Raziel (The Fallen, #1)

May 27, 2011 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anne Stuart fans, angel aficionados

Shelves: paranormal-romance, favorite-or-autobuy-author, angels, owned-copy, read-the-season-primavera, favorites, bangsian-afterlife, hero-i-loved, heroine-kind-of-annoying, part-of-a-series, possessive-and-or-jealous-hero, fated-to-be-mated

This book captivated me. It started out kind of strange, with the shifting 1st person POVs, and the fact that the heroine gets hit by a bus at the beginning of the story (not a spoiler, trust me). But, I have to say, I couldn’t stop reading. It’s the honest truth that I would read the phone book if Anne Stuart wrote it. When I heard she had written a fallen angel paranormal romance (under a pseudonym), I was there. I mean, she’s the Queen of Bad Boy Heroes. She didn’t disappoint me with Raziel,...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Neyra rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, adult-pnr, urban-fantasy

No, I just couldn't do it. One more read into Allie's POV and I'd happily toss myself out my window just to get away from the damned book. Frustrated is an understatement when it comes to how I felt about it. And I had such high hopes too. I mean, come on, a twist on the Angel PNR genre, where angels feed on blood and need sex to sustain themselves? Count me in! But, man if I didn't want to pull my hair out.

In the beginning of the book, we're introduced to Raziel, one of The Fallen. It says, the...more No, I just couldn't do it. One more read into Allie's POV and I'd happily toss myself out my window just to get away from the damned book. Frustrated is an understatement when it comes to how I felt about it. And I had such high hopes too. I mean, come on, a twist on the Angel PNR genre, where angels feed on blood and need sex to sustain themselves? Count me in! But, man if I didn't want to pull my hair out.

In the beginning of the book, we're introduced to Raziel, one of The Fallen. It says, they exist in Sheoul, hidden from everyone and everything. Because of their fall, Raziel and the others were fated to endure an eternity in Sheoul. As well as being cursed with becoming blood eaters and needing sex to sustain them, and yes, they have fangs. I liked Raziel, he was a brooding character, but I got some laughs from him. Another of the Fallen I liked was Azazel, though I didn't get a chance to read his story, much. He's the guy you just love to poke at because he's always so moody ^-^ And he's the Alpha, what he says goes.

Unfortunately, the thorn on my side and the reason I just couldn't finish reading the book, was Allie Watson. Human, recently deceased, and all around pain in the ass. She didn't seem quite so bad in the beginning, but the more the story focuses on her, the more the little things start to surface and become frustrating. The woman wasn't smart; she was a snob. She wasn't spirited; she was anoying. And apparently she's so damn dense she can't tell that Raziel just doesn't want her around, doesn't want to talk to her, and yet there she is following him, and talking. Rambling like a 5 year old on a sugar high, but she was doing it purposefully to be annoying. It wasn't cute, and I was not amused -.-

There was too much feminism coming from Allie, every time she didn't agree with how the Fallen and their wives lived, she'd result to insults. Such as "sexist bastards" or shit along the lines of "I am woman, and I have rights" *eye roll* Please. It wasn't necessary to integrate so much feminism. *Sigh.. I couldn't see Raziel's interest in the woman, and it was so obvious that neither did he. First chapters he mentions "she's nothing special", a few pages later he contradicts himself saying he was intrigued by her. Then he follows with his first observation, trying to ignore her, only to want to fuck her later on. Confused much? Smh.

The plot of the story? I didn't get to it. One hundred twenty-three pages of Allie Watson complaining about the "sexist bastards" and trying to cope with the fact that they're not human, but angels, and that she's dead. Of course I wasn't expecting her to accept it all in stride and simply move on, but seriously? The pace is slow and it gets you no where at all.

I'm disappointed, I wanted to learn more of the Nephillim. They are the soldier angels that were sent after the first who fell, and along the way or for one reason or another, they fell as well. With their fall, came a curse. They were to live off flesh and live in darkness. I just wish there'd been more on them before I had to put the book down. (less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Donna The Happy Booker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-audiobook-challenge, angels, death, immortality, read-in-2012

Raziel By Kristina Douglas was much better than I had expected. I usually don't have much luck with books about angels, with the exception of Angelfall and now Raziel, apparently winged hotties are just not my thing. There were some elements of this book that reminded me of Angelfall which I LOVED, and which initially drew my interest in reading this book. Raziel is definitely for adults and has some pretty detailed erotic scenes which I was so happy to find were not overdone and cheesy as in so...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, favorites

Fantabulous! Loved it!

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Feb 03, 2011 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-athenna, reviewed-read-by-stephanie

3.5 Stars

Allie Watson has just died and has been pulled back from the flames of hell by a dark and mysterious man. Now she finds herself in a place that is hidden from the world. This is the home of the Fallen, beautiful angels who fell from heaven and are now cursed to drink blood, and they see her as an intruder into their world. Raziel felt something wasn't right when he saw that Allie would be going to hell so he saved her and brought him back to his home. Even though he was the one to save...more 3.5 Stars

Allie Watson has just died and has been pulled back from the flames of hell by a dark and mysterious man. Now she finds herself in a place that is hidden from the world. This is the home of the Fallen, beautiful angels who fell from heaven and are now cursed to drink blood, and they see her as an intruder into their world. Raziel felt something wasn't right when he saw that Allie would be going to hell so he saved her and brought him back to his home. Even though he was the one to save her, he doesn't want Allie there. She awakens feelings in him he thought were long gone and he isn't happy about it. The other Fallen don't want her there either and believe it his her fault that the Nephilim have found their home and are trying to find a way in to kill them all. Raziel and Allie will need to work past their differences if they are to survive the impending attack because Allie may be the Fallen's only hope for survival.

The story of the Fallen was interesting and my favorite part of the book. Raziel and his fellow Fallen were once angels in heaven that were sent to earth to teach humans tasks. The more time they spent on earth the more they started to feel and wanted things like love and sex. For this they were not only cast out but they were hunted by the Nephilim, which are made by the angel Uriel to not feel anything and to follow his command. They soon became flesh eating monsters. A tentative peace was made between Uriel and the Fallen as long as they would escort some souls, like Allie, to where they belonged once they died. The Fallen have destined mates that they love and bond with. The Fallen do have to drink blood but they aren't vampires. They take only from their mates or the Source, a female who is able to provide nourishment to unbonded angels without them getting sick. The Fallen are the actual "good guys" so to speak in this series. Uriel has basically become power hungry and he wants to destroy the Fallen by going after what means most to them, their mates. It feels a little odd not to be rooting for the side of heaven but the Fallen are really the ones looking out for us and I couldn't help but root for them.

I didn't care for the characters as much as I did the story. Raziel has had many mates and the loss of the last one has him not wanting another. Deep down he knows that Allie is his destined mate but fights it by being very cold and distant to her for most of the book. For Allie she didn't want to be trapped in Sheol, their home, but she did have feelings of lust towards Raziel. The man is physically gorgeous but I couldn't get past how rude he was towards her and I don't know how Allie was able to forgive him for the harsh things he said. They were missing an important emotional connection that even though they ended up together, it was never found. Raziel's fellow angel and leader Azazel also had a hard and not so warm and cozy feeling to him but when he was alone with his mate Sarah, he almost felt like a different character because of the love he has for her and it felt genuine. Unlike Raziel and Allie.

The Fallen: Raziel takes a story that's been told before and adds a twist that makes it feel fresh and even better. I liked that Allie was strong willed and wouldn't let Raziel intimidate her into being what she was not. It's was fun to read this modern woman surprise this male who is use to his women being more traditional and obedient. Raziel has an unshakable loyalty towards his brothers and I'm always a sucker for someone who sticks by their family no matter what. I just didn't care for the two together and their mating felt like it came out of the blue. The story does start out pretty slow and takes a good part of the book to get going so this may not be for readers who need constant action and a faster moving story to keep them interested.

-Stephanie (less)

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Feb 17, 2011 Jae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-read-by-author, paranormal, 2011

Didn't enjoy this one much, too slow paced for my liking. Basically about a group of fallen angels called the Fallen. It's about Allie who had an accident and died. So Raziel was the appointed angel to escort her soul to the 'next' place.

But for what ever reason, he couldn't let her go and ended up taking her to his home. And hence she lived there and experienced and learned the everyday lives of the Fallens. Not much of a going on really, more of a background introduction for future installmen...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, kindlepurchase2011, audible-purchase-2009-to-2011, audiobook

Bought for Myself
Overall Rating 3.75
Story Rating 4.50
Audio Rating 4.50
Character Rating: 3.50

NOTE: I need to explain that this book, other than one moment, is a strong 4.5 for me. I really did enjoy the story, world building, and tone of The Fallen: Raziel.

(Going to do review in reverse order)

Audio Specific: Narrators Paul Costanzo & Karen White did a wonderful job on this audiobook! I am a huge fan of the duel narration as I think it balances the emotions/voices of the characters. In this ca...more Bought for Myself
Overall Rating 3.75
Story Rating 4.50
Audio Rating 4.50
Character Rating: 3.50

NOTE: I need to explain that this book, other than one moment, is a strong 4.5 for me. I really did enjoy the story, world building, and tone of The Fallen: Raziel.

(Going to do review in reverse order)

Audio Specific: Narrators Paul Costanzo & Karen White did a wonderful job on this audiobook! I am a huge fan of the duel narration as I think it balances the emotions/voices of the characters. In this case, both had similar timing and pacing which made the story flow very well.

Complaints: I only have one but to me it really made me dislike Raziel for awhile after (aka 3.5 for the character rating). The first time (since this is PNR, I don't consider this a spoiler) that Raziel and Allie have sex, there is a question of whether it is by force or choice. I do feel she would have chosen to sleep with him but we won't know because of the power he put over her. I even kind of understood why he did it but it was still bothersome for me.

What I Loved: I loved absolutely everything else about this story. I think Allie was a strong, resilient character that reacted much like anyone thrown in her situation would. She seemed to roll with the punches she was thrown with minimal whining (though she did a little) and with gumption (which I appreciated). Raziel was a great alpha in that even when he "knew" what she meant to him, he was fighting it. Why? Well dangit he didn't want a mate. What is that saying? The bigger they are, the harder they fall! All of the side characters were richly descriptive and an integral part of the story. The world building, story creation, and pacing were phenomenal. I do believe these are angels that I am looking forward to reading more about, especially after that ending!

Why I gave this a 3.75: The one moment stuck with me for awhile and I wanted to strangle Raziel. He did grow on me again and I ended up enjoying this book immensely. Please, understand that this is just my POV as the reader and I do not think everyone will have a problem with that scene.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Alicia Jespersen(orangepeacock313) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Angel Fanatics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. With little knowledge of angles I set out trying to find some “Awesome!” story that has plenty of romance but is nicely blended with believable myths. “The Fallen: Raziel” was exactly what I was looking for. The main characters are, a more than attractive angel named Raziel, and Allie the strong, defiant and strikingly beautiful woman that will change the lives of all of the Fallen Forever!

I am always cautious when it comes to reading new authors, because pretty much anyone can get published now...more With little knowledge of angles I set out trying to find some “Awesome!” story that has plenty of romance but is nicely blended with believable myths. “The Fallen: Raziel” was exactly what I was looking for. The main characters are, a more than attractive angel named Raziel, and Allie the strong, defiant and strikingly beautiful woman that will change the lives of all of the Fallen Forever!

I am always cautious when it comes to reading new authors, because pretty much anyone can get published now-a-days. Which can be a way to find new talent but you can also get the people who REALLY cannot write. Kristina Douglas is not new to the writing business, and it shows! Ms. Douglas’s writing has a very refreshing way of gripping the reader and pulling them into her exquisite world of Angelic men and woman that have the ability to change the fate of the entire planet.

Anyway, now on to the more exciting part of this review. Where I drool over Raziel and his Iridescent blue wings. First off, yes this book is as good as it looks! No, “The Fallen: Raziel” isn’t like any book you have read before. It starts with the Female lead “Allie Watson” stepping out in front of a cross-town bus. She isn’t really alive anymore but she also isn’t dead. With the pleasure Raziel ignites in her there is no way she could be dead. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Raziel is there to ferry Allie over to the after-life but for some reason he pulls her back from the gates of hell at the very last possible moment. He knows there will be “hell” to pay for not giving up Allie’s soul to Uriel - “The archangel who never fell, who never failed, who serves the Lord in his awful majesty, smiting sinners, turning wicked cities to rubble and curious woman to pillars of salt.” The one who waits, for The Fallen to make that final mistake, which will end their existence here on Earth- But for some reason Raziel can’t bear to let this enchanting woman go.

He brings Allie back to Sheol, the place that has sheltered the Fallen and their human wives for centuries. This is where the story really picks up, the Nephilim are at the gates that guard the Fallen’s sanctuary. The Nephilim are the creatures cursed to walk the planet with a craving for human and fallen flesh. Which as you can guess causes a lot of problems.

Throughout this book I found that the combination of characters that practically jump off the page, grab you buy your hair and pull you into the story, and the fight to protect the human race and the wives of the Fallen, Kristina Douglas leads the reader down a road that no one will ever return from. I think that if you find yourself wanting more out of a book, or that you just can’t resist the temptation of fallen angels than you really, REALLY, need to read The Fallen’s debut book “Raziel”!(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, on-kindle

Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/07/27/r...

Felicia and Tara both talked about a specific scene that was slightly bothersome. Perhaps being prepared for it helped, but I did not share the same hesitations. It worked for Raziel and Allie’s story. Theirs was not a perfect love story, but I liked it that way. It was perfect in its imperfection. I love the struggle, the denial, the inevitable moment when the last bit of resistance comes crashing down, and even after that, when they stil...more Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/07/27/r...

Felicia and Tara both talked about a specific scene that was slightly bothersome. Perhaps being prepared for it helped, but I did not share the same hesitations. It worked for Raziel and Allie’s story. Theirs was not a perfect love story, but I liked it that way. It was perfect in its imperfection. I love the struggle, the denial, the inevitable moment when the last bit of resistance comes crashing down, and even after that, when they still want to deny it, the characters are helpless to do anything but love each other. These stories grip me in their emotional roller coaster, and that is the way I prefer it.

That said, Raziel did start out slow and bumpy. When Allie dies, she experiences memory loss for a short time, and the constant references about not remembering anything were repetitive and annoying, even if they did emphasize Allie’s loss of memory. Once we got beyond that, the story settled into a steady pace that ended far too soon for my liking — partly because I simply wanted more of Raziel and Allie, and partly because certain aspects of the plot felt as though they were wrapped up too quickly (either that, or I read too fast because I wanted — no, needed – to finish the story). Nearing the end of Raziel, I was almost frantic in my reading, pissed off at anyone who dared to interrupt me, pressing the button for the next page like a madwoman, chest constricted with the need to know what happens.

Raziel, as the first book in the series, does a lot of world building. Even as we are provided with the necessary information, there are enough gaps in our knowledge to make picking up the second book seem like a necessary action. There are not cliffhangers, but our instincts tell us that the story of the Fallen is far from over. Raziel is told from the point of view of both Raziel and Allie. Knowing Raziel is important, because without that insight into him, we would have been as lost and confused as Allie. Raziel’s point of view added a vital depth to the story, and it is likely that without it, the story would have failed. Although Raziel and Allie both narrated using the first person, the shifts between them were relatively smooth and worked, even if they weren’t always welcome.

Between reading previous reviews and the beginning of the story, I was skeptical that I would enjoy Raziel, but it is always nice to be proven wrong.(less)

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Mar 12, 2011 Cynthia (aka Artemis) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fallen Angel Readers

Shelves: fallen-angels, paranormal-romance

Reviewed at Bitten By Paranormal Romance

A brilliant piece of work by Kristina Douglas (aka Anne Stuart) that takes the Judeo-Christian foundations and blows them to smithereens! All in the guise of a paranormal romance novel. SWEET!

But every time I went to the library, this book called out to me. Really, it did. I caved. RAZIEL is the type of novel that makes you think. If it doesn’t; then you have missed a very integral part of Ms. Douglas’ work.

Allie is dead; her human, physical body gone. She...more Reviewed at Bitten By Paranormal Romance

A brilliant piece of work by Kristina Douglas (aka Anne Stuart) that takes the Judeo-Christian foundations and blows them to smithereens! All in the guise of a paranormal romance novel. SWEET!

But every time I went to the library, this book called out to me. Really, it did. I caved. RAZIEL is the type of novel that makes you think. If it doesn’t; then you have missed a very integral part of Ms. Douglas’ work.

Allie is dead; her human, physical body gone. She now exists in Sheol. She should have gone to meet her Maker. Allie is full of sass, doesn’t want to be dead, and just wants to go home. Her wisecracks and references to modern day entertainment are delightful. Raziel escorted Allie to her Final Destination, but at the last moment, pulled her back from the fires of hell. Now, she is his responsibility. Raziel doesn’t understand his attraction to her; he sworn off all women ages ago when his last mate died. He does not want to go through that pain again. He will not give Uriel that satisfaction.

Now, Uriel -- he’s a tightass. God left him in charge when He gave mankind freewill. Uriel is all black and white; no gray areas: He is judge, jury and executioner. When Angels “slip” and start to care for the humans they are helping, they become Fallen. Uriel’s pissed at the Fallen; he sends the Nephilim.

These are just a few of the reasons why I want more of THE FALLEN. There are a variety of concepts in play here.

Flesh and blood. Allie is dead, but she still reacts in an all too human way. The Fallen are blood-eaters and the Nephilim are flesh-eaters. A human (flesh) is The Source of blood for The Fallen.

Good and Evil = Uriel vs. Lucifer. Or is it the other way around? The Fallen love the humans they care for and are judged by Uriel and cursed. Azazel, the Alpha of the The Fallen, would rather dispose of Allie than have to deal with her.

Oh, and let’s not forget the romance and HFN.
(less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Brenda Audiobooks Only rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2-audible-com-books, audio-i-ve-listened-to, paranormal-romance

Narrated by Karen White and Paul Constanza - Karen White's narration is 5*s Paul Costanza 2.5*s

While this book begged for a dual narration, because I was thrown more than once by the POV switch when I read it myself, I wish the male half of this dual narration had as much skill and insight into characters as the female half did. She was perfect for me!

I could live with P.C.s semi robotic performance if he hadn't hit my number one No, No button ... making hot, virile men sound like OLD men.

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Apr 15, 2013 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Based on the audio book - 3.5 stars, rounded up to a 4.

The audio book is narrated by both a man and a woman. My only other experience with this is Karen Marie Moning's Fever Series. In that series, the main dialogue was female first person POV, so most of it was done by the woman, but the male dialogue/voices were done by the male. In this book, not so. It was a little discombobulating at first, however once I figured out this was due to the 1st person POVs changing from the heroine to the hero,...more Based on the audio book - 3.5 stars, rounded up to a 4.

The audio book is narrated by both a man and a woman. My only other experience with this is Karen Marie Moning's Fever Series. In that series, the main dialogue was female first person POV, so most of it was done by the woman, but the male dialogue/voices were done by the male. In this book, not so. It was a little discombobulating at first, however once I figured out this was due to the 1st person POVs changing from the heroine to the hero, I was OK with it. I think if I was reading the book it would be confusing, the change in narration made the transition easier.

I found the premise of the book extremely interesting. I have read my share of novels about "angels" and "demons", but this book actually put it from the perspective of the biblical stories Christians are taught. Demons were created due to God booting those angels from heaven that failed to follow him, led by Satan (Lucifer). The way Ms. Douglas portrayed our demon heroes in the book or rather "The Fallen", these demons weren't necessarily bad, but they questioned why God was so unfair in his treatment of humanity. Of course, they also started to fall in love with human women, which was a big no-no. By the time we start off with our story in this novel, God had pretty much wiped his hands of humans and The Fallen, having moved on with other things. God had created 4 archangels, and he had left 1 of them to deal with The Fallen Angels. This angel, Uriel, wanted to destroy The Fallen, but God gave them a reprieve. The Fallen could continue to live on Earth, but they had to become "Death Angels", escorting dead ones to their "final destination". (Gotta love all of the quotes, huh?) Uriel wasn't too happy with God's decision and has decided to get rid of The Fallen in his own way, which I assume will be the premise of the entire series.

This is where our story starts...Raziel is to escort the newly dead Allie to his final reward. His role is to escort her to the portal, not see her through it. However when he realizes that instead of going to a good place, Allie is destined for the fires of hell, Raziel stops her from going through. He can't understand what this woman has done to deserve such a poor fate. Maybe because Allie is an author who writes biblical mysteries with a sarcastic undertone? Raziel & the other Fallen think that she probably pissed off Uriel with her books. Either way, this furthers their beliefs that Uriel is cruel and something needs to be done about him so they can live in peace on Earth with their bonded mates.

Like other novels of this type, the hero & heroine are a reluctant pair. He doesn't want to admit he feels something for her; she is too sarcastic and stubborn to admit to her attraction since he refuses to do so. Obviously, this changes before the end of the novel so they achieve their HEA.

What I liked about the book:
- The premise - I haven't come across this story-line in the genre, so I found it very refreshing.
- The characters - The Fallen Angels, mainly two introduced in this book, Raziel and Azazel, I thought were interesting enough with the background given. I would want to know more about these characters.

What I didn't like:
- The changing POVs - I didn't mind it in audio book form, but if I were reading it, this would really confuse me. I think I would have rather Ms. Douglas had kept with one POV.
- The "love" story - Yes, I know. It is why these novels are called romances. I guess I can understand the lusting of each other, but when 2 people who found each other so irritating can say they love each other so quickly, it is a little off-putting. When you discover the back-story in their relationship (which didn't start at Allie's death) later in the novel, I think Ms. Douglas was trying to give us that emotional excuse of why they loved each other so quickly. I just felt that was a cop out.

I feel this book could have been a strong 4 stars for me, but fell short. I will however continue on with the series. I'm interested enough in the story to discover the fate of Azazel in the next book.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 White Picket Fence rated it 5 of 5 stars

With little knowledge of angles I set out trying to find some “Awesome!” story that has plenty of romance but is nicely blended with believable myths. “The Fallen: Raziel” was exactly what I was looking for. The main characters are, a more than attractive angel named Raziel, and Allie the strong, defiant and strikingly beautiful woman that will change the lives of all of the Fallen Forever!

I am always cautious when it comes to reading new authors, because pretty much anyone can get published now...more With little knowledge of angles I set out trying to find some “Awesome!” story that has plenty of romance but is nicely blended with believable myths. “The Fallen: Raziel” was exactly what I was looking for. The main characters are, a more than attractive angel named Raziel, and Allie the strong, defiant and strikingly beautiful woman that will change the lives of all of the Fallen Forever!

I am always cautious when it comes to reading new authors, because pretty much anyone can get published now-a-days. Which can be a way to find new talent but you can also get the people who REALLY cannot write. Kristina Douglas is not new to the writing business, and it shows! Ms. Douglas’s writing has a very refreshing way of gripping the reader and pulling them into her exquisite world of Angelic men and woman that have the ability to change the fate of the entire planet.

Anyway, now on to the more exciting part of this review. Where I drool over Raziel and his Iridescent blue wings. First off, yes this book is as good as it looks! No, “The Fallen: Raziel” isn’t like any book you have read before. It starts with the Female lead “Allie Watson” stepping out in front of a cross-town bus. She isn’t really alive anymore but she also isn’t dead. With the pleasure Raziel ignites in her there is no way she could be dead. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Raziel is there to ferry Allie over to the after-life but for some reason he pulls her back from the gates of hell at the very last possible moment. He knows there will be “hell” to pay for not giving up Allie’s soul to Uriel - “The archangel who never fell, who never failed, who serves the Lord in his awful majesty, smiting sinners, turning wicked cities to rubble and curious woman to pillars of salt.” The one who waits, for The Fallen to make that final mistake, which will end their existence here on Earth- But for some reason Raziel can’t bear to let this enchanting woman go.

He brings Allie back to Sheol, the place that has sheltered the Fallen and their human wives for centuries. This is where the story really picks up, the Nephilim are at the gates that guard the Fallen’s sanctuary. The Nephilim are the creatures cursed to walk the planet with a craving for human and fallen flesh. Which as you can guess causes a lot of problems.

Throughout this book I found that the combination of characters that practically jump off the page, grab you buy your hair and pull you into the story, and the fight to protect the human race and the wives of the Fallen, Kristina Douglas leads the reader down a road that no one will ever return from. I think that if you find yourself wanting more out of a book, or that you just can’t resist the temptation of fallen angels than you really, REALLY, need to read The Fallen’s debut book “Raziel”!(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Allie esta destinada a morir, como todo mortal, claro.
Y Raziel, un Ángel Caído, es quien debe llevar a Allie a
su destino después de muerta: Cielo o Infierno.

Pero, cuando Allie es destinada al Infierno, Raziel, inexplicablemente
la salva de las fauces oscuras del llamado Infierno, y con esto, desata algo peligroso. Mas que la furia de Uriel, y mas que unos Nefilims deseosos de matarlos.

Ok, hacía tiempo que no leía algo, uhm, de Ángeles Caídos y eso,
y tengo que decir que amo saber algo de estas h...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Avi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-like, fallen-angels

2.5 stars

I love any fiction book that has to do with fallen angels, or angels period. And I went in thinking I was going to love this book. However, this was not the case. I couldn't stand any single character in this book. Especially all of the Fallen. They were just plain rude and hateful to Allie. Sure she wasn't the sweetest girl, and at times I did feel she deserved some of it, but not all of it. Allie was just shallow and whiny. I got tired of hearing how sexy and beautiful Raziel was and...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Michelle (MsRomanticReads) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who liked Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld

Shelves: a-keeper, favorite-series, worth-re-reading, angels, book-cover-stud, favorites, humor, kickass-heroine, june-2012, mythical, romance, supernatural, suspense, 2012

4.5 Stars

Raziel is a fallen angel. Together with his fellow brothers (in arms), they live with their bonded human females in the hidden world called Sheol. If I understood their history correctly, God had placed the punishment and eradication of all evil to the archangel Uriel. He in turn uses fallen angels and demons to carry out his orders. When Raziel is to escort another soul to the bowls of hell, he does his duty as usual only to do something completely out of the ordinary. At the last minu...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Esmeralda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: giving-up

Didn't finish. What to say about this book? The answer is fuck. From the beinning of the book all I read from the both POV is fuck. Explains:
Raziel: Thinks: It has been a long time since I got laid. But enough, got to go to work collecting death souls and dumping them in hell or heaven. Oh, I am late better go before my scarey fuck up boss fires- er kills me.
Allie: Thinks:Hurry I am late.
Later: Allie dies and Raziel collects her soul. Saves her from hell.
Some slow boring stuff happens.
Allie: H...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. I thought the main male character (Raziel) was a bit of an ass through most of it, so couldn't really feel for him. And the female character (Allie) was also kind of annoying. I think that when you choose to write in first person (for both characters), you have to do it in such a way that the reader doesn't take part in all of the minutae that goes through a person's mind - a lot of other author's do the 1st person POV quite well. Here, because the...more

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Dec 09, 2011 Daphne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-romance

I liked this book. Raziel is one hot angel! Who can call me anytime!

Little joke, sorry, I will get to business.
The beginning of the book is strange, from New York to hell, a fast journey. But Kristina finds a way to make it an easy read.
From than on the books takes on a complete different direction I thought it was gonna go. We end up on an island. In my dreams a beautiful island, with gorgeous Raziel. (I like Raziel)
Allie and Raziel begin there a difficult relationship, which comes with a lo...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Nellie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I got this because I had seen it advertised a few months ago and was looking for something different to read.

Well that and the cover was droolworthy. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a pretty cover. The book is a little over 200 pages long. I pretty much sucked it up and read it in a few hours time. Raziel is the first in her The Fallen series.

Allie was having a normal day and then she's told by an angel that she's now dead. Raziel is one of the Fallen and he and other Fallen have been tasked b...more

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Aug 18, 2011 BookHookup rated it 3 of 5 stars

What a quick and fun read. I would actually like to give this book 3.5 stars. Right off the bat I loved the changing POVs. Anything written in first person is my favorite, but then to have the first person change all the time was a total win. My favorite genre is angels and this book on fallen angels is a different take than what I’d read before. The background and the conflicts were all fabulously told. The interesting take on Uriel vs Lucifer, blood eating, being dead in the human realm vs dea...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Tevya (Reading Lark) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Raziel is a book that I had seen on several of my fellow bloggers’ Waiting on Wednesday posts. It looked interesting enough that I added it to my TBR list, but I didn’t jump to read it. Then Raziel was chosen as the February read for a group that I belong to, and I was excited to finally have the push I needed to sit down and start reading it, but still wasn’t motivated enough to actually jump in. As several of my friends finished it and started talking about it, and I realized that February was...more Raziel is a book that I had seen on several of my fellow bloggers’ Waiting on Wednesday posts. It looked interesting enough that I added it to my TBR list, but I didn’t jump to read it. Then Raziel was chosen as the February read for a group that I belong to, and I was excited to finally have the push I needed to sit down and start reading it, but still wasn’t motivated enough to actually jump in. As several of my friends finished it and started talking about it, and I realized that February was pretty close to running out on me, I finally started reading it last night. Here I am, just 24 hours later, and not only have I finished the book, but I can’t get it out of my head. I’m a passionate reader, and I fall for the characters quickly and hate to let them go, but it’s rare for me to find a book that I can’t move on from. To be completely honest, I am shocked – shocked! – to find Raziel falling in this category. Why am I so surprised to love this book so much? Well, here we go…

First, a little bit about the story. Raziel is a story of fallen angels, but it’s a whole different twist on the mythology from what I’m use to. There is quite a bit of Judeo-Christian religious referencing, which made me uncomfortable at first. Allie is an author of Old Testament mysteries spun with a sarcastic edge. She is a struggling author, getting by on temp jobs to help support her lifestyle which is by no means meager. Raziel is one of the first of the fallen angels to be cursed by God and to serve Uriel in escorting selected dead to their fates. He is determined to never mate or love again in order to avoid the loss of yet one more human woman he loves in his eternal existence. So when he sets out on his assignment to deliver poor Allie, who meets her unfortunate end as a result of her 4 inch heels and a cross city bus, to her fate he is not prepared for the direction that his life is about to take. When Raziel realizes at the last minute that Allie has been fated to hell and impulsively (and irrationally) rescues her, he sets into motion a string of events that endanger the rest of the fallen angels. He is angry with himself, he is angry with Allie, and he is determined to keep a distance from her, to rid the fallen angel society of her presence without condemning her to hell, and in spite of the bond between them and the growing attraction that neither of them wants to face.

Now, the beginning of Raziel drove me absolutely insane. Several of my friends had warned me that the beginning was rough, but to just keep reading. As I got 100 pages in and Allie was still driving me crazy, I lost all hope for this book. It wasn’t a bad read. I’m a reader that cannot keep reading if I don’t like the book. So the fact that I was still reading, and wanted to continue reading, is proof that it’s a decent read. The biggest issue for me was that while I loved the concept of the heroine as a smart, sassy, tough chick who wouldn’t be pushed around and could stand on her own, Allie’s rambling thoughts were hard for me to follow. I won’t say boring, but her constant chatter drove me as insane as it did Raziel. Every time he told her to shut up, I cheered. There was more than one occasion where I thought geeze, get to the point already! I also had a hard time connecting with Raziel. He was cold and hard. I understood his reasoning, but it kept me away just as surely as it did Allie. The first person writing was a bit much for a two (and sometimes three) character narrative. I also had a hard time accepting Nephilim as bad guys as they have been either hero or heroine in many of the YA series I’ve read lately. At this point, I just knew that it wasn’t getting any better and it would end up being a two-birdie rating for Raziel.

So where did things change? Almost exactly halfway through, Raziel is finally forced to somewhat face his attraction to Allie. Their first intimate encounter is by no means love making, nor is it quite romantic, but it is pivotal for the story. Here we see a side to Raziel that he has been hiding from us, from Allie. As cliché as it sounds, this is where I finally started to really fall for Raziel. I finally saw him as the male that I wanted to believe he was all along. Allie also changes after this. Her rambling thoughts are more organized and easier to follow. She becomes even stronger, and she completely steps up to the plate as the world of the fallen angels starts to crumble around them. As Allie’s decisions and actions put her in danger in her quest to help the angels, Raziel is forced to admit his feelings for her and becomes fiercely protective. The true reason for Allie’s presence in their world is a hard blow to both Raziel and to Allie. They both must come to terms with their destiny and accept each other as mates. The second half of the book left me breathless and anxious for more. I finally felt a connection to Allie and Raziel, and I wasn’t ready to let them go. Had it not been for the rough beginning, Raziel would have been a five-birdie book for me. Will I recommend it to others? Yes, but with the warning that you have to fight through the beginning in order to make the fall. For some readers, it won’t be worth the time or the effort. As for myself, anytime I can’t get the characters out of my head, and I feel the burning need to talk about the story, it's well worth the read. I am so glad that I stuck with it, and thankful to my friends who kept pushing me to keep reading! Raziel gets four birdies from me – I loved it!

I’ve never been inspired to do this in a review before, so I guess this is one more testament to how much I ended up loving Raziel. Here are my favorite Allie and Raziel moments…

Allie: As the council of fallen angels is discussing Allie’s place among them and where her destiny will lead, Allie’s feminism gets the best of her and this is one time that I wanted to stand up and shout “Amen sister!” My favorite Allie quote: “But you forgot to include me in this discussion, which seems to concern me the most. I know your patriarchal bullshit style makes you forget that women have brains and opinions, but since this is about me, then you can just spit it out.”

Raziel: During this same council meeting, it is suggested that Allie may in fact be another angel’s mate rather than Raziel’s. Raziel’s reaction is positively swoon-worthy: “The low growl was startling, and I looked back across the table at Raziel. He looked positively…feral. I’d heard that growl before.”

My favorite male character: Raziel, of course. Once he showed his true self to us, I fell for him hard. From his iridescent blue wings, to his protective and possesive feelings toward his mate, and down to his acceptance of his own place among the fallen.

My favorite female character: Sarah. I haven’t spoken of Sarah in the review. She is The Source to the fallen angels. She is mated to their Alpha and provides the nourishment of blood to the unmated angels. She is strong and wise, compassionate, and loving. (less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quick & Dirty: Well written with a solid plot, Ms. Douglas delivers a unique world with an unforgiving villain and chilling danger.

Opening Sentence: I am Raziel, one of the twenty fallen angels spoken of by Enoch in the old books.

The Review:

Raziel is a fallen angel. Cursed by God, he doesn’t have many options. Raziel serves Uriel by escorting the dead to their final destination: heaven or hell. Unfortunately, Allie’s number has been punched. Raziel sets out on just another delivery assignmen...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Jessy rated it 2 of 5 stars

The number one problem I had with this first book of Douglas' new Fallen series is the herione, Allegra or Allie Watson. She annoyed from the first moment she opened her mouth. The whole book she bitched about Raziel and the other Fallen being vampires. They are not vampires! Another thing was she kept forgetting she was dead and in the end when she FINALLY accepted this she was like, "I don't want to die again!" Are you kidding me?

I liked Raziel in the beginning but when Allie died and was tak...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Scooper Speaks rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Fallen: Raziel is a paranormal romance between a human woman and an angel. In their world, there are no female angels. There are fallen angels who drink blood and fallen, cannibalistic angels sent to destroy the blood drinkers. The story is told in first person, but the person telling the story is constantly changes.

When I started reading the story I was so confused. The intro is told by Raziel (hero) and Uriel (all important, second hand of God). So you hear a little bit about Raziel’s duty...more The Fallen: Raziel is a paranormal romance between a human woman and an angel. In their world, there are no female angels. There are fallen angels who drink blood and fallen, cannibalistic angels sent to destroy the blood drinkers. The story is told in first person, but the person telling the story is constantly changes.

When I started reading the story I was so confused. The intro is told by Raziel (hero) and Uriel (all important, second hand of God). So you hear a little bit about Raziel’s duty to deliver souls for judgment which is told in the first person point-of-view, before listening to Uriel’s first person account of how everyone needs to be smited.

The first chapter of the book is told by Allie (heroine), the second chapter is told by Raziel, the third chapter is told by Allie, and the fourth chapter is told by Azazel (a secondary character). The book continues like that, so it was hard to become close to any one character. It wasn’t until close to the end of the book that I was able to overcome the challenge and let myself sink into the story.

The instant lust in the book is delicious, but the translation of that lust into love was hard for me to swallow. Raziel didn’t want a mate. Allie just wanted to be skinny and alive. They wanted to sex each other; instead they ended up mated. I never truly believed they were meant to be together even though Raziel’s favorite historical time period was the Renaissance. (Yep, when women were overweight.) And one of the heroine’s major hang ups is her weight.

Don’t let me discourage you from reading The Fallen: Raziel. The story of the angels fall from grace and their possible redemption is fresh. Its take on Lucifer was enlightening. I want to know more about the secondary characters. The cover art is spectacular. Once I got over the POV changes, I enjoyed the blistering hot sex scenes, the brutal action and the possibility of an engaging series. It would have been simple to put this book down at any point during the first half of the book. I’m glad I didn’t take the easy route.

The next book in the series is Demon. It will be released in June 2011.
http://scooper.wordpress.com/2011/02/...(less)

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Jan 30, 2011 Lady Rogue rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Allegra "Allie" Watson was a strong, independent woman with a good heart. She wasn't easily intimidated. She was also an author of biblical murder mysteries. But, Uriel- the last remaining Archangel didn't like her novels, so he sent Raziel, a death-taker to ferry her soul to hell. Raziel ended up saving her from the pits of hell for reasons he didn't understand, then took her home to Sheol, a hidden sanctuary and home to the fallen angels. There was no doubt Allie was attracted to Raziel, but s...more Allegra "Allie" Watson was a strong, independent woman with a good heart. She wasn't easily intimidated. She was also an author of biblical murder mysteries. But, Uriel- the last remaining Archangel didn't like her novels, so he sent Raziel, a death-taker to ferry her soul to hell. Raziel ended up saving her from the pits of hell for reasons he didn't understand, then took her home to Sheol, a hidden sanctuary and home to the fallen angels. There was no doubt Allie was attracted to Raziel, but she didn't want to be a "guest" and for the most part treated like crap, especially by Raziel. While she did have her good qualities, Allie was just too forgiving. I don't know any female who would have put up with the crap she did and still be so...."forgiving". For that reason alone, I couldn't take her as a credible character.

Raziel was a death-taker, blood eater, and fallen angel doomed to eternal life. He was pretty much an asshole. Yep, you read me right. He was all anger and self-pity. I wanted to like his character, to feel and see the honorable hero in him, but the truth is...he was just too angry and closed off. He treated Allie like crap, when she didn't deserve it. Especially when he violated Allie with his truth finding mission. The sad thing was, if he had been a nice guy, treated her politely, and had accepted that he had some romantic feelings toward her, then perhaps at that particular moment, it would have read more romantically aggressive than what it actually did, rape.

I thought the plot had promise, but it was very inconsistent. It was my understanding that the fallen were not to interfere with the humans, until their souls were to be ferried to their respective destinations. Yet...If Raziel had kept his mouth shut, Allie would have been eating a hotdog instead of getting into an accident. For me, that pretty much shattered the whole foundation of the book. Also, I don't think the book explained the whole "Allie is dead, but can still grow old and die again aspect"....as a reader it confused the hell out of me. I just didn't get it. I also didn't understand how the fallen, knowing that Uriel hated them and would like nothing better than to rid them, would just accept his orders without questioning them. It also would have been prudent to have a bit more back history on the characters...and perhaps some actual interaction and story time with Uriel. That all being said, the author did a really nice job providing a visual description of the world she created and an interesting perspective on the mythology of angels, vampires, and nephilim.

Unlike popular opinion, I didn't find this book to be as great as I hoped it to be. Don't get me wrong, it was a good read with some interesting and compelling elements, such as "What happens after death?" or "the whole cause and effect principle". But overall, it wasn't a great read for me. The plot had to many inconsistencies, that not only confused me, but at times felt like they didn't belong to this particular story. I thought the characters were two dimensional and lacked that special element that makes them engaging to the reader. Not to mention, they were very contrary. While this book had some promise...it also had alot of predictability. There are many instances, that I had the "been there read that before" feeling. In the end, I wasn't impressed. However, I believe in redemption, so because this is the first book in a series, I will most likely continue with the next book and hope for a more consistent read.

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Jan 03, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Raziel by Kristina Douglas
Paranormal Romance – Jan. 25th, 2011
3 ½ stars

Raziel is a fallen angel and an immortal. His life is an endless mass of dreary days. The fallen angels’ main duty is to ferry the souls of humans after they have died. It is his turn but when a young woman is killed and he transports her to her 'destiny' (either Heaven or Hell), he finds that she is destined for Hell! Raziel doesn't know why but he is troubled because he can easily tell this young human is not evil enough to...more Raziel by Kristina Douglas
Paranormal Romance – Jan. 25th, 2011
3 ½ stars

Raziel is a fallen angel and an immortal. His life is an endless mass of dreary days. The fallen angels’ main duty is to ferry the souls of humans after they have died. It is his turn but when a young woman is killed and he transports her to her 'destiny' (either Heaven or Hell), he finds that she is destined for Hell! Raziel doesn't know why but he is troubled because he can easily tell this young human is not evil enough to merit Hell and impulsively saves her. But this act of mercy brings upon the wrath of Uriel (a righteous angel) upon all of the fallen angels. Uriel despises all the weak angles that have fallen and enjoys their punishment. In addition, the Nephilim are attacking Raziel's home and trying to break in.

This is an intriguing new series with a lot of potential. The author has created a complex world with fallen angels who live in a sort of limbo. They generally can't die and besides ferrying the dead souls, they have no purpose besides keeping in Uriel's good graces and keeping the hungry Nephilim out of their haven. My impression is that the fallen angels generally seemed very blasé and mostly unfocused as a group. I liked the premise of them but they didn't seem to want to redeem themselves or contribute, and I felt it was a waste of some potentially very interesting characters. For example, Raziel is generally uncaring and seems to just be trying to get through each day. I did like that the author includes that each angel can find a brief happiness if they find their mate. But while their mate's existence is prolonged, they will eventually die and this is very tragic. This is why Raziel feels it is better to live alone than suffer again. But when he saves Allie, he is forced to 'deal' with the consequences even if he doesn't want change. Impetuous and outspoken Allie challenges him so much that he has to pay attention to life. I liked that she shook up the other angels, too!

As a story, this book is fascinating. The problem for me though is that the main characters did not engage me. Raziel is very cold throughout the story. Even at the end he barely admits that he cares for Allie. Personally, I like heroes to be a bit more engaged with the heroines. In contrast, while the hero is the strong silent type, Allie is very gregarious and outspoken. After a while she began to grate on me. They are both extreme characters who are polar opposites. I did feel Allie's character and personality were needed to get the story moving. The author leaves a lot of suspense in this book as the fallen angels have many enemies. The threat of the Nephilim is tense and engaging. However, I never got what Uriel's exact role was in the story except that he is the fallen angels' enemy. I would have liked to know specifically how he was a threat and a bit more of their clashing history.

There is a lot to explore in the complex new paranormal series. It is definitely not your regular cookie cutter book. The author leaves the ending open for more fallen angels to hopefully find their mates.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

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Mar 31, 2012 Taria Reed rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, books-i-hated

ok so have you ever read a book and something happened and all you could think is "What the f#ck just happened?!?" Well that was how I felt with only 12mins left in this audiobook. The story was ok I guess, I loved the bickering between Raziel and Allie, but Allie showed some signs of being TSTL. It's like her life would have been so much better if she just would get the hell out of her own way. The first 3/4s of the book was so DRAGGED OUT, and the last 1/4 felt rushed. I'll go on to the next b...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Kari rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, pn-angels-demons, read-in-2012, reviewed, romance

Allie Watson is having a bad day. The chronically late temp worker/author of snarky religious novels is trying to get across town to a meeting with her publisher, her feet hurt, and she’s starving. She really doesn’t have time to have a strangely intimate conversation with a really, really good looking guy, with really strange but compelling eyes. Too bad the heel of her super-cute shoe snaps off as she’s stepping in front of a cross-town bus. Just like that, Allie’s dead, and her sexy acquainta...more Allie Watson is having a bad day. The chronically late temp worker/author of snarky religious novels is trying to get across town to a meeting with her publisher, her feet hurt, and she’s starving. She really doesn’t have time to have a strangely intimate conversation with a really, really good looking guy, with really strange but compelling eyes. Too bad the heel of her super-cute shoe snaps off as she’s stepping in front of a cross-town bus. Just like that, Allie’s dead, and her sexy acquaintance whisks her off the afterlife.

Raziel is having a normal day—for a fallen angel charged with escorting souls to the afterlife. To him, Allie Watson is just another dead mortal, even if she is deliciously curvy and sexy as can be. But it’s something more than just her sex appeal that inspires a moment of weakness when he realizes that she’s headed for the fiery pits of hell, and he drags her back, risking his own life. Raziel knows it’s worth more than just his life to save her—it means the lives of his Fallen brothers and their wives to disobey Uriel, the only angel who has resisted the lures of humanity, and the defacto keeper of Heaven. He takes her to Sheol, the hidden place where the Fallen live, and tries to figure out a way to send her home—before he succumbs to the sweet temptation of her body and blood.

Ms. Douglas’s angels are not the chubby-cheeked cherubs of Valentine’s Day cards and children’s stories. They are hard men created to serve a harsh God. The Fallen—especially Lucifer—are portrayed as far more sympathetic than those who stayed true. When they came to care for, then love, the humans around them, Uriel cursed them with a need for blood and an inability to procreate, and banished them to earth. They live in a wary truce with Uriel, who would like nothing more than their complete annihilation; they ferry certain souls to the afterlife for him, and he leaves them generally alone. There are other fallen angels out there—the nephilim, who have no feelings and are cursed with a hunger for flesh, used by Uriel to hunt the Fallen. The mythology was unique enough to be interesting, but not so far out there as to take away from the story. I dislike the theory that God is absent, leaving Heaven in the hands of a dictatorial Uriel who believes creating humans was God’s one mistake. In the context of the story, it makes sense, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. Blame years and years of church, youth groups, and church camp!

I liked Raziel, in spite of his blatant stupidity. The women the Fallen take as brides gain a longer life span, but they do not become immortal, and Raziel refuses to watch another love die. He has sworn off women, and therefore has blinded himself to the fact that Allie is his mate. Even when that fact is proven to him over and over, he stubbornly refuses to accept it. I wanted to bash him over his pretty little head. Allie, on the other hand, irritated me. There’s no one character trait that I can point to and say “I didn’t like this about her,” just a whole general “meh.” I don’t really care for useless city girls—in real life or in fiction—and Allie is certainly that. The love between the two didn’t really ring true to me, either. Ms. Douglas shoehorned in a little scene near the end that tried to show their connection—that neither of them had remembered before then. It felt really contrived, and did little to show me that they cared for each other.

The book alternates from Allie and Raziel’s first person POV, with a couple random scenes written in third person from a secondary character’s point of view. I generally don’t care for romances written in first person, and this book epitomizes why. First person, when not done well, makes me feel disconnected from the other characters in the book—and here it is not done well. I think the same effect could have been reached by using third person, and maybe then Allie wouldn’t have annoyed me so much.

The secondary character and the general plotline were much more interesting than the rest. There is a traitor in Sheol; they immediately suspect Allie (of course). I was able to figure out who it was relatively quickly, though I thought the parallels between the traitor’s motivations and Allie’s own childhood were well done. I’m really excited about the next book in the series—the hero of the next book Demon was my favorite character in Raziel. (Don’t read the summary of it before you finish Raziel if you don’t want to be spoiled!)

All in all, the book was an entertaining but not spectacular read. The world and mythology will keep me coming back for more, though I hope the next heroine isn’t so annoying.

3/5 stars.(less)

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Feb 16, 2012 Bernice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Interesting take on the premise of fallen angels. This is my first foray into paranormal romance, though I've resisted it for a long long while. Only Kristina Douglas, aka one of my favorites, Anne Stuart, could induce me to do otherwise. I love Anne's/Kristina's writing, and admittedly this book has a number of good points, those sudden, tender squeezes to the heart that the author is so good at. Maybe my expectations were too high, but somehow there was something...lacking in Raziel. An opport...more

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SOS: Serious Over...: [Mar 2012] "Raziel" Discussion Spoilers	15	49	Jun 11, 2012 08:06pm
Anne Stuart Fans: Raziel (Fallen Book #1) (Spoilers)	18	24	Sep 15, 2011 07:20am
Dangerous Hero Ad...: May Group Read: Raziel by Kristina Douglas	9	39	May 27, 2011 10:37am

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Raziel (The Fallen #1)

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