Angels of Darkness

Oct 06, 2011 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: angels, paranormal-romance-shapeshifters, paranormal-romance-vampire, sci-fi-romance, shapeshifters, vampires, urban-fantasy

I was so excited about this anthology that I instantly dropped everything else I was reading the moment it appeared on my Kindle - these authors are among my very favorites. I was pretty hyped for this, which might have worked a bit against me, I enjoyed the four stories, three of which are connected the authors' series, but I was surprised that with so many of my top favorite authors, the new to me Sharon Shinn's story was my favorite. The stories in Angels of Darkness weren't super romancey ev...more I was so excited about this anthology that I instantly dropped everything else I was reading the moment it appeared on my Kindle - these authors are among my very favorites. I was pretty hyped for this, which might have worked a bit against me, I enjoyed the four stories, three of which are connected the authors' series, but I was surprised that with so many of my top favorite authors, the new to me Sharon Shinn's story was my favorite. The stories in Angels of Darkness weren't super romancey even though there were romances in each story, but the personal aspect of the relationships was more the focus. FYI, the Andrew's story is the only one that didn't have an angel in the lead, just two brief references to 'angels'.

Here's just a quick bit about the stories in the order I read them....

Singh's Angel's Wolf - Noel, the vampire who was brutalized in an earlier Guild Hunter book and who is healed in body but still not recovered emotionally from his ordeal, is sent away from Raphael's Tower to guard the deceptively fragile looking Nimra whose territory is New Orleans - but Noel knows that no angel rises to power by being weak. - Singh does a really good job of developing the characters and the relationship in this short - though the romance aspect of the relationship doesn't have the tension filled build up of some of Singh's other stories. I really liked both of the leads and it was nice for a change that the power imbalance between angel and vampire isn't so great as the immortal/human pairings in the other Guild Hunter books. My only nit, and it didn't stop me from enjoying the story - and probably wouldn't have struck me the same way if I hadn't recently read Archangel's Blade - was that I am now really ready for another Guild Hunter story where one (or both) of the leads hasn't been savaged to the extreme in the past. (I liked it)

Sharon Shin's Nocturne - A despondent blind angel is brought back to life by a woman who is no fan of angels. - This story ended up being really sweet, and the relationship is really well built as both of the leads come to trust each other and learn to move beyond the past that has limited their lives. The love scenes are left mostly to the readers imagination but the thought of the heroine being enveloped in the angel's wings adds fuel to fire that imagination. I haven't read anything by Shinn before, but recognized that this story is set in the world of her angel series, but this actually turned out to be my favorites story. (I really liked it)

MelJean Brook's Ascension - Concerned for her former friend, Radha drops in on fellow Guardian Marc who is on the hunt for what Marc suspects is a Demon 'poisoning' the minds of humans in his territory and though Radha is the mistress of illusion, after 140 years, it may be time clear up the misunderstanding that ended their friendship - I am a huge fan of the Guardians, which is up to book seven and only one more story away from being complete. For newbies Brook has tried really hard in this story to catch new readers up on the whole Guardian mythos, fans who have just finished up Demon Marked - which had also had a pretty thorough recap and a lot more space to weave it in - probably won't appreciate this as much as fans who need to come back up to speed in preparation for Michael's book. (It was ok)

Ilona Andrews' Alphas: Origins - An unfortunate pit stop, changes a field trip mom's life forever. Now her survival and that of her daughter depends on her bond to the frightening, Lucas, who is part man and part beast. I think that this is a prequel for a new series from the Andrews, and the world is a fusion of paranormal and sci-fi. I always enjoy stories like this in which a 'weak' heroine discovers her strength and also finds the hidden vulnerability in the man who is nearly a beast, and I am sucker for a hero who appealingly leashes his primal nature in order to give his heroine a choice. I would have like this one better without the conversation that did an info dump to explain the series mythos.(It was ok)
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Dec 27, 2011 Anna marked it as to-read

Shelves: fantasy, kindle, working-on-it

...reading this only for you Sharon Shinn! :)

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Nov 19, 2011 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-goddess-ilona-andrews, author-goddess-nalini-singh, anthology, angels, paranormal-romance, va-va-voom-vampires, lover-the-cover, aliens-beam-me-up-baby

Why am I not getting this until December according to Amazon when the release date is October!? This sucks great bit fuzzy baboon testicles!

November 2011 Update

Okay so I may have overreacted! I now have the book, happy days people! The baboon is back in the cage!

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
5 Stars

I find it really hard to rate novellas, this book is only 90 pages or so long; how much can you possibly pack in in that length?! Apparently for Nalini Singh, quite a bit. I think to fully appreciate th...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Lady Jaye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology, authors-ilona-andrews, authors-nalini-singh, authors-sharon-shinn, pb-angels, fantasy, favorites, keeper, dark-or-gritty-or-raw, really-liked-it, science-fiction, romance-paranormal, read-in-2011, stars-4, pb-werewolves-or-shapeshifters, series-by-nalini-singh, owned-kindle

This is one of my favorite anthologies till date, as it contains 3 of my very favorite authors.

Alphas: Origins, by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars
I loved this one. Skill and versatility from two authors I adore. The writing is so different from the typical Ilona Andrews voice and I am excited. I am excited for a new series (fingers crossed), hopefully starring Lucas and Karina.

Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn - 5 stars
My favorite. Sharon Shinn writes with elegance and an understated beauty that drags you una...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-guild-hunter, angels-demons, genre-paranormal-romance, series-the-guardians, genre-urban-fantasy, werewolves-shifters, books-read-2011, anthologies-novellas

This review was posted at Under The Covers

This book is one of the few anthologies that I've read in which I've actually liked every story. Some definitely more than others, but they are all good! I'll review them individually.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh - 4.5 Stars
Noel, a vampire who used to work at the Tower for Raphael, and who was one of the victims in a previous Guild Hunter book, is sent to New Orleans to serve Nimra. At first he thought he was being cast out because of his weakness. He is...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Kelli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

This audio collection of novellas was a resounding success for me, even though it does not include one of the stories (Meljean Brook’s Ascension) found in the text version. That’s quite a coup considering I usually avoid short-story collections like the plague. All three novellas were very entertaining and the narrations ranged from good to very good.

Angel’s Wolf – Nalini Singh

Story: B-
Narration: B

The vampire Noel is sent to Louisiana by Raphael, the Archangel of New York. Nimra is the angel who...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Alyssa Ricks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read as part of the Angels of Darkness anthology

Merged review:

Angel's Wolf (Singh) 4 stars. This is the first work of Singh's I've read and I really enjoyed it and will definitely try out her series. I'm not sure that I like that all the angels are cruel and inhumane (why does Raphael leave them in power?), but I get that, for at least some, it's an illusion they've created and is used as a foil for Nimra. I really enjoyed the characters of Nimra and Noel and even Christian and the rest of the c...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthologies-novellas, 2011, _adult, genre-paranormal-romance, genre-urban-contemporary-fantasy, paranormal-angels-demons-gods, paranormal-psychics, paranormal-vampires, review-planned, setting-futuristic, setting-alternate-universe, setting-present, setting-otherworld, genre_science-fiction

Proper review to come!

~4 stars, with a plus, because I'm dying for the Alpha series by Ilona Andrews and also for something written by Sharon Shinn. Hadn't expected to like her writing and when I did.. Yay.

The story by Nalini Singh wasn't as good as I hoped for, 3 stars, probably.

Meljean Brook's story was interesting. The whole Ascension-thing and the stuff the protagonsits said about the Guardians.. But I wasn't emotionally involved with them whatsoever, so I'd probably give this story 3.5 sta...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Desiree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, author-ilona-andrews, 3-star-reads, anthology, borrowed-from-library, hero-alpha, demons, favorite-covers, hh-angels-fallen-angels, hh-kid-from-previous-relationship, paranormal-romance, dhasg-challenge-2012

This is just for Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews.

3.5 stars.

I enjoyed this story. It wasn't the best of Ilona Andrews stories, short or normal length, but it was a solid story. One thing that actually hurt the story for me was the huge information dump. There was that problem in Magic Bites as well but it wasn't as obvious because the story was longer and I was able to get used to the information over that period of time. Overall this was an interesting story and I enjoyed the characters.

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Feb 07, 2013 Trianna Hyde rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 stories in one:

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh: Not used to her stories other than the shifters this is a good story that has everything from vampires, shifter to angels. 5 out of 5.

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews: A different story then what I've read, this story deals with a human woman who calms even a dark being. and in exchange for her life and the life of her daughter she must serve the dark being in anyway he demands. 5 out of 5.

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn: A woman who is running from her pa...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh — In the spellbinding universe of the Guild Hunters, a vampire becomes obsessed with the seductive angel who rules the Louisiana territory. But in her court, all is not what it appears to be.

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews — A woman is kidnapped into a world divided by a superhuman civil war. As the captive of an irresistibly dangerous male, she has two choices: submit and become a pawn, or take hold of her own destiny.

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn — Accepting a position...more

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May 29, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Angels of Darkness is actually four novellas, which I will review individually. They are probably best called paranormal romances.

Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn, is quite good, if predictable. A woman with a bit of a troubled past and a scathing tongue meets a hurt and despairing angel at a lonely manor . . . If you've read any Sharon Shinn, you'll know what's going to happen, but in a good way, because the story is comfortably predictable (like chocolate).

I didn't care much for Ascension, by Meljea...more Angels of Darkness is actually four novellas, which I will review individually. They are probably best called paranormal romances.

Nocturne, by Sharon Shinn, is quite good, if predictable. A woman with a bit of a troubled past and a scathing tongue meets a hurt and despairing angel at a lonely manor . . . If you've read any Sharon Shinn, you'll know what's going to happen, but in a good way, because the story is comfortably predictable (like chocolate).

I didn't care much for Ascension, by Meljean Brook, because the story revolves around two Guardians who are trying to protect humans from demons, but spend their time seducing each other instead of searching for the demon who is destroying a small town. They seem more concerned with their romance. Really not my cup of tea.

Angel's Wolf, by Nalini Singh, was about the relationship between a vampire and an angel. The vampire is frequently compared to a wolf, and is therefore wild, uncontrollable, and jealous. I prefer civilized men.

I really, really hated Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews. I will sum it up. (view spoiler) The story left a sour taste. I prefer men who are civilized. Strong does not mean possessive or dominating. (less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Olga Godim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sharon-shinn

The new anthology Angels of Darkness includes novellas by four writers: Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Sharon Shinn, and Meljean Brook. For me, the most memorable story in the anthology was Sharon Shinn’s Nocturne.

I have to admit, I’m partial. Sharon Shinn is my favorite writer, although I don’t usually find for her books in the romance section of a bookstore. She is, foremost, a fantasy writer, despite the romantic subplots in her stories. In this anthology, with its dark and sinister title, her...more The new anthology Angels of Darkness includes novellas by four writers: Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Sharon Shinn, and Meljean Brook. For me, the most memorable story in the anthology was Sharon Shinn’s Nocturne.

I have to admit, I’m partial. Sharon Shinn is my favorite writer, although I don’t usually find for her books in the romance section of a bookstore. She is, foremost, a fantasy writer, despite the romantic subplots in her stories. In this anthology, with its dark and sinister title, her story stands out. There is an angel there, of course, and the darkness, but the story sparkles with Shinn’s customary light and a pinch of humor. Unlike the other three writers in the anthology, she took the title literally. Her angel lives in total darkness: he is blind.

The novella is a part of Shinn’s Samaria series. It centers on the relationship between the blind angel Corban and the mortal woman Moriah. Educated and privileged, Corban hadn’t had a care in the world until he was blinded in a tragic accident. Now he is mired in despair. Without sight, he can’t fly. Without flying, he doesn’t wish to live.

Unlike him, Moriah has an appetite for life, whatever calamity comes with it. Poor and uneducated, she is a sharp-tongued woman, used to taking care of herself and her friends. She works as a kitchen menial and she despises Corban’s self-pity and his charmed existence. On the other hand, she is fascinated by his gorgeous wings and beautiful voice, and her no-nonsense attitude pulls him out of his despair. Of course, in the best romantic traditions, there is an attraction between the two in the making.

Transparent and enjoyable, the story is pure Shinn: fun to read and impossible to put down. I like everything about it: the clear, concise language, the focused plot, and the vivid, imperfect heroes. But most of all, like all her other tales, Nocturne shimmers with light. In the times when a wave of darkness sweeps genre fiction, Shinn writes against the current.

I can’t help wondering: why is there a decided minority who, like Shinn, write lightly? Why dark speculative fiction, dark romance, and dark mystery have become so dense on the bookshelves? Why do both writers and readers turn to them? This fad has only burst into popularity in the last dozen years or so. Have our lives got so dark? But there have been darker times in the history of humankind.

I don’t have an answer but I enjoy writers like Shinn, whose tales contradict the current tendency towards darkness. I hope there will be more.
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Jan 07, 2012 Kalynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this anthology. All of the stories were very different, but I did find something to like about each one. Three of the four authors were familiar to me and are among my favorites, while Sharon Shinn is a new discovery. My brief take on each story follows:

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh- I love Nalini Singh's writing, and I enjoyed the story, but it tried to do too much in the short format. The mystery plot of this story has a resolution that I'm not even sure makes sense. It certain...more I really enjoyed this anthology. All of the stories were very different, but I did find something to like about each one. Three of the four authors were familiar to me and are among my favorites, while Sharon Shinn is a new discovery. My brief take on each story follows:

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh- I love Nalini Singh's writing, and I enjoyed the story, but it tried to do too much in the short format. The mystery plot of this story has a resolution that I'm not even sure makes sense. It certainly does not seem to fit the logic of the story. The love story between damaged vampire Noel and the angel Nimra, however, is very well done and beautifully written. 3.5 stars.

Alphas: Orgins by Illona Andrews- This was a really cool introduction to a new world with a very compelling story of a mother who finds her own power in tough circumstances. Some of the mythology is still a little vague, but I really hope that Illona and Gordon come back to play in the Alphas universe at some point. Their world building is just awesome, and I think they have some interesting things going on here. I did feel that the hints of romance in the story were a little forced and didn't seem organic, and later I read that this was actually the case and was a result of editorial needs. I believe a romance could develop between the two leads, but it felt too soon in the context of this story. 4 stars.

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn- This was my first Sharon Shinn story, and I think it has convinced me to try one of her novels. The story of a woman on the run and a damaged angel is simple and well told. The descriptions are gorgeous, and the characters are well drawn. It also was well paced for the short format, focusing on one plot. 3.5 stars.

Ascension- The anthology ends on a high note, because Meljean Brook is so freaking good at writing these novella length stories. I loved this story about a romance between 2 guardians looking into a troubled town. The pacing is perfect. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is that the central problem relies slightly on a misunderstanding that feels a little contrived. The issues, themselves seem real, but the 150 year old misunderstanding sounds a rare false note. Despite this fact, this is my favorite story of the bunch. 4.5 stars
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Nov 09, 2011 Jessie Mihalik rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-ebook, own-paperback, signed

I was only interested in reading Alphas by Ilona Andrews, but I ended up reading the other stories, as well, even though they are parts of series I hadn't read. All of the stories were quite good (hence the four star rating), but I'm only going to review Alphas.

Pick up any Ilona Andrews book and you know the world-building is going to be top notch. It's a skill that is hard to pull off, and they have mastered it. That skill was evident here, too, but not with the usual subtlety and deftness that...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Cris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, contemporary-fantasy, fantasy, fantasy-romance, paranormal-romance, paranormal-supernatural, romance, vampires, short-stories

"Angel's Wolf" by Nalini Singh

I grabbed Angels of Darkness because of this story, and I was rewarded. Singh crafted a story that fit the length perfectly; it never felt rushed or forced. While some knowledge of Singh's world might be helpful, it's not necessary to have read any of her Guild Hunter novels to appreciate the story. The solution to the mystery was beautiful. I cared about the hero and heroine; they were well-matched. And the title fit the story perfectly.

"Alphas: Origins" by Ilona A...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Hirondelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: don´t-own, sf, fantasy

This is sort of being currently read - I wanted to read the Sharon Shinn story, got straight to it, and now not sure if I will read the rest. I want to return the book to owner, so trying to make the effort to read the rest of the stories fast, but OTOH I am stuck on the second story (Second i tried to read. I can not remember when was the last time I read one anthology straight cover to cover by their own order).

The Sharon Shinn story is probably not a good introduction to her Samaria world. It...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Gordon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked the story we did, but to be honest I also feel like we had to compromise to get it accepted. Ilona, do not read past this point. I don't mean that in a "oh poor me, I am an artist and I had to compromise my artistic integrity, to get my novel published." Ok, well maybe a little, even commercial hacks get the blues. When we came up with alphas, we wanted it to be sick and twisted, dark and mostly devoid of humor. Really, we sometimes like to write stuff that is not as funny or fantasy-ish...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Angel of Darkness- anthology with Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn
Paranormal Romance –Oct. 4th, 2011
4 stars

In this anthology the theme of angels is taken into each story and most are part of the authors’ current paranormal series. The only exception is the short by Ilona Andrews which is a bit of an odd ball and doesn’t quite flow with the rest of the novels.

Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh
Noel is a powerful vampire who has been moved to help the Angel of Louisiana. He is...more Angel of Darkness- anthology with Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn
Paranormal Romance –Oct. 4th, 2011
4 stars

In this anthology the theme of angels is taken into each story and most are part of the authors’ current paranormal series. The only exception is the short by Ilona Andrews which is a bit of an odd ball and doesn’t quite flow with the rest of the novels.

Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh
Noel is a powerful vampire who has been moved to help the Angel of Louisiana. He is embittered by his sudden transfer to work for another angel named Nimra. He feels that his recent position is a downgrade because of the injuries he recently suffered, but he is soon surprised to find he has actually been charged to find a traitor/assassin in the Louisiana court. As an outsider, he is the only one the beautiful angel Nimra can trust. As he poses as her lover to misdirect suspicion, he soon finds that he might still have a heart. Can Noel save the woman he has come to love before it is too late?
This is part of the Guild Hunters series and a great mystery. The author makes this short story feel like a full length novel. The growing relationship between Nimra and Noel is fascinating to read and the clues to the real traitor are not all they seem. A highly entertaining and satisfying story. 4 ½ stars

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews
Karina makes a wrong turn and is transported to a different world where she must fight for her daughter’s life as well as her own. There she finds a supernatural species of men who protect innocents. These men are vicious but one of the men needs Karina’s special blood to keep his pain at bay. Living in fear and resigned to staying in a brutal world, she must try to survive at all costs but her blood has surprising ramifications.
This was an interesting story. While the storyline was straightforward, I found the characters and their species still a bit confusing. This is one of those shorts that really needs to be expanded further. A decent read but not up to par with the author’s usual writing. 3 ½ stars

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn
In this story, an inquisitive and entertaining maid discovers a grumpy and scarred angel who has lost hope.
This is part of the author’s Samaria series and the most entertaining in the anthology. As the practical heroine, Moriah pushes the angel Corban to reevaluate his life and fly yet again. There is also a lot of depth to this story as the heroine is also on the run and the angel’s has a mystery behind his incapacity. I really enjoyed the plot and how both characters came to trust and rely on each other. This story is told in the first person and is easy to read. The heroine is plucky, practical, and fearless. It reminded me of Jane Eyre, and I relished the verbal interplay between the two main characters. Definitely the most romantic of all the stories and very emotionally satisfying. 5 stars

Ascension by Meljean Brook
Marc is a Guardian searching for the slayer of an innocent teenage vampire. Marc lives for his job but has lost his heart when he was spurred by another Guardian named Radha. While he has never forgotten her, is not pleased when she suddenly inserts herself into his investigation.
This is part of the author’s Guardian series. I liked the surprising ending and how the two worthy main characters finally find each other after a somewhat contrived misunderstanding in the past. The mystery really carried this story as I was fascinated by who was actually behind the murder. A thrilling and suspenseful read. 4 stars

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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Oct 06, 2011 Lia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I've only read 3 out of the 4 stories in this book: Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh, Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews, and Nocturne by Sharon Shinn. I'm not familiar with Meljean Brook's Guardian series, and I hate starting a series in the middle, so I did not read her novella.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
Singh's Guild Hunter series is not one of my favorites. I like her Psy-changeling books much better, mostly because they are PNR and the romance and world-building is good. In the Guild...more Disclaimer: I've only read 3 out of the 4 stories in this book: Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh, Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews, and Nocturne by Sharon Shinn. I'm not familiar with Meljean Brook's Guardian series, and I hate starting a series in the middle, so I did not read her novella.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
Singh's Guild Hunter series is not one of my favorites. I like her Psy-changeling books much better, mostly because they are PNR and the romance and world-building is good. In the Guild Hunter world (which is supposed to be UF), the plot gets bogged down, the worldbuilding isn't up to my standards, and I don't care for the characters much. This novella... if I pretended it was PNR I probably would have liked it a lot more. But no, I was focused on who the murderer was. Unlike Singh, who doesn't have Noel act like a bodyguard/detective (aside from a little bit of sleuthing... mostly he's just trying to prove Nimra doesn't have complete control over him). The world feels almost fake, a facade - Nimra is supposed to rule the area but we never see her doing any ruling. And Nimra herself... I can't help but think the story would have been much more effective if we had been given some backstory/rumor of why she is so feared. Because even though Noel keeps mentioning how her character is in such contrast to his previous perceptions of her, we don't have those previous perceptions. Rating: 3 out of 5.

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews
I read snippets of this story on the Andrews' blog and forum back when it was known as Alpha Menz and I didn't like them. At all. I'm not a horror fan, I don't get a thrill out of being scared while I'm reading, and I don't like my heroines helpless and afraid. That being said, I actually enjoyed this novella. Karina may have been frightened out of her wits throughout most of the story (ok, the entire story, aside from the first and last page) but she handled the fear extremely well. She showed herself to be a calm, intelligent, practical woman who was going to do whatever was best for her and her daughter, no matter how odd it might seem. Lucas was not the typical hero as well, our first description of him is as a hideous beast and I don't think he's meant to be visually attractive. Or perhaps that's just not how Karina sees him. Regardless, both characters are incredibly well done, and their corresponding back-stories fit their personalities very well. The minor characters in the story are interesting as well - I wouldn't mind a novella on Henry or even Daniel. The only place where this story falls short is the worldbuilding. I just don't think this new world was meant to be described in a novella (considering that it was supposed to be a novel, it probably wasn't), there just wasn't enough time. A lot of it went over my head, but it was all intriguing enough for me to want to re-read and understand. The whole "lost in this world" feeling was very apt to Karina's feelings at the time, though, so it fit well enough. Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn
This was the surprise winner for me. I read Shinn's Archangel series a long time ago, when I was a teenager, and the first book (Archangel) was one of my favorites. I've read a couple other books by Shinn as well and generally admire her writing style and characters. Moriah is a strong, independent woman who refuses to be a pushover, regardless of her background. Corban is a man down on his luck (ok, maybe he's just mopey) and their interactions together are fun and cute. There were places where I expected more of Moriah - the answers to her secret past that kept her running and hiding feel like they could have been brought to light if she had inquired at the proper sources, which she seems intelligent enough to do. I can't comment too much on the worldbuilding in the short novella, because the world of Samaria is clear and distinct in my mind from the previous books in the Archangel series, but it seems Shinn did a good job of describing the necessary aspects. Rachel and Gabriel's legacy are both mentioned, which was kinda cute. Rating: 4.5 out of 5.(less)

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Oct 05, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Angels of Darkness by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, and Sharon Shinn
Four stories with angels or angel like creatures.
Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh – This story takes place in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter world. If you love her Guild Hunter novels you will enjoy Angel’s Wolf. This story doesn’t involve any of the major characters except peripherally. Nimra is an angel holding territory in Louisiana for Raphael. She has a problem and is sent Noel, a damaged vampire, to assist her. A...more

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Oct 26, 2011 MissM rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, nook

"Angel's Wolf" by Nalini Singh - Not bad. Nice to see the cast-off character from the books get a happy ending. Also nice to see an angel in that world not be creepy sociopath.

"Alphas: Origins" by Ilona Andrews - Weird. I really enjoy their other series but this one was strange. The explanation (when it finally came) was interesting - very interesting - but this book suffered from trying to introduce too much into the novella. Apparently, it's going to be a series though...? So I'd check it out....more

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Oct 03, 2011 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, angels, reviewed, vampires

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This book includes novellas by three of my all-time favorite authors, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brook, so I was really excited to find it in the bookstore early. It features outstanding writing, which I’ve come to expect from these authors, and I was pleasantly surprised by Sharon Shinn’s novella Nocturne, which is my favorite of the collection. I hadn’t read anything by her before, but I will be r...more You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This book includes novellas by three of my all-time favorite authors, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brook, so I was really excited to find it in the bookstore early. It features outstanding writing, which I’ve come to expect from these authors, and I was pleasantly surprised by Sharon Shinn’s novella Nocturne, which is my favorite of the collection. I hadn’t read anything by her before, but I will be remedying that shortly. Here’s a breakdown of the novellas in the book.

Angel’s Wolf by Nalini Singh. This novella is set in the world of Singh’s Guild Hunter series and stars vampire Noel, who was viciously beaten by an enemy of Archangel Raphael in the second novel of the series, Archangel’s Kiss. Now that Noel’s recovered, he’s been assigned to the court of angel Nimra in Louisiana, which he initially believes reflects Raphael’s diminished opinion of his abilities. He soon learns otherwise, as he’s there to investigate an assassination attempt against Nimra. While I enjoyed another glimpse into the Guild Hunter world, I was a bit disappointed by this novella, mainly because it was so short. I like seeing what happened to Noel, but because it was shorter than the other novellas, the romance between Noel and Nimra felt a bit short-changed. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between the angel and the vampire, and the mystery was resolved too quickly. 3 out of 5

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews. This story was so different from Ilona Andrews’ other writing that I was a bit taken aback and not sure how to react to the story. It also didn’t compare favorably to their recently released enovella Silver Shark, which I just reviewed yesterday. Alphas: Origins is set in a world very different from any of the author’s other series, and at times I was a little confused about what was going on. The heroine, Karina, is driving her daughter and several other children on a school field trip when they stop at a motel so the kids can use the bathroom. Unfortunately for Karina, the “people” at the motel attack them, and Karina wakes up after the attack to learn that she’s now part of a world she never knew existed. The hormones in her blood will be used to feed Lucas, one of four alpha men who are warriors protecting humanity in a strange fight against a group of genetically altered humans. The story definitely improves as you read, because Karina is a strong and sympathetic character, but the first few chapters were confusing and none of the male characters particularly likeable. 3 out of 5

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn. I had never read any of Shinn’s work before, but I very much enjoyed this novella about a woman on the run who discovers an angel at the school where she’s working. This is set in the world of her Samaria series and takes place about 70 years after the first book in the series, Archangel. Moriah works the late shift in the kitchen at the school, and when she learns that no one is allowed to go inside the headmistress’s house, her curiosity is piqued. When the headmistress leaves for two weeks and the housekeeper sprains her ankle, Moriah steps in to help serve the guest on the upper floor. Turns out that the guess is Corban, a angel who’s been blinded and is feeling lots of self-pity for his condition. Moriah’s bracing character is more than a match for his depression, however, and soon he finds himself stretching his wings literally and figuratively. There’s a slow build to this story, but this was easily my favorite of the collection, and I’ll be looking for more of Ms. Shinn’s work. 4 out of 5

Ascension by Meljean Brook. This novella is set in the world of Brook’s Guardian series. I’ve read several of the novels and a few of the novellas, so I have a general idea of the background, even though I wasn’t familiar with these characters. I’m not sure how easily one could pick up details about the Guardians without having read another book in the series, so you might want to keep that in mind. That said, I did enjoy this novella. Like Singh’s novella, this is one of the shorter entries, but I felt that it was more fleshed out than Angel’s Wolf. Guardian Marc Revoire is investigating the deaths of several vampires in town, when he’s joined by former lover Radha. They had a hot and steamy night a LONG time ago, but she took off and he never knew why. Turns out he was a little too holier than thou and referred to her as “unclean” when praying for redemption after falling into temptation, which not surprisingly ticked her off. Fortunately, he’s more low key and less judgmental now, so the sparks fly between the two again. In the meantime, they solve the mystery behind who’s killing off the local vamps. While I like Ms. Brook’s writing, I really didn’t like Radha all that much, which diminished my enjoyment of the story. 3.5 out of 5(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Carlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of Nalini and Ilona and I like Meljean but I hadn't heard of Sharon Shinn and I love a well written angel story so I was looking forward to reading this anthology.
Nalini's story is set in her Archangel's world and center's on an Archangel called Nimra and the vampire Noel. They must find out who is out to poison the archangel. A great insight into the Archangel world!
Ilona's story is exactly what you expect from her, full of action and adventure and great character's. I would love...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up because not only does it have a great cover, but 1)I'm addicted to Nalini Singh's books 2)Sharon Shinn was the jam back in high school 3)I've read a little Ilona Andrews, enough to make me think I should pick up her series and 4)Meljean Brook is my spirit animal.

1) Nalini Singh adds a short story to her Guild Hunter series here. It is an attempted murder mystery in which a vampire who was almost killed in a previous book goes to assist the angel who rules Louisiana. I thought th...more I picked this up because not only does it have a great cover, but 1)I'm addicted to Nalini Singh's books 2)Sharon Shinn was the jam back in high school 3)I've read a little Ilona Andrews, enough to make me think I should pick up her series and 4)Meljean Brook is my spirit animal.

1) Nalini Singh adds a short story to her Guild Hunter series here. It is an attempted murder mystery in which a vampire who was almost killed in a previous book goes to assist the angel who rules Louisiana. I thought their relationship developed sweetly, and the outcome of the mystery was downright heartbreaking. Honestly it almost overshadowed the actual romance. Singh has a way of walking the tightrope between elegant and purple prose in this series.

2) Sharon Shinn's submission takes place in Samaria, a world populated by angels, who sing to their god Jovah for rain, sun, or even medicine, and humans. The Samaria series is awesome and I should totally reread it, because I loved this tight little story about a blind angel and the bitter, angry woman who befriends him.

3) Ilona Andrews' story did not get off to a good start with me because I thought she was going to an old-school "forced seduction" romance place. But then she didn't, and the average woman who finds herself in an unbelievable world of superpowered sorta-humans seizes power and relieves the narrative of the "will she succomb to him" tension. Very impressive. Favorite line: "Because I care if you live or die! What are you, a moron?"

4)Meljean Brook's short story about two Guardians comes after the end of the last book, I think. Radha, a Guardian I've always been interested in due to her blue skin and ability to create illusions, seeks out her ex-friend and lover Marc to make sure he's okay. As usual I like what Brook does with her couple, but I especially like that she finally addresses the issue of faith in this series. If there are Guardians, who look like angels and are supposed to protect humans, and demons, and definitely a hell, and actual angels somewhere, is there a God? Should the Guardians practice some sort of faith? What happens to those who Ascend? I'm not sure these are really important questions in the greater arc of the series, but I enjoyed the exploration of them here.(less)

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Jan 12, 2012 Madelyne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fell-for-the-cover-first, just-simply-a-good-read

Once I finished the first story in this anthology I had some doubts. The second and third story set my doubts at ease, but then the fourth story brought them to the forefront again. My doubts? How in the world did the bookstore think this book was YA? Let's just say Nalini Singh's and Meljean Brook's stories were NOT PG.

My rating for each story with my thoughts.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh - 3 stars; Ms. Singh is a good writer and this was my first experience reading her work. I just couldn't ge...more Once I finished the first story in this anthology I had some doubts. The second and third story set my doubts at ease, but then the fourth story brought them to the forefront again. My doubts? How in the world did the bookstore think this book was YA? Let's just say Nalini Singh's and Meljean Brook's stories were NOT PG.

My rating for each story with my thoughts.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh - 3 stars; Ms. Singh is a good writer and this was my first experience reading her work. I just couldn't get past the fake feeling of the story and it started a bit confusing for me.

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews - 4 stars; Wow! I had Ilona Andrews' books in the back of my mind with the thought "Some day I will have to get around to reading them." Now, though it isn't some day, but now please. Her characters made me laugh out loud and instantly made me want to know more. I nearly threw the book across the room when her story was over, frustrated it was over. One negative, it is hard to believe Lucas and Kate's relationship would happen as fast as it did. As one of the characters said, it is very Stockholm syndrome.

Nocturne by Sharon Shinn - 4 stars; This story would have gotten a 5 from me, had I known more about the world. I have been acquainted with Sharon Shinn's work for awhile. The first and only book I've read by her, prior to this, was The Shape-Changer's Wife. It was not what I would call a remarkable book, in fact I didn't like it very well. However, I have several of her books on my shelf to give her a second chance. Now having read this short story, I can't wait to delve into her angel world! Funny, well developed and a world I want to know more about. She and Ilona Andrews are the reason I picked this book up.

Ascension by Meljean Brook - 2 stars; Umm...yeah. The sex seemed to be the only thing that drove this story and not in a good way. (Is there such a thing?) I didn't like it and I'm sure I need to explain it further. Characters, setting, yeah, just didn't work for me.

Cover art 10 stars! I want the cover art as a print hanging in my room. Gorgeous.(less)

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Oct 17, 2011 Phaedra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, nook

I picked this one up because goodreads sent me an email about it. I enjoy both Ilona Andrews and Sharon Shinn's works so I figured I'd like at least 50% of the book. =)

The first story by Nalini Singh was OK in my opinion, I liked that the person they were searching for wasn't necessarily a villain but the romance felt a little heavy handed to me. Also, I haven't ready anything in this universe before so vampires and angels together seemed a little silly to me. It did seem like the author was tr...more I picked this one up because goodreads sent me an email about it. I enjoy both Ilona Andrews and Sharon Shinn's works so I figured I'd like at least 50% of the book. =)

The first story by Nalini Singh was OK in my opinion, I liked that the person they were searching for wasn't necessarily a villain but the romance felt a little heavy handed to me. Also, I haven't ready anything in this universe before so vampires and angels together seemed a little silly to me. It did seem like the author was trying to hard to make the reader suspect a few people of the foul deed that had been done, but a little misdirection never hurt anyone, right? I don't know that I would search out any of the author's other books as this was a little too sugary sweet for me in the romance department.

Next up was the Ilona Andrews story. I would like to read more of this, even if the romance bit seemed a little forced. I just don't buy that a woman being kidnapped and feasted upon is going to magically fall in love with her captor. Especially when said woman is constantly thinking of a way to escape. I liked that the 'angels' in this weren't traditional angels and that there was a very dark and gritty feel to the world.

I have read some of Sharon Shinn's Samaria series and found this very in vein with the rest of it. Moriah seemed to need a little more time to develop as a character but I think the novella format helped to push her along as her rash actions made me wonder about her. The only thing that didn't seem to fit was the ending, it felt abrupt to me. It was a nice little read but I don't know that it will stick out for me.

The last story was my least favorite, it just felt flat. Again, I don't get the mixing of angels and vampires. Marc didn't seem all that interesting as a character, he was very flat and there wasn't anything that made me want to know more about him. I'm not sure if this is part of an ongoing series somewhere and he was better fleshed out elsewhere. The romance in this one just seemed silly and contrived, overall I wasn't a fan. (less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Lynda Tatad rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one anthology where I enjoyed all 4 stories by 4 different authors!

Nalini Singh's "Angel's Wolf" is set in her Guildhunters series. Noel, a vampire who works under Dmitri and Raphael, had been severely beaten and tortured in one of the previous novels. Fully recovered physically, he is sent to the Louisiana territory to work for one of Raphael's angels, Nimra. This emotionally scarred vampire finds himself drawn to one of the most feared angels, and he finds there was a different reason...more This is one anthology where I enjoyed all 4 stories by 4 different authors!

Nalini Singh's "Angel's Wolf" is set in her Guildhunters series. Noel, a vampire who works under Dmitri and Raphael, had been severely beaten and tortured in one of the previous novels. Fully recovered physically, he is sent to the Louisiana territory to work for one of Raphael's angels, Nimra. This emotionally scarred vampire finds himself drawn to one of the most feared angels, and he finds there was a different reason than what he first thought of as why he was sent there. There is a traitor amidst this angel's court, and it is up to him to find out who and why. Loved it, the tortured hero is fabulous, and an angel who loves cats is easy to relate to! Great read!

Ilona Andrews' "Alphas:Origins" is a totally different story than what I expected from this husband and wife writing team. A mom chaperoning for her daughter's first grade class field trip has to deal with one of her charges needing to use a restroom on the return trip. She takes an exit to a rundown motel, and it's as if she stepped into the Twilight Zone! Attacked and poisoned, she ends up becoming a captive to a superhuman who needs her to help stave off a toxin inhis body. She ends up discovering there is a superhuman civil war raging , and it's up to her to decide if she will be a pawn, or take charge! Great characters, and a unique story! The angel twist was pretty interesting, too!

Sharon Shinn's "Nocturne" was a lovely story about a woman who works at a secluded dormitory type school as a cook and clean-up crew in the kitchen, finds herself drawn to a mansion on the grounds no one is allowed to enter. The mystery turns out to be a blind, tormented angel. She finds a chance to enter the mansion, and that's. When things get interesting! An engaging story that kept me captivated as Moriah is able to help Corban past his apathy and depression! Great world building, too, in a short story!

Meljean Brooks' "Ascension" was also a fun read! A world weary Guardian is on the lookout for a well concealed demon in a Midwestern town after vampires have disappeared. He'd rather hunt alone than accept help from his ex-lover guardian who shows up unexpectedly. Radha refuses to leave him, because she's determined to help him save this community, she also wants to save him, as well. Great mystery behind the actual culprits, and loved the charcters in the story! Though I haven't read any of the books from this author, the story was interesting enough to make me consider looking into them. (less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Dustin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, fantasy, urban-fantasy, library-borrowed, want-to-own

There were three novellas to the audio book vice the four listed for the hardcopy version (Ascension by Meljean Brook was left out.

I had not been introduced to Nalini Singh's Guild Hunters series prior to this book and I really enjoyed it. Angel's Wolf is #4.5 in the series (according to the numbering presented in Singh's Angels' Flight anthology). It presented a great intro to the world of vampires and angels that Singh has created. It's more of a political and psychological thriller. The viole...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Kaetrin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

I didn't listen to the Sharon Shinn story. I may get to it another time but I haven't read any of this author's work before and am not familiar with the world building and I really only wanted this anthology for the 2 books I listened to.

Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh narrated by Justine Eyre - C+. Great story (B for story alone) but the narrator bothered me by mispronouncing the hero's name throughout the book. As his name appears often, it was a problem. His name is not No-El like the Christmas...more

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