Archangel's Viper

Guild Hunter - Book 14


By Nalini Singh

Berkley Sensation - October 2017

Urban Fantasy Romance



This review assumes that the reader has read the previous books in Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, and does contain spoilers to those books. Due to the complex world building and continuing storylines, it is recommended to read this series in order.

Holly Chang had risen from the horror she had endured. She was still healing, but she was no longer the devastated girl who had asked to be called Sorrow. She was a woman learning to come to terms with her new existence, and the uncertainties of what that might entail. And just when she was finally settling into her new life, Venom, the most infuriating vampire she had ever met, returned, and she was the target of a kidnapping. Luckily, that had been averted. Unluckily, Dmitri would be notified.

Holly had a father, still human, who she loved dearly. Dmitri was a close second. He had helped her when she had been Sorrow, and he would always be someone she looked up to, a guardian of sorts. And if Dmitri wanted her to have a bodyguard, she would have one. Even if it was Venom.

But it isn't just a possible bounty that is a threat for Holly. Something more had happened to her than just becoming a different type of vampire. Something that has been a mystery. Until now.

Archangel's Viper answers so many questions Guild Hunter readers have been eager to learn. Venom is a fascinating hero with a poignant backstory. Holly is a survivor eager to learn the truth of what she is. It was wonderful to watch these two individuals work together to fight destiny and create their own future. I had been eager to finally see Venom and Holly find their happily-ever-after, and Archangel's Viper did not disappoint.





Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

I received my ARC of Archangel’s Viper in June and immediately read the entire book. And once I finished, I ended up rereading Archangel’s Heart again. Both books take place at the same time and the events of Archangel’s Heart are why Raphael and Elena aren’t in most of the book. Honestly, I was okay with that since they’re my favorite couple and I probably would have spent most of Archangel’s Viper wanting scenes with them. With Raphael and Elena out of the city, it let Venom and Holly shine.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant for a relationship between Venom and Holly. Holly has been through and changed so much from when we meet in Archangel’s Blood but I was concerned that she wasn’t adult enough for Venom. So much of her character acts in response to the trauma she suffered and initially that didn’t seem like a good fit for mysterious Venom. However, over the course of the series, and especially with Ash and Janvier, Holly has learned to manage her abilities and translate it into an asset.
Although I’m usually not a fan of the slow-build romance, in the case of Venom and Holly, it totally made sense. Most of this book was taken up by plot over relationship building. Events in archangelic world as well as the remnants of Uram from the first book in the series form the main plot. Archangel’s Viper was similar to both Archangel’s Shadow and Archangel’s Enigma. The characters have a history and spend time chasing problems in New York City like Ash and Janvier did. They also end up on a trip where their unique skills are being utilized like Naasir and Andromeda. However, the relationship was uniquely Venom and Holly. While it did take most of the book for their relationship to move from sniping partners to lovers, it was authentic to both of their personalities.
While I won’t say this is my favorite book in the series, I’m still partial to Ash and Janvier as well as watch Elena and Raphael’s relationship progress, this was a solid book. It wasn’t an epic love story but rather a slow healing of two characters we both needed it. I know I’ll end up rereading this book, probably before the next one comes out. Join me in praying it’s Illium/Aodhan’s!

Perhaps if "Archangel's Viper" had come out before "Archangel's Heart" I would have enjoyed it a bit more. The end of "Archangel's Heart" saw Illium, one of Raphael's Seven, in a perilous predicament, but fans looking for resolution to that will have to wait until at least the next book.

"Archangel's Viper" takes the reader back to the time before and during "Archangel's Heart." While I liked the book, I was left a little underwhelmed by the romance.

It's a shame, since the main characters of this book, Holly Chang and Venom, had such crackling chemistry in previous books, that their love story seemed abrupt and lackluster. There were some great moments, but it felt very much like a filler story, although I'm sure that there's an overarching plan for what happened during this books last act (because Nalini always has a plan).

Ultimately, I think fans of the series will like it, but I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Holly Chang was a happy college student on the day she and several of her friends went out on a girl’s day. That all changed when they were kidnapped, tortured and, for Holly’s friends, killed by a crazy archangel. Holly was the sole survivor when she was found by Elena, broken and changed, but alive. It’s now been several years since that happened and Holly has worked hard to overcome what she was changed into and to deal with the creature she has become. Unlike most humans when they are transformed, Holly isn’t quite a vampire nor is she human. Now it seems that someone wants Holly, and they are willing to risk the Tower’s wrath to get her.



Venom is one of Raphael’s seven, his private guard. Known for his slick dressing, eyes like a viper, and poison that he can release with his fangs, Venom usually faces the world behind dark glasses. Venom is one of the seven who has been working with Holly, because it appears they are the only two on earth with faster than fast reflexes and deadly poison that they can release with their fangs. When the bounty on Holly comes to light, Venom volunteers to become Holly’s “babysitter” and personal bodyguard until they find who is behind the threat and terminate it.



Holly would rather spend time with anyone OTHER than Venom, but she is so far down the Tower’s chain that she is stuck with him after Dimitri assigns them together . As Venom and Holly work on following the clues on why someone would want to kidnap Holly, they also continue working on Holly discovering just what her gifts are and how she can control them. They also slowly begin to discover that their game of baiting each other is revealing an attraction that quickly becomes a passion. The deadly game of keeping Holly safe is interrupted by an even deadlier search to reveal the answers to just what Holly has inside her and how it is connected to the insane archangel who transformed her. This search will take Venom and Holly from New York and into the stronghold of an archangel who will destroy them if they are discovered before the truths come out and a final battle is waged—one that might end Holly’s life once and for all. It will take all of Venom and Holly’s strength and trust in each other to overcome the battle before them and come out alive and able to explore the overwhelming passion they have found together.



Match up one of the personal bodyguards to the New York Archangel with a petite Chinese-American woman who has lived through horrors, throw in a treat and a deadly mystery, and you have the journey to love that Venom and Holly will travel in Archangel’s Viper. I would have never put Venom and Holly together and, yet, as I watch them circle around and try to one-up each other, I found that they were the perfect match is so many ways. I absolutely loved watching as Venom and Holly at first fought against their attraction and then as they started to explore their passion and finally as they battled to overcome the deadly horror that was threatening Holly’s life. I also enjoyed learning more about Venom’s background and the why and how he was made as he was. But what I learned most about Venom was that behind his slick suits and those dark glasses, he has a big heart and a soul that needed someone to love and to help him forgive long past hurts that were still festering deep within him. Holly’s zest to live out every minute of life and to make every day count was exactly the person to help Venom finally free himself to accept the love that has connected them.



I was captivated from the first page and wasn’t let go until I turned the final page. I could not wait to discover what would happen next as Venom and Holly worked to find all the answers that would allow them to have a future to love and learn more about each other. I also loved seeing some of the everyday life of Raphael’s seven when he wasn’t around. The timing of Venom and Holly’s story was just as revealing as the Tower’s curtain was slightly moved aside to reveal some of its inner workings. There was much more I could have talked about, but I will just say that you have to read the book. I would suggest that you wait to open the cover until you have a good long stretch uninterrupted time to read. To say that I Joyfully Recommend Archangel’s Viper as a must-read and a true keeper, doesn’t quite cover it, but I do so whole-heartedly.

This is a combined review with my co-blogger, Gretl, at Goldilox and the Three Weres.

We don't know about you, but the much anticipated Venom book is finally out and we are completely here for it! Out of all of Raphael's Seven, Venom's been the biggest enigma for a while. All we've known about him is that he's the youngest of the Seven, he was created by Neha, he's literally poisonous, and that he's kind of an asshole. We get his backstory in this latest installment and it was nothing like we were expecting.

Speaking of unexpected, Holly hasn't had much page time since book four. Maybe we missed all the hints and clues about who Venom's love interest would be, but we totally didn't see Holly coming. She had kind of dropped off the radar, because the last we knew she was still called Sorrow. We knew her story was going to be intriguing once we got it but we didn't expect it to be so fascinating! Her entire existence was as unique and mysterious as Venom's. With there being so many books (and a few years in the series's timeline) since we met first her, we were afraid we wouldn't remember the details of Holly's life, but the author did an excellent job of recapping what happened without it feeling like a massive info dump. And we adored Holly's journey! She changed from a closed off victim to a snarky and self-assured woman who could look forward to her future and finding love. She's really come a long way and we ended up loving her a lot for it.

It's easy to see that we absolutely loved this romance! Holly and Venom are so good once they got together. They've both had hard lives and are individuals who don't trust easily, which made them coming together even more satisfying. They can truly be themselves with each other. Their relationship started slow and grew into this overwhelmingly big thing naturally. It was a classic enemies to friends to lovers romance and it was perfect! The insult banter between them was excellent and a nice change of pace, especially after all the lovey-dovey interactions between Raphael and Elena in the previous book.

We've said it before, but Nalini Singh's storytelling is in a class of its own. The mystery plot was fast paced and totally engaging. We couldn't put it down! We loved finding out more about Holly's transformation and her powers as well as Venom's. The big unknown was fascinating and something we would never have predicted. We both agree that things with Holly's magic got a little weird toward the end there, but it didn't take away much from the overall story. Most of this book overlaps with the events in Archangel's Heart and we loved how Singh perfectly tied the two story lines together.

Overall, we loved this newest addition to one of our favorite series! We can't wait to see more of Holly and Venom in later books. Now comes the long wait to see what and who the next book is about. We have our fingers crossed that it will be an Aodhan and Illium book.

We don't know about you, but the much anticipated Venom book is finally out and we are completely here for it! Out of all of Raphael's Seven, Venom's been the biggest enigma for a while. All we've known about him is that he's the youngest of the Seven, he was created by Neha, he's literally poisonous, and that he's kind of an asshole. We get his backstory in this latest installment and it was nothing like we were expecting.

Speaking of unexpected, Holly hasn't had much page time since book four. Maybe we missed all the hints and clues about who Venom's love interest would be, but we totally didn't see Holly coming. She had kind of dropped off the radar, because the last we knew she was still called Sorrow. We knew her story was going intriguing once we got it but we didn't expect it to be so fascinating! Her entire existence was as unique and mysterious as Venom's. With there being so many books (and a few years in the series's timeline) since we met first her, we were afraid we wouldn't remember the details of Holly's life, but the author did an excellent job of recapping what happened without it feeling like a massive info dump. And we adored Holly's journey! She changed from a snarky and closed off victim to a self-assured woman who could look forward to her future and finding love. She's really come a long way and we ended up loving her a lot for it.

It's easy to see that we absolutely loved this romance! Holly and Venom are so good once they got together. They've both had hard lives and are individuals who don't trust easily, which made them coming together even more satisfying. They can truly be themselves with each other. Their relationship started slow and grew into this overwhelmingly big thing naturally. It was a classic enemies to friends to lovers romance and it was perfect! The insult banter between them was excellent and a nice change of pace, especially after all the lovey-dovey interactions between Raphael and Elena in the previous book.

We've said it before, but Nalini Singh's storytelling is in a class of its own. The mystery plot was fast paced and totally engaging. We couldn't put it down! We loved finding out more about Holly's transformation and her powers as well as Venom's. The big unknown was fascinating and something we would never have predicted. We both agree that things with Holly's magic got a little weird toward the end there, but it didn't take away much from the overall story. Most of this book overlaps with the events in Archangel's Heart and we loved how Singh perfectly tied the two story lines together.

Overall, we loved this newest addition to one of our favorite series! We can't wait to see more of Holly and Venom in later books. Now comes the long wait to see what and who the next book is about. We have our fingers crossed that it will be an Aodhan and Illium book.

Viper is mysterious and exotic and definitely colors outside of the lines of the various species that exist in this beautiful and deadly paranormal world.  Even with the formidable imagination of the author I think the unusual world that Ms. Singh has created here gives her full rein to let her imagination fly.  Even as Raphael and Elena and their romance is the rich tapestry that all the other romances are woven against it's great to see each of the seven find their unusual mates one by one. Holly is a survivor. Captured by an archangel maddened on blood lust she survived the horrific experience,  forever changed into a creature that does not fit any known mold. It's not clear what she's become from her experience because like Viper she's no ordinary vampire. Even more important given her experience its not clear if she's some day prove to be a danger and will have to be crushed like a bug by the very people who train and protect her today.  What a fitting mate she makes for Viper who's venom can kill and even incapacitate a grown angel. Holly's developing venom is not as strong as Viper's but her bite can neutralize his venom.
Now she has a bounty on her head as someone seeks to capture her for some nefarious reason. Also her nightmares are getting worse as she is seemingly developing some archangelic tendencies, a legacy of her making or something else?  While she has been nurtured and trained by Dimitri, Honor and even Elena she's finally entrusted to Viper for protection.  Viper is unusual in that he treats her like an equal allowing her to find her strengths. He's also forthcoming with her and shares information openly with her.  One of the things we learn is Viper's back story and his making in Neha's court.
As they explore the underbelly of the city, readers are treated to the cut and thrust of the developing relationship between the two that keeps things very interesting.  It's also fun to catch up with the other characters that we've met and grown to like even as Raphael and Elena are gone from the city.  Holly however is a lady with a mission that is being guided by the power of a dead archangel which Holly and Viper will have to execute and hopefully come out alive at the other end.
This is a series which thrives on the unusual but even so this story definitely blows the covers off unusual in what the readers get to experience. All in all I really enjoyed these two characters. Viper from some of the interactions in earlier books turns out to be a very personable and likeable character for whom I was surprised to feel a large does of empathy. Holly really grows into her own to become a fitting mate for Viper.
Can't wait to see what comes next in this world.

When I started this series I was seriously impressed with all the so obviously different personalities Nalini Singh equipped her characters with. No one was just an accessory, they all had a purpose and they all displayed distinguishing features. After Illium I was the most intrigued by Venom, the sangfroid, snarky member of Raphael's Seven. Needless to say I was over the moon when I saw his book popping up and although it wasn't a surprise who the author paired him up with I was happy it was Holly.

Heads up right away: if you expect a mushy romance this is not what you get. This installment is very story driven and while there is great chemistry between Venom and Holly the romance aspect comes pretty late in the story. It didn't bother me though - it was a natural development for them. The snarky banter and quips from the beginning turned gradually into a good-natured ribbing.


Individually Venom and Holly couldn't be more different, at least at a distant glance. He has a coolness about him that keeps people at arm's length. The only real connection and friendship he has with his brothers-in-arms, Raphael's Seven. Venom knows that he is one of a kind but he has come to appreciate it and uses his otherness to his own advantage - not hard since it comes with a set of kickass abilities. He is aware of Holly struggling with her alterity.

***To the world, Venom was a vampire. And there were millions of vampires. But he was the only one with the eyes of a viper and the deeper, less visible changes that shoved him far outside that well-defined box. Like Naasir, he was and had always been alone among millions. Until Holly.***


What surprised me about him was his benign nature (in all his badass-ness) and an unexpected gentleness with Holly. He loves her wildness, her intelligence and sweetness and he never lies to her. He is standing with her, backing her up when it is Holly against the world. Venom has a playful side about him that I found utterly charming. I loved he nicknames "Kitty" and "Hollyberry" he gave her. But Venom, too, has a past that shaped him.

***He felt his lips kick up. When she wasn’t awake and snapping at him, she was pretty cute. Though he had to admit he liked the snappy, snarky side of her.***


He understands Holly like no one else but it goes both ways - Holly recognizes Venom's otherness and realizing that she isn't the only freak helps her overcome her rage and feeling of loneliness. She is a complicated creature - we saw her in the beginning of the series as this broken doll, broken by Uram who Made her against her will but left her a being not quite vampire but not quite mortal or angel either. She felt a little bit emo back then so I loved to see that she took charge of her life. She has come a long way from "Sorrow" back to Holly.

Venom laughed, delighted with her— though he’d never allow her to guess that. Holly had always challenged him in a way that ignited his instincts, and she did it with a cutting intelligence that spoke to his own.


Holly has become a force to be reckoned with, inspires loyalty and benevolence in people.
Her struggles with what she has become are painful and I felt nothing but compassion and admiration for her courage. Add to that a sharp tongue, intelligence and kindness and she makes for a wonderfully strong heroine.


For those who have been wondering - yes, we get to see a little bit of Illium and Dmitri, whose interaction with Holly and his fatherly love for her made my heart soar.

***Cupping her face in his hands, Dmitri spoke in a voice midnight with age. “Hate me if you want, Holly, but remember this: you’re one of the Tower’s now. You’re one of mine now. That might mean chains, but it also means you have hundreds of vampires and angels at your back.”

“Let’s go, my little weirdling. I’m Ash and Janvier’s teacher for the next hour. You can watch.”***

The car race between Dmitri and Venom was an exhilarating moment in the book which we get a lot of btw. You will find a lot of heart-stopping action and exciting scenes.
It wouldn't be a Guild Hunter story if we didn't get to catch up a bit with Raphael - he doesn't steal Venom's and Holly's thunder which I appreciated.


Overall this was a very satisfying installment - I had one little niggle I wanted to mention that in the grand scheme of things didn't diminish my enjoyment of this story at all: the show-down is a little too long. Holly's inner "dialogue" was a little exhausting but as I said, it is really only a small complaint.


Ms. Singh's writing is excellent. She knows how to pull you right into the story and make you commiserate with the characters and fall in love with them. They are complex and multi-layered and always, always likable. That she mixes different cultures into her stories only adds to the fascination. This book in the series belongs to my favorites - while the romance isn't as prominent it still has a lot to love about it. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

On that note, I notice a pattern in these books. The ones featuring Raphael and Elena drive the overarching plot forward, the ones featuring his Seven focus on the couple they are about. Yet, I wouldn't recommend reading them as standalones. They have a lot of names and little details and while Nalini Singh explains and elaborates on them very well they would still be way confusing.

***“I love you,” he said, his eyes locked with hers. “From the tips of my hair to the tips of my toes. From yesterday to tomorrow and every tomorrow we will ever see. From this moment to the mystery beyond death. Every part of you, slow or fast, small or big, strong or weak. I love you, Holly.”***


Archangel's Viper is the ninth installment of the Guild Hunter series which must be read in order.

"They let you drive now?" he said in a wondering tone of voice calibrated to get under her skin. "I leave for a couple of years and miss kitty's first steps. Did anyone take photos for the baby album I sent you?"

"It's full of pretty pictures." Holly bared her teeth at him in a caricature of a smile. "Honor is a little concerned about how I keep drawing you with your head cut off," she said in a deliberately thoughtful tone, "but an artist must follow her instincts."

FINAL DECISION: Awesome, I loved this book in a way I never expected. Feeling fresh and young and yes, even a little weird, this book's tone matched the strange, unique, and fun that make up Holly and Venom.

THE STORY: Four years ago, Holly Chang's world was fundamentally altered when she and her friends were kidnapped by a blood mad archangel. Her friends were all murdered; Holly survived but ended up changed when the archangel put "something" of himself into Holly. She gained some qualities of vampires but she is neither fully vampire nor human. In the years since her abduction, Holly has been under the observation by various members of Raphael's Seven.  Now the one who irks Holly the most, Venom, has returned to annoy her some more. Venom is a unique vampire who also possesses viper qualities and eyes. While Venom and Holly have much in common as to their abilities, they seem to rub one another the wrong way -- until someone puts a bounty on Holly to kidnap her and the "otherness" inside her seems to be asserting itself. Venom and Holly must work together to discover what actually happened to Holly four years ago.

OPINION: The problem with loving a series is that sometimes a new book doesn't live up to the hype and excitement. Having just completed a re-read of the Guild Hunter series, I had a worry in my stomach that I was too excited about Venom and Holly's story (which has its origins in the very first book). I'm so happy to report that this book exceeded all of my excited anticipation. It was so different in its voice and tone and the characters lived up to the strange and mysterious origins. Their funky, weird and quirky natures bored into my heart (ha, ha) and they are definitely one of my favorite couples in the series.

Can I admit something? I often tend to take glances at the end of books as I get distracted during the story. (It's a way of urging myself forward). This book I read cover to cover without even being tempted to read the ending. If you have similar tendencies or like to read spoilers, I urge you to let this book flow out in front of you instead. The story and relationship builds in such a wonderful fashion that I think that knowing the secrets in the ending will diminish the first-time reader experience.

Story feels young and fresh in a manner that I didn't expect. One of my all time favorite books is FIRE AND ICE by Anne Stuart. This book has a similar feel in the characters and pacing (although there is really little similarity). The characters are younger than others in the series.

Although Venom is over 350 years old, he is the youngest of the Seven and the one character who has been the most mysterious in the series. This book peels back his layers and gives us his backstory.  He's got a secret (not a deep dark one but an interesting one) that makes him adorable and perfect for Holly. Sexy and raw in a way that no one else in the Seven is, he has a different personality than I expected once his "gameface" is off.

Holly (who for a time called herself Sorrow) is quirky and funny and incredibly strong. We haven't seen her progression for a while, and it was especially satisfying to see how she has grown and struggled and managed to reinvent herself after the horror of her "Making". (I'll also confess to having a total love for Dmitri and Honor and just adored seeing them with Holly). Holly makes this book for me. Her needling of Venom as the two find the rhythm of a relationship between them. Her strength in facing the reality of what her "making" might actually mean. And her determination to keep true to herself and her humanity put me on her side from the start. Of all the characters in this series, she was the only one from the present day who was 100 percent human and normal until she was forcibly dragged into the immortal world.

The funniest part for me is that I expected the quips and arguments and the humor, but I didn't expect how heartwarming I would find their relationship. The observation that these two will grow together hit me with so many warm fuzzies. Their story is one of acceptance and appreciation and love for a person "because" of who they are rather than "despite".

The story is more focused on Holly and Venom than in normal in this series (in many ways this book and ARCHANGEL'S HEART are part of the same story) and as a result, I was simply gutted as the book reached its conclusion as no part of this series has since the very first book.  The romance between these two is uniquely their own. The two seem to find joy in annoying one another, testing one another. There is a similarity to the relationship between Ash and Janvier, but this is no repeat of that romance. Venom and Holly have an acidic sweetness that matches their natures.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book overlaps with the events in ARCHANGEL'S HEART.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ARCHANGEL'S VIPER is the tenth book in the Guild Hunter series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

Will be posted on September 26th.

This book was all of the things! I was amazing! I've actually already read it twice.. After the first read it spurred a re-read of the series which of course I had to re-read Viper once I got through the series. I had a feeling these two would end up together when they first started interacting in Dmitri's book and I am so glad that came to fruition.

Its several years after Holly/Sorrows attack and she is finally building a new life for herself. She has respect and for the most part the watch dogs are off of her. She's been able to fake it well enough that Dmitri isn't as cautious. She still has to meet with her arch nemesis Viper because of their similar abilities but at least he's in the refuge.. Until he's not any more.

Viper has seen a lot of things, he's done a lot of things, he has a good life, friends, respect, but always he's alone. He's so very other, no one else is like him. Except now Holly. While not the same, she is similar enough that he feels a kinship. When her life is in danger he now feels more than a kinship.. maybe an attraction?

Singh takes you through an action packed, emotional ride in another installment of the Guild Hunters. This series is one of my all time favorites and it never fails to disappoint. Look forward to a thrilling ride.

The Guild Hunter series is one of my favorites of all the dozens that I read but the problem is that I want every one of them to be exceptional, amazing and near perfect 5 Star novels, sadly that is not reality.

This novel is more cerebral in nature, it is a very complex relationship that careens throughout most of the novel. The nice thing is that when you have a writer with the amount of talent that Nalini Singh has even passages that would be dull in another authors hands are still interesting and hold my attention.

The relationship between Venom and Holly is filled with snark and a bit of dislike on her part of a goodly part of the book, obviously it becomes more of a romance later in the book but it took much longer than I would have expected and was almost to the point of being irritating.

The lack of almost any action other than Holly trying not to lose herself to the thing Uram made her into, made this a bit of an oddity in this action oriented series. If you are looking for bodies piling up in battles, this book will not fulfill those desires, it is possibly the most "quiet" book in the series but still the story held my interest and was satisfying at the end.

Bottom line: While this was another great book in the series it falls slightly under the bar I use for 5 Stars in this series and I admit a slight bias against any of the books that do not have a large dose of Raphael and Elena. This book is 90+% just Venom and Holly but the lack of action and the almost total absence of Raphael and Elena makes me give it a 4 Star rating this time around. Anyone who thinks this means this was not a great book needs a class on reading comprehension.

V E N O M.

I don’t know about you guys, but of all the mysterious mystery men in Raphael’s coterie, Venom probably held the least interest for me.

That’s not to say he held no interest—this is Singh we’re talking about—just that of all the intriguing men up for grabs, Venom might’ve wound up my last pick.

You: Y no Venom love?

Me: Umm . . . b/c probably a parselmouth.

You: Pfft. Lies.

Me: Also, he’s POISONOUS.

And let’s be realistic, just b/c I’m a proud, card-carrying member of House Slytherin, doesn’t mean snakey Voldemort is my dream man.

description
And try I as I might, the only other man/snake amalgam I could come up with was Jafar, which isn’t any better, and is also a Bad Guy.

B/c snakes are ALWAYS the Bad Guy.

*flinches b/c hears Nalini Singh laughing from undisclosed location*

So that’s the first hurdle Singh had to jump. And she did. Remarkably well. Her efforts aided, in no small part, by Holly.

You: Holly who?

Me: Holly-the-lone-survivor-from-cannibal-archangel’s-pile-‘o-woman-flesh (from book 1).

You: O_____O

Me: YEP. Bet you forgot about her. I know I did.

BUT. As it turns out, she’s kinda poisonous too.

I’m not going to waste time outlining this installment’s furthering of the main plot: is that crazy bitch who hung out in China really dead? What new worrying signs of the Cascade appeared? All of that is typically secondary in the non-Elena and Raphael segments anyway.

ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is about Venom and Holly and how two individuals, abused by fate and man, can be forged into something new and profoundly unique, and in that shared abnormality become perfect for each other.

It’s quite lovely.

SO. If you’ve yet to begin reading what is one of my favorite urban fantasy/paranormal romance combos, I encourage you to climb on up and get on this bandwagon. There is cake, and I will share it. Probably. If your hesitation stems from the number of installments you’re behind, consider how you’ll feel in five years when GUILD HUNTER is still going strong, as I predict it will be. *sing songs* Better late than neverrrrr. To the veterans, I say nothing. B/c you already know. *eats cake*

“For a woman with unicorn hair, you’re very bloodthirsty. I approve.”

It doesn’t matter how many times I read a book by Nalini Singh; I am forever amazed and awed by the intricacy with which she builds her fictional worlds.

So delicate and detailed that, in fact, they don’t feel fictional at all.

Never mind the fact that they’re riddled with psychic beings and changelings or, in the case of Archangel’s Viper and the Guild Hunter series, with angels and vampires—these books are rife with such raw emotion as to level a reader.

Needless to say, Venom and Holly’s story leveled me. That, and more. This story has been building since book one, Angels’ Blood (Archangel’s Viper is number ten), and every moment, every nugget of information, every glimpse of these two damaged souls over the course of nine subsequent book was paid off. In triplicate. With an intensity that Blew. My. Mind.

And damn near ruptured my heart. I cried—big, fat, achy tears—and, even now, I can’t decide if I want to smile or sob over some of the more tense, weighted moments.

Smile. I’ll go with smile. Because only Nalini Singh can give me a series that hides information in the smallest, unlikeliest of places… and then use that to add ever more texture and detail to a world that never fails to surprise, amaze and awe me.

Always in his arms, she’d be home.
As he would be in hers.

~ FIVE Kitty STARS ~

Nalini Singh has so many books you would think it would be hard to pick a series but nope, not for me. She is my ultimate favorite author, tops my list of authors I’d kill to meet, and this series right here is my favorite of all of hers. The Guild Hunter series has a grittiness and urbanness to it that I wouldn’t normally say that I like but like with most things Nalini just does it so, so well that I fell in love with her characters and this world. The same goes for the Psy/Changeling world but the Guild Hunters are just the best for me!

This is Venom and Sorrow’s story – who now goes by her original name of Holly. We’d gotten glimpses of Holly in previous books so I was excited to see her full story finally. Since Uram made her no one knows what to expect with her power or abilities, least of all Holly herself. She’s terrified as slowly her powers are changing and she doesn’t want to become close to anyone as she doesn’t want to hurt them. Venom, who is part of Raphael’s Seven, is someone everyone avoids just like they avoid Holly because they don’t know what either of them are. Most people are intimidated by both of them, but together they create an interesting dynamic as neither one are daunted by the other.

Someone has a bounty out on Holly’s head and Venom is teamed up with her to discover what is going on. Throughout their investigation their relationship evolves into more than just taunting and barbs and to deeper feelings that neither one knew was there previously. However, at the same time Holly’s powers are growing quicker and expanding into something no one can predict.

“From the tips of my hair to the tips of my toes, from yesterday to tomorrow and every tomorrow we will ever see…”
Once again, Singh delivers with growing and expanding her Guild Hunter world with this book. We get so much about Venom’s past which lets us know him more intimately and his character. At the same time we also get to know Holly’s present and what is making her *her* right now. The combination of the two delivers a great romance while at the same time we gt a mystery trying to figure out who has a bounty on her head, what powers Holly has from Uram, an incredible paranormal world replete with angels, vampires, and much more.

The interactions between the Seven gives the lightness and humor that I need to balance out any heaviness. That banter always cracks me up. We also get glimpses of Ilium and I so want his story soon and I’m crossing my fingers that Nalini will deliver with an m/m romance!! 5 stars to another wonderful book in this series. I already can’t wait for the next.

We met Holly when she was rescued from the brutal torture she endured at the hands and fangs of an insane Archangel. Poisoned and on the radar of all Raphel’s seven, Holly has been dealing with the violent nature that has been infected on her by the attack. One of the seven, Venom, in particular, has taken a very special interest in Holly. There is something about her darkness that calls to his, something that can’t be denied.

Let me start by saying that the Guild Hunter series is an example of exceptional storytelling with a heartfelt plot, heated romantic entanglements, and riveting action. Amid such marvelous fictional escapes, Archangel’s Viper was just okay in comparison. No matter how much I wanted to connect with Holly’s and Venom’s story, I just didn’t.

Would I recommend reading this book, absolutely! My expectations for this series and author have set the bar high and if compared to all other reads, this series still is one of my favorites of all time.

I received this ARC copy of Archangel's Viper from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Archangel's Viper is set for publication September 26, 2017.

My Rating: 3.5 stars
Written by: Nalini Singh
Series: A Guild Hunter Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 10
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 26, 2017
ISBN-10: 0451488245
ISBN-13: 978-0451488244
Genre: Romantic fantasy | Urban Fantasy

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/arch...
Amazon: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arch...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.amazon.com/Archangels-Vip...

Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com


3 likes

I liked this couple a lot, even if I forgot who was Holly in the beginning I have to admit! Viper has never been one of mv favorite between the seven, but I appreciate him more after this book. No more information about the Cadre in this novel, so the overplot remains stucked this time, maybe the next book is coming out in less than one year (one can always hope)...

Questa coppia era ben assortita, anche se io non ricordavo affatto chi fosse Holly all'inizio, devo ammetterlo! Viper non é mai stato uno dei miei preferiti tra i Sette, ma dopo questo libro mi piace un po' di piú. Per il resto la trama globale non é andata avanti e quindi nessuna notizia dal Cadre, ma magari significa che il prossimo libro arriva prima del solito anno, voglio dire, si puó sempre sperare no?

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

Holly, a series’ fringe character who was brutally terrorized by the archangel Uram back in the beginning of the series, was left for nearly dead and Made into something not quite right. She now serves Raphael’s Tower under the close supervision of Dmitri and the Seven. However, after a kidnapping attempt, the gang discovers there is a bounty on Holly. With Viper back in town, it’s up to him to keep her safe. Figuring out who is after Holly and what she’s becoming are the focus of Archangel’s Viper.

The story takes place concurrent in time to the previous book, Archangel’s Heart, while Raphael and Elena are far from Manhattan. Dmitri is left in charge, and with the support of Illium and Viper, they keep the territory safe while their sire is away. This allows room for Holly to explore her otherness and the changes happening under her skin without fear that Raphael will end it prematurely.

With so much of the book’s plotlines focused on Holly, Archangel’s Viper isn’t really Viper’s story. This one belongs to her. Nearly broken after her capture by Uram, she’s evolving into something other, and Viper is the one person who can relate. During the story they bond - deepening a friendship born out of respect and understanding. They also explore their sexual chemistry, but this is secondary to Holly’s coming-of-age tale. I enjoyed watching Viper and Holly piece together what has happened to and what is becoming of Holly. However, I was a little bit frustrated with the kidnapping storyline, because it dropped off, taking a backseat to her evolution, shortly after it began.

While I still classify Archangel’s Viper a paranormal romance, the romance piece is very slow-burning and not the primary focus of the book. Yet, it doesn’t matter to me because I enjoyed the interactions between Viper and Holly, regardless of how mild or flirty. These are two characters we know little about, so watching them develop before my eyes and learn so much more about both was entertaining.

All in all, Archangel’s Viper is another exciting, engrossing story in one of my favorite series. Ms. Singh gets an A+ for her world-building and character development, with each book in the Guild Hunter series adding so much to the overall picture. I look forward to each installment and cannot wait to see what she cooks up next!

My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot

Archangel’s Viper is the tenth installment in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. Boy, its hard to believe that we’ve already reached the tenth book in the series. Unlike the previous installments, Archangel’s Viper actually takes place at the same time as the previous installment, Archangel’s Heart. So basically we get to see what was going on in New York while Raphael, Elena and Aodhan were in Morocco. Although, we do get to see Raphael for awhile near the end but no Elena or Aodhan. Our two main characters in this installment are none other than Venom and Holly Chang! Personally, this is one pairing that I’ve been waiting for since the first time we saw Venom and Holly together in the same place back in Archangel’s Blade. You have to admit it, that first scene with the two of them was practically foreshadowing their relationship.

When we last saw Holly, she decided to go by the name Sorrow after being the only surviving victim of Uram’s murder spree in New York. Due to the attack, Holly/Sorrow was not only left in a horrible mental state but also led to her becoming something that is neither a vampire nor a human but something else. As a result, Raphael was forced to have Holly/Sorrow be under guard and watch in order to see if its safe to allow her to live or dangerous which means that they would have to kill her. In Archangel’s Viper, Holly has recovered to a point where she has decided to drop the name Sorrow and return to being Holly Chang. With the help and support she received, Holly decides that she’s going to live her life to the fullest despite what Uram did to her. Now Holly works for the Tower after being trained by a team in the Tower. In fact its because of a favor from her boss Janvier that Holly’s asked to pick up Venom who is returning to New York. It doesn’t take long for Holly and Venom to begin teasing the other. However, its soon put to a stop when they are attacked on their way back. The reason for the attack is Holly because apparently someone has put out a contract on her. So now Holly and Venom are forced to team up and find the one who put out the contract. Sadly, what started as a search for the contractor soon leads to something much worse.

Overall, Archangel’s Viper was another wonderful installment with plenty of adventures for our pair along with twists and romance that they have to face. Not to mention Nalini Singh once again did an amazing job bring in multiple plots that at first seem to be separate plots but we soon discover that they all lead to one single plot. Also, it was great to finally learn more about Venom! Not including Naasir, Venom was always the mysterious one from the Seven. All we knew about him was he was Made by the Archangel Neha and gained snake like abilities like his eyes that are not only like a snake but can entrance humans and has powerful poison from his fangs. However, we finally get to learn his origins and I have to say that it was an unexpected tale. Its thanks to Holly that we get to see see another side of Venom that even Raphael and the other Seven have never seen before since his joining. Seriously, fans will be surprised by many things in Archangel’s Viper so I hope you all enjoy it once you get your hands on it!


*I received Archangel’s Viper from Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in return for an honest review.*

Archangel's Viper is book 10 in the Guild Hunters series and its the story I didn't know I needed! You meet Holly in book 1 when she is the victim of a deranged archangel. I never imagined her getting her own story years later. Venom has been around since book 1 as well. One of Raphael's 7, he is the deadliest vampire on the planet and loves toying with his 'kitty', Holly.

Venom has always been a bit of a villain who seems barely under control. Yet, as a reader, you are still so intrigued by him! Add to his natural air of mystery the continuing discovery of Holly and her talents and the book really keeps you on your toes. Who would want to kidnap Holly and why? Do they know something they shouldn't or do they know something even Holly doesn't know?

Archangel's Viper weaves the story of Holly and what she is or might be with the burgeoning romance between Venom and Holly. While they are different at first blush, they have far more in common than anyone imagined. Venom gets Holly in a way no one else can and allows her to be 'herself' (whoever that might end up being). In return, Venom becomes lighter and freer in Holly's presence. There is a scene where Venom, Dimitri, and Illium are racing and they all seem so carefree and young! Its a side to the 3 very stoic men you don't get to see often. And through all that, you have the danger of what Holly might become, who might want to possess her, and where it might lead them all. Singh blends the levity with the danger, the lust with the adventure, and all your favorite characters from the guild hunter world. Singh is the only author I have ever read who can accomplish combining so many emotions and events into a story with so many characters and never let the reader feel that they are drowning in it all.

I feel like its been a long time since I have been in the guild hunter world and found I had to look up a few things/people to refresh my memories. Nothing major, but certainly evidence that this isn't a stand alone!

Justine Eyre has one of my favorite voices. She is flawless!! While this series can be a difficult one to listen to because there are so many people to keep up with, Eyre's voice keeps you engaged. She really is performing the story.
Link live on 9/21/17

In the Guild Hunter series, readers have gotten to know Holly since Elena first rescued her from a brutal attack by the insane archangel Uram. Holly barely survived, and the attack changed her irrevocably not only in an emotional sense, but physically as well. Those changes have not stopped, Holly lives in constant fear of becoming a monster with no hope of redemption. Venom, the youngest in the Archangel Raphael’s private guard known as the Seven, survived his own monstrous transformation centuries ago. With his snakey eyes and poisonous fangs, Venom has always been one of a kind—as is Holly, for no one knows exactly what she is. Not entirely human, not exactly vampire, Holly, once known as Sorrow, is certainly very deadly. Venom and Holly have an adversarial relationship, though neither of them would admit it, they enjoy the physical and verbal sparring. Holly’s job for the Tower, under the direction of Ashwini, Janvier and, of course, Dmitri, involves working in the shadows and underbelly of the city where the higher-ups would not be welcome. When someone decides Holly is a prize to be had, she and Venom are forced to work as a team in the seamy places of New York to track down the ones who are foolish or arrogant enough to hunt anyone under the Tower’s protection.
Holly fights with every fiber of her colorful and eclectic being to hold back the dark and terrifying remnant of Uram, which somehow wants to take her over; and now, something or someone powerful is calling her to another archangel’s territory in a way that’s much too intense to be ignored. Possibly adding to the upsurge in Holly’s own abilities is the catastrophic effect known as the Cascade which has been amping up some angelic powers. This unpredictable force may not only apply to the top tier angels and archangels.

Even though she’s a strange hybrid with an unknown future, the most important thing to Holly is her humanity. Venom, with his cold reptilian inner being and poisonous abilities, thought he lost his ability to feel compassion or love centuries ago. But when this small spitfire of a girl refuses to give in to the horrors that nearly destroyed her, it awakens something inside him that he thought impossible and forever lost.

Fans of Ms. Singh will be well pleased with this fine addition to the series. It has everything wonderful we have come to expect: action, adventure, humor, and romance as well as being a very clever tale that will keep you guessing about exactly what is going on and how it will all play out until the very end. This story has just the right balance between the difficult and often dangerous world Holly and Venom inhabit and a love story that alleviates the violence and aggression. Their story has been building for quite some time so having it come to fruition is very satisfying. I absolutely, totally enjoyed all aspects of this book and while that may sound like hyperbole, the praise is much deserved.