Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter [Review]

 3.5 out of 5 Robots!

Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter
Series: Angels of the Dark, #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Released: June 26, 2012
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Rex
Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless--and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost...until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before.

Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation--or her ultimate damnation?

My Thoughts:

Wicked Nights is the first installment in Gena Showalter's new Angels in the Dark series - and it is just what the title promises. Wicked. Wickedly sexy, wickedly dark - And is has wickedly charismatic characters that keep you engaged. I have only read one other book by Gena, and it is the sixth in her Alien Huntress series. So I was excited to have the opportunity to try her out with a fresh series. So many people have recommend her to me. 

 I love watching a world become real and Gena does a wonderful job at painting a vivid picture. She crammed a lot of information into Wicked Nights, but it never feels overwhelming. I will admit that I did not always feel connected with the main characters, but had no trouble at all becoming enthralled with secondary characters. I found myself craving for more information about Xerxes and Koldo. Crossing my fingers that at least one of them will get their own story!

Just a heads up, this is a spin off series from her Lords of the Underworld series. I haven't read that series, but in no way did I feel lost or confused throughout Wicked Nights. I wouldn't have even realized this if so many of my friends hadn't been talking about it in the first place. There are references to the LotU series here, but it didn't bother me. I liked it- I think I'll be checking out the first book in that series (The Darkest Night.)

If you're an angel and urban fantasy junkie, I highly recommend Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter!

Dark Taste of Rapture by Gena Showalter [Review]

3 out of 5 Robots!

 

Dark Taste of Rapture
by Gena Showalter
Series: Alien Huntress, #6
Release: August 23, 2011
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Rex
Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Blurb:

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped—and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her. 

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . 

My Thoughts:

Dark Taste of Rapture is the sixth installment in Gena Showalter's Alien Huntress series. This was a quick read- and I'm new to the series. This is actually my first Gena Showalter book too. I never felt lost and I don't think that reading the previous novels would have changed my experience with this novel, it does well as a standalone.

Gena dosen't jump right into the romance- the plot is a little slow at first. I have to say that I adore the characters and the story. However, I was disappointed with the chemistry  between Noelle and Hector. I wasn't really feeling Noelle and Ava's deep friendship either... I'm not sure why it seemed off to me. Regardless, the characters still popped off the page and their surroundings were always incredibly vivid. Hector is an extremely entertaining hero- dangerously intense. Loved him. And the dialogue between Ava and Noelle even made me laugh a few times. Oh, I totally understand why fans of this series want to see a Dallas book- I want one too! What a brilliant secondary character.

If you're a fan of a ridiculously strong heroine and a tortured hero- pick this one up, you'll love it. Those sci-fi romance junkies out there are going to dig into this one too!