Wicked Nights (Angels of the Dark)

I loved this spin off of the Lords of the Underworld series. We got to see a bit about the angels when we met Lysander and later with Olivia as well but Zacharel has been the coldest angel both literally and figuratively. He has little to no care about anything in the world other than killing demons. Because of that he is sentenced to lead a rag-tag group of angels who are so close to falling that it could happen at any time. His fate is there fate and vice versa. But it all changes when he meets Annabelle who is marked as a demon's consort. She has been wrongly accused of murdering her parents and is on her fourth year in an institute for the criminally insane when Zacharel finds her. Unlike everything else in Zacharel's life Annabelle makes him feel and after not feeling anything for centuries he is lost in his emotions. But with these new feelings comes the realization that he cannot live without her and therefore he must do everything he can to protect her.
This book can be read as part of the Lords of the Underworld series (it occurs either between Paris & Kane's book or during Kane's book) but it would also make sense if read after the Lords books were done. Definitely a must read though!

Carla's Review:

Gena Showalter is one of my favorite all time authors. I own every book she's ever written and pre-order her books as soon as they are available. I was super excited to get an ARC of Wicked Nights and could not wait to read it, although I hesitated reading it for a few days because I did not want it to end so quickly.Wicked Night's is the first book in Gena's new ANGELS OF THE DARK series, which is a spin-off of the LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD series.

We've met Zacharel, the hero of this book, in previous LOTU books and we know him to be a cold-hearted and ruthless Angel. Zacharel is in danger of losing his wings and falling. As punishment, his Deity has tasked him with leading a group of misfit outcast angels who are also in danger of falling due their lack of sympathy and care towards humanity. They are now tasked with protecting humanity against demon attacks. If one of the Angels kills a human during the battle, Zacharel is severely punished for it. If Zacharel can't get his army to listen and follow his lead, they are all in danger of falling together. Only problem is, Zacharel thinks the same way as his Angels and cares not for humans. That is.....until he finds Annabelle Miller tied to a gurney in the mental asylum he and his Angels are tasked with protecting from the swarm of demons attacking it.

Annabelle, the heroine of the book has endured many horrors. She's spent the last four years of her life locked up in an asylum for the criminally insane because she was blamed for the heinous act of violence on her family. Only Annabelle knows that demons are the ones that attacked her family on her 18th birthday, and that's because she's the only one that can see demons. She has spent the last 4 years of her life abandoned by her remaining family and friends because they believe she committed the crime. She has endured horrible abuse at the hands of the doctors and staff at the hospital and from the constant attacks on her by the demons, but her spirit and will to live never die. She fights with all that she has left and that's what make Annabelle a kick-ass heroine. She does not wine or cry. She always fights and never gives up hope.

Zacharel and Annabelle together are the perfect combination for the two balance each other. Zacharel has never felt much emotion and has never felt desire. Annabelle has an amazing survival instinct and her will to never give up despite the odds, impresses Zacharel. Zacahrel makes Annabelle feel safe and protected which is what she needs most right now. Being that Annabelle faced some sexual abuse in the asylum, their getting together sexually was slow in process but, the chemistry between the two throughout the book was electrifying.

I am also intrigued by all of the other Angels in Zacharel's army. I am looking forward to Koldo's book which is scheduled to be released in February 2013. And I can't wait to learn more about these tortured Angles.

If you're a fan of the LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD series you will be happy to know that Paris and a few of the other Lords make an appearance to help Zacharel, along with some of their mates.

Wicked Nights is a dark paranormal romance with all of the awesomeness that Gena puts into every book. It has strong alpha heroes, kick-ass heroines, smokin' hot romance, secondary characters that will leave you clamoring for the release of their books and a crazy twist of an ending that leaves you with your mouth hanging open.

Gena amazes me in how she has written so many books and they never get dull or boring. EVERY book is better than the last and she blows me away with every book she writes. She never disappoints me and I can't wait for the next installment of the ANGELS OF THE DARK.

I give WICKED NIGHTS 5 out of 5 stars!!

~ 4.5 Wicked Nights Stars ~

Wicked Nights is book one in the Angels of the Dark series by Gena Showalter. This series is a spin-off of the Lords of the Underworld series.

This is a re-read for me and I loved it all over again. I am a fan of Showalter and love her writing, characters, and world-building.

Wicked Nights is a FANTASTIC start to this new series. Annabelle and Zacharel I adored them. Zacharel is a virgin. And Annabelle is a woman who has had a tough life, but she still fights. Her spunk and fiery spirit made her fun, unique, and a great heroine to read about. Zacharel is more serious, so when the two get together we get some hilarious dialogue. The romance is not at all hot and heavy, these two have a lot to work through before they become intimate, but it is well worth the wait.

I love the world Showalter has created and how she brings in characters from the other series. We are given a group of warrior Angels who are about to be kicked out of heaven and have one year to redeem themselves. The Angels themselves are fascinating to learn about, even the individual ones in the army that we are introduced too. It’s a great cast of Angels. We also get a peek at seeing some of the Lords of the Underworld. (Fan girl moment!) And as for the ending we get a little twist at the end. I enjoy a good twist.

Wicked Nights is a PHENOMENAL start to Another Hit Series by Showalter. Fantastic world-building and interesting characters with a unique plot. If you have not tried Gena Showalter I highly recommended you do.

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!

Don't hate me, but I didn't love this book. I really want to love it but for some reason I just couldn't really connect with it. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this story a lot and I liked the world and characters Gena introduced us to, I just felt like something was missing.

Zacharel is a cold, calculating warrior angel who has spent the last several hundred years emotionally dead inside. He has no feelings towards anyone else and does not care who he hurts in his attempt to banish the world of demons. Because of his ruthlessness and his disregard for human life he has been given one more chance to prove himself worthy of being an angel. He must take a army of misfit angels that are all on the cusp of being thrown out of the heavens for their rebellious and bad behavior and train them which isn't an easy job. Any mistakes and it's Zacharel's wings that are on the line.

Annabelle Miller has spent the last four years locked up for a crime she didn't commit. When she was eighteen she witnessed her parents murder at the hands of a demon and no one will believe her. She now resides in a facility for the criminally insane. She knows she isn't crazy and she had nothing to do with the death of her parents, but ever since that horrific day Annabelle has been able to see demons that no one else can and because of this she has spent the last four years defending herself against demon attacks. She has no idea why the demons attacked and killed her parents or even why they come for her now. When a chance meeting with Zacharel she finds she may finally get her answers.

Zacharel can't help but be intrigued by Annabelle. She has awakened something in him that he hasn't felt before. She is feisty and strong and will fight to the death if she must and he can't help the strong attraction he feels towards her. He quickly decides he wants to help keep her safe until they are able to figure out just what exactly is going on.

I really liked Annabelle and I thought that she is unbelievably strong. She has been through hell and back and she doesn't let it defeat her. She continues to fight tooth and nail and doesn't take no one's crap. I liked that she stands up to Zacharel and doesn't cower in the corner waiting for someone else to save the day.

As for Zacharel, it took me awhile to warm up to him. He was never my favorite and I always found him a bit cold and uncaring. But once I got a feel for him and started to understand the reason why he's the way he is he started to grow on me. He's got a lot of burdens to bear and the way he copes is by shutting himself off from everyone. I enjoyed watching him learn to care and to feel emotions.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Annabelle and Zacharel. Neither walks on eggshells around the other and they are both pretty blunt and to the point with everything. They didn't dance around one another or play any games. I actually really enjoy the beginning of their relationship because there was a bit of back and forth arguing going on that is very reminiscent of her LOTU books.

This was a good opening to what looks to be another great series for Gena. While I might not have liked this book as well as some of Gena's previous works, I did enjoy it and still found it hard to put down. Gena just has a way with creating a world full of interesting characters that you just want to know more about. She introduced a few characters that I can't wait to see more of. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment in the Angels of Dark series. I give this book a high 3.

I really struggled with Wicked Nights. I am a huge Alien Huntress, and Lords of the Underworld fan. Love those books. I’ve devoured all of them. I had to really push myself through Wicked Nights. It is the first book in Gena’s brand new Angels of the Dark series. Readers are first introduced to Zacharel in the Lord of the Underworld books. I’d really been looking forward to his debauching. I think that was my biggest disappointment.

I’m not positive, I could be very wrong on this. I think Wicked Nights may have been intended for a different audience a younger audience. I’m wondering if perhaps this is one of those New Adult genre books I’ve heard about. Annabelle is young, just twenty-two. She has been in an institution for the criminally insane for the past four years. She was wrongfully accused of the murder of her parents. She has learned some tough life lessons there, but she is still young.

Zacharel’s personality really needed the adjustment that it got. He is not a cold or cruel hero let me be upfront and honest about that. He has built walls around his emotions. He has not let himself experience the joys that life has to offer. He shut down after the death of his brother. He hasn’t let others in. As a warrior angel who constantly battles demons he sees only the ugly in the world.

I did like that Annabelle who has every reason to hate life was quite the optimistic gal. Zacharel needed her optimism to counter his pessimistic views. There was also a nice wholesome feel to the book. Readers are treated to messages of forgiveness, and moving on past the heartache and loss in your past.

The sex scenes were sensual. There was nothing explicit about them. The mention of certain necessary anatomical parts is completely missing. The few sex scenes are very brief and glossed over. Thus I’m left questioning is this book perhaps series intended for a younger audience. The tic tac toe bed scene also left me pondering the maturity of Annabelle.

I have no intentions of moving on to the next book.

I don’t impulse-buy books all that often (which is a damned dirty lie if you look at my convention/book festival purchases this year) but I was farting around Barnes and Noble looking for some porn and this looked pretty decent. I like sex with angels in it, I like crazy chicks hunted by demons, I like butthurt, brooding anti-angels. Let’s do this.

Or not.

It was a pretty powerful start, with the demon all up in Annabelle’s face marking her and whatnot. But, see, once she really started talking and her character started to develop, she really started to suck. On a personal level. Infantile would be a good word to describe her. I would be able to understand her stunted maturity if she’d gotten locked away at 12 or 14 but she was 18 and then forced to grow up really quickly thanks to what she was subjected to. She’d be adverse to physical contact and the concept of love thanks to her doctors, her former boyfriend and her brother.

Of course none of that was really explored. Sure it was mentioned a couple of times, usually in the midst of sex, completely ruining the scene. But her real psychological corruption was left off the page. Instead I got a character that I thought was actually more like fourteen in present day time until Laura told me to go read the first line of the book again. Nope. She’s more like 22. With insipid dialogue and heinously awkward interactions with Zacharel I kind of wanted to scratch my eyes out every time she was on the page. Which was nearly all the time. She was just so incredibly annoying in a bratty, nuisance child sort of way. It almost made her sex with Zarcharel squicky because she seemed to mentally stunted.

I actually didn’t mind Zacharel. He seemed like a solid, well-built character that was as cold as ice but with disastrous weaknesses. Until he started calling Annabelle sweetheart. Blech. Why not just be done with it and throw in buttercup while we’re at it? With how emotionally and physically awkward these two virgins were the “explosive” sex they had was just downright nonsensical. They should have been like a couple of teenagers trying to find the right hole.

And the sex scenes. How incredibly unsexy. Far too much talking. And it wasn’t sexy talk. It was butthurt talk about pasts and you don’t like me no I do like you you’re mine I’m yours I’m ugly you’re beautiful sweetheart Winged Wonder let’s go shopping. OMG shut up. Immediately. The descriptions did nothing for it either. There was one scene where they laved each other. Every inch. Laved, laved, laved. Like a dog in a water bowl, I’m thinking. Oh baby oh oh oh oh baby baby oh oh oh and oh oh oh baby baby baby. SHUT UP. If I have to read one more oh I’m going to drink heavily. These two characters, man . . .

The secondary characters had promise. I was rather interested in Thane’s debauchery and Koldo had some damage going on that intrigued me. I liked the world around them too. It set a good tone, it was incredibly vivid and still, the story was actually good. I liked reading the plot of it while trying to ignore Annabelle and sappy Zacharel (about as insufferable as sappy Eric Northman) as best I could. It was a good, solid ending that left me satisfied with finalizing the story. Everything rounded out and I was actually looking forward to it. I wanted resolution for the characters regardless of how little I connected with the writing.

The writing . . . it left quite a bit to be desired. Pun intended. Not my bag. My cousin just read a bunch of Showalter’s books and she had the same issues with writing style. Which leads me to believe that this isn’t an isolated incident. So unless someone I trust can recommend another book by the author I’ll probably pass. I can overlook one bad part of a book if the others work to boost it all up. But when there are too many bad parts (crappy character development/portrayal, bad sex scenes, awkward, incredulous dialogue) it tends to overshadow any good I may find.

2

First, let me start with how much I just love Gena Showalter and her style. I love her Lords of the Underworld series and I was happy to hear there would be a spinoff. If you are familiar with the Lords, you may know Zacharel, the cold, emotionless angel.

This is his story. This is his redemption.

Zacharel has been given a group of misfit angels, of rebels and rule-breakers. They would not fall if they followed orders, his orders. Of course that once a rebel, always a rebel and they have no respect for Zacharel and vice-versa. Unfortunately, Zacharel wouldn't admit that.

So imagine everyone's surprise when he finds a human he's protective of, one he desires. See, he's not like his fellow warriors. He doesn't indulge in carnal pleasures, he has never even been kissed. Truth be told, he actually didn't think he deserved any love or happiness, due to the loss of his brother.

The human to tempt him and drive him wild - not to mention, stand up to him - is Annabelle Miller, a woman deemed criminally insane and accused of murdering her parents. Unfortunately, she's been marked by a demon - a High Lord - and she also witnessed the murder of her parents but nobody believed her, of course. Until Zacharel. He's also the first to help her.

"Because in those moments of absolute, utter vulnerability, where nothing seemed to matter but the female who had given him such divine bliss, he realized he was already addicted to what she made him feel.

Give her up?

No. Never."

I love that we're gradually showed how Zacharel slowly but surely falls for Annabelle. And Annabelle may not trust anyone, due to being abandoned by her brother and boyfriend, but she trusts Zacharel and he, the cold warrior, gives her something she actually never had. True love and the ultimate sacrifice. I love that, through learning how to love Annabelle, he earns the respect of his warriors and learns how to be a true leader for them. Oh and the guest appearance of some of the Lords and their women? Awesome.

"(...) You'll let me, without pouting like a baby?"

"First, I never pout. I ponder, and probably quite sexily. (...)

4 1/2 stars for Wicked Nights.

"You are my greatest treasure, Annabelle. Never doubt that."

So first, I must admit that the cover of this book is what caught my attention. I mean, just look at it! It just promises sexy-ness. Good news! It delivered sexy-ness as well. I have not read much adult pararomance aside from the Sookie Stackhouse novels and after reading Wicked Nights I will definitely be looking for more of this genre.

Pretty recently, I have formed a new addiction to angels and that is part of the reason I picked up this book. Zacharel, or Zachie as I am going to refer to him, was exactly what I was expecting. He was a fierce and protective warrior, but years of fighting have left him pretty much desensitized to everything. He doesn't care for anything and is pretty much just going through the motions of life. However, everything changes for Zachie when he meets Annabelle.

Annabelle has had a very rough life. She has spent the past four years in an institution for the criminally insane for a crime she did not commit. However, she did not let this break her spirit. Despite some of the terrible things that were done to her, she did not break and I could not help but admire her for that. She is the definition of a fighter. Along with being strong, she has a snarky sense of humor and I always appreciate good wit and sarcasm.

Zachie and Annabelle are exactly what each other needs. Zachie needed someone to put him in his place and Annabelle needed someone to care for her. They work well as a team, helping the other as opposed to holding the other back. Zachie is obviously a great fighter, but Annabelle can definitely hold her own and together they are pretty kickass.

The ending to Wicked Nights honestly surprised me. I did not see it coming and that is always a plus for me. I like to be surprised and shocked. It's no fun when you can guess everything about the outcome. Also, another great part was the romance. The book delivered some really sexy scenes. The romance was quite steamy, to put it lightly.

While I generally enjoyed Wicked Nights, I do have one complaint. I did not like the parts of the book that were from Thane's point of view. In my opinion, they detracted from the story rather than adding to it. I felt as if they took the story off track for a bit and were not really necessary to the main plot of the book. I did however enjoy getting inside both Zachie's and Annabelle's head.

Overall Wicked Nights is perfect for pararomance fans. The romance is to die for and the story line will keep you on the edge of your seat. After this I will be reading more Gena Showalter.

4.5-5 stars

This was a great story. I loved Annabelle and Zacharel and totally enjoyed their story. It was very engaging and I couldn't stop until it was done (and then was disappointed it was over). Hard to believe, but this is the first book I've read by Showalter. Of course I've been meaning to try her "Lords of the Underworld" series for a while but hadn't gotten around to it. I bought this audiobook when it was on special last year through Audible.com and finally got around to listening to it now. My only regret is that I took so long to get around to listening to it!

Annabelle's life changed drastically when she turned 18 years old. Before her birthday she was a sweet and carefree young lady. On her 18th birthday, something happens to Annabelle that changes her so she can see demons...right before a demon kills her parents in front of her eyes. Unfortunately for Annabelle, the police don't believe her claims of a monster killing her parents and she's blamed for the murders (even though there's no way the forensic evidence would indicate she's to blame...the one point in the book I felt I had to suspend disbelief but maybe she just had a really bad lawyer). Annabelle gets thrown in a mental institution for the criminally insane and kept drugged and locked up. For 4 years she has to put up with despicable treatment by the guards and doctors (and even some of the other patients) and to make it all worse, demons keep showing up and trying to hurt her and she has to fight them...problem is that no one can see them but her.

Zacharel is an angel and leads an army of angels that hunt and kill demons. Zacharel and his army aren't in very high favor because of their disregard for human life, frequently allowing collateral damage (killing humans) while fighting demons. They have a years to shape up or they will all get thrown out of heaven. Zacharel is a rather cold angel (both literally and emotionally). He had a twin that died years before but because of how he died, Zacharel blames himself for not being able to save him. When Zacharel lost his brother he gave up his feelings as well and became very cold and unfeeling.

Annabelle is locked up in the institution when Zacharel and his army are given the task of killing all the demons that are surrounding it. The demons come in to try to hurt Annabelle but only 1 or 2 at a time and the rest are flooding the area outside waiting. When Zacharel sees all the demons he wants to know why they are there but not going inside. He does some investigating and finds Annabelle. When Zacharel meets Annabelle it's not an insta-love situation...probably because Zacharel is so closed up in the emotions area. Zacharel is curious about Annabelle but at first he has no plans to free Annabelle. However when he tries to leave he finds that he has trouble leaving her behind and decides to free her. Annabelle was almost afraid to hope for freedom and didn't think it was going to happen. When Zacharel offers to free her, Annabelle just wants to be set free but Zacharel wont have that. He decides that she wont be able to survive on her own with the humans and demons hunting her. He tells her she'll have to stay with him if she wants free and she eventually agrees. It's actually kind of funny to see because Zacharel's emotions are just starting to peak out and he's almost like a little boy, kind of cutely stubborn as he bends logic to fit his wants (her staying with him). Zacharel takes Annabelle to his "cloud" (a home in the heavens made of clouds) where she'll be safe. Annabelle becomes sick the first couple days she's free (due to withdraws from all the drugs they kept her on) and Zacharel ends up nursing her and becomes very worried about her. He considers giving her to someone else to nurse back to health but decides against it because he wouldn't be able to see her when he wanted to and he'd worry about her so he can't bring himself to do it. Fortunately, Annabelle recovers and Zacharel doesn't have to stress about it too long but even once she's better he can't stop wanting to be near her.

Zacharel and Annabelle's relationship is kind of slow going at first. Zacharel has never even desired another woman so he has no clue how to proceed and Annabelle dated a bit before the demon attack but she's also been subjected to abuse by all the men she's encountered since so she's leery of getting too close. Zacharel does manage to get her to agree to kiss him when she feels the need which almost causes some major problems between them but eventually ends up helping them become most comfortable with each other physically and they slowly start exploring each other as they become closer emotionally. During this time they also are trying to figure out what happened to Annabelle that demons seem to be drawn to her and also what her connection is with Zacharel (she has a glow that seems to indicate they have a special connection). There's also the issue that the demon's don't stop chasing her once she's free and Zacharel has to protect her numerous times as demons attack and try to take her. I really liked how things played out...there was a great balance between the action plot and the budding romance between Annabelle and Zacharel. I loved seeing Zacharel and Annabelle get closer and beginning to care about each other while getting some good action as the story progressed. I have to admit I was a bit surprised by who big bad demon ended up being. In the end, there's some major drama as the demon tries to make his move to take out Annabelle and Zacharel. Annabelle ends up being tougher than expected in the final conflict and Zacharel has to deal with some heartache before things are concluded but things do work out. I was very happy with the way things turned out for Zacharel and Annabelle and loved seeing them get their HEA.

This was such a great story. Both Zacharel and Annabelle are great and I loved their banter and how they got along...there's just such a great dynamic between the two. The secondary characters seemed interesting and I'm planning to trying the next book in the series. There were also some cameos in this book of characters from the Lords of the Underworld series which has me wanting to read that series even more. I'd recommend this book. 2 thumbs up! :D

This is book 1 if the Angels of the Dark series. I really enjoyed reading this book. Annabelle Miller is the character that you cheer to win and overcome her situations. Zacharel is the character that you hate at first, but grow to love. But both of them are great characters and really make the story pop.

When Annabelle and Zacharel meet you can tell that there is a spark, but they haven’t figured it out at first. She see him as an ice cold figure and he finds her irritating. This book has the right amount of action and romance. I really enjoyed how the romance and relationship between Annabelle and Zacharel built at a reasonable rate. It was refreshing to read a romance like that.

This story is the perfect beginning to this series. I give this story 5 stars and recommend this to anyone that enjoys reading about angels and demons and that also enjoys paranormal romances.

Book 2: Beauty Awakened review to follow soon…

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.)
Where do I start with this new series that Gena Showalter has created?
First off, we're inside of Zacharel's head in "Wicked Nights". If you're a huge fan of Gena Showalter's and have read her Lords of the Underworld Series, you know who Zacharel already is.
In the Wicked Nights, we find out Zacharel has been tasked to run the most powerful angel army in the heavens. Of course there's a catch though...the angels he leads are on dangerous ground...they're a danger to themselves and everyone around them. If Zacharel doesn't straighten them out, he may end up losing his wings. He has to prove to his deity that he can be a leader and help train these ruthless Angels. If he doesn't...he's punished for what he does, but also what they do wrong.
We're introduced to Annabelle Miller, a human who was accused of a killing her parents at the age of 18, which she didn't do. Now she's forced to live in the walls of Moffat County Institution where she is being treated. The doctor who is supposed to be treating her, instead is abusing her mentally and physically. She also can see things that normal humans can't see. She has demons tracking her wherever she goes and now they are upon Moffat County Insitution.
Zacharel and his band of Angels are sent to the Moffat County Institution to find out why the demons are attracted to the place and kill them, as long as they aren't humans who are demon-possessed (which they can not kill).
Zacharel comes upon Annabelle and for the moment he meets her, he knows he's in trouble. Zacharel is not meant to save Annabelle...but of course everything in his world is about to change because of Annabelle and her past. It's up to Zacharel to find out why Demons are tracking Annabelle...and also find out what happened to Annabelle and why she can see the demons...etc.
I won't go any further...because this book has so much going on, I don't want to spoil anything.
My thoughts on "Wicked Nights" of course is that it's a great start to a new series. In fact it's a great start to a spin-off series of Lords of the Underworld. =) I was so excited to find out that Gena was doing a spin off...especially when it includes Angels. (I'm a sucker for a sexy male Angel)
I fell in love with the stubborn, tough, sexy Zacharel in the LOTU Series. To be able to find out what makes Zacharel tick...I was definitely onboard to read his book. Now, after reading it, I'm looking forward to the next books. It definitely keeps me sane waiting for the next LOTU book and you'll see why when you read "Wicked Nights". Oh yes...Gena throws in surprises. I was so giddy reading this book, my hubby was about to send me to the doctor to get checked out.
I fell in love Annabelle because she's a strong-willed female character who can take care of herself. I don't know how many times she stood up to Zacharel. (because I lost count)
I loved the storyline that Gena Showalter created in "Wicked Nights". She of course threw in extra stuff to prepare you for the next book or books. You'll get to read about the other Angels too in "Wicked Nights". I don't know if Koldo or Thane is my fave yet, after Zacharel. I'll have to wait and read their books.
I'm going to admit again, how addicted I am to Gena's writing style. She's one of my FAVE Authors and with this spin-off series...she didn't disappoint at all. I will find myself re-reading this book because I still can't believe what happened and who ended up being the bad guy in this book. Plus...other reasons I will not discuss on why I want to re-read it.
If you haven't read any of Gena Showalter's books, what are you waiting for?
If your thinking about reading this book, but haven't read the LOTU Series, I recommend you read that series first. You will thank me later. =)
I recommend this book to ALL Paranormal Romance Readers out there, and of course die hard Gena Showalter Fans. If you've read Kresley Cole's IAD Series, you'll love the LOTU and "Wicked Nights" by Gena Showalter.
Now what are you waiting for buy yourself a copy of "Wicked Nights" and get to reading...
This Book Lovin' Mama is counting down to Gena Showalter's next book...patiently.........(trying to at least) =)

4.5 Stars 3/5 Hotness Rating

Wicked Nights is the first book in Gena Showalter's new Angels of the Dark series. This series is a spin-off of the Lords of the Underworld series and follows a group of warrior angels who are about to be kicked out of the heavens. Zacharel, whom we've met in the LOTU series, has been reassigned as the leader of this powerful army.

In The Darkest Seduction, Zacharel heads the cast of secondary characters. In that book we learned more about him including the fact that he was always snowing. In Wicked Nights we finally learn what's up with him. He had severely disappointed his Deity by paying no heed to human lives during his battles with demons and he was being punished for it. We also learn that though he'd never had a happy-go-lucky attitude, he had done something to himself that made him even more detached from emotion. Of course, that changed when he meet Annabelle.

Annabelle went through hell during her time at the Moffet County Institute for the Criminally Insane. She was abused as well as repeatedly attacked by monsters that nobody else could see. When Zacharel and his crew were dispatched to investigate why the institute was drawing so much demonic attention, he discovers Annabelle and is intrigued by her. He decides to rescue her even though he had no idea what he was going to do with her. He was about to get a crash course in human/angel interaction!

First off, I need to say that this book was darker than Gena's usual style. While there was some of her trademark wittiness in Wicked Nights, it didn't overflow with it. Though Angels of the Dark is a spin-off of the LOTU series, I think that this darkness helps define this as a separate series (but expect cameo appearances by the Lords *wink*)

Another thing about this book that I think is important to mention is the religious overtones. While obviously talk of some sort of heaven is expected with a novel about angels, the heavenly set up in Gena's world seems to parallel that of Christianity. I wonder if this is because of Gena's new found strength when it comes to expressing her own religious beliefs - you can read here testimony HERE

There was lots of passion in Wicked Nights. The sparks flew between Zacharel and Annabelle. She defiantly has heart or else she wouldn't have survived what she did. She was a spit-fire and I got a kick out of it when she, a lowly human, stood up to him and gave it to him good. And all her cutesy names for Zacharel the "Winged Wonder" were great. However, though there was a lot of passion in this book there wasn't a lot of sex. This could have been because of Annabelle's "readiness" but I'm not so sure.

Wicked Nights is a FABULOUS start to what looks like ANOTHER HIT SERIES by Gena Showalter. It has fantastic world-building and intriguing characters which together form a unique plot. It will grab your attention from the very beginning and will thrill you till the very end!

*This book was provided by the author for an honest review

This was my very first Gena Showalter book. I've been hooked since. I've read all the angels of darkness and all the lords of the underworld books. I love love love the world Ms. Showalter created and how sometimes there's crossover. This book was so amazing. I love the brooding and yet naive hot angel stud and the strong kick ass heroine. The dialog is very witty and clever. You can tell she out effort in writing this book and all her books. The angels are so swoon worthy! I also like that the angels weren't good two shoes. Just give it a try. It's addictive and I could not put it down.

Who would have thought that angels would make such terrific tortured heroes? Now the concept that fallen angels would become demons, and evil ones at that, well, that concept has been around forever.

Everyone knows the quote from Milton. That one about it being, "better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven." But Gena Showalter has already shown that demons can be redeemed, or can fight their nature, with the help of the right woman. She proved that in her Lords of the Underworld series.

Wicked Nights is the first story in a spinoff series in the same universe, Angels of the Dark. And Zacharel certainly is a dark and brooding angel. Also a disobedient one. His Deity has made him general of an army of misbehaving angels who are all one step, or maybe that's one wingspan, away from falling into the dark.

Zacharel is the one who is whipped every time one of them disobeys. Or accidentally kills a possessed human when they battle the demons. Every one of his soldiers is damaged goods. They've all been tortured by the dark.

Zacharel lost his brother to the demons. Hadrenial was the best part of him. But after his repeated, soul-destroying torment by the demons, Hadrenial begged Zacharel to kill him. To kill his spirit, destroy his soul and burn his body. To remove him utterly from existence. In the angel's realm nothingness was better than being consigned to hell by self-murder. And Hadrenial's self-destructive actions became more and more depraved by the day. Zachariel finally gave in, and killed him. Destroying his soul. He also carved out a piece of his own soul, all the love he felt in the universe.

Or so he thought.

Annabelle Miller watched a demon rip her parents to pieces right before her very eyes. Eyes that the demon had just ripped from their sockets. Then he marked her as his own and left Annabelle to attempt to explain what she saw to the police. Who of course believed that she was an insane psychopathic murderer and locked her up in a mental institution.

Where she was under continual attack by, not just demons that no one else could see, but by the staff who treated her as fair game for sexual assault. After all, no one would believe the crazy girl.

Until the angels came to investigate the place. Zacharel's army was tasked to discover why this one building kept being attacked by demon armies. It was assumed that someone inside was possessed.

What Zacharel found, was Annabelle. A woman who could see the demons. A woman who had been claimed by a demon. Yet a woman who had absolutely not invited that demon to claim her. As an angel, Zacharel could "taste" when someone was telling the truth, and Annabelle was telling that truth.

He was intrigued in spite of himself. And that was a feeling. Zacharel had no feelings. He'd cut them all out of himself when he'd killed his brother. But Annabelle's defiance of her circumstances made him feel. She was not broken, not yet.

But he could see that she would be. Not yet, but one year, or two. And his task was to protect the humans from the demons. He decided to protect Annabelle by rescuing her.

The demons chased them. Everywhere. Zacharel discovered that he wanted to do much more than just protect Annabelle. Even if he didn't know what it was that he was feeling. Or why the demons were so intent on this one woman.

She was his woman now. And hell could be damned if he would let them have her.

Escape Rating A-: This is one of those stories where you just kind of buckle up, because you know it's going to be a really bumpy ride. And I mean that in the best way possible.

The Lords of the Underworld series was not sweetness and light. Those dudes all had somebody pretty nasty sharing headspace with them. This is a spinoff series, so don't expect fluff here either. Both Annabelle and Zacharel have incredible amounts of baggage. Whole steamer-trunks full.

These two tortured souls take a long time to trust each other, and they should. There's a very rocky road to even see happy someone over the next horizon, and that's the way it should be. These are two souls who don't think happy could have ever applied to them. Getting there is what makes the story.

One small spoiler. Dr. Fitzpervert doesn't get anywhere near what's coming to him. But it was a good start.

Originally published at Reading Reality.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A story of Angels versus demons to see who can posses one human woman. This is a story of good versus evil and love conquering all.

Opening Sentence: The morning of her eighteenth birthday, Annabelle Miller woke from the most amazing dream feeling as if her eyes had been ripped out, dripped in acid and shoved back into her sockets.

The Review:

This is the story of Zacharel, a fierce warrior angel, who is about to become a fallen angel if he does not shape himself into submission and also the band of warriors he leads. Most of the angels in his army have been captured by demons and tortured or know of someone who was and it has changed them. Since they have been changed they have no regard for who they hurt while hunting demons and have actually killed humans while fighting demons. This all changes when they are sent to fight demons at a institution for the criminally insane. Inside the institute is Annabelle Miller who was convicted of killing her parents because no one believed that a demon had done it. Zacharel saves Annabelle from the institute and right away unwanted sparks start flying. Now that Zacharel has saved her he must keep her safe from the demon that killed her parents and wants her back.

I felt really bad for both main characters. Both Annabelle and Zacharel have suffered some very hard times and lost people they loved dearly. This is all they have in common though. Zacharel is a warrior angel who leads an army of dangerous warriors. When Zacharel lost his brother he bottled up all his feelings inside. This is why he is part of an army of angels about to lose their wings and become fallen angels. He does not care whether he hurts or even kills humans while hunting demons. As the story progresses and he gets closer to Annabelle, this changes him and he starts to open up not only to her but also to those under his command and he turns out not to be a bad guy. Annabelle is the opposite of Zacharel. She is a human who everyone thinks is a psychotic killer who murdered her parents and then blamed it on a demon. Instead of giving in to those who would hurt her or hurting herself, she is a strong woman who does what she can to protect herself. She is skeptical of people but when she likes someone she is a great friend. She was abused in the institute so she has trust issues when it comes to guys, but she can take care of herself. I liked how their relationship develops. It does not happen quickly or too slowly. Even though they are meant to be they take their time to get into a relationship.

The storyline was very well written. You felt close together and when they were hurting you could almost feel their pain. Such as when Annabelle watched her parents being killed, I wanted to be able to help her save them. The story was a little graphic at times. When Annabelle watched her parents get killed Showalter was very descriptive when describing what the demon had done to them. The story is very fast paced and worth reading. It is probably one of the better angel stories I have come across.

FTC Advisory: Harlequin provided me with a copy of Wicked Nights. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter does a terrific job creating a new "world" (though an extension of the Lords of the Underworld universe). Establishing settings, rules, characters, and problems for a series isn't easy, and Showalter does a good job setting up a new set of conditions. Zacharel's rogue army is immediately captivating, and the individual angels are immediately distinguishable.

Although I agree with a few other reviewers that the relationship between Annabelle and Zacharel moves from Condition Yellow to Condition Red a tad too fast, this is partly forced by the novel's narrative structure. (In the LOTU series, Showalter was able to provide more realistic progression to relationships like Strider-Kaia and Paris-Sienna by parsing the relationship out over several books.)

The book doesn't really start to falter until the last 1/3rd. Throughout the last 1/3rd, I increasingly felt that the chapters had been written too quickly (perhaps to meet a deadline). The scenes at the end transition very abruptly, and the problems are weakly paid-off. There is great material in the last 1/3rd! But it is all squished together, and some of the characters' decisions are out of sync not only with their characterizations but with Showalter's usual approach.

SEMI-SPOILER and !PRAISE!:

One aspect of Showalter's writing I admire is bringing the hero and heroine together without either one being forced to sacrifice their integrity or point of view. Basically, I view Showalter as the anti-Grease--instead of the hero and heroine trying to make themselves into what they think the other person wants, each stays him or herself--The Darkest Surrender (Hqn) and the short story "The Darkest Angel" from Heart of Darkness: The Darkest Angel\Love Me to Death\Lady of the Nile are both excellent examples of this.

Unfortunately, Wicked Nights does not provide this type of ending. It is extremely difficult for me to believe that the Zacharel who appears in the LOTU books would make the choices that he does at the end of this novel. (In fact, it is extremely difficult for me to believe that an angel who firmly believes in the necessary survival of the soul would make some of the choices Zacharel has made in general.) The ending feels hurried and tacked on. I'm not sure if Showalter was under pressure or if this series interests her less than the LOTU series. Since I plan to give Koldo's book a try, here is to hoping that Wicked Nights' uneven writing is due to the former issue, not the latter!

Let me start off with the fact that I'm a huge Gena Showalter fan and I've read her Alien Huntress, Lords of the Underworld (aka LOTU) and Atlantis series. There hasn't been a book by her that I haven't loved and Wicked Nights was no exception.

Wicked Nights is the first book in this LOTU spin off series and this series is called Angels of the Dark.

The prologue starts out pretty intense and a bit sad. On the morning of Annabelle's 18th birthday she wakes up from an amazing dream, unable to see and in agonizing pain from her eyes, which spreads to her body. She of course freaks out when she feels blood on her hands and starts screaming her head off.

Her mom rushes in to find her and freaks out while calling for her father. They are both in the room with her panicking about her eyes and what's wrong with her face? Her dad tries to speak with her but she can't talk. Her dad reassures her that everything will be okay and they'll take her to the hospital. He gently picks her up and with her mom following, takes her out to the SUV in the garage, puts her in and closes the door. A few minutes tick by and nothing happens.... Anna doesn't hear her mom or dad getting into the car and she starts to smell something nasty in the car, that smells like rotting eggs. She finally manages to call out and hears muffled voices, some freaky laughter, and her dad sounding terrified yelling at her Mom to get in the house.

At this point Anna struggles and manages to pry her eyes open. Her dad has injuries all over his face and he's standing protectively in front of her mom. Anna realizes there's no one there and doesn't get what is happening or how her father is being injured. Finally, Anna sees a creature, from her worst imaginings appear in front of her dad. This creature is hideous. He's freakishly big with fangs, has crimson skin, and clawed fingers. The creatures has bony wings, complete with a horn and tail.

She starts yelling at the creature and the creature after her telling it to stop, literally swipes his claws and annihilates her parents. This disgusting creature then forces a gruesome kiss on her which is completely repulsive and disgusting, before he finally disappears. She rushes inside and calls 911 before checking on her brother Brax, whom she can't wake. The cops show up and surprise, surprise... Anna gets blamed for her parents murder.

Fast forward to Chapter One. Its four years later and Anna is now 22 years old and has been stuck in an institution for the last 4 years. While she's been there, she has been attacked by several demons who seem to be drawn to her and suffered abuse at the hands of orderlies, doctors, etc. It has not been an easy time for her but Anna is so amazingly brave and she doesn't get up, which is totally amazing considering her circumstances. Her rescue comes from an unlikely source. A cold, fallen angel by the name of Zacharel. He doesn't care for humans at all and has been chastised by his Deity for him killing demons with no regards to human lives lost by doing so. I certainly enjoyed his transformation during this book and if you like delicious yummy angel males, you'll love Zacharel.

This is an excellent new series and I'm looking forward to reading about the other Angels in this series. You do get to see some of the Lords in this book and its good to see them, even if its only briefly. If you've read the LOTU series you'll love this new series as well. However, if you haven't read the LOTU series you still can pick this 1st book up as a stand alone and you won't be lost. Personally, I've always found reading the main series before the spin-off series always make the spin-off series that much better, but again that's just my humble opinion.

Either way, you should grab this book!

For those wondering about the Lords of the Underworld series,
the reading order is as follows:

1. The Darkest Fire (ebook prequel)
2. The Darkest Night
3. The Darkest Kiss
4. The Darkest Pleasure
5. The Darkest Prison (ebook short story)
6. The Darkest Whisper
7. The Darkest Passion
8. The Darkest Lie
9. The Darkest Secret
10. The Darkest Surrender
11. The Darkest Seduction

Reviewed by Paranormal Addicts <3

Ooooh boy, be warned! I GUSH over this book in this review~

So for starters, I've been reading Gena's "Lord of the Underworlds" series. And while you definitely could read this book on it's own, you get SO MUCH MORE out of it if you've read that series first. Many of the characters cross over in to this series, plus if you've read the Lord's series you've already been introduced to Zacharel and well...he get's his just deserts in the form of Annabelle :)

In the beginning, you find out Zacharel's been punished for being unusually cruel - especially in his regards to humans. Annabelle, as per the blurb on the back of the book, has been accused of a crime she didn't commit, and has been locked up for it. From the second they meet, this book is PURE AWESOME.

Firstly, I love Annabelle's fire. She takes matters in her own hands, and isn't afraid to let Zacharel know it. And Zacharel in general, feeling feelings he's never had before, having to own up to them and figure them out, and figure her out, I JUST LOVE IT.

So to sum it up, this book is fantastic, Annabelle and Zacharel rock, I love the characters and storyline, oh, and did I say read this book? You won't regret it! :)

(Review also posted on Goodreads)

Wicked Nights is a spin off series Of Gena Showalters Lord of The Underworld series. A great start to a new series. I really enjoyed it!!

Zacharel is the leader of the army of Misfits aka Army of disgrace given to him by the Deity. The Deity needs Zacharel to lead this team of men, show them they must follow rules and also show them they must show some humanity during the throws of war -himself included. He has been deemed dangerous and ruthless and if he is not careful will lose his wings. The errors that these men make will affect Zacharel and there punishment will be bestowed upon him. The Deity has given Zacharel a time frame in which to deal with these me or he will find himself losing his wings. These men have been stripped of their humanity, compassion, and any ability to feel. All tortured souls. They find they only have the justification for havoc, destruction, hate and vengeance. It is Zacharel's duty to change all this. He must gain respect from his men - Thane, Bjorn, Xerxes, Koldo, and Axel, and twenty more men are in his to lead to fulfil the deity's requests. Including leading his army when summoned.

Zacharel discovers Annabelle at an institution for the criminally insane; she has been accused of killing her parents 4 years prior. Murdering them - slaughtering them this has led her to a dark life, being attacked by Demons - knowing that it wasn't only in her head, she fights to survive. Demons crawl the buildings, and Zacharel has been sent into destroy them.

Here Zacharel not only discovers that Annabelle is the demons consort but she stirs within him a feeling he never knew existed. Zacharel takes Annabelle away to discover many a things, passion, love, heartbreak and emotions he never anticipated... Carnal desires that he has never known. (( geesh )) he certainly is one sexy winged wonder !

A fight to save Annabelle from Forgiveness not only tests his resolve but unearths his cold, heartless and unemotional side. Zacharel is beautiful, alluring, yet so cold and heartless, also compassionate yet icy. We find out more into why Zacharel gave up his humanity is this story. A great insight for all the readers of the Lord of the Underworld series.

I enjoyed all the secondary characters much so, I'm sure we shall see more of them in books to come. I eagerly await Koldo's story. I found that these characters gave the story depth and definition and all an important part in this story.

The romance between Zacharel and Annabelle was slow and gradual, sensual and sweet. I really enjoyed that it wasn't a wham bam thank you mam romance. It was like a volcano simmering - gradually building as the story progressed. The sexy moments, where certainly a treat, I wouldn't say they knocked my socks off -mild compared to Gena's other series, but none the less, Gena certainly put forth the chemistry between the pair very well. The loving was sweet, and the attraction well put forth. The banter and humour between the pair was funny and refreshing, Zacharel thinking he was above Annabelle didn't get him very far! Annabelle was kick arse, strong and determined. I enjoyed the fact that even though she was a tortured she was brave and forthcoming. The attraction between the pair was certainly magnetic!

Wicked nights has a slow and gradual storyline, giving the reader great insight into the world that Gena has created. By saying this by all means It WAS NOT BORING, I enjoyed the fact that Gena has given us as much as she could for the first book in this series. She has put forth all descriptions giving us vivid details both emotionally and physically. I enjoy reading a story that takes you to another place and Gena has certainly taken us to the world in which she has created within these pages. She has built this story for us reader s, with certainly more in store for us.

An unpredictable ending you certainly won't see coming, I really enjoyed this twist! I'm sure it will keep you frantically flipping through the pages to find out which direction Zacharel chooses.
This book can be read without reading the Lord of the Underworld Series. I found that it brought forth information about Zacharel's past a great addition and also enough to keep the reader intrigued till the very last page has been turned. I eagerly look forward to more of this series. Gena has given us a kick arse heroine, sexy head strong men, lots of action and suspense and also some lovin for all the romantics at heart ! A great paranormal romance, that will not only tantalize and titilatate your taste buds but have you eagerly awaiting more!

My Rating: 4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Wicked Nights is the first book in Ms. Showalter's new Angels of the Dark series - a spin off from her wickedly delightful Lords of the Underworld series. The new series follows a group of desperate and dangerous angels, each whose status with the heavenly plane is in serious jeopardy. This "Army of Disgrace" is lead by Zacharel - a cold and unfeeling warrior angel we met in the LotU books. Due to his lack of compassion for life, Zacharel has displeased his Deity and has been assigned to lead this band of misfits - sharing their fate as his own. A true "all for one and one for all" situation.

Wicked Nights opens with sweet Annabelle waking from a wonderful dream on her eighteenth birthday, only to feel her eyes burning (and changing color) and witness her parents' murder by a demon. She spends four years locked away, being horribly mistreated by both the demon and human population.

Zacharel's army is charged with ridding the institution where Annabelle is locked up of the demons trying to break in. Curious to understand why the demons are there, he follows one to Annabelle. We learn that Annabelle is a high demon lord's consort, and soon Zacharel cannot stop himself from wanting to help her.

This book throws the reader right into the thick of things. The opening chapters are raw and not for the light-hearted. When it appears Zacharel leaves Annabelle to be abused by her human doctors, I thought I couldn't take any more. But Zach comes through and my heart was safe. Note: Annabelle's torture and molestation are written non-graphically, yet it is far more painful to imagine than reading specific details.

Although Annabelle has been through hell and back, she is tough and will not rest until she kills the demon who caused her so much grief. She seems to still see the good in the world, and although she needs things to move at a slow pace, she continually moves forward with her feelings for Zacharel. And Zach - he is so clueless when it comes to emotions, especially human ones. He realizes he desires Annabelle, but doesn't know how to address his feelings. When the pair share their first kiss it was full of such joy and then such sadness. It started so delightfully-sending butterflies to my belly. But then Zacharel didn't understand how to deal with the overwhelming sensations, and he went too far. My heart broke. Luckily, the pair recognize their true feelings, and soon they continue to explore things each thought that they'd never experience. I felt their romance was sweet - not tainted by previous relationships, and although their world was in constant danger, they found time to just be.

There are several minor characters that make up Zacharel's team. Ms. Showalter does a superb job introducing each and giving us just enough information to pique interest. We know enough about them to get a feel of how they will react within the storyline, but we are left with questions about their personal history. The characters are complex, each with issues that caused them to be on this "Army of Disgrace," and I for one am looking forward to finding out more.

I really enjoyed Wicked Nights both in plot development and character creation. The world building was done at the perfect pace-giving the reader lots of information, but not cramming it into tight spaces. Whether or not the fact that I have read all of the LotU books leading up to this story helped me jump into the this world so easily, I cannot say. However, the development of characters and world was smooth.

And for fans of LotU, we do get glimpses of some of the boys and their mates. The characters didn't overrun the story nor were they awkwardly placed. Their appearances served the storyline, and the world created in this book is still all its own. One does not need to have read LotU to enjoy this book.

For fans of Meljean Brook's Guardian series, I think you will enjoy as well. I was constantly reminded of her amazing world while reading Wicked Nights. Not because they are identical (their mythologies are very different), but because both series have well-developed, exciting and interesting angel-demon storylines.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Meeting the "team" and learning just enough about each to keep me interested and wanting to know more was definitely a highlight. I loved Zacharel's transformation as he went from cold, heartless warrior to a man capable of love and able to see goodness in and learn to respect others.

All-in-all a fantastic start to a "newish" series that can be enjoyed by new Gena Showalter fans and longtime readers alike. The pace flows well, the action intense. The overall story arc is appealing, and I am looking forward to more.

Gena Showalter is sure to sweep readers away with these sexy, bad boy angels in her new Angels of the Dark series, a spin-off of the hit paranormal romance series, Lords of the Underworld.

The coldly emotionless angel warrior, Zacharel, is on the brink of losing his wings unless he can learn the value of human lives. As punishment, his Deity casts upon him the duty to lead a ragtag group of angels who toe the line of goodness. There is a war coming and Zacharel must prepare his warriors but if he can't get them in line he is the one who suffers the consequence of their actions. Every time they misstep, Zacharel receives punishment in their place. Each have dark, tortured pasts that have led them on this road to redemption and Zacharel is determined to see them all through it, when he runs across a human woman in the midst of demons though the ice surrounding him slowly starts to melt. But will she lead him to heaven or hell?
Annabelle Miller watched a monster murder her parents four years ago but no one would believe her. Accused of their murders she was sentenced to an institution for the criminally insane. But the monsters followed... Constantly attacked while being abused and drugged by the institution's workers, Annabelle no longer knows what's real or imagined. When an angel pops into her cell during a demon attack she does know one thing though, this is the one being that can save her. But Zacharel has demons of his own to face; does he have the strength to fight hers as well?

Always a fan of anything from Gena Showalter, Wicked Nights did not disappoint! Angels of the Dark had a whole new feeling to it then what we usually find in Gena's Lords of the Underworld series, a lot darker and more descriptive. You'll recognize the main character and leader of the rebel warrior angel army, Zacharel from the past few books if you're a fan of the Lords of the Underworld series. But if you have yet to pick up a LOTU book (I'll be nice and not hit you over the head with my Stridey) have no worries because Angels of the Dark can more then stand on its on feet as a separate series.

I loved delving into Zacharel's character. From the LOTU books he seemed incapable of emotion, cold just like the snow that falls from his wings. But in Wicked Nights we learn that this emotionless state stems from the death of his brother and the snow on his wings is punishment for letting a human die in the crosshairs of a battle. Annabelle balances Zacharel's serious side out superbly and their dialogue together adds some wicked humor to this dark and gritty story line, especially how Zacharel has the tendency to take everything Annabelle says literally. Annabelle was a captivating heroine as well, feisty and strong despite being a mere human. She has many demons to fight, quite literally, and isn't afraid to face them head on.

Gena's writing flows from the pages with intriguing characters and in-depth world building that makes the story fall into place and defines the series as a whole. Heart-stopping twists are woven into this Angels vs. Demons adventure that will keep you turning the pages for more.

LOTU fans will not be disappointed as several cameos are weaved into the story. However I did find in Wicked Nights that, though the passion was there, it was slow to develop and lacked the intense sexual spark that I've come to expect from Gena's works.
All in all, another amazing read from author Gena Showalter and I can't wait to get my hands on more of these sexy angels. I think I've found a new addiction! If you're a fan of paranormal romance then you simply must pick up Wicked Nights today!

"First, I never pout. I ponder, and probably quite sexily." ~Zacharel

**I recieved a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**

I really enjoyed Wicked Nights. I was completely hooked from page one and Showalter kept me absolutely riveted for the next 410 pages. Wicked Nights is the first book in her new Angels of the Dark series and a spin-off from the Lords of the Underworld series. I almost hate to admit it but I still haven't read LOTU. No worries if you're like me and haven't read them yet. I had no problem jumping into the world created and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything needed to fully grasp Zacharel and Annabelle's story.

I loved the set up for the series. Zacharel has been given the task of commanding an army of misfit Angels that no one else will work with and who are seriously working their last chance. They've been given a year to carry out their missions of protecting humans from evil and to prove themselves worthy again. One more screw up and these fierce warriors will lose their wings forever. Gah. So good! LOVE a dark Angel on the edge. You just know there's going to be some delicious attitude and drama going on. Their current mission brings a demon plagued human into their lives that their leader, who has absolutely no use for humans, can't seem to walk away from her or the evil that's determined to ruin her life.

I really liked Annabelle and Zacharel. As a heroine Annabelle was wonderful. Life has seriously smacked her around but she's a total fighter and rolls with the punches. She's sarcastic, determined and refuses to give up. Since I haven't read LOTU I didn't really know what to expect from Zacharel but I absolutely loved him. He's arrogant, emotionless, hardened and tough, can be scary as hell and is brutally honest. [Yeah, I know he sounds like an utter ass but he's a fantastic one I swear!] And from time to time, under that tough exterior, there was almost an innocence about him when he experienced things for the first time that totally melted me.

The chemistry and heat between the Annabelle and Zacharel was fantastic. And even though there were some bumps along the way they worked as a couple. Balancing each other out and bringing into the relationship exactly what the other person needed. It was amazing to watch Annabelle crack his cold exterior and bring out his emotions and lovely to see Zachie's respect for her grow over time. One thing I appreciated about the writing and their relationship was that even though things were extremely dangerous for them as they battled Annabelle's tormentors there was still a good bit of humor between the two that kept things from feeling too dark and heavy.

"You are treating that thing as if it is a great treasure," he said.
Well, yeah. Because it was. "You have something against cookies?"
"I couldn't say, as I have never had one."
Wait. What? "Never, as in never?"
"Is there another meaning for the word never that I don't know about?"
Ha, ha. "But that's criminal!"
"Hardly."
"But...why haven't you tasted one?"
"Because I choose to consume only foods that will strengthen me."
"I'm not sure you realize how ridiculous you sound."

Wicked Nights was a fantastic start to a new series. It's dark, gritty and the perfect mix of heart pounding action, sarcastic humor and a wonderfully satisfying love story. All of the support characters, with their bad attitudes and dark passions, were nicely used and left me so damn curious about their stories and eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

Finally the background to the up tight, non funny Angel Zacharel. I has been mourning his twin for centuries until a human woman takes his notice. Charged with double murder of her parents at the age of 18 Annabelle Miller has been in a crazy hospital for four years and every day, every week, months and years Anna has been fighting things that no one but her can see, since she carries a part of a demon that visited her the night of the murders. Her torment has been halted by a sever looking winged man that will take her and find truth into why she is a demon High Lord consort. What Zach and Anna find out in the end will have Zach trying to piece the puzzle of how everything is connected, his twin Anna, the minions, the high Lord demon, war in Heaven and what his choice will be.

Wicked Nights , the first novel in Gena Showalter's new Angels of the Dark series, starts off with a gruesome bang and escalates from there.

Annabelle Miller has spent the last four years in an asylum for the criminally insane. Accused of killing her parents at the age of 18, Annabelle has been fighting for both her life and her sanity behind the walls of the Moffat County Institution for the Criminally Insane. Besieged by demons that torment her but no one else can see, she fights to survive their near constant attacks. Meanwhile, the doctor assigned to rehabilitate her instead abuses her at every turn.

Zacharel, a warrior angel, has been given charge of a motley crew of angels on the verge of falling. Tasked with reforming the gang of wayward angels while engaging in do-or-die missions, Zacharel soon finds himself fighting for his own soul. Dispatched to protect Annabelle and deliver her from her demonic siege the last thing Zacharel expects to do is fall in love with his charge.

Fans of Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series will note that this series is darker and less edgy. Where LOTU relishes in trendy slang & pop culture, Wicked Nights in stark contrast is entirely devoid of those elements.

Similarities abound thought, strong Hyper Alpha males, brave young heroines, hot smexy scenes, tragic back stories, and lots of tension between friends and lovers. Perhaps as if to say that demons have all the fun, the angels in Angels of the Dark are cold, aloof and completely removed from the humans they are sworn to protect - they are the elite forces of the celestial realm. This is not to say that these angels are acetic or compassionate, instead this ragtag group of scoundrels are ruled by their passions.

Interestingly, Zacharel is a virgin whose carnal desires are awakened after centuries by Annabelle's courageous drive for survival. As if letting her fans in on an inside joke, Showalter does allow a cross over between both series when Paris, the keeper of the Demon - Promiscuity, appears to lend a hand at one point. Showalter seems to be having fun with the juxtaposition of the angel who has never had sexual relations before and the demon who must copulate on a daily basis or die.

The end of the story brings an unexpected twist that forces Zacharel to choose between the two greatest loves of his life.

In keeping with her traditional style, Showalter delivers a HEA while introducing several secondary male characters with which to extend the series. I wish she had varied here and added more female angels or made all the angels female warriors. This slight twist would have really made the series stand out in a field of new angel themed releases.

The one thing that really spoke to me in this story was the question of faith. Showalter's world building is thoughtful and full of references to Judeo-Christian religious tenants. Several supporting story lines revolve around issues of redemption, karmic retribution, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. I cannot read this book without wondering about Showalter's own views on the subject. Why did she choose to touch upon these themes in a romance novel? What does she want the reader to take away from this novel on a philosophical plane? When Showalter could have chosen any sort of angelic archetype from a variety of world religions or even have entirely created her own mythos, why did she choose to work within a Judeo-Christian framework? Perhaps - one day she will let us know the answers to these questions.

Our Review, by Michelle L. Olson, LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha:

I am a huge fan of Gena's. Her books are always on auto-buy for me, and getting an ARC of Wicked Nights was a real treat.

Wicked Nights is the first installment of the ANGELS OF THE DARK series, a LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD spinoff.

Our hero, Zacharel, is a warrior angel and commander to a group of misfit angels that the Deity is punishing for their `devil may care' attitude toward humanity. They're sent on some pretty intense missions against demons and taught harsh lessons when they don't show care towards the humans they're supposed to be protecting. Mr cool and collected suddenly finds himself confronted with a woman who just might turn his world on its ear and break some of the ice he keeps around his heart.

Annabelle is a tortured heroine. She's spent a large chunk of her life in an asylum after a demon brutally murdered her parents in front of her, but because nobody believed her, she was accused of the crime herself. Taken advantage of at every turn and rejected by those tasked with taking care of her and her family she's becomed hardened but is thrown into a world of feeling when she meets Zacharel and his flock.

The two together are magnetic. Zacharel is an angel who has never felt much of any emotion, let alone desire. When he meets strong willed Annabelle and is faced with her instense survival instinct, he can't help but warm to her. Not to mention the passion that is undeniable between the two.

LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD fans will rejoice in a cameo by our favorite demon infected alpha males and a few of their feisty females, and have no fear... while this series doesn't have the light moments that LOTU has (at least not yet), you will still get your sexy alpha males, strong females, steamy romance, and all of the intrigue we've come to expect and love from Gena. You'll also encounter a multitude of other secondary characters that you will want to know more about instantly, which is brilliant for a serial author, because it just makes us want the next installment that much more.

The world is dark, engaging, open for intense growth, and steeped in deep philosophical undertones that I found utterly fascinating.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives "Wicked Nights" 4 ½ Skulls. I can't wait to see which angel we'll learn more about next. There's a trio that I'm dying to delve into pronto. ;-)

As leader of one of the most powerful armies in the heavens, Zacharel is not only fighting demons but also fighting for his salvation. He has been on a dangerous track, risking becoming one of the fallen if he can't make his deity happy. He has been fighting and killing demons at any cost, which lately has meant killing and injuring humans in the process. It isn't until Zacharel meets Annabelle that he starts to learn the value of the human life.

Annabelle Miller has spent the last four years in an institution for the criminally insane after being wrongly accused of killing her parents. Unfortunately for her, she knows all too well what killed her parents and their kind have been hunting her ever since. It isn't until Zacharel and the angels fill her in that she truly understands the danger that she's in. Her only hope for survival may very well be Zacharel himself, but how can she trust this stone cold warrior with her life?

If Zacharel isn't careful he may very well become one of the fallen, but would it be worth it to save this human?
________________________________________________________________________

For those of you that know me, you know all to well my love addiction with The Lords of the Underworld. How could you not love these demon possessed warriors that will let nothing stand in the way of their women's happiness and protect them at all costs? We have only gotten a few glimpses into the warrior that is Zacharel up to this point. To be honest, I didn't have any great desire to know more about him during LOTU, maybe I was too distracted by the Lords. However, I knew that Gena Showalter would make us love him and that she did.

Annabelle Miller certainly isn't the damsel-in-distress type. Her spunky, fierce personality is probably why she's still alive. She has had to fight to survive for the past four years. Fighting demons that no one else can see certainly didn't help her cause of proving that she was sane. She didn't let this deter her nor the abuse she receives while at the institution. Zacharel has been around for a LONG time and has certainly had to fight his own inner battles as well. As scarred as they both are they are exactly what each other needed. Due to the nature of Annabelle's abuse and Zacharel's lack of experience in the love and lust department, their romance is slow to build but they still had a tone of chemistry. We also got a little peek at a few of the LOTU characters throughout the second half of the book as well which I loved.

As usual, Gena Showalter has created a dark paranormal romance with plenty of alpha-warriors and a kick-ass heroine. I'm anxious to get to know more of Zacharel's army! Koldo's book is due to be released February 2013. Personally, I can't wait for Thane's story!

[...]

There is always joy in reading a book by a favourite author, and it's beyond exciting when the book turns out to be wonderful. Gena Showalter's first book, Wicked Nights, in her spin-off series, Angels of the Dark, was exactly that - a great start to a new series. Combined with witty dialogue, hot romance, nail-biting action, and intriguing characters, it is entertainment from start to finish. Ms. Showalter has never failed to impress me with her work, and this time was no different. She truly is the queen paranormal romance.

I'll admit I was a little worried that the storyline for this book wouldn't measure up to the Lords of the Underworld series, and it still might not be at that level, but it was still enjoyable and just as addicting. An angel army, evil demons and demon high lords all accompanied by riveting battle scenes, sweet temptations, shocking revelations, ultimate sacrifices and passionate loyalty make up the highly methodical and gripping plot of the novel. There isn't one page where Ms. Showalter's writing doesn't flow or her in-depth world building doesn't fascinate. Boring is definitely not what I would use to describe Wicked Nights, but rather irresistible.

We meet our main character, Zacharel, in previous LotU books, and he left a lasting impression with his broody, no-care for the world, attitude. In his own book, (it might be a little unfair to say this), his character outshines. In the beginning, he is an ignorant and cold-hearted angel, hell-bent on killing demons, without any thought of humans getting hurt. Centuries of fighting and a guilty conscience has left him closed off from everyone, until his encounter with Annabelle Miller.

Annabelle is accused of murdering her parents and for the past four years has been placed in an institute for the criminally insane. She has endured many horrors in her life, and despite that, has kept a strong face. She is full of humorous attitude, and bravery - the exact qualities Zacharel is attracted to. She is a fierce heroine and easily admirable. The balance of these two characters is superb, as their contrasting personalities, oddly enough, compliment one another. Both of them are missing a part of themselves, and by being with each other, they bring that element to the forefront. Zach giving Annabelle safety and Annabelle giving him love. Their chemistry is intense, and the love scenes hot, but amidst all that, Ms. Showalter manages to keep the characters genuine. The character-development is brilliantly done, making Annabelle and Zacharel a solid couple.

Alongside these aspects, this book, to some extent, is a character-driven book. With the cast of Koldo, Thane, Xerxes and Bjorn, all with varying personalities, make the story fall into place. There are subtle hints given about each character's flaws, and the unknown about them has me intrigued for their stories to come out. Plus, for all the LotU fans, there is a cameo with some of the lords in all their glory, fighting demons. It was fun to see them again and hopefully we will continue to do so in the next books. The only complaint I have is Thane's point-of-view. It was an unnecessary addition, and the book would have faired better without it.

Wicked Nights has everything a paranormal romance should have and above all everything a Gena Showalter book should have. With a jaw dropping ending, kick-ass characters, and passion galore, there is never a dull moment, making it impossible to put this book down. I am highly anticipating the next books in the series.

As the first book in the Lords of the Underworld spinoff series, Wicked Nights is a sexy, compelling story with a fantastic cast of characters whom readers are sure to love.

Zacharel, an angel first introduced in the Lords series, is a cold, merciless individual. He lives for one purpose- fighting demons. Lately, though, Zacharel has grown too ruthless for his Deity's liking, which is how he ends up the new leader of an army of rebellious angels who are also close to being banished from the Heavens. Being in charge of the most disobedient angels around is hardly an easy job, but Zacharel's future depends on proving to his Deity that he and his soldiers are fit to remain in the Heavens. When his latest mission leads him to a mental institution for criminals, Zach comes across Annabelle Miller, a woman who seems to be the target for the demons outside the establishment.

Annabelle Miller's life has been hell for the past 4 years. After being convicted of a horrible crime she wasn't responsible for, she was sentenced to live at the Moffat County Institution for the Criminally Insane. It doesn't help that she can see things no one else can see - gruesome monsters who love to torment her. When Zacharel appears, Annabelle finally gets some answers as to why she can see the things she does. The bad news? The demons tracking her will do anything to get her, and so will their king. If Annabelle hopes to survive, she'll need Zacharel's help.

Ever since we met Zacharel, I've been so intrigued by him. I'd been waiting for the day when I'd get to learn more about this cold-hearted warrior, and that day finally came. There's so much more to Zacharel than just a cruel soldier, as readers of the Lords of the Underworld series know. Once you get inside his head and find out why he is the way he is, it makes so much sense. And seeing him desire someone for the first time in his life was so amusing and sweet. He's never had any interest in anyone in a romantic way before, but Annabelle tempts him like crazy. And I really think the two of them balance each other very well. Annabelle's not afraid to stand up to the arrogant angel, which is kind of hilarious since Zach isn't exactly used to people defying him, especially not a small human woman.

Speaking of Annabelle, I really liked her. She's tough yet compassionate, and also strong. She didn't let everything that has happened to her break her, and considering the stuff she's been through, that's pretty damn amazing. She's kind of badass, too. The girl can hold her own against demons, which is awesome. Plus, she's got a great sense of humor, as you can see from this quote:

"Look, Winged Wonder. Get me out of here, then we'll hammer out the details about where I'm staying, okay?"
"Winged Wonder," he said, nodding. "I find that I do not mind that one. It fits."
"Captain Modesty fits better," she muttered.
"I disagree. Winged Wonder is clearly the better choice for a man such as me."

and another favorite quote of mine:

"You are beyond frustrating," she grumbled. "Why can't you do what I ask you to do without issuing a million questions first?"
"I could say the same to you."
"I don't- Argh." She raised a fist at him. "So maybe I do ask a lot of questions. So what. Anyone in my position would do the same. Besides, I'm a girl and that's my job. You're a boy. You're supposed to pound your chest with your fists and grunt, then do everything in your power to please me."
"Hardly. The man you just described is more likely to knock you over the head with a club and drag you away by the hair."

The secondary characters were all fascinating, too. We get to meet some of the angels in Zacharel's army, and I can't wait to learn more about the ones we were introduced to. The warriors in Zach's legion have dark pasts, and I'm definitely curious to find out more about those pasts.

Romantic and captivating, Wicked Nights was impossible to put down. I can see myself loving the Angels of the Dark books just as much as the Lords of the Underworld series, and I do love those sexy Lords. Fans of paranormal romance need to check this book out!

Original review written for and posted on GraveTells.com

Wicked Nights is Gena Showalter's first book in her Angels of the Dark Series. Which is a spin off of the Lords of the Underworld series. If you have been living under a rock you really need to read the Lords series, they are very very good. We get glimpses of the Angels in the Lords of the Underworld series so I am very excited that they are getting their own series. Okay, back to focus on the Angels.

In Wicked Nights we meet Zacharel who is the reluctant leader of a band of very bad angels. A group of angels on the verge of losing their wings and becoming Fallen Angels. Zacharel has never been one to follow the rules, he has always done his own thing no matter the consequences. But all that he is and everything he has ever been is about to be challenged and put to the ultimate test. A test that he can't afford to lose.

The last 4 years of Annabelle's live has been nothing but pain and misery. After the murder of her parents, Annabelle is locked away for the crime. But Annabelle knows the truth about who killed her parents. She knows this because she saw the monster do it. But no one believes her. No one knows that each day more demons come for her. While Annabelle is use to demon's coming after her she is unprepared for an Angel to show up in her room.

Oh how I loved this books... Gena does an amazing job of keeping my interest from page one to the very last page. Nowhere in between was I ever board. I love the cast of characters in this book. All total bad boy, bad ass angels that I am very excited to learn more about. If you are a fan of the LoTU series, there are a few surprise visits that will make you chuckle. If you have not read the LoTU series never fear, you do not have to read before the Angels of the Dark series. Although I would highly recommend the Lords of the Underworld series.

Before I jump into my review, I wanted to say how much I really love this cover. I have a paper copy and the detail down to the gold sparkling through the angels feather wings is superb. And well the angel and his lady? More than superb.

Okay, on to my review! I have been salivating for Zacharel's story or at least more pieces of his story since he appeared in Amun's LOU story. I was pleased as punch when this spin-off series was announce so it almost goes without saying that I was getting this book.

Speaking of the Lords of the Underworld (LOU) series, its not absolutely necessary that it is read first, but personally I recommend it since there are references to the Lords, the war with the Titans and the there are brief crossover appearances of several characters from the other series written in such a way that there is an assumption that the other series was read first. Wicked Nights does act as an introductory book in which the author narrows down her world building to focus specifically on the goings on of angels and demons.

In this first book, the story is introduced by the plight of a human woman who has been exposed to a powerful demon. The demon slaughters her parents, covers her in his gooey residue and leaves her to be blamed for a double murder and incarcerated as a criminally insane patient. The story then flips to Zacharel who has disappointed his superiors once to often with his cold-hearted disdain to avoid the collateral damage of taking human life when in the pursuit of demons. He has been given his last chance warning with a near impossible assignment. Zacharel will now lead an independent army of misfit angels who are all on their last chance and have similar if not worse issues to his own. His fate is tied to theirs and theirs to him and each other based on how well they do in their missions.

Zacharel's leadership gets challenged at every turn and he is punished for the other's mistakes. Now they are on yet another mission to take out the demons that are surrounding some human correction agency which is a location they have returned to time and again to do this very thing. He is mystified by the demon's behavior and decides that this time he will nose out what they're up to.

Annabelle has been in the institution for 4 long years. They have been hard years of misery, drugs, and abuse, but that's just what she receives from her human guards. Ever since the night that her parents were killed, she has been able to see monsters like the one that killed her parents and she is the only one who can see them. Not only do they come to the facility, they come to attack her. Annabelle has gotten to be quite a fighter as a result. She fights the human tyranny too. On the night when her perverted caseworker comes to do things to her while she is strapped down and helpless, she is finally given a glimmer of hope.

But release from one prison by the hand of the cold emotionless angel who comes to find her fighting off a demon and then her caseworker is only the beginning. It is Zacharel's beginning too. The adventure these two share is pretty exciting stuff so I'll avoid the spoiler details.

The plot was handled so well I thought. So many details need to be given, but I enjoyed how the information was spread out and not just dumped in huge lumps. There is a lot of action and the romantic tension is well paced. It kept me on the edge hoping for the two to come together even while it took quite a while in coming. It needed to be that way because of the past experiences of the hero and heroine. The setbacks are even expected in a way. Waiting for their romance to take flight was so worth it in the long run.
Not only is the romance handled well, the intriguing story behind Annabelle's situation and the demonic activity was fascinating. I had my suspicions and I was right, but truthfully knowing the who and the why didn't change the fact that the ending climactic scene was a real page-turner to the very last. This writer excels at boxing her characters into a corner and making me figuratively bite my nails in suspense until she reveals the answer.

The characters were so awesome. The depth to them was just above and beyond. These were two very hurting souls who hadn't caught a break in life. When I discovered that this new spin-off series would feature Zacharel's story, I was terribly curious who would be his heroine and what her story would be to match up with such a strong and powerfully intimidating angel. He is thousands of years old, but Annabelle's years of pain and his years of feeling nothing acts as a great leveler in their experience. These two work so well together because they are written in such a way as to show they are two parts to a whole.
The new angels in this one are all equally flawed as Zacharel or Winged Wonder as Anna calls him. Several of them get quite a bit of face time in this book with brief sketches of their trouble. I look forward to getting each and everyone of them's stories.

And yes, for those who are Lords of the Underworld fans, several Lords, a few female characters and Lysander reprise their roles and flit in and out of the story a few times. I loved these crossover scenes

Great start to this new series and I heartily recommend it to paranormal romance fans.

When Annabelle Miller was a teenager, a demon marked her against her will and brutally killed her parents in front of her. She's spent the last four years locked up in a mental institution because no one believed her about the monsters who killed her parents and who continue to make her life miserable. Of course, there are also human monsters who keep her sedated and perpetrate their own miseries against her unwilling body and soul. Zacharel is an angel - the leader of a misfit ragtag group of angels whose salvation depends solely on his success or failure as a leader. He also divested himself of empathy and love when his brother died and now feels nothing but the cold where his heart should be. When he is commanded to fight the demons surrounding the mental institution where Annabelle is held, he meets her and something about her makes him want to fight for her freedom from the demon lord who has marked her as his own.

Ms. Showalter has brought us the story of the angel Zacharel, who we've seen before in the Lords of the Underworld series, and Annabelle Miller, a girl caught between three worlds (the angelic, the mortal, and the demonic). Readers will easily fall for Zacharel regardless of his heart of ice and Annabelle who has been grossly mistreated for something she never did. Wicked Nights will have you believing in the fight between angels and demons and the power of love and redemption. With characters who are steamy, sexy, and yet so very vulnerable and scarred, you will be pulled in their story head-first and not want to come up for breath. Even the secondary characters have dimension and charm, plus we get to see the Lords of the Underworld in action again. Wicked Nights will definitely have you panting for more!

Angels of the Dark Series: Wicked Nights (1), Beauty Awakened (2)

The cops arrested Annabelle Miller for mutilating her parents though she knows it was not her, but the winged monster who marked her as his. She was sent to the Moffat County Institution for the Criminally Insane especially since she sees and hears monsters that doctors over the next four years insist are her delusional imagination. Currently Dr. Fitzpervert humiliates her with plans to rape her.

The Deity is cold towards his angelic commander Zacharel and his troops whose desire to kill demons has led to unacceptable collateral damage to the species they are charged to protect. He warns Zacharel to change or be decommissioned by the loss of his wings; as military excellence without compassion is how the enemy fights. Though he understands logically what the Deity says including the threat, Zacharel feels nothing towards the humans until he meets insane Annabelle Miller as Fitzpervert prepares to assault her. However, Annabelle makes it clear she trusts no one human or otherwise; even this warrior who claims to protect her.

The first Angels of the Dark romantic urban fantasy lives up to the series title as this is a grim exciting thriller. Zacharel's tundra heart has left him and his unit on the brink of wingless banishment, but the human melts his internal polar cap. Annabelle is fabulous as an angry distrusting soul who has met the vilest demons and the ugliest humans; so she is not shocked that her first angel is a nasty uncaring paranormal. Fans of the Lords of the Underworld will appreciate this ultra-dark tale as Zacharel finds a heart that seemed nonexistent from his first appearance in the Darkest Secret.

Harriet Klausner

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Zacharel has lost his heavenly army and must now rule a group of fallen angels that resort to their basest instincts. He is still pure and even though he is a ruthless fighter, he believes in the good of man. Sent to protect Annabelle, locked away in a mental institution, battling demons that are fighting for her very soul. Um, I hate to use this word, but she is literally battling those demons, although no one else can see them. Yeah, and then Paris (you LOTU fans will know him as the lust demon) shows up, so of course he brings out the worst (best?!?) in virginal Zacharel. For those of you expecting a lot of crossover from Gena's other worlds, this is about as far as it goes. Like Gena's other books, expect to get swept up entirely too quickly in this world of good versus evil and then dying when it ends.

I have been hoping for an adult series of angels since the young adult market has recently been taken by storm with these creatures. You get all of that mythology along with some really steamy romance that young adult can't touch. Or course, there is the fun, snarky parts of the characters that peak through but not as much as some of Gena's other series. This start seems a bit serious but I am anxious to see where this takes me. Annabelle is one of the best female roles I have read in a long time. I really hope that she will continue to have small roles in upcoming books. Her interaction with Zacharel is really special and her strength after being so abused by demons is just stellar. This new series is a must read for any fan of Gena's previous books.

Even for a PNR, I have to give Gena Showalter credit. The story overall is solid and engaging from beginning to end.

The main characters here are Zacharel, ruthless angel and leader of the most fiercest army of the heavens, and Annabelle Miller, a once ordinary girl who has been institutionalized for the past four years after being accused of her parents' grizzly murder. Of course she is innocent, having been tagged by a demon who has plagued her constantly since that fateful day, but who'll believe in monsters? Luck for her Zacharel knows the deal, and helping her may be his last chance at redemption lest he lose his wings forever.

This is the first book in the spin-off of the Lords of the Underworld series. Admittedly I have not yet read those novels, but this book seems to stand on its own just fine. The world building is great and the development of the pair is well done, making it easy to root for them. Zacharel is the epitome of arrogant and self-absorbed. He is a fierce fighter, but seeing as the only love he's ever known was in the platonic sense towards his brother, his growing feelings for Annabelle present new territory to him.

It feels like young love at times which is something I don't see all that often in PNR, so it was a little refreshing. Their awkward moments and banter are entertaining, but there's also a fair amount of action to keep the book from being overly sappy. Annabelle doesn't want to be a damsel or a victim, so I found her to be admirable at times.

One of my favorite aspects was reading about the angels' typical living quarters. The can live on the ground, but they can also live in the clouds, literally, and I felt like Showalter put this to good use. I enjoyed the scenes there just to see what she could cook up.

The final villain came as no surprise to me, and neither did the ending of the book. But I wasn't really anticipating too many crazy twists. You don't always need that for a good read.

I like the writing, so I think I will continue to follow this series as well as eventually read her Lords of the Underworld series in due time. Perhaps in 2013. I don't know if this is the right book for every PNR fan since it isn't too heavy on the sexual content (with a few tweaks this could probably be classified as Urban Fantasy), but as someone to generally prefers UF to PNF, it worked for me.

So I'm a Lords of the Underworld fan. A big one. Cannot put those books down. As such, when this book came out unexpectedly (to me anyway), I was intrigued. Hard not to be intrigued with the angels who have more power than the gods because they serve the one true Deity.

Zacharel is interesting because of the eternal icicles around him, and the fact that he is inexplicably attractive to everyone while feeling none of the baser human emotions himself. Annabelle is interesting because she's in a mental ward and clearly is not crazy. She was accused of murdering her parents and committed because no one would believe that demons actually committed the murder. She's alone, shunned even by her brother but apparently marked by the demon that killed her parents. In the institution she suffers from abuse at the hands of a doctor because no one will believe her. But demons are attracted to her and constantly come after her, yet she is the only one that can see them and as such will remain in the asylum. That is, until Zacharel and his army of warriors perilously close to falling from grace happen upon her. Instantly, he is attracted to her. She can see him even though he has not opened himself to her, and her eyes mark her as belonging to a demon, but she has no memory of binding herself to one.

Anyway he saves her from the demons while trying his damnedest not to be attracted to her in any way. He fails at this, fighting to protect her and coming perilously close to dying in order to save her. Demonic forces are gathering, gunning for the angel, and as he gets closer to Annabelle he comes closer to being promoted to a higher rank of angel. But as he seems to get closer, mistakes are made by his men, and their mistakes are his mistakes as well. His army is well known for not caring about sacrificing a life here or there to accomplish their goals. And the attacks become more complicated. At first, demons seem to be coming after annabelle simply because she is marked by a demon lord. But clearly there is more behind the attacks, and Zacharel's own past constantly haunts him, as he had a twin brother who was captured and tortured by demons. When Zacharel found his brother, he was damaged beyond repair and frequently attempted to kill himself and asked Zacharel to do it for him. Finally, Zacharel had given in and done so in what he thought was the only way to truly kill an angel. In reality, he created a demon high lord. In the end, he has to face his own mistake and is forced to make a choice.

All in all, a great beginning to a new series that definitely makes me want to read more.

Okay. So I have to be honest and say upfront that this may very well be the first angel/demon story that I've ever read. I am so glad that it was Gena's book that introduced me to this world because she creates the most interesting stories that I've read. I was completely and utterly engulfed in Wicked Nights. The story line was strong, the characters, amazing. When I started reading there was no way I was going to put this book down until it was finished.

Just to tell you a little about the novel without giving too much away. We have Zacharel who is the new leader to a group of Fallen Angels. In order for Zacharel to keep his beloved angel wings he must lead these tortured and brutal men to the side of good, gain their respect and obey any requests from the Deity. When these men do wrong and disobey, it is Zacharel that will endure the punishment for their behavior.

On a night Zacharel and the others are on a mission to rid a group of demons from an institution for the criminally insane he finds Annabelle, a human female that has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life incarcerated for murdering her parents. Annabelle is being abused by the staff, tracked and attacked by the demons who are after her soul. However, Annabelle has been fighting for her life and sanity for four years and will not back down. ..from anyone.

It's interesting to watch the relationship between Annabelle and Zacharel form and turn to a passionate romance. Given the fact that Zacharel is a ruthless leader with a heart made of ice and Annabelle is a strong and determined female that will stand up for herself and not be ordered around. When the passion between the two of them ignite it is something magical and will have you begging for more. I absolutely loved this story and pleased that it is only the beginning. I am very anxious to see where Gena will take us next on this journey of good vs. evil.

Overall, I recommend this book for anyone that enjoys reading paranormal romance. I already can't wait for the next book in the series. Wicked Nights is definitely a must read.

First Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Jen
Review Copy Provided by Little Bird Publicity

As a fan of Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld series, I was excited to see that she has a new series starting that is loosely connected to those Lords.

These Angels, who were introduced in the LotU book, are not your typical angels! I don't know about you, but when I think about angels, I tend to either picture a cherub or a woman dressed in white, with wings and a halo. These creatures aren't flawed... they're better than humans. They don't have cravings, don't bend to temptation or sin or well, anything wicked. Because if they do, they fall. But, Gena Showalter's warrior angels *are* flawed. The do have cravings and temptations... and these angels are one step away from falling. But their deity is giving them one last chance to redeem themselves by placing them all in one army of angels. And Zacharel is the one charged with leading this group of misfits and keeping them in line.

However, on one of their assignments, Zacharel -- who never feels anything -- is sent to rescue Annabelle -- a human who is being hunted and tormented by demons -- and all of the sudden he feels... a lot. And for a being that has never experienced such feelings, he's torn. Zacharel's mind wants to push Annabelle away, but his heart is holding her close. And of course, that leads to mixed signals to Annabelle.

In the opening chapter (well, prologue) of the story, we meet Annabelle who wakes up on her 18th birthday with her eyes burning by some sort of acid. As her parent's try to get her to the hospital, they're murdered and Annabelle is blamed. But instead of going to prison, she's sent to an insane asylum. She has every right to be skeptical and untrusting of those who have come to rescue her. And of course, she's also a human who knows nothing of demons and angels, but she's suddenly thrown into this world.

I liked this book. It was hard to put down once I got going. There is a lot of world building. Yes, it's building off of the foundation already laid in the LotU books, but because she's really expanding on the angles and demons, there are a lot of details. We also get a lot of introductions to angels who will likely be getting their own romances in the future. They play a part in this book by helping out Zacharel and Annabelle, and just meeting them and seeing their struggles makes me anxious to see them star in their own stories and get their happily ever after.

At times the romance between Zacharel and Annabelle seemed to take a back seat to the war raging between the angels and demons, but in the end, the conflict helped enhance it. The war threw them together, kept them together and made them rely on each other.

Ms. Showalter has written another winner. She creates characters that I care about and her world building just draws me in with such a creative and different look at paranormal creatures we've all heard about. I look forward to seeing where this Angels of the Dark series goes from here.

A Wicked addition to Gena Showalter's repertoire, she has now added another fabulous paranormal romance series to her resume and I personally am hooked, but of course, I'm a preexisting fan-girl. Showalter can do no wrong in my book.

Showalter has introduced us to the demons of her Underworld and now it's the Angel's turn. We meet Zacharel, Showalter's typical, mouth-watering, tortured hero. He is the leader of a band of misfit angels on the verge of losing their wings or their lives. Each one of his angels is mentally scarred and emotionally stunted, including Zacharel himself. They are the grunts of the Deity that rules over them and they have only a few rules that govern them, kill demons and try hard not to kill humans during the process. This would seem like an easy task, but for the group of screwed up angels it proves tough every time.

On one of their mission Zacharel is curios as to why demons are constantly engaging at a particular criminal insane asylum. Zacharel discovers that the focus of their attention is a young woman, restrained to a bed, within the asylum. Accused of ripping her parents to shreds, only to know the truth...that the real murderer, can not even be seen by other humans. Demons ripped them apart and they continue to plague her daily. The doctors at the asylum think she is delusional, but the injuries that plague her are the testament to her attacks by these beings. At lease that is what she believes.

Hot, sexy and full of the charged world that I've come to love from Gena Showalter, `Wicked Nights' did not disappoint. It was just a straight-up interesting construction of a paranormal romance. The world building was crazy and the couple was smoking. Zacharel was screwed in just the right tortured hotness...and Annabelle was tough and vulnerable in the right mix of a great heroine. I really enjoyed this fast paced read.

There were a few down-points thought, mostly in the predictability of some of the character reactions and there was some generic flavoring revolving around the insta-attraction between the couple. But, it wasn't enough to take away from the awesomeness of the book.

Some fun things in the book, included some cameos by the Lords, which I thought was meant solely for the fans of the Lord of the Underworld, because it was a little manic introduction of the characters.

Recommendations:

Fans of Showalter will not be disappointed. It is also a great way of introducing yourself to Gena Showalter and her paranormal romance series. Angel mythology fans will delight and I have to reiterate that this is an adults-only read. You do not have to read any other series to enjoy this one.
Other Paranormal Romance Series by Gena Showalter You Might Enjoy:

Alien Huntress Series - Awaken Me Darkly Book 1 by Gena Showalter
Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter

I have been a fan of Ms. Showalter's for quite some time. I was looking forward to reading her new book in the new series "Angels of the Dark". Suffice it to say that I was unprepared for the magnitude of the story in this book, WICKED NIGHTS. WOW. Wow, wow, wow. Wicked Nights is the story of heaven's warrior angels and how they were born or created to protect mankind from evil and demons. Zacharel leads a small army of angels who have harmed humans in their pursuit of destroying demons, thereby relinquishing them to Zacharel's command. He's on the edge with his Deity as well. Enter Annabelle Miller, a patient in a hospital for the criminally insane who has been accused and convicted of killing her parents. Unknown to her, Annabelle has been tainted by a demon and is being tormented and abused by demons during her lifetime lockup. Adding to her misery is a very twisted physician who is also abusive of Annabelle. Zacharel makes the decision to rescue her and in doing so, places himself and his army and other humans at risk of dying.

This book is ultimately about the choices humans make, and the repercussions thereof. It is also about good and evil and about redemption. It is sweeping, epic and big. It is sexy without in-your-face sex and leaves one sated upon it's completion. There are still many stories to be told by Showalter in her Angels of the Dark series and I can't wait to read them all. A most excellent read indeed.

I was enticed on the book cover of Thane's story, and so I decided to start this series without realizing it was a spinoff of the "Lords of the Underworld." I might not know the whole story of the other series, but I didn't feel that I was lost when I was reading this book. The author, Ms. Showalter, had made sure that it could stand alone from the other series even if it interlinked in some way. I was grateful for it.

This book entailed the story of Zacharel and Annabelle. They were two types of angel on this book...one was "created" and the other was "borne." Zacharel was created by a Deity. He was oblivious to humanity, but his duty was to protect the mankind's welfare. His world turned upside down when he met Annabelle. She, on the other hand, was a victim of circumstance when his brother summoned a demon. She was accidentally bound to it even though she was a destined mate to Zacharel. Another good read!

Wicked Nights is the first book in Gena Showalter's new Angels of the Dark series. It's a spin-off of the Lords of the Underworld series, which I have yet to read. I did feel like I was missing out on some things - especially knowing that the hero in the book appeared in at least one of the Lords of the Underworld books. It's not necessary to have read that series in order to enjoy this book though.

The heroine of the story, Annabelle, is institutionalized after being blamed for her parents' murder. She has been through hell and is still a very strong and brave person. She is rescued by Zachariel - a not-so-angelic angel. He is pretty much emotionless. I enjoyed seeing Annabelle grow on him and bring out his softer side.

These two have some great chemistry. It's a sexy book, but the sex isn't graphic. Zachariel is a virgin so that is a nice change from other paranormal romance books. There was some humorous dialogue and a lot of action/suspense to make this an interesting read. There are a lot of intriguing characters in Zachariel's army, which I believe will have books of their own in this series. I'm looking forward to finding out how their stories unfold.

I didn't think anything could surpass Showalter's
Lord's of the Underworld series. But as you'll find out, we didn't lose them they just have some more powerful friends. I like the way all of these books connect and the uniqueness of each story. It really keeps you turning pages. I won't blow the ending, but I will give up that it was a lot more than I expected! Excellent! The foreshadowing of war to come, each characters story waiting to unfold...I am ready! I recommend!

In Wicked Nights, Annabelle Miller, a young woman accused of murdering her parents, has been sent to a mental asylum because she blames demons for her parents death. Zacharel, the leader of the battalion of angels who only have one more chance to remain in Heaven, is a tortured angel who doesn't give a damn about any humans. He is on his last chance, and his fate, is his battalions fate.

For me, I really loved this book. The story was really sweet, but be warned, it does have some mature scenes, so if you don't like that sort of thing, probably shouldn't read this.

I liked Annabelle, she was a strong female character, who I really clicked with. Zacharel too was really nice. He was just so....endearing and dangerous at the same time. The mix was so lovable. Like, he was more than a thousand years old, and yet he was so sexually innocent. It just made me go 'aaah', haha.

It was a shame that we didn't get to see more of the secondary characters, like Thane and those 3. It will be so amazing to read about them, to see how they heal. They were so damaged in this book.

One of the most memorable scenes, I think, is when we get to see the Lords of The Underworld. Go onto my quotes page, and you'll see where they're mentioned. I dunno why, I just really liked that little bit. It was just like, 'Here are the Lords of the Underworld'. Yeah, I have a weird sense of humour, but I really liked this bit.

Anywho...! I liked the plot also. It was just absolutely perfect, and yes, it may be a tiny bit predictable, as in you just know who Unforgiveness is, but the way Gena Showalter wrote made it so much better.

I loved this. And now I am going to go and re-read the Lords of the Underworld series :P

I love the Lords of the Underworld series, so when I got the chance to review Wicked Nights, I couldn't say no!

Zacharel is one of the angels we met in the previous series, but I wasn't sure I was going to like him....I was wrong! He's very cold and ruthless, but he's still a very 'innocent' angel and I couldn't help falling in love with him.

Annabelle is a young woman who has been constantly tracked and attacked by demons. Zacharel knows she's a demon consort, but he can't leave her suffering more. They are attracted to each other and soon they are enjoying themselves, but Zacharel heart's starts to warm and he can't let her go...he will save her, even if it means fighting with his past.

What I like about Gena Showalter's writing is that's it's so easy to read. I start to read and can't stop, it's full of action, never bores me and the couples, in this case Annabelle and Zacharel, are always on fire. So if you like hot and dark angels, you need to read the Angels of the Dark series. It introduce us to the world of almost-falling angels that I wouldn't mind falling with, hehe.

BTW, if you like the LOTU series, you'll be happy to know some of the characters are in this book :)

First of all, let me tell you that I liked the story. It's been a long time since I could enjoy one of GS romances. I mean with some of her earliest books she became one of my favorite authors, but then, it started downhill so fast... sex bordering on porn not erotica, heroines reminding a silly, immature sorority pledges, everything too awesome and made of awesome and dripped in awesome etc, etc, etc.
In Wicked Nights Gena Showalter tuned it down a lot. And I am so glad I decided to give her another chance, because few months ago I had a moment of "I'm through with her work!" But now, I am looking forward to her next stories. Maybe she is growing :) That's hoping :)))
That said, I believe I have to mention that I still had a few problems with the book.
1. Even though I liked heroine (somewhat), I felt as if for someone who is as old as Zacharel, she was too young and inexperienced. You could argue, of course, that four years in Institution hardened her, but still... I don't mind vulnerability and softness, actually I kind of expect it, but what she lacked - was a bit more sophistication. (Zachie! Really?)
2. Second thing I didn't like was the way sex, or kisses are used as bargaining chips or payment. If GS would've managed to show it in some other light - maybe, but now... Paying for something with your body??? Disgusting! (And it's a reoccurring theme in GS books) Why couldn't she make the physical progress naturally? No, it has to be a bargain or something, then of course they both like it so it's not forced, but ... come on!
3. I would have liked something different for Zacharel's brother. Left for dead twice! But maybe, maybe GS has some plans for him later. I hope :)
4. And finally, I have to mention that I still see some resemblance in GS work with Kresley Cole's. The moment I found out that Annabelle was locked in Institution for murdering her parents, I instantly thought about KC last book in IAD, Lothaire. Those who have read it, know what I mean. And which one is better, you decide :)))

Cute story and good start to a new series.

Things I liked:
1. Interesting and though provoking themes and facts about why these angels exist and do what they do.
2. Unique and intriguing characters.
3. Return of some LOTU characters. I love when authors give us little glimpses into the ongoing lives of couples whose books we've already read.
4. Hilarious conversations and thoughts, especially from the heroine. Anyone who uses the word 'turd' deserves a high five. Gena is really good at adding the right amount of comedy to a dark paranormal and it makes the story so much more appealing.

I can't really think of anything I didn't like. Obviously no one is going to agree with everything in a story, and neither did I, but the story was entertaining and heart warming and filled with action, romance, passion and did I mention romance?

Worth reading if you like paranormal romance.

Story:
Annabelle is imprisont in a mental institution for a crime she didn't commit. Zacharel is a dangerous and ruthless angel in charge of an army that doesn't take him seriously. When they meet the combination of them two becomes like fighting fire with fire.

Cover:
Very beautiful and steamy cover, but it's misleading because the book is more sensual than hot.

Review:
The first thing that comes to mind after reading this book is that the title is wrong. It doesn't fit the story. Part from that this is one of the best books I've read. Difficult to put down, great characters, awesome chemistry between them and I just love the way Gena writes. Even if the book is dark and violent there's humor as well. I find myself laughing quite a lot.

More short reviews:
http://short-paranormal-reviews.blogspot.se/

All I can say is WOW! I absolutely love Zacharel. Gena Showalter is one of my all time favorite authors and the reason why I have become an avid reader of paranormal romance. She does not disappoint with this spin off book to the Lords of the Underworld, and the first book in her new series Angels of the Dark series. We first meet Zacharel in Gena's Lord of the Underworld series as a mysterious dark angel with no emotions. He intrigues us with the snippets that we read about him and to have his story told in his own book was absolutely mind blowing. Zacharel is an angel that is jeopardy of falling and has to run an army of misfits that will share his fate if he were to fall. Annabelle is a human who is marked by a demon (demon consort) and is constant danger. Together they embark to not only find out the truth behind Annabelle's demon marking but also to discover one another. The book is full of emotions, love, and action. The two characters are dynamic together and the other angels are absolutely intriguing and I cannot wait to read more about them. Gena did a phenom job! Truly a must read! HOT and SEXY!

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

With just the right mix of humor, chemistry, and mayhem, WICKED NIGHTS kicks off a series that promises any number of Happily-Ever-Afters still to come. Though several familiar faces appear, this new playing field was accessible and well paced, meaning readers new to Showalter's worlds can jump in without a problem.

And it is the world that dominated my interest in this story. Angels and demons, magical clouds and celestial wars, Showalter's world is complex without tipping over into chaos. The leading couple both had their strengths, but neither one won my full attention. A cold angel with snow falling from his wings, Zacharel is the prototypical Alpha hero with a novel twist, he's untouched by either lust or love. Annabelle channels Buffy-esque badassery as she kicks demonic butt, even when heavily sedated in a mental institution. Showalter did a good job of tempering artificial relationship roadblocks with meaningful discussion, but neither character really defined themselves for me beyond their past traumas or present passions. Though I'll be interested to read more of the Angels of the Dark series, I doubt I'll have any reason to remember Annabelle and Zacharel in particular.

Of course, the beauty of the romance genre is that there's always another Happily-Ever-After on the horizon. WICKED NIGHTS is particularly well paced, with a satisfying adventure, a few novel character twists, and a celestial mythology that promises fertile ground for future passion and conflict. These virtues ultimately outweighed a charming if forgettable leading couple. For a romantic adventure with an angelic twist, WICKED NIGHTS delivers.

Sexual Content: References to rape, sex scenes.

3.5 stars.

I don't know what it was but I couldn't get invested in this one. I don't know if it's my personal life is distracting me more than usual, if these characters just didn't connect with me, or if I read too many GS books too close together. But whatever it was I wasn't really that interested in finding out what would happen with these characters.

I liked Zacharel, I liked Annabelle, and I liked the other angels and characters, except for Brax, Annabelle's brother. I couldn't stand her older brother, even though I understood why he was upset at Annabelle I couldn't like him. But despite me liking so many of the characters I just couldn't care all that much about the story.

I'll definitely read the next book though and hopefully I'll be more invested.

I have no doubt that Lords of the Underworld fans are going to love this one. It's got all the things that make a great Gena Showalter book: hot sexual tension, humor, great world-building, a strong heroine, and an alpha hero undone by his first feelings of love. --Oh, and did I mention the hero is a virgin? Mmm.

We first met Zacharel in The Darkest Secret, an angel sent to deal with Amun when he came back from Hell, dripping with demons. He's gorgeous and powerful, but seemingly void of emotions. The only person he has ever cared about was his twin brother, Hadreniel. The brother who begged for death after being tortured by demons. The brother he killed to end his suffering.

Zacharel's lack of feelings and general disinterest in humanity have him in trouble with his Deity. Too many times, Zacharel has considered a human to be collateral damage in his fight against demons. As punishment, he must lead a band of problematic angels on the cusp of losing their wings. He is responsible for their actions and together, they will either all be redeemed or they will all fall.

A demon killing mission leads Zacharel to the institute for the criminally insane where Annabelle is being held. She was accused of killing her parents years ago. But it was really a demon attack --and she has been plagued by monsters ever since. No one else can see or hear them, though, and that only makes her look crazier.

When Zacharel and Annabelle meet, he is instantly drawn to her. She is a fascinating contradiction. Strong yet vulnerable. Naive and jaded. In many ways, her spirit reminds him of the brother he lost so long ago. He ends up rescuing her from captivity and decides to help her figure out why she is a demon target and, later, to track down the monster that ruined her life.

There were so many things I liked about this book. I loved watching Zacharel's transformation. The way he discovers emotion and desire. I liked that it wasn't an easy path and that he makes mistakes. I loved, loved, loved the secondary characters in his band of angel warriors. Koldo's story is next, but I already have a favorite and I will be waiting with baited breath for Xerxes' book.

The events of Amun's book and The Darkest Seduction are referenced here and we do get appearances from a handful of the Lords and their mates. That was great for me, but I'm not sure how it would play for a new reader.

The sex is hot, but I felt like we had to wait a long time for it. I think I would have liked a little more payoff on Zacharel losing his virginity. My only other complaint was that I figured out the villain reveal very, very early on in the story. Maybe I've read too many Showalter books because I saw it coming a mile away. But I liked how it all worked out in the end. It was very sexy and satisfying. Definitely worth reading!

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Audiobook Purchase
Reviewer: Me

It's Gena Showalter, need I say more? Wicked Nights is a hot, steamy, pushing-the-carnal-limits new series for the author. Once again, I am immediately in love with her characters. When the story opens and we are introduced to Annabelle, and her eyes are burning as if they'd been dipped in acid, I knew Showalter was about to take me on another whirlwind adventure. And let me say, she did not disappoint (not that I doubted her genius anyway).

With the unlikeliest man and woman falling head-over-heels into a powerful couple, Wicked Nights is a wickedly fabulous thrill ride, and show-stopping escapade! Showalter has a gift for making each of her couples unique, relatable, and fun, and Zacharel and Annabelle are no exception. They have the right amount of smoking-hot chemistry to make the coldest bitter heart swoon with anticipation every single time they touch. Their love affair was exacerbated by the undeniable tension and sheer amount of obstacles they had to overcome. I found myself many times screaming into my headphones for the two to just get it on already. But, as you know, Showalter likes to build, build, and build until her readers can't take it anymore. It works. It always works. Moreover, in this story of angles vs. demons, it works times ten!

Overall, if you are new to Gena, well...I suggest you get on her train right now. She's an author that knows how to tell a compelling story and make her characters come to life. I highly recommend Wicked Nights, and if demons and other paranormal creatures are your thing, you should also nab her Lords of the Underworld series too!

Once again Gena Showalter does not disappoint! I enjoyed the first book of this new series. A lot of information is thrown at you, and can feel a bit overwhelming at times, but the book seems to flow good. I love the main characters, Anna and Zacharel are a great couple! The secondary characters are great and I look forward to seeing more of them. I thought the twist at the end was interesting and I did not see it coming. I also liked that we see some of the Lords of the Underworld characters. If you are a fan of Gena than this book shouldn't disappoint!

I really liked the Lords of the Underwold series and was looking froward to the Angels spin-off. This first book was a very slow start and I am not sure I'm hooked yet. I understand the need to build the characters which I assume are the angels in Zacharel's army. Those parts were good. But the romance between Zacharel and Annebelle was slow and there was little payoff in the end. I get the need for romance...but it wasn't until 3/4 of the book was done before it got physical. And even then the pay off was eh. It seems with some of my old favorites are telling more story than romance, which is fine. But I want story and steamy...is that too much to ask? We shall see if the next book in this series can get the mix right.

Very few authors can successfully write misery, pain and despair and yet still infuse each book with enough steamy, romantic scenes to be considered a romance novel. Gena Showalter is one of these remarkable people. First with her Lords of the Underworld series and now with Wicked Nights, the first book in her brand new Angels of the Dark series. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning!

I'm such a huge fan of Gena Showalter, ever since I got my hands on the first book in her Lords of the Underworld series I was hooked. Such a wonderful combination of the paranormal, action, violence, romance and tragedy, each of the books was engaging, sexy and interesting. When the angels (both fallen and unfallen) were introduced I knew I was going to want more on them in particular. When Wicked Nights was released, I was forced to add it to my "Must Buy Soon" list instead of purchasing it right away.

Thankfully, my very own Book Angel, Danielle was kind enough to gift me with a copy for my Nook. How long did I wait before I started to read it? About 2 minutes.

Wasting no time jumping into the blood and gore, Wicked Nights begins with pain and death for the heroine, Annabelle and though she goes through so much BEFORE she meets Zacharel she doesn't let it defeat her in any way, shape or form. Even battered and bruised, she is still very capable of being a compassionate, loving woman... With an attitude.

Zacharel on the other hand has had to DO terrible things in his thousands of years of living, he has dealt pain onto others, innocent and not so innocent, with no remorse. He is so cold and emotionless, which is what has gotten him in trouble with his Deity. From the first meeting it's clear that Annabelle and Zacharel have an uphill battle if they're ever going to have a chance at a happy ending, both are stubborn creatures that are firm in their individual beliefs and find it hard to compromise with each other.

The imagery created in her previous books is definitely present in Wicked Nights, it's easy to get lost in the scenes being described and in the character's themselves, such a wonderful thing to experience and I've always experienced that with Gena Showalter's books.

As with Showalter's other books, there is quite a bit of violence and gore but really, a book isn't a paranormal book to me unless there's violence and gore. Annabelle and Zacharel's chemistry is a slow burn until about midway through and then it's just scorching! So grab your fans and ice water cause you're gonna need it!!

If Wicked Nights is what I can expect from Gena Showalter's new series, then I'm going to be one happy reader!

Up until The Darkest Seduction, I was never a fan of Zacharel. He always came off as distant, cold, and condescending in the previous books. Then, in The Darkest Seduction I got to know him a little bit better. I still didn't like him but I was intrigued by him. I wanted to know his story and I was very curious as to how any woman would ever be able to put up with him. For months I had been looking forward to this book and reading all the rumors about Annabelle. I couldn't wait to meet her.

Annabelle is unbelievable in a very good way. She's tough, damaged and has a huge heart. The part I found unbelievable about her is how caring she is. Annabelle watched as her parents were slaughtered and their bodies mutilated by a demon, then she was convicted of their murder, after that she was sent to a mental institution where she was abused by medical personnel. If that wasn't enough, she constantly has to fight off demons after her. I can barely imagine anyone staying sane through that let alone retaining any empathy. It was inconceivable to me that she could possibly be so well adjusted after everything she has been though. The fact that she was gave her a super-human ability in my mind. That made her the perfect partner for Zacharel.

I enjoyed every second of seeing Zacharel's first time feeling sexual attraction. I was almost giddy that it was with a human when he has such a low opinion of humans. Seeing Zacharel lose all control of himself because of her made me so much satisfaction. I'm not sure if there is anything I love more than seeing a strong, dominant, unflappable man brought to his knees by a woman. I was in heaven!

The interactions of Zacharel with his warrior angels was an added bonus for me. As I got to know them I became more and more interested in their backgrounds. I'm not sure what it is, but rebel angels always seem to pique my interest. The fact that they refused to follow Zacharel's orders only helped to endear them to me. Everyone ganging up to make Zacharel's life difficult actually made me like him in the end. It was so much fun to see the vulnerable, tormented and confused side of him. I was pleasantly surprised that my opinion of Zacharel did a 180°, I actually loved him by the end.

Wicked Nights is a wonderful debut to the new series. I loved the guest appearances of The Lords and seeing a world I was already quite familiar with from an entirely new perspective.

*This book was reviewed for Seductive Musings blog. A copy of the book was provided to me by either the author or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful start to this series! Zacharel has been charged with leading angels that are on the verge of falling from grace in hopes that they can learn to redeem themselves. I have loved Zacharel's character since meeting him in the LOTU series. He was so cold, methodical and emotionless. Oh and other males from the LOTU thought he was sexy!

This may have been one of the best books I have ever read by Showalter. The characters were so real and the secondary characters were so intense that I can't wait to read their love stories. They have all been through hell and back and are in much need of redemption.

I can honestly say that my only complaint about this book was that it was so PG13. There was so much sexual tension between the main couple, but the love scenes were so glossed over as if this was written with a YA audience in mind. I don't need graphic, but I do expect a little more detail from GS. I mean this series did spin off the LOTU series, which was pretty hot at times! And Zacharel was such a hot and yummy virgin...I felt kinda teased. Lol but enough on that random subject.

I highly recommend this series to all lovers of the LOTU series...and yes, they have a cameo appearance too!

His gaze drilled into her very soul. "What are you thinking about, Annabelle?" Huskily asked, a caress to each of her senses.

Like him, she couldn't lie. Not this time, the truth already proven by the softening of her lips. "Kissing you."

His gaze immediately dropped to her lips, his pupils gobbling up his irises. "Why?"

Because you think I'm a prize. Because, when you look at me, I feel cherished rather than leered at. "I believe you'll be familiar with my answer---because."

Wicked Nights is the dark and sexy debut new paranormal romance series by Gena Showalter featuring angels. These angels have been scattered amongst her Lords of the Underworld series, so I was ecstatic to hear they would be staring in their own series titled Angels of the Dark. Showalter does not disappoint, and from the beginning of the book I was fascinated and couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

The story begins four years after Annabelle Miller witnesses a demon savagely murder her parents on her Eighteenth birthday while she helplessly fought to save them from death. She has been wrongfully convicted of murdering her parents and has been serving her time sentenced at the Moffat County Institute for the Criminally Insane, in the Colorado mountains. Unfortunately she is the only human that can visualize these demons that victimize her daily, and therefore leading to the further speculation that she is criminally insane, and no longer fit to be rehabilitated into a positive member of society.

It breaks my heart to read that Annabelle has not only been victimized by the demon that killed her parents as well as her dreams of a normal life but she is now a victim of a sleazy creepy doctor that she has nicknamed Dr. Fritzpervert that uses sedation to force himself upon her body daily. Finally an army of unruly angels have become aware of the demon infestation at the Moffat Institute and have now deemed it their responsibility to rid the demon festation and protect the humans at all costs.

This man could teach her, she thought. This heavenly man who appeared so devilish, like a dark, seductive dream meant to lure a female straight into midnight temptations.

Dangerous....Yes, this man is dangerous......

Zacharel is the brutally SEXY-Licious commander of these group of unruly angels that have been working together for the past three months since their Deity gave them one year to prove they are worthy of keeping their wings. None of these angels wish to become Fallen Angels and each of their behavior reflects on the entire group ultimately dooming themselves and Zacharel to life without wings if they fail. Ultimately upon meeting Annabelle he gives her a chance to be rescued away from further abuse, but she's going to have trust this ferocious warrior Zacharel if she expects to survive, or die trying.

Annabelle is fierce, feisty and so kind hearted with such a strong and courageous soul. I was instantly enthralled with how she stood up to Zacharel and challenged his every word, without even a desire to heed the consequences. It was riveting to watch such an aloof angel used to commanding orders without rebuttal yet, Annabelle such a feisty human questions and refuses even the simplest commands he gives her, yet he recedes giving her free will to do as she pleases.

"This is no way to speak to me, Annabelle. I am in a dangerous mood."

Zacharel is such a voracious warrior and I was fascinated with his tortured story. Sadly his past has left him a hardened shell of the carefree angel he once was before the loss of a loved one. His past has dictated his inner turmoil and his suffering leading to a life without love, and a focus on cruelty. Having kept himself closed off from romantic interactions for so long, I've found it endearing to watch his cold outer shell thaw into an angel with a desire for someone other than himself. Zacharel and Annabelle both from their first meet ignite such intoxicating passion and sexual tension, it wasn't difficult getting wrapped up in it.

"Very well. But I must admit, taking care of a female is more difficulty than even I imagined."

"Hey! I am not high maintenance. I'm spunky."

His gaze met hers for a protracted second. "To a man who has spent centuries seeing to only his own needs, you are indeed high maintenance, but I'm finding I do not mind maintaining you."

Together these two charmed their way into each others heart, as well as my own while they worked together to discover the identity of the demon that has spent the last four years spending his minions to torture and injure Annabelle, ultimately putting a target on his back as an enemy of Zacharel. From the first time Zacharel met Annabelle he has a desire to protect her, and possess her heart, mind and soul, and with this demon interfering with her safety his defeat has now became Zacharel's greatest ambition, and those familiar with Zacharel know that ambition is not something he lacks.

" You were warned," Zacharel said before Annabelle had time to react. He smiled, but it was not the kind smile Annabelle could wring from him. It was the cruelest of all. His wings flared from his back as he grabbed him by the waist. "You don't care what I do to you? Well, let's see if I can change your mind."

As a Lords of the Underworld fan I was delighted to see appearances from a few of my favorite demons and their fiery women! I recommend Wicked Nights for fans of sexy, dark paranormal romance fans who find themselves fascinated with tortured heros and heroines. I LOVED Wicked Nights, and true to Gena Showalter form she will wrap you up in this story where you don't want to put it down, tug at your heart strings, excite you with a spicy romantic story, side characters your eager to get to know more, and world building that will you will desire to read the next book immediately. I'm already a huge fan of sexually deviant yet loyal Thane and selfless and tortured Kobo, and I'm hoping the next book will feature one of them. Wicked Nights is a must read for all paranormal romance fans, so you must read it immediately!

"You are mine," he rasped. "Only ever mine. I accept all that you are, and we can be together. "

ARC provided for review by Author

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Audiobook Purchase
Reviewer: Me

It's Gena Showalter, need I say more? Wicked Nights is a hot, steamy, pushing-the-carnal-limits new series for the author. Once again, I am immediately in love with her characters. When the story opens and we are introduced to Annabelle, and her eyes are burning as if they'd been dipped in acid, I knew Showalter was about to take me on another whirlwind adventure. And let me say, she did not disappoint (not that I doubted her genius anyway).

With the unlikeliest man and woman falling head-over-heels into a powerful couple, Wicked Nights is a wickedly fabulous thrill ride, and show-stopping escapade! Showalter has a gift for making each of her couples unique, relatable, and fun, and Zacharel and Annabelle are no exception. They have the right amount of smoking-hot chemistry to make the coldest bitter heart swoon with anticipation every single time they touch. Their love affair was exacerbated by the undeniable tension and sheer amount of obstacles they had to overcome. I found myself many times screaming into my headphones for the two to just get it on already. But, as you know, Showalter likes to build, build, and build until her readers can't take it anymore. It works. It always works. Moreover, in this story of angles vs. demons, it works times ten!

Overall, if you are new to Gena, well...I suggest you get on her train right now. She's an author that knows how to tell a compelling story and make her characters come to life. I highly recommend Wicked Nights, and if demons and other paranormal creatures are your thing, you should also nab her Lords of the Underworld series too!

Once again Gena Showalter does not disappoint! I enjoyed the first book of this new series. A lot of information is thrown at you, and can feel a bit overwhelming at times, but the book seems to flow good. I love the main characters, Anna and Zacharel are a great couple! The secondary characters are great and I look forward to seeing more of them. I thought the twist at the end was interesting and I did not see it coming. I also liked that we see some of the Lords of the Underworld characters. If you are a fan of Gena than this book shouldn't disappoint!

I really liked the Lords of the Underwold series and was looking froward to the Angels spin-off. This first book was a very slow start and I am not sure I'm hooked yet. I understand the need to build the characters which I assume are the angels in Zacharel's army. Those parts were good. But the romance between Zacharel and Annebelle was slow and there was little payoff in the end. I get the need for romance...but it wasn't until 3/4 of the book was done before it got physical. And even then the pay off was eh. It seems with some of my old favorites are telling more story than romance, which is fine. But I want story and steamy...is that too much to ask? We shall see if the next book in this series can get the mix right.

Very few authors can successfully write misery, pain and despair and yet still infuse each book with enough steamy, romantic scenes to be considered a romance novel. Gena Showalter is one of these remarkable people. First with her Lords of the Underworld series and now with Wicked Nights, the first book in her brand new Angels of the Dark series. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning!

I'm such a huge fan of Gena Showalter, ever since I got my hands on the first book in her Lords of the Underworld series I was hooked. Such a wonderful combination of the paranormal, action, violence, romance and tragedy, each of the books was engaging, sexy and interesting. When the angels (both fallen and unfallen) were introduced I knew I was going to want more on them in particular. When Wicked Nights was released, I was forced to add it to my "Must Buy Soon" list instead of purchasing it right away.

Thankfully, my very own Book Angel, Danielle was kind enough to gift me with a copy for my Nook. How long did I wait before I started to read it? About 2 minutes.

Wasting no time jumping into the blood and gore, Wicked Nights begins with pain and death for the heroine, Annabelle and though she goes through so much BEFORE she meets Zacharel she doesn't let it defeat her in any way, shape or form. Even battered and bruised, she is still very capable of being a compassionate, loving woman... With an attitude.

Zacharel on the other hand has had to DO terrible things in his thousands of years of living, he has dealt pain onto others, innocent and not so innocent, with no remorse. He is so cold and emotionless, which is what has gotten him in trouble with his Deity. From the first meeting it's clear that Annabelle and Zacharel have an uphill battle if they're ever going to have a chance at a happy ending, both are stubborn creatures that are firm in their individual beliefs and find it hard to compromise with each other.

The imagery created in her previous books is definitely present in Wicked Nights, it's easy to get lost in the scenes being described and in the character's themselves, such a wonderful thing to experience and I've always experienced that with Gena Showalter's books.

As with Showalter's other books, there is quite a bit of violence and gore but really, a book isn't a paranormal book to me unless there's violence and gore. Annabelle and Zacharel's chemistry is a slow burn until about midway through and then it's just scorching! So grab your fans and ice water cause you're gonna need it!!

If Wicked Nights is what I can expect from Gena Showalter's new series, then I'm going to be one happy reader!

Up until The Darkest Seduction, I was never a fan of Zacharel. He always came off as distant, cold, and condescending in the previous books. Then, in The Darkest Seduction I got to know him a little bit better. I still didn't like him but I was intrigued by him. I wanted to know his story and I was very curious as to how any woman would ever be able to put up with him. For months I had been looking forward to this book and reading all the rumors about Annabelle. I couldn't wait to meet her.

Annabelle is unbelievable in a very good way. She's tough, damaged and has a huge heart. The part I found unbelievable about her is how caring she is. Annabelle watched as her parents were slaughtered and their bodies mutilated by a demon, then she was convicted of their murder, after that she was sent to a mental institution where she was abused by medical personnel. If that wasn't enough, she constantly has to fight off demons after her. I can barely imagine anyone staying sane through that let alone retaining any empathy. It was inconceivable to me that she could possibly be so well adjusted after everything she has been though. The fact that she was gave her a super-human ability in my mind. That made her the perfect partner for Zacharel.

I enjoyed every second of seeing Zacharel's first time feeling sexual attraction. I was almost giddy that it was with a human when he has such a low opinion of humans. Seeing Zacharel lose all control of himself because of her made me so much satisfaction. I'm not sure if there is anything I love more than seeing a strong, dominant, unflappable man brought to his knees by a woman. I was in heaven!

The interactions of Zacharel with his warrior angels was an added bonus for me. As I got to know them I became more and more interested in their backgrounds. I'm not sure what it is, but rebel angels always seem to pique my interest. The fact that they refused to follow Zacharel's orders only helped to endear them to me. Everyone ganging up to make Zacharel's life difficult actually made me like him in the end. It was so much fun to see the vulnerable, tormented and confused side of him. I was pleasantly surprised that my opinion of Zacharel did a 180°, I actually loved him by the end.

Wicked Nights is a wonderful debut to the new series. I loved the guest appearances of The Lords and seeing a world I was already quite familiar with from an entirely new perspective.

*This book was reviewed for Seductive Musings blog. A copy of the book was provided to me by either the author or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful start to this series! Zacharel has been charged with leading angels that are on the verge of falling from grace in hopes that they can learn to redeem themselves. I have loved Zacharel's character since meeting him in the LOTU series. He was so cold, methodical and emotionless. Oh and other males from the LOTU thought he was sexy!

This may have been one of the best books I have ever read by Showalter. The characters were so real and the secondary characters were so intense that I can't wait to read their love stories. They have all been through hell and back and are in much need of redemption.

I can honestly say that my only complaint about this book was that it was so PG13. There was so much sexual tension between the main couple, but the love scenes were so glossed over as if this was written with a YA audience in mind. I don't need graphic, but I do expect a little more detail from GS. I mean this series did spin off the LOTU series, which was pretty hot at times! And Zacharel was such a hot and yummy virgin...I felt kinda teased. Lol but enough on that random subject.

I highly recommend this series to all lovers of the LOTU series...and yes, they have a cameo appearance too!

His gaze drilled into her very soul. "What are you thinking about, Annabelle?" Huskily asked, a caress to each of her senses.

Like him, she couldn't lie. Not this time, the truth already proven by the softening of her lips. "Kissing you."

His gaze immediately dropped to her lips, his pupils gobbling up his irises. "Why?"

Because you think I'm a prize. Because, when you look at me, I feel cherished rather than leered at. "I believe you'll be familiar with my answer---because."

Wicked Nights is the dark and sexy debut new paranormal romance series by Gena Showalter featuring angels. These angels have been scattered amongst her Lords of the Underworld series, so I was ecstatic to hear they would be staring in their own series titled Angels of the Dark. Showalter does not disappoint, and from the beginning of the book I was fascinated and couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

The story begins four years after Annabelle Miller witnesses a demon savagely murder her parents on her Eighteenth birthday while she helplessly fought to save them from death. She has been wrongfully convicted of murdering her parents and has been serving her time sentenced at the Moffat County Institute for the Criminally Insane, in the Colorado mountains. Unfortunately she is the only human that can visualize these demons that victimize her daily, and therefore leading to the further speculation that she is criminally insane, and no longer fit to be rehabilitated into a positive member of society.

It breaks my heart to read that Annabelle has not only been victimized by the demon that killed her parents as well as her dreams of a normal life but she is now a victim of a sleazy creepy doctor that she has nicknamed Dr. Fritzpervert that uses sedation to force himself upon her body daily. Finally an army of unruly angels have become aware of the demon infestation at the Moffat Institute and have now deemed it their responsibility to rid the demon festation and protect the humans at all costs.

This man could teach her, she thought. This heavenly man who appeared so devilish, like a dark, seductive dream meant to lure a female straight into midnight temptations.

Dangerous....Yes, this man is dangerous......

Zacharel is the brutally SEXY-Licious commander of these group of unruly angels that have been working together for the past three months since their Deity gave them one year to prove they are worthy of keeping their wings. None of these angels wish to become Fallen Angels and each of their behavior reflects on the entire group ultimately dooming themselves and Zacharel to life without wings if they fail. Ultimately upon meeting Annabelle he gives her a chance to be rescued away from further abuse, but she's going to have trust this ferocious warrior Zacharel if she expects to survive, or die trying.

Annabelle is fierce, feisty and so kind hearted with such a strong and courageous soul. I was instantly enthralled with how she stood up to Zacharel and challenged his every word, without even a desire to heed the consequences. It was riveting to watch such an aloof angel used to commanding orders without rebuttal yet, Annabelle such a feisty human questions and refuses even the simplest commands he gives her, yet he recedes giving her free will to do as she pleases.

"This is no way to speak to me, Annabelle. I am in a dangerous mood."

Zacharel is such a voracious warrior and I was fascinated with his tortured story. Sadly his past has left him a hardened shell of the carefree angel he once was before the loss of a loved one. His past has dictated his inner turmoil and his suffering leading to a life without love, and a focus on cruelty. Having kept himself closed off from romantic interactions for so long, I've found it endearing to watch his cold outer shell thaw into an angel with a desire for someone other than himself. Zacharel and Annabelle both from their first meet ignite such intoxicating passion and sexual tension, it wasn't difficult getting wrapped up in it.

"Very well. But I must admit, taking care of a female is more difficulty than even I imagined."

"Hey! I am not high maintenance. I'm spunky."

His gaze met hers for a protracted second. "To a man who has spent centuries seeing to only his own needs, you are indeed high maintenance, but I'm finding I do not mind maintaining you."

Together these two charmed their way into each others heart, as well as my own while they worked together to discover the identity of the demon that has spent the last four years spending his minions to torture and injure Annabelle, ultimately putting a target on his back as an enemy of Zacharel. From the first time Zacharel met Annabelle he has a desire to protect her, and possess her heart, mind and soul, and with this demon interfering with her safety his defeat has now became Zacharel's greatest ambition, and those familiar with Zacharel know that ambition is not something he lacks.

" You were warned," Zacharel said before Annabelle had time to react. He smiled, but it was not the kind smile Annabelle could wring from him. It was the cruelest of all. His wings flared from his back as he grabbed him by the waist. "You don't care what I do to you? Well, let's see if I can change your mind."

As a Lords of the Underworld fan I was delighted to see appearances from a few of my favorite demons and their fiery women! I recommend Wicked Nights for fans of sexy, dark paranormal romance fans who find themselves fascinated with tortured heros and heroines. I LOVED Wicked Nights, and true to Gena Showalter form she will wrap you up in this story where you don't want to put it down, tug at your heart strings, excite you with a spicy romantic story, side characters your eager to get to know more, and world building that will you will desire to read the next book immediately. I'm already a huge fan of sexually deviant yet loyal Thane and selfless and tortured Kobo, and I'm hoping the next book will feature one of them. Wicked Nights is a must read for all paranormal romance fans, so you must read it immediately!

"You are mine," he rasped. "Only ever mine. I accept all that you are, and we can be together. "

ARC provided for review by Author

I have enjoyed all of Gena' s work and this novel is no different. If you have read her Lords of the Underworld and enjoyed them, this will be a shared experience. For a first in the series, I was highly impressed and immediately looking forward to the next. If I had the option, I would rate this novel 4.5 stars.

As with all of her other work, Gena has a wonderful ability with character development, world-building and story creation. I loved this one and hope you find as much enjoyment with it as I did. Enjoy!

Shelbie Knight =)
[...]

I am one of Gena's biggest fans, I truly have read every single book she has written. I enjoy many elements of the manner in which she writes, primarily the chemistry and passion between characters, as well as the fact that the heroines are generally very self sufficient woman who know what they want and wont be judged or intimidated by the views of others. Having read every LOTU book I was really looking forward to Zacharel's story, his character was intriguing and I couldn't wait to find out if he finally met his match in Wicked Nights. However, I am very very disappointed in this book. Not only could I not get absorbed in this book (which is generally not difficult at all when reading Gena's books), the story itself was disjointed and there was no passion between the characters. There was also the feeling that this was written for teenage readers. I could not like the characters even though all the way through the LOTU books I loved Zacharel. It simply was not engaging and most disappointing. The main reason that I love these books is that that do have a high content of passion and have to a certain extent quite graphic sex scenes. To then go into the meat of the book and get to a steamy scene and realise that it was going nowhere was to me quite pointless. Suffice to say this style of writing is not what I expect, there is a reason woman love Gena's books and I truly believe one of those reasons is that she is not afraid to be explicit. I cannot convey how disappointed I was with this aspect of the book, to the extent that I did not get all the way to the end and that when the next book is released (even though I generally pre-order a copy all the way from the USA when I am in South Africa and wait with baited breath to read it)I will not be pre-ordering it, I will buy a second hand copy but I am simply unwilling to be that dissatisfied again. I would of course give it a chance but unfortunately I am not expecting much.

I love GS and her LOTU series. I had high hopes for this one sense I kind of liked Zachael in the previous series. Here are my problems with the book.

1. The relationship moved too fast. Zachael is ancient, reasonable and cold. Why would he in the span of weeks change what he has been in like forever? I understand that this is a book and there are only so many pages to develop a relationship I would have like a little more time before moving the relationship into "I would die for you" zone

2. The Herione. I liked what she would have become once she became a woman. All of Gena Showalter previous heriones have a
strong independent women. why would she make this herione a 22 year old immature girl. I don't understand. Annabelle has spent 4 Years in a mental institution, where all she has done is be victimize. But upon gaining freedom she wants to go to the mall? I would have like to read about a mid twenties, more mature herione.

3.The bad guy. I liked the bad guy and who he turned out to be, but Gena did not make him apart of the story. most of the interaction was with a relative nobody could have been cut out many pages earlier.

Overall it is a good start to the series. It was basically in introduction because Zachael and Anabella are not that interesting together. The fighting is average. The romantic moments are much to be desired.

My Summary:

It started with a dream on her 18th birthday that changed her. Now accused of brutal deaths of her parents, Annabelle fights to survive her incarceration with the criminal insane. But it isn't the inmates she needs to worry about, no it's the demons that continue to come for her. When the leader of heavens most powerful army finds her, she isn't sure if she can trust him to help her or if he's even willing to help her. Colder than anyone she's ever met, she's not sure she can break through his heart of ice. If she does, will he save her or be her final downfall.

My Thoughts:

5 stars -

Um...dang I loved this book!!! Haven't always had the best luck with angel/demon stories but this one rocked. I absolutely loved the frozen hearted Zacharel with snow falling from his wings; the broken Annabelle who's NOT so broken but fighting every step of the way; the rag-tag group of warrior angels that learned loyalty to Z; and the fabulous twists that surprised me! Yes, I was surprised. THAT just doesn't happen. Okay sometimes I guess wrong and things are not as I predict but surprise? Yeah, no. AND I was still trying to figure it out down the last few pages.

A fabulous angel/demon world that was more complex than most - answering issues I've had with other such stories, Wicked Nights is grounded in a modern world. I like that. I usually need that grounding to keep up with all the fantasy. There were some serious morals going on in this tale that didn't feel like religion being thrown in your face. I loved this one:

"Then I will choose for you, for there cannot be life without death, or action without consequences." pg 392

This book is dripping with passion and our icy angel doesn't stay that way. I adore the relationship between Zacharel and Annabelle. She won't be led or ordered. He is a leader with his heart encased in ice who won't be disobeyed. Together they become something far more. As it should be.

Then there are the adorable moments between them. I want to share this one but won't tell you the page, well cause.

"Really? You'll let me, without pouting like a baby?"
"First, I never pout. I ponder, and probably quite sexily."

LOVED that!!! It's like an all time favorite quote right there!!!

If you love the paranormal romance, then pick this one up TODAY!

Once again Gena Showalter comes out with an amazing new series that grabs your attention from the start and leaves you wanting more. Adventure, secrets, sadness, and a hot romance, this is a must read for paranormal romance lovers. I recommend reading the entire Lords of the Underworld series first however because this is a spin off series and has reoccuring characters from the Lords of the Underworld series.

I enjoyed the story; however, felt like the author was preaching about spirituality. I think it is one thing for a character to live spiritually while espousing the tenets of spiritually, it is something else when it seems that is about preaching about spiritually. Perhaps not naming characters the various negative sins that humans engage in might help with the sermons. However, under all that that, there is an interesting story.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to give this book 2 or 3 stars. I really enjoyed most of the books in the Lords of the Underworld series and I was interested in Zacharel. I like his dry-smart-a** humor. The writing was good and the characters fairly developed, so I ended up giving it 3 stars. However, I did not enjoy the book's overall tone as I found it to be a bit judgmental and preachy. I'm fine with "love conquers all" and I get that this guy is an angel. However, I like to keep my sermons and my romance novels separate, but maybe that's just me. I don't want to be reading about sexual tension and then have a page and a half of "whenever you feel anger, you invite demons into your life--You need to REBUKE THE DEMON, etc" every 50 or so pages. That's just not what I'm looking for when I read this type of book. If that sort of thing doesn't jar you and you've enjoyed the rest of this author's books, you'll probably enjoy this one too. If you are like me, you might want to consider passing on this series as I think it is going to be a vehicle for some very unsubtle moral lessons.

I couldn't put this fast-paced book down. It's a story about Zacharel, a loveless angel warrior, who rescues Annabelle, a human, all the while being hunted by demons and penalised by his superiors for bending the rules. A demon has claimed Annabelle as his own and sends a constant stream of demons to fight and torment her. Both characters undergo significant emotional changes by the end of the story, particularly Zacharel, so you grow to love them gradually. The world-building is brilliant and I am a sucker for a kick-ass heroine.

I have never written a review for a book, but after finishing up with this one I felt compelled to do so.

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

I was looking forward to reading about the hard, gorgeous angel with green eyes. I instantly liked him when he was introduced in the LOTU series. He seemed like a character with depth. After reading this fist book of the new spin-off series, I was disappointed. I expected so much more from this author. I felt some parts were too slow and others were too fast. For example, the ending. It went way too fast. Annabelle gets out of the shower and faced with the nightmare she has been tormented with the last 4 years. No build up or anything.

It took me about a week to finish this book. And that's saying something because with the LOTU books, I finished each in about a day or so. The story was slightly boring for me. The plot was good. We got to see the side of the angel that we hadn't seen in LOTU and the question of why he was so emotionless was answered. But the writing was off. I actually had to ask myself if this really was Gena Showalter's writing.

Also, the romantic scenes. Ms. Showalter has demonstrated that she can write passionate scenes (ALL of the LOTU books are proof of this). I felt no real connection between the two protagonists. It was rushed and I felt myself skimming the few paragraphs to get back to the story.

In conclusion, I feel that the start of the spin-off series was just OK. I hope Koldo's story is more interesting.

A spin off of Ms. Showalter's series, Lords of the Underworld, Angels of the Dark promises to be a great new series. Wicked Nights will enchant readers with the romance between its reluctant hero and heroine. Filled with action, intrigue and an easy to follow mythos, this paranormal story delivers. This is a must have for readers who love to get their hands on a story where good and evil are shades of gray, in a landscape of love and sacrifice.

Kaitlin
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Ok, so I haven't read a lot of Gena Showalter books but I was pleased
with most of them. I thought the plot was pretty good and I very much
liked the main characters. I also liked the other angels in the book,
especially the 3 tormented ones, I would definatly like to read more
about them. My real complaint would have to be the VERY mild love
scenes. I mean I know there is more to a book than that but lets
face it love scenes are one of the reasons we buy these books and this
one was pretty bad. I felt cheated after reading it.

Gena Showalter need I say more? Gena continually amazes me with book after book. This is a new series for Gena and she starts it off right. I look forward to reading about the fallen angels we have briefly met in this book. Zacharel and Annabelle's story has many emotions throughout the book and I road the emotions with them. I can't wait for the next book and even more twists and turns I'm sure Gena will be sharing with us. Thank you Gena for all your hard work!!!
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This book had me at the cover(can someone say hawt dayum)! The main characters angel Zacharel, leader of a powerful angel army has an ongoing war with demons and battles demons of his own, while Annabelle Miller a women accused of a crime she did not commit has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. The story line is fast paced and very enticing. Wonderful to see how a cold stoned warrior's defenses crumble to Annabelle's fierce damaged inner and outer beauty. Highly recommend it gals! As per usual Showalter never disappoints!

[...]

With Showalter's previous books, I didn't have much interest in the angels and didn't care too much about their stories. But I should have known better than to doubt. "Wicked Nights" introduces a lively new group to Showalter's fabulously entertaining "Lords" crowd and lives up to what I look for from this author: extraordinary characters, well-developed storylines, cheeky humor, and a glorious dash of sex and violence. And, yes, the Lords make an appearance. Talk about a party!

After reading about Zacharel in the past few LOTU books, I was keeping tabs on the release date of Wicked Nights for the past several months. I think this series has great promise, although the opener did fall a little flat for me. Zacharel certainly wasn't a disappointment; I love his character and I loved learning about all the other Angels of the Dark. On the other hand, Annabelle didn't really resonate with me. Personally, I found she came off a bit underdeveloped and unbelievable. Unfortunately, I had this problem in Showalter's most recent LOTU book also. Where her heroes are always strong and on-target, her heroines have been a bit off. I also find it interesting (not that I in any way think it's deliberate, I'm merely just observing) that Annabelle faces a similar past as the heroine in Kresley Cole's latest read, Lothaire. Regardless, overall Wicked Nights is a solid opening to the Angels of the Dark series. Koldo's story is up next, and it will definately be on my to-be-read list.

I loved this book! Actually, I LOVE anything Gena Showalter writes. I really enjoy her writing style and the humor she infuses into each of her characters.
This book was sooo good and no exception, the plot was exciting and I enjoyed getting to know all the characters. True to Gena's style, the romance was sizzling! If you want to read a book that is exciting, sexy and intense...READ THIS BOOK!

I love this new series. I am such a fan that I won't even buy her books on my kindle. I want them in paperback so that I can reread and skip to my favorite parts. I was very excited that she was going to write a story about Zacharel, especially after the "short story" about Lysander. I loved the last LOTU book and having Zacharel being almost a main character really made me look forward to her story.

I read another review and the person couldn't wrap her head around an angel and a human....hello....it's fiction, and it paranormal fiction. If you love paranormal then I totally recommend this book. Gena Showalter has once again done an excellent job weaving a story and making you want more. Can't wait for the next installment in this series.

I just finished reading the first book of the new Angels of the Dark Series- Wicked Nights. It is a spin off from the Lords of the Underworld series. My thoughts? Well... it was good. Not great. Not fantastic. Not "I just can't put this book down so I will stay up until 2am reading it"...it was just "good". The story line was interesting albeit a bit rushed at the end and the author did weave in some LOTU characters to keep us attached to the story, but I just didn't feel the connection between Zacharel and Annabelle. I can't explain why, but it was just not there (not at all like the sparks between Olivia and Aeron or between Bianka and Lysander- just to compare Angels.

What this story did do for me was introduce some new and very intriguing characters that I will anxiously wait their stories to be released- especially Thane! So while this was not my favorite book from Gena Showalter, it was still a decent read and a good start to what will shape up to be a great new spin off series.

I've read all of Gena's books. Some are better than others but there was always an underlining weakness in her writing that didn't make me LOVE her. But I really enjoy her Lords of the Underworld series so I looked forward to this spinoff. It was much more in depth, the characters had depth, the writing flowed better, it was just really good and I can't wait for the next book.

I have to admit, this was a very slow start for me. I am not completely sure why it took me a chapter or two to really get into the book, but it did however pick up. At first the main female character annoyed me. Just the way Gena decided to have her speak annoyed the crap out of me. Yeah, yeah, sure, you had all those awful things happen to you, all at once, might I add, but jebus, the way she talks just makes me roll my eyes.

However, the ploy to this story is outstanding. I will say it again, the plot for this book is amazing. Truck through the annoying/whiney two-year-old sounding female character and the story is quite enjoyable. 

I am a little disappointed that Lysanders story couldnt be as long as his, but it was great.

The power of life and death are in the tongue and Wicked Nights is its reveal as demons and fallen angels fight for possession or love? This book brings light and understanding to speaking thoughts into existence.

I am a HUGE Showalter fan! I have read and own every other book she has written and there were a few that didnt quite stand up to others but this one really takes the cake! I can't believe how many people liked this book! I had such a hard time getting through it because it was just so boring. I can usually read one of her books in just a couple hours...this one took me over a week! I would attempt to read and just space out because nothing grabbed my attention! Uhg!...Bad start to a new series. I probably wont continue with this series in the future.

I loved the overall concept of the book, but I had a few issues with some of the writing.

What is with Gena and headboards, she always seem to have someone gripping them, but the love scenes in this book was very tame compared to other books. And I would have appreciate a better explanation about the snow coming his wings and reason why it had stopped.

I think overall I was more interested in the other characters then the main two.

I love all of Gena's books. I really liked this one because you not only got to see a different side of Zacharel as he falls in love but you get to see some of the Lord's of the Underworld again. If you like Gena Showalter you'll like this book.

This book is basically a spin off of the Lords of the Underworld series. If you know that series you will be fine reading this one. Love the Angel's and Demon's concept. couldn't but it down till i was finished with it

This was even better than the Daughter of Smoke and Bone books I just read. There were a few cheesy lines, but the rest of the story and the message in the story more than made up for it. And, an excellent twist I did not see coming, I love that!

I have never read a book by her that I didn't love. I feel like I am living the story and hate for it to end :) she is a great author and can't wait to read more. only thing is her books are not discounted often

i really don't have much to say really, the characters where very well fleshed out, the story was fast pace and never left you hanging, just what i come to expect of our beloved gena. can't wait to read the next one o.0

This book is clearly aimed at the younger reader (16+) as some of the naughty bits are way toned down compared to the Lord's of the underworld book. That being said I found this book very enjoyable and a great escape. Can't wait to read the others in this new series.

The tension between the 2 main characters kept me giggling and wanting more!! I was dying from anticipation for the release of Wicked Nights since I finished the Lords of the Underworld Series. It totally lived up to my expectations as do all of Showalter's books do. Loved the Atlantis series as well. Keep it up!!

Excellent start to new series of books as a follow on good to know as I enjoyed previous books dark demons wondered if we were going to find out about the angels can't wait to find out more about the other angels in this dark series we'll done gena

I was excited for Zacharel's book - I loved his character in the LotU stories and thought he deserved to have his own told, but this was just not what I was expecting.

I liked Annabelle, and I enjoyed some of her story but WTF to the Deity. First of all, I must admit that I'm disappointed that the deity is a dude (maybe the High Being or whatever is female?) but second of all if Showalter is making a comparison to religion (which she obviously is) I can't get over how cruel the Deity is. We saw it before with Olivia's story but their whole society is cruel and seemingly unjust even though they are super forgiving of humans. If someone in the military is captured and tortured, we have help for them - it may not always help and it may not be good enough but we try to help. It seems as if these angels, who are tortured in a war they didn't sign up but seemed born with no choice but to fight, should have some sort of services to them when they are tortured! If Showalter at least intended for their society to be cruel and acknowledged it as so I honestly would be more ok with it but she seems to be going real old testament and writing it as if it is actually just and merciful. It felt really wrong to me - especially the Deity in that last scene - it honestly made me feel gross.

Anyways, the last few chapters of this book really made me question whether or not I will continue to read any more of her books. Even the LotU stories were getting super formulaic.

My Summary:

It started with a dream on her 18th birthday that changed her. Now accused of brutal deaths of her parents, Annabelle fights to survive her incarceration with the criminal insane. But it isn't the inmates she needs to worry about, no it's the demons that continue to come for her. When the leader of heavens most powerful army finds her, she isn't sure if she can trust him to help her or if he's even willing to help her. Colder than anyone she's ever met, she's not sure she can break through his heart of ice. If she does, will he save her or be her final downfall.

My Thoughts:

5 stars -

Um...dang I loved this book!!! Haven't always had the best luck with angel/demon stories but this one rocked. I absolutely loved the frozen hearted Zacharel with snow falling from his wings; the broken Annabelle who's NOT so broken but fighting every step of the way; the rag-tag group of warrior angels that learned loyalty to Z; and the fabulous twists that surprised me! Yes, I was surprised. THAT just doesn't happen. Okay sometimes I guess wrong and things are not as I predict but surprise? Yeah, no. AND I was still trying to figure it out down the last few pages.

A fabulous angel/demon world that was more complex than most - answering issues I've had with other such stories, Wicked Nights is grounded in a modern world. I like that. I usually need that grounding to keep up with all the fantasy. There were some serious morals going on in this tale that didn't feel like religion being thrown in your face. I loved this one:

"Then I will choose for you, for there cannot be life without death, or action without consequences." pg 392

This book is dripping with passion and our icy angel doesn't stay that way. I adore the relationship between Zacharel and Annabelle. She won't be led or ordered. He is a leader with his heart encased in ice who won't be disobeyed. Together they become something far more. As it should be.

Then there are the adorable moments between them. I want to share this one but won't tell you the page, well cause.

"Really? You'll let me, without pouting like a baby?"
"First, I never pout. I ponder, and probably quite sexily."

LOVED that!!! It's like an all time favorite quote right there!!!

If you love the paranormal romance, then pick this one up TODAY!

My mom joined the book club thingy, got this in June. She didn't think it was her cup of tea by just reading the back cover--so, I got my hands on it. I love it!! It's got an actually plot not just mindless sex and it's longer than most of those other little steamy novels. I'm seriously going to look into her Lords of the Underworld novels, now. I enjoy this series already and can't wait to get more.

First off I really love Gena Showalter's writing and "LOTU" is a favorite series so I was really hoping for another great series. Sorry to say but I don't think this series is going to make for me. I am so at a loss for something great to read and just can't find it.

I thought it was slow, I thought it was 'dry'. There were some really witty parts and some cute and funny nicknames being thrown around which lightened the mood. But not enough of these lighter moments. For the most part, Wicked Nights is the same old, same old.

Hard arse falls for girl, girl and he mates - hard arse gets a life and changes to a good guy.
Next step/next book - next angel falls for girl, girl and he mates, hard arse angel gets a life and changes ....
and so on, so on, so on.

I'm so hoping GS, JRW, KC, LA or some author gives me a great gothic vamp tale without this same routine going on.
Please - please...I know and love the writing of everyone of these authors - they just have to get a new and improved theme going on.

Zacharel & AnnaBelle's tale is par for the course. We're introduced to the leader (first book in every series of course) and how he falls from his notorious ways to a 'softie'. The Lords made some appearances to tie this as the spin-off from Lords of the Underworld. And then, of course, we had a glimpse into Zach's band of bad angels....(each with, I am sure, a book waiting to be written.)

From a business standpoint - series writers have a good thing going.
New book ties into the last series LOTU - so new readers just may go back and purchase all of those.
New book enlightens and grasps so readers will continue to purchase every book involving every angel to come!

The problem with Wicked Nights - it needed to be better to grab the readers. It's really the most important book of a series. Gotta grab those minds and hearts and Zach didn't do that for me and I'm a fan of GS so others, just new to her writing, might find it hard to be loyal.

Enter into this new series at your own risk. I fear it's going to cost me more money than the enjoyment I will get from the pages.

The story was fine and I enjoyed seeing the Lords of the Underworld again, but the romance was flat. So flat, that I'm worried that Gena is going down the road that so many former romance writers take. Get a little fame and cut out all the hot scenes. I think this series might be more paranormal than romance.