Mini-Review: Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter

Title: Wicked Nights
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Angels of the Dark #1
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 06/26/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

From the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld comes a dark, seductive new series featuring angels poised on the brink of destruction....

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

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

Mini-Review: Angels are a hard sell for me because I think of them as being like any other paranormal creature, and don't like when a lot of religion is mixed in. The last thing I want is a lecture or sermon when I'm reading. This novel is a great example of angels being tied to a higher power, without it being overly religious. I really enjoyed the lore of the different types of angels, and demons. Most of this novel flew right by while reading, but near the end it slowed a bit. As I got closer and closer to the end, I wondered when the plot was going to come to the climax/resolution. As the pages were slipping away, I worried the epic battle at the end would be quick and rushed. But I shouldn't have worried. The author wrapped everything up at the perfect pace. I really enjoyed both Zacharel and Annabelle, and got sucked into their story. Their interactions seemed very genuine, especially when things weren't perfect. I was also intrigued by some of Zacharel's warriors, and hope to see them get their own book in the future. My favorite part of the cover was that the female cover model looked like she possibly had some Asian heritage, therefore she felt more like Annabelle instead of random cover model. I also liked the body language of both models. The way they are embracing intrigued me.

Plot: 4 Stars
Pace: 4 Stars
Characters: 5 Stars
Cover: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought a copy of this novel for my own reading pleasure.