesting because of the unique prologue. Nicole begged Keenan for help, but because of his duty, Keenan only watched. Definitely not a good way to start a relationship, huh? With a Fallen, that just stands there while you were dying :).

I like how Keenan discovered the emotional part of being human, like pain, pleasure, rage, love ... He spends his two thousand years of being an angel not familiar with those. I also like how Keenan rediscovers his power, even after he fells.

Nicole as heroine is not as interesting, though. She's either running away or trying to justify that she kills because she is being controlled. She doesn't impress me much.

Although it is quite fast-paced, some of the scenes are repetitive -- the running, the encounter with either human or shifters who want to kill Nicole, the fight seems easy and quick to end only to start again with similar threat.

HOWEVER, the secondary characters of Sammael and Azrael help moving the story along. Especially because they seem to be walking on gray area but at the same time they are plotted to be the hero on the sequels. Azrael, especially, he seems to be a villain here, with his determination to kill Nicole in order to give Keenan redemption. But I discover he will be getting his own book in November. That makes me curious.

Definitely tune in for the sequel in July. It will be Sam's story.
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Jul 03, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, paranormal-romance

This was a wild ride of a book! The action and suspense started on the first page and didn’t end until the last page. Keenan and Nicole were an unlikely hero and heroine, which is what made them so great to read about. I thought Cynthia did a great job developing these characters, as they responded to things exactly as I would expect. It was nice to see the Nicole doubted Keenan and his motives for a bit at the beginning. It was nice to see her get angry at the Keenan for not telling her the ent...more

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May 07, 2012 Steph rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-setting, paranormal-romance

2.25 Stars

This books definitely straddles the line between o-k and good. Even writing this I'm sighing because I really wish I enjoyed it more than I did. I could see people really enjoy this, as it is an easy read, and some of the characters are good. But, that being said, overall for me, I found I didn't care for the lead characters Keenan and Nicole, and the story left a lot to be desired. When there are such good paranormal romance books/series' out there, this one really missed the mark.

In...more 2.25 Stars

This books definitely straddles the line between o-k and good. Even writing this I'm sighing because I really wish I enjoyed it more than I did. I could see people really enjoy this, as it is an easy read, and some of the characters are good. But, that being said, overall for me, I found I didn't care for the lead characters Keenan and Nicole, and the story left a lot to be desired. When there are such good paranormal romance books/series' out there, this one really missed the mark.

In this one, Keenan is an angel of death. He's there to take the soul -with a single touch- when someone's life is ending. When he is unable to essentially end Nicole's life, he is cast out and down to earth as a fallen angel. After six months of searching he finally locates Nicole in Mexico, where he discovers that not only is she now a vampire but she is also being hunted by Carlos, a shifter, among others. A good portion of this book is Keenan and Nicole on-the-run, and it is as they are trying to avoid the bad guys that they learn one another including their mutual lust-filled attraction.

Beyond just the the two of them and Carlos, we also meet Sam. He is a fellow fallen angel who never seems to be quite good or evil (he's one of the better more intriguing characters). There is also Az the (mysterious)head Angel of Death who wants Nicole to die since she never should have been alive this long to begin with (and with her death may restore Keenan's angel status). While there are other minor side characters, to be quite honest, they simply weren't that memorable or really worth mentioning.

I think some of the reasons I couldn't love this was because I was very unsatisfied with various developments - story and character-driven - throughout. When Keenan becomes fallen, he learns emotions for the very first time, and this is including but not limited to anger, jealousy, and let's not forget lust (therefore it's safe to say the angel's a virgin). So when he demonstrates the skills of man with a lot experience with Nicole when they first hook up, and its explained that its because he's seen a lot, sex included, from watching people as an angel of death, I was like "puhh-lease". I understand that PNR's have accelerate timelines and are generally unrealistic on many many fronts, but sometimes it's simply too much and way over the top. In my opinion this book had a lot of cop-outs like that to explain various situations and holes, and this is simply one of the most memorable examples I can think of right now.

With regards to the "villains/enemies", Az and Carlos were the two predominant ones in the book. I preferred Az because he had that devoid of humanity attitude but cracks-were-showing air to him, and as a reader you were curious yet disliked him for the right reasons. I can see the author potentially making him a lead in a future book as it seems these fallen angels are described as anti-heros. And then there was Carlos. Carlos had to have been one of the most annoying worst villains I've ever read. Even though he already hated and hunted vamps, he was extra pissed because Nicole killed his brother (there is a small backstory for this) and now wanted revenge. His scenes were so redundant, where the same things were said and done over and over and over every time he hit the page. It's the one time I will say that with a villain like this, this book could have been condensed into a novella because if you take many elements into consideration, he never should have lived as long as he did. Although, to be fair, Nicole was a big reason why that idiot Carlos lasted as long as he did. She was an ok heroine, but there are much much better female leads out there. And to be frank, without Keenan she could and would have bit the biscuit in pretty much every fighting scene.

I'm not big on talking poorly about a book, and I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed. I just get the impression that this is a bit of a lazy-man's PNR: not enough effort to properly develop the overall story, its plot, subplots, and characters. But as mentioned, it is an easy read, it's not complex in the least, and some characters did peak my interest (Sam and Az). It's also the first book of a series, and I usually find them to be the weakest of the series.

Sam's book is up next. As mentioned, I didn't mind him as a character. He's been a fallen angel for a while now, was also an angel of death, and he is mysterious and does flirt between good and evil, so maybe it will be better than its predecessor. I don't know if i'll read the next one. Time will tell. (less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Melindeeloo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: angels, paranormal-romance, paranormal-romance-vampire, vampires

2.5 stars - pretty good. I liked the idea behind Eden's Fallen series – with several former 'angels of death' at the center - and of the romance between the fallen angel, Keenan, and Nicole, the woman who caused him to fall. But at a little over the halfway point Angel of Darkness (The Fallen ) still hadn't grabbed me. I normally like Cynthia Eden's books but when all was said and done I ended up just little underwhelmed and I am not exactly sure why.

It might have been that I just never connect...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, for_review

3.5/5 - Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

“I was just in the mood to kick some ass.”
She shook her head. “You know, you just don’t sound like an angel.”

It seems like angels have taken over the paranormal world at the moment, but guys with wings can be so sexy! In the case of ANGEL OF DARKNESS, we have Keenan, a fallen angel who’s lost his wings because he didn’t take the soul he was supposed to. Nicole was set to die and Keenan was tasked with bringing her soul into the afterlife, but aft...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Leagh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

I am just going to start out by saying WOW! This is a sexy, thrilling, emotional read that will suck you in and not let go. The world that Ms. Eden creates is unique and exciting.

I will not summarize the book for you cause the blurb is above but I will tell you that you have to get this book on release day.
Keenan is such an amazing character, you will love him right from the beginning. He has had a very sheltered life as an angel and one that has not allowed him to touch anyone without causing h...more
I am just going to start out by saying WOW! This is a sexy, thrilling, emotional read that will suck you in and not let go. The world that Ms. Eden creates is unique and exciting.

I will not summarize the book for you cause the blurb is above but I will tell you that you have to get this book on release day.
Keenan is such an amazing character, you will love him right from the beginning. He has had a very sheltered life as an angel and one that has not allowed him to touch anyone without causing harm. Imaging how he feels when he touches Nicole for the very first time. Oh my...The passion is thrilling and emotional all at the same time. He is strong and capable yet sweet and caring. Oh and did I mention he is a virgin. Yep, you heard me right, a virgin. But don't let that fool you, he does not disappoint in that department.
Nicole is a strong women who was put through the ringer and didn't have any idea what to make of it. She didn't have anyone to guide her through her "change" and the simple fact that she survived is a testament as to how strong she is. At one point in the books she is given some pretty horrible news and she takes it in stride. I truly loved her from the beginning and I know you will to. She is the perfect match for Keenan.

I thought this book read really well with no jumpiness at all. Cynthia did a fantastic job of giving you a clear picture of the world you are reading about and really makes you understand where each character came from. The emotion is so descriptive that you can't help but feel what the characters are feeling and the sexual tension burns up the pages. There are a lot of players in this new world that Cynthia has created but she does a fantastic job of declaring who is who and what their purpose is in the story. I have a feeling that some of these players are gonna be making future appearances and I cannot wait.

Cynthia has outdone herself with this thrilling read. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a excellent paranormal romance.

(less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, angels, demons, ebook, shapeshifters, vampires, pnr, reviewed

Rating: B-

Fallen Angels - sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't. To believe that a being moves from angelic good to total badass overnight is quite a leap of faith. In the case of Keenan, I got the feeling this was a long time coming. He's been suppressing his needs by focusing on his duty until one night it all comes to a head.

Nicole St. James is a devoted teacher, good friend and an upstanding citizen. Then one night she's attacked and turned into a vampire. Everything she has work...more Rating: B-

Fallen Angels - sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't. To believe that a being moves from angelic good to total badass overnight is quite a leap of faith. In the case of Keenan, I got the feeling this was a long time coming. He's been suppressing his needs by focusing on his duty until one night it all comes to a head.

Nicole St. James is a devoted teacher, good friend and an upstanding citizen. Then one night she's attacked and turned into a vampire. Everything she has worked for is gone and she must go into the darkness to survive. It turns out our angel Keenan isn't the only one who undergoes a radical transformation. Nicole learns how to fight and how to take a life. I liked how we see Nicole come to grips with who and what she's lost to what she must become if she's to live the new world of monsters.

Keenan has been a death angel for thousands of years. Work that long at the same job and something has to give. Keenan really struggled with his decision to save Nicole's life or take it as he was ordered to. It took him so long I thought she might just die while he continued to ponder what to do! But once Keenan decides there's no turning back. He's not a great hero, the secondary male character left a greater impression on me than Keenan did. But Keenan does have his good points, even if they were few.

The romance is one of those on-the-run types which only works sometimes. This time Nicole and Keenan let there libidos take charge a few too many times. Keenan was more fixated on Nicole because she was the reason, the catalyst, for his downfall. She thankfully, doesn't trust him right off the bat and really makes him earn that trust. Still, I wasn't feeling the romance.

The secondary characters really helped move the story along. I'm looking forward to the next book about Sammael, "call me Sam". He has badass down to an art form. Even with the issues I had with not being all that thrilled with the romance I do like what I'm seeing of the world and the fallen angels.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-have

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

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Nov 20, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

The angels in Eden's world are as flawed and compelling as the human herds they manage, culling them with emotionless precision when ordered. Even better, these angels seem as confused about the nature of right and wrong, good and evil. Keenan and Nicole have to find their own way forward through this uncertainty. And rather than a small glimpse of the next couple in the series, Eden sets the hook deep to anticipate Sam and Seline. Eden's Constantine-esque world is just starting to unfold, and I...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Angel of Darkness is the first book in Cynthia Eden's new series, The Fallen. It introduces you to new characters, but inside of the same world from her previous books. Somehow they all connect.

Keenan is the Angel of Death. He collects souls and has been doing it for thousands of years. Never once has he had any problems or has he gotten attached to any of the souls on his list. That is until he meets Nicole. Who, for whatever reason, brings everything inside of him to life and he can't help bu...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Ellie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Angel of Darkness, The Fallen #1, by Cynthia Eden
Grade: C-

“He’d always thought humans got the better end of the deal. Pleasure, passion. Sure, pain was thrown into the mix, too. But you could live through the pain.”

As an angel of death Keenan spent centuries watching humans and collecting their souls and he never had a problem with his job until he is sent to collect the soul of Nicole St. James. Keenan spends days watching Nicole and when it comes time to collect her soul he hesitates and it ch...more Angel of Darkness, The Fallen #1, by Cynthia Eden
Grade: C-

“He’d always thought humans got the better end of the deal. Pleasure, passion. Sure, pain was thrown into the mix, too. But you could live through the pain.”

As an angel of death Keenan spent centuries watching humans and collecting their souls and he never had a problem with his job until he is sent to collect the soul of Nicole St. James. Keenan spends days watching Nicole and when it comes time to collect her soul he hesitates and it changes both of their lives forever. By failing to do his job and changing fate, Keenan falls from heaven and sets out to find the woman who changed his whole world.

Six months ago Nicole St. James was an twenty nine year old school teacher in New Orleans until one night she was attacked by a vampire in a dark alley. As she was being attacked the vampire suddenly dies and Nicole is turned into the monster that almost killed her. Now on the run from vampire hunters, Nicole meets Keenan, a man claiming to be a fallen angel and her guardian. Keenan and Nicole are now on the run from hunters and the head angel of death who still wants to collect Nicole’s soul. Keenan now has ten days to keep alive the woman who has come to mean his entire world and worth giving up his wings.

I was very excited to read this book and I love the idea of an angel falling from heaven for a woman and having the woman turn into a “monster” but sadly the story, characters and romance fell very short for me. Nicole’s transformation from human to vampire and Keenan’s fall from heaven are very fast paced and well written but then we meet Nicole as a vampire and Keenan as a Fallen and the books starts to go downhill.

I really wanted to know more about Nicole like where she grew up, her family, etc. and because I didn’t know anything about her other then she was a school teacher and she was supposed to die made it impossible to connect with her. I had a lot of issues with Nicole especially with her relationship with Keenan. One second she doesn’t trust him and is running from him and the next they’re partners and in bed together. They went from enemies to lovers so fast I almost got whiplash. That’s where I lost a lot of interest in the story and just read to finish the book. I don’t have a lot to say about Keenan because I wasn’t a big fan of his from the beginning and found he kind of fell into the background and was just there.

The one thing and/or person that I loved was Sam. He is a true bad boy and he saved the book from being horrible. Sam was a breath of fresh air that kept the story alive and exciting. I like how his story was built up and I’m hoping that he gets his own book next because that’s the only way I will continue to read this series. I wish that I had enjoyed this book more but sadly I didn’t and it was a very hard three hundred pages to get through. (less)

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Jan 19, 2012 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

This hurts me to say, since Cynthia Eden is one of my favourite authors, but the book was hard to read.

The characters to me did not show a great deal of depth, i found my mind wandering while reading (which never happens) and i didnt feel like they truly loved each other and to make it worse i was skipping parts because i was so bored of it!!

I am so sorry Cynthia Eden, i really love all your other books and have given them all 5*s but this one just didnt do it for me.

the storyline was really goo...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an angel/vampire story. While I am partial to vampire books and not into angel bad boys (which doesn't seem right), this wasn't all bad. The dialog wasn't the best but the interaction between Keenan and Nicole was intriguing. Keenan is an angel of death, sent go take Nicole's soul during a vampire attack. Instead, he takes out the vampire. Because he disobeyed, Keenan becomes one of the Fallen. After that, he becomes Nicoles protector and, later, her lover. There were times the story see...more

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Angel of Darkness (The Fallen #1)

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