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Black Wings #6
Black Heart
As a former Agent of Death, Madeline Black is no stranger to witnessing violent ends. But being the one to cause them is an entirely different story…
Despite her having saved Chicago from a vampire invasion, the Agency wants to get Maddy off their payroll—permanently. With the deadly Retrievers hot on her trail, she has no choice but to trust Nathaniel to port her to safety. But even the exotic and dangerous world that she winds up in is not as peaceful as she would have hoped. Caught in a turf war between a group of fae and a disturbingly familiar foe, Maddy soon discovers that the twisted plots of her grandfather, Lucifer, and his brothers extend even into this unknown realm.
Now, with enemies gathering on all sides, Maddy’s fate is looking darker than ever. And to protect her unborn son from her adversaries, she may have to tap into a power she hoped never to access…
Despite her having saved Chicago from a vampire invasion, the Agency wants to get Maddy off their payroll—permanently. With the deadly Retrievers hot on her trail, she has no choice but to trust Nathaniel to port her to safety. But even the exotic and dangerous world that she winds up in is not as peaceful as she would have hoped. Caught in a turf war between a group of fae and a disturbingly familiar foe, Maddy soon discovers that the twisted plots of her grandfather, Lucifer, and his brothers extend even into this unknown realm.
Now, with enemies gathering on all sides, Maddy’s fate is looking darker than ever. And to protect her unborn son from her adversaries, she may have to tap into a power she hoped never to access…
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 29, 2013
46 people are currently reading
2206 people want to read
About the author
Christina Henry
66 books8,616 followersChristina Henry is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include GOOD GIRLS DON'T DIE, HORSEMAN, NEAR THE BONE, THE GHOST TREE, LOOKING GLASS, THE GIRL IN RED, THE MERMAID, LOST BOY, RED QUEEN, ALICE, and the seven book urban fantasy BLACK WINGS series.
Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies ELEMENTAL FORCES, CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.
She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
You can visit her on the web at
www.christinahenry.net
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Threads: authorChristinaHenry
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor
Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies ELEMENTAL FORCES, CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.
She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
You can visit her on the web at
www.christinahenry.net
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Threads: authorChristinaHenry
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 19, 2022
Ok, so originally I was angry with Madeleine and Nathaniel being draw to one another, because I thought Nathaniel was a dick (and also I hate the name Nathaniel for no good reason). BUT, I also felt that way about JB at first, and was a bit miffed with his abrupt 180° turn around from dickhead boss to sudden bestie (with unrequited (?) feelings). At least Nathaniel has had a somewhat reasonable journey to becoming less dick-ish. I was originally rooting for Gabriel to come back somehow (I didn’t care how), but have come to realize that his story arc was actually quite boring and Madeleine + Gabriel’s insta-love was eminently less believable than Nathaniel’s slightly more gradual transformation to possible love interest. The only thing keeping me from giving this series 5 stars is the continued feeling that there is too much storyline being crammed into too few pages. There are many things still to be resolved, and only one more book, so I’m not expecting this feeling to change.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Maddy has been through a lot lately. Now, with the Retrievers after her, she escapes to a foreign planet full of fae who hate Lucifer. Here’s hoping no one discovers one of his relatives has just showed up in their world…
Opening Sentence: “You have to get out of the house – now,” J.B. said.
The Review:
Since starting this series, I have thought that every book gets better than the last. Unfortunately, that pattern seems to have broken with this installment. While it’s still good, it just wasn’t as addicting and fast paced as the previous books have been. I found myself sometimes having to force myself to read, and that has never happened before with this series. Thankfully, the last half of the book was much more entertaining than the first half. While I still gave this 4 stars, it’s more like a 3.5 star book in my opinion.
Life has gotten increasingly more complicated and dramatic for Maddy. Still reeling from the majority of her friends walking away from her in the previous book, she now has to deal with the Agency sending the Retrievers after her. Convinced that the only way for Maddy to survive is to leave this plane/world for a time, Nathaniel creates a portal and sends Maddy into it. Now, Maddy has to navigate a foreign planet in order to find her way home. Did I mention the planet is full of fae who hate Lucifer? Yeah…life is never easy for Maddy.
For me, a big weakness of this book is the first 50 percent of the story, in which Maddy is totally on her own, trying to find her way home from this foreign planet. Maddy has always been the weakest part of the series for me. I much prefer the secondary characters and with their absence, I became more and more aware of the issues I have with Maddy, especially now that she’s exploring her “dark side.” She can at times seem very full of herself, thinking that she knows best, and her friends are in the wrong with their constant chastising of her. Her attitude can get old very quickly. Being in Maddy’s head with no reprieve made the first part of the book really drag. Once the secondary characters showed up again, the pace picked up, and I found myself much more entertained. Beezle, as always, made me laugh and lightened up a lot of darker moments. Nathaniel also continues to grow on me, and I’m very impressed with the growth and change his character has undergone since being introduced in book one.
Another issue I had with this installment is that it doesn’t feel like much happens until the very end. It almost feels like a filler book whose only purpose is to get us to the next installment. That factor also didn’t help the pace. When the action started though, it certainly didn’t let up until the very end. I didn’t see the final events coming, and I was definitely engrossed once everything got underway.
All in all, this seemed like a weaker installment than previous books in the series. My favorite aspects of the series were missing, which made the plot drag. Once I got past the halfway point though, everything picked up, and this was once again the series I have grown to love. I hope that this was just a stumbling block and that the next book returns the series to the quality I have come to expect.
Notable Scene:
The Cimice’s voices rose as one as they screamed their anguish to the sky. The spell plowed forward, knocking the Cimice down one by one, squeezing their hearts until they stopped.
I felt them die, their agony in their final throes, and the pain brought me to my knees. I hadn’t calculated this. I hadn’t considered the possibility that I might feel sorry for the monsters. But there was no stopping it now, and in any case my purpose was still clear. They meant to kill innocent humans at the behest of the Faerie Queen. I couldn’t let that happen.
This was preventive medicine. It was necessary.
The spell went deep into the heart of the cavern, to where the vast majority of the Cimice were. I gasped as I felt the presence of all of them. There were not hundreds, or thousands. There were millions, stacked up on one another in a vast hive.
My spell was killing them all, and I could feel every one. I closed my eyes, covered my ears, tried to drown them out. But I couldn’t drown them out. They were inside me, their screams and their pain. I couldn’t escape the truth of what I had done.
I believed I had done this for the right reasons. But there was no disguising this darkness. This was a shadow on my soul, and it would stay there forever.
I thought it couldn’t get any worse. I thought my body was numb to what was happening. Then the spell hit the hatchlings.
They were just little monsters, I told myself. They weren’t children screaming.
If I hadn’t done this, there would by children screaming – human children. The Cimice hatchlings would grow up to be just as ruthless as their parents.
“They’re just monsters,” I said over and over. “Monsters.”
But what are you? a voice in my head asked, and that voice sounded a lot like Beezle’s. You keep justifying what you do, but when do you draw the line that’s not supposed to be crossed?
FTC Advisory: Ace/Penguin provided me with a copy of Black Heart. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Maddy has been through a lot lately. Now, with the Retrievers after her, she escapes to a foreign planet full of fae who hate Lucifer. Here’s hoping no one discovers one of his relatives has just showed up in their world…
Opening Sentence: “You have to get out of the house – now,” J.B. said.
The Review:
Since starting this series, I have thought that every book gets better than the last. Unfortunately, that pattern seems to have broken with this installment. While it’s still good, it just wasn’t as addicting and fast paced as the previous books have been. I found myself sometimes having to force myself to read, and that has never happened before with this series. Thankfully, the last half of the book was much more entertaining than the first half. While I still gave this 4 stars, it’s more like a 3.5 star book in my opinion.
Life has gotten increasingly more complicated and dramatic for Maddy. Still reeling from the majority of her friends walking away from her in the previous book, she now has to deal with the Agency sending the Retrievers after her. Convinced that the only way for Maddy to survive is to leave this plane/world for a time, Nathaniel creates a portal and sends Maddy into it. Now, Maddy has to navigate a foreign planet in order to find her way home. Did I mention the planet is full of fae who hate Lucifer? Yeah…life is never easy for Maddy.
For me, a big weakness of this book is the first 50 percent of the story, in which Maddy is totally on her own, trying to find her way home from this foreign planet. Maddy has always been the weakest part of the series for me. I much prefer the secondary characters and with their absence, I became more and more aware of the issues I have with Maddy, especially now that she’s exploring her “dark side.” She can at times seem very full of herself, thinking that she knows best, and her friends are in the wrong with their constant chastising of her. Her attitude can get old very quickly. Being in Maddy’s head with no reprieve made the first part of the book really drag. Once the secondary characters showed up again, the pace picked up, and I found myself much more entertained. Beezle, as always, made me laugh and lightened up a lot of darker moments. Nathaniel also continues to grow on me, and I’m very impressed with the growth and change his character has undergone since being introduced in book one.
Another issue I had with this installment is that it doesn’t feel like much happens until the very end. It almost feels like a filler book whose only purpose is to get us to the next installment. That factor also didn’t help the pace. When the action started though, it certainly didn’t let up until the very end. I didn’t see the final events coming, and I was definitely engrossed once everything got underway.
All in all, this seemed like a weaker installment than previous books in the series. My favorite aspects of the series were missing, which made the plot drag. Once I got past the halfway point though, everything picked up, and this was once again the series I have grown to love. I hope that this was just a stumbling block and that the next book returns the series to the quality I have come to expect.
Notable Scene:
The Cimice’s voices rose as one as they screamed their anguish to the sky. The spell plowed forward, knocking the Cimice down one by one, squeezing their hearts until they stopped.
I felt them die, their agony in their final throes, and the pain brought me to my knees. I hadn’t calculated this. I hadn’t considered the possibility that I might feel sorry for the monsters. But there was no stopping it now, and in any case my purpose was still clear. They meant to kill innocent humans at the behest of the Faerie Queen. I couldn’t let that happen.
This was preventive medicine. It was necessary.
The spell went deep into the heart of the cavern, to where the vast majority of the Cimice were. I gasped as I felt the presence of all of them. There were not hundreds, or thousands. There were millions, stacked up on one another in a vast hive.
My spell was killing them all, and I could feel every one. I closed my eyes, covered my ears, tried to drown them out. But I couldn’t drown them out. They were inside me, their screams and their pain. I couldn’t escape the truth of what I had done.
I believed I had done this for the right reasons. But there was no disguising this darkness. This was a shadow on my soul, and it would stay there forever.
I thought it couldn’t get any worse. I thought my body was numb to what was happening. Then the spell hit the hatchlings.
They were just little monsters, I told myself. They weren’t children screaming.
If I hadn’t done this, there would by children screaming – human children. The Cimice hatchlings would grow up to be just as ruthless as their parents.
“They’re just monsters,” I said over and over. “Monsters.”
But what are you? a voice in my head asked, and that voice sounded a lot like Beezle’s. You keep justifying what you do, but when do you draw the line that’s not supposed to be crossed?
FTC Advisory: Ace/Penguin provided me with a copy of Black Heart. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 30, 2013
I always like the latest novel in the Black Wings series. But I admit that, after reading the latest ones, I'm left unsatisfied and less than happy.
Maddy is always this uber powerful being, and at the same time she's always thwarted. Never clever enough to overturn the tables. It's all very logical in the over-arching plot, everything makes sense, but it's also dissatisfying. Why would I want to read about a woman without agency? Yes, she has power, but does she have a brain? What's the use of creating a super-hero, and then leave her blind?
In a way it reminds me of some TV Sci-Fi serials. In some episodes everything can change, but at the end of it everything must be restored. (Think of Superman: he can tell Lois he is Clark Kent, but then he has to erase her memory.)
The same happens here: plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Or se vogliamo che tutto rimanga come è, bisogna che tutto cambi, everything must change so that everything stays the same.
This is more or less what's going on with this series.
Pure personal note. I'm not sure I appreciate the land of death episode. It implies that there's only one love (waiting for you). So what happens to second chances?
Maddy is always this uber powerful being, and at the same time she's always thwarted. Never clever enough to overturn the tables. It's all very logical in the over-arching plot, everything makes sense, but it's also dissatisfying. Why would I want to read about a woman without agency? Yes, she has power, but does she have a brain? What's the use of creating a super-hero, and then leave her blind?
In a way it reminds me of some TV Sci-Fi serials. In some episodes everything can change, but at the end of it everything must be restored. (Think of Superman: he can tell Lois he is Clark Kent, but then he has to erase her memory.)
The same happens here: plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Or se vogliamo che tutto rimanga come è, bisogna che tutto cambi, everything must change so that everything stays the same.
This is more or less what's going on with this series.
Pure personal note. I'm not sure I appreciate the land of death episode. It implies that there's only one love (waiting for you). So what happens to second chances?
November 10, 2013
I just adore this series, this book wasn't as action packed as the others, but it did tie up some loose ends from previous books. I hope there are more in the series.
September 27, 2020
Ce tome ne sert pas à grand chose, la première moitié du livre est tellement lente et inutile. On revient après ça au classique Maddie doit sauver le,monde quoiqu’il en coûte et se fait accuser des conséquences. Tout résoudre dans le septième et dernier tome est ambitieux, à voir ce que ça va donner.
October 13, 2013
Christina Henry hit another bad ass home run in the sixth installment of her Black Wings series. Black Heart is dark, sexy and full of surprises- any Urban Fantasy lover's dream come true. I COULD NOT put this one down! Christina Henry always knows how to put a fresh spin on her next Maddy Black adventure.
Maddy never slows down in Black Heart, the plot just keeps getting juicier. New villains and old villains show their faces. I almost began to feel bad for Maddy as she never gets a break from the bad guys. It is undeniably entertaining and satisfying to see her kick ass. And not a single character in the Black Wings series has stopped evolving, they all continue to keep you guessing. And in Black Heart Madeline and her gang of misfits will continue to make you laugh, cry and root for them against the impossible. New (awesome!) character alert- Uncle Daharan. I'm not going to delve into his character except that he is fascinating. Read this book so you can experience these characters!!
I love Madeline's courage and her growing confidence in her powers. Beezle may not like the new Maddy, but I do! I know everyone misses Gabriel- I don't. But Maddy (and Gabriel fans) will get some closure in Black Heart. I could have done without the "closure" because I have been rooting for Nathaniel since Black Night (see here!) and I AM SO EXCITED that it seems Maddy is finally ready to move on and maybe root for Nathaniel with me. He is still a wee bit mysterious, totally bad ass, completely arrogant and delicious. He goes through a lot of changes and I love what his character has become over the course of this series. His interactions with Maddy are so adorable. I reallllllly hope that their relationship continues to grow.
Black Heart is dark, intense and a turning point in the Black Wings series. If you're looking for a sexy, brilliantly witty urban fantasy with toe curling action, dangerous plots and complex characters - read this book. I hope Christina Henry keeps writing many more in the Madeline Black series, I LOVE these characters. I can't wait to see what she throws at Maddy in the next novel and this series will continue to be on my MUST BUY list! So get out there and order this book, it is SO GOOD!
Maddy never slows down in Black Heart, the plot just keeps getting juicier. New villains and old villains show their faces. I almost began to feel bad for Maddy as she never gets a break from the bad guys. It is undeniably entertaining and satisfying to see her kick ass. And not a single character in the Black Wings series has stopped evolving, they all continue to keep you guessing. And in Black Heart Madeline and her gang of misfits will continue to make you laugh, cry and root for them against the impossible. New (awesome!) character alert- Uncle Daharan. I'm not going to delve into his character except that he is fascinating. Read this book so you can experience these characters!!
I love Madeline's courage and her growing confidence in her powers. Beezle may not like the new Maddy, but I do! I know everyone misses Gabriel- I don't. But Maddy (and Gabriel fans) will get some closure in Black Heart. I could have done without the "closure" because I have been rooting for Nathaniel since Black Night (see here!) and I AM SO EXCITED that it seems Maddy is finally ready to move on and maybe root for Nathaniel with me. He is still a wee bit mysterious, totally bad ass, completely arrogant and delicious. He goes through a lot of changes and I love what his character has become over the course of this series. His interactions with Maddy are so adorable. I reallllllly hope that their relationship continues to grow.
Black Heart is dark, intense and a turning point in the Black Wings series. If you're looking for a sexy, brilliantly witty urban fantasy with toe curling action, dangerous plots and complex characters - read this book. I hope Christina Henry keeps writing many more in the Madeline Black series, I LOVE these characters. I can't wait to see what she throws at Maddy in the next novel and this series will continue to be on my MUST BUY list! So get out there and order this book, it is SO GOOD!
November 1, 2013
Wow, a really intense book. Once again Maddy becomes a pawn in a much bigger game. As usual her lineage is to blame, and as if Lucifer's order to fetch Evangeline from death wasn't enough, two his brothers decide to interfer in her life as well, and one has been plotting for quite some time.
Brother #1: Sly, untrustworthy, and a bastard. But a charismatic bastard (to read about, at least.)
And then there is Daharan, seemingly so different, responsible, and a caring uncle. I can't wait to learn more of the bond between him and Maddy. Why he is the odd brother out. I truly hope he turns out to be as good for her as he seems, she needs someone like Gabriel in her life to watch her back. Someone with a good moral compass, now that she has awoken the full Power of the Morningstar. True, she has Nathaniel, but just like Maddy, he tooo is a disposable pawn to the powerful brothers. Poor Nathaniel has really grown on me. So far from the haughty angel i hated in book #1. And now that Daharan was able to give Maddy and Gabriel some semblance of a closure, I feel a little less torn in my grudging approval of Nat's and Maddy's budding relationship.
Next book, please :-)
Brother #1: Sly, untrustworthy, and a bastard. But a charismatic bastard (to read about, at least.)
And then there is Daharan, seemingly so different, responsible, and a caring uncle. I can't wait to learn more of the bond between him and Maddy. Why he is the odd brother out. I truly hope he turns out to be as good for her as he seems, she needs someone like Gabriel in her life to watch her back. Someone with a good moral compass, now that she has awoken the full Power of the Morningstar. True, she has Nathaniel, but just like Maddy, he tooo is a disposable pawn to the powerful brothers. Poor Nathaniel has really grown on me. So far from the haughty angel i hated in book #1. And now that Daharan was able to give Maddy and Gabriel some semblance of a closure, I feel a little less torn in my grudging approval of Nat's and Maddy's budding relationship.
Next book, please :-)
January 19, 2019
Great read, and Maddy has to make conscious decisions about the darkness inside her. And so much happens, I just want more!
*First read August 17th, 2016*
This book was so fantastic! Yeah that it picks up after that cliffhanger ending, and yeah, so great to read! I can't wait to read the final book!
*First read August 17th, 2016*
This book was so fantastic! Yeah that it picks up after that cliffhanger ending, and yeah, so great to read! I can't wait to read the final book!
January 15, 2018
Sigh. Nothing material really changes with Maddy. She doesn't grow up, or get smarter, or manage to keep her temper. The same problems that exist in the rest of the books exist in this one. Only now compounded further with the mish-mash of mythology and fiction.
Why is Judas a werewolf? What is the basis for Puck, Lucifer, a giant sea creature and a dragon to be related? Who the fuck are their parents!? And on an unrelated note, Retrievers?
The world building is legit terrible.
Why is Judas a werewolf? What is the basis for Puck, Lucifer, a giant sea creature and a dragon to be related? Who the fuck are their parents!? And on an unrelated note, Retrievers?
The world building is legit terrible.
October 23, 2020
http://www.unbrindelecture.com/2020/1...
J'aime toujours autant cette héroïne badass qui n'abandonne jamais. Elle affronte encore une fois ses peurs et des dangers hors norme. Bien plus seule , elle parait plus fragile aussi dans ce tome qui se lit à 100 à l'heure. On ne s'ennuie jamais dans cette aventure et j'ai déjà hâte de lire le dernier tome de cette saga .
J'aime toujours autant cette héroïne badass qui n'abandonne jamais. Elle affronte encore une fois ses peurs et des dangers hors norme. Bien plus seule , elle parait plus fragile aussi dans ce tome qui se lit à 100 à l'heure. On ne s'ennuie jamais dans cette aventure et j'ai déjà hâte de lire le dernier tome de cette saga .
January 17, 2018
This series is just non stop action with fantastic characters and great world building.
There seems like there's still so much to happen though and only one book left! I can't wait to get started on it.
There seems like there's still so much to happen though and only one book left! I can't wait to get started on it.
May 20, 2021
A fun read. But. This is getting a bit not my thing as it progresses. Good at what it does, just not my thing.
November 10, 2013
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The sixth installment of the Black Wings series finds former Agent of Death, Madeline Black, trying to avoid being taken by the Agency's Retrievers after she broke the law while helping Lucifer. Just as they arrive at her home and destroy it, she is sent through a portal by Nathaniel to an unknown world light years away from Earth where she must fend for herself now that Beezle and the Scooby Gang have all but abandoned her.
While on the unknown planet, Maddy is introduced to Lucifer's eldest and most powerful brother Daharan who appears ready and able to help protect Maddy from those who want her dead. There's not a whole lot of background on Daharan other than he can take the shape of a dragon and they apparently have a very strong connection. There are questions that I have however like will Daharan stand with Maddy against Puck and Lucifer when the cards are all on the table or is she up against the wall? What is his long game and does it merit knowing why he is just now showing up?
Black Heart is really a good name for this story since it dives into Maddy's dark side which has come to the forefront when she singlehandedly saved Chicago in Black City. While trying to keep the darkness at bay and remain a good person and save as many innocents as she can, she is also trying hard to protect her unborn baby that is growing faster than she could ever have imagined. Maddy is one of those characters who acts out first, and then thinks about the consequences of her actions later. As Beezle says "Maddy is like the Hulk in that she likes to crash and bash and worry about the consequences later."
If you have read this series from the beginning, you know that Maddy has gone up against some major players and walked away relatively unscathed. (Note: Henry actually does a summary of each and every single villain that has crossed Maddy's path and found themselves coming out on the losing end. I think this was a fantastic idea since I had forgotten more than a few of the named characters who Maddy has put down over the course of six novels.)
But, the more enemies she defeats, the more dangerous her enemies become, and she realizes that they are playing a long game, whereas she is looking for a quick resolution to her problems. There is Lucifer who is eagerly rubbing his hands together knowing that he is close to getting what he wants from Maddy every time she uses her darkness. Next comes Puck who is definitely the catalysis for a bunch of Maddy's problems and seems to have the advantage at the moment. We still do not know what Alerian wants from Maddy since he has only briefly appeared.
I am a reader who is absolutely conflicted over Nathaniels behavior over the past several books and his apparent come to Jesus makeover and intent on staying right by Maddy's side through all sorts of stormy weather. I still remember what happened when Maddy's father Azazel tried to force them into marriage. I remember wanting to tear his eyes out and feed them to the Retrievers. So, now that he is apparently all powerful and coming into his own, we are seeing Maddy and Nathaniel come closer together which I am not yet ready to accept even if others, including Gabriel, wanting her to.
In the end, I like that Maddy has come into her powers and is a force to be reckoned with but wonder how much longer she can restrain herself. I am a bit pensive about so many people knowing Maddy's identity and what she has accomplished. I like that Beezle isn't a complete tool who completely abandoned his charge when the weather is stormy. I like that Daharan is apparently on Maddy's side and that the Retrievers true identity has been revealed. With Puck at the forefront, and Titiana and Maddy having a final showdown, and Lucifer sitting on the sidelines watching Maddy's transformation, the final novels in this series should be an interesting ride.
*Recvd via NetGalley 10/29/2013* Released: October 29th 2013 by Ace
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The sixth installment of the Black Wings series finds former Agent of Death, Madeline Black, trying to avoid being taken by the Agency's Retrievers after she broke the law while helping Lucifer. Just as they arrive at her home and destroy it, she is sent through a portal by Nathaniel to an unknown world light years away from Earth where she must fend for herself now that Beezle and the Scooby Gang have all but abandoned her.
While on the unknown planet, Maddy is introduced to Lucifer's eldest and most powerful brother Daharan who appears ready and able to help protect Maddy from those who want her dead. There's not a whole lot of background on Daharan other than he can take the shape of a dragon and they apparently have a very strong connection. There are questions that I have however like will Daharan stand with Maddy against Puck and Lucifer when the cards are all on the table or is she up against the wall? What is his long game and does it merit knowing why he is just now showing up?
Black Heart is really a good name for this story since it dives into Maddy's dark side which has come to the forefront when she singlehandedly saved Chicago in Black City. While trying to keep the darkness at bay and remain a good person and save as many innocents as she can, she is also trying hard to protect her unborn baby that is growing faster than she could ever have imagined. Maddy is one of those characters who acts out first, and then thinks about the consequences of her actions later. As Beezle says "Maddy is like the Hulk in that she likes to crash and bash and worry about the consequences later."
If you have read this series from the beginning, you know that Maddy has gone up against some major players and walked away relatively unscathed. (Note: Henry actually does a summary of each and every single villain that has crossed Maddy's path and found themselves coming out on the losing end. I think this was a fantastic idea since I had forgotten more than a few of the named characters who Maddy has put down over the course of six novels.)
But, the more enemies she defeats, the more dangerous her enemies become, and she realizes that they are playing a long game, whereas she is looking for a quick resolution to her problems. There is Lucifer who is eagerly rubbing his hands together knowing that he is close to getting what he wants from Maddy every time she uses her darkness. Next comes Puck who is definitely the catalysis for a bunch of Maddy's problems and seems to have the advantage at the moment. We still do not know what Alerian wants from Maddy since he has only briefly appeared.
I am a reader who is absolutely conflicted over Nathaniels behavior over the past several books and his apparent come to Jesus makeover and intent on staying right by Maddy's side through all sorts of stormy weather. I still remember what happened when Maddy's father Azazel tried to force them into marriage. I remember wanting to tear his eyes out and feed them to the Retrievers. So, now that he is apparently all powerful and coming into his own, we are seeing Maddy and Nathaniel come closer together which I am not yet ready to accept even if others, including Gabriel, wanting her to.
In the end, I like that Maddy has come into her powers and is a force to be reckoned with but wonder how much longer she can restrain herself. I am a bit pensive about so many people knowing Maddy's identity and what she has accomplished. I like that Beezle isn't a complete tool who completely abandoned his charge when the weather is stormy. I like that Daharan is apparently on Maddy's side and that the Retrievers true identity has been revealed. With Puck at the forefront, and Titiana and Maddy having a final showdown, and Lucifer sitting on the sidelines watching Maddy's transformation, the final novels in this series should be an interesting ride.
*Recvd via NetGalley 10/29/2013* Released: October 29th 2013 by Ace
November 19, 2013
This is the sixth book in the Madeline Black series by Henry. There will be a 7th book in this series, but as of right now it is untitled. This was an excellent continuation of the series and the best book of this series yet!
Maddie has saved Chicago from raging vampires but the Agency is still out to get her. In an attempt to deal with her once and for all, the Agency sends the Retrievers after Maddie. In a desperate attempt to help her escape, Nathaniel opens a portal to another realm. When Maddie jumps through she finds herself on a Fae world where the strange mantis-like creatures she has dealt with before are threatening existence. This can’t be coincidence and Maddie finds out that Lucifer and Puck have their own long games going on even in this far out realm.
This book fixed everything that was wrong in the previous books. Maddie admits that she is more of a “blow everything up” kind of girl and in this book she works on refining her power. She is starting to actually think things through before she acts, to plan, and to explore the depths of her new power.
Sadly Nathaniel isn’t in the story much (he is one of my favorite characters). However, with his power from Puck unlocked he is a force to be reckoned with. Him and Maddie make an excellent pair and together they are a power to be feared.
We get closure on a lot of things in this book. Maddie and Gabriel have a scene where they finally get some closure. The issue with the Agency and the Retrievers is brought to a close in a most satisfying way. Maddie and Titania also have words in a very climatic and impressive way.
We finally meet the brother of Lucifer and Puck, and he is a most excellent addition to the story. I absolutely loved this character and can’t wait to read more about him.
There is also a ton of background regarding Lucifer, Puck, and Titania. We find out a lot more about their long games and get a much better understanding on just how immense their power is.
Unlike previous books, this plot was not scattered at all. In fact the plot was incredibly well done. There are multiple storylines that come together nicely in the end. There is a main plot point that is resolved in this book and the continuation of a larger story. This book was just very very well written.
Overall an absolutely fantastic urban fantasy, the best book in this series yet. I love the new characters we meet and the way our old favorites are changing and growing. I loved the background and the new worlds we get to see. I also really enjoyed how well the plot was done and fit together so nicely. I highly recommend this series to urban fantasy fans. It just keeps getting better and better!
Maddie has saved Chicago from raging vampires but the Agency is still out to get her. In an attempt to deal with her once and for all, the Agency sends the Retrievers after Maddie. In a desperate attempt to help her escape, Nathaniel opens a portal to another realm. When Maddie jumps through she finds herself on a Fae world where the strange mantis-like creatures she has dealt with before are threatening existence. This can’t be coincidence and Maddie finds out that Lucifer and Puck have their own long games going on even in this far out realm.
This book fixed everything that was wrong in the previous books. Maddie admits that she is more of a “blow everything up” kind of girl and in this book she works on refining her power. She is starting to actually think things through before she acts, to plan, and to explore the depths of her new power.
Sadly Nathaniel isn’t in the story much (he is one of my favorite characters). However, with his power from Puck unlocked he is a force to be reckoned with. Him and Maddie make an excellent pair and together they are a power to be feared.
We get closure on a lot of things in this book. Maddie and Gabriel have a scene where they finally get some closure. The issue with the Agency and the Retrievers is brought to a close in a most satisfying way. Maddie and Titania also have words in a very climatic and impressive way.
We finally meet the brother of Lucifer and Puck, and he is a most excellent addition to the story. I absolutely loved this character and can’t wait to read more about him.
There is also a ton of background regarding Lucifer, Puck, and Titania. We find out a lot more about their long games and get a much better understanding on just how immense their power is.
Unlike previous books, this plot was not scattered at all. In fact the plot was incredibly well done. There are multiple storylines that come together nicely in the end. There is a main plot point that is resolved in this book and the continuation of a larger story. This book was just very very well written.
Overall an absolutely fantastic urban fantasy, the best book in this series yet. I love the new characters we meet and the way our old favorites are changing and growing. I loved the background and the new worlds we get to see. I also really enjoyed how well the plot was done and fit together so nicely. I highly recommend this series to urban fantasy fans. It just keeps getting better and better!
November 6, 2013
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2013/11/06...
Publisher Description: As a former Agent of Death, Madeline Black is no stranger to witnessing violent ends. But being the one to cause them is an entirely different story….
Review: This is #6 in the Black Wings series of novellas starring Maddy Black, a fallen angel of mixed decent. I am kinda bummed out that I never heard of this writer or her novellas in this series prior to reading #6. This had many good elements to make for a riveting read. Great magic elements, character development, story-line with minimal internal dialogue generated a well crafted story that was fun to read. The praying mantis insectoids, the Cimice, were a great addition as was Daharan in dragon form. I also liked the Retrievers, Lock, Stock and Barrel. They will be a great addition in subsequent installments.
Puck was especially conniving and convincing as one of the “brothers” along with a brief appearance (in this novella) of the Fae Queen, Titania. The only mildly disappointing interlude was the Nathaniel love interest and the waxing and waning of Maddy’s and Nathaniel’s powers. Not real consistent as when a building blows up and they cannot save Bendith, Titania’s son, and barely save themselves. Then in the next scene, she destroys one the oldest beings in the universe with incalculable power. Hmmm. As I am new to this series, I wonder how she is able to put shirts on if she has wings that can only be veiled but not magically removed. I was also pretty neutral on the whole Beezle the gargoyle thing. I think he is pretty weak and formulaic as comedy relief. The cover art really blows. It looks like Jennifer Lawrence is blasting magical fire laced farts.
Despite some inconsistencies in the logic, I really enjoyed this novella. Maddy is a well constructed character whom lends herself to the eternal battle of good and evil not only without, but within. This dichotomy certainly draws you into her inner world, and you find yourself cheering her ability to resist the dark power and triumph with good intent.
Publisher Description: As a former Agent of Death, Madeline Black is no stranger to witnessing violent ends. But being the one to cause them is an entirely different story….
Review: This is #6 in the Black Wings series of novellas starring Maddy Black, a fallen angel of mixed decent. I am kinda bummed out that I never heard of this writer or her novellas in this series prior to reading #6. This had many good elements to make for a riveting read. Great magic elements, character development, story-line with minimal internal dialogue generated a well crafted story that was fun to read. The praying mantis insectoids, the Cimice, were a great addition as was Daharan in dragon form. I also liked the Retrievers, Lock, Stock and Barrel. They will be a great addition in subsequent installments.
Puck was especially conniving and convincing as one of the “brothers” along with a brief appearance (in this novella) of the Fae Queen, Titania. The only mildly disappointing interlude was the Nathaniel love interest and the waxing and waning of Maddy’s and Nathaniel’s powers. Not real consistent as when a building blows up and they cannot save Bendith, Titania’s son, and barely save themselves. Then in the next scene, she destroys one the oldest beings in the universe with incalculable power. Hmmm. As I am new to this series, I wonder how she is able to put shirts on if she has wings that can only be veiled but not magically removed. I was also pretty neutral on the whole Beezle the gargoyle thing. I think he is pretty weak and formulaic as comedy relief. The cover art really blows. It looks like Jennifer Lawrence is blasting magical fire laced farts.
Despite some inconsistencies in the logic, I really enjoyed this novella. Maddy is a well constructed character whom lends herself to the eternal battle of good and evil not only without, but within. This dichotomy certainly draws you into her inner world, and you find yourself cheering her ability to resist the dark power and triumph with good intent.
October 28, 2013
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle:
*eARC received from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
--Actual rating 4.5 Skulls
Another absolutely intoxicating read by Ms. Henry!
Black Heart wasn't quite as action packed as the last 2 installments of the BLACK WINGS series in my opinion, but it was gripping, dark, sexy, and utterly intriguing, with lots of new and different stuff to love and enjoy.
I said it wasn't as action packed, but that doesn't mean it was slow by any stretch of the imagination. This book just got more and more intense as the pages were turned, I couldn't wait to see what would happen next, and while I didn't think it possible, Christina has reached yet another level of 'wonderful' with her writing; the character evolution and growth was stellar, the world building superb, and the core the the story and series - its heart if you will - grabbed me and wouldn't let go.
So without spoiling things what do you have to look forward to? We're finally introduced to Puck and Lucifer's other brother Daharan, there's a whole new (and wonderful) sub-world to explore, Maddy embraces her dark side, there's a scene that long time fans will absolutely adore, and SO much more!
I've been saying (and RAVING about) it book after book, but Black Heart is dark, it's intense, and it's really a catalyst to the series (or even a possible spin-off if Christina decides to go that route).
This is an absolute must read for all BLACK WINGS fans, and I highly recommend it for all Urban Fantasy lovers. I do suggest reading the series in order though, especially with this book, there is just too much history you'd miss if you didn't. I promise you will not be disappointed you did!
As my quote on the cover states, this series just gets better and better!
*eARC received from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
--Actual rating 4.5 Skulls
Another absolutely intoxicating read by Ms. Henry!
Black Heart wasn't quite as action packed as the last 2 installments of the BLACK WINGS series in my opinion, but it was gripping, dark, sexy, and utterly intriguing, with lots of new and different stuff to love and enjoy.
I said it wasn't as action packed, but that doesn't mean it was slow by any stretch of the imagination. This book just got more and more intense as the pages were turned, I couldn't wait to see what would happen next, and while I didn't think it possible, Christina has reached yet another level of 'wonderful' with her writing; the character evolution and growth was stellar, the world building superb, and the core the the story and series - its heart if you will - grabbed me and wouldn't let go.
So without spoiling things what do you have to look forward to? We're finally introduced to Puck and Lucifer's other brother Daharan, there's a whole new (and wonderful) sub-world to explore, Maddy embraces her dark side, there's a scene that long time fans will absolutely adore, and SO much more!
I've been saying (and RAVING about) it book after book, but Black Heart is dark, it's intense, and it's really a catalyst to the series (or even a possible spin-off if Christina decides to go that route).
This is an absolute must read for all BLACK WINGS fans, and I highly recommend it for all Urban Fantasy lovers. I do suggest reading the series in order though, especially with this book, there is just too much history you'd miss if you didn't. I promise you will not be disappointed you did!
As my quote on the cover states, this series just gets better and better!
November 25, 2013
I gave it 3.5 stars
BLACK HEART was not my favorite Black Wings Series installment. I still love the characters, the story line still keeps me reading but there just felt like something was missing in BLACK HEART. Maybe it was the absence of Maddy's allies? The absence of Beezle's comic relief? The way that a big majority took place on an unknown planet with Maddy pretty much by herself? I don't know. It was just missing something and by the time I felt like I was finally getting into everything again the book was over.
Is it just me or does this pregnancy feel like it is going WAY too slow? I guess we get a little bump in BLACK HEART but with all the stuff that has happened you would think more time has passed. How many books is she going to be pregnant for? I must say I really liked the introduction of Daharan, Lucifer's oldest brother and Maddy's Uncle. I loved how he protected her and was by her side when she needed him unlike others that will not be named. I also liked that no matter how scared other people were of him that Maddy wasn't and he didn't try to scare her. I just know I will continue liking him in future books. I still don't know how I feel about Nathaniel. I start liking him and then I'm reminded what he was like in the beginning or how Maddy is pregnant with Gabriel's baby. I just can't wrap my head around him or their relationship yet. Maybe in book 7.
A huge battle is brewing and with Maddy still pretty much in hiding and dodging trouble at every turn I am not sure how long it will take for us to get there. I'm not sure Maddy can continue going at the pace she has been, I mean really she is pregnant how is she still fighting like she is? Many questions, need answers, how can I not read more!
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
BLACK HEART was not my favorite Black Wings Series installment. I still love the characters, the story line still keeps me reading but there just felt like something was missing in BLACK HEART. Maybe it was the absence of Maddy's allies? The absence of Beezle's comic relief? The way that a big majority took place on an unknown planet with Maddy pretty much by herself? I don't know. It was just missing something and by the time I felt like I was finally getting into everything again the book was over.
Is it just me or does this pregnancy feel like it is going WAY too slow? I guess we get a little bump in BLACK HEART but with all the stuff that has happened you would think more time has passed. How many books is she going to be pregnant for? I must say I really liked the introduction of Daharan, Lucifer's oldest brother and Maddy's Uncle. I loved how he protected her and was by her side when she needed him unlike others that will not be named. I also liked that no matter how scared other people were of him that Maddy wasn't and he didn't try to scare her. I just know I will continue liking him in future books. I still don't know how I feel about Nathaniel. I start liking him and then I'm reminded what he was like in the beginning or how Maddy is pregnant with Gabriel's baby. I just can't wrap my head around him or their relationship yet. Maybe in book 7.
A huge battle is brewing and with Maddy still pretty much in hiding and dodging trouble at every turn I am not sure how long it will take for us to get there. I'm not sure Maddy can continue going at the pace she has been, I mean really she is pregnant how is she still fighting like she is? Many questions, need answers, how can I not read more!
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2013
Well Madeline Black is back and back with a bang! A really Big Bang as the Retrievers are literally knocking her door down! Nathaniel uses a clear head and sends her to safety through a magical portal but is it really safety? From the minute she arrives it's clear that it's not exactly what she had hoped for and Maddy is in for a struggle not just to find food and water but to fend off the not too friendly natives. Left on a far away planet with just her sword and wits to protect her Maddy is taken prisoner by Fae and it's clear that she's landed in the middle of a turf war. The Fae are obviously enemies of her grandfather Lucifer and somehow Maddy must convince them that she's not their enemy too. Fearing the repercussions of using her magic yet knowing her return to Earth depends on it Maddy will have to stand firm if both she and her unborn child have any hope of getting home. The only problem is not everyone is who they seem and pretty soon Maddy will realise that she has been deliberately put in a position where she will make choices that she could come to regret.
I love the strong character that is Madeline Black. She's a woman full of contradictions and yet this somehow adds to her growth as a person. In this tale she has to rely on herself to decide just who she can and cannot trust. She's full of doubts about how far is just too far. Wanting to protect the innocent and yet fearful of giving in to her dark side she nevertheless takes chances . Her powers are growing and she is maturing into a feisty heroine and yet in many ways she's still a pawn . I dearly want her to be happy and at peace but it's clear a showdown is coming that will yet again shake Madeline's beliefs. Just who can she trust ? Please Ms Henry let the girl catch a break!
A fabulous read and a great series but definitely best read in order.
4 and a half from me
I love the strong character that is Madeline Black. She's a woman full of contradictions and yet this somehow adds to her growth as a person. In this tale she has to rely on herself to decide just who she can and cannot trust. She's full of doubts about how far is just too far. Wanting to protect the innocent and yet fearful of giving in to her dark side she nevertheless takes chances . Her powers are growing and she is maturing into a feisty heroine and yet in many ways she's still a pawn . I dearly want her to be happy and at peace but it's clear a showdown is coming that will yet again shake Madeline's beliefs. Just who can she trust ? Please Ms Henry let the girl catch a break!
A fabulous read and a great series but definitely best read in order.
4 and a half from me
November 8, 2013
(3.5 Stars)
"Black Heart" is another action packed read from Christina Henry. The book begins with the Retrievers coming after Maddy. Just as they destroy her home, Nathaniel sends Maddy through a portal into a strange land where she must fend for herself. She finds the unlikeliest ally in a dragon.
While in this new world, Maddy uncovers a plot by Queen Titiana that will put the city of Chicago at risk. The Cimice (bug like creatures) are breeding at an alarming rate and taking over the world. Maddy is convince, Tatiana is training the Cimice for an upcoming attack on Earth. She takes care of the threat and is rewarded by seeing Gabriel once more before she returns home.
Maddy returns to Chicago to find her home totally destroyed and her friends believing she died in the attack. However, once they realize she is back many people are after her. Maddy worries about the fate of her unborn son and now she can no longer hide her pregnancy.
Here is the good news as well as the not so good news. The good news is the series continues to entertain me with the "kickass herione," non stop action, and the fun loving sidekicks like Beezle. The bad news is that each book adds new character after new character that just prolongs a convoluted plot that seems to be going no where. A major battle is hinted at but at this rate, it will take 8 more books to get there. Maddy has now been pregnant for 3 books and I still do not know who she will end up with. I am at a point where I am struggling to determine if I want to continue on with this series. If something does not give by the next book, I will probably bow out gracefully!
"Black Heart" is another action packed read from Christina Henry. The book begins with the Retrievers coming after Maddy. Just as they destroy her home, Nathaniel sends Maddy through a portal into a strange land where she must fend for herself. She finds the unlikeliest ally in a dragon.
While in this new world, Maddy uncovers a plot by Queen Titiana that will put the city of Chicago at risk. The Cimice (bug like creatures) are breeding at an alarming rate and taking over the world. Maddy is convince, Tatiana is training the Cimice for an upcoming attack on Earth. She takes care of the threat and is rewarded by seeing Gabriel once more before she returns home.
Maddy returns to Chicago to find her home totally destroyed and her friends believing she died in the attack. However, once they realize she is back many people are after her. Maddy worries about the fate of her unborn son and now she can no longer hide her pregnancy.
Here is the good news as well as the not so good news. The good news is the series continues to entertain me with the "kickass herione," non stop action, and the fun loving sidekicks like Beezle. The bad news is that each book adds new character after new character that just prolongs a convoluted plot that seems to be going no where. A major battle is hinted at but at this rate, it will take 8 more books to get there. Maddy has now been pregnant for 3 books and I still do not know who she will end up with. I am at a point where I am struggling to determine if I want to continue on with this series. If something does not give by the next book, I will probably bow out gracefully!
September 10, 2013
Nice twists in this 6th book in the series. Definitely a series you want to read from the beginning. The main character is likable and strong (usually!) and manages to land herself in some wild situations.
October 4, 2022
Tak tohle byl zatím snad nejtemnější díl z celé série 🖤. Dokonce se začínám bát, jak asi tahle série dopadne. Už jenom jeden díl...😱
November 30, 2013
I started off getting so annoyed again right from the start. I didn't want to, I always start a new book assuming it will be great, or at least pretty good. But Maddy tends to really just irritate me. This young woman was until recently totally isolated and naïve, living alone with her gargoyle and had been since her mom died when she was a teenager. Remember how isolated her job as an Agent kept her? But now she had, "honestly grown so accustomed to succeeding that I didn't know how to fail." How is that possible? How did she get so perfect and so damn cocky? "I didn't easily give up anything that was mine." Why not? What makes you so brave and bullheaded? And then how did she know more about battle strategy than a fae king? Who was she to advise that guy like she knew anything? She isn't some geek who loves strategy games and is just finally getting a chance to implement her favorite hobby, much less has any actual experience, where does this knowledge come from? The overwhelming Mary Sue qualities of this character just drive me batty.
I'm sorry, I really am not that reviewer that likes to give bad reviews (which this won't be I have good things to say too), that keeps reading the series that she knows she isn't going to like just so she can write snarky reviews that she thinks are funny and get lots of likes or something. I do kind of get why a couple of series may lend themselves to that kind of parody-like thing, but I don't love it and this isn't that kind of series. The author seems really nice, and I was a big fan in the beginning. And I never like giving bad reviews. Maybe I just don't have the wit to write them funny enough or it to be charming instead of just awkward for everyone involved. Luckily for this series, the books are never entirely bad, that's the problem, that's why I keep reading. I still want to find out what happens to the characters. I get attached, I hate knowing that the story is still going on and I could be reading but I turned away. So if it's free from the library I keep going unless something happens and I just can't take it anymore, hoping every time that maybe the character will grow up a little this time, show a little bit of sense or awareness finally.
And she did, a little! Just a little, but it was progress. Maddy was nervous about the darkness inside her and the way that Beezle and the others turned away from her because of it. It did make her think about her tendency to just barrel into every situation without considering the consequences. Unfortunately, part of the considering led to repeating over and over again that she tends to "break and smash" her way through situations. I wish I had the ebook so I could count the number of times the phrase is used, it's definitely drinking game levels. And there were other things that were repetitive that an editor should have caught. For example, Maddy repeated several times in a very short section of the book how dangerous it was for her not to have a home with a threshold any more. It was too short a book to make repeating basic information necessary, especially in such close proximity.
When I reviewed Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland (you should read all of her books, by the way, they're all wonderful) last week I said that the travel book in any series, where the main character and occasionally one or two other supporting characters as well, go out of town or to another world together, is usually the worst, but that Touch was the exception. This one wasn't exactly an exception as well, but it wasn't exactly a complete success either. When you take your character out of her familiar setting and away from all of the supporting characters that the readers love, you're taking a big risk. The bad part was not having Beezle or Maddy's half brother Samiel or J.B. in it for the first two-thirds (or Samiel in it at all), especially for me because as you know by now, I find Maddy frequently annoying. Actually, Samiel shouldn't be regulated just to a parenthetical notation because then Chloe goes with him and other than villains throwing around threats and then get killed, Chloe has been the only other female character in six books now, so not seeing her and having her be a part of the core team is a real lost to the team and the readers. I hope that Henry find a way to get her right in there working side-by-side with Maddy in the next book. I get too tired of these books that are written by women that still don't feature strong, smart female characters that talk to each other. Maddy has a harem of men who will do anything for her. It gets to be too much.
But back to being on the other-world, Maddy needed to grow up. She could do that anywhere. And Beezle and Samiel had stepped away from her for the time being because of the choices she was making and she needed to think about that. And it wasn't boring, or overwhelming, as some travel books get, piling on too much detail. And this section of the book was much more focused than previous books, or the last section of the book, which tend to cram a lot of plots and ideas in and get a bit jumbled. Once Maddy got back to Earth the story is suddenly going in ten directions at once again, which can be overwhelming when it's a whole book of that. So the other-world section was actually pretty good, when Maddy wasn't annoying me with her snark that wasn't actually funny because arrogance is a fine line. Plus I get even more annoyed when she gets put into leadership positions that she has no right being in with her total lack of experience, like being at the head of battles in previous books, so at least when she's away from almost everyone she knows on another world there's less of that happening. I get less annoyed with Miss Mary Sue exploring her incredible magical powers than suddenly being a genius battle leader, at least they have a foundation in her genetics.
As for a couple of specifics, Daharan was great. It was good to find out who Lucifer's third brother was, and it was really fun to see Puck intimidated. I loved this image, "I had a very strange vision of the brothers as children. It looks a lot like a chibi-anime cartoon in my head, all soft edges and big eyes. Alerian was a tiny cute squid in a baby pool. Puck was a troublesome toddler with chocolate on his face and a stash of cookies behind the couch. Daharah was a teensy dragon blowing puffs of smoke. And Lucifer rose up on little wings before falling to the ground, unable to stay aloft." Too funny! This is why I keep reading. Perfection. And I loved the end with Bryson and Lock, Stock and Barrel too. When Henry gets it right she gets it so right.
Overall, the good news is that it really was a much better book than the last few. Maddy still isn't the brightest gal in the world, but she is at least trying to be aware of her shortcomings and occasionally hesitates before breaking and smashing. The part of the book that took place on the other world was balanced by a last third or so back on our world with the full gang. There were a couple of super funny scenes to balance the earlier really annoying parts. In fact, I don't think I was annoyed almost at all during the second half of the book, so that's great. I'm not sure that the lists that were brought up several times of all of Maddy's exploits and kills were actually a great idea though. Yes, it helped refresh the reader's memory. But it did underscore my point about how absurd it is for one completely untrained and inexperienced young person to have done so much over the course of such a short amount of time. I know it's a fantasy series, but there has to be some basis of believability, a sense that these things could happen within the rules as they've been established for this time/place. And much of the time Maddy isn't believable. And that annoys me more than her bad attitude. But I'm very glad that this book had less of that than the last few. I really hope to see more growth in her character in the next book. Which I at least know now that I do want to read. And if we were able to give half stars I might be tempted to do so for this one.
I'm sorry, I really am not that reviewer that likes to give bad reviews (which this won't be I have good things to say too), that keeps reading the series that she knows she isn't going to like just so she can write snarky reviews that she thinks are funny and get lots of likes or something. I do kind of get why a couple of series may lend themselves to that kind of parody-like thing, but I don't love it and this isn't that kind of series. The author seems really nice, and I was a big fan in the beginning. And I never like giving bad reviews. Maybe I just don't have the wit to write them funny enough or it to be charming instead of just awkward for everyone involved. Luckily for this series, the books are never entirely bad, that's the problem, that's why I keep reading. I still want to find out what happens to the characters. I get attached, I hate knowing that the story is still going on and I could be reading but I turned away. So if it's free from the library I keep going unless something happens and I just can't take it anymore, hoping every time that maybe the character will grow up a little this time, show a little bit of sense or awareness finally.
And she did, a little! Just a little, but it was progress. Maddy was nervous about the darkness inside her and the way that Beezle and the others turned away from her because of it. It did make her think about her tendency to just barrel into every situation without considering the consequences. Unfortunately, part of the considering led to repeating over and over again that she tends to "break and smash" her way through situations. I wish I had the ebook so I could count the number of times the phrase is used, it's definitely drinking game levels. And there were other things that were repetitive that an editor should have caught. For example, Maddy repeated several times in a very short section of the book how dangerous it was for her not to have a home with a threshold any more. It was too short a book to make repeating basic information necessary, especially in such close proximity.
When I reviewed Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland (you should read all of her books, by the way, they're all wonderful) last week I said that the travel book in any series, where the main character and occasionally one or two other supporting characters as well, go out of town or to another world together, is usually the worst, but that Touch was the exception. This one wasn't exactly an exception as well, but it wasn't exactly a complete success either. When you take your character out of her familiar setting and away from all of the supporting characters that the readers love, you're taking a big risk. The bad part was not having Beezle or Maddy's half brother Samiel or J.B. in it for the first two-thirds (or Samiel in it at all), especially for me because as you know by now, I find Maddy frequently annoying. Actually, Samiel shouldn't be regulated just to a parenthetical notation because then Chloe goes with him and other than villains throwing around threats and then get killed, Chloe has been the only other female character in six books now, so not seeing her and having her be a part of the core team is a real lost to the team and the readers. I hope that Henry find a way to get her right in there working side-by-side with Maddy in the next book. I get too tired of these books that are written by women that still don't feature strong, smart female characters that talk to each other. Maddy has a harem of men who will do anything for her. It gets to be too much.
But back to being on the other-world, Maddy needed to grow up. She could do that anywhere. And Beezle and Samiel had stepped away from her for the time being because of the choices she was making and she needed to think about that. And it wasn't boring, or overwhelming, as some travel books get, piling on too much detail. And this section of the book was much more focused than previous books, or the last section of the book, which tend to cram a lot of plots and ideas in and get a bit jumbled. Once Maddy got back to Earth the story is suddenly going in ten directions at once again, which can be overwhelming when it's a whole book of that. So the other-world section was actually pretty good, when Maddy wasn't annoying me with her snark that wasn't actually funny because arrogance is a fine line. Plus I get even more annoyed when she gets put into leadership positions that she has no right being in with her total lack of experience, like being at the head of battles in previous books, so at least when she's away from almost everyone she knows on another world there's less of that happening. I get less annoyed with Miss Mary Sue exploring her incredible magical powers than suddenly being a genius battle leader, at least they have a foundation in her genetics.
As for a couple of specifics, Daharan was great. It was good to find out who Lucifer's third brother was, and it was really fun to see Puck intimidated. I loved this image, "I had a very strange vision of the brothers as children. It looks a lot like a chibi-anime cartoon in my head, all soft edges and big eyes. Alerian was a tiny cute squid in a baby pool. Puck was a troublesome toddler with chocolate on his face and a stash of cookies behind the couch. Daharah was a teensy dragon blowing puffs of smoke. And Lucifer rose up on little wings before falling to the ground, unable to stay aloft." Too funny! This is why I keep reading. Perfection. And I loved the end with Bryson and Lock, Stock and Barrel too. When Henry gets it right she gets it so right.
Overall, the good news is that it really was a much better book than the last few. Maddy still isn't the brightest gal in the world, but she is at least trying to be aware of her shortcomings and occasionally hesitates before breaking and smashing. The part of the book that took place on the other world was balanced by a last third or so back on our world with the full gang. There were a couple of super funny scenes to balance the earlier really annoying parts. In fact, I don't think I was annoyed almost at all during the second half of the book, so that's great. I'm not sure that the lists that were brought up several times of all of Maddy's exploits and kills were actually a great idea though. Yes, it helped refresh the reader's memory. But it did underscore my point about how absurd it is for one completely untrained and inexperienced young person to have done so much over the course of such a short amount of time. I know it's a fantasy series, but there has to be some basis of believability, a sense that these things could happen within the rules as they've been established for this time/place. And much of the time Maddy isn't believable. And that annoys me more than her bad attitude. But I'm very glad that this book had less of that than the last few. I really hope to see more growth in her character in the next book. Which I at least know now that I do want to read. And if we were able to give half stars I might be tempted to do so for this one.
October 25, 2020
Ce fut une très bonne lecture, j'ai bien plus apprécié ce tome-ci que le précédent. ça fait plaisir car j'ai vraiment aimé le début de cette série, avec un univers original et une écriture dynamique.
Maddy doit lutter contre une machination qui menace Chicago et les humains. L'intrigue revient au premier plan dans ce tome ; on rencontre un nouveau personnage important, on a notre lot de révélations, de l'action et des révélations diaboliques. Je n'avais pas vu venir la fin, je me suis fait emporter par l'histoire et je me suis réconciliée avec le personnage de Maddy, qui m'avait vraiment déplu dans le tome 5.
Si j'ai bien compris, le tome 7 sera le dernier de la saga, j'ai vraiment hâte de le lire et découvrir comment Maddy pourra se sortir de cette situation. L'attente jusqu'en février va être longue, mais j'apprécie énormément que la parution des différents tomes soit rapide, ça évite de devoir relire le tome précédent parce qu'on a oublié une partie de l'intrigue et des personnages. On aura eu les 7 tomes en 2 ans, c'est génial.
Maddy doit lutter contre une machination qui menace Chicago et les humains. L'intrigue revient au premier plan dans ce tome ; on rencontre un nouveau personnage important, on a notre lot de révélations, de l'action et des révélations diaboliques. Je n'avais pas vu venir la fin, je me suis fait emporter par l'histoire et je me suis réconciliée avec le personnage de Maddy, qui m'avait vraiment déplu dans le tome 5.
Si j'ai bien compris, le tome 7 sera le dernier de la saga, j'ai vraiment hâte de le lire et découvrir comment Maddy pourra se sortir de cette situation. L'attente jusqu'en février va être longue, mais j'apprécie énormément que la parution des différents tomes soit rapide, ça évite de devoir relire le tome précédent parce qu'on a oublié une partie de l'intrigue et des personnages. On aura eu les 7 tomes en 2 ans, c'est génial.
December 8, 2020
https://songedunenuitdete.com/2020/12...
Avec ce sixième volume, on avance doucement, mais surement vers le dénouement et je dois dire que j’ai un peu peur pour Maddy. Tout va crescendo.
Voilà un livre qui se lit trop vite et que j’ai dévoré sans m’en rendre compte. Même si je trouve ça toujours trop court et que j’aurais aimé en avoir plus sous les yeux.
Ce que je peux vous dire c’est que si vous avez aimé jusqu’ici, eh bien, ça ne changera pas ! Vous allez adorer cette suite avec son lot d’émotions fortes, d’épreuves hors normes et de personnages tous plus attachants les uns que les autres.
Avec ce sixième volume, on avance doucement, mais surement vers le dénouement et je dois dire que j’ai un peu peur pour Maddy. Tout va crescendo.
Voilà un livre qui se lit trop vite et que j’ai dévoré sans m’en rendre compte. Même si je trouve ça toujours trop court et que j’aurais aimé en avoir plus sous les yeux.
Ce que je peux vous dire c’est que si vous avez aimé jusqu’ici, eh bien, ça ne changera pas ! Vous allez adorer cette suite avec son lot d’émotions fortes, d’épreuves hors normes et de personnages tous plus attachants les uns que les autres.
December 29, 2023
The more things change, the more they remain the same
Maddy Black is (as always) in over her head regarding the arrays of enemies coming from out of the woodwork. Since she melded her power with Nathaniel she is discovering new abilities that both amaze her but also gives her pause over her fear of being seduced by the immense power that without effort could generate a huge amount of destruction.
The fact remains that Maddy Black is choosing to be as “good” as possible & still stay alive to protect her unborn child.
Maddy Black is (as always) in over her head regarding the arrays of enemies coming from out of the woodwork. Since she melded her power with Nathaniel she is discovering new abilities that both amaze her but also gives her pause over her fear of being seduced by the immense power that without effort could generate a huge amount of destruction.
The fact remains that Maddy Black is choosing to be as “good” as possible & still stay alive to protect her unborn child.
December 6, 2017
Keep in mind this is just my thoughts... I felt like the first 150 pages or so was a waste of time. I realize it must tie in to the story but I thought I had the wrong book to begin with. Still not liking Maddie but she seemed to try to be nice at first when she met these new elves on a different planet. It all felt a bit sci-fi but I'm sure the author has more reason for the jaunt into space. On to the next book.
April 17, 2018
This one was just "meh" for me. I think it may be because of all the issues Maddy being abandoned at the end of the previous book and pretty much on her own for this one. There's a few other players, one that may be an ally, another that's proven to be even douchier and self centered which is quite the accomplishment. Excited to see how this wraps up.
April 30, 2018
I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other books, the half of the book was really kind of boring and could have been written in at least half of the pages.
I’m at the point where it feels that there’s not much new happening in here, fights and fights and new enemies, kill and start over. There’s only one more book left, I’ll finish it, but I’m definitely not convinced by this book.
I’m at the point where it feels that there’s not much new happening in here, fights and fights and new enemies, kill and start over. There’s only one more book left, I’ll finish it, but I’m definitely not convinced by this book.
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