Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter Book 4)

When I first started reading this book I was a little disappointed and was very close to skipping it so that I would read it. You are probably wondering why, we’ll its all because it wasn’t about our favourite Arc Angel and Guild Hunter. But to be totally honest I’m glad that I did read it. Dmitri and Honor’s story had me on the edge of my seat. The connection between these two is something that you just don’t want to miss out on. You want to ride this roller coaster from the beginning to the very end.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of Spoilers*

archangels-blade-guild-hunter-nalini-singhHonor St. Nicholas is a Guild Hunter, but has been hiding out in the academy ever since she was abducted, held prisoner, tortured, and violated by a group of depraved vampires. Her captivity lasted two long months, but the effects have been everlasting. She is now afraid to go on a hunt and is terrified of all vampires.

The Guild Director, Sara, has decided it's time to give Honor a little push and has assigned her to a case that requires her to work at the Tower with the powerful vampire, Dmitri, deciphering a tattoo on a murder victim that was written in some unknown language.

Dmitri instantly smells Honor's fear, but is drawn to her for some mysterious reason. He makes it his mission to get her in his bed. But the more he's around Honor, the more she reminds him of his mortal wife he lost over a thousand years ago. Honor brings all the painful memories of his spouse and children, and their untimely deaths, not to mention his own captivity by the evil angel responsible, to the forefront of his mind.

It angers Dmitri to realize the pain Honor went through at the hand of his own race. The fact that the vampires behind her torture were never caught is unacceptable to him. Now that he's met Honor, Dmitri is making it his personal aspiration to find those responsible and bring them to his own sick kind of justice.

I have really been struggling reading these past couple of books in the Guild Hunter series, and they haven't been holding my interest at all. Maybe I just needed a change of pace? A new romance apparently was just the ticket! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was definitely one I didn't want to put down!

We've been reading about Raphael's broody and dangerous Second throughout the series. We've seen him taunt Elena with his scent lures, his words, and his actions. We all knew that he had a dark and sordid past and that something always seemed to be troubling him, with danger lurking just beneath his surface. Now we finally get to see it laid bared to us readers in Archangel's Blade. And, it's more terrible than I had ever imagined. I have no problem with Dmitri being the dark knight so to speak, in fact I think every series needs a character like him. I found that Dmitri brings a dark humor to the series that is surprisingly engaging. It was nice seeing exactly how he came to be the dark presence that he is today, but I enjoyed some of the glimpses of his more innocent days. Although sometimes the flashbacks were a little too frequent for my tastes, especially when he was in the middle of an intimate scene with Honor. But the book was still great and I'm so glad that Singh didn't change Dmitri's character once he found love and that Honor instead accepted him for who and what he is.

"After they were both done, the pile of knives and guns on the coffee table looked like they'd cleaned out an armory. "I think we have a problem, Dmitri."

Honor is equally as broken as he, but Dmitri has had decades to bury his pain and sorrow, living as Raphael's enforcer among other things. Honor's anguish is still very fresh in her mind. I think it was great to see Honor finally get justice for what had been done to her. And, the idea of hurting those vamps over and over again, thanks to their healing ability, was appealing to me at least! And, I'm glad that she had someone willing to oversee such a punishment!

The one thing I found myself not liking in this book after awhile was Dmitri constantly comparing Honor to his wife, like he could never truly see HER for who she is. We all knew there was something there, and it ended up being abundantly clear by the end of the book. So by the end it no longer bothered me.

I really enjoyed this couple and I loved how they were able to help heal each other. I found myself not liking just Dmitri, but Honor as well. Sometimes I really struggle with liking the female leads as they all start to blend in with one another after awhile. But that wasn't the case with Honor, she was a character that I could really get behind.

This is one of those books that I wished had gone on a little longer. I would have loved another chapter to wrap up the two main things that Honor and Dmitri had planned at the end of the book. But regardless this was a great addition to the Guild Hunter franchise and I'm hoping that we continue to get glimpses of this amazing couple as the series progresses.

Now I'm anxious to dive into Jason's book and I am hoping and praying we get an Illium book in the near future (he's my favorite of the Seven, or at least he was before this book)!

"Bluebell," she said, remembering from Erotique. "Pretty name."

"I call Dmitri Dark Overlord."

"Shae," Dmitri said and the female vampire rose at once to walk quickly into the house. "Now, pretty Bluebell" another languid stroke across her skin "tell the Overlord what you discovered."

Thank you Nalini Singh for sharing with us two amazingly beautiful worlds that you created. You're definitely one of the best there is!
This story is the reason why I wasn't able to go to school the morning that I finished the book. I was reading until 7am and I was soo into the book that I can't put it down until the last chapter. Lol!
I didn't like Dmitri in the previous books because of what he does to Elena. But Archangel's Blade changed my perception of him. In this book we get to read his background story. The reason for his coldness and ruthlessness, and his painful past.
I loved Honor. A victim who decided to stop living in darkness and depression. She's a very strong character despite the horror that she went through. I love it that she didn't lose her heart despite what happened to her.
Anyways, i love this story. This was a fresh and a welcome new angle on the series after 3 books about Elena and Raphael. It was more emotional than the previous books and I didn't expect it to be... because it's Dmitri's story .
I've always thought Dmitri as sexy, but cold as ice. In this novel, I saw how he allowed a new woman into his life and his heart. I was really hoping for a sexy romance story. And my hopes weren't dashed. This was a very sexy and erotic story; but I got more than that. I like this book better than the previous ones. I felt more connected to this story. It was bittersweet and beautiful and romantic. It's about getting your life back after unspoken horror comes your way. It's also about everlasting love and loyalty. The characters' emotions were brilliantly narrated by Ms. Singh. The feelings were very realistic that I cried with Dmitri and Honor in some parts of the book.
*sigh* I was shaken by this book. I've always had a soft spot for heroes with tortured pasts.

I have loved this series and I will continue on with it.

Dimitri (vampire) - Rapheal's second. This story is about how Dimitri was "made" and what happened to his family during that time. He is also asked to work with Honor on a recent murder and he can't figure out what but something draws him to her in a way that he doesn't like.

Honor (hunter) - coming back from being abducted and tortured for months by vampires she is jumpy and terrified of working with Dimitri. But once she is with him after a while she is having a hard time making her heart and her brain agree on whether or not to be turned on or afraid of him.

Together they must fight their own demons, get vengeance where it's due, and still manage to figure out what's happening between them.

(possible spoiler)
The only reason I didn't give this a 5 star review is simply because I was bummed out about how these two's story ends up. I really wanted Honor to be Honor and Dimitri to be Dimitri. I just didn't like that whole past lives souls coming into play. Overall is still a good book.

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick and Dirty: Dark, sexy and one heck of a ride.

Opening Sentence: Crouching on the concrete pier lit only by the dull yellow glow of a flickering streetlight several feet away, Dmitri tilted the severed head toward him with a grip in the dead male's damp hair, not bothering with gloves.

The Review:

The setting of this fourth installment of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series is "modern day" New York with an added twist. In Ms. Singh's world the angels and archangel's run the show and vampires are common place. In order to become a vampire, a mortal must submit to testing, and be physically compatible to the venom secreted by the angels that turns mortals into vampires. The vampires are then required to serve under those angels for a period of time before they are given their freedom. Then there are the Guild Hunters. These are mortals put in charge of policing the rogue vampires, ones who break their contracts with their angels, or break the rules of living within the mortal realm. It is these hunters that the series is based upon.

Honor, this novel's heroine, is one of the Guild Hunters. Well, she used to be anyway. After being kidnapped and tortured for two months by a group of vampires, Honor finds herself unable to perform her duties, and hides out among the archives. But, when her expertise is needed, she faces her demons head on and teams up with a vampire *gasp*to solve a string of murders and find her kidnappers.

I am a lover of Ms. Singh's writing in this and her other series. She has a knack for writing characters that are truly believable, and admirably strong and resilient. I am in awe of Honor's tenacity in the face of adversity (and I believe I've heard that somewhere before). A quote from Dmitri says it best. "So soft," he murmured. "Feminine, beautiful, and tough to break."

Dmitri is the baddest of the bad. As the archangel Raphael's second in command, he is the vampire that all others of his kind and everyone else fear. Dmitri was also kidnapped and tortured, long ago, but by an angel named Isis, who also murdered and tortured his wife and children. When this bit of bad news rises up from the past, Dmitri must bring in Honor to help him find out who and what is going on. Also, after meeting the lovely Honor, he makes it his personal mission to hunt down those vampires that tortured her, and make sure they pay in kind.

In every book in this series, Dmitri comes off as one scary SOB, and I'll be damned if that isn't what makes him so sexy. Gifted with the ability to attract with his scent, and who wouldn't want a man who smelled of "a drugging whisper of champagne and desire molten as gold, orchids under moonlight, chocolate-dipped berries kissing a woman's skin." I don't know where Ms. Singh gets her inspiration for her heroes, such as Dmitri, but I think we'd all like a chunk of it. Add into the mix his tortured soul, and this vamp reaches heartthrob status.

All in all, Archangel's Blade is a perfect follow up to Archangel's Consort, and Nalini Singh knows when to give her readers exactly what they want. So, this reader would like to put in a request for a book for the delectable Bluebell. Pretty please?

Guild Hunter Series:

1. Angel's Blood

2. Archangel's Kiss

3. Archangel's Consort

4. Archangel's Blade

FTC Advisory: Berkley Sensation provided me with a copy of Archangel's Blade. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don't receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.

I am a huge fan of the Guild Hunter series but I'll admit I was a little nervous about reading Archangel's Blade. This is the first story that doesn't focus on Raphael and Elena and I was a worried that I wouldn't enjoy it as much - especially since I've never been the biggest fan of Dmitri. I'll admit he had grown on me a bit since the first book but he has always come across as so cold and I wasn't sure how I'd like him as the hero. I should have know that Nalini Singh wouldn't disappoint me though and as much as I still find him quite a scary character and definitely someone you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of I had fallen head over heels for him by the end of this book.

Dmitri is the kind of guy who takes what he wants and makes no apology for it, he is all hard edges and arrogance - definitely not your typical hero. There is a reason that Raphael trusts him to lead his seven and it's because he has the ruthlessness needed to make even the older and most dangerous vampires and angels fear him. No, Dmitri isn't the kind of guy you'd want to cross but he is exactly the kind of guy you'd want on your side in a fight. What I loved most was seeing into his past and getting to know the human Dmitri used to be, he didn't choose to be turned into a vampire and the way it happened and the things he lost are what turned him into the man we know today. 1,000 years ago you would have met a totally different person, that Dmitri was sweet, romantic and head over heels in love with his wife and family. My heart absolutely broke for everything he had been through and it was no wonder he had closed off his heart so that he wouldn't have to go through that kind of pain ever again.

Although Honor doesn't magically change Dmitri back into the man he once was she does get to see a side to him that nobody else does and it was no wonder that she was unable to resist him. Honor is a guild hunter who went through a horrific experience when she was captured by a group of vampires and remained their prisoner for 2 months before the guild was able to track her down and rescue her. Her experience has left her wary of people and turned her into a shell of the hunter that she used to be. Thankfully guild director Sara is on hand to give her the kick that she needs and force her to face the world again but it is Dmitri who really helps build her confidence back up. He never treats her as if she is weak and breakable, although he understands that it would be easy to chase her away from him and he is careful in his seduction he respects her skill as a hunter and he is determined to give her her freedom by helping her track down the vampires responsible for what happened to her. The closure she gets from her revenge helps her move forward in her life. The chemistry between them was incredible from the first moment they meet but it takes time for Honor to trust both Dmitri and herself and give in to the connection she feels which made things much more believable considering everything she has been through.

I wasn't too sure what to make of events at the end of the book at first. I wasn't sure if I liked the way things played out (I know I'm being extremely vague here but I can't say too much without giving spoilers) and to begin with I felt a little disappointed. After taking some time to think about it I have to say that the ending made a lot of sense and I don't think the story would have worked as well if it had ended differently. My main reason for giving this story 4 stars rather than 5 was that for a lot of the time I felt more invested in Dmitri's past relationship with his wife Ingrede than I was in his current relationship with Honor. I know there were reasons for that and I was happy with the outcome but it was something that bothered me slightly while I was reading. Archangel's Blade is still a fabulous instalment to the Guild Hunter series though, it has everything I love about Nalini Singh's stories, a sexy dominant hero, a heroine strong enough to stand up to him when she needs to, hot sex scenes that will make you feel weak at the knees and plenty of appearances from some of our favourite Guild Hunter characters.

Honor is a hunter, one who's been out of commission for quite awhile due to having been kidnapped and brutalized by deviant vampires. In an attempt to pull her back into reality, her boss assigns her to a case that requires her to work with Dmitri. Dmitri, the darkly sexy second-in-command of New York City, finds Honor captivating. He takes the horrors committed against Honor quite seriously, and vows to see the culprits hunted down and punished. The bulk of the book revolves around solving the case to which Honor was assigned, as well as hunting down all of her tormentors.

Positive Comments:

Overall, the book had a really great balance of external and internal conflict. The characters develop in a way that feels natural, and in response to events of the book.

The sex scenes are hot, but not overused. Given Dmitri's personality, I expected lots of senseless sex and bondage. Instead, we only get the scenes that further the development of the relationship.

I really enjoyed the revenge plot. I'm sure this says something nasty about me, but I liked the process of bringing the evil characters to justice.

I loved Dmitri's back story. You get to learn about his wife and children, how he lost them, and how he became a vampire. I found these parts tragic and captivating.

Critical Comments:

This book is nominally a paranormal romance, and a dark one at that. I've come to expect a little horror in my PNRs, and I enjoy it. But horror is a strong ingredient, and one has to be careful about overusing it in a novel like this, because it can easily overwhelm everything else. Nalini Singh walks a fine line, and there were times when I did feel like her use of violence was a bit gratuitous. It didn't damage the story too much, but it bares mentioning as a tiny flaw.

There were some pacing issues. It felt like this book had no distinct climax, or perhaps had three separate ill timed climaxes. There were too many conflicts, and their resolution felt a bit disorganized. To specify further would mean spoiling things, so I'll just leave it at that.

Finally, the relationship was not entirely satisfying. Honor and Dmitri certainly have chemistry. It's obvious that they care for one another. But there's a certain lack of tenderness or intimacy in their interactions. Again, I think it's partly an issue of pace. I was much more invested in Dmitri's connection to his wife, Ingrede.

Rating:

I'm pleased with this book. While it's not as good as the first two Guild Hunter books, but it's a solid improvement on Archangel's Consort. I recommend it. 3.5 stars.

Originally Reviewed for Reading to Penguins

4 stars.

Archangel's Blade was difficult for me to rate. On the one hand I loved so many aspects of this book, I loved Honor and Dmitri, I loved that they both had a painful past that shaped them into who they are today, I loved the bit of story between Ingrede and Dmitri, I loved the secondary characters, both good guys and villains, and I loved the storyline of getting the vampires that hurt Honor and how intent both Dmitri and Honor were in getting them.

All that should have made this a slam dunk 5 star rating but there were two big things that kept it from that. The first, I didn't feel connected to Honor or Dmitri despite my love of them. The whole story it felt like there was something missing. That Honor and Dmitri's relationship wasn't as developed as it needed to be.

At least part of the issue was there seemed to be too much emphasis on Ingrede and Dmitri's past with her. Now I liked those scenes, in fact I loved Ingrede, and her relationship with Dmitri was beautiful and heartbreaking but it was almost too much focused on that part. Plus all the constant going back to Ingrede made it clear that Honor would be Ingrede reincarnated. Which I also liked but I wish there had been more development with Honor and Dmitri as opposed to relying on Ingrede and the past. Now that doesn't mean Honor and Dmitri's romance wasn't beautiful or wonderful or heartbreaking because it was all that and more but I wasn't as connected as I needed to be.

Another issue was that the story with Kallisto & the story with the vampires that hurt Honor and working to find both of those vampires didn't seem connected. The Kallisto parts weren't really connected to the rest of the story, it felt kind of tacked on despite it being a part of Dmitri's past. The writing itself was disjointed there wasn't a easy flow to the story, it sometimes felt like it was hopping around instead of smoothly going into another part of the plot.

I loved Honor, I love her more than Elena, she's a woman who was brutally assaulted over a period of two months by vampires and, understandably, closed herself off to the world, especially vampires, which is difficult to do when you're a Guild Hunter. Now Sara has called Honor, she's only the Guild Hunter close enough to deal with a case that is being overseen by Dmitri a 1,000 year old vampire. So Honor goes from wanting to stay isolated, to being pushed into a case and dealing with a scary and sexy vampire that's Raphael's second.

Now Dmitri, as mentioned, is a 1,000 year old vampire who has his own terrible past. My heart just ached as I read Dmitri's past. He had a wife and two children and they were his world. An angel then wanted him for herself, Dmitri not wanting to go but feels he has to in order to keep his family safe decides to let Isis, the angel, do what she wants with him, get tired of him, and all the while his family would be safe. However it doesn't work out that way. Now in present day, Dmitri is helping Honor find the vampires that abused her and he is very determined to deal, or have Honor deal, with all of them.

The journey in finding the vampires, along with dealing with a piece (vampire) from Dmitri's past was very good. With each vampire we, the readers and Honor, got a little bit closer to the top and who put her there in that place.

The secondary characters, as always, I loved. Ashwini was great, she was a good best friend to Honor and I look forward to reading more with her. Also loved Sorrow/Holly, she was broken by an archangel and is slowly putting herself back together. I really hope she gets a book in the future.

Overall this was a great book and I look forward to Jason's book and reading the other short stories of this series.

I tend to stay away from straight Paranormal Romance and stick to Urban Fantasy. But every now and then, I crave a little PR, and Nalini Singh always manages to deliver that perfect blend of romance, mystery and fantasy, all taking place in a dark urban setting.
In all honesty, Dmitri was my least favorite character from the first three books, which revolved around Elena and Raphael. It had been quite a while since I'd read them, so when I started Archangel's Blade, I only remembered that Dmitri was Raphael's second in command, a vampire, and not the nicest person to be around.
In the fourth installment, we finally learn why Dmitri is the way he is, and with the help of Hope's character, Singh peels back more and more layers of Dmitri, revealing what truly makes him tick.
Hope and Dmitri are joint-investigating a murder, but the story ultimately turns into a journey of their own self-discovery, which at times is gut-wrenching and leaves you with an overall sense of darkness.
Raphael and Elena make very short appearances, and so do a handful of other characters from the prior books.
I was hoping for more Aodhan, but he is only mentioned in passing. Illium gets a few pages, but aside from that, the story is very heavy on Dmitri and Hope.
Overall, this is a great addition to the Guild Hunter series.
It was very dark and violent, more so than the first three books.
It felt a bit repetitive at times as far as describing Hope's and Dmitri's inner thoughts, and that's why I rated it just shy off 5 stars. Lastly, some of the plot points felt a bit disjointed as new villain characters seemed to pop up from nowhere in an effort to move the story along.

Guild Hunter is my new favorite series. I just can't get enough of this brilliant world Ms. Singh has created. This is hands down THE BEST BOOK in this series till now. I have not one complain from this book. Everything from the story to writing, pace, characters, romance, drama, emotions, sexual tension & heat, action was just absolutely perfect. I loved it, and can I just say that Raphael ain't got nothing on Dmitri.

I don't even know where to start. Okay, so this book features vampire Dmitri (Raphael's second), and hunter Honor. Now, Honor comes from a troubled past; she was brutally tortured by a group of vampires and is still dealing with the after-shocks. One thing I liked about Honor was that she didn't hide away from her past or pretend it didn't happen; she was strong and faced her captors with no fear. She doesn't take crap from anyone and defends herself even if it's from the head vampire of New York.

Dmitri is full-on sex on a stick. I had a love-hate relationship with him in Angels' Blood. He was too evil for me, and I didn't think for one second that he had anything nice about him. But boy, was I wrong. Dmitri was still his arrogant self, but he was so different & open with Honor. One of the things that made me more connected to his character was the bits & pieces of his pre-vampire life with his wife, Ingrede. The author didn't tell us, she actually showed us the good moments between Dmitri and his wife. The moments where he was loving, honorable, honest, loyal and just the sweetest husband ever. I just fell in love with that Dmitri. We also get to know the reasons behind his now-cruel behavior, and it make me understand & love him even more.

Archangel's Blade is an emotional story. One of the complain I always have with Ms. Singh's books are the rushed & confused endings. But that was not the case here. The author gave us one of the most beautiful ending in this book. For some reader, it was cliched or unrealistic; but for me, the ending works. It just flows nicely with the story, and makes it realistic. I believed in it. This is one of the books that I will cherish, and re-read it again. Guild Hunter is a must-read series, and it's only going to get better from here.

In Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter novels, Dmitri was never really a fave character of mine. He always seemed so cold. But in Archangel's Blade, I totally fell for him!!

We get his whole story in this book, his past about who he was before he was a vampire and an archangel's right hand man. He was once a decent person, believe it or not! Of course it took awhile for me to warm up to him still. Throughout the book we get little flashbacks of his life as a human and his human wife whom he loved more than anything, then a powerful being, an angel, took a shine onto him. And if a powerful deity wants you, then you're basically screwed--all mythology teaches us this, especially Greek!

Honor is without a doubt one of the strongest heroines I've ever read about! She was brutally attacked some time ago, and her kidnapper held her for 2 months. 2 months of inexplicable torture. It's been some time now since she was rescued but she's still healing emotionally, she's taken to always having weapons on her and around her apartment, she's a broken woman trying to heal herself and survive.

When she's asked to look at the severed head Dmitri found, she does so, but she isn't psyched to be working with a vampire, since it was vampires that held her prisoner. Dmitri wasn't my fave right away in the beginning either. He soon decided that he wanted to take Honor to bed with him. To (basically) be just [another] woman for him to pleasure and move on from.

But as time goes on, he soon learns more about Honor than he thought he would. Including about her torture. He soon decides that he's going to help her. He plans to find the ones who victimized her and torture them in return.

Basically then we have Honor and Dmitri trying to solve two cases, the case of the beheading and finding Honor's torturers. In that time we learn about Dmitri's past and he becomes a changed man. And it was a nice transition.

Soon some other things become apparent as well. I won't get into details, but there are some hints thrown here and there and I soon made an accurate predication! Yay me!! But the romance that sparks between Dmitri and Honor was really beautiful in a way. For Honor is attracted to Dmitri, yet she still fears the vampire part of him. Her body reacts in violent ways when he gets near. She's going to have to fight her own personal battles so she can withstand his touch that she so longs for!

Overall this was a pretty good read! I really enjoyed getting to know Dmitri more. He's no longer an a-hole to me anymore. He's a damn fine man! And vampire. Elena and Raphael do make some appearances, which was nice! Missed not having them as the stars, but Dmitri and Honor were truly read worthy! I do so hope that Nalini might have a book with good ol' Bluebell though!

Overall rating 4.5/5 stars

I've tried to figure out how to write my review honestly without giving spoilers, but I just can't. My major dislike involved a plot point that I would consider to be a spoiler, so be wary and don't read it unless you really want to know.

Dmitri, I'm happy to say, is still the same guy we first saw in Angels' Blood. He's wicked and naughty, and still has that disturbing vein of cruelty. He was, I have to admit, one of the members of the Seven that I was least interested in, but I really got to know him here and grew to love him. He's dark and dangerous, but what really swayed me were his memories. That guy, the one his memories, was the one that really made me fall for him. If we wouldn't have seen him as he was then, I'm not sure how much I would have cared for him in the present. As I said, he had a vein of hard anger and cruelty in him that had me shying away. Rafael could be cruel and cold to Elena and others, but he didn't seem to relish it the way Dmitri did, and that seemed to make all the difference for me.

I tried not to compare their relationship to Elena and Rafael, I really did. And I succeeded for the most part. It was weird seeing them from the sidelines and only having a few scenes with them, but the author was smart not to let any of the other characters accidentally dominate Dmitri's book. We got to see Jason and Illium and Venom, but the scenes with them seemed few and far between. What we did see of Illium continued to hint toward a worrying fixation on Elena, though. Just like in the last book, I'm not sure what I think of the continued mention of this subject. It's making it into a bigger thing than I want it to be and I keep hoping it will be dropped.

Honor and Dmitri both have had to learn to cope with the horrific abuse they're suffered. Dmitri is, of course, further along in the game than her, but he has had way more time to adjust. Honor is still jumpy and can't control her occasional involuntary fight or flight reaction around him. Although Honor would seem to be the more wounded of the two, being that her experience was more recent, Dmitri really stole the show. His constant flashbacks exposed us to a pain and a yearning that has never healed in him. It has been so many years and he's still not over his wife. He longs for the happiness and the love he felt when he was with her, and he just about broke my heart. That's really what leads into why the relationship between Honor and Dmitri left me dissatisfied.

Dmitri was clearly not over his wife, and honestly, I don't blame him. The flashbacks we were shown were incredibly compelling and it broke my heart to know that he didn't have that anymore. Although he started to make a connection with Honor, there was so much time devoted to memories of his prior life and Honor's similarities to his dead wife that I felt that the present relationship was shortchanged. I mean, we even had flashbacks during the scenes where Honor and Dmitri were getting frisky! I ended up being more interested in the past relationship than the present one and wished I could have read that romance, because they had something beautiful.

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I know why Dmitri was constantly reminded of his wife when he was with Honor, but it really made me doubt that Honor was actually what kept him interested. The author built up the past connection and Dmitri's continued devotion so well that the current relationship didn't quite fit. It seemed like the only reason why it developed into more than his typical catch and release attitude was because he became unwillingly intrigued by the similarities.

I was very shocked and unhappy to find that... This is where the SPOILERS come in, people... Honor was cast as Dmitri's dead wife, reincarnated. I know that some people find that situation very romantic, but I'm not one of them. To me, there's a very clear definition between this person and that person. Just because both people have the same soul does not mean that they are both guaranteed to be loved by the same person. Every action and inaction and event that you experience defines who you are. It's that person that someone will fall in love with. And I don't feel that those things are interchangeable. Change one event about your past and you could change your whole personality and outlook on life. You might not have grown and learned enough to become the person you are today.

So to have Dmitri's dreams come true by tying up his pain in a big red bow and giving him his wife back makes me very unhappy. What about Honor? She seemed to exist only as a vehicle to ease his torment. I am not convinced that he would have ever been completely fulfilled by just her. He was too hung up on his wife. But because she is his wife it's okay. Now he'll love her with everything he has. But is he really loving Honor? Or is he just loving his wife any way he can get her? I don't like to close a Romance with these nagging worries, so I'm not exactly stoked about how this all turned out.
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****END SPOILERS****

Other than that, I also felt that the story was a little slow and that the plot wasn't really important. It almost seemed like it existed only to give Honor and Dmitri an excuse to be around each other and to give Dmitri a compelling reason to reveal pieces of his past.

Although I wasn't thrilled with this book, I still enjoyed it. The Guild Hunter world is an awesome place to be and I enjoyed getting to see more of Ashwini and getting to see the storyline for Holly (Uram's victim) developed further.

Favorite Quote:

"Like to push, don't you?"

"If I don't," he purred, leaning down to kiss her while he plumped and shaped her breast with a proprietary hand, "how will I ever get you to a point where you'll let me tie you up and use a whip on you?"

Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.

I normally write a brief summary of a book before I delve into my review. I can't seem to get my thoughts together to write a non-spoilery one for Archangel's Blade. If you've read the first 3 books in the series, you know that Dmitri is Raphael's Second. Dmitri has always been an interesting character in the previous 3 books and I was excited to see him have his own book.

Even though Dmitri is the hero in this book, his character is not watered down. He's still as dark and dangerous as in the previous books. We finally get a bird's eye view of what is going on in Dmitri's head and it is not pretty. Honor works for the Guild Hunter and is recovering from her own traumatic experience. Being paired up with Dmitri probably isn't the best thing for her recovery but she is determined to do her job.

Archangel's Blade started off a little slow for me. It took about 100 pages for me to get caught up in the story. This is probably my own issue and not reflective of the book itself. But once I was finally pulled into the story, I could not put the book down. Dmitri is sexy and dangerous. Honor is on edge when she's around him but can't help but be attracted to him. Dmitri understands what Honor is after - revenge. Revenge on the people that tortured and violated her for two months. Revenge is something that Dmitri is familiar with and is more than willing to help Honor dish it out.

Throughout Archangel's Blade, Dmitri has flashbacks to his past. Even though Dmitri is over a thousand years old, his past is always with him, never forgotten. These peeks into Dmitri's head and heart humanizes him even though he stresses that his humanity died a long time ago. The longer Dmitri is around Honor, a little bit of his humanity returns. He is her protector. He knows what she was gone through and he is determined to help her fight back. There is one scene where Dmitri does something that he swore he would never do to Honor. Her reaction was quick and violent. Dmitri realizes what he has done and what he does to beg her forgiveness brought a tear to my eye.

There is a lot going on in this book but the plot doesn't get confusing. Raphael and Elena are on the sidelines, helping Dmitri and Honor along with Venom, Jason and my favorite, Illium. Holly, a survivor of Uram's attack, story develops more and I hope to see more of her in future books. Her story is getting more interesting as she is slowly changing into maybe one of Uram's creations.

Archangel's Blade is one of the best books of the series. Dmitri as the hero and love interest did not disappoint. Both Honor and Dmitri are broken and I loved how they came together to help each other heal. The only thing that bothered me was hints of Honor's past that was sprinkled throughout the book and came to a conclusion at the end. I found that to be too convenient and coincidental. I suspected half-way through the book that this may be the direction Honor and Dmitri's relationship was headed but I didn't like it. But it gave them a neat HEA wrapped up in a pretty bow. And after what those two have been through, they definitely deserve it.

B+

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

This review is written with the assumption that you are all caught up in the series. Archangel's Blade could be a stand alone read but I would not recommend it.

Talk about two tortured characters! Most times when I read a story and there is a heavy back story, it is usually one character battling personal demons and the other character is trying to help with the healing process. Not the case with Archangel's Blade. Both of the protagonists, Dmitri and Honor are fractured and reeling from deep wounds. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure how they were going to heal each other. There are some wicked scenarios in Archangel's Blade that are pretty gruesome. I'm glad I'm done with the series for now. I need a break.

Archangel's Blade was very well written and the intense story line kept my eyes glued to the pages. It was a page turner for sure.

The only information that the readers know about Dmitri going into Archangel's Blade is the few tidbits that have been shared in the previous books. Dmitri is a vampire now and you just know that there is a wicked back story. To bring the readers up to date on his previous life, there are a series of flashbacks that Dmitri experiences. I'm not a fan of flashbacks (in any story). The reader is fed bits and pieces and you need to use these snippets to puzzle together his mortal conclusion. It takes the entire book to do so. Heartbreaking best describes Dmitri's previous life as a human. That is all I can say about that.

Even though Honor is a Hunter from the Guild Hunter organization, she is a new character that was not introduced in any of the previous books. Right away you understand that she has suffered a recent personal atrocity and she is still in the clutches of healing. She is a strong woman and it is easy to admire how hard she is trying to heal herself.

As Dmitri and Honor team up there are two mysteries woven into Archangel's Blade. One is about a mysterious decapitated head with an unknown but distinctive tattoo and the other is trying to solve who and why Honor was brutalized. Both of those stories run parallel to each other. Additionally mixed in to the book are Dmitri's flashbacks coupled with strange dreams that Honor is experiencing. There is an awful lot going on in Archangel's Blade.

Although Elena and Raphael (from the first 3 books) are present as secondary characters in Archangel's Blade, I really missed them. I do love them. I'm pretty sure that if this book 4 was another story about Elena and Raphael, I would have been just as happy to continue reading about them.

You would not think that Dmitri and Honor would have been such a great pair together. With his dark side and her trying heal from the dark forced upon her, they seemed to be a mismatched pair on paper. However, it worked. I enjoyed them testing each other's limits and I enjoyed reading about Honor earning her life back. Dmitri didn't turn out to be a crutch as I expected but rather Honor was just brave enough to do it on her own. The ending is where I decided to downgrade Archangel's Blade from a 5 down to a 4. This explanation is going to be bit hard without spoilers but lets just say, I didn't like the ultimate "fix" for Honor. This whole story I was routing for her and I was disappointed. The finale with the accumulation of his flashbacks and her dreams certainly left me scratching my head and feeling a bit let down. That is not what I personally wanted for Honor. I am pretty sure fans of the Guild Hunter series will strongly go against me on my disappointment but it was how I felt at the end.

Teasers: great use of honey, Holly turned to Sorrow, a mother's love gone really really bad, wild flower memorial

Archangel's Blade is book four in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh.

I usually write a small summary of the book but in this case the blurb will have to be sufficient because I don't want to give too much away. Also I'm going to try to write this review as spoiler free as possible. Let's see if I can.

When I learned Mrs. Singh was writing Dmitri's book I was excited and to tell you the true a bit skeptical too. I couldn't picture Dmitri as a hero in love and caring for anyone. Dmitri is a very dark character who punishes and enjoys the suffering of others, so how was Mrs. Singh going to makes us like him, how was she going to makes us change the image we have of him from Angel's Blood (book one of the series)? But, she did it. She took us on a trip to his past in which we see his core and the events that transformed him, making him the "person" he is now days.
Saying Dmitri is a tortured soul is putting it mildly. He has live for thousand years in anger and resentment to others and towards himself for events that were completely out of his control. The way he lives his life is almost as a defense mechanism against his past and his memories. And seeing him letting "his walls" crumble because of a woman was a very nice experience.

Honor is also a survivor, she was the victim of a very traumatic experience involving vampires, one in which not many will survive with his/her mind intact, but Honor is a fighter and everyday is a milestone to her recovery. Spending time with Dmitri is not an easy task for her on the beginning. He is a vampire to start with, but also he has fascinated her since the moment she arrived to New York, years back, but now after the attack she associates vampires with her attack, so when she is with Dmitri the conflict of emotions is palpable.

Since their first meeting the tension between these two is off the charts. At the beginning Honor is just a prey for Dmitri but when he learns about her past he takes it as his duty to help her find her revenge from her assailants. With every moment they spend together they get closer and closer and start to open to each other about their lives and their past. I really like this approach to their HEA; honesty is the base for any good relationship but sadly after this highlight in the story is when I started to have a problem with a book that was perfect. There were some hints about Honor that I wasn't sure where they were going but was suspecting it, and when the end came and my suspicions were confirmed I felt a very big disappointment and cheated. I thought the ending didn't make justice to the romance. It's also an ending in which the HEA is very subjective therefore not real (in my opinion). I want to tell you more but if I do I will spoiled the book for you. And that is the last thing I want to do. Also my reaction to the end was a very personal one and it may not be the same reaction you would have.

We see some glimpses of Elena and Raphael, they seem to be doing great and I'm happy for that. We also see more of Illium, Jason, Venom and Holly, now called Sorrow. I don't know if it was me and my wild imagination but I felt there was something between Venom and Sorrow, we'll see... Illium worries me a bit, he is still too attached to Elena and I have a feeling that is not going to end up well. I hope I'm wrong because Bluebell is one of my favorite characters and I want him to be safe and happy.

Janvier from Angel's Pawn (0.5 prequel of the series) is mention couple of times I think we will see more of him and Ashwini in the future. It was also said that Aodhan is moving to New York, he is one angel I would love to know better and I can't wait to see what Mrs. Singh has in store for him.

In general I loved Archangel's Blade, as always Mrs. Singh writing is spotless, sexy and fluid. If it weren't because of my disappointment with the end this would have been a 5 Paws book. Anyway Archangel's Blade is a great book, a book I recommend you to read. It could be read as a stand-alone but I recommend you to read previous books first to have a better image and understanding of the characters.

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

Full review at my blog

For the fourth (and possibly best) Guild Hunter book, Ms. Singh steers away from main characters Archangel Raphael and his Hunter Consort Elena, who were the primary focus of the first three books. Instead we follow Raphael's second-in-command, the ancient vampire, Dmitri and recently abducted Hunter, Honor. Chronologically, this story follows the third book, Archangel's Consort, and readers of the series will recognize several familiar faces.

With the change in character focus, I feel that readers new to this series *could* start with Archangel's Blade, however, this is such an amazing series, I recommend starting at the beginning where readers witness how cold and cruel Dmitri is. Without softening Dmitri, Ms. Singh indulges us with glimpses into the psyche and heart of a man who will only weep before one woman.

Honor is a special woman as well. After being abducted, tortured and raped by a dangerous vampire, she is paired with Dmitri to work on a case. Without missing a beat, Dmitri carefully pushes Honor, using a restraint he has never shown before, forcing her to face her fears and heal. Although she is frightened, Honor has always felt a bond and attraction to the mysterious Dmitri, and she pushes back, fighting and becoming whole.

I was a bit concerned about Honor and her recovery, but Ms. Singh does, in my opinion, a good job. Honor does not go riding off into the sunset. She starts and stops many times before allowing herself to fall for Dmitri. Her character was developed in such a way that leaves little doubt in her desire and ability to survive and overcome. As Honor herself said she's not a victim, she's a survivor.

The characters make this book, but the story is equally intriguing. The plots mingle and move at just the right pace to keep you glued to the pages.

Archangel's Blade is a fabulous addition to the Guild Hunter series. With the difficult topic of rape/abduction, Ms. Singh gives the story grace and power. I grew to care about Dmitri and Honor and hope that we will see a lot more of them in the future.

Nalini Singh does it again.. I know I say that a lot but honestly the woman ROCKS.. Archangel's Blade the Fourth book in her Guild Hunters Series takes you down that long steamy path straight into decadent delight. Oh yeah, I said steamy. In Book Four Ms Singh moves away from Raphael and Elena and gives us a Dimitri treat. Can we say sex on a stick? Oh yeah, and you seriously want to lick. him. up.

Dimitri, probably the strongest vampire alive second in command to an Archangel. Angels fear him. And yet he is devoted to Raphael a friend from another lifetime. A friendship that had been created in innocence and forged in despair. A promise of revenge fulfilled and secure that if either had ever crossed that line the other would somehow take him down. Dimitri is dark and devious he is the ultimate bad boy. And yet, he doesn't hurt or brutalize the innocent and those who would destroy a female is doomed. His heart was given over a thousand years ago and he would gladly have died a human. One of the few Vampires that did not choose the Making but had it forced upon him by evil.

Honor, a hunter in hiding.. Deep in the belly of the guild there are caverns where a hunter can hide, regroup or just get some quiet time. Honor has hidden there for months, since she was captured and tortured both mentaly and physically. Used for feeding, used as a sex toy.. battered, bruised. She walks out but no longer hunter secure. She is lost. She is also the most knowledgeable hunter of ancient text and the guild needs her. The tower needs her.. she has no choice she must work with Dimitri to discover who is behind the latest attack.

Both Honor and Dimitri have haunted pasts.. beyond the more recent one and Ms Singh does a wonderful job of merging their pasts, their demons both those around them and those within them, together. Since Dimitri has been a dark dangerous character in previous books, to make him a simple character now would destroy any and all credibility and yet..

This was my favorite book so far probably because I didn't expect it. Dimitri as a hero has an edgier feel. He isn't ever tamed, he can't be he has seen too much, done too much and since he was born human he lost too much. Honor has to touch the deepest recess of his inner self in order to find the real him. It was intriguing the way Ms Singh does this. She took us in an entirely different direction. While, I won't give spoilers I will say this was the one part of the book that was easily decipherable. You pretty much knew how it was going to be resolved and yet it was moving, compelling and powerful.One of the best things Ms Singh does in this series is she offers us choices of evil. We know who the bad guys are, we know they are the ones to watch out for and yet she always manages to offer a twist. A sly insinuation, yes our bad guy is a bad guy but is he/she THE bad guy? We are never completely sure. Not until the very end.. and she throws us red herring after red herring.. most excellently done..

As I have stated with every book.. this is a must read series..

Shauni

As the Archangel Raphael's second, Dmitri is very good at managing issues and assigning the proper immortal to clean up the mess. However, when a head shows up with a tattoo that reminds him of a time long past, he has a feeling this is something he must handle personally. He seeks out a guild hunter who is skilled in ancient languages. However, he never could have predicted his reaction to her, as he feels an instant deep attraction to her, something completely unheard of for him. Problem is that she is very scarred herself, having just barely survived a horrific attack, proving to be one difficult target for his affections. But Dmitri is old and very patient hunter, who always wins in the end.

I'm always a little gun shy about reading books where the focus shifts in perspective from the previously established characters in the former books. I really love Elena and Raphael, and even though his arrogance does grate on my nerves at times, I think they are perfect for one another in the end. So it was with great reluctance that I started reading Archangel's Blade, especially since Dmitri definitely has not been painted in a fair light up until now. I just couldn't see how this cold creature could be possible of any type of compassion, yet alone love. I should have known better. Not only is there so much more to him that meets the eye, but a lot of his actions are a forced penance on himself. As the book went on, we got more and more glimpses into the man he was, and everything that he lost. Yes, he did harden himself to the point of almost cruelty, but most would have long crumbled under what he has suffered.

Honor is every bit as damaged as Dmitri, maybe even more so. At the start of Archangel's Blade, Honor was just starting to put the pieces back together as she seemed to be nothing more than a lifeless shell. She is deeply scarred, yet still held an iron will that refused to give in to defeat. Everything that had been done to her was meant to break her, and while it all came perilously close, she still was able to hold on to some shred of sanity. Now, of course her progression towards healing was not instantaneous, and I'm sure some of the "scars" will never completely go away, but what matters in the end was her perseverance through it all, making her truly worthy of admiration.

I had worried that things would move too fast between Honor and Dmitri to be realistic considering their pasts, but I was very pleased with the way things were handled. There is a twist in things that I felt really added to their relationship and made things so much more substantial. So, I have to say for any fans of the Guild Hunter series that are worried about the change in character focus, don't be, as you will fall just as hard for Honor and Dmitri as you ever did for Elena and Rapheal. A definite two thumbs up to Nalini Singh for such talent and making me truly care for a character that I had thought was beyond redemption. Bravo!

4.5 Stars

Archangel's Blade was about Dmitri, so lets just recap on him and what we have learned about him in the previous books...Dmitri is vicious, at most times cruel, merciless, and someone even though he may be sexy as hell, is someone that if you were to see him you should for your own safety run the other way. Yep that about sums him up.

I really wasn't that thrilled when I learned the fourth book was going to be about Dmitri mainly because of how cruel he was to Elena but Nalini Singh has somehow done it again and after reading Archangel's Blade Dmitri is now my second favorite right after Illium of course. Singh did a great job of still keeping Dmitri as we have gotten to know him in the past books while making him more "human". She did this by letting us learn about his past through his memories and all I have to say is my heart was breaking for him the deeper I got inside his head.

As for Honor she is a survivor. She survived being brutalized by vampires and even though she is still scarred by it she is not letting it stop her from getting on with her life. What really made me love her is the fact that she had no fear of standing up to Dmitri.

If you haven't started this series I highly recommend it. Archangel's Blade was a great addition to the series it was full of vengeance, heartache, and believable characters. I would have rated this five stars but the ending was wrapped up too quickly especially with the big reveal. Not giving spoilers but it had to do with Honor and Dmitri's relationship.

Memorable Quotes:

~Raising his hand, he rubbed a finger on his cheek, came away with a dark red slick on his fingertip. "Something about me seems to make women want to use knives."

~"Some battles," she said softly, holding that gaze full of secrets so very old, "a woman has to fight on her own."

Honor St. Nicholas faced, and somehow came out of a hunter's worst nightmare - two months in a cage at the mercy of vampires who didn't know the meaning of the word. After her fellow hunter's rescued her, Honor has tried to get back to the way she was before, though unsuccessfully. Now she has been ordered to one of the places she dreads - the archangel's tower, to meet with the deadly vampire there.

Dmitri has spent the last thousand years working for the archangel who faced some of Dmitri darkest hours along side him. That experience took away the essence of the warm, loving man he was and helped him become the dangerous and cold vampire he is now, the right hand to a powerful angel. However, Dmitri has never forgotten the experiences that made him this way, and in his own way, he fights for the people who have turned into victims.

Honor and Dmitri work together to discover who is killing barely made vampires. And more importantly why they are showing in Rafael's area. But as they work to unravel the mystery a strange attraction, and later passion begins between them. Dmitri is determined to help Honor not only to again become the strong woman she was but to also face, and destroy, the vampires who hurt her. Honor finds the strength to battle Dmitri, and slowly discovers the spunk that made her become a hunter in the first place. As both mysteries begin to be answered piece by piece, Honor is discovering yet another mystery that makes no sense, that she can't quite put her finger on but feels very real. Dmitri swore long ago to never love a woman and yet there something about Honor he can't resist. When the final answers are discovered, Dmitri and Honor both overcome the puzzles that brought them together. Most shocking and surprising to both of them is the final answer that proves love can last forever and overcome anything.

A scarred woman filled with fear discovers lasting passion with a man no one believes has a heart in Archangel's Blade. Dmitri has always been a wonder to me about what made him how he was. I started reading knowing I could either love him forever, or hate him by the end of the book. After the first meeting between Dmitri and Honor, I knew I would love him. Honor had me rooting for her instantly, and I grew to be even more impressed with her as I turned the pages. I truly loved that there were three separate ribbons of suspense, mystery, and passion all going on at the same time. Watching as both Dmitri and Honor faced, and conquered the people who were involved with their worst nightmares had me falling even more for these two strong and loving people. The final revelation was one that proved to me that love is truly one of the strongest things in the world. No, I won't tell you what but I have a feeling you will agree with me. Archangel's Blade is a wonderful journey filled with suspense, passion, tight friendships, and most importantly, a love that couldn't be denied. To Joyfully Recommend this book doesn't seem like enough to tell you how much I loved it but I do highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what the next angel is that Nalini gives us to discover in this amazing series.

Reviewed by Jo
For Joyfully Reviewed

When a severed vampire head is pulled from the river, Archangel Raphael's Second, centuries-old vampire Dmitri, is determined to discover not only his identity but also the meaning of the odd tattoo on his face. Honor St. Nicholas, Guild Hunter, arrives at the Tower to assist Dmitri in the deciphering. A hardened vampire who shows no weakness, Dmitri cannot comprehend the feelings Honor's mere presence evokes. Honor is the victim of a brutal attack, one that has left her shattered but she's determined to slay the nightmares that plague her.

The almost violent repartee between hunter and vampire escalates as they remain in close contact with each other. Both yearn to solve the mystery of one who is seemingly baiting Dmitri with his past and Dmitri is hell bent on discovering the identities of Honor's attackers so he can destroy them without mercy. So many things pull them together and so much threatens to keep them apart. As the darkness threatens to devour and destroy the two, the survivor's instincts each has honed in their own tragic pasts prove that while they may not survive this new storm of evil, they certainly will not give up without a fight.

As the fourth book in Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, it is expected that there will be angels, demons and hunters, all living on the edge, all with stories to tell. Dmitri, while playing strong roles in the first three novels, finally gets his own story. And what a story it is. The author delves deep in revealing Dmitri's story and just how fully he resonates with Honor from the very first moment they met. Both are attracted to and repelled by each other. Each dances around the other, building up more and more sexual tension that threatens to not only implode the couple once that tension releases, but one that may very well take out the electricity of several city blocks in its wake!

I don't often expect books later in a series to be better than the first but the Guild Hunter series just keeps getting better and better as more of this world is revealed. With lush scenes, witty dialogue, and dark, edgy characters, I devoured Archangel's Blade in one sitting. Even as some of the horror elements wove throughout the plot, the lush romance building between vampire and hunter was palpable. For paranormal romance fans, this is one darkly hedonistic paradise you don't want to miss! Absolutely recommended!

Check out my other reviews on fallenangelreviews.com!

I am a huge fan of this series, since I discovered Angels' Blood. Elena and Raphael's story sucked me in, even though the third book isn't my favorite. So when I finished Archangel's Consort - the third book - and saw that the next is gonna be Dmitri's book, I felt a little... no... VERY disappointed. I was like You gotta be kidding me!! But I found Dmitri's character to be interesting enough to pre-order Archangel's Blade. I immediately fallen in love with the cover. Yes the mysterious dark, shirtless predator with 6packs in a long black leather coat and with a gun in his hand can be really eye catching, but that isn't the only thing that I love. I love the scene settings, the colors, the whole set up makes an awesome contrast. And the embossed, color of copper "Archangel's Blade" title wasn't a bad idea either. So I thought it'd look stunning on the shelf... aaaand it remained there until yesterday. That means I haven't touched it for nearly 6 months!! Not even once! How could I not pick up this treasure?? Oh yes. I was scared because it is not about the two main characters from the first 3 books who I already loved.

Man! I soooooo didn't want this book to end... I've never thought Dmitri's story would suck me in as much as Elena's and Raphael's did... that bloodsucker bastard!! The weird thing is, that Archangel's Blade was very similar to Angel's Blood ,which is my favorite in the series, so maybe I'm a little biased. We get to see Elena and Raphael in a few scenes along with Illium, Jason and Venom. And we get a tiny information about Raphael's mother too, but Nalini has carefully made sure that neither side character could overrun Dmitri's story.

Both main character have a past that comes with so much pain and scars on their souls and bodies as well.
I'm happy to tell you, that Dmitri is still that snarky, dangerous, naughty predator as he was in the previous books. But his memories about his past makes you to want pull him into a hug and to make him forget those memories even though he scares the shit out of you...

While there's a main plot (the mystery murder case) and also a subplot (Honor's attackers' ID) I could say the focus is on Dmitri's real personality and the main characters' relationship- what is a nicely built relationship- And then there's a twist, something special in Honor, what I've really speculated and did not see coming. I'm not sure I liked it or not, it seems a little out of place, not totally fits in the series' world, but it's sweet though.

OVERALL: My advice is, if you love this series, don't be afraid and while you're waiting for the next E+R story, go on, pick this up and give a chance to this dark, wicked vampire to seduce you too. I can't promise, he won't bite, though :P

- Andie @ The Secret Sanctuary of Books

Redonk Nutshell: An ancient and powerful vampire teams up with a damaged Guild Hunter to track down the culprit responsible for ritualistic murders of vampires around the city

Here it is, ya'll. The reason I got into The Guild Hunter series. Don't judge by the cover - look past the dude and his entrancing six -pack. Or as Spaz from WLP puts it the guy " that looks kind of like a buff Kevin Nealon."

The rom bloggers I follow all had something to say about Dmitir, which more or less sums up to: Nasty byatch be hot. How could I not be intrigued?

Having plowed through (and enjoyed) the first three books in The Guild Hunter Series, I was excited to finally get to Dmitri's story. I wasn't disappointed.

Briefly here's what we got: Dmitri, the right hand to the epic Archangel of New York, is on the case of a murdered vampire bearing a strange archaic tattoo. The Guild has assigned one of their hunters specializing in languages to assist him. Honor accepts her task begrudgingly. She's only barely recovered from a vicious vampire assault, but she's determined to get herself back out there and conquer her fears.

Who else to help her get over her fear than one of the scariest, most renowned vampire in the world? Ha effing ha.

What makes Dmitri so intriguing is he has no qualms about being a dark and disturbing individual, and at times, jack ass. He purposely pushes people's buttons, constantly toeing a line between what's acceptable and what's not. He has no qualms about who he is and why he does what he does. The only other person to truly know him is Raphael, the Archangel. Dmitri has a horrific past, events that have carefully honed him into the beast of a man he is today.

You can imagine his reaction when he meets the Guild Hunter he's been assigned, a woman battered and utterly terrified yet fiercely committed to meeting his unspoken challenge to control. Dmitri is not an easy man to face, yet Honor forces herself to do so, earning herself the spotlight of Dmitri's interest. They work together to solve the case of the strange tattoo and the dead vampires piling up around them. In the process, Dmitri helps Honor to overcome her fears, taking it upon himself to track down the vampires that had abducted, tortured and violated her.

In the process these two form a unique bond, and Dmitri finds himself struggling to come to terms with his past and what's being offered to him presently. Without giving spoilers, Honor and Dmitri's story is resolved in a manner that may leave some with a flat taste in their mouths. I personally am not the biggest fan of...this sort of plot device...but in this case it worked. Dmitri and Honor are SO damaged that the manner in which they finally find peace seems appropriate. It's the only way for them to have their Happily Ever After.

Overall, I enjoyed Archangel's Blade. It was worth delving into the series - I'm so glad I did! I can't wait to read more. And seriously, Ms. Singh? I need me some more Illium. Pronto.

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh, 310 pgs, 9/6/11

Rating: B

Romance: 2/5 Raunch: 3.5/5

Originally posted at WickedLilPixie dot com
This is what I'm talking about!! After the disappointment I felt over the last book in the series, this knocked my fuzzy socks off. This is Paranormal Romance at its best, seriously you guys. Archangel's Blade is the fourth book in Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series and a break from the first three in that it is Dmitri's story, departing from Elena and Raphael for a change (though of course they're in it!).

Dmitri is Raphael's, the archangel of New York, second. Raphael's Seven comprise the angels and vampires who pledged their lives to the archangel, led by Dmitri. He is, naturally, the "archangel's blade". Vampires are Made by archangels, a hundred years of service to the angels in exchange for the gift of near-immortality. NYC is not only home to Rafael the archangel, but also a powerful Guild of hunters dedicated to retrieving those who decided to run from their service contracts. Honor is one of those hunters, but she is also the recent survivor of a most awfully humiliating and painful trauma that has left her broken. Dmitri has been alive almost a thousand years old, and appears to live for for the pleasure of blood and pain, every other sensation having grown dull. The two could not be from more different worlds and yet the minute Honor steps in to Dmitri's office, hold on to your underpants, it is so hot the sparks are jumping off the pages. I am fanning myself just remembering.Whew!

I am usually not a fan of soul reincarnation-themed love stories, but I really don't see any other way it could have worked out for Dmitri's HEA. He was just too damaged, too tormented and too angry, that the way Ms. Singh intertwined Honor and Dmitri's story really worked for me. Chapter 30. That is all I have to say. Chapter freaking 30.While I sit down to write this review, the only thing I can really find myself saying is "Dmitri is hot", "Did I mention how hot Dmitri is?", "Seriously, this book is so hot." But it's also a great love conquers all story, too. And don't go judging him by the cover you see up above, that looks kind of like a buff Kevin Nealon... Here I go for the 345th time: Dmitri is hot.

I enjoyed the darkness of the story, and even the brutality of the story made sense and worked for me. Nalini Singh hit a home run with Dmitri's story and it met all my high expectations. I do not recommend reading this stand-alone. In order to get the full effect of this story, I recommend reading this order in series. It is important to have some familiarity of the characters, particularly Dmitri, to get the full oomph of this one. Do it now!

Guild Hunter series reading order:

Angels' Blood
Archangel's Kiss
Archangel's Consort
Archangel's Blade

I understand the need for back stories and in Dimitri's case, a back story that is harsh in order to explain his hard demeanor. However, the torture and the background of what happened to his children was too much. This book just made me so depressed, there was no coming back. It seemed other people liked the book so perhaps I am just too sensitive. But, I did see other comments like mine so perhaps, there are just two groups of people...people who can take this type of graphic violence and others who may just prefer things to be inferred but perhaps not spelled out as graphically as she did. I think the story would have been as strong if she wasn't this depressing. Definitely not my type of book.

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh is satisfyingly dark, sexy and just flat-out amazing. Nalini keeps rocking this Guild Hunter series with each book refreshing, violent and fast-paced- I am not going to get bored with these characters anytime soon. Archangel's Blade begins with a prologue that will pull at your heartstrings and give our hero, Dimitri, an incredible back story. Don't skip it! This story could be read as a stand alone, but I recommend reading the previous three installments because they're just as incredible.

Dmitri, wow. What a character. Dangerously intense and witty, with an undying love for his long lost wife... Sigh. I really didn't think Nalini could create a better hero than Raphael, but she did. And I'm hoping she outdoes herself again whenever she gives my dearest Illium his own story. It is strange that Elena and Raphael aren't at the forefront, but it suited the novel and it was a refreshing break to have a new couple focused on. Though don't worry, we get to catch up with all of our favorites including Elena, Raphael, Illium and Venom. Even Holly who is recuperating from an archangel attack.

The plot is intense, action packed and full of sick little twists and turns that will keep the story flowing. Nalini keeps her plots as gruesome and horrific as ever. Honor had previously been kidnapped and now they're tracking down those that are responsible. Honor is extremely likable, not my favorite heroine, but I enjoyed her character nevertheless. It is fascinating watching her character heal throughout the story.

Ok, enough is enough. Archangel's Blade is absolutely delectable. Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy fans- get out there and purchase this book, you won't regret it!

I'm a huge Nalini Singh fan and I love the Guild Hunter series. But to be honest I was worried when I found out the series was changing direction from being completely focused around Elena and Raphael. Then the cover was released and I didn't like it near as much as the past in the series. I was starting to get really scared that this was going to be the first Singh book I didn't like. Archangel's Blade Is all about Dmitri (Raphael's second) the first book that focuses on one of Raphael's seven. I am extremely happy to say I was wrong. I loved Archangel's Blade!

With everything I knew about Dmitri from previous books in the series I knew the role of his love interest would not be an easy one to fill. Honor is a strong hunter who has been completely broken. Watching Honor put herself back together was beautiful. There is one part of herself that she had no idea she had (I'm not going to give a big spoiler here) and it's what will keep Honor and Dmitri together.

I can't say that before Archangel's Blade I really loved or hated Dmitri, but now...oh Dmitri. I find myself again jealous of a woman in a book for having this fictional man that I know does not exist. I knew that he was one thousand years old and that he has been Raphael's friend all that time. I know that in all that time horrible things can happen to you, still I was amazed at the heart ache he had lived through. I enjoyed how Nalini Singh told Dmitri's back story just a little at a time throughout the book and not in big chunks I felt like it really set a great pace for the book.

Throughout Archangel's Blade we got to see Illium (Bluebell) and Venom, who are two of my favorite out of the seven. I loved their supporting rolls in this story and can't wait to read each of theirs!

Happy Reading,
Rebecca

With each story Nalini Singh has always managed to sweep me away into another world and make me fall in love with her characters. But then there are those rare stories which just takes the reading experience to a whole other level. Archangel's Blade is sheer perfection where every story element comes together and blows my emotions out of this stratosphere! There wasn't a moment my attention faltered or where I felt a tinge of disappointment because plot or character development didn't work for me. The intrinsically layered story allowed the characters to soar in their journey where rip-roaring action and soul claiming passion ruled. I was encompassed by Dmitri and Honor's trials and tribulations from page one!

Dmitri is dark, unforgiving, arrogant, he is brutal and has strength to match it, and Nalini Singh keeps him that way. He is called Raphael's blade for a reason. I would almost call him an anti-hero but his backstory just sucker punched me. It doesn't make Dmitri all of a sudden a goody-two-shoe but it deepens his persona in a profound way. He is complexity to the nth degree and is a challenge no woman can ignore! Complex men don't make for easy loving and Honor is about to find out how true this is.

Honor is a blend of fierce temperament, courage and vulnerability. She had to overcome a vicious attack and is now taking back the reigns of her life. Honor is the kind of character who can completely take me in to the moment and let me feel her fear, her potent fury, her passion and her strength. She shows Dmitri her own claws even as she feels the fear. She owns her sensuality again even as Dmitri challenges her boundaries in this. Everything about Honor spoke to me.

A huge part of the appeal in Archangel's Blade is the interaction between Dmitri and Honor. Nalini Singh lets the exquisite sexual tension seep through in to the dialogues, the body chemistry and ultimately, the passion, which sets the pages ablaze! Watching that attraction evolve in to something so much deeper, essential and intense was quite the emotional roller coaster ride. The mystery brought external as well as internal struggles for Dmitri and Honor to deal with. It fused the plot and romance together to a point where it heightened the overall impact of the story. Early on there were small slivers of thoughts or feelings which made me connect certain dots and wonder about a possible plot twist Nalini Singh might have in store for us. My hunch gained more certainty as the story progressed and it drove home to an ending that had me in tears.

Next to Dmitri and Honor dealing with the mysteries and their sizzle and burn attraction there were a few other characters who I loved getting to know more. Sorrow for instance is a character with an acerbic tongue whom I liked on the spot. Venom , Illium, Jason, Raphael and Elena. They enlivened the dialogues even more with banter, humor or flat out arrogance or authority. They are larger-than-life personalities not of this world and they mesmerizes me. With each novel in the Guild-Hunter series I just fall more deeper for the core cast. It is something I love Nalini Singh for! She is able to put together such a memorable cast of characters and set them in a world you can't help but want to go back to the moment you've finished a story.

While Archangel's Blade absolutely wow-ed me it is partly because the writing voice of this author just makes me live and feel it all!

A sample of Nalini Singh's lyrical writing;

She'd taste of salt and wildflowers, intermingled with an earthy femininity that sang a siren song to the man beneath the civilized surface.

Or

The tenderness of the moment destroyed him, singing to parts of him he'd thought long dead.

This is the kind of lyrical writing which bursts in to vivid imagery in my mind's eye or conveys the intensity of each emotion felt by the characters. This is writing where I have no hardships, at all, to connect to the characters. This is writing which plays my heart strings like a symphony and leaves me baffled by the end.

Dmitri and Honor's journey is one of sheer perfection where everything comes together and blew me away! Archangel's Blade is unequivocally one of Nalini Singh's bests stories to date!

I love Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, but I was worried at the end of the third book that it was a little too stuck on the same characters. This fourth book really shakes it up, though; Dmitri (a dark and rather mysterious secondary character in previous books) is a fascinating main character. Talk about your tortured romance hero! And Honor, the hunter to whom he's attracted, presents a huge challenge.

Honor is a great heroine; she is made of strong stuff, and she can kick ass, but she isn't superhuman -- the recent victim of a group of vampires, she's in no hurry to trust Dmitri, despite the very strong attraction between them. She has some healing to do, and Dmitri is not known for being caring or gentle with the women in his life. But they are working together to track down the vampires who hurt her and prevent them from doing the same or worse to others, so a degree of trust is necessary.

Watching these two wounded people come together -- making mistakes, having setbacks, facing danger from outside but also from each other -- was a powerful reading experience. There are some very dark moments in this book, but Singh always managed to pull back before I felt overwhelmed, and shift the mood to another emotion. This book is scary, sexy, tender and funny in turns, and I loved reading every page. What a terrific love story!

To top it off, this book has cameo appearances (worked in very well) by most of the characters in the series who I can't get enough of,. The overall series plot arc continues to be interesting, and I'm already eager for more.

Da der Inhalt bereits schon von den Vorgängerrezensionen ausgiebig geschildert worden ist, erlaube ich es mir, hierauf zu verzichten. Stattdessen werde ich mich auf meine persönlichen Bucheindrücke beschränken.

Archangel`s Blade knüpft an Blutigkeit wieder an die ersten Romane (außer Archangel`s Consort - Dieses war angenehm weniger blutrünstig) dieser Buchreihe an. Da es hier auch um Wiedergutmachung i. S. v. Rache geht, ist das auch völlig O.K..

Dmitri`s Persönlichkeit ist in diesem Buch ganz anders, als in den anderen Büchern. Mrs. Singh gewährt tiefe Einblicke in seine Gedankenwelt und Handlungen und schafft es somit ihn gänzlich anders erscheinen zu lassen. Er ist weiterhin sexy, stark, gnadenlos und stellenweise kalt. Jedoch andererseits auch stellenweise verletzlich und geradezu schockierend einfühlsam. Kurzum, ein sehr komplexer Charakter.

Honor ist ebenfalls ein Charakter, den man von Beginn an mag. Wie könnte man auch anders; bei all dem, was ihr zugestoßen ist.

Die Anziehung von Dmitri und Honor ist zu Beginn an vorhanden und am Ende des Buches wird auch klar warum. Die R**-Sache (BIG Spoiler - obwohl dies leider schon in anderen Rezensionen verraten worden ist) empfand ich beim ersten Mal Lesen als i.O., beim zweiten Mal Lesen sogar als sehr gut. Mrs. Singh hat dies sehr schön in diesem Buch umgesetzt.
Gefallen hat mir auch, dass Honor von Beginn an von den Anderen (Jason, Venom etc.) akzeptiert worden ist. Sie wurde von Beginn an als "ebenbürtig" für Dmitri befunden.

This one took me a while to complete, but not because it was lacking, but because of life and what not. I don't have a lot of time to discuss this book tonight, but suffice it to say, it ultimately exceeded my expectations, as far as a book from this series is concerned. It started off a bit shaky, with shifting POVs and flashbacks. The dialogue and writing, also seemed a bit trite for me at the beginning. But after delving further, I either got used to it or just started to grow on me.

The story itself was good and the couple was pretty darn hot. However, I thought they dwelled a little too long on the abuse angle, which seems to be a common theme among books of these types. I also didn't like the hokey connection between the couple the author came up with or for the somewhat curt ending. Again, overall not bad and definitely a big step up from the last book. I didn't think I would have cared or wanted to read Dmitri's story, but this book proved me wrong. I'm back to looking forward to reading another book in the Guild Hunter series. Hopefully it will deliver.
************
In the intensely dark, violent, and romantic fourth Guild Hunter novel...Singh focuses on the 1,000-year-old vampire Dmitri, lieutenant to the archangel Raphael, and Guild Hunter Honor, still recovering after a rogue vampire kidnapped and tortured her for two months...a heart-pounding and strongly emotional read.

"I feel like a moth drawn to the flame."

Contact would hurt, might be fatal, and yet she couldn't stop herself. Obsession or compulsion, she didn't know, but she did know that before this was over, she'd either end up in Dimitri's bed...or one of them would bleed darkest red.

Upon originally learning that this story would focus on Ferociously Delicious Archangel Raphael's second in command Dimitri I was a bit apprehensive to get excited to read Archangel's Blade. However, I have fallen a bit in love with the Sensually lethal, and Beautifully corrupt Dimitri. Shame on me for having little faith in Nalini Singh and her brillant paranormal romance writing skills. I was captivated by Dimitri and his tortured story from the minute I opened the first page.

"Please Dimitri, Valeria cried. "Don't turn into a monster because of a mortal."

It made him smile in genuine amusement.

"Dear Valeria, I was a monster before you were born."

For those of us including myself that can't successully erase the former image of a taunting Sexual Deviant Dimitri blowing a kiss to Elena after she cuts his throat with a knife, well we get the same Dimitri while exploring a gentler side that feels as sensual as a lovers caress.

What I appreciated most about Dimitri was that he remained his usual Arrogant, Calculating, Sex Pot, Ruthless, and Deviantly Handsome man he was Tortured. MADE to be, except when he's in the privacy of Honor's affection he can deny her nothing as she brings a softer side of him non existent to any other women in his life for centuries.

His tortured story left me speechless as I read of the brutality that he suffered at the hands of a deranged Angel. He was an honorable man left stripped of all his reasons to live and we discover how powerful and rich the bond he has cultivated with Archangel Raphael.

Honor is a very likable and tortured Guild Hunter that after two months of brutality at the hands of homicidal vampires has been left a battered and bruised shell of her former self. I couldn't help but cheer beside her at the possibility of her overcoming her fears and finding happiness in the one species that she is now understandably terrified and repulsed by....a vampire. Not just an ordinary vampire but an Archangel's Blade named Dimitri......

Holding her gaze, he closed the final distance between them and went down to his knees, that beautiful face to her abdomen, tears started flowing again, slow and quiet, over her cheeks.

Dimitri didn't bow his head to anyone; he didn't surrender or submit. But he was on his knees before her, vulnerable to a kick, a stab to the neck, the most violent rejection.

This is an emotionally griping story of Losing Love, Overcoming Fears, Avenging someone, Surviving, and Capturing Love when you least expect it.

Although I've always been a devoted fan of Nalini Singh and her exciting Guild Hunter series, she has renewed my obsession with her wonderfully gifted writing skills once again. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading this series it's a must read for paranormal romance fans and I suggest you do it now!!!

"I can't be anyone's slave, Dimitri. Not ever."

"That won't be a problem....you'll only ever serve me."

I loved the idea for this book, and the world the author has created with this series. This book, however, lacked the tension and spark of most of her previous books. The relationship between Dmitri and Honor wasn't as compelling as the others. Yes, Dimitri is scarred, and that affected his humanity, but I never truly felt his longing for Honor, the overriding need that would overcome his loss of humanity and make him give up his icy control for her. The author just didn't make me feel it - the "on his knees" scene was close, but it didn't quite make it. The author used so much imagery and sensory details when describing the relationship he had with his wife and children, I wish she could have saved some of that energy for developing the internal feelings he had for Honor. He obviously had some strong feelings for her to start to thaw out after 1,000 years, but I didn't see that. The pacing was also lacking - the flashbacks were necessary for backstory, but I think they got too repetitive, as did the internal dialogue of both main characters. Overall, I'd give this one a 3.5, rounded up to 4.

Archangel Raphael and Elena are visiting Japan. In his absence his lieutenant the millennium old Dmitri the vampire runs the New York operation.

The head of a rookie vampire with a strange tattoo is found. Dmitri visits the Hunter Guild asking them to translate the language. Guild Hunter Honor St. Nicholas is the language expert of ancient archaic languages. However, she fears vampires having been held captive and tortured by rogues for two months. Still he admires her grit as she refuses to allow her trepidations to cripple her efforts or ignore her attraction to Dmitri. As their inquiry leads to those who battered her body and soul, Dmitri vows vengeance for what they did to this human he cherishes.

Dmitri who has been a kick butt (Elena can affirm that) support character in the Archangel saga (see Archangel's Kiss, Archangel's Consort and Archangel's Blade) takes center stage as the co-star and proves he can be an exciting lead male with a female partner. The romantic urban fantasy story line is action-packed but character driven by the pairing of a dangerous vampire and an emotionally injured hunter. This is a great entry in a strong series.

Harriet Klausner

This book is the story of the vampire Dmitri, a secondary character in Singh's Angel series, and a member of the "Guild" who has been tortured by vampires. If you are new to her series, I do not think it is the best place to start, but I think it can probably be read as a stand alone. Singh is a better world builder than most paranormal romance writers today, the only person who I think surpasses her is Meljean Brook. Unfortunately, Singh constantly has to assert the threatening, alpha masculinity of her heroes --"shifting the gears with ruthless ease" (why is shifting gears ruthless?)--so those kind of excesses hamper the writing. That said, Singh's plots are usually decent and suspenseful, and her world is more racially and culturally diverse than than all of the other paranormal romance writers put together. This may not have been her strongest mystery--there are two villains and they are never really present here--but the love story is moving. Be warned, sexual violence and violence against children--while not depicted--are important backdrops to the story. But all the suffering means that when the lovers come together at the end of the novel, it feel not only earned, but like justice, a rare thing in a romance novel.

After surviving a brutal kidnapping and torture for months at the hands of a group of depraved vampires, Honor finds herself a changed woman. No longer the confident hunter she was, Honor is forced to leave the safety of the Guild Academy and face a case requiring her unique skills, as well as the man that has drawn her attention, and obsession, for years. Meanwhile, Dmitri finds himself drawn to Honor, unable to resist her strength of will and courage in the face of her fears.

Together, Honor and Dmitri investigate two cases, the person responsible for the severed head and tattoos, as well as the identities of Honor's torturers. As they work, Dmitri slowly rebuilds Honor's confidence, while Honor protects Dmitri from himself, ensuring that he doesn't cross the line into darkness after a thousand years as the Archangel's Blade.

This is the fourth book in the Guild Hunter series, but you can almost get away without reading the others first. The first three followed the Archangel Raphael and Guild Hunter Elena, introducing most of the side characters in ARCHANGEL'S BLADE. However, since it stays pretty tightly focused on Dmitri and Honor, the background stories are less necessary. I've read the other three books as well, and would highly recommend going back to read them first, but you could start here without missing too much.

This was a fantastic story, building a beautiful relationship through danger and overcoming deep emotional pain. I loved every minute of it!

Characters: **** 4 Stars
Dmitri and Honor are perfect together. Both broken, both in pain, yet able to come together to remind each other of the good in the world and in each other. I loved them! However, the side characters and villains are slightly less developed, detracting a bit from the mystery and action of the story. The side characters appear in previous Guild Hunter novels, so you can learn more about them if you read the series in order, but I would have liked a little more depth from the villains.

Plot: **** 4 Stars
ARCHANGEL'S BLADE had a strong plot with two mysteries for the characters to solve. It was really well paced, keeping the action high while the characters explored their relationship. The only thing I would have asked for was a bit more danger toward the end, particularly for Honor. While she overcomes a ton of emotional baggage, and plays an integral role in the climax, I wanted Dmitri to have to rescue her or save her at least a little, so that he could truly realize what it would cost him to lose her.

Setting: ***** 5 Stars
The author does a great job with the setting of the story, bringing to life each location in detail.

"The gates, tall and ornate and covered with dark green ivy, swung open with stately grace the instant the guard saw the car. The drive was dappled in sun and shadow from the oak tress that lined it, and the house, when it came into view, spoke of another century - a heavy and ostentatious one."

"A minute later, she ducked under the police tape to find herself looking at a scene more suited to a slaughterhouse than the chaotic, vivid center of one of the most well-known cities in the world. A thousand scents surrounded her - the sweet, sweet taste of sugar from the chocolatier across the street; coffee, bitter and rich, from the place on the corner; tobacco smoke and car exhaust mixed with the sour tang of human sweat - but none of it could overwhelm the ripe, wet smell of rotting flesh."

Romance: ***** 5 Stars
Dmitri and Honor are perfect together. Oh, wait, I already said that! But they really are! Dmitri is careful with Honor, pushing her to heal, but still respecting the damage that resulted from her torture. There's one scene in particular (which I won't ruin for you) that nearly made my cry, when strong, proud Dmitri finds himself making amends to the woman he can't live without. The sex isn't overdone, instead the author builds a foundation that naturally leads to a physical relationship.

Genre - Urban Fantasy: ***** 5 Stars
ARCHANGEL'S BLADE was the epitome of good urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Plenty of action and danger, vampires and angels, mystical relationships, and of course an urban setting. If you love urban fantasy and paranormal romance, you'll love this book.

I'm pretty sure there have been multiple other reviews stating the same things I'm about to say but oh well, here we go with redundancy:

When I first began reading the Guild Hunter series I couldn't see Dmitri getting his own story; there was a coldness that ran too deep in him and frankly, I didn't think there was any heroine out there that could handle him. As the books continued to come out and we saw more and more of his character, I realized that even if I didn't like him, I wanted to know what was going to happen with him and was also curious about what had happened in his past.

With "AB" we finally got that story, and also his heroine who, initially, I wasn't sure about. I usually devour a new book by Singh in one sitting but I deliberately spaced this one out over a few days-reading the first 40% one day and finishing the rest today: I think that this approach helped with accepting how Dmitri's and Honor's relationship progressed.

***SPOILER***

While "AB" did have one of the tropes that I'm not a huge fan of, reincarnation, Singh did it in such a way that I'm not too disappointed with it. Overall? I don't like this in any situation since I believe each person is distinct and unique unto their self; as Honor started having the vivid dreams I realized where Singh was going with this and was a bit leery; however I think she did a good job establishing just how much Dmitri had loved his wife and how he wouldn't ever open his heart again to someone else.

In that same vein-I don't know that I'm totally committed to this book since I don't see how Dmitri could have ever loved Honor fully had they not realized the reincarnation aspect. Do I think he cared for her? Absolutely-I think his actions and how he had changed from the beginning of the novel were proof that he was coming to care deeply for her; however there was always the specter of his wife haunting him.

For me, the one thing that made the reincarnation acceptable was how acceptable Honor was regarding the topic: I've read many books where the reincarnated character was upset and stressed that he/she would always be compared to their former self, or it caused unnecessary strife. Honor's acceptance of her former life made the epiphany more palatable for this reader, and ultimately made me accepting of the book.

***END SPOILER***

I'm looking forward to reading more about the Seven; I know some readers don't like that R & E took a backseat in this novel-personally I liked it since their last book was "meeh" for me.

Overall, a good novel. It seems to me that I'm feeling about the Guild Series the way I did about the Changeling series: I was ready for the end of the present storyline when it ended with Hawke and Sienna; and with the Guild Series I'll probably be happy reading one more story with R & E so long as it wraps up all the family drama. Will I enjoy the rest of the Seven? Absolutely! I'm waiting with bated breath for Galen and Bluebell's stories.

And Singh? Can we please steer clear of the reincarnation/dead mate theme? This is two books in a row where the hero has lost someone they had given their heart to irrevocably; for me it only makes the new romance that much harder to believe in, especially when you do such an awesome job explaining to the reader just how much he loved this lost woman. I like your other heroes because they've either loved lightly but not deeply, or have never loved at all.

*This review will have spoilers*

I cannot underdtand how so many woman couldd give this book 3 or 4 stars! The female lead character is brutslly raped and tortured, tied up and violated in horrible ways by multiple vampires. 6 months later she meets Dimitri, a menancing, intimidating vampire thst oozes sex. At first she is so frightend she can barely stand to be in an elevator with him. He is arrogant, overtly sexual and constantly gets in her space, despite knowing what was done to her. ONE day later when she sees him she wants to touch his chest, within 3 days when she sees him she gets wet. Pretty soon they are screwing every other chapter and even trying out some bondage.

REALLY???
Does this writer or the fans of this book have any idea of what that kind of trauma does to a woman? Do you think if a group of lets say Somali pirates, raped, bit, beat, degraded and debased you repeatedly over the course of 2 months that if you ran into another Somali pirate 6 months later, you would be hot and turned on and considering rough bondage sex with him?? And why would a man who knew what she had been through get in her face and be so aggressive and domineering? A better question is how on earth do women find that attractive. This whole storyline wss just disgusting and so insulting to rape victims.

I tried this series because I read a short story about Sara and Ransom and it was great. The first four in the series have been typical amatuer author stuff: ridiculous dramatic descriptions, heavy use of the same words/terms, and a very heavy reliance on sex scenes to fill pages. My experience has been that authors that fill their books with sex, do so because they aren't skilled or gifted enough to write a full novel, so they fill the pages with sex scenes that take away from the story. This author made a sex scene thst lasted 3 chapters. Enough said.

With Elena and Rafael, to me they feel like an older adult and a teen in lust. She went from a super badass hunter to an angel who obeys her boyfriend and though she complains she also kinda likes being treated like a child. Not an interesting dynamic for me.

I wanted to like these books and I gave them a good shot, but I can't read anymore. It's time to go reread some Patricia Briggs or Ilona Andrews, maybe even some JR Ward. I need some good writing and good stories.

I loved this book more than the first 3 with Elena/Raphael...and I really didn't think I would. The back stories for Dimitri and Honor were interesting and violent (which suprisingly I actually liked).
SPOILER ALERT::
The only thing I didn't like was the big reveal at the ending. I am sick of writers doing the same reincarnation storyline. And it would have been so much better if Dimitri actually SAID he loved Honor and didn't compare everything she did to Ingrede. And when he did compare, it seemed Honor was always lacking in his eyes, so it was hard to see where he actually fell in love with her. But the dialogue between the two was excellent, and I did feel that he was drawn to her in some way. The love scenes were steamy and not too frequent, so no complaints there.

All in all, the first 3/4 of the book kept me on my toes and the writing is excellent. Good read. 4 stars!

This book was just as dark as the Archangel's series has been for Nalini (I don't know that I thought she had it in her given her psy/changelings series). Dmitri's history is heartrending but is told in a way that you truly can believe in his healing. Honor's story is just as horrific but more fresh to the reader and I was glad all the gory details were not fully exposed. I'm not sure I loved the tidy ending of the book but I think after all the flashbacks and after we meet some important characters in Dmitri's past I think it was the only way to bring about resolution for all of the characters involved. I thought Honor's character was so stron in and of itself and I thought the way the book ended took some of that away from her- which is the only reason I gave this a 4 rather than 5 stars. Incredible book, good character development, and a nice look into our favorite side characters who I'm sure will be getting their own books soon!

Like other reviewers, I wasn't particularly excited about reading Dimitri's story. He has always been a pretty annoying character to read about and so I didn't really care that he got his own book. I did enjoy this story but it was more of a 3.5 read for me. Most of this was based around the romance between Dimitri and Honor, with a clumsy secondary storyline that focused on two crimes. For a book that is mainly a romance, that is just not enough space to write about solving two crimes. It got confusing and I didn't really care about the crimes getting solved.

Frankly, the story had no true depth. There's really only one moment that is a low low and the high highs barely exist. Because this was primarily a romance, I expected a truly strong and emotionally deep story about the hero and heroine. I thought that the flashbacks about Dimitri's previous wife were far more interesting than his relationship with Honor. As for the characters themselves, Dimitri is portrayed as "evil" and makes this about-face when he feels a pull toward Honor. Totally unrealistic. On a more positive note, Honor's PTSD from her past is well-written and realistic. However, if NS is going to write about people with such traumatic pasts, she needs to do a better job of affecting the person those people are as we read about them. Someone who is literally tortured for two months does not just become OK because they fall in love. This is a fantasy novel but that rings untrue to the reader and detracts from investment in the story. Sometimes you feel "Oh well everything will clearly be ok so I won't get too emotionally worked up about these characters."

The "twist" that happens in this book is completely unbelievable, never explained, and handled very poorly. It almost made the relationship worse for me because it meant that the hero couldn't love the heroine on her own terms.

What saves this book is that NS is a flawless writer. There is no "throbbing manhood" language, and descriptions are precise and beautiful, never overbearing for the reader. There are no noticeable technical flaws and NS makes her books a pleasure to read for the most part.

Read this if you are reading the series or as a lukewarm standalone novel. If you don't care about Dimitri, feel free to skip this, as it doesn't really add to the overall plot of the series.

I put off reading this book since it wasn't about Raphael and Elena and I thought I wouldn't enjoy it. Boy was I wrong!!! Excellent book that just draws you in from beginning to end.

The writing was amazing, as expected. I loved the characters. Honor and Dmitri had a chemistry that had me on edge from the very start. I loved their banter, two strong personalities molding to one another. I especially liked Honor's strength and the times that Dmitri showed vulnerability. Of course, the whole storyline was interesting, keeping you guessing as to what was happening and the romance...ohh! the romance was just HOT! If you are a fan of the series, you'll enjoy this book and if you're not you'll just fall in love with it and will read the others.

"I will love you even when I am dust on the wind."
' Nalini Singh, Archangel's Blade

"Honor?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to do things to you now that a good girl definitely shouldn't let a man do to her."

The first time I read Archangel's Blood and was introduced to Dmitri I was pleased to say I was intrigued by him because he was a character you love to hate; but at the same time you want to know why he is the way he is. For a character to be that complex there is always a back story. When I read Archangels Blade I finally understood him, and have a greater sense of who he is. It was such a heart wrenching story for both the heroine ,Honor, and Dmitri. The heroine is no new comer to pain and blood and you get glimpses of what this amazingly strong willed women is made out of, you can't but love this story. The two of them together help each other heal and to find the love that last throw to ages.

"Ever had a woman say no to you, Dmitri?"

"Once." He turned the corner with a smile that made her want to cup his face, trace those beautiful lips with her own. "I married her."

"After they were both done, the pile of knives and guns on the coffee table looked like they'd cleaned out an armory. "I think we have a problem, Dmitri."

Oh. My. GOD! I've been waiting not-so-patiently for Dmirti's story and IT WAS AMAZING! Honor totally stole the show but you finally get to see why the sexiest vampire to walk the earth is so broken. The past and future weave together to make this story an explosion of emotions. Singh did my ultimate bbf justice and my heart will never be the same! I have to go *ahem* reread this book now...

~ Courtney Shockey

This was interesting. I got to learn a lot about Dmitri and his past. Its a continuation of the story because we still get to see a little of Rafael and Elena. We also get to see more of Rafael's and Dmitri's relationship. I really liked Honor, she seems like a really cool character especially if she can tame, Dmitri. What she has gone through is horrible but the fact that she was able to continue to survive is amazing. I also really liked who she turned out to be. Dmitri deserves a to be happy after the past that he has had.

Something that I found sort of funny is that the person behind the attacks, didn't seem to be very powerful or formidable to be able go up against Dmitri. It just seemed a little foolish.Especially the person that he was trying to bring back.

If you've read the first three Guild Hunter books, you've met Dmitri. The dark and dangerous vampire that is Archangel Raphel's second in command. He loves to wrap his strong arousal scent around women and has had many, many go through his bed. He teases and seduces Raphael's mate, Elena, but this is allowed to happen because Raphael trusts him with his and his mate's life. But Raphael also knows Dmitri's secrets and what happened so many years ago that broke him.

Dmitri has not always been a cold hearted man, who from the outside appears to never have a deep feeling of emotion. Throughout the book, we get flashbacks into Dmitri's life and as you read, you start to understand why Dmitri acts the way he does and why his bond with Raphael is so strong. And then he meets Honor. Honor (a guild hunter who specializes in ancient languages) was tortured herself by vampires, held captive for weeks as they raped and fed. She survived, but with a lot of internal scars. But when the head of a young vampire is discovered with a tattoo that only Honor will be able to decipher, she is forced to work with Dmitri. The fear of working so closely with another vampire almost debilitates her. Working for the guild, Dmitri is no stranger to her, she even had a strong attraction to him - before she was tortured by vampires. Now she can barely look him in the eye without falling apart. But Honor decides she is not going to let her memories best her. And when Dmitri offers revenge against those that hurt her, she decides it is the only way to move her life forward.

My favorite thing about this book (and there is so much to love) is that Dmitri is so dark and wicked. SO DARK. Are we understanding how dark he is? :) Dmitri knows Honor was tortured at the hands of other vampires, but he never pities her, or babies her. He is angry on her behalf, but his solution - hunt them down, one by one and torture them back. Let Honor be a part of it, let her unleash her anger on the ones that hurt her. They slowly build a trust. Little by little, Honor lets Dmitri in. And Dmitri very slowly starts to reveal a little of his past to her. They both come from places of extreme hurt and pain, and they form a bond. Dmitri carries so much guilt from his previous wife's and children's death, and these memories slam into him. They are written so brutal - at some points it was almost too much. But I think to understand the extreme violent way that he lost his family, allowed me as the reader to accept him and his actions in current day.

I also must say that Nalini Singh is the queen of writing sexual tension. She somehow turned Dmitri, who has come off a little sleazy in the previous books into a sexual god. The tension between Honor and Dmitri gave me shivers. Repeatedly. A friend of mine who had read the book, told me Dmitri is nasty, but in the best possible way. This is so true! And the best thing- he stays nasty and wicked. He doesn't necessarily change - it's just that Honor and him find in each other what is missing in their lives.

I will say I didn't love how something is wrapped up at the end with Honor. You discover something about her and it felt too easy and perfect. Not the end of the world or anything, but I just didn't love it.

Final thought - Read this book! Even if you haven't read the previous three, I think there is enough back story to fully engage in this world.

As a fan of Singh's Guild Hunters I am ashamed to admit that I was not looking forward to Archangel's Blade. Raphael's Second, vampire Dmitri, with his taste for pain and the way that he has wielded his deadly sensuality as a weapon in previous books, was just too cruel for me to imagine as a leading man, so I did not expect to like his story. However, the first third of Archangel's Blade was so captivating that even though I still wasn't sold on Dmitri, I found myself turning the pages as Singh weaves Dmitri's history and the anguish he has carried with him for a thousand years into the two hunts that make up the background story. After that point, Singh begins the subtle shift that manages to turn the monster into a hero, still cruel and violent - because that is necessary when dealing with wayward immortals - but a hero still to his heroine, and to those who have earned his trust and protection.

As much as I was surprised by how much I liked Archangel's Blade, and Dmitri himself once we get an idea of 'who' he really is, I was almost as surprised by Dmitri's heroine Honor. Honor, the Guild Hunter who had been held captive as a blood toy and continuously and violently violated by vampires during her imprisonment, starts out so broken and withdrawn that she is barely functional. It is rare that an abused heroine's return to life and sensuality is handled well in romances, but somehow Singh manages it - and she does it without the recurring blood drenched flashbacks that were a bit distracting with Elena. I think that the reason it works so well here is that Singh doesn't hurry Honor through her recovery - there are breakthroughs, and relapses, and defining moments until finally Honor ends up even 'more' than the person that she was before. And I really liked that somehow, as Honor - with Dmitri's help - tracks down her abusers and slowly regains herself, Honor also gains a power over Dmitri in that she truly 'sees' him for the loyal protector he no longer believes himself to be. For me this re-balancing of power was crucial in allowing me to believe in a happily ever after for the pair.

Like the other Guild Hunter books, Angel's Blade is dark, and has the graphic aftermath of extreme violence but in the end it is an excellent entry to the series and makes me glad that Singh has decided to give us more insight into the Seven. As much as I love Elena and Raphael, I don't mind them moving to supporting roles in order to get more of the Cadre's back stories, and it's exciting to see the foundation being laid for future books.

everyone should be reading the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. I have yet to be disappointed with any of her stories and Archangel's Blade just adds to how fabulous of an author she is. Her characters are so perfectly developed, between their interactions and the conflicts going on, that it's hard not to be so trapped in their story. You share every emotion with Dimitri and Honor, whether it's joy or sorry, and that's not something I get from every novel. There's a fabulous mixture of action, dialog and chemistry that's blended so well that there's never a chance to catch one's breathe. I simply had to keep reading.

To read my full review, check out Literary Escapism

I wanted to like Archangels Blade becasue it was Dimitri's story and he interest me from the other books in the series. BUT the Rape, torture, physical abuse that Dimitri and Honor his mate and Guild Hunter suffered; out weighed the minor love story going on between them. The love between Dimitri and Honor was good just way to little of it to balance out the pure horror of the story. I am not a fan of descriptive rape, torture, physical abuse and gory murders scenes in stories that I read.

I started to love this series so much that i had to buy the paperbacks. I love Raphael and i love his Seven, and from all the teasing Dimitri did to Elena i thought his book was going to be so devastatingly smoking hot. It wasn't, it was very tamed. I get the what she went through was tough but when we got to see his POV we could've just see how caveman and possessive he could be and how charming. Also, there was a little action but it still fell flat. I don't know if i'll read Jason's next or skip that one for now and read Legion....we'll see.

I'm relatively late to this series. I'm an avid reader of Nalini Singh's Psy/Changling series, but the first time I tried the Guild Hunters, I wasn't drawn in. I should have remembered that I don't like all the Psy/Changling books equally. At any rate, a librarian suggested I try the series again and boy am I glad. This time it took and I'm working my way through, however, Archangel's Blade is my least favorite so far. A little too much graphic S&M for my taste. I'm not much of a voyeur and in general wish that books would move away from the graphic sex of all kinds. Apparently, I'm in a minority. That said, the series is well worth reading and this book has a place within the series. You can read the books out of order, but there are connections among the books which makes reading them in order more enjoyable.

Let me start by saying that Archangel's Blade may be Nalini Singh's best work to date and quite possibly her best hero she's created with the vampire Dmitri. Yes, ladies and gentleman, while I read Archangel's Blade I forgot about my favorite Singh character, Kaleb, from Nalini's Psy/Changeling series. Now that's something astonishing because out of all Nalini's male characters, Kaleb is the end all and be all for me (Lucas Hunter from Slave to Sensation comes in a close second). Dmitri is unlike any hero I've read this year. He's been an important character in the Guild Hunter series since the beginning as the archangel, Raphael's second in command. Dmitri is a dark, almost villainous creature who uses sex and violence to get what he wants. Some may say he doesn't have a soul from what we've seen of him so far. When I heard Nalini was going to give Dmitri his own book, I really thought it wouldn't work. How could she make Dmitri stand on equal footing all her other wonderful heroes? Dmitri is one slick, and at times, slimy mo fo. Well, Dmitri is a cut above all her heroes and more so. Dmitri will slip deep into your heart and not leave. What you think you know about him is so very wrong, and when you figure out who he really is and why he acts the way he does, you may end up in tears because it's so heartbreaking.

Archangel's Blade is not an easy book to read. Nalini throws everything and the kitchen sink in here in regards to Dmitri and the heroine, Honor. These two have gone through hell and back and have barely survived. Their pasts are full of torture, violence, death and disturbing acts placed on their person and their psyche. Only when they both come together and find love and understanding with one another is where they're able to fully heal. This is a powerful story that shows how love can heal all wounds.

Honor is a member of the Guild Hunter just like Elena, the vampire hunter turned angel who is mated to Raphael, the powerful archangel of Manhattan. Honor is recovering from a horrific vampire attack, where she was held captive for months and was drained of her blood, raped and tortured for no reason. She lives in fear and can barely function, going as far as blaming herself for her attack because she was forced to feel pleasure from some of the tortures she went through. Her boss, as way to push Honor to stop hiding, orders her to investigate a possible serial killer targeting vampires. Honor will have to work alongside Dmitri, who frightens her to her very core not only because he's a vampire, but one who's seductive and close to amoral as you can get.

Dmitri is not impressed with Honor at first because he can sense her fear and loathing. He really doesn't have a high opinion of woman because they fawn all over him and allow him to use their bodies for sex and other degrading acts, or so we're led to believe. His heart belonged to only one woman back when he was mortal and he will never love another with such devotion again. But as he gets to know Honor, the walls around his heart break down. He wants to avenge Honor for what she went through while he comes to terms with his own guilt over the senseless murders of people he loved before he was changed into a vampire. Honor begins to see the true Dmitri and how he's scarred like she is. Honor wants to take what Dmitri is offering. She begins to heal also and comes to the conclusion that Dmitri is her salvation, and so much more.

Archangel's Blade is a book where revenge and forgiveness go hand in hand. This is also a very dark and angst ridden read. What Dmitri and Honor have gone through will numb your heart because it's so disturbing. I raged alongside both of them when they tell one another about their suffering. Dmitri makes no excuses for what he does. But the one thing that makes him redeemable is his undying devotion not only to Raphael, but the memory of a woman who was once his entire life. To explain why this is so important would be a big spoiler and is better left unsaid. I will tell you this, when Dmitri loves, it's unlike anything you will have read before. Watching him and Honor first as adversaries who eventually become each other's yin to their yang is a thing of beauty. Their love and passion is an accumulation of two souls who have been searching for one another for far too long.

There's a big twist regarding Honor that may seem ridiculous and too convenient, but it works when all is said and done. When it's revealed, you may break down in happy tears because it's the ultimate happily ever after.

Awe. I am simply in awe of this book, with Nalini's imagination, characterizations and over storyline and plot. Kudos, big big Kudos to Nalini for Archangel's Blade. I announce my favorite phrase with this one- I want to have babies with this book it's so damn good.

I bow down to Nalini for writing Archangel's Blade. I had tears in my eyes, which doesn't happen very often. Archangel's Blade will stick with me for years to come.

Katiebabs

While I appreciate Dmitri getting a backstory, the writing in this volume is bad enough to inspire a drinking game. Every time "liquid" is used to describe a non-liquid, take a shot: "liquid heat," "liquid silk," "liquid eroticism..." you get the drift. Every time a character's eye color is mentioned, take a shot. Every time an angel or vampire is noted as being inhuman or unyielding, take a shot. Wait, maybe not -- you'd get alcohol poisoning every chapter.

I couldn't help but be reminded of that age-old writing class maxim: show, don't tell. Singh does a lot of telling -- or is using one of those "romance writer random word choice" websites/apps. This book has way more sex scenes than the previous ones, which is good if you like long passages about "the seduction of his skin" or "the eroticism of his touch" or "the sensuality of his kiss." Unfortunately, words like seduction, eroticism, and sensuality... just aren't sexy.

Will I keep going with the series? Yeah, I'm sufficiently interested in the world she's created, but I'm reading the books under protest, at this point.

Great book! I love stories with dark, intense heroes and Dimitri definitely qualifies. Honor is a strong compelling heroine and the supporting cast is strong. The world built by Ms. Singh is coherent and nicely described. it's the first book I've read in the series but I did not feel lost or confused. A great read. I intend to read the rest of the series and I hope the Venom/Sorrow book comes out soon!

Dimitri finds his mate and discovers a love who won't back down. Honor, a hunter, was held prisoner and tortured by a group of vamps and now has to learn to trust one. Sadistic, vicious vamps are on the loose and once more Raphael's Seven and the Guild Hunters unite to prevent further bloodshed.

I caught on to this series last month and waited so impatiently for 'Blade' to be released. I knew Dimitri's book would be amazing...but I did not expect it to completely surpass my expectations and be exceptional! The only gripe I have is how Honor's character turned out...I would have preferrd Honor to have just been Honor without the "twist" but even given that gripe, this book was completely awesome. The author really hit her stride with Archangel's Blade...it was just perfect. I could go on, but all I would keep saying is how amazing (AND HOT HOT HOT)this book is.
A++++ Buy it. Now!

Archangel's Blade had everything you expect from the Guild Hunter series, captivating leading characters, mystery laced in horror and adventure, and hot sexual tention. I had no idea I'd love Dimitri so much, love him in that he's just one degree shy of pure evil, but still, wow. Honor was a complex mix of broken, warrior, and caretaker. Not easy to pull off. I think Singh has created a series that can span many characters that will keep me returning for more, stalking her website for release dates, and fanning myself at the intense sex scenes.

Nalini Singh gets better with every book. I adore the archangel series and this installation with Dmitri and Honor as the main characters was just dynamite; Their chemistry explosive. Their individual suffering and "demons" echoed one another and added a layer of sensitivity and compassion to the story. Helping each other to exorcise those demons - both metaphorically and literally - strengthened the romance and relationship btw the characters.

Although I love Elena and Raphael, I hope upon hope Singh gives us more stories of The Seven. Illium anyone?

I love her Psy-Changeling series but have never been quite as caught up in the characters in this one. I think it is because the archangels are just too far from human and are hard to relate to. (Titanic battles between immortal creatures with humans little more than ants beneath them.) This book doesn't have that problem at all. The characters' feelings and traumas are so vivid that you care about them immediately. I don't understand the reviewers who felt that Honor was an incomplete character. I thought she was a strong person and the depiction of her overcoming her trauma was well done. The relationship between her and Dmitri was powerful. I did feel the ending tied things up a little too quickly and it was fairly obvious what the flashback/voices were for some time. But that minor point aside, this was a great book that I read straight through.

I'm making my way through this series and haven't been disappointed yet. I really enjoy the way that the author focuses on different characters in the book, "fleshing" them out with insightful description. Very enjoyable -

I was not expecting for the story's characters to change directions. So when I started reading and realized Dimitri was going to have his own story, I was very pleased. Dimitri always seemed to be an interesting, mysterious character and boy did Singh deliver!

The tension between the hero and heroine was steamy, yet very endearing. Singh played the characters together perfectly at the same time keeping up an interesting, fast-paced plot. I highly recommend this story.

LOVED this book. I have enjoyed all the Guild Hunters books and from the very moment I first met him on the page I have been hoping for a Dmitri book.
This one delivers the goods in spades.

The chemistry between him and Honor positively sizzles and I like the way the author kept true to Dmitri s character. He isn't an easy man, and he isn't human, and both those facts come across crystal clear.

Also top marks to Ms Singh because I always have problems believing books where the female character falls once again so heavily after a severe traumatic experience. But I had NO trouble believing in this relationship because he gives her the closure she so desperately needs in his own powerful ruthless way, and then gives himself in a positively swoon-worthy way!

Its a great book, a true 'keeper' (as all her books are)

I wonder what the next book is? Illium, Jason, Venom or Sorrow...or a combination of a couple of those people!

Is it March 2012 yet?

Bring it on.

I wasn't looking too forward to this book initially, because I was pretty over the whole vampire bandwagon before it even started, but I love this book! This book really gives a whole new dimension to Dmitri. You get to know him and realize that he isn't the arrogant a-hole that he seems in the Elena/Raphael POV. Honor is someone you will definitely admire. She's more of the everyday girl one can relate. You learn what she has to overcome and you want her to succeed. You even discover some history about other characters. I'm a fairytale fan and if I were to give it one motto it's "love will conquer all." It's keeper for the shelves! Enjoy!

I cannot say enough about how much I loved this book,I started reading the series with Elena and Raphael's story and loved it and I was not a fan of Dmitri but this book after reading it blew me away..You see Dmitri fall in love again and you realize why he is the person he is...I loved Honor as a woman because she never came across as weak but she always went toe to toe with him. I love them as a couple,I hope there is another book with them.

I liked Dimitri ever since the first book. I felt his relationship as Raphael's second was very interesting given that they were 2 very different stations in life. I glad he had his HEA and liked the introduction of Honor into the story. It didn't feel forced. I look forward to reading how they progress as it seems Nailini Singh integrates the side players into future stories. Good integration of supporting characters.

I never thought that Dmitri could be a sympathetic character, but I was so wrong. He turns out to have great emotional depth, and his close relationship with Raphael - and the trust that Raphael has for him - becomes much more understandable. Watching the development of the relationship between him and Honor was beautiful. I can hardly wait for the next book in this series. I've read many of Ms. Singh's books, and I think this is one of her best.

It's wonderful to have an author who consistently writes amazing, well thought through books. Without a doubt this book was absolutely fantastic from beginning to end. The plot was so fresh, the characters were so believable; the world that has been created in this series is so real, and the story was amazing. If you like romance, strong female characters, real men, and a story that takes you for a fast paced exciting ride, read this book!

Wow, I just love this series! Each book is better than the previous! Dmitri's story was amazing and full of love. I never could have predicted the plot twist that allowed him to open his heart to true love. This is one of my all time favorite series I won't give any of the plot away but will say this series must be read in order as each book starts where the previous ended.

Love Dimitri- he's one tough vampire, and he's super sexy on top of that. He deserves some happiness after all those years of endless blood shedding. Finally he might have found some new love, but is it really ? Ilium/aka Bluebell shows up with his beautiful self, another macho sexy man/angel. (Can't wait for his book) I loved the book till the cheesy for me ending-I think it gave me cavities.

When I first stumbled upon this series- lets just say I was sceptic about whether or not it would catch my fancy, three weeks and four books later this has become one of my favorite series of all time. I have read this series at least three times already and with each new book i get more wrapped up in the characters and their development as they face new challenges. The way that Nalini Singh ties them all together is BRILLIANT and very rare. I have read many books - scifi, fantasy, romance, mystery, historical fiction, fiction, even non-fiction - rarely have i found an author that continues the same characters through out a series, allowing the reader to see them change and evolve in each and every book - even in passing as with some of the Seven. I refuse to say anything else about the novel so as not to give anything away. Long review short- i can't wait for the next book and the next and the next.

I cannot believe that this is the same author who wrote the psy-changeling series, which to my mind is so boooring compared to guild hunters. I have enjoyed and re-read every one of these books and all I can say is please, please, please Nalini Singh, give us lots more like this. The novels are full of twists and turns, the characters are interesting and the story gripping from the first page to the last.

I loved this book! The interactions between Dmitri and Honor were real and sexy. I wanted Dmitri to have his own story told from the begining of this series. I found Dmitri to be a compelling character from the start. I wanted to know what drove him and now we do!! Honor was a satisfying counter part to Dmitri. I will read this book over and over again just like the other Archangel books. Can't wait for more!! I hope Jason and Illium each have their own books.

So I love Nalini Singh's psy-changeling books, but I couldn't read this book. I had to stop every few minutes, because I was just bored with the story. I read this book in about 2 weeks but I didn't read it really really. I think I just stick to reading her Psy changeling books.

I am going to keep this short and sweet, Archangel's Blade is fantastic! I thought that I would have a hard time liking Dimitri, but actually he is now one of my favorite heroes, and Honor is one of my favorite heroines. I won't put in any spoilers but this but is a can't miss for fans of the guild hunter series, as well as for people looking to get into the guild hunter series I think that this story even though it is number four in the series would still be a good book to introduce you to the Guild Hunter series.

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance -Sept. 6th, 2011
4 stars

Archangel's Blade is part of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series. The dark and magnetic hero is the right hand man to the powerful archangel, Raphael of N.Y..

Dimitri is the enigmatic and terrifying vampire who dispenses justice for the infamous and beautiful archangel of N.Y.. When a strange murder of a vampire occurs, he is sent to investigate but realizes he needs help deciphering the mysterious yet somehow familiar tattoos on the body. He asks for aid from the Hunter's Guild and is sent a recovering Hunter named Hope.

Hope is a woman who was recently tortured by vampires. Before her torture, Hope was fascinated by the handsome if dangerous Dimitri. However, since having experienced pain at the hands of vampires, she is none too happy to be working with one. But Hope feels a loyalty to the Guild who raised her and agrees to work with the deadly Dimitri. She does not expect to find herself still attracted to Dimitri or that he is attracted to her. As they investigate the murder, they discover that it may be related to secrets from Dimitri's past. And an angel long thought dead...

This was a fascinating and dark installment. There is always a feeling of danger in this series; that the heroes are on edge of humanity and sanity. For anyone who has always been interested in the enigmatic and harsh Dimitri, they will find themselves completely satisfied by his story. Dimitri is intense and has his own code of honor, one that is quick and brutal. He is disturbed by his attraction to a mere human and her frailties. I liked that there was a real feeling that only Hope has the chance to bring him back from the brink of 'humanity.' The story also had an interesting twist at the end that made their relationship a little too pat but which I found that I liked. Compared to Dimiti, Hope is all too human. I really rooted for her as she transformed from a victim to a hunter again. There are some re-occurring characters such as Sorrow who was kidnapped by the archangel Uram and 'changed' and the most human of angels, Illium who I would love to read more about.

A deadly warrior with a haunted past and a courageous heroine will entertain readers who enjoy dark paranormal or urban fantasies.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

This story had me captivated from the beginning and I could not put it down. I recently added this author to my automatic buy list and she has never disappointed.

Without rehashing the plot, I will say that the charcters were well developed, the story was heart wrenching, and wonderfully continued this series.

In this day and age of poor quality books in the romance genre, this book was a jewel and something the author can be proud of and view as a premium read for all romance readers.

Amazing story about Dmitri and his dark past. How is intertwined that with Honor and the future was fabulous and the added Honor to a dark story was perfection. I like the fact that the author never forgot about Holly Chang, sorrow, and you get see how is copes with her life. Also part of me is wondering if she Like Honor plays a role in Dimitri's past yet to be revealed. Do not want to give away any spoilers so all I have to say is this is a must read.

After reading Archangel's consort, I really looked forward to the stories of the Seven as they all are interesting characters and I love them almost as much as Raphael and Elena. However, Dmitri's story disappointed me. The author said that the heroine would be someone new, and because Dmitri is very sexually attractive to women, I hoped his match would be someone who didn't find him sexually attractive at all, and not a hunter because Elena is number one hunter in my heart. Besides, Dmitri didn't need a warrior partner, he needed a partner with a big heart, someone soft (but not weak) to counter his edgy characteristic. His wife was everything I imagined the heroine would be. The author made it like Honor was his wife incarnated and I wished that she did build Honor's personality that way, but the author created a weak copy of Elena: tragedy past but brave and resilient, innocent and compassionate. I didn't feel any interest in Honor, after got through half of the book, I started to skip the pages that described her thoughts/feeling to look for pages talking about Dmitri's past, Bluebell and Raphael and Elena. I hope that the rest of the Seven won't have any hunter partner.

Loved Archangel's blood, Archangel's kiss and Archangel's Consort. If Nalini had continued with Raphael and Elana stories I would have been quite content.

Archangel's blade is the story of Dimitri, first of the seven. I foresee all seven of raphael's getting books. Each of the seven falling in love and being redeemed/healed/etc. Which is an extremely over used literary device.

This book isn't too bad. Bad boy meets damaged good girl. Bad boy heals good girl. Good girl redeems bad boy with her love. Together they overcome nearly unnecessary bad guys from his/her pasts. It's not really original like the first three but it has a few surprises.

Nalini, did it again. I did not think she could top herself, but I was wrong. This book is absolutely addictive. I simply could not put it down - I was reading well into the next morning. The sensual dialogue between Dmitri and Honor was steamy and beautiful at the same time. It was incredible reading about how two broken/fractured individuals could find healing by loving each other. If you are looking for a paranormal author who is at the top of her game. Look no further, Nalini is here. I suggest you read every last one of her books.

Filled with laughter and suspense, this book is so hard to put down. As both characters learn to see the best in each other, the soon find out that the other is the part that was missing from their hearts for centuries!

I must say I planned to enjoy this book. However I failed to. Generally the physical violence involving the two from the outset had been astonishing. Yeah I get the idea that Honor experienced a few trauma but it really still did not work for me personally.

I actually do take pleasure in Nalini Singh's books, her Psy/Chang and even Angel's Blood is definitely one of the best Paranormal Romance. Nonetheless from time to time her H/H turns out to be too psychologically damaged for me to get pleasure from. And I don't want to spend money on their journey in the publication. That has been the most significant concern and moreover, I do believe that she has created significantly better books in comparison with this.