Sophia Rose is on the blog today, reviewing Archangel’s Ascension by Nalini Singh, the seventeenth novel in the Guild Hunter urban fantasy series. With an edgy mystery and high-impact moments, fans of the series will want to grab this one.
by Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter #17
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Heat Level:
Aodhan and Illium. Adi and Blue. Sparkle and Bluebell. Friends become lovers, their future a wild unknown.
Finally reunited in New York, they must now learn to navigate the monumental shift in their relationship. But for these two members of Archangel Raphael’s legendary Seven, there is no time to rest. As they investigate a case for the Tower that echoes the darkness from Aodhan’s past, they will be forced to confront not only the scars that mark them both, but the promise of a vast power that flickers in Illium.
The threat of ascension has haunted and troubled Aodhan’s Blue for too long, the forces of change immutable and without mercy...and uncaring of Illium’s fierce wish to remain part of the Seven. Change is a constant in an immortal’s life, and this new horizon will bring with it both terrible heartbreak and a joy extraordinary enough to reverberate through time…
Sophia Rose’s Review
Two of the most popular characters of the Guild Hunter series were brought to the forefront in Archangel’s Light, book fourteen, but, their story wasn’t complete and an ominous threat of early ascension to archangel power might take Illium’s life at any time. The superb author Nalini Singh steered away from their story to other series story plots for a few books, but eventually she returned to beloved Bluebell and Sparkle. And, what a tale was to be theirs teasing out gently that which held them back as a couple and rousing suspense with Illium’s fate come upon them.
Archangel’s Ascension is book seventeen of the long-standing, must read in order Guild Hunter series. This one should be read particularly following Archangel’s Light, the first half of this romance pair’s spotlight story.
Archangel’s Ascension began with a framing scene taking place 700 years in the future. It ends on a suspenseful moment and then drops back into the present series time line taking up the moment when Illium is recently returned from helping clean up China to his duties as one of Raphael’s Seven. He and Aodhan have kept quiet about their decision to be a couple. They still have personal issues to hash out- Aodhan is still recovering from physical and sexual abuse and Illium is startled to learn that he has abandonment issues that go beyond his father’s abandonment, his mother falling apart and emotionally abandoning him for a time, but Aodhan had also, not purposefully, had to be distant emotionally as he survived and recovered from his ordeal. So, the pair are taking things slowly and working through these matters.
In the meantime, the aftermath of the great Archangel War is a clean up effort of New York that involves taking care of matters that got shunted to the side until the more immediate priority issues were dealt with. All is coming back online and now there is time to deal with things like a cold case murder involving non-humans. Demetri assigns one such case to Aodhan and, of course, Illium insists he will be the partner investigator. What seemed like the incidental deaths of a vampire and his human girlfriend in a fire sparked from a stray archangel’s energy bolt that burned them up in a building, has sense been determined that this was not the case. A fire was deliberatively used to cover up a double murder.
And, between times of working to strengthen their relationship and get to the bottom of this murder case, there are leaps to the future time line to follow the course of Illium’s ascension to archangel.
I thought it was an interesting choice to pair these two alternating timelines. The past-present lays the groundwork for seeing Illium’s rise to become a power in a natural way. I enjoyed seeing Aodhan, Illium, and their nearest and dearest in what felt like a long good-bye as this would be the last of the Seven when that 700-year future moment took place. And, as far as the romance, the focus was more emotional and working through issues, but the sizzle of attraction was there. Sweet moments with their actual families and found families were also welcome.
There is one plot thread that was present in a few of the past books, like a silent insidious evil and it was left unaddressed in this book. Archangel’s Ascension lacked much of the physicality, though yes, the murder case was edgy at time, and high impact moments of others, but had a strong emotional kick that was a satisfying interlude in the series. Series fans will rejoice for a satisfying delve deep with Bluebell and Sparkle.
About Nalini Singh
Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. She lives in New Zealand but travels as much as possible (the travel bug bit hard from when she escaped working as a lawyer to run away and teach English in Japan). Nalini loves to write, loves to read, and thinks chocolate is a food group.
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About Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
Wow, the 17th book in a series and it still seems to be a strong winner for you! Glad you are enjoying these so much. Great review!
Sophia Rose
Oh yes, we have a big winner, Lisa! 🙂
Sophie
I really must get back to that series! I read the first three books and then stopped without any reason!
Sophia Rose
LOL, I drop off the series like that, too. Yes, worth it to go back to the series. 🙂
Jen Twimom
SO I just participated in a virtual Q/A with Nalini this week. There is only one more book in the series!!! I am so sad. It will be Raphael and Elena centric. She is hoping for a 2026 release.
Sophia Rose
Only one more? Sigh, I just knew things were coming to that point after reading this one. I still have some little things I want to know from a few books ago so hopefully that all gets teased out in that last one. Thanks for the heads up, Jen!
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
I will have to get to this one eventually. I had so much on my plate that I didn’t request it. Happy to see you loved it, Sophia!
Sophia Rose
Oh man, so many good books were releasing at the same time.
Yes! You will love this, Rachel. It has a good murder mystery to solve. 🙂
Nadene
I really need to start reading her books. It seems I am missing out.
Sophia Rose
I agree, Nadene! I think you’d really like these. 🙂
Anne - Books of My Heart
I love this author but haven’t read this series. Glad to see it is still winning after many books.
Sophia Rose
Like her Psy-Changeling series these are a unique blend of mostly Urban Fantasy with Paranormal Romance elements. There are some great series climaxes throughout.
Mary Kirkland
Her books always sound good and this one does too.
Sophia Rose
Yeah, they are always favorites for each year’s new releases. 🙂
Lover of Romance
Great review darling!!! I loved this book so much. Its one of my favorites of the series. I just love these two together and I loved the future timeline….so fascinating and different from anything I expected her to write but I see why it makes sense for her to write it that way.
Sophia Rose
Thanks, Renee! At first I was so confused by that future timeline and wondered if I’d like it, but then with the current timeline and past ones coming along, I was into it.
Blodeuedd
I REALLY should try this series again. I do love Singh. I think I managed to read book 1 ages ago
Sophia Rose
Recently, I revisited the first book on audio and really enjoyed it. Hope you get to check back in on this series at some point.