This book initially reminded me of a harder edged 'Dead like me', so here's a quick run down of things Madeline Black and Georgia Lass have in common:

- They're both Reapers, collecting souls of the newly deceased and escort them to the great big "whatever".

- The business of death as a lame bureaucracy related gig, makes for lots of great dark humor. I especially like that in this book they were referred to as 'agents', it fit the morbid IRS feel perfectly.

- They both fell into the job through fate. Being an agent of death is passed on from parent to child upon death. So if your Mum kicks the bucket, congrats kid your hired.

-They're obligated to perform the service, that makes normal working hours impossible. But aren't paid, so have to find quirky side jobs/methods to make ends meat.

- They both have pushy Bosses. Though George's indulgent often fatherly Rube seems preferable, to Maddy gorgeous but pain in the ass JB.

That's where the similarities end. This book could have easily continued to follow suit with what I expected. Maddy might of uncovered some conspiracy, recruited her kooky friends into the investigation, experienced some supernatural amateur sleuth hi-jinks, became part of an ever convenient love triangle, and eventually saved the day a little wiser for the experience. Now despite my glib summary, if that's the way the book had gone I would've been a happy camper. But it wouldn't have left a lasting impression.

Black wings on the other hand is like 2 books in one. I really thought I knew where 'it' was going. But boy was I wrong because monstrous nephilim, the Grand Poobah Lucifer himself, possession, a creepy almost incestuous fallen angel tree, and shifty/intricate demon court politics in hell...er I mean the Kingdom of Morningstar; was not it. But hot damn was it awesome.

I especially liked the way Lucifer and the other fallen angels are portrayed. They're neither Mr.Rogers friendly uber seducers, nor do they seem mindlessly evil/cruel. And instead are frighteningly non-human in their thinking/behavior, extremely domineering, tolerate no disrespect/slights, and yet are capable of affection/moments of kindness (well....to a degree lol). Add to that, at times the prose was downright decadent.

Two thousand miles had passed beneath her feet, and many villages, as she left the green lands and walked into the dessert. she walked, searching for her lover, every step bringing her closer to ash and cloud covered gray mountains - The Forbidden Lands. She walked, always hearing his voice in her ear: "come to me. Come to me. Come to me." She did not care where her steps led so long as he was there at the end of it all

I liked the 1st 40% of Black Wings, but the latter 60% was LOVE. IMO a fantastic series debut, I can't wait to see how this story progresses. I'll leave ya, with one last quote.

I had no magic, and then all of a sudden I felt something enormous surge out of me, like a bomb going off. There was this burst of white light that sort of burned through my skin. He dropped me, and when I looked up at him I saw whatever had come out of me had melted away his skin

If that's not badass, I don't know what is. = )